COMPACT HOP HARVESTER
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A machine for harvesting hops, comprising:
- a first belt for conveying hop bines having hop cones into a cone picking space, the first belt including a conveying surface and a plurality of conveyor fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the conveying surface for engaging the hop bines;
a picking finger carrier substantially parallel to the first belt in the cone picking space, the picking finger carrier having a surface and a plurality of picking fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the surface of the picking finger carrier for engaging hop bines and removing hop cones when hop bines are conveyed through the cone picking space by the first belt; and
wherein the plurality of conveyor fingers and the plurality of picking fingers are comprised of flexible materials and arranged on the conveying surface and surface of the picking finger carrier such that the plurality of conveyor fingers and the plurality of picking fingers simultaneously and movably engage with the hop bines and hop cones to remove hop cones from the hop bines.
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Abstract
The disclosure describes a compact hop harvester machine and method of operation for harvesting hops from small-scale hop yards. Adjustable and flexible fingers in the machine interact to separate hop cones from hop bines as they are conveyed through a cone picking space.
16 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A machine for harvesting hops, comprising:
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a first belt for conveying hop bines having hop cones into a cone picking space, the first belt including a conveying surface and a plurality of conveyor fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the conveying surface for engaging the hop bines; a picking finger carrier substantially parallel to the first belt in the cone picking space, the picking finger carrier having a surface and a plurality of picking fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the surface of the picking finger carrier for engaging hop bines and removing hop cones when hop bines are conveyed through the cone picking space by the first belt; and wherein the plurality of conveyor fingers and the plurality of picking fingers are comprised of flexible materials and arranged on the conveying surface and surface of the picking finger carrier such that the plurality of conveyor fingers and the plurality of picking fingers simultaneously and movably engage with the hop bines and hop cones to remove hop cones from the hop bines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A machine for harvesting hops, comprising:
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a conveying means for conveying hop bines having hop cones into a cone picking space, the conveying means including a plurality of conveyor fingers for engaging the hop bines; a picking means for separating hop cones from hop bines in the cone picking space in conjunction with the conveying means, the picking means having a plurality of picking fingers for engaging hop bines and removing hop cones when hop bines are conveyed through the cone picking space by the conveying means; and wherein the plurality of conveyor fingers and the plurality of picking fingers are comprised of flexible materials and arranged to simultaneously and movably engage with the hop bines and hop cones to remove hop cones from the hop bines. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of harvesting hops by a machine, comprising:
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receiving hop bines in the machine via a first belt for conveying hop bines having hop cones into a cone picking space, the first belt including a conveying surface and a plurality of conveyor fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the conveying surface for engaging the hop bines; conveying the hop bines into the cone picking space of the machine where a picking finger carrier is substantially parallel to the first belt in the cone picking space, the picking finger carrier having a surface and a plurality of picking fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the surface of the picking finger carrier for engaging hop bines and removing hop cones when hop bines are conveyed through the cone picking space by the first belt; and removing the hop cones from the hop bines using the plurality of conveyor fingers and the plurality of picking fingers comprised of flexible materials and arranged on the conveying surface and surface of the picking finger carrier such that the plurality of conveyor fingers and the plurality of picking fingers simultaneously and movably engage with the hop bines and hop cones to remove hop cones from the hop bines. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification