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US 6,282,877 B1Granted
Fruit and vegetable harvesting apparatus and methods
AssigneePik Rite, Inc.
InventorJoseph Yoder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for harvesting vinous crops includes cutting a fruit-carrying vine mass from its growing roots, sweeping the vine mass with rotary reel motion onto a upwardly inclined endless conveyor for carriage to a position of commencement of a first arcuate path and thereafter carrying the vine mass along the arcuate path by first lifting and then lowering the vine mass while imparting vibratory motion to the vine mass to separate fruit from vines of the mass.
Claims23
Apparatus for harvesting fruit from vinous crops comprising:
- a. cutting means for cutting a fruit-carrying vine mass of said crop from its growing roots;
- b. first vibrating means, receiving said vine mass from said cutting means, for imparting first vibratory motion to said vine mass to separate fruit from vines of said vine mass, comprising:
- i. a first rotatable shaker;
- ii. means for drivingly rotating said first shaker and imparting vibratory motion thereto during rotation thereof;
- iii. means, extending from said first shaker, for engaging said vine mass and vibratingly carrying said vine mass along an arcuate path over said first shaker as said first shaker vibratingly rotates;
- c. means receiving said vine mass upon disengagement from said first vibrating means, for transporting said vine mass away from said first vibrating means while permitting fruit separated from said vines to fall therethrough;
- d. second vibrating means engaging said vine mass, for imparting second vibratory motion to said vine mass to separate from said vine mass detached fruits remaining entrapped therein after application of said first vibratory motion to said vine mass;
- e. a reel located proximate to and generally above said cutting means, the axis of said reel being transverse to direction of travel of said apparatus through said field, said reel rotating in a direction such that at closest approach of said reel periphery and said cutting means, said reel periphery and said ground move in a common direction relative to said cutting means as said apparatus travels through said growing field for urging said plants towards a pick-up position portion of an upwardly inclined conveyor beneath said reel;
- and
- f. said upwardly inclined endless conveyor transporting plants upwardly from the ground after being cut from their roots by said cutting means and being urged thereagainst by said reel to a position at which said fruits are detached from said vinous plants.
7 more elements
A method for harvesting vinous crops comprising:
- a. cutting a fruit-carrying vine mass from its growing roots;
- b. sweeping said cut vine mass with rotary reel means onto an upwardly inclined endless conveyor for carriage thereby to a position of commencement of a first arcuate path;
- c. carrying said vine mass along said first arcuate path by first lifting said vine mass and then lowering said vine mass while imparting vibratory motion to said vine mass to separate fruit from vines of said mass;
- d. catching fruit separated from said vines and conveying said fruits to a discharge position;
- e. conveying the vine mass remaining along a linear path while imparting second vibratory motion thereto;
- f. catching falling fruit, separated from said remaining vine mass by application of said second vibratory motion thereto and conveying said caught fruits to said discharge position.
3 more elements
Harvesting apparatus for detaching and collecting fruits from vinous plants during travel through a growing field, comprising:
- a. a longitudinally elongated frame adapted to be pulled by a tractor;
- b. an adjustable length axle connected to said frame and being generally transverse thereto, comprising:
- i. a tubular member;
- and
- ii. a shaft within said tube and being extendible out of said tubular member in one transverse direction only respecting said frame;
- c. wheels rotatably mounted on respective ends of said axle for supporting said apparatus during travel thereof through said growing field;
- d. a body assembly support housing pivotally mounted on said frame;
- e. means for adjustably positioning said body assembly support housing relative to said frame, to maintain said body assembly support housing substantially level when said harvesting apparatus traverses an incline in said growing field;
- f. means for cutting said plants from their roots, extending transversely to direction of apparatus travel through said growing field and being generally flat to define a plane;
- g. means for adjustably positioning said cutting means plane at a selected angle to the ground;
- h. an upwardly inclined endless conveyor transporting vinous plants upwardly from the ground after being cut from their roots by said cutting means and being urged thereagainst by said reel to a position at which said fruits are detached from said vinous plants;
- i. first means, receiving said vine mass from said upwardly inclined conveyor, for imparting first vibratory motion to said vine mass to separate fruit from vines of said vine mass;
- j. a vine mass conveyor, below said first means for imparting vibratory motion to said vine mass, for transporting said vine mass upon disengagement from said first shaker to a vine mass discharge position;
- k. a fruit conveyor, below said means for imparting vibratory motion to said vine mass, at least partially within and below said vine mass conveyor and in contacting driving engagement therewith for catching and conveying fruit separated from said vines to a fruit discharge position;
- and
- l. means, engaging said vine mass during movement thereof by said vine mass conveyor, for imparting second vibratory motion to said vine mass during transport thereof, to release trapped fruit from within said vine mass.
13 more elements
A method for separating fruit from vinous crops comprising:
- a. carrying a vine mass along a first arcuate path by first lifting said vine mass and then lowering said vine mass while imparting vibratory motion to said vine mass to separate fruit from said vine mass;
- b. transporting said vine mass away from said first arcuate path as fruit separated from said vine mass falls therethrough;
- c. catching said separated fruit falling through said vine mass and transporting said fruit separately from said vine mass towards a collection station;
- d. carrying said vine mass along a second arcuate path while imparting second vibratory motion thereto to separate additional fruit from said vine mass;
- e. catching said additional fruit falling from said vine mass with said fruit transport means and transporting said additional fruit together with said firstly separated fruit towards said collection station.
2 more elements
Apparatus for separating fruit from vinous crops comprising:
- a. first vibrating means for imparting first vibratory motion to separate fruit from a vine mass, comprising:
- i. a first rotatable shaker;
- ii. means, extending from said first shaker, for engaging said vine mass and vibratingly carrying said vine mass along an arcuate path over said first shaker as said first shaker vibratingly rotates;
- b. means receiving said vine mass and said fruit, for transporting said vine mass away from said first vibrating means while permitting said fruit to fall therethrough;
- c. means catching said fruit falling therethrough, for transporting to a collection position;
- d. second vibrating means for imparting second vibratory motion to separate additional fruit from said vine mass, comprising:
- i. a second rotatable shaker;
- ii. means, extending from said second shaker, for engaging said vine mass and vibratingly carrying said vine mass along an arcuate path while said second shaker vibratingly rotates;
- e. means catching said additional fruit, for transporting said additional fruit together with said firstly separated fruit to said collection position.
6 more elements
A method for harvesting cucumbers without application of compressive force thereto, comprising:
- a. cutting cucumber-bearing vines from their growing roots;
- b. sweeping said vines by application of tangential rotary motion thereto onto an endless conveyor for carriage thereby to a position defining commencement of a first arcuate path;
- c. carrying said vines along said first arcuate path by first lifting and then lowering said vines while imparting vibratory motion to said vines to separate cucumbers from said vines;
- c. catching separated cucumbers falling from said vines and conveying said separated fallen cucumbers to a discharge position;
- d. conveying said vines along a linear path while imparting second vibratory motion thereto to release separated cucumbers trapped in said vines;
- e. catching falling cucumbers released from said vines by application of said second vibratory motion thereto and conveying said caught freed cucumbers to said discharge position.
3 more elements
Harvesting apparatus for detaching and collecting fruits from vinous plants during travel through a growing field, comprising:
- a. a longitudinally elongated frame adapted to be pulled by a tractor;
- b. an adjustable length axle connected to said frame and being generally transverse thereto, comprising:
- i. a tubular member;
- and
- ii. a shaft within said tube and being extendible out of said tubular member in one transverse direction only respecting said frame;
- c. wheels rotatably mounted on respective ends of said axle for supporting said apparatus during travel thereof through said growing field;
- d. a body assembly support housing pivotally mounted on said frame;
- e. means for adjustably positioning said body assembly support housing relative to said frame, to maintain said body assembly support housing substantially level when said harvesting apparatus traverses an incline in said growing field;
- f. a bar for cutting said vinous plants from their roots, extending transversely to direction of apparatus travel through said growing field, said bar being generally flat to define a plane;
- g. means for adjustably positioning said bar with said plane defined by said bar at a selected angle to the ground;
- h. means, mounted on said frame and connected to said bar positioning means, for oscillating said bar in said plane generally in the direction of apparatus travel through said growing field;
- i. a reel rotatably connected to said frame, located proximate to and generally above said cutting bar, the axis of said reel being transverse to direction of travel of said apparatus through said field, said reel rotating in a direction such that at closest approach of said reel periphery and said cutting bar, said reel periphery and said ground move in a common direction relative to said cutting bar as said apparatus travels through said growing field;
- i. said reel including generally tangentially positioned transversely extending members for urging said vinous plants towards a pick-up position portion of an upwardly inclined conveyor beneath said reel, said members being resilient normal to said direction of tangency;
- j. said upwardly inclined endless conveyor transporting vinous plants upwardly from the ground after being cut from their roots by said cutting bar and being urged thereagainst by said reel to a position at which said fruits are detached from said vinous plants, comprising:
- i. a plurality of transversely extending longitudinally separated bars;
- ii. longitudinally extending endless ribbon-like means for flexibly connecting transverse extremities of said bars;
- k. means for removing earth entrained between said bars of said conveyor by vibrating said conveyor bars during travel towards the ground, comprising:
- i. a shaft rotatable about a transverse axis;
- and
- ii. at least one roller mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, said roller being additionally rotatable about a transverse axis parallel with said shaft axis, to cyclically displace said conveyor bars generally vertically as said bars travel towards the ground;
- l. first means, receiving said vine mass from said upwardly inclined conveyor, for imparting first vibratory motion to said vine mass to separate fruit from vines of said vine mass, comprising:
- i. a first rotatable shaker;
- ii. means for drivingly rotating said first shaker and imparting vibratory motion thereto during rotation thereof;
- iii. means extending from said first shaker for engaging said vine mass and vibratingly carrying said vine mass along a first arcuate path over said first shaker as said first shaker rotates;
- m. a vine mass conveyor, below said first means for imparting vibratory motion to said vine mass, for transporting said vine mass upon disengagement from said first shaker to a vine mass discharge position, comprising:
- i. a plurality of transversely extending longitudinally separated bars;
- ii. longitudinally extending endless ribbon-like means for flexibly connecting transverse extremities of said bars, comprising:
- (1) a plurality of evenly spaced lugs on inwardly facing portions of said ribbon-like flexible connecting means;
- n. a fruit conveyor, below said means for imparting vibratory motion to said vine mass, at least partially within and below said vine mass conveyor, for catching and conveying fruit separated from said vines to a fruit discharge position, comprising:
- i. a plurality of transversely extending longitudinally separated bars;
- ii. longitudinally extending endless ribbon-like means for flexibly connecting transverse extremities of said bars, comprising:
- (1) a plurality of evenly spaced lugs on outwardly facing portions of said ribbon-like flexible connecting means interlocking engaging with said lugs of said ribbon-like flexible connecting means of said vine mass conveyor along a portion of a travel loop defined by said endless vine mass conveyor, for driving advancement of said vine mass conveyor by said fruit conveyor;
- o. means, engaging said vine mass during movement thereof by said vine mass conveyor, for imparting second vibratory motion to said vine mass during transport thereof, to release trapped fruit from within said vine mass, comprising:
- i. a second rotatable shaker;
- ii. means for drivingly rotating said second shaker and imparting vibratory motion thereto during rotation thereof;
- iii. means extending from said second shaker, engaging said vine mass as said vine mass is transported by said conveying means, for vibrating said vine mass during conveyance thereof;
- p. means, receiving said fruits from said fruit conveyor, for sorting fruits exceeding a predetermined maximum thickness from the remaining fruits, comprising:
- i. an endless conveyor, comprising:
- (1) a plurality of transversely extending bars longitudinally separated one from another at a spacing equal to a maximum thickness of said fruits;
- (2) longitudinally extending endless ribbon-like means for flexibly connecting transverse extremities of said bars;
- ii. means for depositing said fruits on to said bars and orienting said fruits with longitudinal axes parallel with said bars.
