Pickle harvester

Abstract

A harvester for picking cucumbers that is effective and cost efficient on small, 'pickling' cucumbers is mountable on a tractor frame for a conventional mechanical pickle harvester between a vine cutter and pinch roller mechanism. The harvester comprises a pickup mechanism at the front of the harvester for picking up severed cucumber vines and a conveying and fruit removal mechanism that conveys the vines rearwardly between the pick-up mechanism to the pinch roller mechanism, while at the same time gently dislodging fruit from the vines and thinning and defoliating the vines so as to improve the action of the pinch roller mechanism. The conveying and fruit removal mechanism includes a rotating paddle mechanism comprising cushioned gum rubber paddle blades that rotate in the direction of vine travel and strike the fruit as the vines are conveyed over the paddles. The number of paddles and position, spacing, speed, and synchronization of the paddles are carefully controlled such that the mechanism is small enough to fit in a frame for a conventional pickle harvester, is sufficiently light and flexible to use in a wide variety of field conditions, and is inexpensive and effective enough to provide an economically attractive alternative to hand harvesting or other conventional mechanical harvesters. A conveyor mechanism catches the pickles as they are separated from the vines and conveys the separated pickles to an elevating conveyor for storage.