Lowbush berry harvester
US5375403A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 28, 1993 |
| Grant date | Dec 27, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 28, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S56/10
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to a harvester for lowbush berries such as wild blueberries. A truss section is mounted to the three-point hitch of a tractor adapted to run in reverse, the truss section pulling a pair of laterally and longitudinally offset picking heads contained within the periphery of the truss section. The picking heads are floatingly connected to the truss section so that they are free to follow the contours of the ground. Each picking head mounts a rotating, tine-carrying reel therein and is connected to one end of a counterbalance system, the other end of the system being carried by the tractor. The counterbalance system includes counterweights that can be raised or lowered between upper and lower limits at the will of the operator so as to offset the weight of the picking head, so that as little as 25% thereof is acting on the ground. This means that there will be little damage to the picking head if it encounters obstacles such as rocks or tree stumps during harvesting. The counterbalance system can also be used to raise the entire head clear of the ground to pass over obstacles or to permit travel of the harvester to or from the fields to be harvested.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.