Hop picking machines

Claim 1

A HOP PICKING MACHINE COMPRISING: (A) A DELIVERY CONVEYOR; (B) AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR, SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR HAVING A PAIR OF END SPROCKETS SUPPORTING A PAIR OF SPACED APART, PARALLEL, ENDLESS BETWEEN AND FIXED AT ITS ONE GRASPER BAR EXTENDING BETWEEN SNA DFIXED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS TO SAID MEMBERS, SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR FURTHER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PROVIDING AN UPPER AND LOWER RUN AND HAVING A DIRECTION OF TRAVEL SUCH THAT SAID GRASPER BAR MOVES ALONG THE LOWER RUN OF SAID CONVEYOR, UPWARDLY AROUND SAID END SPROCKETS, AND ALONG THE TOP RUN OF SAID CONVEYOR; (C) AT LEAST ONE GRASPING DEVICE CONNECTED TO SAID GRASPER BAR, SAID GRASPING DEVICE HAVING A PAIR OF RELATIVELY MOVABLE JAWS ADAPTED TO GRASP A VINE THEREBETWEEN; (D) MEANS INCLUDING A CAM FOLLOWER FOR FIRST OPENING AND THEN SNAPPING SHUT SAID JAWS; (E) MEANS FIXED TO THE FRAME OF SAID MACHINE PROVIDING A STATIONARY CAM SURFACE OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CAM FOLLOWER, SAID CAM SURFACE-PROVIDING MEANS BEING POSITIONED TO OPEN THE JAWS OF SAID GRASPER DEVICE AS SAID GRASPER BAR APPROACHES SAID