Nut harvester

Abstract

A nut harvester includes a frame drawn by a tractor over nut and debris windrows on the ground of a nut orchard. The nut harvester collects the nuts from the windrows and separates the debris collected therewith while minimizing the dust emissions and airborne pollutants generated by the nut harvester. The nut harvester includes three primary sections: a pick-up section, a stationary grid section, and a conveyor/fan section. The pick-up section includes finger assemblies which engage the ground to propel the nuts and debris forwardly and upwardly into a rotating feed reel which in turn deposits the nuts onto a stationary grid. The stationary grid includes a number of parallel bars which are spaced to prevent the nuts from falling therebetween. Wipers extend transversely across the grid and advance the nuts therealong. The wipers include downwardly projecting teeth which are inserted between the bars to separate dirt clumps, sand-like soil and other debris for return directly to the ground, thereby minimizing dust emissions. The nuts and debris are then deposited onto a perforate conveyor through which an air stream created by a centrifugal fan separates the remaining debris from the nuts. The air stream and entrained debris are directed to a fan housing to circulate therein with the centrifugal fan. The heavier debris is partitioned off from the lighter debris and enters a scoop section due to the variation in centrifugal force associated with each portion of the debris. Heavier debris is returned directly to the ground through an air-lock at the terminal end of the scoop section; whereas, the lighter debris is discharged to the atmosphere with the air stream. As a result, the nut harvester deposits both the dirt and heavier debris directly to the ground thereby minimizing the dust emissions and airborne pollutants created in the harvesting process.