Restricted-dimension apparatus and method for mechanically harvesting fruit

A mechanical fruit harvester employs a fruit-picking unit having plural, flexible probes which are extended into the foliage of the tree. Each probe has retractable fingers for separating the fruit from the stem. Each probe is significantly flexible, in order to avoid damage to the unit and to the tree being harvested. In one arrangement, the harvester is free-standing and has restricted dimensions, in order to permit movement about substantially all of an individual fruit tree among a plurality of densely-spaced fruit trees. The restricted-dimensioned arrangement employs hydraulic motor means for operating the drive, the probe extension and the probe elevation features.

BACKGROUND 
This invention relates to mechanical pickers and fruit harvesters, and 
related methods. 
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART 
Although a significant amount of money and time have been spent on various 
techniques for mechanically picking fruit, the citrus industry has 
essentially abandoned such effort. 
A summary of prior art techniques for mechanical harvesting is discussed by 
Grierson in Citrus Industry Magazine, July 1991 at page 74; another 
discussion of mechanical harvesting techniques is reported by Wilson et al 
in CITRUS, Ciba Geigy Technical Monograph No. 4, 1975 at page 67. 
One prior art technique involves the mechanical shaking of the tree. 
Usually, the shaking of a tree results in some mutilation of the trunk, 
limbs or roots. Some "hard to pick" fruit like oranges are not easy to 
remove even by vigorously shaking the tree. 
Other attempts have suggested the use of high technology computer-control 
robotics; however, such arrangements are cost prohibitive, slow and are 
not a reasonable solution to the problem. There has been suggested a 
method of hooking the stem end of the citrus fruit by Chen in U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,827,221 and Robbins et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,356. Specifically, 
Chen employs rigid probes which extend into and out of the foliage, with 
fingers on the probes for engaging the stems of the fruit. Robbins et al 
utilize a meshing gear drive to rotate probes to achieve a similar 
separation between the fruit and the stem. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention presents two embodiments of mechanical fruit 
harvesters which employ a compact fruit-picking unit having plural, 
elongated and flexible probes which may be extended into and out of the 
foliage of a citrus tree, and with each probe having retractable fingers 
at the extremity of the probe to effectuate a separation of the fruit from 
the stem. An important aspect of the fruit picking unit in accordance with 
the present invention is the utilization of elongated probes having a 
significant degree of flexibility in all directions, in order to avoid 
damage to either the unit or to the wood of the fruit tree being harvested 
(i.e., branches and trunk). This desired flexibility is achieved by 
utilizing probes formed of a thin wall plastic tubing having a capability 
of deflection at each probe extremity of at least about 30 inches, without 
structural damage to the probe. 
In the first embodiment, the mechanical harvester utilizes the fruit 
picking unit mounted on a three point lift of an agricultural tractor, 
which utilizes the conventional power-take off of the tractor to operate 
the probes during the harvesting operation. As discussed previously, the 
probes have spring-loaded picking fingers mounted at its extremity to 
penetrate the tree canopy and separate the stem from the fruit during the 
harvesting operation, which is achieved during the movement of the probes 
relative to the tree. 
The picked fruit is caught in the spring-loaded picking fingers of each 
probe, and then falls either to the ground or into a collection system. 
The second embodiment of the apparatus and method for mechanically 
harvesting fruit in accordance with the present invention comprises a 
free-standing chassis having a front and a rear and opposing first and 
second sides, with a pair of spaced, ground-engaging drive wheels at 
either the front or the rear for propelling the harvester. Short radius 
turning means are fitted to the other of the front or rear of the chassis, 
a fruit-picking unit essentially similar to that described above with 
reference to the first embodiment is mounted on the chassis along the 
first side, with the unit extending from a proximal end at the rear of the 
chassis and forwardly to a distal end beyond the front of the chassis. The 
fruit-picking unit includes plural, elongated and substantially flexible 
probes extending through the unit from the proximal end to the distal end. 
Means are provided for raising and lowering the fruit-picking unit 
relative to the chassis, and for extending the probes out of the distal 
end of the unit and into the foliage of an adjacent fruit tree. Means are 
also carried by the chassis for operating the drive wheels, the raising 
and lowering means in the probe-extending means. The second embodiment 
includes an operator station on the chassis extending between the front 
and rear along the second side and along side the fruit-picking unit, the 
overall dimension of the harvester between the front and rear of the 
chassis and its width being specifically restricted so that the chassis 
may be moved in forward and reverse directions generally parallel with the 
direction between the front and rear and then rotated about an imaginary 
axis at the rear of the chassis, to thereby permit the 
restricted-dimension chassis to move about substantially all of an 
individual fruit tree among a plurality of densely-spaced fruit trees. 
Typically, the dimensions of the chassis together with the 
fruit-harvesting unit will be restricted so that the length between the 
front and rear does not exceed about 75 percent of a spacing distance 
between adjacent fruit trees. However, an even shorter dimension is 
preferred. By way of example, a typical length and width for a 
free-standing fruit harvester in accordance with the second embodiment for 
use in an orange grove having typical spacing of 12 feet between adjacent 
trees would utilize a length between the front and rear of the harvester 
on the order of 7.5 feet, and a width between the opposing sides of 6.25 
feet. It will thus be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the 
fruit harvester in accordance with the present invention is a 
free-standing and independently operated unit having a "foot print" on the 
order of about 55 square feet or less, and which can be easily maneuvered 
around substantially all of the periphery of an individual fruit tree, in 
a relatively easy and facile manner, in order to achieve the desired 
harvesting. When used in accordance with the present invention, the fruit 
harvester is employed with a series of forward, rearward and rotational 
direction changes about an imaginary axis substantially along the rear of 
the chassis, in order to position the chassis and the fruit-harvesting 
unit at different radial locations relative to the individual tree being 
harvested. 
Further in accordance with the present invention, the free-standing 
harvester of the second embodiment is sufficiently light in weight and 
construction so as to use a small gasoline engine on the order of 16 h.p. 
to operate as the motive force for the drive wheels as well as to 
pressurize a hydraulic system for both raising and lowering the 
fruit-picking unit relative to the chassis and for extending the probes 
out of the distal end of the unit and into the foliage of an adjacent 
tree. Thus, the second embodiment of a fruit harvester in accordance with 
the present invention provides a very cost-effective technique and 
apparatus for mechanically harvesting fruit, while accomplishing the 
harvesting in a relatively complete and facile manner that has not 
heretofore been achieved with mechanical harvesters including those 
utilizing reciprocal probes for hooking the stem to separate the fruit. 
In both embodiments, it is preferred that means be employed to direct the 
falling fruit away from the fruit-picking unit. To this end, the 
fruit-picking unit is provided with a forward shield through which the 
flexible probes pass, the shield having a bevelled curve below the probes 
for directing falling fruit away from the harvester. In the preferred 
arrangement of both embodiments, the harvester is provided with a flexible 
shield extending between the front of the chassis and the bottom of the 
fruit-picking unit, which flexible shield is reeled into and out of the 
chassis as the fruit-picking unit is raised and lowered relative to the 
chassis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGS. 1-6, 11-17 AND 24 
In reference to FIG. 2 a series of probes 38 having picking fingers 64 
mounted thereon are connected to a carriage 50 and are guided by a guide 
52. The carriage 50 is connected via a chain drive mechanism 122 and 124 
and an hydraulic motor 46 shown on FIG. 11. A Bracket 84 shown in FIG. 14, 
is connected to the drive mechanisms 122 and 124. Guide 50 is connected to 
a frame 56. This frame 56 is pivotal connected to a toolbar 36. FIG. 1 
illustrates how toolbar 36 is connected via a double hinge 34 to a tractor 
hitch 110. A catcher frame 134 is connected to the carriage by a hitch 
bracket 136. 
A typical embodiment or the fruit picker of the present invention is 
illustrated in FIG. 1 (top view) and FIG. 2 (end view). 
In reference to FIG. 3 which shows a cross sectional view of the a flexible 
light weight probe 38. In accordance with the present invention, the light 
weight probe comprises a thin-walled plastic tube which has sufficient 
flexibility to permit deflection from its axial direction on the order of 
30 inches without effectuating structural damage. By way of example, a 
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing having an outer diameter of 1.5 inches and 
a wall thickness of 0.2 inches is suitable, with the overall probe length 
being on the order of 6.1 feet. A curved picker finger 64 of having 
uniform cross sectional diameter in at least one direction has a 
cylindrical base mounting sleeve 114 permanently attached to it. The inner 
diameter of the mounting sleeve 114 shown as the diameter is such than the 
countersunk bolt 66 fits in it. The length the mounting sleeve 114 is 
equal to the diameter of the picker finger 64 shown as cross sectional 
area 116. The mounting sleeve 114 is pivotal mounted on the probe 38. A 
pipe, tube or pivot sleeve 70 is convex shaped at the one end in order to 
accommodate the head of a countersunk bolt 66 to fit into the convex 
shaped end thereof. The outer diameter of the pivoting sleeve 
(countersunk) 70 is smaller than two holes diametrically opposed in the 
wall of the probe 38 in order to allow pivotal movement. The length of the 
pivoting sleeve (countersunk) 70 is equal to or just smaller than half the 
outer diameter of the probe 38 minus half the cylindrical length of the 
mounting sleeve 114. Another pipe, tube or pivoting sleeve 72 has the same 
outer diameter than the pivoting sleeve (countersunk) 70, the same length 
but threaded on the inside in order to allow the thread of the countersunk 
bolt 66 to mate the threaded end of the pivoting sleeve (threaded) 72. The 
countersunk bolt 66 fits through the pivoting sleeve (countersunk) 70, the 
mounting sleeve 114 and mates into the pivoting sleeve (threaded) 72 to 
hold them together as a unit. The picker finger 64 extends through a slot 
or elongated hole 74, in the side wall of the probe 38. The position of 
the slotted hole 74 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the probe 38 
and the length sufficiently equal to the length of the curved part of the 
picker finger 64. The width of the slotted hole 74 is substantially equal 
to the picker cross sectional diameter 116. 
