Harvesters – Fruit gatherer – Berry strippers
Patent
1999-03-03
2000-11-14
Will, Thomas B.
Harvesters
Fruit gatherer
Berry strippers
563281, A01D 4600
Patent
active
061452912
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to harvesters and in particular to grape harvesters of a type using beaters.
Support means to synchronously drive sets of beaters for both sides of vines when harvesting grapes have these sets supported from, for each side, a sub frame which is supported from an uppermost pivot support aligned to rotate about a forward to rearward direction while having a substantially horizontally aligned axis.
Such an arrangement allows for a small amount of relative lateral adjustment with however resultant significant-angular changes in direction of beating action.
These implicitly change as the vines at a location in the row are wider or narrower with resultant loss of beater grape removal effectiveness.
A first problem then is to facilitate the reduction in the possible angular variation in a way that will enable rapid changes to provide for improved efficiency.
The drive of the beater sets on each side of a vine is not so simple.
One problem is to ensure that the beater sets from each respective side act together in unison or in phase so as to move the vine from side to side at substantial speed to effect removal of the grapes.
A second problem results from the need to use flywheels to effect an averaging of drive force from an economic drive motor.
The problem here is that in order to reduce transmission forces over longer distances a flywheel needs to be as close as possible to the output for each set of beaters but in existing arrangements the position of the flywheels has caused problems that have further required constraints in support systems.
A further problem is to provide a mechanical arrangement which is efficient from the point of view of ease of control and secondly cost of implementation and in so far that this involves hydraulic rams, an understanding that hydraulic rams can be used in this application In a way Which would normally not be considered appropriate for collection of fruit for wine making.
The problem is to offer a solution to at least some of these problems or at least offer the public a useful alternative.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention there is proposed a grape harvester including a frame to straddle a vine and means to move the harvester along the vine while straddling the vine, a first set of beaters with beaters extending inwardly and rearwardly from a first side of the frame and a second set of beaters with beaters extending inwardly and rearwardly from an opposite side of the frame, means to effect synchronous to and fro action of both sets of beaters to effect thereby movement of the vine to effect removal of grapes therefrom, characterised in that the first set of beaters is supported from a first sub frame which is supported from an upper pivot on a first support and the second set of beaters is supported by a second sub frame which second sub frame is supported from an upper pivot on a second support, and there are means comprising hydraulic rams to move the said first and second supports closer together or further apart.
This then allows for very quick adjustment of the distance apart of the beaters and as such this implicitly changes the angle of the beaters so that this can be more easily adjusted to improve efficiency of removal of grapes.
One problem with use of hydraulic rams in this application is that by reason of the application the ram or rams need to be above a grape collection area. If the slightest leak of hydraulic fluid occurs from any joint or connection then this can have the result that all of the grapes collected for wine making can be contaminated with substantial economic loss.
Hydraulic pipes and joints have a high risk of leaking and as such suggest that the option of this answer is not a good risk option.
In preference there is provided a single shaft and two hydraulic cylinders each surrounding a selected length of the shaft so that the action of the hydraulic pressure is to change the position of the respective cylinder along the length of the shaft.
In preference the respectiv
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Kováacs ÁArpáad Fáabiáan
Will Thomas B.
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