WO2004057943A1

WO2004057943A1 - Olive tree shaker-harvester

Info

Publication number: WO2004057943A1
Application number: PCT/GR2003/000051
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ioannis Boultadakis
Original assignee: Ioannis Boultadakis
Priority date: 2002-12-24
Filing date: 2003-10-30
Publication date: 2004-07-15
Also published as: GR1004302B; AU2003274384A1

Abstract

The olive tree shaker-harvester consists of two hoops with many rotative rakes that we guide and operate as we wish, so that we will be able to penetrate them in any part of the tree in order to drop the fruits. At the same time, the collector is spread out under the tree and gathers the fruit that is dropped. By means of the inclination and the vibrations of the collector, the fruit is gathered in the lowest place. We separate the fruit from the branches and the leaves and then it enters the sack with one movement. The advantage of this invention is that it shakes and collects the olive crop in less time, tirelessly, with less labour costs and with an overall reduced cost for one olive-picking session.

Description

OLIVE TREE SHAKER-HARVESTER

This invention is an olive tree shaker-harvester. It consists of two hoops, bearing several rotative pneumatic or electric rakes, elongative or stable, and a collector, made up of metal spokes and a net or a piece of fabric. Similar harvesting systems are the common rakes, each manually operated by a single person. When the tree is tall, the worker, carrying the rake, has to climb on the tree. Collecting nets are placed under each tree. The fruits drop on the net and must then be collected and placed in sacks. This practice involves more hours and more specialized workers for picking the olive crop. The advantages of the present invention are the following. Reduction of the time needed for the collection of the olive crop, reduction of the number of specialized workers required, increase in olive crop quantities and reduction of the costs involved in general. The olive tree shaker-harvester's main particular feature is that, instead of being carried by a single person, it must be mounted on a tractor, a bulldozer or small bulldozer or a four-wheel drive. A person may thus operate the whole harvesting system through a remote control. Moreover, in addition to their increased numbers, this invention's rakes can penetrate independently in the whole depth of the olive tree canopy, if the operator wishes, for better results. This invention provides also the possibility to use pneumatic, electric or mechanical rakes, horizontally, vertically or rotatively. Drawing (1), under the letter A, shows the olive tree shaker-harvester's overall appearance with the use of one hoop that is for small olive trees. Drawing (22) shows the olive tree shaker-harvester's overall appearance for tall trees. One way of applying the invention with the hoop that will be used for small olive trees and is shown in drawing (1) is described in drawings (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11) and (12). As shown in drawing (1) it consists of hoop (A), arcs (B1)-(B2)-(B3)-(B4)-(B5) and rakes (C), which may be 10, 15 or more in number. It also consists of the support and lift basis for hoop (D), collector (E), spokes (F), net or fabric (G), the support and lift basis for collector (H), zero point (I) where the fruits are collected, and hoist (J). Hoop (A) rotates around the olive tree as shown in drawing (8), figures (1), (2), (3); its travel is shown by arrows (1) and (2). The hoop consists of arcs (B1)-(B2)-(B3)-(B4)-(B5) as shown in drawing (1) and more specifically in drawing (5). The arcs connect in points (A), (B), (C) and (D) as shown in drawing (5). The angle between the arcs may change manually and fold up totally for the system's easier transport, as shown in drawing (6) with the discontinuous lines. This also makes work easier in case of a tree with a strange shape. It would also be possible to do the same thing hydraulically for each arc of the hoop independently. The rakes are fixed in each arc of the hoop as shown in drawing (7). The hoop's arc consists of stable part (A), attached on the arc, and movable part (B), which may provide air or oil pressure to valve (D) by using piston (C) hydraulically or air-driven, so that the rakes may deploy and penetrate the olive tree canopy. Furthermore, by applying pressure to valve (E), the system's movable part turns to the inside and retrieves its initial position. Drawing (7) shows the angle change point (F), where by removing safety pin (G) we can change the angle of 90° (H) manually, elongate the basis of the tree shaker (1) and secure it to one of the holes. The same thing could also be done hydraulically. In each arc there may also be 3, 4, 5 or more systems of rakes like the one in the drawing (7). The arcs shown in drawing (6) can be removed from points (6), (7), (8), (9) by removing first (B5)-(B4)-(B3) and so on. Thus, we are able to leave only three arcs (B1 )-(B2)-(B3) with their rakes on the harvesting machine, depending on the size of the tree. Another way of applying the invention with the hoop that is for tall olive trees and I call "New Hoop" is shown in drawing (20) and is described in drawings (20), (21) and (22). The New Hoop may also function separately without the previous hoop that I described for the tall olive trees. The advantages of the New Hoop is that it reduces the manufacturing costs and the whole system becomes more effective, more easy to handle, because the hoist which is shown in the registered drawing (9) is removed. The part of the shaker which is shown in drawing (7) is also removed. According to this new invention, the new hoop is consisted of 3 parts, while the previous one was