Abstract:
A fruit trailer is for a fruit harvesting system including a fruit collector including a vehicle and at least one collector conveyor carried thereby for collecting fruit shaken from a tree, and a fruit removal vehicle intermittently brought to the fruit trailer for receiving fruit therefrom. The fruit trailer may be towed by the fruit collector for receiving and temporarily holding fruit therefrom. The fruit trailer may include a fruit container for receiving fruit from the fruit collector, and a trailer conveyor within the fruit container for conveying fruit therefrom to the fruit removal vehicle. The fruit container may be translatable between a first position adjacent the fruit collector and a second position spaced from the fruit collector. The fruit container may be pivotable when in the second position to an inclined orientation so that fruit is gravitationally fed onto the at least one trailer conveyor.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to fruit harvesting equipment, and, more particularly, to a fruit trailer for temporarily holding fruit during harvesting and associated methods.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Citrus fruit, such as oranges, for example, is commonly harvested from citrus groves using manual picking and collection techniques. Of course, more automated approaches have also been developed in an attempt to lower harvesting costs. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,469,695 and 5,513,484, both to Zehavi et al., disclose a harvesting system based upon so-called shake and catch technology. A shaker vehicle carries a shaker head to engage and vibrate a tree trunk to dislodge the fruit therefrom. The shaker head is carried by an extensible boom which can retract and extend the shaker head. In the extended position, the jaws of the shaker head engage the tree trunk and a hydraulically driven vibrator shakes the tree trunk. The shaker head can be retracted by the extensible boom for advancing to the next tree.  
           [0003]    A fruit deflector is carried by the shaker vehicle and collects a portion of the fruit. A fruit collector vehicle is positioned along an opposite side of the tree. The fruit collector typically includes one or more fruit conveyors to catch the portion of the fruit falling thereon, as well as to receive fruit from the fruit deflector of the shaker vehicle.  
           [0004]    The collected fruit is conveyed by the fruit collector vehicle to be temporarily held in a fruit trailer typically towed behind the fruit collector vehicle. The shaker vehicle and fruit collector vehicle are each advanced to a next tree for harvesting. Once filled, the fruit trailer is movable to a raised height and a door opened to thereby empty its contents into a fruit removal vehicle. The fruit removal vehicle is intermittently brought adjacent the fruit trailer to receive the fruit therefrom and transport the fruit to a collection area.  
           [0005]    Of significant interest in the automated harvesting technology are efficiency of fruit collection, speed of collection, and, of course, cost and reliability of the various pieces of harvesting and collection equipment. Efficiency of fruit collection relates not only to the percentage of fruit shaken from the tree and collected, but also to how much fruit may be lost by damage in subsequent handling.  
           [0006]    It is also typically important that the fruit collector efficiently collect fruit for discharge into the fruit trailer. A typical fruit collector, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,484 to Zehavi et al., includes an inclined collection conveyor and an intermediate conveyor adjacent the upper end of the inclined conveyor for conveying fruit to the rear of the vehicle. At this location, another conventional inclined conveyor extends outwardly from the back end of the vehicle. The back conveyor has a lower end and an upper end and an exterior conveyor surface extending therebetween. The collection efficiency of such an arrangement may be relatively good. Unfortunately, this arrangement of conveyors results in a relatively long apparatus that may be difficult to maneuver in the tight confines of a typical citrus grove, for example. It is also typically a challenge to process a large quantity of fruit and while preventing the accumulation of debris which could reduce harvesting efficiency.  
           [0007]    The fruit trailer is also desirably relatively large yet readily operable to discharge fruit into vehicle which is periodically brought up to the trailer. Damage to the fruit during this operation is also desirably avoided. U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,484 discloses a fruit trailer which includes a container portion which is vertically lifted for periodically discharging the fruit. This container lifting arrangement may be relatively complicated and some fruit may be subject to damage during the discharge.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a fruit harvesting system including a fruit trailer which operates efficiently, with reduced likelihood of damage to the fruit.  
           [0009]    This and other objects, features, and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a fruit trailer for a fruit harvesting system including a fruit collector comprising a vehicle and at least one collector conveyor carried thereby for collecting fruit shaken from a tree, and a fruit removal vehicle intermittently brought to the fruit trailer for receiving fruit therefrom. More particularly, the fruit trailer may be towed by the fruit collector for receiving and temporarily holding fruit therefrom. The fruit trailer in some embodiments may comprise a fruit container for receiving fruit from the fruit collector, and at least one trailer conveyor within the fruit container for conveying fruit therefrom to the fruit removal vehicle. The fruit container may be translatable between a first position adjacent the fruit collector and a second position spaced from the fruit collector. In addition, the fruit container may be pivotable when in the second position to an inclined orientation wherein fruit is gravitationally fed onto the at least one trailer conveyor. Accordingly, the fruit can be temporarily held and efficiently emptied to the removal vehicle, and with reduced likelihood of damage to the fruit.  
           [0010]    The fruit trailer may include a translation actuator for translating the fruit container, and a pivot actuator for pivoting the fruit container. For example, each actuator may comprise a hydraulic actuator, such as a bi-directional piston and cylinder.  
           [0011]    The fruit container may comprise a bottom wall, a pair of opposing side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and a front end wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall adjacent the fruit collector. Moreover, the at least one trailer conveyor may be positioned to define a back end wall for the fruit container. The back end wall may extend upwardly greater than a height of the front end wall when in the level orientation.  
           [0012]    The fruit trailer may also include a pivotable trailer spout adjacent an upper end of the back end wall. This spout can be extended outward to aid in the emptying of the fruit to the removal vehicle. The fruit trailer may also include at least one pair of wheels adjacent the fruit container.  
           [0013]    In accordance with another advantage of the invention, the fruit trailer may include at least one baffle adjacent the at least one trailer conveyor to partly relieve a weight of fruit thereon. The at least one conveyor may comprise a conveyor belt with ribs extending outwardly therefrom. The fruit container may be mounted on at least one of wheels and tracks, for example.  
           [0014]    A method aspect of the invention is for temporarily holding fruit from a fruit collector, and intermittently emptying fruit to a fruit removal vehicle. The method may include towing a fruit trailer with the fruit collector, the fruit trailer comprising a fruit container and at least one trailer conveyor within the fruit container. The method may also include receiving fruit from the fruit collector into the fruit container to temporarily hold the fruit, and intermittently operating the at least one fruit conveyor for emptying fruit from the fruit container to the fruit removal vehicle.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a schematic front elevation view of the harvester system in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a portion of the boom and fruit deflector of the harvester as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the fruit collector apparatus of the harvester system as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevational view of a portion of the fruit collection apparatus as shown in FIG. 3 illustrating separation and removal of debris from the fruit.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fruit collector apparatus, fruit trailer, and fruit removal vehicle of the fruit harvester system as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the fruit trailer as shown in FIG. 11.  
         [0021]    FIGS.  7 - 9  are side elevational views of the fruit trailer as shown in FIG. 6 during various phases of use. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.  
         [0023]    Referring initially to FIG. 1, a fruit harvesting system  30  according to the invention is described. The fruit harvesting system  30  illustratively comprises a fruit harvester  31 , which, in turn, comprises a shaker vehicle  32 , a boom assembly  33  carried by the shaker vehicle, a shaker head  36  carried by the boom assembly, and a fruit deflector  38  carried by the boom assembly. The fruit harvester system  30  also comprises, as shown in the righthand portion of FIG. 1, a fruit collection apparatus  40 . The fruit collection apparatus  40 , in turn, comprises a collector vehicle  42  and a fruit collector  44  carried by the collector vehicle.  
         [0024]    The fruit harvester  31  and the fruit collection apparatus  40  of the fruit harvesting system  30  operate cooperatively with one another in accordance with the principles of shake and catch technology as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. With the shaker vehicle  32  positioned adjacent a particular tree  46 , the boom assembly  33  carried by the vehicle readily and accurately positions the boom  34  and thus shaker head  36  with respect to the tree. So positioned, the shaker head  36  is operated to grasp and vibrate the trunk  48  of the tree  46 . As the tree  46  vibrates, fruit falls from the tree and is deflected by the fruit deflector  38  so that the fruit collection apparatus  40  is able to collect the fruit. The fruit collection apparatus  40  includes a movable seal  59  that is positioned to prevent fruit from falling between the two collection surfaces as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.  
         [0025]    The boom  34  may be a telescoping boom that includes a proximal boom section  56  and a distal boom section  58 . The distal boom section  58  slidably moves within the proximal boom section  56  to thereby increase and decrease the length of the boom  34  accordingly, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. The boom assembly  33  further includes a boom extension/retraction actuator  60  connected between the proximal and distal boom sections  56 ,  58 . The extension/retraction actuator  60  illustratively comprises a hydraulic cylinder  62  and can be selectively operated from a hydraulic power unit (not shown) of the vehicle  32 . As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, however, various other arrangements are also contemplated by the present invention to extend and retract the telescoping boom  34 .  
         [0026]    The shaker head  36  is illustratively connected to the distal end  54  of the boom  34 . The shaker head  36  may comprise a vibration unit and jaws connected thereto to grasp and hold a tree trunk while the vibration unit shakes the tree so that fruit is dislodged from the branches of the tree.  
         [0027]    The shaker vehicle  32  illustratively comprises a chassis  162 , an engine  164  carried by the chassis, and a pair of tracks  166  carried by the chassis and driven by the engine. The shaker vehicle  32  may be based upon an ASV 4810 Posi-Track all-purpose crawler, for example, although those of skill in the art will recognize that other similar vehicles may also be used. For better balance the track opposite the shaker head  36  may be extended outwardly from the vehicle chassis. In addition, or in the alternative, counterweights may also be carried by this opposite side of the vehicle  32 .  
         [0028]    Referring now additionally to FIG. 2, the fruit deflector  38  is pivotally connected to the boom  34  so that the fruit deflector can be positioned either in an operating position or in a retracted position. In the operating position, the fruit deflector  38  is pivoted so that the lower portion of the fruit deflector is adjacent the shaker head  36 . The fruit deflector  38 , in the retracted position, is pivoted upward so that the lower portion extends upward and away from the shaker head. With the fruit deflector  38  in the retracted position, one may gain ready access to the shaker head  36  to thereby service or replace portions thereof.  
         [0029]    More particularly, the fruit harvester  30  illustratively includes a fruit deflector mounting bracket  116  positioned on the distal section  58  of the boom  34  to pivotally connect the fruit deflector  38  to the boom. Additionally, the fruit harvester  30  comprises a locking mechanism that cooperates with the fruit deflector mounting bracket  116  and the boom  34 . The locking mechanism serves to lock the fruit deflector  38  in at least one of the operating and retracted positions. The locking mechanism, more specifically, includes respective aligned passageways  118  extending into the boom  34  and the fruit deflector mounting bracket  116  along with a removable lock pin (not shown) to be received in the aligned passageways. With the locking pin removed, the boom extension/retraction actuator  60  may pivotally move the fruit deflector mounting bracket  116  thereby moving the fruit deflector  38 .  
         [0030]    A second passageway  119  in the mounting bracket may receive the locking pin when the retracted position to hold the fruit deflector  38  in the retracted position. Of course, other locking arrangements are also contemplated by the present invention as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.  
         [0031]    With reference now to FIGS.  3 - 5 , the fruit collection apparatus  40  for collecting fruit comprises a collector vehicle  120  and a fruit collector  122  carried by the vehicle. The fruit collector  122  illustratively includes three cooperating conveyors, namely, a first conveyor  124 , a second conveyor  126 , and a third conveyor  128 . The first conveyor  124  may also be considered and is also referred to herein as a collection conveyor. The second conveyor  126  may be considered an intermediate conveyor, and the third conveyor  126  may be considered a lifting conveyor.  
         [0032]    The first conveyor  124  has opposing first  130  and second  132  ends as well as an exterior conveyor surface  134  extending therebetween. The first conveyor  124  collects fruit as the fruit is shaken from the tree. Specifically, the fruit deflector  38  deflects fruit to the first conveyor and the first conveyor directly collects a portion of the dislodged fruit. The exterior conveyor surface of the first conveyor  124  is inclined such that the first end is lower than the second end, the ends thus defining respectively lower and upper ends of the first conveyor. Fruit is conveyed by the exterior conveyor surface  134  to the second conveyor  126 .  
         [0033]    This first or collection conveyor  124  may also be connected to the vehicle  120  via an extensible actuator, not shown, to permit more accurate positioning. In addition, the collection conveyor  124  may also be angularly positionable in yet other embodiments with suitable positioners and mounting arrangements. Yet further, the entire fruit collector  122  may be pivotally connected at one end of the vehicle  120  and releasably connected at the other end to permit the fruit collector to be swung away from the vehicle, such as to permit track maintenance, for example.  
