An Improved Fruit Picker.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1891-Accepted, 28th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Fruit Picker.
I, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the firm of Horn & Son, of 151, Strand,
London, Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from abroad by Harper Caldwell, of Pineville, Missouri,
U.S.A., Inventor) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved fruit picker, whereby the fruit may be
gathered from off the trees without mounting them or otherwise injuring the
branches thereof.
The fruit picker consists of a suitable base mounted upon a pole of convenient
length. This base is provided with a series of pivoted fingers having pivot-joints,
the whole picker resembling a human hand. A series of cords are secured to the
top joints of the fingers and are connected with the remaining joints. These series
of cords-which extend down the front and back of the fingers-terminate in two
single cords which are attached respectively to opposite ends of a rocking lever
pivoted in a slot in the pole. The ends of this rocking lever are connected by
cords to small levers attached near the lower end of the poles. By these levers
and cords the fingers may be opened and closed at will, to seize or release the fruit
as desired. A flexible covering or glove may be placed over the picker to prevent
the fruit from being bruised or otherwise injured. A suitable receptacle may be
conveniently secured to the pole just beneath the picker to catch and retain the
fruit when picked and released from the fingers.
Dated this 22nd day of Anril 1890
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Fruit Picker.
I, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the firm of Horn & Son, of 151, Strand,
London, Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
(a communication to me from abroad by Harper Caldwell, of Pineville, Missouri,
United States of America, Inventor) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention has relation to fruit gatherers or pickers, and among the objects
in view are to provide a gatherer or picker adapted to be used on delicate fruit or
where a very careful handling of the same is necessary in order to avoid bruising.
For the above purpose the human hand has been found to possess undoubted
advantages, and I have therefore designed my invention after the same and
operating upon the same principle, the invention consisting, principally, of a palm,
which I will herein designate as a "base," and a series of flexible fingers arranged
upon the edge of the palm, and means for simultaneously opening and closing the
fingers in imitation of the hand.
Referring to the drawings,
Figure 1 represents a perspective of a fruit-picker constructed in accordance with
my invention.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, the covering being removed.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section.
Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

page_text: upper end in this instance with an integral flared inclined base 2, which is in a shape
of the palm of a hand. At one side of the base and along the upper edge of the
same at intervals there are formed pairs of lugs 3, in each pair of which there is
pivoted by a pin 4 a tenon 5, which-projects from the lower end of a lower section of a
finger 6.
The upper ends of these sections are.bifurcated, as at 7, and in the same
are pivoted by pins 8 to tenons 5 of the next section of the fingers, the upper ends
of which are likewise bifurcated for the reception of the tenons 5 of the tip-
sections 9. and thus completing the series of fingers. I have herein shown the base
as provided with three fingers and a thumb; but it is evident that the number of
fingers may be varied and the width of the base likewise varied for the accommoda-
tion of larger or smaller fruit. The thumb, also, like the human hand, comprises
two sections the lower section and the upper or tip section 9. Each of the
fingers throughout their length and at their front and rear sides and extending over
the tips are provided with a small groove 10, which grooves are continued down
the front of the base and also at its rear, the grooves converging and terminating
in. a transverse slot 11, formed in the pole-section 1. The grooves are also
provided at intervals with small staples or guide-eyes 12, and each of the fingers
and thumb is provided with an operating string or wire 13, fixedly connected at the
upper ends of the tip-sections, and having its terminals passed through the eyes at
the front and rear of the fingers and base, the rear terminals of each finger meeting
at the point where the grooves merge into the open slot and likewise the front terminals.
At these points the two opposite series of terminals are wrapped, as at 14, and
are connected by heavier operating-cords 15 to the ends of a rocking lever 16,
pivoted, as at 17, within the open slot, said operating cords or wires being crossed
within the slot and connected near their ends of the lever.
At any suitable and .convenient point of the pole, or it may be a lower section of
the same, there is pivoted a lever 18 in a slot 19, the outer end of the lever forming
a handle 20. A wire 21 serves to connect the handle or operating-lever with the
rocking lever and in a pivotal manner, said wire being maintained in position by a
series of guide-eyes or staples 22.
23 represents a U-shaped bail, preferably formed of wire and having its terminals
connected at opposite sides of the inclined base by screws 24, and from the bail
there depends a flexible sack 25, the mouth of which occurs at the lower end of the
inclined base. If desired, the bases and fingers, which in appearance resemble a
hand, may be provided with a textile or other glove-like cover 26.
The operation of my invention will be readily understood, but may, be briefly
stated as follows: The handle-lever is elevated, which through the medium of the
connecting-rod elevates the adjacent end of the rocking lever, and consequently
depresses or lowers the opposite end of said lever, to which are connected the rear
terminals of the picking-fingers. This it will be apparent, opens said fingers, and
in this position the picker is introduced over the fruit. Now by lowering the
operating-lever a reverse movement of the parts takes place, and the fingers and
thumb close gently upon the fruit in the same manner as a hand. The fruit is now
gently disengaged from the branch or limb and the operating-lever again elevated
or raised, which straightens the fingers and releases the fruit and the same rolls
down the inclined base or palm and into the receptacle located at the lower end of
the same, and may be subsequently removed by the operator.
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. In a fruit-picker, a base mounted upon a pole provided with a series of pivoted
fingers, in combination with cords secured to and leading from the front and 'rear
of the fingers and adapted to open and close the same over the base, and means for
simultaneously operating either. the front or rear series of "cords, substantially as
specified.
2. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with an inclined base mounted on the pole,

page_text: a series of picking-fingers pivoted to the upper end of the base, and opposite series of
cords secured to the front and rear of the fingers for opening and closing them, of a
receptacle located at the lower end of the base, and means for simultaneously
operating cither series of cords, substantially as specified.
3. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with a base mounted.upon a pole, of a
series of flexible picking-fingers pivotally connected thereto, an opposite series of
cords connected to the back and rear of said fingers, each series terminating in a
single cord, and a pivoted lever connected with the cords at opposite sides of its
pivot and adapted to operate either series of cords to bend the fingers, substantially
as specified.
4. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with a base provided at its edges with
pairs of perforated lugs, of a series of fingers pivoted in the lugs and formed of
sections flexibly pivoted to each other, grooves formed in the front and rear faces
of the fingers and extending down each side of the base and converging and
terminating in a slot, a rocking lever mounted in the slot, and a series of cords,
cach of which is connected with the tips of the fingers and mounted in the grooves
and extending down their respective slots, the entire series terminating at a common
point, and oppositely-disposed operating-cords connecting the terminal points of the
series to the opposite point of the rocking lever, and a pivoted lever connected to
the rocking lever for operating the same, substantially as specified.
5. The combination, with an inclined base having a bail secured to the lower
end thereof and a flexible sack depending therefrom, of a series of jointed pivotal
fingers mounted at the edge of the base, and a series of cords passed over and
secured to each of the fingers and adapted to open and close the same over the base,
substantially as specified.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1891
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.