consisted of 5 parts. The new hoop consists of the arcs (A-B-C), the shaker part (D) that consists of 5 or more rotative rakes and the support basis of the rakes (E). The rake's part may change angle hydraulically, to the left, right, back and forth as shown by arrows (1-2-3-4) in the new drawing (20). It also consists of hydraulic pistons (F, G, H), that their function is to change the angles between arcs (A-B-C), so that the arcs will form a line in order to facilitate the shaking of the fruits even from the tallest trees. The support basis (J) shall be able to rotate to 180 degrees as shown by arrow (I). Arcs (A-B-C) may be bent and the rakes may be stable. The operator of the hydraulic system of guidance will be able to penetrate the system in the tree or in any part of the tree he wishes, using the wired, wireless or stable remote control, as shown in drawing (21) and in figures (1-2). The overall appearance of the olive tree shaker-harvester for tall trees is shown in drawing (22). The olive-gathering part of the invention that I call the "collector" is shown in drawing (3), which is only the ground plan of the collector. The collector consists of its support basis that is shown in drawing (1) under the letter (H) and in drawing (3) under the letter (H). Spokes (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), which half of them (1-5) open to the right, and the other half (6-10) to the left, as shown in drawing (4) and figure (1). The spokes can also fold up in two points and or more as shown in drawing (4), figure (2). Also, as shown in drawing (4), figure (1), spokes (5) and (6) have a notch in the middle, where the tree trunk is inserted, so that when spokes (5) and (6) touch one another as shown in section in drawing (3), the fruit does not fall on the ground. Moreover, all collector's spokes as shown in drawing (4), figure (2) have an estimated inclination of 20° from the ground level. The result of this collector's inclination is that the fruit that falls on the net is gathered in zero point (I) that is shown in drawing (4), figure (1). Zero point (I) is a hole with a hatch in its upper part and a sack hanging in its lower part, as shown in drawing (2). After we separate the olive crop from the leaves and the small broken branches, we open the hatch and push the fruit in the hole that I call zero point (I); the fruit, in turn, falls in the sack. The hoist of drawing (9), which seems to be one, but is in fact divided in two hoists, (A) and (B). Hoist (A) is 120cm high and lifts the collector's support basis illustrated in drawing (10). The lifting is carried out through rotating screw (C) and motor (D), in the same way as the screws used in car workshops' lifting devices. Hoist (B) is 250cm high and lifts the hoop's support basis shown in drawing (11 ), in order to reach even the tallest olive trees. The lifting is carried out by rotating screw (E) and motor (F) as mentioned before (car lifting devices screws). The hoop's support basis shown in drawing (11) consists of two parts: stable part (A) and movable part (B). The stable part goes up and down by the use of the hoist's screw and the movable part rotates as shown by arrows (3) and (4) in drawing (11). Arrows (3) and (4) in drawing (12) show the travel of the hoop with the rakes around the tree. The hoist shall be fixed on a tractor with its basis (G), as shown in drawing (9). The basis's construction will be subject to the type of means it shall be fixed on: tractor, bulldozer etc. Drawings (1) and (2) illustrate the overall appearance of the olive tree shaker-harvester with the one hoop. The collector's support basis with the hoop for tall olive trees may also be stable. To conclude, drawing (3) shows the collector. Drawing (4), figure (1) shows the ground plan of the collector. Drawing (2) shows how the collector folds up. Drawing (5) shows the hoop and the arcs. Drawing (6) shows the hoop: the discontinuous line depicts the shapes that we can give it. Drawing (7) shows how the shaker part, which is fixed on the arc, works. Drawing (8) and figures (1), (2), (3) show the hoop's drive around the tree. Drawing (9) illustrates the collector's and the hoop's hoist. Drawing (10) shows the support basis of the collector. Drawing (11) shows the hoop's lift and rotation basis. Drawing (12) provides an overall view of the tree shaker-harvester for small trees. Drawing (22) provides an overall view of the tree shaker-harvester for tall trees.

Claims

1) The olive tree shaker-harvester consists of two hoops that we use separately or together, depending on the height of the trees. The hoops bear rotative rakes, stable or elongative, which we hydraulically direct using the remote control. The olive tree shaker-harvester also consists of the collector, a net or piece of fabric that hydraulically or manually is placed under the olive tree, in order to gather the falling fruits. 2) The olive tree shaker-harvester as described in claim 1 is characterized by the fact that it consists of two hoops. The first hoop bears rotative rakes in its periphery and covers the perimeter of the whole tree. It is used for small olive trees. The second "new" hoop bears many long and stable and or few rotative rakes that we direct and penetrate in every part of the tree we wish. This hoop is for tall trees. 3) The olive tree shaker-harvester as described in claims 1 and 2 is characterized by the fact that the rakes may penetrate the olive tree through different inclination angles even starting from below and going up the tree. It is also characterized by the fact that the spokes of the collector along with the net or the piece of fabric can be elongated depending on the size of the olive tree we want to cover in order not to loose any fruits.