US3987608A — Fruit picking apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 241 words

Apparatus for picking fruit comprising a carriage adapted to be moved along the ground adjacent a tree to be picked, a support structure mounted on said carriage for turning about a generally vertical axis, a boom assembly, means pivotally mounting the lower end of said boom assembly on said support structure for swinging the boom assembly about a transverse axis, a frame movably mounted on said support structure, a fruit collecting receptacle mounted on said frame adjacent the base of said boom assembly, a picker head comprising a rotor rotatable about an axis transversely of the boom assembly and having a plurality of fruit picking fingers extending therefrom laterally swingably mounted on the upper end of the boom assembly, said boom assembly carrying a fruit conveyor system having its upper end adjacent the picker head and having its lower end positioned adjacent said receptacle, means extending between the picker head and said conveyor assembly for conveying picked fruit from the picker head to the upper end of said conveyor assembly during picking, means on said frame for continually directing fruit from said conveying means into said receptacle, an operator control platform on the upper end of said boom assembly adjacent said picker head, said platform being so located as to enable the operator to look down on the rotating picking fingers during fruit picking, and means for elevating and tipping said frame relative to said support structure for unloading said receptacle.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 241 words

Apparatus for picking fruit comprising a carriage adapted to be moved along the ground adjacent a tree to be picked, a support structure mounted on said carriage for turning about a generally vertical axis, a boom assembly, means pivotally mounting the lower end of said boom assembly on said support structure for swinging the boom assembly about a transverse axis, a frame movably mounted on said support structure, a fruit collecting receptacle mounted on said frame adjacent the base of said boom assembly, a picker head comprising a rotor rotatable about an axis transversely of the boom assembly and having a plurality of fruit picking fingers extending therefrom laterally swingably mounted on the upper end of the boom assembly, said boom assembly carrying a fruit conveyor system having its upper end adjacent the picker head and having its lower end positioned adjacent said receptacle, means extending between the picker head and said conveyor assembly for conveying picked fruit from the picker head to the upper end of said conveyor assembly during picking, means on said frame for continually directing fruit from said conveying means into said receptacle, an operator control platform on the upper end of said boom assembly adjacent said picker head, said platform being so located as to enable the operator to look down on the rotating picking fingers during fruit picking, and means for elevating and tipping said frame relative to said support structure for unloading said receptacle.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 43 words

In the apparatus defined in claim 1, said means for directing fruit into the receptacle comprising a driven conveyor on said frame having a flight extending, during fruit picking, between a position adjacent the lower end of said boom assembly to the receptacle.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 89 words

In the apparatus defined in claim 1, said rotor having circumferentially spaced sets of fruit picking fingers mounted thereon, each set comprising coextensive rows of offset upper and lower fingers projecting from the rotor periphery, locking rods extending longitudinally of the rotor through the base ends of the fingers of each row in each set, free rollers mounted on the fingers of one row of each set adjacent the base ends and free rollers mounted on the locking rod of said one row between each pair of adjacent fingers.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

In the apparatus defined in claim 3, said fingers of each set being so constructed and arranged as to effectively pull and twist the fruit engaged thereby in simulation of the action of a human hand.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein an operators's platform is mounted on the upper end of the boom assembly adjacent the rotor and controls for determing boom angularity and extension and carriage movement are mounted within the operator's reach.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said boom assembly comprises two longitudinally slidably connected members each carrying a longitudinally extending conveyor unit.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 146 words

Apparatus for picking fruit wherein an angularly adjustable boom assembly is mounted on a carriage and a picker head comprising a rotor having a plurality of fruit picking fingers extending therefrom is mounted on the upper end of the boom assembly and conveying means is mounted on said boom assembly with its upper end in position to directly receive picked fruit from the picker head and with its lower end in position to discharge the fruit directly into a collector arrangement at the base of the boom assembly, said rotor being hollow and generally cylindrical and having circumferentially spaced sets of fruit picking fingers mounted thereon, each set comprising coextensive rows of offset upper and lower fingers and said rotor having circumferentially spaced longitudinal members on its periphery with the inner ends of said fingers of each set being attached to one of said longitudinal members.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 146 words

Apparatus for picking fruit wherein an angularly adjustable boom assembly is mounted on a carriage and a picker head comprising a rotor having a plurality of fruit picking fingers extending therefrom is mounted on the upper end of the boom assembly and conveying means is mounted on said boom assembly with its upper end in position to directly receive picked fruit from the picker head and with its lower end in position to discharge the fruit directly into a collector arrangement at the base of the boom assembly, said rotor being hollow and generally cylindrical and having circumferentially spaced sets of fruit picking fingers mounted thereon, each set comprising coextensive rows of offset upper and lower fingers and said rotor having circumferentially spaced longitudinal members on its periphery with the inner ends of said fingers of each set being attached to one of said longitudinal members.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein locking rods extend longitudinally through the fingers of each row in each set.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein free rollers are mounted on the fingers of one row of each set adjacent said longitudinal members, and free rollers are mounted on the locking rod of said one row between each pair of adjacent fingers.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein said rotor is partially enclosed by means mounting a free roller extending parallel to the rotor axis.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1979-10-26	1980-04-26	1980-10-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1983-10-26	1984-04-26	1984-10-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1987-10-26	1988-04-26	1988-10-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Fruit picking apparatus

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag