Abstract:
A crop picking head assembly has a known oscillation generating head supported in a head support frame suspended from a harvester framework by two pairs of depending arms. One pair of arms is variable in length to adjust picking head height and the other pair is fixed in length. The picking head has a variety of crop contacting rod arrays to accommodate various cordon types supporting extended rows of crop foliage, such as grape vines. The harvester may carry one such picking head on one side of the vine row or may carry mirror image heads, one on each side of the vine row.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention described herein relates to a grape harvesting head and more specifically to a harvesting head supported in a harvester framework, wherein the framework is driven over the ground along extended rows of vines carrying a crop supported by cordons spaced along the extended rows. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,062, Scudder, for a Coffee Harvester, describes an oscillation generating head for use in harvesting coffee beans from coffee bushes. Scudder&#39;s harvester travels alongside the coffee bushes and includes an array of tines extending horizontally from a vertically disposed shaft that is driven in an oscillatory fashion by the oscillation generating head. The oscillating shaft is allowed to rotate through 360′. The array of tines engages and travels past the coffee bushes. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,667, Scott, describes a single head grape and raisin harvester with a single oscillating shaker head that is said to center itself on a row of grape vines engaged by the harvester. The harvester is towed by a tractor and uses the shaker disclosed in the aforementioned Scudder &#39;062 patent. The shaker drives a shaft in an oscillatory manner. A plurality of shaker tines extend radially from the shaft. The shaft is allowed to rotate through 360′ as the oscillating tines engage and are drawn past a row of grape vines by the tractor. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,910, Meester et al., also includes disclosure of an oscillating shaker head, wherein the oscillation is provided by an eccentric weight assembly similar to those described in the previously-mentioned &#39;062 and &#39;667 patents. The Neester et al. shaker is adjustable in oscillation amplitude while the apparatus is operating. The oscillation from the head is im parted to a brush having a plurality of rows of radially extending tines. The radially extending tines on the shaft form a shaker brush which is free to rotate through 360′. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,521, Orlando et al., discloses a harvester for grapes growing on tines having a force balance assembly imparting oscillation to groups of “beater rods” or tines that extend from their mounts rearwardly from the harvester. The tines are disposed to disturb the vines in an oscillatory fashion in a substantially horizontal plane. The “beater rods” are positioned to engage the vines on each side of the vine row. 
   There is a style of vine training for growing grapes that is referred to as cordon supported. One type of cordon supported training for grape vines is shown in  FIG. 2  of the drawings, wherein a “V” shaped cross arm  11  has an upright support post  12  embedded in and extending from a ground surface. A plurality of support wires  13  extend between spaced ones of the “V” shaped supports so that crops, such as grape vines, may be grown and supported along the lengths of the wires  13 . The “V” shaped cross arm is called a cordon.  FIG. 3  shows an alternate form of support for a vine type plant, wherein the upright post  12  supports a straight cross arm  14 . The cross arm  14  is also called a cordon and has a plurality of the wires  13  running along the length of a row of growing vine crop. The wires  13  are supported by spaced cordon assemblies, such as illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
   The cordons divide the vine into two distinct fruiting areas, one on each side of the vine. In many instances, grape crops supported on cordon systems are difficult to harvest mechanically and must therefore be hand picked. Sometimes it is desirable to mechanically harvest crops grown on cordon systems, for example, when the grapes are not of high enough quality to be used for fresh fruit consumption. These grapes are called strippings. Hand harvesting of strippings, or grapes that are left over after hand picking, is not economically feasible. Mechanical harvesting of grapes grown on cordon systems has presented problems for current styles of picking mechanisms, which tend to shake the vine from side to side to effect fruit removal. Additionally, the cordon heights vary from row to row and field to field, which requires that current styles of picking mechanisms must be changed in height above the ground during mechanical picking operations to effectively harvest the fruit. Vineyards grown on cordon systems in rolling hills exhibit distances between the vines and the ground on opposite sides of the vine rows that may vary by up to forty inches. This variation of crop level above the ground in the same cordon supported vine row is the product of a number of circumstances, such as soil tilling, which causes the soil to shift downward on the hillside, creating a “bench” effect as soil is deposited from up the hill down toward the area under vine. In this fashion the downhill side of the vine row may become closer to the ground. Since it is desirable to maintain contact with the cordon on the side of the vine row being harvested, this unpredictable and ever-changing cordon height presents a problem for picking mechanisms which are not adjustable in height over the ground surface. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention herein relates to a crop picking head assembly for mounting in a crop harvester framework that is configured to travel along an extended row of plant foliage for the purpose of dislodging a crop growing along the length of the row. The picking head has an oscillation generating head having an input drive member and an oscillation generating head support frame for mounting the oscillation generating head for providing rotational oscillation in a substantially vertical plane. A pair of fixed length laterally spaced arms are each mounted to the crop harvester framework at an upper end and are pivotally attached to the support frame at a lower end. A pair of variable length laterally spaced arms are each mounted to the crop harvester framework at an upper end and are pivotally attached to the support frame at a lower end. Crop contact means is mounted on the oscillation generating head in position to approach the plant foliage from beneath. A drive motor is mounted on the support frame, having a motor output in engagement with the oscillation generating head input drive member, and providing oscillation generating head net rotation that urges the crop contact means into the crop foliage. A stop member is provided on the support frame for limiting the net rotation of the oscillation generating head in the substantially vertical plane. 