A tension spring, rubber band, O ring or endless latex band 68 is hooked or 
attached to the picker finger 64 on the inside of the probe 38 and fits 
doubly around the mounting sleeve 114, the pivoting sleeve (threaded) 72 
and the pivoting sleeve (countersunk) 70. 
In reference to FIG. 4, the latex band 68 is extended under tension and 
hooked around the picker finger 64 of another identical picker finger 
assembly unit 118 as depicted in FIG. 3 and described above. The 
protruding part of the picker finger 64 in both cases are diametrically 
opposed and having the picker finger 64 in the same plane pointing in the 
same direction like unto an arrow head. The latex band 68 is used in pairs 
with the picker finger assembly 118. These pairs may have the protruding 
parts pointing radially outward in any chosen direction. 
More units of the picker finger assembly 118 are provided on the probe 38 
as depicted in FIG. 5. The probe 38 has a slick, low friction, smooth, 
pathfinder cone 76 affixed to the free end of the probe 38. The position 
of the pathfinder cone 76 in relation to the picker finger assembly 118 is 
shown too. 
FIG. 14 shows how special provision is made by having a sleeve, bushing or 
carriage mounting fixed to the carriage 50. A pivoting shaft, or pivot 
bolt 120 connects the attachment bracket 84 pivotal to the carriage 50. 
The center line of a drive shaft 80 corresponds to the center line of the 
pivot bolt 120. The attachment bracket 84 is further connected to the 
roller chain 48 via special provision to fit to the links of the roller 
chain 48 in such a fashion that the distance from the center line of the 
pivot bolt 120 to the center line the roller of the roller chain 48 is 
substantially equal to half the pitch circle diameter of a drive sprocket 
82 of the roller chain 48. Also see FIG. 13. 
Referring to FIG. 11 and FIG. 24 four shafts 80 are provided and the roller 
chain 48 connecting these into two pairs of identical drive units 122 and 
124. The top drive unit 122 and the bottom drive unit 124 are connected 
via a roller chain 126 from the top drive unit 122 and another roller 
chain from the bottom drive unit 124 to a drive unit, engine, motor 
gearbox or hydraulic motor 46. Hydraulic motor 46 is typically powered by 
tractor 30. Hydraulic motor 46 has an hydraulic relieve valve 108 
connected in parallel to the oil circuit. 
In reference to FIG. 11 which shows a simplified diagram of mounting, 
guiding and moving of a series of the probes 38. A grid, support, guide 52 
comprises a structure with openings through which a series of probe 38 can 
protrude. The guide 52 is stationary in relation to and connected to a 
tilt frame 56. The probes 38 are connected to the carriage 50. 
FIG. 2 shows that the tilt frame 56 is pivotal connected to a toolbar 36 
and toolbar 36 to a tractor 30, as shown in FIG. 1. The base end of the 
probe 38 opposite to the pathfinder cone 76 is connected by a single bolt 
to a movable grid or carriage 50. The positions where the probe 38 are 
connected correspond to the pattern of openings in the guide 52. 
Consequently this series of the probe 38 are all connected to the carriage 
50 and guided by the guide 52 in the same fashion. 
FIG. 2 shows how this series of the probe 38 are orientated. 
In reference to FIG. 24, the carriage 50 is typically supported by a number 
of bearings, wheels, low friction pads or bearing rollers 106. These 
bearing roller 106 use the tilt frame 56 as a race way 132. The carriage 
52 can be moved both directions along a straight line indicated by the 
members of the tilt frame 56 and supported by the bearing roller 106. 
Typically the carriage 50 is connected in four positions via a special, 
bracket or attachment bracket 84 to a roller chain 48. 
In reference to FIG. 15 and 16, the catcher frame 134 is connected to the 
carriage 50 by means of two protruding hitch brackets 136. This the hitch 
bracket 136 connects a part of the carriage 50 between them and any 
movement of the carriage 50 in the direction of the axis of the telescopic 
support 88 and the catcher frame 134 will be transferred to the catcher 
frame 134. A canvas, tarpaulin, cloth or catcher 40, is suspended at the 
corners by the catcher frame 134. The distance between the center lines of 
the catcher frame 134 are greater than the width of the carriage 50. The 
catcher 40 is located substantially below a plurality of probes 38 not 
shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. 
Referring to FIG. 2, a canvas, tarpaulin or sheet metal is formed into a 
catcher funnel 42 that is suspended by the tilt frame 56 and the footrest 
54. The catcher funnel 42 is positioned partly under catcher 40 with the 
funnel end facing towards a pivot center line of a hinge 138. 
In reference to FIGS. 2 and 17, all of the carriage 50, the guide 52, the 
catcher frame 134 and catcher 40 referred to as the picker-catcher 
assembly 140, of which the tilt frame 56, an integral part, is pivotal 
joined to a tilt hinge 138. FIG. 17 illustrates how the complete the 
picker-catcher assembly 140 can be tilted by the utilization of an 
hydraulic tilt cylinder 44. 
Further referring to FIG. 1, the picker-catcher assembly 140 is connected 
to a main frame, beam, cantilever or toolbar 36. Toolbar 36 is connected 
pivotal to a distant piece, positioning arm or positioning double hinge 
34. An hydraulic cylinder 32A is connected to toolbar 36 and the 
positioning double hinge 34. The positioning double hinge 34 is connected 
pivotal to a hook up facility or tractor hitch 110 which in turn is 
connected to a tractor 30. Another hydraulic cylinder 34B is pivotal 
connected to the positioning double hinge 34 and the tractor hitch 110. 
Further in reference to FIG. 2 the drive shaft 80 is connected via 
bearings to the tilt frame 56. A support, stand or foot 54 is connected to 
the tilt frame 56 and forms an integral part of the tilt frame 56. A 
cylindrical telescopic support member 88 having its axis parallel to the 
raceway 132, is provide on each side of the tilt frame 56 and rigidly 
connected to the tilt frame 56 and the footrest 54. The length of the 
telescopic support 88 is sufficient to support another cylindrical member, 
pipe, tube or catcher frame 134, having an outer diameter smaller than the 
inner diameter of the telescopic support 88 and fits telescopically into 
the telescopic support 88. The length of the catcher frame 134 is 
sufficient to allow the catcher frame 134 to move telescopically in the 
telescopic support 88 for a distance at least equal to the center lines of 
the top drive unit 122 which is equal to the same distance of the bottom 
drive unit 124 in FIG. 11. 
From the description above, a number of advantages of the first embodiment 
of the fruit harvester become evident: 
(a) A simple design will allow a manufacturer to manufacture this picker 
with the basic tools, thus saving manufacturing cost. 
(b) Simplicity reduces operating cost. The only wear and tear part, the 
probe, can be replaced within 45 seconds. 
(c) The energy requirement of this machine is extremely low compared to 
pneumatic shakers. 
(d) Only one operator is required to fully mechanize the harvesting 
operation. 
(e) The ability and ease to position the picker around the canopy of the 
tree ensures that all fruit will be exposed to the picker. 
(f) The emphasis of my picker is very much placed on minimizing mechanical 
damage to trees. The flexible probes, pathfinder cones, sunken picker 
finger pivots, non torque increasing swing away of the fingers and the 
hydraulic adjustable effort by which the prongs are inserted confirms this 
important feature. 
(g) The catcher that is an integral part of the picker always follows the 
picking devices to ensure that the absolute minimum number of fruit is 
spilled in the ground. 
(h) The cost of this fruit picker in comparison to more sophisticated high 
tech endeavors by previous inventors make it even more attractive. 
(i) The rate of picking fruit with this picker is by far superior to other 
methods previously patented. 
OPERATION--FIGS. 1-12 AND 15-22 
In reference to FIG. 11 hydraulic motor 46 drives the carriage 50 via main 
drives 126, 128 and 122, 124 to cause it to perform a reciprocating 
movement. In reference to FIG. 2 the plurality of prongs 38 and a catcher 
40 that are connected to the carriage 50 and guided by guide 52 performs 
the same reciprocating movement. A series of picking finger assemblies 188 
mounted on the probes 38 penetrate the tree 60 engage fruit stems and pick 
the fruit. The picked fruit 58 drop onto the catcher 40 which perform the 
same movement as the probes. When the capacity of the catcher 40 is filled 
a tilt cylinder 44 is activated to tilt the complete picking-catching 
device 140 to be tilted as depicted in FIG. 17. Picked fruit 58 then rolls 
from the catcher 40 onto a funnel 42 and be discharged in to a container 
or bin 90. 
In reference to FIG. 3 the probe 38 is typically made of a 
light-weight-low-cost-low-friction-flexible material such as a PVC pipe. 
No lubrication of pivot bushes 70 and 72 is required. The pivoting sleeve 
(countersunk) 70 and the pivoting sleeve (threaded) 72 being held together 
by the countersunk bolt 66 holds together the mounting sleeve 114 between 
them to form a unit. The pivoting sleeve (countersunk) 70 and the pivoting 
sleeve (threaded) 72 also acts as a bush or bearing and locate the picker 
finger 64 in the probe 38. No parts of the countersunk bolt 66, the 
pivoting sleeve (countersunk) 70 or the pivoting sleeve (threaded) 72 
protrude from the outer surface of the probe 38, thus providing a smooth 
surface that will not cause any mechanical damage to fruit and limbs. The 
protruding part of the picker finger 64 that is located in the slotted 
hole 74 locates the picker finger assembly 118 and prevents movement along 
the pivot axis of the picker finger assembly 118. 
Another embodiment of the picker finger assembly 118 not shown here is to 
have the hole in the pivoting sleeve (threaded) 72 and the pivoting sleeve 
(countersunk) 70 eccentric in relation to the center line of the outer 
cylindrical surface, thus providing unlimited adjustability of the size of 
the throat area 144 and the angle of attack 142 angle as depicted in FIG. 
10. 
In FIG. 4 it can be noticed that the slotted hole 74 placed in relation to 
the picker finger assembly 118 so as to act as a stop for the free end of 
the picking finger 64 under the urging force of the latex band 68. The 
length of the slotted hole 74 is sufficient to allow picker finger 64 to 
be housed temporarily inside the probe 38 during a swing away which may be 
caused by a tree limb 78. This retraction of the picker finger 64 ensures 
that an obstacle may totally be avoided. The latex band 68 is being pulled 
around the pivot assembly in order to force the picker finger 64 up 
against the end of the slotted hole 74. The other side of endless the 
latex band 68 is anchored under strain around an adjacent the picker 
finger assembly 118 with in the same result. This pre tension is selected 
to be sufficient for the picking of the fruit but small enough to be swung 
away should it encounter a tree limb 78. See the swing away in FIG. 5. 
The spring, the latex band 68 is pulled around the pivoting sleeve 
(countersunk) 70 and the pivoting sleeve (threaded) 72 during a swing away 
and increases the length of the latex band 68 only slightly. Also the 
lever arm of the force in the latex band 68 remains constant being wrapped 
around the cylindrical pivoting sleeve (countersunk) 70 and the pivoting 
sleeve (threaded) 72. These two factors result in negligible torque 
increase during a swing away which help reduce potential damage that the 
picker finger 64 can do to the tree. 
Referring to FIG. 10 fruit hanging by a stem from a fruit tree is directed 
by the picker finger 64 during a relative movement of it in relation to 
the fruit toward the throat area 144. The stem engages in this reducing 
passage until the stem meets with the picker finger 64. The fruit get 
forced up against the probe 38 and the picker finger 64 and while the 
movement continues the force overcomes the force offered by the fruit-stem 
connection and it dislodges. 
An embodiment of the picker finger assembly 118 is shown if FIG. 5. This 
embodiment result in a single picking action, penetrating the canopy like 
an arrow and picking fruit during the withdrawal cycle. 
Another embodiment of the picker finger assembly 118 is shown if FIG. 6. 
This embodiment result in a double picking action; picking fruit during 
the penetration and withdrawal cycles making the machine more time 
efficient. The double picking action reduces the number of reciprocating 
cycles required to pick all fruit thus limiting mechanical damage to the 
tree. 
In reference to FIG. 8 the size of the picker finger 64 matches that of 
mature fruit 58 and the fruit is picked. The situation depicted in FIG. 9 
shows a smaller or immature fruit 62 which slips through the throat area 
and is not picked. 
FIG. 10 shows a small fruit being combined with a smaller picker finger 64 
that results in picking the fruit. Thus adjustability and selectability in 
fruit size is accomplished. 
FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrates an embodiment of how the carriage 50 can be 
connected to the roller chain 48 on order to follow the roller chain 48 
throughout it complete trip around a pair of the sprockets 82. This 
embodiment transforms rotation of the drive shaft 80 to translation of the 
carriage 50. The fact that the center line of the pivot bolt 120 
corresponds with that same of the drive shaft 80, the attachment bracket 
84 simply follows the path of the roller chain 48 around the sprocket 82 
and thus change the direction of movement of the carriage 50 with out 
having to change the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 80 or the 
hydraulic motor 46. This results in simplified and smooth operation. 
FIG. 11 shows the hydraulic motor 46 which is used to drive the top drive 
unit 122 and the bottom drive unit 124. The ratio is such that the speed 
of the top drive unit 122 to the bottom drive unit 124 equals 1:1. The 
positive connection of the top main drive chain 126 and the bottom main 
drive chain 128 ensures that they can be set in a predetermined non 
changing relation to each other. The top main drive chain 126 and the 
bottom drive unit 124 in turn drive the top drive unit 122 and the bottom 
drive unit 124. The ratio again is 1:1. The carriage 50 being connected 
via the attachment bracket 84 to the top drive unit 122 and the bottom 
drive unit 124 is caused to perform a reciprocal movement, the reach of 
which is equal to the center line of a pair of the drive shaft 80. A 
series of probes 38 which is connected to the carriage 50 performs the 
same reciprocal movement, while being guided by a stationery the guide 52. 
FIG. 12 shows the withdrawal cycle of the series of probes 38. The 
carriage being supported by roller bearings 106 and using part of the 
frame 56 as raceway 132 for bearings 106. The carriage cannot alter the 
direction of it course during any one cycle seeing that the same is well 
guided by a plurality of bearing rollers 106. If any lateral movement of 
the carriage take place it will result in lateral movement of the extended 
probes and may result in excessive damage to the tree. The configuration 
in FIG. 11 achieves exactly that and ensures that the probes are extended 
and withdrawn in exactly the same path. 
Also further with reference to FIG. 11 the probes may be subjected to 
material stresses at its base if simply connected rigid to the carriage 50 
without a guide 52 to support throughout the extend of its reciprocal 
movement. This embodiment avoids the same. 
Referring to FIG. 7, the function of the flexibility of the probe 38 and of 
the pathfinder cone 76 mounted at the end is illustrated. As the probe 38 
is penetrating the canopy as a result of the movement of the carriage 50, 
each the probes 38 finds its way pass limbs, fruit and twigs. The flexible 
characteristic of the probe 38 helps to accommodate forced misalignment 
without damage to the tree or machine. The hydraulic relieve valve 108 
shown in FIG. 26 is a further safety precaution to help slow down or stop 
the hydraulic motor in the event of an obstacle or tree limb 78 that can 
not be avoided. 
Another embodiment not shown here represent a different phasing of the top 
drive unit 122, the bottom drive unit 124 and the carriage 50 in relation 
to each other. This arrangement may result in changing the timing at which 
the probes relative to each other penetrating the canopy. That is that 
some may be withdrawn at the same time when some are penetrating the tree 
canopy of the fruit tree 60. The benefits of this arrangement is amongst 
others is to prevent the limbs from being "bulldozed" by a "wall" of 
penetrating the probe 38. This feature may also reduce the amount of pull 
on limbs thus reducing mechanical damage. 
In reference to FIGS. 15 and 16, the catcher frame 134 that is connected 
via the hitch bracket 136 to the carriage 50 performs the same reciprocal 
movement as the carriage 50 and consequently the series of the probe 38. 
The telescopic support 88 supports the catcher frame 134 and is stationary 
relative to the tilt frame 56 and the footrest 54. The catcher funnel 42 
is located partly underneath catcher 40 and is stationary in relation to 
the catcher. Seeing that catcher 40 does not incorporate any rigid members 
at the extending end it can be extended all the way to the tree trunk 112 
with out causing damage to it. Consequently reducing of eliminating the 
spill of picked fruit. 
In reference to FIG. 2, the picked fruit 58 drop on catcher 40 as it finds 
its way down through the series of the probe 38 and limbs. The slowing 
down effect of the series of the probes 38 and the limbs and leaves 
prevent the fruit from gaining too high a velocity when dropping and also 
guide the picked fruit 58 down to be intercepted by catcher 40. The 
catcher 40 is always under the picker finger assembly 118 since it 
performs the same reciprocating movement and is in phase with the probes 
38. In an embodiment not shown here, catcher 40 and the catcher frame 134 
can be controlled separately from the carriage 50. Picked fruit 58 gather 
in catcher 40 until the buffer store capacity of the catcher 40 is filled. 
Further in reference to FIG. 18, the picker is raised to the elevation of a 
fruit bin 90 in FIG. 17. FIG. 17 further illustrates how the 
picker-catcher assembly 140 is tilted by the hydraulic tilt cylinder 44 to 
cause picked fruit 58 to roll onto the catcher funnel 42 and be guided by 
the catcher funnel 42 toward its funnel end and be discharged into the 
fruit bin 90. 
Some fruit may be difficult to reach or is simply not exposed to being 
picked. The repositioning of tractor 30 in the horizontal plane and or the 
repositioning of the picker-catcher assembly 140 in the vertical plane 
using the hydraulic lift of tractor 30 as shown in FIG. 18 and or using 
the hydraulic tilt cylinder 44 as shown in FIG. 19 may help expose 
unpicked fruit 62 to the picker finger assembly 118. The tilt cylinder 44 
may also be using to aim the picket at trees planted on a planting bed 94 
as depicted in FIG. 19. Thus adjustability by the tractor operator is made 
with ease. 
In reference to FIG. 1, the positioning double hinge acts as an adjustable 
distant piece or arm between the tractor hitch 110 and toolbar 36. The 
relative position of toolbar 36 to the tractor hitch 110 can be altered by 
the use of toolbar portioning cylinder 32A and the hitch positioning 
cylinder 32B. This ability enables the operator to reposition the 
picking-catching device (diagrammatic) 92 to be able to perform among 
others the various positions of the picking-catching device 92 in relation 
to the fruit tree 60 as shown in FIGS. 20 through 23. This feature assists 
to pick thoroughly. 
If it be assumed that FIG. 20 represents the normal position 98 of the 
hinge 34 then the reach of the probe 38 can effectively be increased by 
adjusting the toolbar positioning cylinder 32A for positioning toolbar and 
the hitch positioning cylinder 32B to achieve the position shown in FIG. 
21. This position may be referred to as the extended position 100 and may 
be used to effectively increase the reach of the reciprocal movement 
without having to reposition the tractor 30. 
In order to do the least amount of damage to a tree the probe 38 should 
always be inserted and withdrawn radially in relation to the trunk. This 
way limbs are not twisted and possibly torn. This purpose is achieved by 
activating the toolbar positioning cylinder 32A for positioning toolbar 
and the hitch positioning cylinder 32B to achieve the positions shown in 
FIGS. 22 and 23. The position shown in FIG. 22 may be referred to as the 
forward position 102. Likewise the position shown in FIG. 23 may be 
referred to as the backward position 104. 
Another embodiment not shown here is to omit the positioning double hinge, 
the toolbar positioning cylinder 32A for positioning toolbar and the hitch 
positioning cylinder 32B and thus hitching the toolbar 36 directly to the 
tractor hitch 110 to tractor 30. This embodiment will not have the angular 
and positional adjustments shown in FIGS. 20-23. This is a more simple 
application and my be satisfactory if the fruit trees are grown in a 
hedge. 
Yet another embodiment not shown her is to supply a rest or foot to the 
tractor hitch 110 in order to stabilize tractor 30 during positional and 
angular adjustment as shown in FIGS. 20-23. 
FIG. 25 is a side view illustrating the use of fruit shields with the 
fruit-picking unit of the present invention, in order to insure that 
falling fruit is directed away from the harvester. To this end, the 
harvester is provided with a roller 152 mounted forwardly, with a flexible 
shield 146 (such as a netting) attached to the bottom of the guide 52, and 
extending about the roller 152 and coupled to a load spring 150. As the 
fruit-picking unit including the guide 52 is raised and lowered, the 
flexible shield 146 rolls upwardly with the unit, to thereby permit a 
means for deflecting fruit as shown by the arrows in FIG. 25. Similarly, 
the guide 52 may be provided with an outwardly-extending deflector 148, to 
insure that fruit is deflected away from the harvester. 
Free-standing embodiment of fruit harvester employing restricted 
dimensions. 
A free-standing harvester in accordance with the second embodiment of the 
present invention is shown in FIGS. 26-30 and referred to there generally 
by the reference numeral 210. The harvester 210 comprises a chassis formed 
of a front horizontal member 212, a rear horizontal member 214 and 
opposing first and second side frame members extending between the front 
and rear. There is provided a prime mover 220, preferably a small gasoline 
engine, which in this embodiment is mounted on the rear chassis member 214 
and shown by dotted lines. The motor 220 drives a hydraulic pump 222; it 
will of course be understood that a conventional motor and hydraulic pump 
may be employed. The specific details of the hydraulic actuation and 
operating system will be described in greater detail below with reference 
to FIG. 30. 
With continuing reference to FIGS. 26-29, the harvester 210 includes a pair 
of rear wheels 224 operated by hydraulic drive motors 226. It will of 
course be appreciated that the drive wheels may also be positioned at the 
front, and that the short radius turning wheels mounted on the front of 
the chassis may alternatively be mounted on the rear of the chassis. In 
the embodiment of FIGS. 26-29, the short radius turning wheel assembly of 
the present invention is mounted to the chassis adjacent the front chassis 
member 212, as is discussed next. 
The short-radius wheel assembly includes an elongated front wheel support 
228 having opposing ends 236 and 237. As is specifically depicted in FIG. 
26, the front wheel support 228 is pivotally mounted at 230 to the 
chassis, and includes two bins 232, 234, between the pivot 230 and the 
respective ends 236, 237 in order to provide an elevation of the ends 236, 
237 with respect to the center line of the front wheels 242. A bearing pad 
238 is mounted along an axis 240 at each of the respective ends 236, 237, 
and is rotatably coupled with an offset arm arrangement which provides a 
particularly facile short-radius turning technique. To this end, each of 
the front wheels 242 includes an axle 244 that extends through the wheel 
and outwardly from a first side 243 of the respective wheel. A first 
offset arm 246 is fixed at one end to the extending portion of the axle 
244; the first offset arm extends generally parallel with the first side 
243 of the wheel 242. The second end of the first offset arm 246 is 
coupled to one end of a second offset arm 248, the other end of which is 
rotatably coupled to a pin extending from a pivot pin 239 extending from 
the bearing pad 238; the second offset arm 248 extends generally parallel 
with the axle 244, with both offset arms being dimensioned so that 
substantially all of each front wheel 242 rotates completely about the 
point 240 at the respective ends 236, 237 of the front wheel support 228. 
The harvester 210 includes a fruit-picking unit like that of the embodiment 
of FIGS. 1-24, in which there is provided a vertically extending frame 
256, a carriage 250 mounted to the frame 256 and a probe guide 252, with 
plural probes 258 mounted with the carriage and frame, and extending 
through appropriate apertures in the guide 252 as the carriage is moved 
from the rear of the chassis toward the front end by operation of the 
chain drive assembly 254, which functions in essentially the same manner 
as that described above with reference to FIGS. 11-14. 
