Patent US3696596A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3696596A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Watermelon harvesting device
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-03-23
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Granted: 1972-10-10
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Expires: 1990-03-23
Abstract
Abstract A watermelon harvesting device consisting of a plurality of individual watermelon harvesters supported along the length of a boom structure, one of said boom structures being adapted to be fixed to each side of a vehicle such as a truck or tractor in a laterally outwardly extending disposition whereby the vehicle may be driven along a path or road extending through a watermelon field with the harvester supporting booms extending outwardly to overlie certain of the beds of the watermelon field on each side of the vehicle. Each of the watermelon harvesters comprises a vacuum controlled watermelon engaging head and hydraulically electrically controlled mechanical means whereby a watermelon when engaged by said head may be automatically lifted and swung into position over a conveyor means, the watermelon when reaching this position is automatically deposited on said conveyor means with the head being returned to a position to engage another watermelon. One or more of said watermelon harvesters may be operated by one person.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanley C Wegscheid
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:07
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D45/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
261 words
A watermelon harvesting device for attachment to a suitable power propelled vehicle for movement through a watermelon field for the purpose of harvesting the watermelons therein, comprising; A. a main frame structure; B. a vacuum operated watermelon engaging and pick-up head; C. vacuum means for providing a vacuum in said head, including, 1. vacuum conduit means connected to said pick-up head; D. pick-up arm means rotatable in a generally vertical plane and including, 1. pivoted end, and 2. an outwardly extending swinging end for arcuate movement in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions in said vertical plane; E. a reversable power source connected to said main frame structure; F. mechanical power transmission means supported by said frame structure and connected to said power source, including a rotatable member carrying said pivoted end of said pick-up arm means for imparting said arcuate movement thereto and to said outwardly extending swinging end; G. suspension means connecting said outwardly extending swinging end and said pick-up head; H. vacuum control means in said pick-up head whereby engagement of a watermelon by said pick-up head activates vacuum forces in said pick-up head whereby the watermelon is tightly held thereon; I. power control means on said pick-up head, which are actuated when the watermelon is tightly held thereon, to energize said reversable power source to cycle the harvester whereby the watermelon is picked up from the ground and swung to a predetermined discharge station by said rotatable arm means, where it is deposited causing said power source to reverse and swing said pick-up head to its start position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
261 words
A watermelon harvesting device for attachment to a suitable power propelled vehicle for movement through a watermelon field for the purpose of harvesting the watermelons therein, comprising; A. a main frame structure; B. a vacuum operated watermelon engaging and pick-up head; C. vacuum means for providing a vacuum in said head, including, 1. vacuum conduit means connected to said pick-up head; D. pick-up arm means rotatable in a generally vertical plane and including, 1. pivoted end, and 2. an outwardly extending swinging end for arcuate movement in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions in said vertical plane; E. a reversable power source connected to said main frame structure; F. mechanical power transmission means supported by said frame structure and connected to said power source, including a rotatable member carrying said pivoted end of said pick-up arm means for imparting said arcuate movement thereto and to said outwardly extending swinging end; G. suspension means connecting said outwardly extending swinging end and said pick-up head; H. vacuum control means in said pick-up head whereby engagement of a watermelon by said pick-up head activates vacuum forces in said pick-up head whereby the watermelon is tightly held thereon; I. power control means on said pick-up head, which are actuated when the watermelon is tightly held thereon, to energize said reversable power source to cycle the harvester whereby the watermelon is picked up from the ground and swung to a predetermined discharge station by said rotatable arm means, where it is deposited causing said power source to reverse and swing said pick-up head to its start position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
183 words
an outwardly extending swinging end for arcuate movement in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions in said vertical plane; E. a reversable power source connected to said main frame structure; F. mechanical power transmission means supported by said frame structure and connected to said power source, including a rotatable member carrying said pivoted end of said pick-up arm means for imparting said arcuate movement thereto and to said outwardly extending swinging end; G. suspension means connecting said outwardly extending swinging end and said pick-up head; H. vacuum control means in said pick-up head whereby engagement of a watermelon by said pick-up head activates vacuum forces in said pick-up head whereby the watermelon is tightly held thereon; I. power control means on said pick-up head, which are actuated when the watermelon is tightly held thereon, to energize said reversable power source to cycle the harvester whereby the watermelon is picked up from the ground and swung to a predetermined discharge station by said rotatable arm means, where it is deposited causing said power source to reverse and swing said pick-up head to its start position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
183 words
an outwardly extending swinging end for arcuate movement in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions in said vertical plane; E. a reversable power source connected to said main frame structure; F. mechanical power transmission means supported by said frame structure and connected to said power source, including a rotatable member carrying said pivoted end of said pick-up arm means for imparting said arcuate movement thereto and to said outwardly extending swinging end; G. suspension means connecting said outwardly extending swinging end and said pick-up head; H. vacuum control means in said pick-up head whereby engagement of a watermelon by said pick-up head activates vacuum forces in said pick-up head whereby the watermelon is tightly held thereon; I. power control means on said pick-up head, which are actuated when the watermelon is tightly held thereon, to energize said reversable power source to cycle the harvester whereby the watermelon is picked up from the ground and swung to a predetermined discharge station by said rotatable arm means, where it is deposited causing said power source to reverse and swing said pick-up head to its start position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 1 in which said conduit means comprises a tubular pipe which constitutes a part of said main frame structure and which is adapted to be connected to said vacuum means and a flexible vacuum conduit connecting to and extending between said tubular pipe and said pick-up head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
183 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 1 in which said watermelon engaging and pick-up head comprises, a top plate member, a resilient ring member fixed to the bottom surface of said top plate, providing a generally annular bottom surface which is adapted to engage the surface of and conform to the shape of the engaged portion of the surface of a watermelon when so engaged and a central chamber within said ring member which is closed to the atmosphere when a watermelon is so engaged; a vacuum control block mounted atop said top plate including said vacuum control means therein, a rigid conduit connecting between said flexible vacuum conduit and said vacuum control means; stem means extending downwardly from said vacuum control means through said top plate which is adapted to contact the surface of a watermelon and open said vacuum control means to said central chamber just prior to contact between said resilient ring and the surface of the watermelon creating a vacuum in said closed chamber the instant the surface of a watermelon is contacted by said resilient ring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
111 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 3 in which said vacuum control means comprises a ball valve having a stem portion of said stem means extending downwardly through said top plate for contact with the surface of a watermelon, a valve seat and spring means to normally maintain said ball valve on said seat, port means extending between said central chamber and said rigid conduit which are normally closed when said ball valve is on said seat and opened to create a vacuum in said chamber when control is made by said stem with the surface of a watermelon, moving said stem portion upwardly and seating said ball valve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A watermelon harvesting machine as defined in claim 3 in which said resilient member comprises an inflatable tube such as a small size inner tube and a soft sponge ring member secured about the underneath side of said tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 1 in which said reversable power source comprises a hydraulic cylinder and a solenoid actuated hydraulic control valve means, said hydraulic cylinder including a piston rod movable between extended and retracted positions as determined by the direction of flow of the fluid from said hydraulic control valve, and front and rear normally closed piston rod limit switches.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 6 in which said piston rod is driven by fluid supplied to said hydraulic cylinder through said solenoid actuated hydraulic control valve from a hydraulic pump means in the vehicle and utilizing tubular members which form part of said main frame structure as intake and exhaust conduits to said hydraulic control valve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
248 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 6 in which said power control means in said pick-up head comprises first and second vacuum operated electric switches mounted atop said top plate and a solenoid operated exhaust valve simularly mounted; three ports opening from the bottom of said top plate to the respective vacuum operated electric switches and said exhaust valve; electric circuit means conTrolled by said vacuum operated electric switches, said front and rear limit switches and a trip switch located closely adjacent said rear limit switch, said first vacuum operated electric switch being actuated by the vacuum in said central chamber when a watermelon is engaged by said pick-up head to close a first electric circuit through said rear limit switch to said solenoid actuated hydraulic control valve to drive said piston rod in a first direction to move the watermelon from its position on the ground to said discharge station, said trip switch then being actuated by said piston rod completing a second circuit to said exhaust valve to cause discharge of the watermelon whereupon a third circuit is completed by the loss of vacuum to complete a third electric circuit through said second vacuum operated electric switch and said front limit switch to said solenoid actuated hydraulic valve to reverse said piston rod and to drive same in a second direction to return said pick-up head to its start position, said piston rod then contacts said front limit switch to deactivate said third circuit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 8 in which said first vacuum operated electric switch is a normally open type switch, said second vacuum operated electric switch is a normally closed type of switch, both front and rear limit switches are normally closed types and said trip switch being a normally open type.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 1 in which said discharge station comprises a conveyor means carried by said main frame structure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 8 in which said mechanical power transmission means comprises first and second spaced apart sprockets, rotatably journalled on said main frame and chain means disposed about said sprockets, said first sprocket comprising said rotatable member and being positioned forwardly of said hydraulic cylinder and piston rod, said piston rod being fixed to said chain to transmit the movements of said piston rod to said pick-up arms through said first sprocket and chain.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 11 including a watermelon positioning and stabilizing means whereby the watermelon is stabilized during its movement from the ground to said discharge station and accurately positioned at said discharge station.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
201 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 12 in which said watermelon positioning and stabilizing means comprises an arm having first and second ends, said first end being pivotally attached to said main frame and said second end carrying a first pulley means; a first control cable and a second pulley means, said first control cable having a first end attached to said chain means and a second end attached to said arm intermediate said first and second arm ends, said first cable passing rearwardly from said chain means and then downwardly over said second pulley means to said point of attachment to said arm; a second control cable, third and fourth pulley means, a bracket means fixed to said main frame and a counterweight, said second control cable having a first end attached to said pick-up head and a second end attached to said counterweight, said second control cable extending rearwardly from said pick-up head, passing under said third pulley means which is rotatably attached to said main frame, over said first pulley carried on said second end of said arm, then outwardly over said fourth pulley rotatably attached to said bracket means and then downwardly to said counterweight.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 1 including a slack take up structure for said vacuum conduit means and said suspension means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
101 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 14 wherein said slack take up structure comprises, a frame unit pivotally attached at one end to said outwardly swinging end of said pick up arm and including a transverse member at its opposed end spaced from said pivotally attached enD; tension spring means extending between said pick up arm and said frame unit to maintain said frame unit in a normal generally horizontal attitude, said vacuum conduit means and suspension means passing generally horizontally rearwardly from said outwardly swinging end, over said transverse member and then downwardly to said pick up head.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
83 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 1 including a boom structure adapted to be mounted upon said power propelled vehicle and extending laterally outwardly therefrom in a manner so as to overlie and pass over a portion of a watermelon field being harvested and at least two of said watermelon harvesting devices fixed to said boom structure, said discharge station comprising a conveyor means carried by said boom structure and operable to convey watermelon discharged thereon to said power propelled vehicle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 16 in which said boom structure is adapted to be pivotally attached to said power driven vehicle and includes drive means for swinging said boom structure upwardly and downwardly about said pivotal attachment.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
A watermelon harvesting device as defined in claim 17 in which one of said boom structures is adapted to be mounted to each side of said power propelled vehicle.
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) | 1975-10-10 | 1976-04-10 | 1976-10-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-10 | 1980-04-10 | 1980-10-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-10 | 1984-04-10 | 1984-10-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |