Abstract: An article pickup system includes a pickup vehicle having collector assemblies extending in a side by side configuration and engaging articles on the ground. The collector assemblies generally include a rotating drum with flexible fingers having widened ends extending outward there from. A separator assembly includes sprocket type devices to remove the collected articles from the collector assemblies. In one embodiment, the collector assemblies pivot independently from one another and the separator assemblies are mounted on a linkage to maintain spacing and move upward and downward with the collector assemblies. The collector assembly includes a series of conveyors for transporting the collected fruit. The collector assemblies may be utilized with a sweeper device having generally horizontally extending arms that engage fruit on the ground and move it toward the collector assemblies with the arms raising up to release the fruit in the desired location in the path of the collector assemblies.

Abstract: A deleafer apparatus including a drum assembly partially enclosed by a shroud. A rotating blade assembly is located within an interior volume of the drum assembly. An air circulation device, located beneath the drum assembly, draws air through an opening defined by the shroud and into the interior volume of the drum assembly. In use, the deleafer apparatus is carried by a transport in a direction of travel along a row of plants or vines. The rotating blade assembly strips leaves that extend into the interior volume of the drum assembly from the plants or vines. The deleafer apparatus also includes a break-away mechanism that permits a portion of the deleafer apparatus to rotate outward relative to a transport mounting to accommodate obstacles that may reside in the pathway of the plants or vines.

Abstract: A cutting system for plants includes opposed first cutting assemblies and opposed second cutting assemblies. The first cutting assemblies include a substantially vertical stack of cage type cutters and a lower cutter having stationary and rotating cutter members. The cage type cutters include an outer driven guard that moves the plants past the stationary cutters. Opener wheels have a diameter slightly greater than the cutters and engage posts and other objects to position the cutting assemblies and to prevent damage to the cutting assemblies and trellises. Side cutter assemblies are positioned forward of the vertical stack of first cutting assemblies and provide precision side cuts. The side cutters include stationary cutter members and rotating cutter members that provide a precise shearing action. The system rotational speed is controlled to maintain a speed proportional to the ground speed so that a substantially constant percentage of plant material is removed.

Abstract: A stabilizer system provides leveling for a towed harvester vehicle. The harvester includes a hitch having a gimbal mounting to the tractor. The subframe is utilized to accommodate the gimbal and provides for utilizing the mass of the tractor to react to the stabilizer system leveling forces. The harvester utilizes telescoping assemblies that are placed intermediate the hitch and the frame as well as between the axle and the frame. The telescoping assemblies retract and extend to varied positions and provide correction. Flow to extend and retract the telescoping assemblies is provided through a proportional pendulum type valve that increases flow as needed when tilted from horizontal. The flow is increased and decreased in proportion to the amount of tilting from the home vertical position.

Abstract: A trellis system includes trellis assemblies supporting wires. The wires are retained on wire clips mounted on folding arms. The arms include first and second portions that are pivotally mounted to one another and to a support. The arm assemblies have locks for retainably positioning the first and second portion of the arms relative to the one another and to the support portion of the trellis. In a first embodiment, the trellis is configured as a vertical position trellis, in a second embodiment as a “T” type trellis and, in a third embodiment, as a lyre type trellis. In each configuration, the arm assemblies are moved from a lowered position during the dormant season, to a partially raised position when the vines achieve partial growth, and to a raised, extended position as full growth is achieved.

Abstract: A stabilizer system provides leveling for a towed harvester vehicle. The harvester includes a hitch having a gimbal mounting to the tractor. The subframe is utilized to accommodate the gimbal and provides for utilizing the mass of the tractor to react to the stabilizer system leveling forces. The harvester utilizes telescoping assemblies that are placed intermediate the hitch and the frame as well as between the axle and the frame. The telescoping assemblies retract and extend to varied positions and provide correction. Flow to extend and retract the telescoping assemblies is provided through a proportional pendulum type valve that increases flow as needed when tilted from horizontal. The flow is increased and decreased in proportion to the amount of tilting from the home vertical position.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus has a conveyor cleaner assembly proximate the delivery end. The cleaner assembly has first and second parallel rotating brushes having an axis of rotation substantially transverse to the conveyor direction of travel and rotating in the same direction as the conveyor. The first brush is nearer the conveyor and wherein the second brush is higher than the first brush. The cleaning assembly also includes a roller parallel to the first and second brushes and a bottom catch panel below the brushes sloping toward the conveyor. The brushes may be in contact with the conveyor, the bottom panel, the roller and each other.

Abstract: A mechanized agriculture management apparatus includes a chassis supporting a first manually independently operable boom and a second manually independently operable boom. The booms extend from either side of the chassis and support interchangeable accessories. The accessories may be dedicated to perform various growth control operations such as shoot thinning, fruit thinning, vertical impacting, lateral impacting, hedging, trunk cleaning, shoot positioning, deleafing, pruning and/or wire lifting, as well as other operations and are interchangeable so that one mechanized apparatus may be utilized for the various operations.

Abstract: A programmable viticulture management system includes a mechanized device for removing excess undesired portions of plants advances through a vineyard to perform control operations on two rows or half-rows of grape vines simultaneously. Accessories mount to the mechanized device and include various engagement members for engaging the vines. A control system automatically varies the velocity of the engagement members in relation to the vehicle speed. The control system also receives various inputs and provides information on multiple growth control practices.