With reference to FIGS. 27, 28 and 29, the harvester 210 includes a frame 
assembly for supporting the fruit-picking unit and raising and lowering 
the frame 256. The frame assembly includes a pair of vertically extending 
members 260, 262 mounted to the rear of the chassis and a horizontal brace 
264 across the top of the two vertical members 260, 262. A pair of 
intermediate horizontal arms 266 are fixed between the frame 256 and the 
extremity of a hydraulic piston 270 via a cross-arm 269. Bearings 268 
insure low-friction movement. The hydraulic piston 270 is operated by a 
cylinder 272. 
The harvester 210 further includes an operator station 276 along the second 
side between the rear and front of the chassis, and includes a seat 278 
and controls 282 for operating the various hydraulic functions which will 
now be described with reference to FIG. 30. 
The hydraulic system for use with the harvester 210 is referred to in FIG. 
30 generally by the reference numeral 280. The hydraulic system 280 
includes the pump 222, wheel motors 226 and controls 282 which have been 
described above. Additionally, the system 280 includes various hydraulic 
lines, including the following: pressurization lines from the pump 222, 
through the control lever panel through the control valves of the control 
levers 282, to reservoir 283 and then returned to the pump 222; wheel 
motor pressurization lines 286 and 288; lines 290 for operation of the 
lift cylinder 272; and lines 292 for operation of the picker drive motor 
294. In accordance with an important aspect of the hydraulic system used 
with the present invention, each of the drive wheel motors 226 and the 
picker drive motor 294 are fitted with a cross-differential relief valve 
296 in the respective hydraulic service lines 286, 288 and 292, in order 
to protect the respective motors from shock load. In the case of the 
picker drive motor 294, this cross-differential relief valve provides a 
very significant safety feature, in that the associated relief valve 296 
will stop the operation of the drive motor if a solid object is 
encountered by the probes 258. Similarly, the maximum torque to the wheel 
motors 226 is adjusted to minimize wheel spin, and to permit smooth 
operation during changes in direction or speed. 
A system pressure gauge 298 provides an indication to the operator of the 
pressure status of the system. 
In accordance with the present invention, the harvester 210 depicted in 
FIGS. 26-30 is specifically restricted in dimensions so as to have a 
length between the front and rear which does not exceed about 75 percent 
of a spacing distance between adjacent fruit trees, and is preferably even 
less in overall dimensional length. Likewise, the width of the 
free-standing harvester 210 is also restricted to insure ease of mobility. 
By way of example, when the harvester 210 is used with citrus trees having 
a tree-to-tree spacing of about 10 to 12 feet, the harvester has an 
overall length of 8 feet or less, and a width of 7 feet or less. The 
harvester 210 will thus have a "footprint" of about 55-56 feet, and is 
extremely maneuverable in a direction parallel with the direction between 
the front and rear of the chassis, and which may also be rotated in a 
short turning radius so as to permit rotation of the chassis about an 
imaginary axis at the rear of the chassis to thereby permit the 
restricted-dimension chassis to move about substantially all of an 
individual fruit tree among a plurality of densely-spaced fruit trees. 
This feature is illustrated in FIG. 31, where plural fruit trees 300 
having a typical spacing are shown in plan view. As there depicted, the 
harvester 210 may be moved very close to the foliage of a tree 300 
adjacent to an individual tree 300A being harvested. The flexible probes 
258 are then extended into the foliage in the desired manner at a first 
location, and then the harvester 210 is rapidly moved to another position 
in a facile manner; this process is continued about substantially all of 
the periphery of the individual tree 300A, with the free-standing and 
restricted-dimensioned construction of the harvester 210 facilitating easy 
access to essentially all of the foliage, and thus the fruit, of the 
individual tree 300A being harvested by utilizing a series of forward, 
rearward and rotational direction changes for positioning the harvester 
210 and the related fruit-harvesting unit at different radial locations 
relative to that individual tree. 
Accordingly, the reader will see that fruit pickers and harvesters of this 
invention can be used to pick fruit in a very simple and effective way. 
Great emphasis is placed on providing a tree friendly apparatus, in which 
essentially all possible causes of mechanical damage are avoided. Both 
embodiments of this invention are of a straightforward and simple 
construction and design, in order to have minimum maintenance requirements 
and that can be easily worked on in a conventional agricultural workshop. 
In both embodiments, the picking unit can be easily repositioned during the 
end of the withdrawal cycle and before the next penetration cycle in order 
to create an adjustment of the position of the picking probes relative to 
an unpicked fruit in order to pick the same; the second embodiment 
particularly accomplishes this in a facile and cost-effective manner. 
The above description should not be construed as limiting the scope of the 
invention, but as merely providing illustrations of preferred embodiments 
of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention is to be determined by 
the appended claims and equivalents, rather than by the examples given.