Patent ID: 8006471
Filing Date: 2011-08-30
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A pneumatic harvesting machine, comprising: a chassis for moving said machine in a traveling direction; a vacuum pump supported by said chassis and provided to create a predetermined vacuum; and a picking unit including a first picking head supported by said chassis, said first picking head including: a first vacuum compartment and a second vacuum compartment both in fluid communication with said vacuum pump, said vacuum compartments spaced from each other; and a plurality of connecting tubes extending between said vacuum compartments, said connecting tubes movable along a predetermined endless path; each of said connecting tubes including a set of hollow picking fingers radially outwardly extending therefrom; each of said picking fingers having an access opening and being in fluid communication with the corresponding connecting tube; said predetermined endless path including an extracting zone and an inoperative zone; said connecting tubes fluidly connected to said vacuum compartments when said connecting tubes passing said extracting zone so that crop being extracted from plants and suctioned into at least one of said vacuum compartments through said picking fingers; said connecting tubes fluidly disconnected from said first and second vacuum compartments when said connecting tubes passing said inoperative zone.