Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
In an apparatus for picking up melons lying on the ground, the combination of: a. a frame; b. wheeled means for supporting said frame; c. an upwardly and rearwardly sloping ramp carried by said frame and up which melons are adapted to be rolled, the front end of said ramp being substantially at ground level; d. means for rolling the melons up said ramp, comprising laterally spaced, coaxial tires mounted on said frame above said ramp for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis, the lowermost portions of said tires being spaced above said ramp and being above ground level and being engageable with the melons on the ground; e. drive means on said frame for driving said tires in a direction to cause them to roll the melons toward the front end of and up said ramp; and f. melon receiving means at the rear end of said ramp.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
In an apparatus for picking up melons lying on the ground, the combination of: a. a frame; b. wheeled means for supporting said frame; c. an upwardly and rearwardly sloping ramp carried by said frame and up which melons are adapted to be rolled, the front end of said ramp being substantially at ground level; d. means for rolling the melons up said ramp, comprising laterally spaced, coaxial tires mounted on said frame above said ramp for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis, the lowermost portions of said tires being spaced above said ramp and being above ground level and being engageable with the melons on the ground; e. drive means on said frame for driving said tires in a direction to cause them to roll the melons toward the front end of and up said ramp; and f. melon receiving means at the rear end of said ramp.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said ramp is curved substantially about the axis of rotation of said tires in the fore-and-aft direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 including laterally spaced, forwardly and outwardly extending guides projecting forwardly from said ramp for guiding the melons to the front end of said ramp.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said tires project forwardly of the front end of said ramp so as to engage the melons on the ground, and start them rolling rearwardly, before such melons engage the front end of said ramp.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the front end of said ramp is approximately directly below the axis of rotation of said tires.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said melon receiving means comprises a transverse conveyor onto which the melons are rolled from the rear end of said ramp by said tires.