Patent US3633336A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3633336A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fruit-picking apparatus
Assignee: Rempel Enterprises Inc
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Filing: 1970-02-26
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Granted: 1972-01-11
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Expires: 1990-02-26
Abstract
Abstract A fruit-picking apparatus comprising an articulated hollow boom having an extensible upper arm containing coextensible conveyor means for conveying fruit into the top of an upwardly inclined lower arm regardless of the inclination of said upper arm, the bottom of said lower arm being rotatably mounted on the vehicle over a throat into which the fruit is discharged. The upper arm has a circular picker-supporting bucket at its outer end with an outer annular fruit-receiving trough arranged to discharge fruit onto the conveyor means in the upper arm. The supporting vehicle has rearwardly extensible conveyor means conveying fruit rearwardly from the throat to a container supported on the vehicle in horizontal fruit-receiving position, and means are provided for depositing a filled container on the ground and supporting an empty container in fruit-receiving position forwardly of said deposited container, the operations of manipulating the picker bucket and the fruit collecting and depositing means being controlled at the picker-supporting bucket. The method of picking comprises fully picking the entire spherical halves of opposed pairs of trees in adjacent rows, all the picking being done from the outer end of the articulated extensible boom rotatably mounted on the vehicle when at a central location radially of the four trees, conveying fruit from all parts of the tree halves through the boom to the forward part of the vehicle, conveying fruit rearwardly of the vehicle to a collecting basket, and successively depositing filled baskets on the ground in a line between the tree rows while the vehicle is at said central location, so as to be in position to be picked up by a collection vehicle passing linearly between the tree rows.
Inventors
- 👤 Dietrich G Rempel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:10
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D46/00; A01D46/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
Apparatus for picking fruit from rows of various sizes of trees including a base supporting vehicle having rearwardly extensible lower conveyor means thereon, a rear vehicle carrying the rear end of said conveyor means, means on said rear vehicle for supporting a receptacle in position to receive fruit discharged from said conveyor means and for depositing said container when filled upon the ground, a hollow upwardly inclined lower boom rotatably mounted on the base vehicle with its lower end over the front end of said lower conveyor means, means to rotate said lower boom, a hollow upper boom hinged upon the upper end of said lower boom, means for raising and lowering said upper boom, extensible upper conveyor means within said upper boom for conveying fruit through said boom into said lower boom in all positions of said upper boom, a picker-supporting bucket pivoted on the outer end of said upper conveyor means having means for receiving fruit from the picker and discharging it onto said upper conveyor means, and means for maintaining said bucket substantially upright in all positions of the upper boom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
Apparatus for picking fruit from rows of various sizes of trees including a base supporting vehicle having rearwardly extensible lower conveyor means thereon, a rear vehicle carrying the rear end of said conveyor means, means on said rear vehicle for supporting a receptacle in position to receive fruit discharged from said conveyor means and for depositing said container when filled upon the ground, a hollow upwardly inclined lower boom rotatably mounted on the base vehicle with its lower end over the front end of said lower conveyor means, means to rotate said lower boom, a hollow upper boom hinged upon the upper end of said lower boom, means for raising and lowering said upper boom, extensible upper conveyor means within said upper boom for conveying fruit through said boom into said lower boom in all positions of said upper boom, a picker-supporting bucket pivoted on the outer end of said upper conveyor means having means for receiving fruit from the picker and discharging it onto said upper conveyor means, and means for maintaining said bucket substantially upright in all positions of the upper boom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the picker-supporting bucket is open around substantially its entire periphery, and the means receiving fruit from the picker comprises an outer annular chute for discharging the fruit onto said upper conveyor means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, having control means on said bucket for extending and retracting said upper and lower conveyor means, for rotating said lower boom and raising and lowering said upper boom, and for operating the receptacle supporting and depositing mechanism on said rear vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which means are provided on said rear vehicle for supporting a stack of empty receptacles and for transferring one receptacle from said stack into position for receiving fruit from said lower conveyor means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the inclined lower boom has fixed baffle means therein for retarding the gravIty flow of fruit therethrough and movable baffle means for temporarily blocking said flow.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the extensible upper and lower conveyor means each comprise superposed upper and lower conveyor belts, with a single motor drive for each conveyor means, and traveling drive means operatively connecting said belts in all positions of extension and retraction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the means for maintaining the bucket substantially upright is mounted on said bucket, and is controlled by a leveling switch on the bucket to automatically maintain the bucket in substantially upright position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4, having control means on said bucket for extending and retracting said upper and lower conveyor means, for rotating said lower boom and raising and lowering said upper boom, and for operating said receptacle supporting, transferring and depositing mechanism on said rear vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which the means for maintaining the bucket substantially upright is mounted on the bucket, and is controlled by a leveling switch on the bucket to automatically maintain the bucket in substantially upright position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6, in which the upper and lower conveyor belts are each trained around a drive pulley at one end, and an endless drive element is provided having a traveling loop operatively connecting the drive pulleys in all positions of relative extension and retraction of the belts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
109 words
In a fruit-picking apparatus having a hollow boom mounted on a base vehicle for delivering fruit to the front end of the vehicle, a conveyor bed pivotally mounted at its front end on said vehicle, said bed comprising superposed upper and lower conveyors, the lower conveyor being rearwardly extensible, a rear vehicle supporting the rear end of the lower conveyor in all positions of extension and retraction, means on said conveyor bed for extending and retracting said lower conveyor together with said rear vehicle, and movable means on said rear vehicle for supporting a receptacle in position to receive fruit discharged from the rear end of said lower conveyor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
109 words
In a fruit-picking apparatus having a hollow boom mounted on a base vehicle for delivering fruit to the front end of the vehicle, a conveyor bed pivotally mounted at its front end on said vehicle, said bed comprising superposed upper and lower conveyors, the lower conveyor being rearwardly extensible, a rear vehicle supporting the rear end of the lower conveyor in all positions of extension and retraction, means on said conveyor bed for extending and retracting said lower conveyor together with said rear vehicle, and movable means on said rear vehicle for supporting a receptacle in position to receive fruit discharged from the rear end of said lower conveyor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a fruit-picking apparatus as defined in claim 11, in which the movable receptacle-supporting means is adapted to deposit a filled receptacle on the ground while holding it in horizontal position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a fruit-picking apparatus as defined in claim 12, in which releasable means are provided for supporting a stack of empty receptacles and the movable receptacle supporting means is adapted to actuate said releasable means to drop the bottom stacked receptacle onto the movable receptacle supporting means for being transferred to and held in fruit-receiving position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
In a fruit-picking apparatus as defined in claim 12, in which the movable means for supporting a receptacle in fruit-receiving position comprises two shoes for engaging under opposite sides of the receptacle rim, said shoes being pivotally mounted on parallel bars pivoted to said rear vehicle in pantographic arrangements for maintaining the receptacle horizontal in all adjusted positions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
In a fruit-picking apparatus as defined in claim 13, in which the movable means for supporting a receptacle in fruit-receiving position comprises two shoes for engaging under opposite sides of the receptacle rim, said shoes being pivotally mounted on parallel bars pivoted to said rear vehicle in pantographic arrangements for maintaining the receptacle horizontal in all adjusted positions.
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) | 1975-01-10 | 1975-07-12 | 1976-01-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-10 | 1979-07-12 | 1980-01-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-10 | 1983-07-12 | 1984-01-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |