Abstract: A harvest aid machine and method of use is provided comprising a self-powered vehicle having a main chassis upon which a crate storage unit may be mounted. The harvest aid machine has improved maneuverability and may have a near zero-point turning radius. Crate storage unit may comprise a platform for receiving packed crates and a second platform for receiving empty crates. Alternatively, crate storage unit may include a chute assembly for receiving empty crates and/or a roller table for receiving packed crates. A harvest aid machine may further include harvest modules that may be removably mounted to a main chassis and are width-adjustable such that the harvest modules are adaptable to different crop row spacing, and optionally different crate sizes.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 11, 2010
Date of Patent:
April 8, 2014
Assignee:
Reiter Affiliated Companies, LLC
Inventors:
Robert Johnson, Manuel Mercado, Gary Grossen, Jeff Mathews, Michael Christensen
Abstract: A harvest aid machine and method of use is provided comprising a machine having a main chassis. The main chassis includes a roof, a lateral conveyor belt, a chute for storing empty harvest containers and worker stations. The harvest aid machine is powered by a motor and moves using a directional wheel and two rear wheels. Workers load empty containers onto the chute and after the containers slide down the chute, the empty containers rest in a storage station accessible by additional workers. When a worker is ready to harvest a crop, the worker removes the container from the chute and places harvested crops inside the container. The worker then places the harvested crop filled container onto a worker station. After the worker collects multiple harvested crop filled containers, the worker pushes the containers onto a conveyor belt system, adjacent to the worker station, that runs laterally on the machine.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 19, 2010
Publication date:
May 5, 2011
Applicant:
Reiter Affiliated Companies, LLC
Inventors:
Nathan Dorn, Gary Grossen, Michael Christensen
Abstract: A harvest aid machine and method of use is provided comprising a self-powered vehicle having a main chassis upon which a crate storage unit may be mounted. The harvest aid machine has improved maneuverability and may have a near zero-point turning radius. Crate storage unit may comprise a platform for receiving packed crates and a second platform for receiving empty crates. Alternatively, crate storage unit may include a chute assembly for receiving empty crates and/or a roller table for receiving packed crates. A harvest aid machine may further include harvest modules that may be removably mounted to a main chassis and are width-adjustable such that the harvest modules are adaptable to different crop row spacing, and optionally different crate sizes.
Type:
Application
Filed:
June 11, 2010
Publication date:
April 21, 2011
Applicant:
REITER AFFILIATED COMPANIES, LLC
Inventors:
Robert Johnson, Manuel Mercado, Gary Grossen, Jeff Mathews, Michael Christensen