         [0034]    The second conveyor  126  of the fruit collector  122  has opposing first and second ends  136 ,  138  and an exterior conveyor surface  140  extending therebetween for receiving fruit from the first conveyor. The fruit is advanced to the second end  138  of the second conveyor  126 .  
         [0035]    The third conveyor  128  has lower and upper ends  142 ,  144  and an interior conveyor surface  146  extending therebetween. Fruit is picked up from the second end  138  of the second conveyor  126  by the interior conveyor surface  146  of the third conveyor  128 , which lifts the fruit upward to the upper end  144  of the third conveyor  128 . Thus, the third conveyor  128  provides, in combination with the first and second conveyors  124 ,  126 , a very compact, yet efficient arrangement of conveyors for collecting fruit after it has been shaken from a tree.  
         [0036]    In other embodiments, the third or lifting conveyor  128  may be used directly with the first or collection conveyor  124  without the intermediate conveyor  126 . In this embodiment, the lifting conveyor  128  is relatively large and extends along the full length of the first or collection conveyor  124  as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.  
         [0037]    The fruit collector  122  is illustratively positioned so that the first conveyor  124  extends outwardly from a side of the collector vehicle  120 . In addition, the second conveyor  126  extends in a horizontal direction parallel to the same side of the collector vehicle  120  between the vehicle and the first conveyor  124 . The third conveyor  128  is positioned adjacent an end of the collector vehicle  120 , such as the back end, for example.  
         [0038]    More particularly, the lower end  142  of the third conveyor  128  surrounds the second end  138  of the second conveyor  126 . The fruit collector  122  also includes a pair of rotating trash removal brushes  148   a ,  148   b  adjacent the lower end  142  of the third conveyor  128  to direct fruit downward onto the lower end of the third conveyor while directing trash outwardly therefrom as perhaps best appreciated with reference to FIG. 11B. The brushes  148   a ,  148   b  may each rotate in the same direction. The fruit collector  122  also comprises a discharge chute  150  within the upper end  144  of the third conveyor  128 . A guide roll or drum  152  is provided adjacent the upper end  144  of the third conveyor  128  for directing fruit from the interior conveyor surface  146  into the discharge chute  150 . The third conveyor  128  may be formed as an open slat conveyor to thereby also permit trash to pass therethrough as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.  
         [0039]    The third or lifting conveyor  128  raises fruit from the intermediate conveyor  126  to the chute  150  that transfers the fruit to the trailer  154 . Mounted tangentially to the second conveyor  126 , the third conveyor  128  reduces the distance which would otherwise be required between the trailer  154  and the collector vehicle  120  while enabling the fruit to be raised sufficiently high to gravity discharge into the trailer. The third or lifting conveyor  128  is able to elevate the fruit at a much greater angle than other approaches and while significantly reducing the needed length.  
         [0040]    The lifting conveyor  128  in some embodiments may include a positive drive turning two or more cogged belts with tangentially mounted cleats and flat bars, one drive, and three or more driven drums, not shown. The conveyor  128  may also include two side plates of sufficient size to be greater than the height to of the cleats. Unlike typical cleated belts, the lifting conveyor  128  may incorporate cleats with their upper extensions positioned toward the drive and/or driven shafts rather than away from the shafts, making the cleats on the inside portion of the belt. Mounted in parallel with the cleats, flat bars provide support for the fruit and contain the fruit within the conveyor  128 . Equally and sufficiently spaced, the cleats and flat bars, allow denser unwanted material such as stones or immature fruit to fall free and clear of the conveyor as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In other words, this arrangement allows unwanted material to fall freely from the conveyor  128  without being trapped as would otherwise occur with conventional conveyors.  
         [0041]    With a shaft smaller than the drive wheels mounted onto the shaft, the belt  146  is positioned sufficiently far enough away from the outer surface of the drum  152  to allow passage of the cleat over the drum with sufficient distance to clear, while not allowing fruit held within the cleat and flat bars to be smashed against the drum. Fruit is carried by forward motion of the belt and cleat around and over and around the drive drum  152  at which point gravity overcomes this motion and allows the fruit to drop onto the chute  150  positioned adjacent the drive drum  152  and under the belt  146  at a sufficient angle to discharge the fruit. Fruit contacting the discharge chute  150  is removed by both gravity and the inertia of the moving fruit. While the chute  150  in this embodiment is constructed to discharge the fruit in the same direction of movement as the fruit entering the lift conveyor  128 , the arrangement is also capable of diverting fruit in the opposite direction.  
