Improved Means for Plucking and Collecting Fruit.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Plucking and Collecting Fruit.
I, LOUIS GÖTZ, Manufacturer, of Reichenbach in the Kingdom of Saxony,
German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The present invention consists of means for facilitating the plucking and
collecting of fruit, such as nuts, apples or any kind of fruit which grows on high
trees and will not be easily damaged by falling onto the cloth.
In carrying my invention into practice, I employ a suitable cloth spread out
underneath and attached round the tree, said cloth being supported close under the
branches of the tree on poles fixed on the ground, and being inclined towards the
deepest point of the said cloth, at which point it runs out to a funnel shaped sack, under
which the receptacle for catching the fruit is arranged; thus on shaking the boughs
of the tree the fruit will fall into the cloth glide down to the lowest point of the
same and pass through the funnel into the receptacle without being bruised or
damaged in any way. If the branches of the tree extend onesidedly an auxiliary
cloth may be employed attached to the main cloth and having also a sack shaped
funnel through which the fruit may glide into a suitable receptacle placed
underneath.
And in order to make the present Specification more easily intelligible reference
is had to the accompanying drawing in which similar letters denote similar parts
throughout the several views.
Fig. 1 being a side elevation of the tree the cloth spread underneath the same,
and showing the gardener in the act of shaking the fruit therefrom.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1, in both these figures an auxiliary cloth is shown
attached to the main one;
Figs. 3 and 4 are front elevations and side views of the funnel shaped sacks
through which the fruit falls into the receptacles ;
Fig. 5 shows two elevations of an adjustable pole for supporting the cloths, and
Figs. 6 detail views of an instrument for shaking the boughs of the tree.
The cloth a is spread underneath the tree and closed on to the trunk of the same
by means of a flap b attached to the said cloth. The said cloth may be of any
suitable shape and is supported at c d e f g h on poles, which may or may not be
adjustable as shown in detail in Fig. 5. The cloth is arranged lowest at the
points f g h and highest at de c all its sides sloping down towards the funnel shaped
sack k, under which the bucket or other suitable receptacle is placed. As shown in
dotted lines in Fig. 2 the cloth may be sewn together, whilst at the line 6-h it is open
and buttoned or otherwise attached together an outlet opening being left here.
The auxiliary cloth is attached to a along the side yh or any other side according
to the shape of the tree, and may be supported on the two poles g h of the said
main cloth at one end and on two extra poles at the other. This cloth is also
provided with a funnel shaped outlet m. The two outlets and m are shown in
detail in Figs. 3 and 4 and are advantageously provided with cross strips k¹ and m
which break the fall of the fruit and prevent its bruising. As shown at Fig. 6 the
boughs may be shaken by means of the hook or spirally wound gripper p attached
at the upper end of the rod n. The supporting poles as shown at Fig. 5 may be
made telescopical being round or shaped and adapted to slide one on the other and
be clamped by means of the shoes C and clamping screws C². Telescopic poles
are particularly advantageous for rough and uneven districts. The poles are
secured by means of lines and pegs as usual. A spring c³ is advantageously inserted

page_text: between the end of the pole and the end of the line which renders the whole more
elastic. The cloth is buttoned onto pins in the tops of the poles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) The combination of a cloth or canvas spread out beneath a tree and having
its surface inclining downwards toward one point in said cloth, and a funnel shaped
sack formed at the said lowest point having an outlet at its lowest end and means
for supporting the said cloth in the said position substantially as described.
(2.) The combination of a cloth having its surface inclining downwards towards
one point in its area, from the edges, a funnel shaped sack arranged at the said
point having an outlet at its lower end and transverse strips arranged across said
outlet sack, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
(3.) The combination of a cloth having its surface inclining downwards from the
edges to a point within its area, a funnel shaped sack at the said latter point having
outlet at its lower end and means for supporting the said cloth, such as poles, in the
manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
(4.) The combination of the cloth a having its surface inclining downwards from
the edges towards one point within its area, a funnel shaped outlet to said cloth at
the lowest point thereof strips arranged in said outlet, poles to support said cloth
and means for supporting the said poles substantially as described.
(5.) The combination of a cloth a inclined as specified, an outlet attached at the
lowest point of the same, telescopical poles to support said cloth, transverse strips
arranged across said outlet, and a throat piece or flap to said cloth to close round
the tree substantially as described.
(6.) The combination of the cloth a having its surface inclining downwards
towards one point within its area from the edges, a funnel shaped outlet to said
cloth at the lowest point, poles to support said cloth and having lines with inserted
spring C³ in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of September 1894.
"
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention " Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.