Abstract: A fruit picker and branch trimmer comprising a frame or partial frame coupled to a stick, and at least one rotating jaw. The jaw is triggered by blades or pins coming in contact with the stem or branch, or by the fruit itself pushing on the jaw. Simply, the jaw rotates by only pulling on the stick. When a jaw rotates, its non-hinged sharp end presses the stem or branch on an obstacle, hence cutting the stem or branch. When two jaws rotate the stem or branch is cut when the sharp edges of the jaws come together. Another type of jaws has at least one elongated recess, when a stem or branch falls into the elongated recess it will be twisted and broken when the jaw rotates.

Abstract: The invention provides a device and method for quickly, easily and accurately removing flowers or buds from a plant stem in a single step by using a device that is a cover or partial cover for a bucket or container that can be attached and removed from the bucket or container, and the device further providing one or more substantially rigid grooves or shaped edges and pressing an herb or stem of herbs or plants firmly into and against the one or more grooves or shaped edges utilizing a method according to the invention to permit stripping or removing the flower(s) or bud(s) that are attached to the plant or herb stem in a single step. In a preferred aspect, the invention provides such devices and methods that include a device having a plurality of grooves or shaped edges that can efficiently catch and strip buds or flowers from herbs or plants.

Abstract: A ‘head’ or cap device, mountable on the end of a pole, for thinning fruit, such as cherries. The head includes a hub that caps or mounts upon the end of the pole. A multiple of tines mount to and extend outward from the hub, approximately perpendicular from the lengthwise axis of the pole. The tines are regularly spaced around and radially project from the perimeter of the hub and include a bend at their midpoints of approximately forty-five degrees, back toward the far end of the pole. The pole mounted head is especially useful in the swift thinning of unripe cherries, by twisting and raking the tines of the device along fruit laden branches. As the tines become clogged with fruit and debris, the head is rotated by the user to expose clean tines and clear raked fruit and debris from between the tines.

Abstract: A tool having a rotatable handle grip is disclosed. The tool includes an elongated handle having a first end and second end, wherein a handle grip is rotatably coupled with the first end, and a working end is coupled with the second end. The working end may include a plurality of spaced tines with the prongs having points, wherein at least one cutting blade is coupled to the device between adjacent tines allowing a user to slide the tines of the fork along the ground surface, thereby using the blade to harvest vegetation. Additionally, the working end has an attached harvesting means that allows a stack of cut vegetation to accumulate on the device to be carried and placed in a preferred location or container.

Abstract: A manual fruit harvesting tool having a handle which carries a head. The head has a U-shaped member which is generally perpendicular to the handle. The U-shaped member has a long arm and a shorter arm connected by a bight. The user manipulates the head directing the fruit stem into the bight where the fruit may be severed by applying a sharp downward jerk motion to the pole.

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: The present invention is directed to a manual stem cutting and fruit removal apparatus. The device comprises a receptacle member and a handle attached thereto. A mouth and a blade are located adjacent at the top of the receptacle member. The blade is adjustably removable for case in replacement. A collection chamber is positioned beneath the mouth and the blade and includes a sloping surface for supporting the precut fruit and a cushioned surface for catching the fruit after the stem is severed. In use, the mouth receives the fruit while it is hanging on the tree. By manipulating the device, the blade engages and cuts the stem, and the fruit falls into the collection chamber.

Abstract: A fruit picker includes a rigid, hollow sleeve having an opening at the top end thereof, and a fruit engaging mechanism connected to the sleeve at the top end for engaging a piece of fruit. The fruit engaging mechanism includes a string attached at one end thereof to a first point on the sleeve, the string passing through a hole provided in the sleeve at a second point which is separated from the first point by a predetermined arcuate distance along a side of the sleeve. The opposite end of the string extends down the outside of the sleeve so that it can be grasped by a user of the fruit picker. The string defines, in conjunction with the side of the sleeve, a variable size opening in which the piece of fruit to be picked is received. The fruit engaging mechanism further includes a biasing mechanism which is slidably attached to the string for biasing the string away from the first and second point so as to increase the size of the variable size opening.

Abstract: In apparatus to facilitate picking of fruits, one combination comprising a pole, a rigid basket which is mounted on the pole, and a cutter which is a plate having a cutting wedge or cutting wedges and which is mounted transversely on a side wall of the basket; another combination comprising a pole, a cutter mounting device which is clamped onto one end of the pole, a cutter which is a plate having a cutting wedge or cutting wedges and which is mounted on the cutter mounting device, a fruit holder mounting device which is mounted on the cutter mounting device, and a fruit holder which is a bag made of flexible material and which is mounted onto the fruit holder mounting device.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing plastic bags and other debris from trees utilizing an elongated pole, at least a cutting member having a cutting edge with the cutting member attached to the pole, and at least a hook member attached to the pole and extending transversely thereof.

Abstract: A fruit picking apparatus for easily penetrating foliage to access fruit, and for removing fruit from a stem, including a generally cylindrical receptacle formed as a one piece construction and having a closed upper end, a closed lower end and a side wall extending therebetween, the upper end and the lower end being sloped to facilitate penetration of foliage, an opening for receiving fruit formed in the side wall intermediate the upper end and the lower end and terminating proximate the upper end with a convergent slot extending in the direction of the upper end, a shaft, and a threaded socket extending from the lower end of the receptacle along a longitudinal axis, for removably receiving a threaded end of the shaft.

Abstract: A mechanical fruit harvester employs a fruit-picking unit having plural, flexible probes which are extended into the foliage of the tree. Each probe has retractable fingers for separating the fruit from the stem. Each probe is significantly flexible, in order to avoid damage to the unit and to the tree being harvested. In one arrangement, the harvester is free-standing and has restricted dimensions, in order to permit movement about substantially all of an individual fruit tree among a plurality of densely-spaced fruit trees. The restricted-dimensioned arrangement employs hydraulic motor means for operating the drive, the probe extension and the probe elevation features.

Abstract: A portable hand-operated fruit picker for mounting on a telescoping pole having a container or bag at one end thereof for receiving the fruit when removed from a tree. The portable hand-operated fruit picker consists primarily of a telescoping pole, a first hoop member fixed to the distal end of the upper section of the telescoping pole, a second hoop member pivotally mounted to the upper section of the telescoping pole adjacent its distal end, a container or bag fixed to the second hoop member, and a member for actuating the second hoop member relative to the first hoop member to facilitate the fruit picking process.

Abstract: A fruit picker includes a rectangular receptacle having four vertical side walls joined by a horizontal floor. The receptacle has an open top and a hollow interior for receiving picked fruit. A vertical one-half inch wide slot is formed in one side wall for receiving the stem of a fruit to be picked. A telescopically extensible handle is secured to the receptacle and includes an internally threaded clamping sleeve surrounding a first tubular member and in threaded engagement with an end portion of a second tubular member. A frusto conical cam surface in the sleeve is in abutment with a resilient ring within the sleeve surrounding the first tubular member for securing the handle in a selected adjusted position. In a second embodiment, a resilient flap members on opposite sides of the slot engage a fruit stem.

Abstract: A picking head and/or support frame for a fruit or like produce containing bag designed to be attached to the distal end of an elongated pole or shaft and including a cutting blade mounted thereon such that a worker may extend the bag and picking head to an elevated position so as to reach oranges or like fruit within a tree and easily sever the stem of such fruit so that it will be captured within the bag after being cut from the tree and wherein the picking head includes a support frame produced from a preferably one piece, high strength, light weight, moldable material.

Abstract: A fruit picker which takes the form of an elongated handle section which is secured at its outer end to a ring shaped member. The lower surface of the ring shaped member is secured to a collecting container, such as a bag. The upper surface of the ring shaped member is hiatused in the form of a scalloped arrangement. The stem of the fruit is to connect with a scallop with the fruit itself to be located interiorly of the ring shaped member and by exerting force against the stem will cause the stem to break resulting in the fruit being separated from the tree and falling within the collecting container.

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 fruit harvesting assembly of the type including an elongated handle used to cut and collect fruit hanging from trees at a substantial distance above ground. A support frame comprises a base portion attached to the handle means and a head portion having a cutting blade secured thereto. A base portion and head portion are specifically aligned substantially colinear to the longitudinal axis of the handle means wherein the cutting blade and support arms of the support frame are arranged in an angular declining relation to this linear alignment thereby allowing simultaneous positioning of the cutting blade transverse or substantially perpendicular to the stem of the fruit being cut and the support arm in an out of the way location so as to provide clear viewing of engagement of the cutting blade and the fruit being cut.