Harvesting units
AssigneeFMC Corporation
InventorRoy Scudder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a tractor drawn device for harvesting fruits such as berries and coffee. A harvesting device is mounted on a frame structure supporting a vertically disposed tined shaker unit and a power pack, preferably a hydraulic pump driven by a diesel engine, that imparts rotation to unbalanced weights by a hydraulic motor. The towed frame mounting the shaker unit includes levelling devices for maintaining the central axis of the shaker unit substantially vertical.
Claims1
A tractor drawn harvester including a tined shaker unit that rapidly strikes fruit bearing branches of trees or bushes to dislodge fruit, the shaker unit being operatively mounted on a frame structure having a generally horizontal portion and vertical portion mounting the shaker unit for movement transverse to a row of trees being harvested, the frame structure having a hitch at its forward end connectable to a tractor and a pair of wheels at its trailing end, the improvement in said frame structure comprising a platform mounting a power unit providing pressure fluid for operating the shaker unit, said platform being mounted on the frame structure and being displaceable transversely relative to a row of trees, selectively operable means for moving the shaker unit toward the row of trees so that the tines achieve the desired penetration, and means for displacing said power unit transversely in a direction opposite to the direction in which the shaker unit is moved to thereby maintain the resultant center of gravity between the wheels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.