Self-propelled truck for handling and transporting bins

A self propelled truck having as support chassis or frame (2), two pairs of wheels (3) arranged on opposite sides of support chassis (2), a steering device (4) and driving means for a pair of wheels (3) the support frame (2) comprises two longitudinal sides spaced from one other, each of which being supported by a respective pair of wheels (3), at least one pair of transverse members (13, 14) designed to rigidly bridge the two longitudinal sides of the truck and to delimit therewith a longitudinal tunnel, at least one lifting-lowering shaft (15) for a bin (7) between the longitudinal sides of the truck, lifting-lowering means (27, 48) carried by the support chassis (2) at each lifting-lowering shaft and displaceable between a fully lowered position and a fully lifted position, and removable engagement means (20, 25; 51, 52; 51a, 52a; 55) for a bin (7), which is rigidly displaceable with the lifting-lowering means (27; 48) and designed to engage a bin (7) on the ground at a lifting-lowering shaft and to hold it constrained to the lifting-lowering means (27; 48), driving means for the lifting-lowering means (27; 48) and the removable engagement means (20, 25; 51, 52; 51a, 52a; 55), and a control unit (35).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a self-propelled truck for handling bins for picking fruit along rows of fruit trees and transporting them from an orchard to a harvest storehouse.

Various types of self-propelled bin-carrying truck for picking fruit in an orchard have already been proposed. In general, such trucks are provided with a front fork for lifting a bin from the ground and transferring it then to a loading platform of the truck, where it is in a handy position to receive fruit picked by pickers on board of the truck. The truck is also provided with a rear lowering fork arranged to lower bins filled with fruit from the loading platform to the ground, thereby making it possible for the front fork to lift one or more new empty bins to the loading platform in order to proceed with the fruit picking operation

A serious drawback of such known trucks is that, in case empty or full bins have been placed or lie alongside a row of trees for any reason whatsoever, the truck cannot advance or in order to do it to advance, the truck must load and unload in sequence, all the bins on its path, which operation can be time-consuming and involve a great waste of energy to be completed.

Self-propelled truck equipped with a filling up device generally termed “automatic bin filler” have been widely used. An “automatic bin filler” substantially comprises one or more conveyor belts radially arranged about a fruit lowering head arranged above a bin to be filled. Each piece of fruit picked up by the personnel on the loading platform is placed on a conveyor belt which in turns transfers it to the lowering head to be loaded into the bin located under the lowering head. For a better satisfactory throughput the truck tows a trailer transporting a given number of empty bins that must be transferred sequentially onto the loading platform of the cart for being filled up.

This second type of truck, although making it possible to considerably reduce picking times, it has at least two serious shortcomings, i.e. it is of course much more expensive and cannot not be used in all circumstances, e.g. in hilly orchards as the conveyor belts operate well on flat land, whereas uphill they may fail to feed the pieces of fruit towards the lowering head, which means that the fruit may roll backwards and to get lost or damaged and downhill they may fail to hold the fruits in position, i.e. the fruit may be violently unloaded into the bin and be damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled truck structure for picking fruit in an orchard along rows of trees, that can handle empty bins and bins full of fruit, and advance along a row of trees even if one or more bins are found on its path.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled truck structure suitable for being used even with an automatic bin filler, but with no need for a towed trailer.

A further object of the present invention is that said self-propelled truck structure is easy to use and handle, highly reliable and suitable for ensuring a high throughput in fruit picking.

These and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a self-propelled truck havinga support chassis or frame comprising two longitudinal sides spaced from one other, at least one pair of side uprights and two respective longitudinal elements each designed to rigidly connect with a respective pair of uprights, as well as at least with said two longitudinal elements arranged to bridge said two truck sides and to delimit therewith at least one lifting-lowering shaft for a bin,two pairs of wheels arranged on opposite sides of said support chassis,a steering device and driving means for at least one wheel or pair of wheelsat least one pair of transverse members designed to rigidly bridge the said two longitudinal sides and to delimit therewith a longitudinal tunnel,at least one lifting-lowering shaft for at least one bin between the said longitudinal sides,lifting-lowering means carried by said support chassis at each lifting-lowering shaft and displaceable between a fully lowered position and a fully lifted position, said lifting-lowering means comprising at least one carriage or slide at each side of said support chassis, said carriage or slide being slidably mounted along a respective pair of uprights, and at least one linear actuator designed to cause a respective carriage or slide to be displaced along a respective lifting-lowering shaft,removable engagement means for a bin, which is rigidly displaceable with said lifting-lowering means and designed to engage a bin on the ground at a lifting-lowering shaft and to hold it constrained to said lifting-lowering meansdriving means for said lifting-lowering means and said removable engagement means, and a control unit, andwherein said removable engagement means for engaging a bin comprises a section bar member or stirrup having a pair of wings extending normal to each other and pivoted about an articulation axis to a respective longitudinal element, a linear actuator for controlling said stirrup to angularly move a wing of said stirrup between a rest position substantially in alignment with said longitudinal element and a working position, in which said wing extends inside shaft.

Advantageously, the fully lifted position is at a higher level than the height of a bin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the accompanying drawings the same or similar parts or components have been indicated by the same reference numerals.

With reference first toFIGS. 1to7, it will be noted that a self-propelled truck or cart according to the present invention, generally designated at1, is formed by a support chassis or frame2mounted on two pairs of wheels3, preferably tired wheels, arranged on opposite sides of the support chassis2, a steering device4(FIG. 4) of any suitable type, and driving means, e.g. comprising a hydraulic driving assembly5which is designed to drive one or both pairs of wheels3and received in a housing6located in an elevated position on the chassis2.

More particularly, the support chassis2comprises two longitudinal sides spaced from each other for a width slightly greater than the width of a standard bin7(FIGS. 3 and 11) that truck1is designed to handle and transport. Each longitudinal side comprises at least one main longitudinal metal member8, preferably of tubular structure (FIGS.1and2), which can have, at one of its ends an inclined portion8aextending uphill, in use, e.g. extending to a level higher than the diameter of wheels3and, at its other end a transverse portion8cextending outwards over a respective wheel3, followed by a longitudinal portion parallel to the body of the longitudinal member to which a wheel3is pivoted. Between the sections8aand8bof the two longitudinal members the steering device4is located, which can be controlled by a control steering column driven by a wheel or a crank in any suitable way.

A pair of side uprights9and10, preferably tubular in structure, rise from each longitudinal member8, preferably with a square cross-section as shown in in FIG.2. Uprights9and10are rigidly connected, e.g. welded, to two respective longitudinal member11and12which are in turn rigidly connected at their ends to respective transverse elements13and14(FIG.4), thereby rigidly bridging the two sides of the truck and delimiting therewith a longitudinal tunnel extending throughout the length of the truck. Between the longitudinal elements11and12and the transverse members13and14a lifting-lowering shaft15for a bin7is delimited as further explained below.

As better illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, each upright of the two pairs of tubular uprights9and10delimits, on its side facing the other upright, a longitudinal sliding guide16in which either a shoe or a pair of rollers17can roll, that are part of their respective carriage18which is thus slidable along its respective upright9,10. The two carriages18located on the same side of the truck are rigidly connected to each other by a lower longitudinal element19which supports suitable means for releasably engaging a bin7placed at shaft15. As shown inFIG. 5, the engagement means can comprise a section bar or stirrup20, one wing20aof which is pivoted about a horizontal articulation axis to its respective longitudinal member19. The stirrup20is articulated on its rear side to one end of a linear actuator, e.g. an oil operated jack25, by means of two lugs21supporting a pin22. The other end of jack25is articulated at26to the lower longitudinal element19, so that when the jack is extended, the wing20aof the stirrup20is arranged in substantial alignment with the longitudinal element, whereas when it is retracted, the wing20aextends into shaft15underneath bin7located in the shaft15and the other fin20bof the stirrup is moved in substantial alignment with the longitudinal element19.

On each side of the truck a respective oil operated cylinder27is also provided, acting as a means for lifting-lowering a carriage18. To this end, cylinder27has its lower end articulated to its respective carriage18and its upper end articulated to a longitudinal member11,12. According to another embodiment, each oil operated cylinder27has its lower end secured to its respective longitudinal member8(FIG. 7) and its other end constrained to one end of a rope or chain28wound around a pulley29carried by a longitudinal member11,12, the other end of the rope28being connected to a carriage18.

With an arrangement as described above, each carriage18can be moved along one side of the shaft15and stopped formed in the shaft at a predetermined level and then further lifted or lowered according to the specific requirements. Once the truck1has been displaced so that its shaft15is brought at a bin7, above which the truck1can be freely moved since the space between the sides of the truck is fully clear throughout the tunnel from any obstacle, jacks25are first energized in a way that will be further explained below, so that the stirrups are brought to their working positions, i.e. with their fins20boverhangingly extending below bin7so that when jacks27are subsequently actuated, they engage the bin7from below, thereby lifting it, e.g. to a level slightly higher than the standard height of the bins7, and thus truck1can move forward with a bin loaded on it, even above other bins7on the ground along its path.

In order to drive the various parts of truck1, housing6locates a pump30for driving gears3and a pump31for lifting the carriages18. The two pumps30and31are connected to a hydraulic circuit comprising an oil tank3provided with a filter33(FIG. 4) and can be powered either by an electric engine fed by an electric battery34or by a thermal motor of any suitable type. The whole assembly is controlled by an electronic control unit35. Preferably, various controls available to the operator are arranged together in a control panel, not shown in the drawings, which can be located in any suitable position on trick1, e.g. on one side of housing6.

In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, each truck side instead of being rigidly fixed to its respective longitudinal member8, is pivoted to a horizontal pin40by means of an auxiliary longitudinal member41shaped as a three armed balance, which is rigidly fixed to the two uprights9and10, respectively, at the end of two arms thereof, whereas the end of its third arm is articulated at42to an oil operated jack43, the other end of which is fixed to a longitudinal member8in any suitable way. Jack43is connected to the hydraulic circuit of the truck and it is controlled by the electronic control unit35, in turn, controlled by an inclination measuring device of any suitable type, not shown, so as to hold the truck sides, and thus the load constituted by one or more bins carried by it, in a substantially vertical attitude.

