Abstract: A harvester for shaking a grape vine to remove grapes therefrom. A harvesting vehicle includes a pivotally mounted picking head suspended over in straddling fashion a row of grape vines. A pair of swingably mounted and oppositely aligned contact members are reciprocated in unison back and forth against opposite sides of the grape vine. The contact members are driven by a pair of cranks in turn rotated by a motor. A pair of counterweights rotate in unison with but in an opposite direction by its associated crankshaft in turn driving the crank arm and contact member.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 9, 1981
Date of Patent:
July 5, 1983
Assignee:
Labeco Harvesters, Inc.
Inventors:
Robert H. Harris, Troy G. Humphrey, John J. Stimson, Jr.
Abstract: A harvester for shaking a grape vine to remove grapes therefrom. A harvesting vehicle includes a pivotally mounted picking head suspended over in straddling fashion a row of grape vines. A pair of swingably mounted and oppositely aligned contact members are reciprocated in unison back and forth against opposite sides of the grape vine. The contact members are driven by a pair of cranks in turn rotated via a belt and motor combination. A pair of counterweight shafts rotatably mounted within the head have off-centered counterweights with each shaft being rotated in unison with but in an opposite direction by its associated crankshaft in turn driving the crank arm and contact member. Horizontal force from the rotating counterweights are additive to forces from additional counterweights associated with the rotating crank arms to neutralize oppositely directed forces from the reciprocating contact members.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 11, 1980
Date of Patent:
November 10, 1981
Assignee:
Labeco Harvesters, Inc.
Inventors:
Robert H. Harris, Troy G. Humphrey, John J. Stimson, Jr.