Abstract:
A self-propelled mechanical harvester for harvesting above ground crops includes a shaker assembly that operates in a single plane. The shaker will oscillate from side to side in the plane without pivoting of the plane around a pivot point. The assembly includes crop contacting rods in one embodiment and crop contacting striker bars in another embodiment. The force used to impart the oscillatory motion to the shaker is supplied by a force balance shaker using two weights operating at the same frequency of rotation, in opposite directions. The weights are timed and maintained in time by a geared relationship to produce maximum force laterally outboard and no force in a direction corresponding to the machine's direction of travel.
Abstract:
The invention provides a harvester that applies continuous contact between the plant to be harvested and harvesting rails, which thus reduces damage to the plant. The harvester uses a hydraulic system which causes the rails to provide a constant gripping force against the plants when in a float position of the hydraulic system. The system also has a spread setting and may or may not have a third static setting.
Abstract:
A collection tarpaulin is comprised of top and bottom sheets. The top sheet partially overlies the bottom sheet. Contiguous portions of their respective peripheries are joined together to form a pouch and an exposed portion of the bottom sheet. Trimmings from a tree or bush fall onto the exposed portion of the bottom sheet. By lifting the free end of the bottom sheet, the trimmings slide by gravity into the pouch for disposal. The collection tarpaulin may be made from a single sheet or from two separate sheets. The collection tarpaulin may be rectangular or circular in shape. For trimming long hedges, the collection tarpaulin can be much longer than it is wide.
Abstract:
A cooling and lubricating system incorporated into the jaws of a shaking head of a nut tree shaker in which water or a mixture of water and a lubricant is pumped from a supply reservoir through a control valve assembly into a supply line connected with a manifold bolted between the slings which support the shaker pad in each jaw for discharging water or a mixture of water and lubricant between the slings and onto the pad for cooling the slings and pads and lubricating the slings.
Abstract:
A netting system for orchard trees for fruit or nut collection, the system having netting units constructed with a number of uniformly spaced struts angularly disposed around each tree with one end lodged in an anchoring device next to the tree trunk and the distal end aerially disposed, and a brace structure secured to the trunk of each tree with horizontal support members connected to the ends of the struts to stabilize the struts with a perimeter line interconnecting the distal ends of the struts and with net panels between struts connected to the perimeter line and to the struts to form a funnel-like, trapezoidal structure directing fruit or nuts to the base of the tree trunk where a basket gathers nuts for periodic collection and where in an orchard setting the perimeter line of the net panels at the top corners of the trapezoidal structure for one tree are interconnected with the perimeter line of diagonally adjacent net panels of another tree.
Abstract:
An apparatus for cooling shaker heads including an air cooling system wherein coolant air is blown upon the drive belts, sling surfaces and through the interior of the pillow pads. Also includes is a water cooling system in which coolant water is sprayed upon the outer surfaces of the slings. The coolant water may contain a fungicide which inhibits the spread of fungus diseases from tree to tree through contact with the slings.
Abstract:
A variable force tree shaker is disclosed including a rotatable housing supporting a weight fixed to the housing and a movable weight, with the movable weight being capable of being moved between a balanced position and a plurality of unbalanced positions while the housing is rotating at a shaking speed. Hydraulic fluid is controllably directed into the housing between the fixed and movable weights to move the movable weight while the housing is rotating.
Abstract:
A horizontal force balance shaker includes a horizontal shaking head supported for horizontal movement by parallelogram linkages. Counterweights are secured to concentric shafts for rotation at the same speed in opposite directions about an axis thereby causing the shaker head to oscillate horizontally. The axis may be oriented horizontally or vertically, and the shaking head may be advantageously used in row crop harvesters such as grape harvesters.
Abstract:
An olive picker with a rotor of spaced hooked tines in a picking head, at the top of an elongated, manually manipulatable handle, is provided with a set of such rotors having tines of different dimensions and spacing. Quick release, spring biased shaft rods on each rotor enable easy substitution of rotors for different sized olives. A variable speed control is provided on the handle, within easy reach of the operator to produce a range of from 15 rpm to 75 rpm to conform to the age, skill or physical condition of the operator.
Abstract:
An apparatus is provided that retracts the shaking mechanism of a shake-catch harvester without damaging a tree. The apparatus also provides a mechanism for preventing the shaker from sliding backwards when the harvester is going uphill, a sealing mechanism for the catching surface of the harvester, and an energy absorbing catching surface to minimize fruit damage.