US3646741A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fruit harvesting apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-02-13
•
Granted: 1972-03-07
•
Expires: 1990-02-13
Abstract
Abstract A crop harvesting apparatus particularly suited for the picking of tree-borne crops such as fruit and nuts. An elongated hollow cylindrical shell has a plurality of openings for the entry of fruit. Each opening terminates in a stem severing edge. The shell is thrust among the crops to be harvested and is rotated, removing the crops from the plants. An internal auger urges the fruit to a discharge from which it moves to a suitable storage location. Means are provided to prevent mature ripened fruit from leaving the shell except through the discharge and to permit immature green fruit to pass out the openings without being severed from the plant.
Inventors
- 👤 John W Edwards
- 👤 John W Eason Jr
- 👤 Adrian R Chapman
- 👤 Emerson M Clavel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 07:58
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D46/00; A01D46/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A crop harvesting apparatus comprising a rotatable drive shaft; an elongated, hollow, substantially cylindrical shell connected to the drive shaft for rotation therewith about the shell longitudinal axis, the shell having a sidewall with a plurality of crop openings therein, each crop opening including a crop entry portion and a crop passage portion and terminating in a crop severing edge; closure means for closing each crop entry portion; and biasing means for urging the closure means to close the crop entry portions to prevent discharge of crops out the crop openings from within the hollow cylindrical shell while permitting movement of the closure means under pressure from crops to allow entry of crops into the hollow cylindrical shell.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
A crop harvesting apparatus comprising a rotatable drive shaft; an elongated, hollow, substantially cylindrical shell connected to the drive shaft for rotation therewith about the shell longitudinal axis, the shell having a sidewall with a plurality of crop openings therein, each crop opening including a crop entry portion and a crop passage portion and terminating in a crop severing edge; closure means for closing each crop entry portion; and biasing means for urging the closure means to close the crop entry portions to prevent discharge of crops out the crop openings from within the hollow cylindrical shell while permitting movement of the closure means under pressure from crops to allow entry of crops into the hollow cylindrical shell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the hollow cylindrical shell sidewall has a depression forward of the crop severing edge of each crop opening to form a crop retaining hill adjacent the crop severing edges.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the crop openings are aligned parallel to the hollow cylindrical shell longitudinal axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which each crop passage portion is more narrow than its respective crop entry portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the crop openings are spiralled about the hollow cylindrical shell sidewall.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising auger means on the interior surface of the hollow cylindrical shell for urging crops within the cylindrical shell to move longitudinally therein as the cylindrical shell rotates about its longitudinal axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further comprising plate means extending longitudinally on the interior surface of the cylindrical shell behind the crop openings to form a crop-tipping surface adjacent the crop severing edge of each crop opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising cone means connected to one end of the cylindrical shell for easing entry of the apparatus among the branches of a plant.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further comprising plate means closing the second end of the cylindrical shell and having crop discharge means for discharging crops from the cylindrical shell interior to a crop receptacle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 9 further comprising means for transporting thE cylindrical shell, the transporting means including means for positioning the cylindrical shell among crops, and motor means for rotating the drive shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A crop harvesting apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the transporting means is adapted to transport a plurality of the cylindrical shells.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE1151973B
Cited
US3427796A
Cited
US3404521A
Cited
US3452528A
Cited
US3413787A
Cited
US3451202A
Cited
US3531924A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-07 | 1975-09-06 | 1976-03-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-07 | 1979-09-06 | 1980-03-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-07 | 1983-09-06 | 1984-03-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |