US3596457A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fruit harvester
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-10-24
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Granted: 1971-08-03
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Expires: 1989-10-24
Abstract
Abstract The harvester is a self-propelled vehicle having two side assemblies adjustably connected together near the top of the vehicle. A divider depends from the interconnecting frame structure downwardly into a front-to-rear tunnel defined by and between the two side assemblies. A row of fruit collector boxes is supported on each side of the tunnel. The divider divides the bushes traveling relatively through the tunnel into two parts and deflects the parts laterally outwardly into the paths of the bush shakers, generally above the collector boxes. Each shaker includes a wheel mounted for rotation about a fixed horizontal support extending longitudinally of the vehicle. This support is rotated for swinging the wheel upwardly through fruit ladened branches. The wheel includes a plurality of radial tines and means for reciprocating it back-and-forth on its support. Air screens are provided for directing the falling fruit towards the collector boxes. The vehicle drive mechanism includes differential gearing mechanism having a pair of output shafts. A system of chains and sprockets drivingly connects each output shaft to a plurality of small diameter drive wheels on its side of the vehicle. The output shafts are provided with independently controllable brakes used for steering the vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 Ernest L Van Tine
- 👤 Wesley R Wagner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 09:56
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D46/00; A01D46/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A fruit harvester comprising: a shaker wheel including a plurality of radial tines; means supporting the shaker wheel with its axis generally horizontal; means for swinging said support, and the shaker wheel carried thereby, upwardly through a fruit-ladened portion of a fruit plant along an arcuate path of travel which is substantially perpendicular to the wheel axis; and means for reciprocating the shaker wheel axially back-and-forth on its support as the wheel moves through the fruit plant, so that as the wheel travels it exerts through its tines a generally horizontal shaking force on the plant, for dislodging fruit therefrom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A fruit harvester comprising: a shaker wheel including a plurality of radial tines; means supporting the shaker wheel with its axis generally horizontal; means for swinging said support, and the shaker wheel carried thereby, upwardly through a fruit-ladened portion of a fruit plant along an arcuate path of travel which is substantially perpendicular to the wheel axis; and means for reciprocating the shaker wheel axially back-and-forth on its support as the wheel moves through the fruit plant, so that as the wheel travels it exerts through its tines a generally horizontal shaking force on the plant, for dislodging fruit therefrom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 1, wherein the shaker wheel is mounted for free rotation so that in response to tine interference with the plant the shaker wheel will rotate relative to its support until tHe tine is in a position to be withdrawn generally endwise out from the plant by additional arcuate travel of the shaker wheel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 1, further comprising a ground-traversing vehicle, wherein said support means for said shaker wheel supports said shaker wheel on the vehicle in a position with its axis extending generally in direction of vehicle travel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 3, comprising means on said vehicle for contacting and positively moving a fruit-ladened portion of the plant sideways into the upward arcuate path of travel of the shaker wheel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 1, wherein the support means for the shaker wheel includes a tubular support shaft, wherein the shaker wheel includes a hub supported on said tubular shaft for axial movement therealong, and wherein the means for reciprocating the shaker wheel includes an elongated pitman within the tubular shaft, means connecting one end of the pitman to said wheel hub, and means connected to the opposite end of the pitman for alternately pushing and pulling the pitman.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 5, wherein the means for alternately pushing and pulling the pitman includes a rotatable crankshaft extending generally perpendicular to the tubular support shaft, a crank means on said crankshaft connected to the pitman, and drive means for rotating said crankshaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 6, wherein said crank means is a circular lobe eccentrically located on said crankshaft, and wherein a ring surrounds said lobe and said ring is connected to said pitman.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
125 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 6, wherein said means for swinging said support along an arcuate path includes a tubular housing surrounding the crankshaft, said housing being connected at its outer end to the tubular support shaft for the shaker wheel and extending radially inwardly from said support shaft to a hub portion, and a main shaft connected to said hub portion and extending therefrom in a direction opposite from the direction of extent of said tubular support shaft from said tubular housing, with the axes of said main shaft and said tubular support shaft being parallel to each other and both being perpendicular to the axis of the crankshaft, and with the axes of all three shafts being situated in a common plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 8, wherein said main shaft is hollow and an inner drive shaft extends axially therethrough, and wherein the hub portion of said tubular housing is hollow and contains drive-gearing means drivingly connecting said inner shaft to said pitman drive shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
121 words
A fruit harvester comprising; an elongated support shaft; a pair of shaker wheels axially spaced-apart on said shaft, each said wheel including a plurality of radial tines; means supporting said support shaft with its axis generally horizontal; means for swinging said support shaft, and the shaker wheels carried thereby, upwardly through a fruit-ladened portion of a fruit plant along an arcuate path of travel which is substantially perpendicular to the axes of said wheels and said support shaft; and means for reciprocating the shaker wheels axially back-and-forth on the support shaft as they move through the fruit plant, so that as the wheels travel they exert through their tines a generally horizontal shaking force on the plant, for dislodging fruit therefrom.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
121 words
A fruit harvester comprising; an elongated support shaft; a pair of shaker wheels axially spaced-apart on said shaft, each said wheel including a plurality of radial tines; means supporting said support shaft with its axis generally horizontal; means for swinging said support shaft, and the shaker wheels carried thereby, upwardly through a fruit-ladened portion of a fruit plant along an arcuate path of travel which is substantially perpendicular to the axes of said wheels and said support shaft; and means for reciprocating the shaker wheels axially back-and-forth on the support shaft as they move through the fruit plant, so that as the wheels travel they exert through their tines a generally horizontal shaking force on the plant, for dislodging fruit therefrom.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
90 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 10, wherein each shaker wheel includes a hub supported on said tubular shaft for axial movement therealong, and wherein the means for reciprocating the shaker wheels includes a pair of elongated pitmans within the tubular shaft, means connecting one end of one pitman to the hub of one of said wheels, means connecting the corresponding end of the second pitman to the hub of the second wheel, and means connected to the opposite ends of the pitmans for alternately pushing and pulling the pitmans.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
A fruit harveSter according to claim 11, wherein a tubular extension is connected to one of said shaker wheels, said extension surrounding said tubular shaft, and wherein the second shaker wheel surrounds the tubular extension, with the pitman for the first shaker wheel being connected to said tubular extension and with the pitman for the second wheel being connected to the end of the hub for said second wheel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
86 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 12, wherein the first shaker wheel includes joint means between it and the extension, coupling it and the extension together for conjoint axial movement but permitting said first shaker wheel to rotate about the tubular shaft independently of the extension, and joint means between the second shaker wheel and the pitman therefor, coupling such wheel and pitman together for axial movement but permitting free rotational movement of the second shaker wheel about the tubular extension and relative to its pitman.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
162 words
A fruit harvester comprising: a pair of parallel, spaced-apart support shafts, a transverse support arm extending between and interconnecting said support shafts; a main shaft connected to an intermediate portion of said support shaft and extending therefrom and in parallelism with said support shafts; means mounting said main shaft for rotation about a generally horizontal axis; a shaker wheel on each support shaft, each shaker wheel including a plurality of radial tines; means for rotating said main shaft about its axis and in that manner swinging the support shafts and the shaker wheels mounted thereon upwardly through a fruit-ladened portion of a fruit plant along arcuate paths of travel which are substantially perpendicular to the main shaft axis; and means for reciprocating each shaker wheel axially back-and-forth on its support shaft as the wheel moves through the fruit plant, so that as the wheel travels it exerts through its tines a generally horizontal shaking force on the plant, for dislodging fruit therefrom.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
162 words
A fruit harvester comprising: a pair of parallel, spaced-apart support shafts, a transverse support arm extending between and interconnecting said support shafts; a main shaft connected to an intermediate portion of said support shaft and extending therefrom and in parallelism with said support shafts; means mounting said main shaft for rotation about a generally horizontal axis; a shaker wheel on each support shaft, each shaker wheel including a plurality of radial tines; means for rotating said main shaft about its axis and in that manner swinging the support shafts and the shaker wheels mounted thereon upwardly through a fruit-ladened portion of a fruit plant along arcuate paths of travel which are substantially perpendicular to the main shaft axis; and means for reciprocating each shaker wheel axially back-and-forth on its support shaft as the wheel moves through the fruit plant, so that as the wheel travels it exerts through its tines a generally horizontal shaking force on the plant, for dislodging fruit therefrom.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
64 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 14, wherein each shaker wheel is mounted for free rotation about its support shaft so that in response to tine interference with the plant the shaker wheel will rotate relative to its support shaft until the tine is in a position to be withdrawn generally endwise out from the plant by additional arcuate travel of the shaker wheel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
107 words
A fruit harvester comprising: a vehicle including ground-engaging wheel means; fruit collector means on said vehicle; deflector means on said vehicle positioned to intercept an upper fruit-ladened portion of a fruit plant and shaped to bend it over laterally into a position generally over said collector means; a shaker wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis directed front-to-rear of said vehicle, said wheel including bush engaging projections; means for swinging said wheel upwardly through the deflected portion of the bush along an arcuate path that is generally perpendicular to the axis of said wheel; and means for reciprocating the wheel axially as it is being swung.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
107 words
A fruit harvester comprising: a vehicle including ground-engaging wheel means; fruit collector means on said vehicle; deflector means on said vehicle positioned to intercept an upper fruit-ladened portion of a fruit plant and shaped to bend it over laterally into a position generally over said collector means; a shaker wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis directed front-to-rear of said vehicle, said wheel including bush engaging projections; means for swinging said wheel upwardly through the deflected portion of the bush along an arcuate path that is generally perpendicular to the axis of said wheel; and means for reciprocating the wheel axially as it is being swung.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
A fruit harvester according to claim 16, further comprising fluid screen means on said vehicle adapted to discharge towards the fruit collector means and to blow any fruit falling thereon towards the fruit collector means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
147 words
A fruit harvester comprising: a vehicle including two side assemblies defining between them a passageway for a row of berry bushes or the like, each said assembly including ground-engaging wheel means; divider means on said machine extending into the bush passageway and in use serving to divide the upper fruit-ladened portions of bushes traveling relatively through the passageway into two parts and to displace said parts laterally outwardly with respect to said passageway; fruit collector means located laterally inwardly of the bush passageway, on each side thereof, and generally below the positions of the displaced bush parts; and bush shaker meaNs on each side assembly of the machine, including shaker tines, means for swinging said tines upwardly through the side parts of the bush, and means for reciprocating the tines back-and-forth along a line parallel to vehicle movement as the tines are moving upwardly through the bushes.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
147 words
A fruit harvester comprising: a vehicle including two side assemblies defining between them a passageway for a row of berry bushes or the like, each said assembly including ground-engaging wheel means; divider means on said machine extending into the bush passageway and in use serving to divide the upper fruit-ladened portions of bushes traveling relatively through the passageway into two parts and to displace said parts laterally outwardly with respect to said passageway; fruit collector means located laterally inwardly of the bush passageway, on each side thereof, and generally below the positions of the displaced bush parts; and bush shaker meaNs on each side assembly of the machine, including shaker tines, means for swinging said tines upwardly through the side parts of the bush, and means for reciprocating the tines back-and-forth along a line parallel to vehicle movement as the tines are moving upwardly through the bushes.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
221 words
A vehicle to comprising two side assemblies defining a tunnel area between them which extends longitudinally of the vehicle; frame means adjustably interconnecting upper portions of said side assemblies, said frame means including at least one laterally extending tubular splice member and a pair of cross frame members sized to fit within said splice member, each said cross frame member being attached at its outer end to a different one of said side assemblies, and being telescopically adjustable in position within said splice member; means for securing said cross frame members in a selected telescopic position with respect to the tubular splice member; divider means on said frame extending downwardly therefrom into the tunnel area and in use serving to divide the upper fruit-ladened portions of bushes traveling relatively through the tunnel into two parts and to displace said parts laterally outwardly with respect to said tunnel; fruit collector means located laterally inwardly of the bush passageway, on each side thereof, and generally below the positions of the displaced bush parts; and bush shaker means on each side assembly of the vehicle including shaker tines, means for swinging said tines upwardly through the side parts of the bush, and means for reciprocating the tines back-and-forth along a line parallel to vehicle movement as the tines are moving upwardly through the bushes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
221 words
A vehicle to comprising two side assemblies defining a tunnel area between them which extends longitudinally of the vehicle; frame means adjustably interconnecting upper portions of said side assemblies, said frame means including at least one laterally extending tubular splice member and a pair of cross frame members sized to fit within said splice member, each said cross frame member being attached at its outer end to a different one of said side assemblies, and being telescopically adjustable in position within said splice member; means for securing said cross frame members in a selected telescopic position with respect to the tubular splice member; divider means on said frame extending downwardly therefrom into the tunnel area and in use serving to divide the upper fruit-ladened portions of bushes traveling relatively through the tunnel into two parts and to displace said parts laterally outwardly with respect to said tunnel; fruit collector means located laterally inwardly of the bush passageway, on each side thereof, and generally below the positions of the displaced bush parts; and bush shaker means on each side assembly of the vehicle including shaker tines, means for swinging said tines upwardly through the side parts of the bush, and means for reciprocating the tines back-and-forth along a line parallel to vehicle movement as the tines are moving upwardly through the bushes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-02 | 1975-02-01 | 1975-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-02 | 1979-02-01 | 1979-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-02 | 1983-02-01 | 1983-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |