US3731477A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Harvester for headed vegetables
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-01-24
•
Granted: 1973-05-08
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Expires: 1992-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A high speed lettuce harvesting machine comprising a vehicle adapted to move along vegetable rows to be harvested, a pair of vegetable head-engaging sensing arms mounted on said vehicle, a plurality of sensor belts mounted on said arms, the sensor belts being adapted to be deflected by the circumference of said vegetable head to guide and actuate a cutting blade toward the stem of the vegetable head so as to sever only fully grown heads and to transport them to a conveyor.
Inventors
- 👤 J Coon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 07:58
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D45/00; A01D45/26; A01D45/263; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S56/00; Y10S56/15
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
196 words
A high speed machine for harvesting headed vegetables, comprising; a vehicle adapted to be guided along vegetable rows to be harvested; a pair of vegetable head-engaging sensing arms mounted upon said vehicle; said sensing arms being provided with horizontal adjustment means for various sizes of vegetable heads, and with means for rigidly locking said sensor arms into a horizontal position for a particular size of vegetable head to be harvested; said sensing arms being further provided with a plurality of rotatable belts, attached to, and in an angular position on, the inner vertical sides of the adjustable sensing arms; said sensing arms comprising means for exerting a predetermined tension on said rotatable belts; said belts being rotated and deflected around the sides of the vegetable head as said head moves into the sensing arms in conformity with the size and firmness of the head being sensed; cutting means provided for the severing of the mature heads sensed by said sensing arms while being held in a rigid position by said arms; said sensing arms comprising means for lifting the severed heads from the rows and for the removal of the severed heads from said sensing arms.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
196 words
A high speed machine for harvesting headed vegetables, comprising; a vehicle adapted to be guided along vegetable rows to be harvested; a pair of vegetable head-engaging sensing arms mounted upon said vehicle; said sensing arms being provided with horizontal adjustment means for various sizes of vegetable heads, and with means for rigidly locking said sensor arms into a horizontal position for a particular size of vegetable head to be harvested; said sensing arms being further provided with a plurality of rotatable belts, attached to, and in an angular position on, the inner vertical sides of the adjustable sensing arms; said sensing arms comprising means for exerting a predetermined tension on said rotatable belts; said belts being rotated and deflected around the sides of the vegetable head as said head moves into the sensing arms in conformity with the size and firmness of the head being sensed; cutting means provided for the severing of the mature heads sensed by said sensing arms while being held in a rigid position by said arms; said sensing arms comprising means for lifting the severed heads from the rows and for the removal of the severed heads from said sensing arms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
Harvester as claimed in claim 1 in which said cutting means comprises a partially curved cutting blade positioned transverse to the row of heads of vegetable to be harvested, and means for positioning said blade transverse to the heads and for severing said heads at their base.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
Harvester as claimed in claim 1 comprising means for providing angular and tension adjustments on said plurality of rotatable belts said means being attached, on vertical pulleys, to the inner surfaces of the adjustable sensing arms to provide bracket adjustments on said belts for providing an angular fixed space between the sensing arms for the entrance of the head of lettuce to be sensed for severing or rejection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
Harvester as claimed in claim 1 comprising an angular space defined by said rotatable belts between said sensing arms, the rotatable belts being rotated by the size and firmness of the heads of lettuce entering the larger opening of said space, said heads contacting said belts and rotating said belts as they move toward the smaller space.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
Harvester as claimed in claim 4 comprising angularly spaced means between the sensing arms which, during the forward movement of the machine, force the mature heads into such angular space between the sensing arms, thus deflecting the belts adjacent to the sides of the mature heads for the sensing action, and severing the heads while being held in a rigid position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
Harvester as claimed in claim 3 comprising means for automatically transmitting an electrical impulse to an electromagnet for the severing of a head which is of sufficient firmness and size so as to deflect the prestressed belts of said sensing arms, and means for radially lifting the severed heads from the vegetable rows to a position aBove the rows while being held firmly, for their removal.
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) | 1976-05-07 | 1976-11-06 | 1977-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-07 | 1980-11-06 | 1981-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-07 | 1984-11-06 | 1985-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |