US3866401A - Harvesting machine with under-vine closure - Google Patents

Harvesting machine with under-vine closure Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3866401A
US3866401A US365267A US36526773A US3866401A US 3866401 A US3866401 A US 3866401A US 365267 A US365267 A US 365267A US 36526773 A US36526773 A US 36526773A US 3866401 A US3866401 A US 3866401A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
closure
wing
wing member
conveyor
trailing edge
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US365267A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Gerald L Claxton
Barris J Evulich
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
W R CARPENTER HOLDING PTY Ltd
Up Right Inc
Original Assignee
Up Right Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Up Right Inc filed Critical Up Right Inc
Priority to US365267A priority Critical patent/US3866401A/en
Priority to IT52701/73A priority patent/IT994317B/it
Priority to FR7334102A priority patent/FR2199932B1/fr
Priority to AU60624/73A priority patent/AU474427B2/en
Priority to RO7627273A priority patent/RO64716A/ro
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3866401A publication Critical patent/US3866401A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Assigned to WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION reassignment WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: UP-RIGHT, INC., A CA CORP.
Assigned to UP-RIGHT, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION reassignment UP-RIGHT, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION TERMINATION OF ASSIGNMENT Assignors: W.R. CARPENTER HOLDINGS PTY, LIMITED
Assigned to W. R. CARPENTER HOLDING PTY. LIMITED reassignment W. R. CARPENTER HOLDING PTY. LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION, AS AGENT FOR ITSELF AND THE BANKS
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D46/00—Picking of fruits, vegetables, hops, or the like; Devices for shaking trees or shrubs
    • A01D46/28—Vintaging machines, i.e. grape harvesting machines

Definitions

  • the closure wings are each pivotally mounted on the conveyors for pivotal movement only in the closure planes away from and back to spaceclosing position and are made of flexible material to enable the free ends to flex up or down a substantial distance without breakage, and shaped to allow imme diate free return after passing an obstacle which forced the one closure wing open.
  • the closure wings are biased against movement from a normal space closing position either in the opening direction or in an overtravel-upon-closing direction by a spring providing a progressively increasing bias as the amount of movement from normal position increases in either direction and wherein substantially more force is required to move the closure wings in an opening direction than is required to move the closure wings in an overtravel direction.
  • PATENTED FEB 1 3. 866 .401
  • This invention relates to fruit-harvesting machines of the type that straddle and move along a row of fruitbearing vines or bushes to harvest fruit therefrom. Such machines have shaking or striking means to dislodge the fruit from the plants, so that the fruit drops toward the ground. In order to gather the fruit, a closure means must be provided between the plants and the ground to intercept the falling fruit and direct it to the conveyors of the machine. If an efficient closure is not provided, a portion of the harvested fruit will fall there through onto the ground and be wasted.
  • the most efficient closure is one which projects under the plants from both sides to the centerline of the row, and which will provide the least opening therethrough to allow the stationary trunks and posts to pass between the closure halves, so that the maximum amount of the falling fruit will be intercepted by the closure and diverted thereby, without damage, to each side so the fruit may be conveyed by belt conveyors or the like.
  • the rubber fins are stiff enough to extend outwardly at the desired angle, they are not flexible enough to wrap around the vine trunk or post as it wipes thereon during passage thereby.
  • the necessary stiffness creates excessive friction and wear on the fins, as well as excessive damage to the posts and trunks.
  • a long, large open gap is created between the mating edges of the fins as a trunk or post passes therebetween, with a consequent loss of fruit through the gap.
  • one or both fins may be bent down, rather than up, and will spill all of the fruit on the ground.
  • the fins are made flexible enough to minimize the friction, wear and creation of a gap, then either they will not be stiff enough to catch the fruit if mounted at a low angle of inclination or else they will have to be mounted at such a steep angle of inclination that only high plants can be harvested.
  • a closure which comprises a plurality of flat overlapping wings mounted at spaced intervals along the conveyors, to form a continuous closure surface.
  • the wings are individually pivotally mounted at one end to a conveyor with the other end being resiliently biased towards the centerline of the row, the wing being individually pivoted away from the centerline, against the bias of the spring, by engagement with posts and trunks.
  • the springs are designed so that the returning force of the spring progressively increases as the wing is pushed further from its relaxed position. By increasing the returning force, more rapid closing is achieved.
  • the springs are also designed to cushion the closing of the wings so that the wings will not be subject to abrupt and damaging shock upon closing.
  • the wings are individually flexible so that their free ends can also flex up or down a substantial distance without breakage or permanent deformation. The wings are made so that their trailing edges allow immediate and rapid return once the obstruction has been passed. The combination of the individual pivotal movement of the wings in the plane of the closure and the individual flexibility of the wing ends in a direction perpendicular to the closure plane enables the closure members to pass by very irregular trunks and posts with a minimum of gap being opened and without jamming.
  • the closures are suspended on the harvester from above so that the closures can float as a unit sideways of the machine and thus seek the centerline of the row in spite of steering errors of the driver or tilting of the row in spite of steering erros of the driver or tilting of the machine because of unevenness of the ground.
  • the present combination of sidewards floating closures made up of multiple, flexible and pivotal wings provides: a minimal closure opening, with minimal fruit loss; a significant elimination of jamming by canes or branches wedging between the closure wings; and, a significant elimination of breakage of the closure elements or their mountings.
  • FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a fruit-harvesting machine utilizing the closure of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the machine of FIG. 1 showing the manner in which each closure wing is mounted to the conveyor;
  • FIG. 3 is a generally elevational detail, illustrating the manner in which the closure spring is mounted on the closure wing and conveyor;
  • FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the portion of the machine shown in FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 5 is a plan view of the closure members illlustrating the manner in which the closure wings are pivoted away from the centerline by irregular trunks;
  • FIG. 6 is a view in elevation of the closure members illustrating the manner in which the free ends of the closure wings may be flexed upwardly or downwardly by irregular trunks;
  • FIG. 7 illustrates the shape of the closure spring when the closure wing is in its normally closed position
  • FIG. 8 illustrates the shape of the closure spring when the closure wing is opening
  • FIG. 9 illustrates the shape of the closure spring when the closure wing has traveled beyond its normally closed position
  • FIG. 10 is a graph of the forces exerted by the closure spring on the closure wing during opening movement and during overtravel beyond its normally closed position.
  • the harvesting machine 10 comprises a tunnel-shaped main frame 11 mounted on wheels 12, adapted to straddle and move longitudinally along a row of fruited plants.
  • Conventional strikers or shakers are mounted on the frame and operated to engage the plants and dislodge the. fruit therefrom so that it may fall towards the ground.
  • a pair of conveyors 13 and 13 are carried on the machine, these conveyors extending lengthwise of the machine parallel to and one on each side of the centerline of the machine.
  • Conveyors l3 and 13' have closure members 14 and 14', respectively, mounted thereon, the closure members extending inwardly and upwardly towards the centerline of the machine.
  • Each end of conveyor 13 is supported by bracket 15, which is suspended from main frame 11 by two parallel support members 16 and 17 which are pivotally connected to the main frame and the bracket 15, thus enabling the conveyor 13 and closure 14 to float sidewards as a unit. towards and awawy from the centerline of the machine.
  • Tension springs 18 extending between and connected to the support members 16 and 17 resiliently bias the conveyor and closure towards the centerline of the machine.
  • Turnbuckles 19 enable the bias force to be ad justed as desired.
  • Conveyor 13' and closure 14 are similarly mounted for sideways floating movement, conveyor 13 and closure 14 and the elements associated therewith are identical to, but reversed from, conveyor 13 and closure 14.
  • FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrate the manner in which the individual closure wings 20 of closure 14 are mounted on conveyor 13.
  • Conveyor 13 comprises an open-topped pan or frame 21 which supports a continuous conveyor belt 22 for longitudinal movement therein.
  • the conveyor belt is provided with upright cleats 23, transversely thereof and spaced along the belt.
  • a closure mounting bracket 24 is fixedly mounted along the length of the inner upper edge of conveyor frame 21, the bracket having an upper flange 25 generally parallel to the plane of closure 13 and the overlapping closure wings 20 thereof.
  • Closure wing 20 has a circular hub 26 fixedly secured to the undersurface thereof, the hub fitting within ring member 27 fixed to bracket flange 25, and being held in place therein by retainer pin 28 which extends through the hub and the radial slots 29 in ring 27.
  • retainer pin 28 which extends through the hub and the radial slots 29 in ring 27.
  • Two spring supports are provided, one being a bolt 31 carried by closure wing 20 and having a head 31a extending therebelow and the other being a bolt 32 fixed to bracket flange 25 and having a head 32a extending thereabove.
  • Bolts 31 and 32 are preferably equally spaced from the axis of hub 26.
  • a flexure coil spring 33 having a plurality of helical turns 33a has two ends 33b and 3130 turned back upon themselves for securement to bolts 31 and 32.
  • Coil spring end 33b extends from end turn 33d and lis generally in the plane definedby end turn 33d.
  • coil spring end 330 extends from end turn 33c and lies generally in the plane defined by end turn 33c.
  • coil spring ends 33b and 33c are generally tangent to the end turn from which they extend, so that end 33b extends from the top of coil 33 and end 33c extends from the bottom of coil 33.
  • the coil mounting bolts 31 and 32 can be made quite short so that there will be a vertical clearance between the heads thereof to prevent engagement of the bolts on opening movement of the closure wing and also so that less snagging of vines will occur during harvesting operations.
  • FIGS. 7-9 illustrate the operation of spring 33, FIG. 7 showing the spring at its relaxed position when the closure wing to which it is secured is at its normally closed position, i.e., as shown in FIG. 2.
  • the bolt 31 on the closure wing is moved towards bolt 32 on the conveyor frame, as in FIG. 8, applying force to the coil spring ends 33b and 33d which is exerted on the coil spring through the moment arm d, to cause the spring 33 to flex so that its normally straight axis becomes arcuate, bowing towards hub 26.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates the operation of spring 33, FIG. 7 showing the spring at its relaxed position when the closure wing to which it is secured is at its normally closed position, i.e., as shown in FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 8 is a graph showing the buildup of force stored in the spring as the closure wing is moved from its normally closed position to its full open position.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates the action of spring 33 after it has been moved back to its normal closed position, indicated by the reference line no, and the closure wing overtravels because of its inertia, i.e., to the position shown in FIG. 9.
  • overtravel bolt 31 on the closure wing moves away from bolt 32 on the frame applying force on the coil spring ends 33b and 33d which is exerted on the coil spring through the moment arm d to cause the spring to flex in the opposite direction, away from hub 26, with the coil turns being closed against one another on the side of the coil facing hub 26 and being open on the opposite side.
  • the spring has a positive spring constant so that the force stored in spring 33 on overtravel will increase as the degree of overtravel movement increases.
  • the cushioning effect provided by the spring in overtravel operation thus enables the normal closing of the closure wing from open position to be achieved rapidly without damage to the closure wing and with less possibility that loose fruit on the closing closure wing will be thrown therefrom as the closure wing is brought to a stop.
  • closure wing 20 is relatively thin and flat, the wing having a forward edge 36 inclined rearwardly of the machine for sliding engagement by a stationary trunk or post as the machine travels along the row in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5, and an inner edge 37 which is parallel to the centerline of the machine when the wing is in its normally biased inward position.
  • the outer side edge 38 of wing 20 overlies the forward edge 36 and a substantial portion of the forward upper surface of the next rearward closure wing so that the next rearward closure wing may pivot a substantial distance without opening up a gap between it and the forward wing.
  • the closure wing 20 terminates in a trailing edge spaced from the hub 26, the traveling edge being generally perpendicular to a line from the hub to the trailing edge.
  • the closure wing is free to return to closed position.
  • the trailing edge of corresponding closure wings have been designed to ride against the obstruction during closing movement to retard the rate of closing movement and thereby prevent closure wing damage resulting from the abrupt stopping of high speed closing of closure wing movement.
  • the cushioning provided by spring 33 allows high-speed closing without damaging and thus enables the closure wing to be constructed for unretarded closing.
  • the trailing edge 39 would be arcuate in shape, with the center of curvature being coincident with the axis of hub 26.
  • the harvesting machine moves relative to the obstruction and since the length of the closure wing is relatively long as compared to the width, for ease in manufacturing it is preferable to shape the trailing end 39 so that it is the chord of an are having its center coincident with the axis of hub 26. In either case, the arc and the chord thereof are generally perpendicular to a line from the hub to the trailing edge.
  • Closure wings 20 are formed from a tough but flexible material, such as high-density polyethylene plastic. As is indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the major movement of the closure assembly as posts and trunks are encountered is the pivotal movement of the closure wings about their hubs 26 in the plane of closure 14. As a consequence, the wings 26 need not be as flexible as the rubber fins of the aforementioned Chapin and Kaessbohrer patents, which must flex laterally around trunks and posts. The wings 20 must, however, be flexible enough so that the inner edge 37 can flex relatively easily upwardly or downward an amount to pass over or under branches on the trunks without breakage or permanent deformation of the wing. It has been found that closure wings of high-density polyethylene material will have more than adequate stiffness for normal collection of fruit dropping thereonto, while yet providing for up to six inches of upward or downward deflection of its inner edge 37 without damage to the closure wings.
  • closure wing 20 which is mounted to bracket 24 is preferably stiffened against flexure, as by the addition of a metal plate 40 thereunder, the plate extending outwardly towards the other end as far as is desired.
  • the wing 20 could alternatively be locally thickened to provide an increase of stiffness at the pivoted end.
  • FIG. illustrates the operation wherein closure wings 20a through 2011' travel along a row of plants which includes trunks 45 and 46 and horizontal vines 47 ex tending between the trunks above the closures.
  • Closure wings 20a and 200 have already passed trunk 44 and have been pivoted back to their inward position so that their inner edges 37 and 37 are at the centerline of the row to complete the closure beneath the vine 47.
  • Closure wings 20b and 20b have been engaged by and pivoted outwardly by trunk 45.
  • the branch 48 has caused wing 20b to pivot outwardly a considerably greater distance than wing 20b.
  • the stub end 49 of the branch has deflected the end of wing 20b downwardly and rides thereover.
  • the remainder of the drawing shows the minimal gap opened up even though a very large, gnarled trunk 46 is encountered.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates, in elevation, the ability of the closure members to flex upwardly or downwardly upon encountering branch stubs or other similar irregularities in trunk 55.
  • the normal closure plane of closure 14 would be between the solid and dotted line positions of closure wing 20, so that the closure wing would be carried head-on into trunk stub 56.
  • stub 56 is so shaped that it will exert a vertical force on the wing, in addition to a sidewards, pivoting force, the wing end simply flexes so that it will ride over or under the stub, as illustrated by the solid and dotted lines.
  • Flexure wing 20 is shown as undergoing an even greater degree of vertical flexure from the normal closure plane in the solid and dotted line positions thereof as it passes by trunk stub 57.
  • the vertical flexure of wings 20, as shown in FIG. 6, is also very advantageous in preventing jamming of adjacent wings in the event a branch should break off or a trailing tendril should become wedged between adjacent wings.
  • the forward, or upper, wing simply flexes upwardly or the rearward, lower, wing flexes downwardly, or both, allowing normal scissorstype pivotal movement of the wings to take place, with the wings sliding over and under the branch or tendril therebetween until the branch works itself out or the tendril is pulled out from therebetween.
  • the present invention has a further significant advantage resulting from the use of closure wings that can flex upwardly or downwardly at their free ends.
  • closures are designed so that there is a deflnite overlap at the centerline of the machine so that the free ends of all of the closure members on one side extend over the free ends of all of the closure members on the other side, thereby allowing the closure members on one side of the machine to pivot back and forth without being jammed by the closure members on the other side of the machine.
  • the conveyors can be at the same height above the ground and the two sets of closure members can be upwardly inclined at the same, and most efficient, angle.
  • the overlapping free ends will overlap in a random manner, the closure members on one side having their free ends some above and some below the free ends of the corresponding closure members on the other side. The flexibility of the free ends allows such random overlapping without jamming.
  • the present invention also enables the conveyors to be mounted on the machine so that the conveyors and closure wings may slope downwardly lengthwise of the machine and towards the front of the machine.
  • the apex of the closure planes at the forward end of the machine can be quite close to the ground to pass under and catch low-hanging fruit, while the rearward end of the conveyors can be sufflciently high above the ground as to enable the gathered and conveyed fruit to be transferred to cross-conveyor positioned under the discharge ends of the lengthwise conveyors.
  • branch arms just above the forward end of the closures will pass over the forward closure wings and will then engage rearward closure wings and exert downward forces thereon. However, as explained previously, such downward forces will simply flex the tips of the closure wings downwardly so that they will ride under such branch arm without damage to the closure members.
  • a harvesting machine comprising:
  • a main frame adapted to straddle and move longitudinally along a row of fruit-bearing plants
  • each conveyor mechanism having a frame and a conveyor belt carried thereby,
  • closure assembly secured to the inner edge of each conveyor frame, said closure assemblies forming closure planes extending inwardly and upwardly from the conveyor frames towards the longitudinal centerline of said machine.
  • each closure assembly comprising a plurality of flat
  • each wing member being separately and pivotally mounted at one end thereof for confined movement of said one end of said wing member in said closure plane and for movement of the other end of the wing member in said closure plane towards and away from said longitudinal centerline, and spring means connected to and interposed between each of said wing members and said frame for yieldingly maintaining each such wing member in a normal space-closing position while allowing each wing member to pivot against the bias of said spring means from said normal space-closing position in a space-opening direction away from said longitudinal centerline and to pivot against the bias of said spring means from said normal space-closing position in an overtravel direction towards said longitudinal centerline, said spring means having a first positive spring rate effective to resist pivot movment of the corresponding wing member in said space-opening direction away from said normal position with a progressively increasing force as the increasing force as the degree of space-opening movement increases and also having a second positive spring rate effective to
  • each wing member terminates in a trailing edge spaced from the pivotal mounting of said wing member, the trailing edge being generally perpendicular to a line from the pivotal mounting to said trailing edge.
  • both of said conveyors are the same height from the ground and wherein said closure planes are equally inclined inwardly and upwardly towards the longitudinal centerline of said machine and are overlapped at said centerline, with some wing members in one closure assembly being overlapped at random on wing members in the opposite closure assembly and vice versa.
  • each wing member terminates in a trailing edge spaced from the pivotal mounting of said wing member, the trailing edge being generally perpendicular to a line from the pivotal mounting to said trailing edge.
  • said spring means comprises a coil spring having a plurality of helical turns, said coil spring having a first end extending from one end turn and projecting outwardly from said coil in generally the same plane defined by said one end turn and a second end extending from the other end turn and projecting outwardly from said coil in generally the same plane defined by said other end turn, said first end being secured to a wing member and said second end being secured to said conveyor frame, with the axis of said coil spring being offset from the line between the points of securement of said coil spring to said wing member and said conveyor frame for substantial transverse flexure of said coil spring upon pivotal movement of said wing member in either direction from said normal position.
  • each wing member terminates in a trailing edge spaced from the pivotal mounting of said wing member, the trailing edge being generally perpendicular to a line from the pivotal mounting to said trailing edge.
  • wing members are formed from plastic material having sufficient flexibility to enable said other ends of said wing members to flex upwardly or downwardly a substantial distance transverse to said closure planes.
  • each wing member terminates in a trailing edge spaced from the pivotal mounting of said wing member, the trailing edge being generally perpendicular to a line from the pivotal mounting to said trailing edge.
  • a harvesting machine comprising:
  • a main frame adapted to straddle and move longitudinally along a row of fruit-bearing plants
  • each conveyor mechanism having a frame and a conveyor belt carried thereby
  • closure assembly secured to the inner edge of each conveyor frame, said closure assemblies forming closure planes extending inwardly and upwardly at the same angle of inclination from the conveyor frames towards the longitudinal centerline of said machine,
  • each closure assembly comprising a plurality of flat
  • each wing member spaced along the conveyor frame associated therewith and lying in the closure plane associated therewith, and including means for pivotally mounting each wing member at one end thereof for movement of the opposite free end of the wing member towards and away from said longitudinal centerline with movement of said one end of said wing member being confined to movement in said closure plane,
  • each wing member for resiliently biasing said free end of said wing members towards said longitudinal centerline
  • said wing members being formed from plastic mate rial having sufficient flexibility to enable said free ends of said wing members to flex upwardly or downwardly a substantial distance transverse to said closure planes and to enable said wing members to overlap at random at said longitudinal centerline after being pivoted away from and returned

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Chain Conveyers (AREA)
US365267A 1972-09-25 1973-05-30 Harvesting machine with under-vine closure Expired - Lifetime US3866401A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US365267A US3866401A (en) 1972-09-25 1973-05-30 Harvesting machine with under-vine closure
FR7334102A FR2199932B1 (is) 1972-09-25 1973-09-24
AU60624/73A AU474427B2 (en) 1972-09-25 1973-09-24 Harvesting machine with under-vine closure
IT52701/73A IT994317B (it) 1972-09-25 1973-09-24 Macchina per la raccolta di frutta da arbusti cespugli e simili
RO7627273A RO64716A (fr) 1973-05-30 1973-10-08 Machine a recolter avec de systeme a fermeture de vigne

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US29208472A 1972-09-25 1972-09-25
US365267A US3866401A (en) 1972-09-25 1973-05-30 Harvesting machine with under-vine closure

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3866401A true US3866401A (en) 1975-02-18

Family

ID=26967143

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US365267A Expired - Lifetime US3866401A (en) 1972-09-25 1973-05-30 Harvesting machine with under-vine closure

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3866401A (is)
AU (1) AU474427B2 (is)
FR (1) FR2199932B1 (is)
IT (1) IT994317B (is)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4150526A (en) * 1977-11-04 1979-04-24 Chisholm-Ryder Company, Inc. Collector leaf construction for harvesting machine
US4259833A (en) * 1979-07-09 1981-04-07 Mohn Donald R Crop catching floor for harvesting machines
US4464888A (en) * 1982-05-07 1984-08-14 Chisholm-Ryder Company, Inc. Collector leaf construction for harvesting machine
WO1997015182A1 (en) * 1995-10-25 1997-05-01 Fmc Corporation Elastomeric closure spring
US6374538B1 (en) 1997-01-07 2002-04-23 University Of Arkansas Vineyard apparatus, system, and method for vineyard mechanization
US20050038587A1 (en) * 2003-06-05 2005-02-17 Oxbo International Corporation Control apparatus and method
US20050039431A1 (en) * 2003-06-05 2005-02-24 Oxbo International Corporation Viticulture apparatus and method
US20130269307A1 (en) * 2010-12-07 2013-10-17 Pellenc (Societe Anonyme) Scale with a stop rim for a collecting table of a harvester head for harvesting small fruits, and harvester head using same
US20140250853A1 (en) * 2013-03-11 2014-09-11 Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. Mechanical berry harvester
US20150181807A1 (en) * 2012-07-19 2015-07-02 Driessen Blueberries B.V. Device suitable for harvesting fruit hanging from a plant as well as a method for harvesting fruit hanging from a plant
US10039228B2 (en) * 2016-05-17 2018-08-07 Cnh Industrial America Llc Multi-segmented deck plate auto adjustment mechanism for a harvester row unit

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2945706B1 (fr) * 2009-05-20 2016-01-15 Const De Machines A Recolter Les Fruits Soc D Dispositif de recolte de fruits d'un rang d'arbres fruitiers au defilement, simultanement de part et d'autre dudit rang

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2630316A (en) * 1950-09-01 1953-03-03 Edwin E Foster Constant compression spring
US3184908A (en) * 1962-08-16 1965-05-25 Rust Donald Berry harvesting apparatus
US3538694A (en) * 1969-07-01 1970-11-10 Chisholm Ryder Co Inc Fruit collector apparatus for harvesters
US3601965A (en) * 1969-10-06 1971-08-31 Up Right Inc Harvesting machine with flexible closure
US3690054A (en) * 1970-08-11 1972-09-12 Angelo N De Carlo Catcher frame for harvester

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2630316A (en) * 1950-09-01 1953-03-03 Edwin E Foster Constant compression spring
US3184908A (en) * 1962-08-16 1965-05-25 Rust Donald Berry harvesting apparatus
US3538694A (en) * 1969-07-01 1970-11-10 Chisholm Ryder Co Inc Fruit collector apparatus for harvesters
US3601965A (en) * 1969-10-06 1971-08-31 Up Right Inc Harvesting machine with flexible closure
US3690054A (en) * 1970-08-11 1972-09-12 Angelo N De Carlo Catcher frame for harvester

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4150526A (en) * 1977-11-04 1979-04-24 Chisholm-Ryder Company, Inc. Collector leaf construction for harvesting machine
US4259833A (en) * 1979-07-09 1981-04-07 Mohn Donald R Crop catching floor for harvesting machines
US4464888A (en) * 1982-05-07 1984-08-14 Chisholm-Ryder Company, Inc. Collector leaf construction for harvesting machine
WO1997015182A1 (en) * 1995-10-25 1997-05-01 Fmc Corporation Elastomeric closure spring
US5647194A (en) * 1995-10-25 1997-07-15 Fmc Corporation Elastomer closure spring
US6374538B1 (en) 1997-01-07 2002-04-23 University Of Arkansas Vineyard apparatus, system, and method for vineyard mechanization
US20040079064A1 (en) * 1997-01-07 2004-04-29 Morris Justin R. Vineyard apparatus, system, and method for vineyard mechanization
US20050039431A1 (en) * 2003-06-05 2005-02-24 Oxbo International Corporation Viticulture apparatus and method
US20050038587A1 (en) * 2003-06-05 2005-02-17 Oxbo International Corporation Control apparatus and method
US7640091B2 (en) 2003-06-05 2009-12-29 Oxbo International Corporation Control apparatus and method
US20130269307A1 (en) * 2010-12-07 2013-10-17 Pellenc (Societe Anonyme) Scale with a stop rim for a collecting table of a harvester head for harvesting small fruits, and harvester head using same
US9668416B2 (en) * 2010-12-07 2017-06-06 Pellenc (Societe Anonyme) Scale with a stop rim for a collecting table of a harvester head for harvesting small fruits, and harvester head using same
US20150181807A1 (en) * 2012-07-19 2015-07-02 Driessen Blueberries B.V. Device suitable for harvesting fruit hanging from a plant as well as a method for harvesting fruit hanging from a plant
US9591805B2 (en) * 2012-07-19 2017-03-14 Driessen Blueberries B.V. Device for harvesting fruit hanging from a plant as well as a method for harvesting fruit hanging from a plant
US20140250853A1 (en) * 2013-03-11 2014-09-11 Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. Mechanical berry harvester
US10039228B2 (en) * 2016-05-17 2018-08-07 Cnh Industrial America Llc Multi-segmented deck plate auto adjustment mechanism for a harvester row unit
US11582904B2 (en) 2016-05-17 2023-02-21 Cnh Industrial America Llc Multi-segmented deck plate auto adjustment mechanism for a harvester row unit

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2199932B1 (is) 1978-05-26
AU6062473A (en) 1975-03-27
AU474427B2 (en) 1976-07-22
FR2199932A1 (is) 1974-04-19
IT994317B (it) 1975-10-20

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3866401A (en) Harvesting machine with under-vine closure
US3449895A (en) Catching and guide means in a berry harvester
US3538694A (en) Fruit collector apparatus for harvesters
AU628433B2 (en) Plant harvester
US4429516A (en) Multi-row crop harvesting attachment
US3601965A (en) Harvesting machine with flexible closure
US3646737A (en) Harvesting attachment
CA2717245C (en) Mechanized harvester
US5341630A (en) Catcher plate assembly for a harvester
US5109657A (en) Receiving system for a berry harvester
US3690054A (en) Catcher frame for harvester
US4150526A (en) Collector leaf construction for harvesting machine
US3986324A (en) Melon pickup and loading machine
US4134251A (en) Harvester for grapes or the like with improved collector leaf construction
US3739855A (en) Rock picker
US3360913A (en) Grape harvester
US3328944A (en) Grape harvesting machine
US4913680A (en) Low-trellis mobile hop picker
US4702065A (en) Belted crop-collecting and conveyor system
US3096604A (en) Row crop harvesting apparatus
US4435946A (en) Multi-row crop harvesting attachment
US2565548A (en) Plant setter
US3380236A (en) Apparatus for harvesting grapes
US1086631A (en) Beet-harvester.
US2664692A (en) Picker for cranberries and the like

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION, CALIFORNIA

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:UP-RIGHT, INC., A CA CORP.;REEL/FRAME:006142/0178

Effective date: 19920228

AS Assignment

Owner name: UP-RIGHT, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, CALIFORN

Free format text: TERMINATION OF ASSIGNMENT;ASSIGNOR:W.R. CARPENTER HOLDINGS PTY, LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:007132/0277

Effective date: 19940804

Owner name: W. R. CARPENTER HOLDING PTY. LIMITED, AUSTRALIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION, AS AGENT FOR ITSELF AND THE BANKS;REEL/FRAME:007132/0496

Effective date: 19940804