Method and apparatus for recovering tomatoes from severed vines, employing a rotated and oscillated shaker

Claim 7

The method of claim 3 wherein said shaking step comprises applying a constant angular velocity and superimposing on said constant angular velocity a periodic angular velocity.

Claim 10

The method of claim 5 wherein said shaker is actuated by applying a constant angular velocity and superimposing on said constant angular velocity a periodic angular velocity.

Claim 11

In a mechanical crop harvester, a shaker for removing the crop from its vines or vine-like plants after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted above-ground, comprising shaking means for carrying said vines around an arcuate path while subjecting them to angular acceleration and deceleration, retention means for holding said vines in correspondence with said shaking means, feeding means for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between said shaking means and said retention means, collection means for collecting the crop shaken from the vines, and disposal means for freeing the vines from the shaking means after the crop has been shaken therefrom.

Claim 12

In a mechanical crop harvester, a shaker for removing the crop from its vines or vine-like plants after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted above-ground, comprising shaking means for carrying said vines around an arcuate path while subjecting them to angular acceleration and deceleration, retention means for holding said vines in correspondence with said shaking means, feeding means for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between said shaking means and said retention means, collection means for collecting the crop shaken from the vines, and disposal means for freeing the vines from the shaking means after the crop has been shaken therefrom.

Claim 13

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising shaking means for carrying said vines around an arcuate path while subjecting them to angular acceleration and deceleration, retention means for holding said vines in engagement with said shaking means, feeding means for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between said shaking means and said retention means, collection means for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means for freeing the shaking means from the vines after the tomatoes are shaken therefrom.

Claim 14

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising shaking means for carrying said vines around an arcuate path while subjecting them to angular acceleration and deceleration, retention means for holding said vines in engagement with said shaking means, feeding means for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between said shaking means and said retention means, collection means for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means for freeing the shaking means from the vines after the tomatoes are shaken therefrom.

Claim 15

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main wheel-supported harvester frame, shaking means supported by said frame for carrying said vines around an arcuate path lying around a horizontal axis transverse to said frame, while subjecting them to angular acceleration and deceleration, retention means supported in a stationary position by said frame, adjacent to said shaking means, for holding said vines in engagement with said shaking means, feeding means supported by said frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between said shaking means and said retention means, collection means supported by said frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said frame for freeing the shaking means from the vines after the tomatoes are shaken therefrom.

Claim 16

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main wheel-supported harvester frame, shaking means supported by said frame for carrying said vines around an arcuate path lying around a horizontal axis transverse to said frame, while subjecting them to angular acceleration and deceleration, retention means supported in a stationary position by said frame, adjacent to said shaking means, for holding said vines in engagement with said shaking means, feeding means supported by said frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between said shaking means and said retention means, collection means supported by said frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said frame for freeing the shaking means from the vines after the tomatoes are shaken therefrom.

Claim 17

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main frame, tomato-vine engaging means for engaging said vines, supported rotatably by said main frame and having a series of vine-engaging projections extending outwardly from a cylindrical envelope, a plurality of flexibly mounted, arcuate tomato-vine retaining means supported in a generally stationary position by said main frame adjacent said envelope, for retaining the vines in engagement with said tomato-vine engagement means, feeding means supported by said main frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between the envelope and said retaining means, whereby the vine-engaging projections carry the vines around at least a portion of the envelope while they are engaged by said engaging means, rotation means supported by said main frame and connected to said tomato-vine engaging means for imparting constant rotational velocity to said engaging means, oscillation means supported by said main frame for imposing on said constant rotational velocity a periodic angular velocity so that the vines are angularly accelerated and decelerated as they follow their arcuate path around at least a segment of the envelope, whereby tomatoes are shaken therefrom, collection means supported by said main frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said main frame for receiving the vines from said engaging means after they have completed their journey therealong and for guiding them back to the ground.

Claim 18

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main frame, tomato-vine engaging means for engaging said vines, supported rotatably by said main frame and having a series of vine-engaging projections extending outwardly from a cylindrical envelope, a plurality of flexibly mounted, arcuate tomato-vine retaining means supported in a generally stationary position by said main frame adjacent said envelope, for retaining the vines in engagement with said tomato-vine engagement means, feeding means supported by said main frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between the envelope and said retaining means, whereby the vine-engaging projections carry the vines around at least a portion of the envelope while they are engaged by said engaging means, rotation means supported by said main frame and connected to said tomato-vine engaging means for imparting constant rotational velocity to said engaging means, oscillation means supported by said main frame for imposing on said constant rotational velocity a periodic angular velocity so that the vines are angularly accelerated and decelerated as they follow their arcuate path around at least a segment of the envelope, whereby tomatoes are shaken therefrom, collection means supported by said main frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said main frame for receiving the vines from said engaging means after they have completed their journey therealong and for guiding them back to the ground.

Claim 19

The harvester of claim 10 wherein said tomato-vine engaging means comprises a cylindrical drum with rods extending out therefrom.

Claim 20

The harvester of claim 11 wherein said rotation means comprises a hydraulic motor carried by said main frame, a positive displacement pump carried by said main frame and connected to said motor and driven at a constant speed, drive means connecting said hydraulic motor to said cylindrical drum, and spring means connected to said motor for enabling said drive means to receive oscillations from said drum without interfering with said motor.

Claim 21

The harvester of claim 12 wherein said spring means comprises a hydraulic conduit connecting said pump to said motor and serving also as a hydraulic spring therefor.

Claim 22

The harvester of claim 12 wherein said oscillation means comprises a drive shaft supporting said cylindrical drum so that the drum rotates freely thereabout, an inertial drum having end walls and supported rotatably by said drive shaft inside said cylindrical drum and weighing several times as much as said cylindrical drum, a second motor for driving said drive shaft at a constant speed, a pair of off-center shafts supported between the end walls of said inertial drum and extending therebeyond, drive-connecting means connecting said off-center shaft to said drive shaft, said cylindrical drum having end plates, and crank means connecting said end plates of said cylindrical drum to each of said off-center shafts.

Claim 23

The harvester of claim 14 wherein said second motor is also a hydraulic motor.

Claim 24

The harvester of claim 11 wherein said drum has its axis transverse to the forward-rear axis of the harvester.

Claim 25

The harvester of claim 11 wherein said drum has its axis extending parallel to the forward-rear axis of the harvester.

Claim 26

The harvester of claim 10 wherein said tomato-vine engaging means comprises a series of axially aligned, identical disks spaced axially apart from each other and joined for rotation and oscillation together, with rods extending out from the disks.

Claim 27

The harvester of claim 18 wherein said rotation means and said oscillation means comprise a first hollow drive shaft, to which all said disks are rigidly secured, a second drive shaft extending inside and coaxial with said first drive shaft, a first motor operated at a constant speed, spring means connected to said first motor, a second motor operated at constant speed, a plurality of additional shafts secured eccentrically to at least one said disk, a plurality of eccentrically mounted weights, mounted on said additional shafts, and transmission means connecting said second motor to said additional shafts for rotating said eccentrically mounted weights.

Claim 28

The harvester of claim 19 wherein said spring means is a torsion spring connecting said first motor to said first drive shaft.

Claim 29

The harvester of claim 19 wherein the weights are in pairs located to provide dynamic balance.

Claim 30

The harvester of claim 10 wherein said tomato-vine engaging means comprises a series of rods parallel to each other arranged circularly around and parallel to an axis of rotation, with rods extending out radially therefrom.

Claim 31

The harvester of claim 10 wherein said plurality of retaining means comprises a series of parallel rods, each lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said envelope.

Claim 32

The harvester of claim 10 wherein said plurality of retaining means comprises a series of parallel rods, each having a portion lying in a plane inclined to the axis of said envelope, for directing the vines along a path that takes them in a direction along that axis while they are moving arcuately.

Claim 33

The harvester of claim 10 wherein said vine-engaging projections are rods extending out from said envelope.

Claim 34

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main frame, a cylindrical drum supported rotatably by said main frame and having a series of vine-engaging projections extending outwardly from a cylindrical outer periphery, a plurality of flexibly mounted arcuate rods supported by said main frame adjacent said periphery, feeding means supported by said main frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between the drum periphery and said arcuate rods, whereby the vine-engaging projections carry the vines around at least a portion of the drum periphery, while the rods hold the vines against said periphery, rotation means supported by said main frame and connected to said drum for imparting a constant rotational velocity to said drum, oscillation means supported by said main frame for imposing on said constant-rotational velocity a periodic angular velocity so that the vines are accelerated and decelerated as they follow their arcuate path around the drum, whereby tomatoes are shaken therefrom, collection means supported by said main frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said main frame for receiving the vines from said drum after they have completed their journey therearound and for guiding them back to the ground.

Claim 35

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main frame, a cylindrical drum supported rotatably by said main frame and having a series of vine-engaging projections extending outwardly from a cylindrical outer periphery, a plurality of flexibly mounted arcuate rods supported by said main frame adjacent said periphery, feeding means supported by said main frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between the drum periphery and said arcuate rods, whereby the vine-engaging projections carry the vines around at least a portion of the drum periphery, while the rods hold the vines against said periphery, rotation means supported by said main frame and connected to said drum for imparting a constant rotational velocity to said drum, oscillation means supported by said main frame for imposing on said constant-rotational velocity a periodic angular velocity so that the vines are accelerated and decelerated as they follow their arcuate path around the drum, whereby tomatoes are shaken therefrom, collection means supported by said main frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said main frame for receiving the vines from said drum after they have completed their journey therearound and for guiding them back to the ground.

Claim 36

The harvester of claim 26 wherein said vine-engaging projections are rods extending radially out from said drum.

Claim 37

The harvester of claim 26 wherein said vine-engaging projections are curved rods extending out from said drum and curving away from the direction of rotation.

Claim 38

The harvester of claim 26 wherein said arcuate rods lie in planes parallel to each other and inclined relatively to the said drum.

Claim 39

The harvester of claim 26 wherein said arcuate rods lie in planes parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axis of the drum.

Claim 40

The harvester of claim 30 wherein flexible straps are secured at one end of each said rod and at the other end to said main frame.

Claim 41

The harvester of claim 30 having a flexible strap secured at one end to one end of each said rod and a spring connecting the other end of each said strap to the frame.

Claim 42

The harvester of claim 30 wherein the outbound ends of the rods are connected to the frame through spring means.

Claim 43

The harvester of claim 26 wherein said feeding means comprises a conveyor beneath said drum having a series of parallel roller chain conveyors, each supported by a narrow bar to which are secured one end of said rods.

Claim 44

The harvester of claim 26, wherein said collection means comprises a tined take-off conveyor above said drum and a parallel roller chain conveyor on which said tined take-off conveyor deposits said vines.

Claim 45

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main frame, main shaker shaft means, a series of identical disks mounted on tomato-vine engaging means, said main shaker shaft means being spaced apart, with their peripheries lying along an imaginary cylindrical envelope, each disk having a series of vine-engaging projections extending outwardly from the cylindrical envelope, plurality of flexibly-mounted arcuate tomato-vine retaining means supported in a generally stationary position by said main frame adjacent said envelope, for retaining the vines in the vicinity of said envelope, feeding means supported by said main frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between the envelope and said retaining means, whereby the vine-engaging projections carry the vines around at least a portion of the envelope while they are retained in the vicinity of said envelope, rotation means supported by said main frame and connected through said main shaker shaft to said disk for imparting to them a constant rotational velocity, oscillation means supported by said main frame and converted to said disks for imposing on said constant rotational velocity a periodic angular velocity, so that the vines are accelerated and decelerated as they follow their arcuate path around at least a segment of the envelope, whereby tomatoes are shaken therefrom, collection means supported by said main frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said main frame for receiving the stripped vines and for guiding them back to the ground.

Claim 46

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main frame, main shaker shaft means, a series of identical disks mounted on tomato-vine engaging means, said main shaker shaft means being spaced apart, with their peripheries lying along an imaginary cylindrical envelope, each disk having a series of vine-engaging projections extending outwardly from the cylindrical envelope, plurality of flexibly-mounted arcuate tomato-vine retaining means supported in a generally stationary position by said main frame adjacent said envelope, for retaining the vines in the vicinity of said envelope, feeding means supported by said main frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between the envelope and said retaining means, whereby the vine-engaging projections carry the vines around at least a portion of the envelope while they are retained in the vicinity of said envelope, rotation means supported by said main frame and connected through said main shaker shaft to said disk for imparting to them a constant rotational velocity, oscillation means supported by said main frame and converted to said disks for imposing on said constant rotational velocity a periodic angular velocity, so that the vines are accelerated and decelerated as they follow their arcuate path around at least a segment of the envelope, whereby tomatoes are shaken therefrom, collection means supported by said main frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said main frame for receiving the stripped vines and for guiding them back to the ground.

Claim 47

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main frame, tomato-vine engaging means for engaging said vines, supported rotatably by said main frame and comprising a series of parallel rods set around a cylindrical envelope and having a series of vine-engaging projections extending outwardly from the cylindrical envelope, a plurality of flexibly mounted, arcuate tomato-vine retaining means supported in a generally stationary position by said main frame adjacent said envelope, for retaining the vines in the vicinity of said envelope, feeding means supported by said main frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between the envelope and said retaining means, whereby the vine-engaging projections carry the vines around at least a portion of the envelope while they are retained in the vicinity of said envelope, rotation means supported by said main frame and connected to said tomato-vine engaging means for imparting a constant rotational velocity to said engaging means, oscillation means supported by said main frame for imposing on said constant rotational velocity a periodic angular velocity so that the vines are accelerated and decelerated as they follow their arcuate path around at least a segment of the envelope, whereby tomatoes are shaken therefrom, collection means supported by said main frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said main frame for receiving the vines from said tomato-vine engaging means after they have completed their journey therealong and for guiding them back to the ground.

Claim 48

In a mechanical tomato harvester, a shaker for removing the tomatoes from their vines after the vines have been severed from their roots and lifted aboveground, comprising a main frame, tomato-vine engaging means for engaging said vines, supported rotatably by said main frame and comprising a series of parallel rods set around a cylindrical envelope and having a series of vine-engaging projections extending outwardly from the cylindrical envelope, a plurality of flexibly mounted, arcuate tomato-vine retaining means supported in a generally stationary position by said main frame adjacent said envelope, for retaining the vines in the vicinity of said envelope, feeding means supported by said main frame for feeding the severed and lifted vines in between the envelope and said retaining means, whereby the vine-engaging projections carry the vines around at least a portion of the envelope while they are retained in the vicinity of said envelope, rotation means supported by said main frame and connected to said tomato-vine engaging means for imparting a constant rotational velocity to said engaging means, oscillation means supported by said main frame for imposing on said constant rotational velocity a periodic angular velocity so that the vines are accelerated and decelerated as they follow their arcuate path around at least a segment of the envelope, whereby tomatoes are shaken therefrom, collection means supported by said main frame for collecting the tomatoes shaken from the vines, and disposal means supported by said main frame for receiving the vines from said tomato-vine engaging means after they have completed their journey therealong and for guiding them back to the ground.