   A crop picking head assembly is configured for mounting in a crop harvester framework that is in turn configured to travel along an extended row of plant foliage supported on cordons for the purpose of dislodging a crop growing along the row. The picking head assembly includes an oscillation generating head having a centrally located input drive member and an oscillation generating head support frame for mounting the oscillation generating head for rotation in a substantially vertical plane. A pair of fixed length laterally spaced arms are each mounted to the crop harvester framework at an upper end and are pivotally attached to the support frame at a lower end. A pair of variable length laterally spaced arms are each mounted to the crop harvester framework at an upper end and are pivotally attached to the support frame at a lower end. Crop contact means is mounted on the oscillation generating head in position to approach the cordons from beneath and to contact the cordons during oscillation. A drive motor is mounted on the support frame having a motor output in engagement with the oscillation generating head input drive member and providing oscillation generating head net rotation urging the crop contact means into the crop foliage. Stop means is mounted on the support frame for limiting the net rotation of the oscillation generating head in the substantially vertical plane. 
   The invention relates to a harvester for crops grown on plant foliage in an extended row and supported on cordons along the row. The harvester includes a harvester framework having a longitudinal centerline. Means is provided for supporting the harvester framework and for contacting and allowing harvester framework movement along the centerline over an underlying surface. Power means is coupled to the means for supporting for moving the harvester framework over the underlying surface. A crop picking head is mounted on the harvester framework on one side of the centerline so that the picking head is positionable on one side of the extended row and below the cordons. The crop picking head includes an oscillation generating head having an input drive member. An oscillation generating head support frame for mounting the oscillation generating head for rotational oscillation in a substantially vertical plane is also provided. A pair of fixed length laterally spaced arms are each mounted to the crop harvester framework at an upper end and are pivotally attached to the support frame at a lower end. A pair of variable length laterally spaced arms are each mounted to the crop harvester framework at an upper end and are pivotally attached to the support frame at a lower end. Crop contact means is mounted on the oscillation generating head in position to approach the plant foliage from beneath. A drive motor is connected to the power means mounted on the support frame. The drive motor has a motor output in engagement with the oscillation generating head drive member to thereby provide head oscillation as well as net rotation of the oscillation generating head that urges the crop contact means into the crop foliage. Stop means is also provided and mounted on the support frame for limiting the net rotation of the oscillation generating head in the substantially vertical plane. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective of a harvester framework carrying the shaker head of the present invention and configured to travel along the length of a vine row. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective of a “V” shaped cordon supported vine trellis. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective of a straight cross arm cordon supported vine trellis. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective of a head support frame and a pair of spaced forward and a pair of spaced rear support arms in the present invention. 
       FIG. 5A  is a perspective from one side of the shaker head of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5B  is a perspective taken from an opposite side of the shaker head of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective of one embodiment of an array of straight crop contacting rods for use in harvesting from vines supported by the cordon system of FIG.  3 . 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective of a straight harvesting rod assembly for use in harvesting vines supported by the cordon system of FIG.  2 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective showing the relationship between the harvesting head of the present invention and the cordon system of FIG.  3 . 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective showing the relationship between the harvesting head of the present invention and a cordon system constructed in accordance with FIG.  2 . 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective detail of the inside support bearing of the oscillation generating head of the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective of an alternate configuration of the crop contact rods. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A harvester framework  16  is shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings, wherein a set of four supporting wheels  17  are attached to the harvester frame. The harvester framework  16  has a longitudinal axis extending in the direction of the arrow  18  in FIG.  1  and also indicating the forward direction of travel for the harvester framework when the wheels  17  are powered by a power source (not shown). A shaker head assembly  19  is shown suspended from an upper portion of the framework  16  and located to the near side in  FIG. 1  of the framework longitudinal centerline. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the shaker head assembly  19  is suspended from the harvester framework  16  by two rear fixed length arms  21  and  22  with upper plates  21   a  and  22   a  attached thereto. The plates  21   a  and  22   a  have holes  21   b  and  22   b  respectively therein, that accept fasteners (not shown) to hang the arms  21  and  22  from the framework  16 . The lower ends of the fixed length arms  21  and  22  have lower plates  21   c  and  22   c  attached thereto with aligned holes therein as shown. A shaker head support frame  23  has forward extending arms  23   a  and  23   b  and a connecting cross arm  23   c . Pivoting supports  23   d  and  23   e  are attached to the rearward ends of the forward extending arms  23   a  and  23   b , respectively, having holes therein in alignment with the holes in the lower plates  21   c  and  22   c . The axis  24  seen in  FIG. 4  represents rotation axis of the head support frame  23  on the lower ends of the arms  21  and  22 . Axis  24  extends through aligned holes in lower plates  21   c  and  22   c  and pivot supports  23   d  and  23   e . The fasteners that extend through the mating holes in  21   c  and  23   d  and in the mating holes in  22   c  and  23   e  are left out of  FIG. 4  for clarity. When assembled, the head support frame  23  is allowed to pivot rotationally about the axis  24  shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 4  also shows a pair of front variable length arms  26  and  27  that are laterally spaced in a fashion similar to that for rear support arms  21  and  22 . The front arms are hydraulic devices in the preferred embodiment, having a cylinder portion  26   a  and  27   a  and a piston actuated rod portion  26   b  and  27   b , as seen in FIG.  4 . Front arm  26  has an upper bracket  26   c  attached thereto with a hole  26   d  for accepting a fastener to connect the upper end of arm  26  to the framework  16 . In like fashion, the front arm  27  has a bracket  27   c  attached to the upper end thereof with a hole  27   d  for accepting a fastener to attach the upper end of arm  27  to the framework  16 . The lower end of piston rod  26   b  has a bracket  26   e  attached thereto having a hole  26   f  therein. A member  28  is attached to the arm  23   a  on the head support frame and has a hole therein in registration with the hole  26   f . A fastener is inserted through the hole  26   f  and the hole in registration therewith in the member  28  to pivotally attach the lower end of forward variable length arm  26  to the head support frame  23 . Thus, pivotal movement between the lower end of arm  26  and head support frame arm  23   a  is allowed. In similar fashion, as seen in  FIG. 4 , the head support frame arm  23   b  has a member  29  attached thereto. The lower end of the piston rod  27   b  of arm  27  has a bracket  27   e  attached thereto with a hole  27   f  therein. The hole  27   f  is in registration with a hole in the member  29 , so that a fastener passed through the registered holes will allow pivotal motion between the lower end of the arm  27  and the head support frame arm  23   b . The head support frame is therefore pivotable about an axis  30  relative to the lower ends of support arms  26  and  27 . 
   As also shown in  FIG. 4 , there is a flange  31  formed on the end of head support arm  23   a  as well as a flange  32  formed on the end of the head support frame arm  23   b . Flange  31  is provided to attach to an outside oscillation generating head bearing  33 . Flange  32  is configured to receive an inside oscillation generating head support bearing to be described hereinafter in conjunction with FIG.  10 . Also seen in  FIG. 4  is a shock absorber  34  which serves as a stop for net rotation of the shaker head  19  as will be hereinafter described. 
   It should be noted that the picking head assembly  19  is herein described as having the variable length arms positioned toward the front of the picking head assembly relative to the travel of the harvester frame. The fixed length arms may as well be positioned toward the front of the direction of travel and the head would function for the intended purpose. The only requirement for a reversal of the fixed length and variable length arms in the orientation of the picking head  19  is that the array of crop contact means (to be hereinafter described) must be positioned on the inside of the picking head as it is mounted on the harvester frame  16  and that the crop contact means extend upwardly and rearwardly relative to the travel of the harvester framework. 
