An Improved Machine for Collecting Fallen Apples, Pears, and other Fruit or Produce.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Collecting Fallen Apples, Pears, and
other Fruit or Produce.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE HARRIS, of Summerdale, Ipplepen, Devonshire,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in a machine for gathering up from the ground, apples,
pears and other produce, as for instance, turnips.
The machine which constitutes this invention consists of a drum mounted on a
wheeled frame and having its periphery furnished with outwardly-projecting spikes.
In front of the drum is carried a removable box or receiver from which is
extended towards the drum a guide board or plate dentated along the edge next
the drum.
As the machine is drawn along, by hand or otherwise, among the fruit or other
produce to be collected, the spikes penetrate the fruit or other produce which is
carried round on the spikes as the drum rotates. On arriving at the guide board
or plate, the spikes pass into the spaces between the teeth, and the fruit is forced
off by contact with the guide board or plate which directs the fruit thus removed
into the collecting box or receiver.
By adjustable wheels situated in front of the druin the latter can be raised and
lowered at will.
Instead of being in front of the drum the frame wheels may, if desired, be
behind and the adjustable wheels may be in front.
Dated this 9th day of October 1895.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.
An Improved Machine for Collecting Fallen Apples, Pears, and
other Fruit or Produce.
1, WILLIAM GEORGE HARRIS, of Summerdale, Ipplepen, Devonshire,
Mechanic, 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:―
This invention consists in a machine for gathering up from the ground apples,
pears and other produce.
The machine which constitutes this invention consists of a drum, or a pair of
drums mounted on a spindle carried in bearings on a wheeled frame.
The periphery of the drum, or of both drums, if two be employed, is furnished
with outwardly projecting spikes.
In front of the drum or drums, and supported in the extended frame is a
removable box for receiving the apples, pears or the like gathered up by the

page_text: spiked drum or drums as the machine is wheeled along. The fruit is collected by
the spikes which penetrate it as the machine is drawn or propelled. The fruit is
detached from the spikes by contact with teeth fixet in a row at suitable distances
apart in a board or plate, the arrangement being that the spikes pass between the
said teeth.
The fruit thus detached from the spikes is guided to fall into the collecting box
or receiver. The spindle of the wheels of the frame may be adjustable vertically
in the frame so as to permit of alteration of the distance of the drown or druns
from the ground sur ace.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents, in side elevation, a machine for collecting apples, pears and
other produce, as, for instance, turnips; constructed and arranged in accordance
with this invention. The machine illustrated in the drawings has two drins placed
abreast after the manner of a divided hollow garden roller.
Fig. 2 is a half plan of the machine and shows only one of the drums. The
second drum is of equal diameter to that shown and is in all other respects
similar.
Both are carried on the same spindle. The right hand front wheel of the
machine is omitted from Fig. 1 for the purpose of showing other parts more
clearly.
The drum a is hollow and is furnished on the periphery with spikes . In order
not to confuse the drawing the spikes are not shown at Fig. 2. Their contre lines
are, however, indicated by the lines shown in that figure.
The spikes in any one row are not necessarily directly opposite those in the rows
next in succession.
They may be interspaced or arranged in any convenient series and at any desired
distances apart.
r
The drum spindle is carried in the tramed which also carries the spinille e of
the wheels Handles g for driving the machine are fitted on the frained. At
the leading end of the machine is carried a removable box / between which
and the spikes&intervenes a row of teeth fixed in a board; held in position clear
of the spikes by the strut k fixed to the frame d.
The teeth are so situated in relation to the spikes that the latter pass
between them as the drums rotate and thus the apples or other fruit impale by
the spikes are detached therefrom by the teeth as the spikes pass between them.
The detached fruit falls into the collecting box or receiver h.
The latter is fitted with handles and is readily removable. By a brush 7, fixed
to the board, leaves brought up by the spikes are diverted to fall between the
drum and the box clear of the latter.
The drum or drums, the wheels, the collecting box and the bed or holder j
for the teeth i can be made of wood. The other parts are of iron or other suitable
metal.
Instead of being in advance of the drum or drums, the wheels may be situated
between the collecting drum or drums.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A machine for collecting apples, pears and other produce; consisting of a
drum or drums such as a bearing spikes or pins distributed over the periphery of
such drum or drums; said drum or drums being mounted in a suitable wheeled
frame carrying a dentated device such as the board i with teeth j, or the equivalent
thereof, so arranged in relation to the spikes of the drum that the trait carried up
by the spikes is detached therefrom by contact with the said device, substantially
as hereinabove described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In combination with a machine of the kind claimed in the preceding claim,

page_text: the collecting box or receiver and the brush arranged, substantially as
bereinabove described and shown in the accompanying drawings and for the purposes
specified.
Dated thin 4th dox of Jul 1906
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.