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US 5,661,963 AGranted
Citrus harvester
AssigneeFMC Corporation
InventorPhillip Ray Scott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A harvester for harvesting fruits from plants such as trees or bushes. The harvester uses a shaker head, which rotationally oscillates a vertical brush. A shaker frame is able to rotate around a wide arch which allows more than half the tree to be reached in a single pass. The other half of the tree may be reached by the brush in a pass in the opposite direction. The harvester also uses lifts to raise the brush to a height suitable for harvesting fruits from trees.
Claims5
An apparatus for harvesting fruits from bushes and trees, comprising:
- a main frame, which is moved in a forward direction;
- a plurality of wheels supporting the main frame;
- a shaker head with a vertical brush;
- a shaker frame mechanically connected to the shaker head;
- a hinge connecting the shaker frame to the main frame, wherein the hinge allows the shaker frame to move from a side of the main frame to a rearward part of the main frame;
- and
- means for applying a force to the shaker frame to bias the shaker frame to the side of the main frame.
4 more elements
A method of harvesting fruits from plants, comprising the steps of:
- providing a harvester with a shaker frame holding a shaker head with a vertical shaker brash, wherein the shaker frame is tensioned to extend to a first side of the harvester;
- drawing the harvester next to a plant on a first side of the plant, so that the harvester travels in a forward direction, and so that the vertical shaker brush contacts the front of the plant, and so that the plant is on the first side of the harvester;
- drawing the harvester further in the forward direction so that the brush contacts the first side of the plant;
- and
- drawing the harvester past the plant so that the brush contacts the back of the plant.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.