38 more elements
Harvesting apparatus for detaching and collecting fruits from vinous plants during travel through a growing field, comprising:
- a. a means for cutting said vinous plants from their roots, extending transversely to direction of apparatus travel through said growing field and being generally flat to define a plane;
- b. an upwardly inclined endless conveyor transporting plants upwardly from the ground after being cut from their roots by said cutting means to a position at which said fruits are detached from said plants, comprising:
- i. a plurality of transversely extending longitudinally separated bars;
- ii. longitudinally extending endless ribbon-like means for flexibly connecting transverse extremities of said bars;
- c. means for removing earth entrained between said bars of said conveyor by vibrating said conveyor bars during travel towards the ground;
- d. first means, receiving said vine mass from said upwardly inclined conveyor, for imparting first vibratory motion to said vine mass to separate fruit from vines of said vine mass;
- e. a vine mass conveyor, below said first means for imparting vibratory motion to said vine mass, for transporting said vine mass upon disengagement from said first shaker to a vine mass discharge position;
- f. a fruit conveyor, below said means for imparting vibratory motion to said vine mass, at least partially within and below said vine mass conveyor, for catching and conveying fruit separated from said vines to a fruit discharge position;
- g. means, engaging said vine mass during movement thereof by said vine mass conveyor, for imparting second vibratory motion to said vine mass during transport thereof, to release trapped fruit from within said vine mass, including a second rotatable shaker;
- and
- h. means, receiving said fruits from said fruit conveyor, for sorting fruits exceeding a predetermined maximum thickness from the remaining fruits.
8 more elements
Harvesting apparatus for detaching and collecting fruits from vinous plants during travel through a growing field, comprising:
- a. a longitudinally elongated frame adapted to be pulled by a tractor;
- b. an adjustable length axle connected to said frame and being generally transverse thereto, comprising:
- i. a tubular member;
- and
- ii. a shaft within said tube and being extendible out of said tubular member in one transverse direction only respecting said frame;
- c. wheels rotatably mounted on respective ends of said axle for supporting said apparatus during travel thereof through said growing field;
- d. a body assembly support housing pivotally mounted on said frame;
- e. means for adjustably positioning said body assembly support housing relative to said frame, to maintain said body assembly support housing substantially level when said harvesting apparatus traverses an incline in said growing field;
- f. means for cutting said vinous plants from their roots, extending transversely to direction of apparatus travel through said growing field and being generally flat to define a plane;
- g. means for adjustably positioning said cutting means with said plane defined by said cutting means at a selected angle to the ground;
- and
- h. means, mounted on said frame and connected to said bar positioning means, for oscillating said cutting means in said plane generally in the direction of apparatus travel through said growing field.
9 more elements
Harvesting apparatus for detaching and collecting fruits from vinous plants during travel through a growing field including an inclined conveyor for transporting vinous plants upwardly to a position at which said fruits are detached from said plants and collected, comprising:
- a. a rotatable reel proximate a pick-up end of said conveyor, the axis of said reel being transverse to direction of conveyance of said plants and above said conveyor pick-up and said reel rotating in a direction such that at closest approach of said reel periphery and said conveyor, said reel and said conveyor move in a common direction;
- b. said reel including generally transversely extending members for urging said vinous plants towards said conveyor beneath said reel, said members being resilient and tangentially positioned transversely to said direction of tangency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.