The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 1987
Filed:
Feb. 05, 1986
Thomas S Bettencourt, Isleton, CA (US);
Darryl G Bettencourt, Lodi, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A single-row tomato harvester. A tractor fully supported on its own wheels, has its wheels being spaced apart sufficiently to bridge a previously harvested bed and ride in its furrows. The tractor has its own hydraulic pump, a power take-off unit along the tractor's longitudinal centerline, and a rigid draw bar at its rear. A harvester assembly having no motive power is partially supported on wheels spaced apart widthwise at substantially the same distance as those of the tractor and has a series of hydraulically powered means. The harvester is offset by one bed from the tractor during harvesting. A tongue pivotally attached at one end to the harvester and the other end to said tractor, supports a hydraulic pump for operating the harvester's series of powered means. A longitudinally rigid drive line, swivel mounted to said pump's rotary shaft and to the tractor's power take-off unit, has telescoping means for automatically lengthening and shortening it. The drive line lies along the centerline of the tractor during the offset harvesting. A hydraulically powered generally horizontal cylinder-piston apparatus is pivotally attached at one end to said tongue and at the other end to the harvester for shifting the relative lateral position of the harvester assembly to the tractor.