Apparatus and method for separating stem and leaves from grapes in a grape harvester

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR HARVESTING GRAPES THAT COMPRISES: (A) A CONDUIT OPEN AT ONE END AND A SOURCE OF CONSTANT VACUUM CONNECTED WITH THE OPPOSITE END WHEREBY GRAPES IN BUNCHES ON THE VINES WILL BE SEPARATED FROM THE VINES AND DRAWN INTO SAID CONDUIT FOR MOVEMENT THEREIN TOWARD SAID SOURCE UPON THE OPEN END OF SAID CONDUIT BEING POSITIONED TO SUBSTANTIALLY ENCLOSE SUCH BUNCHES; (B) SAID CONDUIT INCLUDING A STEM AND LEAF SEPARATOR COMPRISING A HOUSING FORMING AN ENLARGED SECTION OF SAID CONDUIT; (C) THE FIRST PORTION OF SAID CONDUIT BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND SAID OPEN END OPENING UPWARDLY INTO THE LOWER PART OF SAID HOUSING, AND THE SECOND PORTION OF SAID HOUSING BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND SAID SOURCE OPENING INTO THE UPPER PART OF SAID HOUSING WHEREBY THE MOVEMENT OF AIR IN SAID HOUSING IS GENERALLY UPWARDLY; (D) GRAPE COLLECTING MEANS IN THE LOWER PART OF SAID HOUSING SPACED FROM SAID FIRST PORTION FOR COLLECTING GRAPES DRAWN INTO SAID HOUSING; (E) UPWARDLY MOVING CONVEYOR MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSING EXTENDING INTO SAID UPPER AND LOWER PARTS AT ITS UPPER AND LOWER ENDS FOR CARRYING INTO SAID UPPER PART AND TO SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID CONDUIT SUCH STEMS AND LEAVES AS MAY FAIL TO BE CARRIED BY AIR MOVING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID HOUSING TO SAID SECOND PORTION; (F) STEM AND LEAF COLLECTING MEANS IN SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID CONDUIT FOR REMOVING THE STEMS AND LEAVES FROM SAID SECOND PORTION, AND A CONTINUATION OF SAID SECOND PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID STEM AND LEAF COLLECTING MEANS TO SAID SOURCE, INCLUDING A GRAPE STORAGE TANK; (G) GRAPE REMOVING MEANS FOR DISCHARGING GRAPES DIRECTLY FROM SAID GRAPE COLLECTOR INTO SAID CONTINUATION AND FOR SEALING SAID GRAPS COLLECTOR AGAINST ADMISSION OF ATMOSPHEREIC AIR AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE INTO SAID HOUSING DURING SAID DISCHARGE, WHEREBY GRAPES SO DISCHARGED INTO SAID CONTINUATION WILL BE CARRIED IN SAID CONTINUATION INTO SAID TANK.