US3591949A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fruit-harvesting machine
Assignee: MCCONNELL MANUFACTURING Co Inc A CORP OF NY
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Filing: 1969-04-17
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Granted: 1971-07-13
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Expires: 1989-04-17
Abstract
Abstract A harvesting machine for harvesting products such as oranges, or the like, including a picker head connected by means of an elongated conduit to a collector box, a fan in communication with the collector box for evacuating the box and thus producing a suction in the conduit, an apertured flexible diaphragm on the picker head for providing sealing engagement with the product so as to permit the suction to exert a pulling force on the product, and a twister head including a plurality of resilient fingers mounted thereon, said twister head being mounted on said picker head and being rotated by a motor to cause said fingers to engage the product with a twisting force to thereby provide a combined pulling and twisting force on the product to sever it from the tree.
Inventors
- 👤 William E Connery
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 22:12
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D46/00; A01D46/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product comprising an elongated conduit having a first end adapted to be connected with a source of suction and a second end remote from said first end, a picker head mounted on said second end of said elongated conduit, an apertured flexible diaphragm on said picker head for permitting said unitary product to pass therethrough while providing a seal therewith to permit suction in said elongated conduit to be exerted on said unitary product for pulling it, a twister head, means mounting said twister head for rotation proximate said diaphragm, means for rotating said twister head, engaging means on said twister head spaced from said diaphragm for engaging said unitary product for exerting a twisting force thereon in a direction which is transverse to the pull provided by said suction, and biasing means for biasing said engaging means toward said unitary product but permitting said engaging means to deflect out of the path of said unitary product after it is separated from its source so that said suction can pull it through said elongated conduit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
181 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product comprising an elongated conduit having a first end adapted to be connected with a source of suction and a second end remote from said first end, a picker head mounted on said second end of said elongated conduit, an apertured flexible diaphragm on said picker head for permitting said unitary product to pass therethrough while providing a seal therewith to permit suction in said elongated conduit to be exerted on said unitary product for pulling it, a twister head, means mounting said twister head for rotation proximate said diaphragm, means for rotating said twister head, engaging means on said twister head spaced from said diaphragm for engaging said unitary product for exerting a twisting force thereon in a direction which is transverse to the pull provided by said suction, and biasing means for biasing said engaging means toward said unitary product but permitting said engaging means to deflect out of the path of said unitary product after it is separated from its source so that said suction can pull it through said elongated conduit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises a collector housing, said first end of said elongated conduit communicates with said collector housing, air evacuation means communicate with said collector housing for producing a suction therein, and said collector housing is adapted to be connected to a plurality of similar elongated conduits.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 1 wherein said engaging means comprise a plurality of fingers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said fingers is suspended independently of the other of said fingers to permit firm engagement of each of said fingers with an irregularly shaped unitary product.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 1 wherein said picker head is fixedly mounted against rotation relative to said elongated conduit, and wherein said means mounting said twister head mounts said twister head for rotation relative to said picker head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 5 wherein said engaging means comprises a plurality of fingers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 5 wherein said diaphragm is located outwardly of said twister head and is nonrotatably mounted thereon so as to engage said unitary product substantially solely with a pulling force prior to the time that said fingers impart a rotation to said unitary product, thereby minimizing relative slippage between said diaphragm and said unitary product.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 7 wherein said diaphragm includes a plurality of segments for providing a seal with said product.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 5 wherein said elongated conduit is flexible, and an elongated rigid member coupled proximate said picker head is provided for directing said picker head into engagement with said unitary product.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for rotating said twister head comprises motor means mounted on said rigid member remote from said picker head and a drive connection coupling said motor means and said twister head.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 6 wherein said twister head comprises an annular member having a longitudinal axis, pivot means on said annular member extending transversely to said longitudinal axis, means mounting said fingers on said pivot means, and wherein said biasing means comprises spring means extending between said fingers and said annular member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for mounting said twister head for rotation comprises bearing means on said picker head in engagement with said annular member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 12 wherein said bearing means comprises a plurality of rollers circumferentially spaced about said annular member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for rotating said twister head comprises a gear ring on said annular member, and gear means in mesh with said gear ring.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
67 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 11 wherein said pivot means suspend each of said fingers independently of the other of said finers to permit firm engagement of each of said fingers with an irregularly shaped unitary product, and stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of each of said fingers toward each other under the bias of said spring means.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
81 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product comprising a conduit, suction-operated means for initially pulling a unitary product into said conduit and including openable closure means penetratable by said unitary product while sealingly engaging the same, and mechanical means spaced from said closure means inwardly of said conduit for thereafter exerting a rotary force on said unitary product while such pull is being exerted thereon to produce a combined pulling and twisting effect for severing said unitary product from its mounting.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
81 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product comprising a conduit, suction-operated means for initially pulling a unitary product into said conduit and including openable closure means penetratable by said unitary product while sealingly engaging the same, and mechanical means spaced from said closure means inwardly of said conduit for thereafter exerting a rotary force on said unitary product while such pull is being exerted thereon to produce a combined pulling and twisting effect for severing said unitary product from its mounting.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device for harvesting a unitary product as set forth in claim 16 including means for holding said closure means against relative rotation with respect to said product and means for rotating said mechanical means relative to said closure means, thereby to minimize relative slippage between said closure means and said product.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-12 | 1975-01-11 | 1975-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-12 | 1979-01-11 | 1979-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-12 | 1983-01-11 | 1983-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |