Abstract: A collector leaf construction for a grape harvester or the like including a generally planar body portion having an inner end, a concave leading edge, a convex trailing edge, and a convex outer edge, a pivot mounting at the inner end, a reinforcing plate at the inner end, and fasteners for securing the reinforcing plate to the body portion at the inner end.

Abstract: A grape harvester for harvesting grapes from vines having cane thereon in shielding relationship to grape bearing portions of the vines including a frame, harvesting members mounted on the frame for effectively engaging the grape bearing portions of the vines to harvest grapes therefrom, and cane lifters on the frame for lifting the cane out of the path of the harvesting members to thereby permit direct access of the harvesting members to the grape bearing portions of the vines and/or to the cordon wires which support the grape bearing portions of the vines. The cane lifters can be in the form of a chain conveyor, or a walking beam arrangement, or a rotating screw-like member, or a lifting rod.

Abstract: An adjustable mechanism for the spoke-carrying shaft of a harvesting machine for blueberries and other plants including a first shaft for receiving rotary motion, a second shaft offset from and parallel to the first shaft, harvesting spokes mounted in tiers on and projecting radially from the second shaft, a first screw adjustment for varying the distance between the first and second shafts to thereby vary the orbit of the second shaft, counterweight members mounted relative to the second shaft, second screw adjustments for varying the positions of the counterweight members to correspond with the adjusted position of the second shaft to thereby balance the second shaft in all adjusted positions thereof, with certain of the spokes having their outer ends inclined upwardly relative to the horizontal while other spokes have their outer ends inclined downwardly relative to the horizontal so that the projection of the outer ends of the spokes in a vertical direction provides relatively great vertical coverage of t

Abstract: A grape harvester for harvesting grapes from vines having cane thereon in shielding relationship to grape bearing portions of the vines including a frame, harvesting members mounted on the frame for effectively engaging the grape bearing portions of the vines to harvest grapes therefrom, and cane lifters on the frame for lifting the cane out of the path of the harvesting members to thereby permit direct access of the harvesting members to the grape bearing portions of the vines and/or to the cordon wires which support the grape bearing portions of the vines. The cane lifters can be in the form of a chain conveyor, or a walking beam arrangement, or a rotating screw-like member, or a lifting rod.

Abstract: A bean snipper having an annular drum including openings in the drum of a size to receive beans and to permit only the ends of the beans to protrude outwardly from the outer surface of the drum, knives held in contiguous relationship to the outer surface of the drum for snipping the protruding ends of the beans, an orienter consisting of a plurality of circular discs mounted perpendicularly on a shaft having its axis substantially parallel to the axis of the drum, and a motor for driving the discs and the drum in the same direction, the discs being spaced apart a distance less than the length of the beans and being located in the lower portion of the drum adjacent the downwardly moving side thereof for tending to cause the beans to be oriented with their axes extending perpendicularly to the axis of the drum to thereby increase the probability that the ends of the beans will enter the openings in the drum, and a plurality of parallel annular plates extending inwardly from the inner surface of the drum in subs

Abstract: A collector leaf construction for a harvester consisting of a primary leaf portion, a pivot for mounting the inboard end of the primary leaf portion on the frame of a harvester, a secondary leaf portion, a pivot for mounting the secondary leaf portion on the outboard end of the primary leaf portion, a first spring between the primary leaf portion and the frame, a second spring between the primary leaf portion and the secondary leaf portion to permit the secondary leaf portion to deflect relative to the primary leaf portion when it encounters an obstruction, the first spring being stronger than the second spring, with the secondary leaf portion extending forwardly of the leading edge of the primary leaf portion so that when the primary leaf portion is deflected, the secondary leaf portion will occupy a part of the position previously occupied by the primary leaf portion to thereby cover any opening left by the primary leaf portion when it is deflected during harvesting, and any deflection of the secondary leaf

Abstract: A vertical frame is supported forwardly on a self-propelled mobile frame that includes a longitudinal conveyor. A gathering device is supported by the mobile frame and extends laterally at an inclined slope from the conveyor to direct the harvested fruit onto the conveyor. A shaker mechanism includes a plurality of spaced vertically extending bellcrank levers that are rotatably journaled at their end portions to the vertical frame member. A plurality of horizontally positioned shaker rods are secured in spaced parallel relationship on the levers. The bellcrank levers are linked by eccentric mechanisms to the output shaft of a motor. Rotation of the output shaft rectilinearly orbits the eccentrics in a horizontal plane to oscillate the levers back and forth and horizontally move the shaker rods to compact and vibrate the limbs of the tree and thereby dislodge the fruit from the limbs.

Abstract: A harvester for harvesting produce from plants such as grapevines or the like including a frame and produce harvesting members on the frame, a plurality of collector leaves mounted on the frame proximate the ground for defining a surface for catching produce harvested from the plants, and produce-lifting portions on the foremost produce-collecting leaves, said produce-lifting portions having downwardly and forwardly inclined surfaces for lifting low-growing produce onto the collector leaves. A lifting collector leaf for a harvesting machine including a first substantially horizontal planar portion and a second portion which extends forwardly and downwardly from the first portion.

Abstract: A harvesting machine for harvesting produce, especially grapes, from a row of plants comprising a frame movable alongside said row of plants, first and second modules on said frame located in straddling relationship to said row of plants, shaker arms extending toward said plants from said modules, a first linkage for oscillating said shaker arms so as to shake produce from said plants, a second linkage for selectively coupling said modules for coupled rectilinear rolling movement on said frame transversely of said row of plants as required by the contour of said row or for permitting independent rectilinear rolling movement of each module independently of the other transversely of the row of plants, first adjusters for selectively varying the spacing between the modules in either of the foregoing conditions, first adjusters for varying the biasing force with which the modules are urged toward said row of plants, and third adjusters for selectively varying the inclination of said modules and the shaker arms ca

Abstract: A grape harvester for harvesting grapes from vines grown in various formations such as single curtain, T-top, slant top, and double curtain formation having spaced first and second cordon wires supporting spaced curtains including a frame, spaced first and second arms mounted toward the front of the frame for beating a respective curtain, and spaced first and second wire strikers mounted on third and fourth arms located toward the rear of the frame for striking a respective cordon wire which supports each curtain. The first and second arms may be removed when harvesting formations other than the double curtain, or may have additional wire strikers mounted thereon, or all of the arms without any wire strikers may be used for harvesting single curtain formations.

Abstract: The pod combine includes a harvester and thresher mounted in tandem on a self-propelled mobile frame. The harvester removes the unopened pods and a portion of the foliage and vines from the plants. A twin screw feed device feeds the harvested material to the thresher. The thresher includes a foraminous reel arranged to be driven in preselected opposite directions and an axially positioned impeller. The impeller includes a plurality of beaters with open portions to minimize convective currents within the thresher. A product collecting device is positioned below the foraminous reel and includes side boards over a housing that oscillate linearly to deposit the shelled product on an endless conveyor and a separator device is arranged to separate the foliage from the shelled product. The separator includes a material distributing device which permits the foliage to be separated from the shelled product by an air blast.

Abstract: A pod combine includes a harvester and a thresher mounted in tandem on a self-propelled mobile frame. The harvester removes the unopened pods and a portion of the foliage from the plants. An inclined endless belt conveyor transports the harvested material through a cluster breaker assembly that picks up clusters of the foliage and product, individualizes the crop and returns it in even distribution to the endless conveyor. A suction fan is positioned rearwardly of the cluster breaker assembly and separates a portion of the foliage from the crop before the crop is conveyed to a product feed apparatus that conveys the harvested material to the thresher. The thresher includes a foraminous reel arranged to be driven in preselected, opposite direction and an axially positioned impeller having a plurality of beaters secured thereto. A product collecting device is positioned below the foraminous reel.

Abstract: A cane separator for removing cane from the intersection of first and second conveyors of a harvesting machine, including a toothed chain mounted in the path of travel of the first conveyor for guiding cane leaving said first conveyor across said second conveyor, a rotating shaft for driving said toothed chain, said shaft being located on the opposite side of said second conveyor from said first conveyor for engaging cane which may extend beyond said second conveyor and thus pulling cane from said second conveyor, and a wobble wheel keyed to said shaft and extending transversely to the path of travel of said second conveyor to engage cane and lift it from said second conveyor.