GB2063634A - Harvesting units - Google Patents

Abstract

A harvesting unit comprising a frame 14, means for attaching the frame to a three-point hitch 16 of a tractor, support wheels 22 remote from the tractor and a rotary, tined shaker unit 30 mounted on the frame and transversely balanced by the power source 18 for the shaker unit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Harvesting units This invention relates to units for harvesting, for example, soft fruit such as blackcurrants and also other crops such as coffee.

It has already been proposed to detach soft fruit such as blackcurrants from bushes by a rotary, tined, shaker unit in which the rotation is imparted by lon gitudinai motion of the harvester unit relatively to the bushes and an oscillation is superimposed on the rotary movement. It has also been proposed in copending British Patent Applications Nos. 43758/78 and 7908161 positively to drive the shaker unit in order to avoid uncontrolled rotation during passage from one plant to another.In our copending Application 7929833 a coffee harvester is described and claimed which incorporates two rotary, tined, oscillatory shaker units, but this harvester is relatively costly since it is a purpose-built self-mobile machine, and it is desirable that provision should be made of a less complex and hence less costly machine for use for smaller coffee plantations and for use by smaller size fruit growers.

To meet this problem it has been proposed in copending Patent Applications Nos. 7924747 and 7926007 that a shaker unit should be mounted directly on a tractor, but because it is necessary that the shaker unit shall be mounted laterally of the centre line of the tractor an appreciable imbalance is produced and, moreover, the oscillations are directly transmitted to the tractor frame which can give rise to uncomfortable working conditions for the tractor driven According to the present invention there is provided a harvesting unit including a frame, means for attaching the frame to a three-point mounting of a tractor, support wheels remote from the three-point mounting means, a rotary, tined, shaker unit mounted to lie at least in part outside the track of the wheels and a power source mounted on the frame at least partially to balance the shaker unit.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a harvesting unit comprising means for attaching the unit to a tractor and at least one oscillatory, tined, rotary shaker unit mounted on a framework of the harvester unit and overhanging the framework laterally.

A harvester unit embodying the invention wili now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure lisa plan view of a harvester unit embodying the invention and attached to a tractor; and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the harvester unit of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, a conventional tractor 10 with a conventional three point mounting 12 at the rear end has secured to it a frame 14 of the harvester unit with corresponding three-point attachment means 16 and a power pack 18 is mounted between longitudinal members 20 of the frame 14. The frame is also supported by two or more rear wheels 22 and provision is made for adjusting the relative position of these wheels to the frame by means of hydraulic actuators 24 operable by the tractor driver.

If desired, the operation of the hydraulic actuators may be automatic by conventional levelling means to ensure that the inclination of the shaker unit is kept at least approximately constant irrespective of ground slopes both in the fore-and-aft and in the lateral senses.

The frame carries upper and lower pivotal arms 26 at laterally outer ends of a forward cross member 28 of the frame and free ends of these arms support a shaker unit 30 such as that described in our copending Applications Nos. 7929833; 43758/78; 7908161; 7924747 or 7926007.

In an alternative, non-illustrated, modification, the shaker unit support arms are rigid with the transverse member, and in this event additional support may be provided for the shaker unit from the rear portion of the frame of the harvester unit.

In the illustrated embodiment the control of the distance of the vertical centre line of the shaker unit from the longitudinal centre line of the harvester unit as a whole may be under control of the tractor driver, or alternatively, it may be automatically controlled in dependence upon the resistance of the plants, or absence of plants, being encountered at any given instant by the unit.

The operation of the harvester unit hereinbefore described is believed clear from the description of the structure hereinbefore set forth, and it only needs to be stated that fruit detached from the plants or bushes is allowed to fall to the ground and is subsequently retrieved manually. The substantial overhang of the shaker unit ensures that the rear wheels of the unit do not impact the fruit into the ground.

While blackcurrants and coffee have been mentioned specifically as fruit which can be harvested with the harvester unit herein before described, it is envisaged that the unit could also be used for harvesting citrus fruit and in addition soft fruit other than blackcurrants.

1. A harvester unit comprising means for attach- ing the unit to a tractor and at least one oscillatory, tined, rotary shaker unit, intended to engage plants of the crop to be harvested, mounted on a framework of the unit and over-hanging the frame laterally.

2. A harvester unit according to claim 1, wherein the attaching means serve to connect with a threepoint mounting of a tractor.

3. A harvester unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein support wheels of the framework are remote from the attaching means.

4. A harvester unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a power source of the shaker unit is mounted on the framework at a location such that it counter-balances the weight of the shaker unit The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Harvesting units This invention relates to units for harvesting, for example, soft fruit such as blackcurrants and also other crops such as coffee. It has already been proposed to detach soft fruit such as blackcurrants from bushes by a rotary, tined, shaker unit in which the rotation is imparted by lon gitudinai motion of the harvester unit relatively to the bushes and an oscillation is superimposed on the rotary movement. It has also been proposed in copending British Patent Applications Nos. 43758/78 and 7908161 positively to drive the shaker unit in order to avoid uncontrolled rotation during passage from one plant to another.In our copending Application 7929833 a coffee harvester is described and claimed which incorporates two rotary, tined, oscillatory shaker units, but this harvester is relatively costly since it is a purpose-built self-mobile machine, and it is desirable that provision should be made of a less complex and hence less costly machine for use for smaller coffee plantations and for use by smaller size fruit growers. To meet this problem it has been proposed in copending Patent Applications Nos. 7924747 and 7926007 that a shaker unit should be mounted directly on a tractor, but because it is necessary that the shaker unit shall be mounted laterally of the centre line of the tractor an appreciable imbalance is produced and, moreover, the oscillations are directly transmitted to the tractor frame which can give rise to uncomfortable working conditions for the tractor driven According to the present invention there is provided a harvesting unit including a frame, means for attaching the frame to a three-point mounting of a tractor, support wheels remote from the three-point mounting means, a rotary, tined, shaker unit mounted to lie at least in part outside the track of the wheels and a power source mounted on the frame at least partially to balance the shaker unit. Further according to the present invention there is provided a harvesting unit comprising means for attaching the unit to a tractor and at least one oscillatory, tined, rotary shaker unit mounted on a framework of the harvester unit and overhanging the framework laterally. A harvester unit embodying the invention wili now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure lisa plan view of a harvester unit embodying the invention and attached to a tractor; and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the harvester unit of Figure 1. Referring now to the drawings, a conventional tractor 10 with a conventional three point mounting 12 at the rear end has secured to it a frame 14 of the harvester unit with corresponding three-point attachment means 16 and a power pack 18 is mounted between longitudinal members 20 of the frame 14. The frame is also supported by two or more rear wheels 22 and provision is made for adjusting the relative position of these wheels to the frame by means of hydraulic actuators 24 operable by the tractor driver. If desired, the operation of the hydraulic actuators may be automatic by conventional levelling means to ensure that the inclination of the shaker unit is kept at least approximately constant irrespective of ground slopes both in the fore-and-aft and in the lateral senses. The frame carries upper and lower pivotal arms 26 at laterally outer ends of a forward cross member 28 of the frame and free ends of these arms support a shaker unit 30 such as that described in our copending Applications Nos. 7929833; 43758/78; 7908161; 7924747 or 7926007. In an alternative, non-illustrated, modification, the shaker unit support arms are rigid with the transverse member, and in this event additional support may be provided for the shaker unit from the rear portion of the frame of the harvester unit. In the illustrated embodiment the control of the distance of the vertical centre line of the shaker unit from the longitudinal centre line of the harvester unit as a whole may be under control of the tractor driver, or alternatively, it may be automatically controlled in dependence upon the resistance of the plants, or absence of plants, being encountered at any given instant by the unit. The operation of the harvester unit hereinbefore described is believed clear from the description of the structure hereinbefore set forth, and it only needs to be stated that fruit detached from the plants or bushes is allowed to fall to the ground and is subsequently retrieved manually. The substantial overhang of the shaker unit ensures that the rear wheels of the unit do not impact the fruit into the ground. While blackcurrants and coffee have been mentioned specifically as fruit which can be harvested with the harvester unit herein before described, it is envisaged that the unit could also be used for harvesting citrus fruit and in addition soft fruit other than blackcurrants. CLAIMS

1. A harvester unit comprising means for attach- ing the unit to a tractor and at least one oscillatory, tined, rotary shaker unit, intended to engage plants of the crop to be harvested, mounted on a framework of the unit and over-hanging the frame laterally.

2. A harvester unit according to claim 1, wherein the attaching means serve to connect with a threepoint mounting of a tractor.

3. A harvester unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein support wheels of the framework are remote from the attaching means.

4. A harvester unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a power source of the shaker unit is mounted on the framework at a location such that it counter-balances the weight of the shaker unit The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

at least partially.

5. A harvester unit according to claim 3 or claim 4 as appendant to claim 3, wherein the substantially vertical axis of the shaker unit lies laterally of the track of the support wheels.

6. A harvester unit according to claim 3 or claim 5, comprising means adjustably supporting the wheels relative to the framework.

7. A harvester unit according to claim 6, comprising means controlling the means adjustably support ing the wheels whereby to maintain the orientation of the shaker unit substantially constant irrespective of ground slopes both in the fore-and-aft and in the lateral senses.

8. A harvester unit according to any one ofthe preceding claims wherein the shaker unit is sup- ported on pivotal arms.

9. A harvester unit according to ciaim 8, comprising means for controlling the angular orientation of the arms so that the shaker unit follows approximately the side contours of a line of plants being harvested.

10. A harvesting unit comprising a frame, means for attaching the frame to a three-point mounting of a tractor, support wheels of the frame remote from the attaching means, a rotary, tined, shaker unit mounted on the frame to lie at least in part outside the track of the wheels and a power source of the shaker unit mounted on the frame so as at least partially to balance the weight of the shaker unit.

11. Aharvesting unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.