Advantageously, truck1can be provided with side platforms45(FIGS.4and6), preferably of a collapsible type, i.e. overturning against its side, and with a parapet46, also preferably overturning, to allow the picker personnel to safely stand on the truck1.

Moreover, according to the embodiment shown inFIGS. 8to10, uprights9and10are tubular in shape with a C-shaped (square) cross-section, as shown inFIG. 10, and are provided with a longitudinal slot47. Within each upright9and10a respective oil operated jack48is housed which has one end, e.g. its upper end fixed to the end of its respective upright9,10(FIG. 9) and its other end is constrained to one end of a lower longitudinal element19, e.g. through a bracket not shown in the drawings, which advantageously consists of a tubular member (FIG.8). Each time the two jacks48of each pair of uprights9and10are retracted or extended, their respective longitudinal element19will be lifted or lowered accordingly, thereby acting as a carriage18.

To this end, a pair of flat brackets51and42are pivoted about a vertical pin49and50, respectively, and can thus be angularly displaced either in their working position facing towards shaft15or aligned with the longitudinal element19in their rest position.

Advantageously, each bracket51and52is resiliently loaded, e.g. by a pair of helical springs53,54designed to hold their respective bracket in its working position, as shown in FIG.8. Each pair of brackets51,52can be controlled by a two piston oil operated jack55having its ends articulated to a respective bracket and controlled by the control panel. Preferably the jack55is arranged in its respective longitudinal element l9as diagrammatically shown in FIG.8. Brackets51and52, however, can be controlled by any other suitable control means.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 11 and 12a self-propelled truck1according to the invention is shown, which is provided with an automatic bin filler56which, is structured as a conventional bin filler, since although being provided with a bin feeding head57and one or more conveyor belts58radially arranged around it, it has a fixed type head, i.e. the height of the bin feeding head is not adjustable, as with conventional automatic filler devices, as the adjustment of the height from which fruit falls into a bin7carried in the shaft15is effected by suitably actuating jacks27, e.g. by means of a feeler pin sensor59located at the lower portion of head57and designed to generate an output signal to the electronic control unit35that in turn will process a control signal for the jacks27to adjust the bin height according to requirements.

More particularly head57can consist of a tubular body60arranged (e.g. hanging) vertically above a bin7(FIG. 11) and within which a sector or stake conveyor61(FIG. 12) is arranged to receive fruit from conveyor(s)58and guide it to bin7lying underneath. Advantageously, the conveyor belts58and the upright conveyor61can be driven by the same power source, e.g. a suitable electrically powered motor (not shown in the drawings), the motion of one conveyor being synchronously transmitted to the other, e.g. by means of a suitable gear drive generally designated at63.

It will be easily understood from the above description that a self-propelled truck1according to the present invention allows a bin7to be automatically loaded and handled by lifting or lowering it at its shaft15according to requirements both for overtaking one or more bins lying on the truck path and for adjusting the level thereof as the bin is loaded with an increasing amount of material (fruit).

The self-propelled truck described above is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Thus, as shown inFIG. 1, a bin supporting surface70can be provided, which is positioned on the side opposite to the housing6with respect to the lifting-lowering shaft15and designed to receive an empty or full bin from shaft15. The unloading surface70can comprise e.g. a, preferably motorised roller assembly for easily transferring a bin to it and from it. The height above ground of the surface70level must be slightly higher than that of a bin lying on the ground, so that the truck1can handle more than one bin. For example, with a self-propelled truck according to the present invention one or more bins lying on the ground can be overtaken even if truck1is loaded with a bin lying on the unloading surface70, and possibly with a bin kept lifted from the ground in shaft15.

FIGS. 4 and 13show the lifting-lowering system illustrated inFIGS. 8to10which can be advantageously used for constituting a lifting-lowering means for bins7located in place of the supporting surface70. More particularly, on the side of each of the uprights10a tubular upright10ais provided in which a respective oil operated jack is located designed to lift a longitudinal overhanging element19ahaving lower brackets51aand52asimilar and acting in the same way as brackets51and52. The longitudinal element19ais secured to the lower end of jack48, e.g. through a gusset plate65slidably guided in and along a longitudinal slit47ain the upright10a. If desired, the gusset plate65can be strengthened by means of a shim66to which one end of a tension rod67can be secured, the other end of the tension rod being anchored to the end portion of the longitudinal element19a.

As better shown inFIG. 4, when a bin is located between two longitudinal elements19aat two wheel of the truck1, it can be engaged on two opposite sides by the two pairs of brackets51aand52aand can be lifted and lowered similarly to a bin in the shaft15.

Of course, driving of the various movable elements can be of fluid operated, or electrical or mechanical type and motion can be transmitted, e.g. by means of worm screw, mechanical jacks, or any other suitable transmission means.

Moreover, besides being controllable by the control panel, truck1can be remote controlled by any suitable type of remote control.

The materials used as well as the dimensions thereof can vary according to the specific requirements.