     FIG. 5A  is a perspective of the crop picking head assembly of the present invention from the outside of the head assembly, with the outside oscillation generating head bearing assembly  33  ( FIG. 4 ) removed from flange  31  for clarity. A known oscillation generating assembly such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,062, Scudder,  FIG. 16 , is mounted in the outside support bearing  33  for rotation about an axis  37  that is substantially through the center of mass of the oscillation generating head  36 . An input shaft for the oscillation generating head  36  is shown at  38  in FIG.  5 A. Input shaft  38  for the head  36  is positioned along the axis  37 . A motor  39  is shown in  FIG. 5A  having an output shaft  41  that is coupled to the oscillation generating head input shaft  38 . The motor  39  is shown displaced from the input shaft  38  in  FIG. 5A  for clarity. The rotation of motor  39  is such as to provide a net rotation of the oscillation generating head  36  in the direction of the arrow  42 . It should be noted in  FIG. 5A  that an array of picking rods shown generally at  43  is mounted on the inside of the oscillation generating head, extending upwardly and rearwardly of the direction of travel of the harvester framework indicated by the arrow  44 . Pivot axis  30  is shown in the figure, whereby the oscillation generating head  36  is capable of being raised or lowered by retraction and extension, respectively of the variable length arms  26  and  27 . Net rotation of the oscillation generating head  36  is stopped by the shock absorber  34  and it is seen that such net rotation will bring the ends of the array of picking rods  43  upward as seen in FIG.  5 A. Actuation of the variable length arms  26  and  27  causes the head support frame  23  to pivot about the axis  24  to assume a position in height such that the array of picking rods (or the crop contact array)  43  engages the cross arms  11  and  14  of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , respectively. A configuration of the crop contact array is different for the cordon  11  and the cordon  14  as will hereinafter be described. 
   The crop shaker or picking head assembly  19  is shown again in  FIG. 5B  as seen from a direction opposite to that of the view of FIG.  5 A. The forward travel direction when the picking head is mounted in a harvester framework  16  is shown by the arrow  44  and the net rotation of the oscillation generating head  36  is shown by the arrow  42  in FIG.  5 B. The shock absorber  34  providing a stop for the sense of net rotation indicated by arrow  42  is omitted in  FIG. 5B  for clarity. The array of picking rods  43  is more clearly depicted in  FIG. 5B , wherein rods  45  are shown extending upwardly and rearwardly (relative to arrow  44 ) from a plurality of rod holders  46  which are supported on a rod holder extension  47 . 
   With reference now to  FIG. 10  of the drawings, an inside oscillation generating head support bearing  48  is shown, which is omitted from  FIG. 5B  for clarity. The support bearing  48  is attached to the flange  32  on the head support frame arm  23   b  by means of fasteners such as bolts  49 , seen in FIG.  10 . It should be recognized that outside oscillation generating head support bearing  33  ( FIG. 4 ) is attached to flange  31  on head support frame arm  23   a  in a similar fashion. A plate  51  is seen in  FIG. 10  having a plurality of holes  52  around the periphery thereof. The holes  52  are arranged in a circular pattern so that the plate  51 , which has a somewhat oblong shape, may be mounted on the oscillation generating head  36  container in various rotational positions about central axis  37  of the oscillation generating head. The stub shaft  47 , or rod holder extension, is seen in  FIG. 5  to extend in a parallel direction to the central axis  37 , but displaced therefrom by about 6 inches. It may be seen with reference to  FIG. 5B  that the displacement provides a slight off-balance for the head  36 , wherein the slight off-balance aids the net rotation indicated by arrow  42 . Since the head  19  in operation is placed below and to one side of a centerline of a crop row supported by the cordons of  FIG. 2  or  3 , the net rotation arrow  42  is aided by the unbalance due to the offset of the rod holder extension  47  and therefore urges the tips of the crop contact rods  45  into the overlying vine foliage. The cross arms or cordons  11  and  14  provide a ceiling for the free ends of the crop contact rods  45  so that the contact tips will remain within the foliage to thereby shake the fruit therefrom. Since the rotation indicated by arrow  42  of the oscillation generating head induced by the motor  39  would proceed unchecked if allowed, the rotation is stopped by contact with the shock absorber  34  (FIG.  5 A). Any convenient means could be used to provide a stop for the aided rotation in the direction of arrow  42 . It may be seen in  FIG. 5B  that the tips of the contact rods  45  may be raised or lowered by adjustment of the variable length arms  26  and  27 , wherein such head height adjustment is in the region of plus or minus 10 inches in a preferred embodiment. It should also be noted that the tips of the contact rods  45  are varied in height by contact with a ceiling provided by the cordons as the rods are urged into the ceiling through an angle of about 40-50′, while the net rotation indicated by arrow  42  and aided by the unbalance due to the positioning of the rod holder extension  47 , urges the contact rod tips upward, the net rotation and unbalance forces are readily overcome by the contact between the rods and the cordons supporting the vines. In this fashion an automatic adjustment of the position of the contact rods  45  is realized as the cordon heights vary over the length of a vine row. The contact rods are pushed into the foliage until the net rotation and unbalance torque is overcome by the resistance of the vines and the cordons. 
   It should be emphasized that the unbalance described aids the net rotation to provide quicker response to positioning of the contact rods within the foliage if the rods are ever forced away from the foliage by contact, for example, with a cordon as the harvester frame moves down a vine row. The adjustable arms  26  and  27  provide about a twenty inch vertical range of adjustment of the oscillating head. The net rotation and aiding off-balance provided by the offset of the rod holder extension  47  provides about 45 degrees of rod rotation prior to contact between the oscillation generating head  36  and the shock absorber  34 . These features individually or in concert contribute to the automatic adjustment of the contact rod entry into the vine foliage. 
   With reference now to  FIG. 6  of the drawings, crop contact array  43  is shown, wherein a plurality of fiberglass rods  45  are held in rod holders  46  attached to the rod holder extension  47 . The rods, when assembled in the crop picking head assembly  19 , extend upwardly and rearwardly as previously explained in conjunction with the description of FIG.  5 B. The array of  FIG. 6  is used in picking heads performing picking along vine rows supported by straight cordons and associated structure as described for FIG.  3 . The crop contact array  43  shown in  FIG. 7  also includes straight fiberglass rods  45  held by rod holders  46  and supported on the rod holder extension  47 , but the angle of departure of the rods from the extension  47  is such that the inside rod of the rod array represented by rod  45   a  varies rotationally progressing to the outside of the rod array represented by rod  45   b . The crop contact array of  FIG. 7  is used when the vine row is supported by the “V” shaped cordons  11  and associated structure, as seen in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 8  shows the oscillation generating head  36  without the supporting framework of  FIG. 4 , to clearly demonstrate the positional relationships between the crop contact rods  45  and the vine supporting row structure including the straight cordons  14  of FIG.  3 . It should be noted in  FIG. 8  that the crop contacting rods  45  are angled in the rod holder extension  47  so that the tips thereof diverge from the oscillation generating head  36 . Thus, the rods are angled toward the centerline of the row of vines supported by the straight cordons  14 , and the wires  13 , which is approximately the centerline of the crop harvester framework  16  when the crop harvester is driven over the row in the direction of arrow  44  in  FIG. 8  during the harvesting process. The rods  45  in contact rod array  43  are urged upwardly by the net rotation indicated by arrow  42  as well as the unbalance imparted about the axis  37  of  FIG. 8  by the offset positioning of the rod holder extension  47 . 
   Turning now to  FIG. 9 , the “V” shaped cordon  11  is shown supported on the post  12 . In such a case, the contact rod assembly  43  takes the form of that shown in FIG.  7 . The oscillation generating head  36  carries the rod holder extension  47  on which the contact rods  45  are mounted by rod holders  46  in a fashion so that the rod tips diverge from the oscillating head  36  and approach the centerline of the cordon supported vine row. Inside rod  45   a  is shown in  FIG. 9  closest to the centerline of the vine row and also closest to the centerline of the harvester framework  16  driven down the row in the direction of the arrow  44 . Note that the contact rods  45  in  FIG. 9  assume positions relative to the adjacent arm of the “V” shaped cordon  11 , wherein the tips of the rods are at similar distances from the arm. As in  FIG. 8 , the rods  45  diverge from the oscillation generating head  36  and converge with the centerline of the vine row and subsequently the centerline of the harvester framework  16  that travels along the vine row in the direction of the arrow  44 . 
     FIG. 11  shows an alternative form of a contact rod, wherein a rod  53  has two legs  53   b  extending in parallel relationship with a loop end  53   a  joining the free ends of the extending parallel legs. An appropriate fixture for securing the rod ends at the root end of the looped rods is provided to also secure the root end of the rods  53  to the rod holder extension  47  in a variety of configurations such as those described in conjunction with the straight single contact rods  45 . 
   Referring again to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, a second crop picking head assembly  19   a  is partially shown mounted on the opposite side of the longitudinal centerline of the harvester framework  16  and displaced longitudinally along the harvester framework from the crop picking head  19 . The ends of an array  43   a  of crop contact rods ate also partially shown in  FIG. 1  to contact the cordon supported vines on the side of the row opposite from the row engaged by the crop contact rod array  43 . While the longitudinal displacement between the picking heads  19  and  19   a  may not always be necessary, such displacement may afford less damage to the cordon supported vines by longitudinally displacing upward forces exerted on the vines during harvesting. The head  19   a  is a mirror image of the picking head  19 , and the descriptions given heretofore for the picking head  19  apply in like fashion to the head  19   a.    
   Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been shown and described herein, it will be understood that modification and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention.