US4037666A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for harvesting and bundling plants
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-12-17
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Granted: 1977-07-26
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Expires: 1995-12-17
Abstract
Abstract Leafy and woody plants are harvested by holding the uprooted plants in a guided path while they are being removed. The uprooted and removed plants are classified and counted by a counter along the path to establish a minimum standard size to which the counter responds. The plants meeting this standard are counted until the number of the counted plants has reached a set number and the counted plants accumulate in a space between the end of the guided path and a packaging device. The counter is set to operate a forked element for moving the accumulated plants to the packaging device when the set number has been reached.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl Friedrich Rath
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 19:17
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G23/00; A01G23/02; A01D; A01D31/00; A01G23/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for harvesting and bundling leafy or woody plants, which comprises a plant uprooting and removal device for sequentially uprooting the plants from the soil and for removing the uprooted plants along a guided path, to an end of the path, and the improvement of a classifying and counting means arranged in the path for responding to plants meeting a minimum standard of plant size and counting the plants meeting said minimum standard, a plant packaging device spaced from the end of the path to define an accumulating space for the removed and counted plants, and a means for moving the accumulated plants to the packaging device, responsive to the counting device reaching a predetermined set limit number for accumulating said limit number of plants in said space.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for harvesting and bundling leafy or woody plants, which comprises a plant uprooting and removal device for sequentially uprooting the plants from the soil and for removing the uprooted plants along a guided path, to an end of the path, and the improvement of a classifying and counting means arranged in the path for responding to plants meeting a minimum standard of plant size and counting the plants meeting said minimum standard, a plant packaging device spaced from the end of the path to define an accumulating space for the removed and counted plants, and a means for moving the accumulated plants to the packaging device, responsive to the counting device reaching a predetermined set limit number for accumulating said limit number of plants in said space.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cutter means in the path between the counting device and the end of the path, and means responsive to each counted number of the plants for removing the cutter means from the path for a time sufficient to permit each of the counted plants to pass the cutter means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light barrier means in the path for controlling the counting device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the light barrier means includes a light beam traversing the path, the light beam having a diameter corresponding to a minimum standard diameter of the plants to be counted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising aperture means for adjusting the diameter of the light beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the light barrier means includes a light beam traversing the path, the light beam being of high intensity and having a diameter substantially smaller than a minimum standard diameter of the plants to be counted, and a timer connects the light barrier means to the counting device, the timer timing the passage of the plants past the light beam and the timer being set to operate the counting device in response to a set time of passage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the light barrier means includes a light beam traversing the path and having a diameter substantially in excess of a minimum standard diameter of the plants to be counted, and an adjustable light intensity meter for operating the counting device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for moving the accumulated plants to the packaging device includes a plant engaging element, and pressure fluid operated means operative in response to the set number for nearly moving the moving means into the space between the end of the path and the packaging device, and subsequently pivotally moving the moving means towards the packaging device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plant engaging element is a fork.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a valve controlling pressure fluid flow to the pressure fluid operated means, the valve being controlled by the set number of the counting device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising time delay means for delaying operation of the pressure fluid operated means for a time coresponding to the time of passage of the counted plants from the counting device to the end of the path.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
109 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the packaging device is a bundling device and includes a movable bundling member, the plant engaging element includes two parts, a stop is arranged in the pivoting path of the moving means for engagement with one of the parts of the plant engaging element for determining an end position of the plant engaging element adjacent the bundling device, the two parts of the plant engaging element delimiting a space in the end position which separates the plants to be bundled from the plants accumulated at the end of the plant removal path, and the bundling member being movable into the thus delimited space.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means in the path between the soil and the counting device for removing dirt from the uprooted and removed plants.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the dirt removing means includes an air blower.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the dirt removing means includes a plant vibrating device.
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) | 1980-07-25 | 1981-01-24 | 1981-07-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-07-25 | 1985-01-24 | 1985-07-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-07-25 | 1989-01-24 | 1989-07-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |