Abstract: A poop catching system and methods configured to removably hold a bag using at least one bag constrain; an extendable element configured to produce at least two position in the bag: opened and closed; such that in the opened position poop can enter into the bag and in the closed stop poop from exiting the bag; and a handle to allow the bag in the open position to be held underneath an animal while it is evacuating. Further aspects include that that the extendable element is a sliding plate and the poop catching system further comprises a fixed plate with mating geometry and in the closed position the sliding plate and fixed plate are flush to one another. Still a further aspect involves the at least one bag constraint configured being a gate type bag constraint.

Abstract: An end effector for harvesting fruit. The end effector includes a collection device that has an opening with a plurality of prongs over the opening. The end effector also has an oscillating device secured to, and in an oscillating relationship with, the plurality of prongs.

Abstract: An end effector for harvesting fruit. The end effector has a housing and a plurality of tangs extending from an end of the housing. The end effector further has an oscillator device secured to the housing and the oscillator device in an oscillating relationship with the plurality of tangs.

Abstract: An apparatus for picking fruit comprises an elongate tube in which fruit is collected, a handle attached to the tube for enabling fruit to be picked from trees, a first plate at a top end of the tube for engaging a branch, the plate having a slot arranged to receive a stem of the fruit, a slidable member with an aligned slotted plate arranged to slide within the tube so that the plates move in opposite directions to break the fruit from its stem. The tube collects the fruit which can be seen through an opening. The slide is operated against a spring by a string extending along the handle.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for picking fruit by severing the fruit from an associated stem is disclosed. The apparatus includes an elongate handle for handling and extending the apparatus to reach the fruit. An elongate bracket bar is fastened to the extended end of the handle. A cutting blade is formed at the uppermost end of the bracket bar. A guide-arm is slidably coupled to the bracket bar. A toothed guide-head is attached to the uppermost end of the guide-arm and includes an upper tooth and a spaced lower tooth which define a stem channel through which the stem of the fruit is guided. The sliding action of the guide-arm is controlled by a raising string which elevates the guide-arm to an extending position, and a lowering string which returns the guide-arm to a retracted position. As the guide-arm, hence the fruit positioned in the stem channel, is lowered, the stem contacts the cutting blade of the bracket bar, which results in the severing of the fruit from the associated stem.

Abstract: A closeable fish net comprising a frame including a U-shaped portion beneath which a container is suspended and defines with the frame an opening for entry of fish into the container. A cover is slidably supported by the U-shaped portion for movement between a retracted position in which the opening for the fish is open and an extended position in which the opening is closed. An actuator rod is coupled to the cover to move the same between the retracted and extended positions and a finger-engageable portion is provided on the end of the actuator rod.

Abstract: An apparatus for picking fruit from trees which takes the form of an elongated member which has a cutting blade arrangement at the upper end of the member and a handle structure at the lower end of the member for activating the cutting blade. Once the stem of the fruit has been severed, the fruit passes into a guide tube and hence into a flexible guide chute prior to being deposited into a container. The cutting blade assembly could take the form of a scissors type arrangement or could take the form of a rotating cylinder which passes over a fixed cutting blade with the fruit having been initially located within the cylinder.