         [0042]    Referring more specifically to FIG. 4, prior to entering the lifting conveyor  128 , fruit from the second conveyor surface or belt  140  enters the combination of two or more brushes  148   a ,  148   b  as described above. Bristles on the brushes  148   a ,  148   b  allow denser material to fall between the brush shaft and the discharge of the discharge end  138  of the second conveyor  126 . Limbs, leaves and other undesirable material either too light to penetrate the bristles or too long to drop between the first brush  148   a  and the discharge end  138  of the conveyor  126  are passed to an additional adjacent brush  148   b . This brush  148   b , also rotating in the direction of the fruit and unwanted material, enables fruit, which might have been carried over from the first brush  148   a  due to excessive feeding, to fall into the third conveyor lower end  142  beneath the brushes.  
         [0043]    Designed to interact with the first brush  148   a , the bristles of the second brush  148   b  are of sufficient strength to keep lighter material from falling between the first and second brushes thus keeping the unwanted material out of the third conveyor lower end  142  below and continuing in a direction that takes the unwanted material out of the conveying system. A third brush, not shown, may be used where the width of the third conveyor lower end  142  is such that two brushes  148   a ,  148   b  are not fully capable of preventing the waste from dropping back into the third conveyor. This brush is also added where the amount of fruit entering the third conveyor  128  is of such capacity as to carry over both the first and second brushes  148 , thus increasing the area in which the fruit may be dropped into the lifting conveyor lower end  142 .  
         [0044]    After passing through the area of the brushes  148   a ,  148   b , fruit is deposited onto the lower end  142  beneath the brushes moving tangentially to the flow of fruit entering the brush area. Traveling at a speed sufficient to remove the fruit prior to overloading this conveyor  128 , the belt  146  is transferred from a horizontal plane to a vertical angle intended to raise the fruit in a vertical manner. Using a driven shaft whose drums are designed to maintain a distance sufficient to allow the fruit to pass around the shaft, the belt motion lifts the fruit using the cleats mounted to the belt as a support. When the slope of the belt is such that fruit may roll back, a panel is used to contain the fruit. The panel, typically belting material, can be supported by the side plates thus providing a gap sufficient to contain fruit, but not applying continuous pressure to the fruit as it is raised up the third conveyor  128 .  
         [0045]    Design of the side plates is such that the fruit is prevented from moving to the portion of the belt  146  which is in contact with the drums of both the drive and driven shafts. This enables the drums to make contact with the belt  146  in such a manner as to provide either rotary motion or spacing depending if the drum is mounted to the drive or driven shaft.  
         [0046]    The drive shaft of the lifting or third conveyor  128  is powered typically by a hydraulic motor sized to provide sufficient torque and speed to move the fruit. The brushes  148   a ,  148   b  may either be driven independently, be driven by the lifting conveyor  128 , or be driven by the second feeding conveyor  126  by either a chain and sprocket or other means of transferring motion between conveyors shafts. In some embodiments, the brushes  148   a ,  148   b  are linked by a chain so as to rotate at the same speed, and are driven by another chain and set of sprockets powered by the second conveyor&#39;s driven shaft.  
         [0047]    Referring now additionally to FIGS.  6 - 9 , the harvesting system  30  also includes a fruit trailer  154 . The fruit trailer  154  is movable with the collector vehicle  120  and can be positioned at the end of the collector vehicle  120  adjacent the third conveyor  128  to receive fruit from the discharge chute  150  of the third conveyor. Having collected the fruit, the fruit collection trailer  154 , as explained in greater detail below, periodically loads the fruit to a removal vehicle  174  that can carry the fruit to a harvest collection site. As also explained in greater detail below, the fruit collection trailer  154  is configured to collect a relatively large quantity of fruit. The fruit collection trailer  154  comprises an inclined conveyor  168  that loads the fruit into the removal vehicle without significant risk of bruising or damage to the skin of the fruit.  
         [0048]    Were the harvested fruit to be loaded via conventional methods and devices, such as a bucket conveyor, the fruit could be easily damaged by the mechanical digging of the bucket into the heap of fruit. However, when use is made of an inclined conveyor  168 , it is possible to take advantage of gravity to load the inclined conveyor, making the use of buckets superfluous. The inclined conveyor  168  comprises rims or ridges  170  on an endless belt  172 , as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Thus, ridges  170  satisfactorily replace conventional buckets in the loading process.  
         [0049]    Conveyors previously have not been practical for such use because they ordinarily require a large amount of space in which to operate. The fruit collection trailer  154 , however, overcomes the problem by stowing the conveyor vertically when it is not in use. When the conveyer  168  is in use, it is inclined by tilting the fruit collection trailer  154 , which in turn causes the fruit to move onto to the inclined conveyor to thereby unload fruit from the fruit collection trailer to a removal vehicle  174 .  
         [0050]    The fruit collection trailer  154  further comprises a fruit container  182  and a hitch  176  is provided on a front end for connection to the collector vehicle  120 . A pivoting spout  178  is provided at the rear of the fruit container  182 . The fruit container  182  is illustratively provided by a four-sided, bottomed box. The four side portions comprise a front wall  184 , a back wall  186 , and opposing side walls  188 ,  190  therebetween. The back wall  186  is about two and a half times as high as the opposite front wall  184  and the two opposite side walls  188 ,  190 . The side walls  188 ,  190  have a trapezoidal shape with a lower side as low as and coupled to the front wall  184 , and a higher side as high as and coupled to the back wall  186 . Each, however, is substantially perpendicular to the bottom portion  192 . The fruit container  182  is configured for minimal external dimensions and maximal internal fruit containment volume. Two wheels  194  are provided and restricted outside measurements prevent impediment of the trailer as it is maneuvered between rows of trees. In other embodiments, tracks may be substituted for the wheels  194  as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.  
         [0051]    The walls  184 ,  186 ,  188 ,  190  of the container  182  are straight and keep the added length of the harvester and of the trailer  154  within a practical length limit (e.g., 2.8 m), while providing enough containment for the collected fruit. As desired, one or more of the walls of the container  182  may be inclined relative to the bottom  192 . Usually, the container  182  is filled with fruit to a level below or up to the height of the front wall  184 . The width of the fruit collector trailer  154  may be, for example, about 1.8 m.  
         [0052]    After collecting fruit, the fruit trailer  154  is tilted backwards from the direction in which it is towed, thus pivoting about the two wheels  194 . The translation and tilting mechanisms are explained in detail below.  
         [0053]    With the fruit collection trailer  154  tilted backwards, the fruit in the box  182  tends to establish a new fruit level. To prevent loss of collected fruit the back wall  186  is made higher than the opposite front wall  184 . This is the reason why it is advantageous for the two opposite side walls  188 ,  190  to have a height ranging from the height of the front wall to the height of the back wall. The new fruit level, after tilting, now reaches to just below or up to the height of the back wall  186 .  
         [0054]    The whole width of the back wall  186  spanning between the two opposite sidewalls  188 ,  190 , is configured as a trailer-conveyor. In the collection configuration, when the fruit is conveyed into the fruit collection trailer  154 , the trailer, and, hence its conveyor  168 , are in a vertical position with respect to the surface on which the trailer is positioned. When the fruit collection trailer  154  is in the tilted position, however, the now inclined bottom portion  192  of the box  182  automatically loads the inclined conveyor  168  of the fruit collection trailer  154  by gravity.  
         [0055]    When the fruit collection trailer  154  and its conveyor  168  are in the tilted position, a removal vehicle  174 , such as a flatbed truck, is positioned under the tilted fruit collection trailer  154  and its conveyor  168  to load fruit into the removal vehicle to be transported to a harvest collection site. When loading is completed, the tilted fruit collection trailer  154  is redressed to level position, with the difference that the box  182  of the fruit collection trailer is now empty.  
         [0056]    Fruit collection beginning with the collection of fruit from the fruit harvester  31  through the loading of the removal vehicle  174  is cost-efficient for many reasons. For one thing, the fruit collection trailer  154  is highly maneuverable. For another, the volume of the fruit container  182  is large and does not impose frequent stops in the harvesting process for unloading. Moreover, the loading of a removal vehicle  174  such as a flatbed truck via a trailer-wide trailer having a conveyor is efficient so that the vehicle and the driver are not immobilized for long periods of time.  
         [0057]    In symmetry about the width of the fruit container  182 , but below the frame  196 , a bi-directional, telescopic trailer boom  198  is retained to protrude ahead of the front wall  184  in parallel to the bottom  192  of the container.  
         [0058]    The trailer boom  198  illustratively includes of two portions capable of relative longitudinally aligned translation. A first portion, extendable out and retractable into the boom  198 , is a freely suspended portion  200 , or piston, engaged with the second portion of the boom  204 , which is the outer portion, or cylinder. The boom  198  may have a circular, rectangular, or any practical cross-section, as will be readily understood by one skilled in the art.  
         [0059]    At the free end extremity  208  of the piston  200 , a female hitch coupling  210  is fixedly retained to couple with a male hitch coupling. The cylinder back extremity  206  which is the closed end of the cylinder  204  is below the bottom  192  of the container  182 , and is pivotally coupled to the bottom by a boom pivot  212 , located about a fourth of the length of the fruit collection trailer  154  behind the front wall  184 . The boom pivot  212  is restrained to motion in a vertical plane. The trailer boom  198  forms a bi-directional power jack that, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, can be driven hydraulically or powered by an alternate source. The power source may be situated in and controlled from the collector vehicle  42  as it drives the fruit trailer  154  within a fruit grove.  
         [0060]    By command, the piston  200  may be extended out of the cylinder  204  to distance the fruit collection trailer  154  away from the fruit collector  44 , which is used to load the fruit collection trailer  154  as both are driven by the collector vehicle  42 . The distance can be about 30 to 40 cm, for example. This means that the distance between the fruit collector  44  and the front wall  184  of the fruit collection trailer  154  is augmented without disconnecting the hitch  210 . Likewise, retraction of the piston  200  into the cylinder  204  returns the container  182  to the collection configuration.  
         [0061]    By translational action of the trailer boom  198 , the open top portion of the container  182  can be positioned, for example, beneath the discharge chute  150  to readily receive fruit therefrom and then in a reverse operation be cleared from beneath the discharge chute.  
         [0062]    For the sake of lateral rigidity, the cylinder  204 , which protrudes ahead of the front wall  184 , is stiffened by two arms  214 , with each arm being fixedly attached on each side of the cylinder  204  and in a plane parallel to the bottom  192 . While retained at a first end to the cylinder  204 , each arm  214  is pivotally coupled to pivot in the vertical plane at arm ears  218  (only one of which is shown) that are solidly affixed below the frame  196  along the respective sidewalls  188 ,  190 . The trailer boom  198 , pivotally coupled by the boom pivot  212 , and in alignment with both arm ears  218  relative to the bottom  192 , is thus capable of pivoting relative to the plane of that floor, when the container  182  is tilted.  
         [0063]    Another bi-directional power jack, defining an incline jack  220 , is mounted in parallel with the cylinder  204 , adjacent and above the cylinder. The incline jack  220  comprises a jack piston  222  and jack cylinder  224 , the jack piston engaging the jack cylinder (shown in an extended position in FIG. 9) in relative longitudinally aligned translation. The incline jack  220  can be powered, for example, by an energy source (not shown) located on and controlled from the collection vehicle  42 . The front end of the jack piston  222  is pivotally coupled to a pair of parallel front ears  226  fixedly retained just above the cylinder front extremity to pivot in the vertical plane. Likewise, the rear extremity of the jack cylinder  224  is pivotally coupled to jack ears  228  attached in the middle of the bottom portion of the front wall  184 , for pivoting in the vertical plane (FIG. 9).  
         [0064]    When extended, the incline jack  220  exerts a rearward moment about the wheel pivots  230  or axle, of both wheels  194 , forcing the front wall  184  to lift while the back wall  186  descends. At the same time, as described above, the trailer boom  198  pivots relatively to the bottom  192  that slopes rearwards. The incline jack  220  is thus able to both tilt the fruit collection trailer  154  backwards and redress it to level condition. The angle of tilt is about 35° relative to the horizon. This means that the trailer conveyor  168  forming the back wall  186 , passes from a vertical position in the collection configuration, to an inclination of 35° in the loading position, and so tilts the floor  192 . Fruit collected inside the box  182 , tends to level and, thus, when the fruit collection trailer  154  is tilted to the loading configuration, fruit descends along the floor  192  to the conveyor  168 . The net result is that fruit is loaded by gravity onto the now inclined trailer conveyor  168 .  
         [0065]    The trailer conveyor  168 , as noted above, comprises an endless conveyor belt  170  running about two rollers (not shown) that are located respectively at the bottom and at the top of the trailer conveyor. Power for motion of the conveyor belt can be provided by and controlled from the collection vehicle  42 .  
         [0066]    The conveyor belt  170  spans the inside width of the box  182  and, as also noted above, is provided with ribs  172 , that are semi-rigid, flexible, and protruding in perpendicular to the surface of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt  170  is thus able to prevent harm to the skin of the fruit by imparting an inclination for gently loading the fruit by gravity, as opposed to forced loading, such as with conveyor belts using solid ribs or buckets.  
         [0067]    When the fruit collection trailer  154  is filled with fruit and resides in the titled loading configuration at an angle of 35°, the force exerted by the weight of the fruit on the trailer conveyor  168  equals the sine of the angle times the weight of the fruit load. As the sine of 35° equals 0.57, a weight of about 60% of the fruit weight may load the trailer conveyor  168 , demanding a relatively large conveyor power. To relieve that otherwise large load on the trailer conveyor  168 , a pair of baffles  232  are illustratively installed inside the container  182  in front of the trailer conveyor and rising from the bottom  192  up to a horizontal strut  234  crossing the width of the container  182 . The vertical baffles  232  are illustratively V-shaped, with the bottom of the V facing the front, to allow fruit to pass from either side therefrom and thereby reach the trailer conveyor  168 .  
         [0068]    Alternatively, as will be readily appreciated by one skilled in the art, the vertical baffles may be curved or otherwise shaped so long as fruit is able to reach the trailer conveyor  168 . The horizontal strut  234 , which is anchored between both side walls  188 ,  190 , is merely a strengthening element supporting the vertical baffles  232 . In the tilted loading configuration, the vertical baffles  232  carry a large portion of the load of the fruit, and allow some of the fruit to pass aside those vertical baffles and to cover the surface of the conveyor belt  168  with a diminished weight of fruit.  
         [0069]    It becomes now possible to operate the conveyor  168  with much reduced power requirements since only the fruit behind the vertical baffles  232  reaches the conveyor belt to load the trailer conveyor  168 . Experience has shown, however, that for at least certain fruit, the baffles  232  may not be necessary. The explanation may reside in the shape and consistency of the fruit involved in the loading of the trailer conveyor  168 . Although a large normal loading force is exerted on the conveyor  168 , the fruit features perhaps a coefficient of rolling, in contrast with a coefficient of friction. It is probable that a difference of at least one order of magnitude being a multiplicand of the normal load coefficient explains why the baffles  232  may be deleted.  
         [0070]    The elongated spout  178  is added to ensure a better distribution of the fruit being loaded in the flatbed removal truck  174 . The spout  178  is pivotally connected adjacent the top of the trailer conveyor  168 , for erection and folding by a mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, or other powering source readily known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0071]    For loading fruit then, the fruit container  182  is first tilted before a flatbed truck  174  approaches and maneuvers under the spout  178 , which spreads the fruit about evenly in the flatbed. However, if so desired, the spout  178  may be omitted, for the removal vehicle  174  may be loaded directly from the trailer conveyor  168  without the use of the spout. Deletion of the spout  178  saves the need for erecting the spout before the removal vehicle  174  approaches, and folding it after the removal vehicle departs and before the fruit collection trailer  154  is redressed.  
         [0072]    It is understood that the control of the various configurations and operation of the fruit trailer  154  are well known to those skilled in the art and, therefore, need not be described in more detail here.  
         [0073]    It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art, that the translation and the tilting mechanisms may be implemented in various ways known to the art, which may include the use of a single power jack to both translate and tilt the fruit trailer. Additional features and advantages are described in copending application filed concurrently herewith, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, entitled “FRUIT HARVESTER COLLECTION APPARATUS WITH COMPACT CONVEYOR ARRANGEMENT AND ASSOCIATED METHODS”, and having attorney work docket no. 12617/56059. The entire disclosure of this application is incorporated herein by reference. Accordingly, many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.