Abstract: In this harvesting machine using shaker members in the form of rods to shake the fruit-bearing bushes and harvest the fruit, each shaker rod has an elongate base part which has, in use, a required flexibility characteristic for the rod in a horizontal plane and which has an oblong cross-section whose height is greater than its width, said cross-section having two main geometrical axes which are respectively horizontal and vertical and dimensions of height and width such that its moment of area about the horizontal main axis is significantly greater than its moment of area about the vertical main axis and its height is less than a predefined value. The base part forms a core for the rod, which can further include a wear part which covers the core and which is made of a material and has a thickness such that the rod has flexibility characteristics in the horizontal and vertical planes that are practically unchanged relative to those of the core, even after substantial wear of the wear part.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for harvesting fruit determines the proportion of fruit in a mixture of products containing fruit and bodies foreign to the fruit by capturing at least one initial image of a surface of the mixture to be examined. The device then assigns to each image pixel of one of two extreme grey levels according to the initial grey level of the pixel relative to a set threshold and then records the number of pixels of at least one extreme grey level to determine a area ratio between areas occupied by fruit and foreign bodies in the image. The invention has particular application to the harvesting of fruit, berries and the like produced on trees or bushes grown in rows to use the calculated proportion of fruit to adapt at least one of the functioning parameters of the machine.

Abstract: A utility vehicle, such as a grape harvester (1), comprises a straddling frame (2), supported at its front and rear ends by double-acting hydraulic cylinders (17, 18 and 23, 24), which can be extended or retracted for levelling the frame (2). During horizontal or uphill travel, the rear cylinders (23, 24) are blocked for providing the vehicle (1) with a fixed rear axle (55), while the front cylinders (16, 17) are hydraulically interconnected in order to let them extend or retract in opposition to each other for providing the vehicle (1) with an oscillating front axle (56). During downhill travel the front cylinders (17, 18) are blocked for fixing said front axle (56) to the frame (2) and the rear cylinders (23, 24) are hydraulically interconnected for letting the rear axle (55) oscillate to the frame (2). The rear and front oscillation is controlled by an inclination sensor (91).

Abstract: In a fodder harvesting machine, the device disclosed comprises a rotating chopping drum (1) and a fixed counter-knife (25) cooperating with the knives (2) of the drum (1), as well as a retractable wheel (21) adapted to be moved in rotation in order periodically to sharpen the knives (2). According to the invention, at least two positioners (5, 6, 7, 8) located near the free ends of the chopping drum (1) are mounted to pivot about the geometrical axis thereof and connected to an actuation device (a) bringing, by pivoting, the end contact piece (8) of each positioner (7) either opposite the wheel (21), or opposite a corresponding stop (32) of the counter-knife (25) which is fastened to a fixed support (3, 35) via a presser device (34) and a fixing device (33).

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for regulating the density of parallelepipedic bales of fodder produced in a bale press. The apparatus includes a compression canal formed by side walls in which a main plunger is driven in reciprocating motion by a power transmission device. The side walls of the canal include at least one pivoting shutter plate controlled by a fluid cylinder. The bale press includes a device for detecting the compression force applied by the plunger on a fodder charge present in the compression canal.

Abstract: A device for grouping parallelepipedic bales of fodder produced by a bale press, comprising a chassis having a forward and rear end, adapted to be drawn by the bale press, supported on at least two wheels and provided with a drawbar on the forward end thereof, wherein the chassis includes a first, upper and a second, lower pair of retractable lateral slides, the first, upper pair of said slides being placed at a level substantially corresponding to the level of the output plane of the bale press, and the second, lower pair of said slides being placed below the first, upper pair of slides at a distance therefrom approximately corresponding to the thickness of a bale, so as to define an inner space in said chassis.

Abstract: In order to enable the shaker members (11) of this harvesting machine to adapt to the thickness of the vegetation on fruit trees and bushes, each shaker member has both ends attached to a support (14) which reciprocates transversely relative to the longitudinal mid axis (12) of the machine, and is constituted by a rod (11) made of a highly flexible material suitable for being curved into an arcuate shape with the convex side of the arc being directed towards the longitudinal mid axis (12). At least one end of each flexible rod (11) is attached to its support (14) at a point (19) which is capable of moving a certain distance in a direction which is substantially parallel to said longitudinal mid axis.

