Patent ID: 7275359

Claim:
A fruit harvesting machine, comprising: a frame equipped with mechanism for travelling the frame over a field; a harvesting assembly for detaching crop material, comprising fruit and material other than fruit, from trees, shrubs and the like standing on said field; a conveyor assembly for receiving said detached crop material and transporting said fruit either directly or indirectly to a container; and a cleaning mechanism installed adjacent a section of said conveyor assembly for removing said material other than fruit from said detached crop material; wherein said conveyor assembly comprises: a stationary grate mechanism for retaining thereon solid portions of said crop material and having apertures allowing passage therethrough of juice from said fruit; a movable conveyor mechanism comprising a spaced crop-engaging elements for engaging and moving said solid crop portions along said grate mechanism towards said cleaning mechanism and allowing passage in between, the conveyor mechanism being permeable for allowing the passage of said juice therethrough.