Harvesters – Vegetable gatherer
Reexamination Certificate
1996-06-28
2001-09-04
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Vegetable gatherer
C460S145000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282877
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for harvesting fruits and vegetables, with special emphasis on harvesting vegetables grown on vinous plants such as tomatoes and cucumbers. The invention also has applicability to harvesting other fruits and vegetables, such as peppers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order for farmers to effectively compete in the marketplace, efficient and inexpensive crop harvesting techniques must be employed. Accordingly, many farmers have turned to the use of mechanized harvesting equipment. Mechanized harvesters allow for the harvesting of vast tracts of land in a short period of time with only a few workers. Therefore, harvesting machines have the potential of greatly increasing the farmer's productivity.
However, the benefits of known mechanical harvesting machines are overshadowed by the problems encountered when such machines are used to harvest vinous crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. With such crops, vines, rocks, and dirt often clog the chains of conventional chain-type conveyors. Accordingly, the apparatus must be periodically shutdown and cleared of vines, rocks, and other debris.
Another problem associated with the known mechanical harvesters is the large amount of unharvested fruit when the apparatus is used to harvest vinous crops. Typically, a substantial percentage of the fruits are inadequately separated from the vines. As a result, a sizable percentage of the otherwise useable crop yield is simply discarded along with the vines.
Yet another disadvantage of the known mechanical harvesters is that the known harvesters are prone to “dogging”. “Dogging” occurs when the apparatus proceeds at an angle or canted to the direction of travel of the tractor which pulls it. The “dogging” tendency results from the tractor pulling the apparatus at a position other than the center of the apparatus so that the force vector applied by the tractor does not pass through the center of gravity of the apparatus.
Cucumbers, especially small size cucumbers, which are referred to in the trade as “pickles”, have presented particular problems in mechanical harvesting. Heretofore it has been known to harvest cucumbers and pickles with apparatus utilizing snap rolls to remove the cucumbers and pickles from the growing vines. Snap rolls operate by applying a snap-like force to the rounded end of the pickle or cucumber fruit where it is attached to the vine, with this force tending to separate the pickle or cucumber from the growing vine. A particular problem associated with use of snap rolls is that the pickles and cucumbers, when ripe and desirably picked, are many times damaged in excessive numbers by the snap rolls. Additionally, the snap rolls are often times damaged by dirt and rocks which are entrained in the vine mass when the vine mass is cut from its growing roots. Hence machines utilizing snap rolls to separate cucumbers and pickles from their growing vines are prone to break down and require frequent repair in the growing fields, thereby disrupting the harvesting process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problems associated with the known mechanical harvesters are overcome to a large degree by an apparatus in accordance with the present invention. In one of its aspects, this invention provides a harvesting apparatus for detaching and collecting fruits from vinous plants during travel through a growing field where the apparatus preferably includes a longitudinally elongated frame member adapted to be pulled by a tractor. In this aspect of the invention, a body assembly support housing is preferably connected to the frame member. The body assembly support housing preferably comprises an adjustable length axle which is preferably generally transverse to the frame member. The axle preferably includes a tubular member and a shaft resident within the tubular member. The shaft is preferably extendible from within the tubular member preferably in one transverse direction only respecting the frame member. The apparatus further includes wheels rotatably mounted on respective ends of the axle for supporting the apparatus during travel thereof through the growing field. The apparatus further preferably includes means for maintaining the frame member substantially level when the harvesting apparatus traverses an incline in the growing field.
In another of its aspects, the invention provides a harvesting apparatus for detaching and collecting fruits from vinous plants during travel through a growing field where the apparatus preferably includes an inclined header conveyor for transporting vinous plants preferably upwardly to a position at which the fruits are detached from the plants and collected. The header conveyor preferably comprises a first and a second header chain. These header “chains” consist of bars arranged transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor and links or linkage members typically manufactured of rubber, which connect the adjacent but spaced apart bars and extend in the longitudinal direction of conveyor or chain travel.
The first header chain is positioned to receive the vine mass preferably as it is detached from its growing roots and preferably convey the vine mass to the second header chain. The second header chain preferably then conveys the vine mass to the position at which the fruits are detached from the vines. The junction between the first and second header chains defines a gap. The gap is preferably adjustable in height from about 0.5 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) up to about 4 inches (10.2 cm). Accordingly, dirt clogs may sit at the gap and be ground up by the action of the header chains until the clogs get small enough to fall through to the ground. The fruit, however, is carried by the second header chain on into the apparatus for processing.
The apparatus in such case preferably includes a cutting bar positioned transversely to the direction of apparatus travel through the growing field, where the bar is generally flat to define a plane. Means are provided for adjustably positioning the bar with the plane defined by the bar at a selected angle to the ground; these means also provide adjustable positioning of the height of the bar thereby to adjust the depth at which the bar cuts growing plants from their roots.
Also, means for oscillating the bar in the plane and generally in the direction of apparatus travel through the growing field may preferably be provided. The bar is positioned at a leading portion of the header conveyor for cutting the vinous plants from their roots for conveyor transport to one or more fruit detachment positions.
Yet another aspect of this invention provides a harvesting apparatus for detaching and collecting fruits from vinous plants during travel through a growing field where the apparatus preferably includes an inclined header conveyor for transporting vinous plants upwardly to a position at which the fruits are detached from the plants and collected. In this aspect, the invention preferably further includes a rotatable reel proximate a pick-up end of said header conveyor, the axis of the reel being transverse to the direction of conveyance of the plants and above the conveyor pick-up end. The reel rotates in a direction such that at closest approach of the reel periphery and the header conveyor, the reel and header conveyor move in a common direction.
Desirably the reel includes generally preferably tangentially or, less preferably, radially, extending members for urging the vinous plants towards the header conveyor beneath the reel, where the members are resilient transversely to the direction of tangency respecting the reel.
The cutting bar aspect of the invention and the rotatable reel aspect of the invention may be combined in a single apparatus. The reel preferably provides a gently, brushing or sweeping motion applied to the cut vine mass to gently sweep the vine mass carrying the fruits or vegetables to be harvested away from the cutting position and upwardly inclined conveyor transport chain. The resilient character of the preferably tange
Pezzuto Robert E.
Pik Rite, Inc.
Quinn Charles N.
LandOfFree
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