Abstract: In order to ensure well controlled speed and amplitude of motion of the shaker members (11) of this harvesting machine, while still allowing said shaker members to adapt well individually to the thickness of the vegetation of fruit trees and bushes, the shaker members are constituted by rods (11) made of a material having a high degree of flexibility, and the rods are curved into an arcuate shape with its convex side facing towards the longitudinal mid axis (12) of the machine. The ends of the flexible rods (11) are held at a substantially constant distance from said longitudinal mid axis, and a control mechanism (20) is provided to cause the curvature of the flexible rods to vary cyclically about an average value of curvature in such a manner that one of said flexible rods has its maximum value of curvature when the corresponding flexible rod on the opposite side has its minimum value of curvature, and vice versa.

Abstract: In a method for harvesting fruits, berries and the like by means of shaker members and in particular for gathering grapes in whole bunches, the shaker members are subjected to a succession of motion stages comprising a high-speed stage, a practically zero speed stage at least at one end of travel of the shaker members and an intermediate stage having a high speed gradient. The speed in the high-speed stage is at least 2 m/s, the time-duration of the practically zero speed stage is at least 30 ms and the speed gradient in the intermediate stage is at least 200 m/s.sup.2.

Abstract: A lifting and steering device for a steering wheel of a vehicle comprising a main fixed tubular body, a second tube, a wheel support fixed rigidly to said second tube, a shaft mounted for rotation in the upper closed end of said tubular body, a first coupling means for coupling the upper end of said shaft to a steering control, a second coupling means for coupling said tube to said shaft so as to interlock them for rotation while allowing axial movement therebetween, and a hydraulic actuator for moving said second tube axially with respect to said shaft. The actuator is disposed inside said tube and one of the two elements of the actuator, namely its cylinder or its piston rod, is coupled to the tube whereas the other element of the actuator is coupled to said shaft.

Abstract: A device for harvesting fruits or berries, particularly grapes, for in-line crops is of the type formed by a vehicle on which are rotatably mounted "hedgehog" drums with fingers or whips penetrating into the vegetation and dislodging the fruits. The drums are subdivided into superimposed coaxial elements each comprising a hub fixed on a vertical drive shaft and forming a variable angle with this latter and sleeves mounted freely rotatable on these hubs and also sloping by the same angle, these hubs carrying fingers and a support for rotatably driven vibrating inertia blocks. This device causes vibration of said fingers, which is adjustable by adjusting the rotational speed of the shaft, by varying the angle and the clearance of the inertia blocks, which vibration is the resultant of the vertical component and a horizontal component adjustable independently of each other.

Abstract: An electric immersion heater of planar construction for use in industrial processes is constructed of a non-corrodable material and may be immersed at the side of a processing not containing corrosive liquids. The heater includes a thin planar polymeric support frame having side members with end sections extending beyond the end portions of the frame. An electrical resistance heating element wire shrouded with an integral layer of polymeric material is wound around the end portions of the frame to form a substantially flat heating element assembly. Imperforate polymeric cover plates are secured in spaced relationship to opposite faces of the heating element assembly by spacing and securing means engaging the side members of the frame. The peripheral edges of the cover plates are spaced apart to form a gap allowing for free flow of fluid through the heater between the plates throughout the entire extent of the heater.

Abstract: This machine adapted to move on the ground and designed for harvesting in-line crops comprises a frame mounted on wheels and a pair of endless conveyors disposed on either side of the in-line plants to be harvested; the conveyors are movable at a linear velocity substantially equal to that of the machine in operation, and consist each of substantially vertical front and rear runs, of a substantially horizontal bottom run and of a top run; each conveyor consists of a series of transverse buckets and the buckets of the two conveyors have matching end walls for clamping the plants therebetween, the upper run of each conveyor diverging from each other to permit the passage of said plants through the machine.

Abstract: In this assembly of conveyor elements each element is corrugated to comprise a regular series of alternating hollow portions and projecting portions to constitute bucket-like elements having each at one end a bellows structure and at the other end a plain end wall preferably higher in the center of the hollow portions than near the projecting portion; a transverse lip may be formed integrally on one side of the projecting portion, and the bottom of each element is secured to a link of a longitudinally non-extensive drive member, for instance a chain, the assembly of elements being adapted to undergo a certain deformation not only in directions at right angles to the longitudinal direction but also in any other direction. Two adjacent assemblies of elements may be imbricated with each other along their edges formed with plain end walls for clearing possible obstacles engaged therebetween.