Machine for harvesting tomatoes
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MTS
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-27
AI Technical Summary
Existing tomato harvesting machines are cumbersome, heavy, and inefficient, leading to damage of tomatoes and machinery due to the presence of stones and debris, and result in significant waste and reduced productivity.
A machine for harvesting tomatoes with an interceptor cross belt and a soil removal belt positioned orthogonally to the machine's longitudinal extension, allowing for immediate isolation and sorting of loose tomatoes and foreign bodies, reducing unnecessary passages and damage, and enabling efficient removal of stones and debris.
The machine effectively minimizes the path of tomatoes from harvesting to unloading, reduces damage and waste, and increases productivity by promptly removing foreign bodies, thus preserving the quality of tomatoes and extending the machine's lifespan.
Smart Images
Figure IT2024050148_23012025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] MACHINE FOR HARVESTING TOMATOES
[0002] Technical field of application
[0003] The present invention relates to the field of agricultural machinery, and in particular concerns a machine for harvesting vegetables, more specifically for harvesting tomatoes.
[0004] Prior art
[0005] The known type of machines for harvesting tomatoes are adapted to work in the field proceeding along one direction of travel, and in general terms are provided with:
[0006] - a control cabin adapted to host an operator;
[0007] - motor means adapted to provide energy to means for support and advancement on the ground in said direction of travel;
[0008] - front cutting means adapted to cut the tomato plants;
[0009] - a series of belts that constitute the path followed by the plants and tomatoes, and along which various shaking, selection and sorting operations are carried out, to separate the tomatoes from the cut plants and to identify only the red and ripe tomatoes to be sent to collection vehicles (generally trailers).
[0010] In detail, such machines for harvesting tomatoes extend in length, have a longitudinal direction of extension along which the loading and shaking operations of the tomatoes are carried out, while on the sides the selection and sorting operations occur for the ripe tomatoes to be sent to a collection box of an external trailer that flanks the machine.
[0011] The known machines for harvesting tomatoes comprise: - a loading belt on which the cut plants bearing the tomatoes, the ripe tomatoes and the unripe tomatoes that may already be detached from said plants, and any undesired foreign bodies such as soil, stones, debris or the like are loaded;
[0012] - a feed belt (or interrupted belt), positioned consecutively to said loading belt in said direction of longitudinal extension, but with the interposition of a gap, adapted to feed said cut plants bearing the tomatoes towards shaker means for separating the tomatoes from the plants;
[0013] - shaker means, provided with flexible rods adapted to exert vibrations on the plants so as to detach the tomatoes and clean the plants of any stones or soil residues;
[0014] - a lower collecting belt onto which the tomatoes fall, but also the stones and soil residues, expelled below the shaker means;
[0015] - a plurality of sorting belts arranged in series one after the other on the right side of the machine.
[0016] Said loading belt comprises a plurality of hooks, adapted to favour the gripping of the plants during their loading into the machine.
[0017] The feed belt also comprises spikes extending from its work surface.
[0018] To prevent the hooks of said loading belt from interfering with the spikes of the feed belt that follows, and with the belt itself, said gap is provided at the rotation point of the two belts, in fact of a width such as to allow only the passage of the hooks and spikes.
[0019] The gap between said loading belt and said feed belt can also allow the passage and downwards falling by gravity of loose tomatoes already detached from the plants and of any smaller foreign bodies present on the loading belt.
[0020] An interceptor cross belt is placed below said gap, arranged orthogonally to said direction of longitudinal extension, adapted to recover the material fallen through said gap and to feed a soil removal belt which instead runs longitudinally to the machine, along its left side, in an entirely external position.
[0021] A selection of the products falling from the gap actually occurs along said soil removal belt, with the discarding of foreign bodies, such as soil or stones, which are dropped outside the machine.
[0022] All the product transported by the soil removal belt and not discarded, once it reaches the rear part of the machine, is then transferred to the right side of the machine itself, for sorting operations, by means of a further cross belt with a direction of movement opposite that of the lower collecting belt.
[0023] The known machines for harvesting tomatoes have some limitations and disadvantages.
[0024] First of all, such machines, due to the presence of the soil removal belt that runs longitudinally entirely outside the left side of the machine, have large dimensions, exceeding the three metre limit beyond which transport must be considered exceptional, with all the limitations and problems that derive therefrom.
[0025] Furthermore, they are very heavy machines, because a soil removal belt substantially as long as the machine affects the overall weight due to the considerable quantities of metal used to make the cross bars of the belt itself which constitute the work surface.
[0026] Even more disadvantageously, the tomatoes falling through the gap travel for several metres on the machine belts (interceptor cross belt and external soil removal belt) before reaching the actual sorting and unloading into the collection trailer, with the risk that during the transfers from one belt to another they are damaged.
[0027] The fixed gap between said loading belt and said feed belt significantly limits the passage of loose tomatoes, stones and various debris. The opening of the gap is in fact dictated by the construction of the machine: the space into which the tomatoes or stones can fall is nothing more than the space for the passage of the hooks of the loading belt and the spikes of the feed belt. In fact, only loose tomatoes and smaller stones fall onto the collecting belt beforehand.
[0028] This means that a considerable quantity of stones still passes inside the shaker means, with the risk of causing damage to the structures.
[0029] Furthermore, the quantity of stones which is not diverted onto the soil removal belt but which continues along the path together with the tomatoes and reaches the sorting side is still considerable: the work of the sorting means is disadvantageously made difficult by the presence of large quantities of stones and therefore not always is efficiently managed by the optical selection means. In fact, such sorting means must use optical means to identify the stones and green tomatoes, which are then expelled with paddles which hit them and remove them from the selection process. In the end, collection boxes are obtained which unfortunately still contain too many stones in relation to the quantity of tomatoes, with significant percentages of waste on the final production.
[0030] Presentation of the invention
[0031] The object of the invention is to overcome such limits, creating a machine for harvesting tomatoes that is efficient in the work of selecting all the cut and loaded material, minimising the path carried out by the tomatoes from the harvesting point to the unloading point of the machine into the body of the tractor trailer, so as to preserve the tomatoes themselves from possible crushing and bruising, and at the same time eliminating the soil, stones and debris mistakenly collected as soon as possible, so as to preserve the machine from possible damage and increase the productivity of the harvest.
[0032] It is further an object of the invention to create a machine for harvesting tomatoes which is hardly cumbersome, which can fit within the dimensions of road vehicles, and which is light.
[0033] The objects are achieved by a machine for harvesting tomatoes having a direction of longitudinal extension and a side assigned to sorting, comprising:
[0034] - a loading belt on which the cut plants bearing the tomatoes, the ripe tomatoes and the unripe tomatoes that may already be detached from said plants, and any foreign bodies such as soil, stones or debris are loaded;
[0035] - a feed belt, positioned consecutively to said loading belt in said direction of longitudinal extension, but with the interposition of a gap, adapted to feed said cut plants bearing the tomatoes towards shaker means for separating the tomatoes from the plants;
[0036] - shaker means provided with flexible rods adapted to exert vibrations on the plants so as to detach the tomatoes and clean the plants of any foreign bodies;
[0037] - a lower collecting belt onto which the tomatoes fall, and also any foreign bodies, falling below the shaker means;
[0038] - a plurality of sorting belts in series one after the other on the side of the machine,
[0039] - an interceptor cross belt, arranged orthogonally to said direction of longitudinal extension, located below said gap and adapted to recover the fallen material from said gap;
[0040] - a soil removal belt fed by said interceptor cross belt;
[0041] - a command and control unit, where said gap between said loading belt and said feed belt allows the passage of the loose tomatoes already detached from the plants and any foreign bodies and the dropping thereof down onto said interceptor cross belt, adapted to convey them towards said soil removal belt, characterized in that:
[0042] - said interceptor cross belt is adapted to transfer the dropped material from said gap towards the same side of the machine assigned to sorting;
[0043] - said soil removal belt is positioned crosswise to said direction of longitudinal extension of said machine, extends upwards as a continuation of said interceptor cross belt and is adapted to carry out a first separation, transferring the foreign bodies towards the outside of the machine, to the side of the machine assigned to sorting, so that they can drop back onto the field.
[0044] Advantageously, said soil removal belt comprises, on the supporting surface thereof, gripping means for said foreign bodies, adapted to retain them until they drop back onto the field and allow said tomatoes to roll back downwards.
[0045] In particular, said gripping means comprise rough areas provided on the continuous full supporting surface of said soil removal belt.
[0046] According to possible variations of the invention, said machine for harvesting tomatoes comprises:
[0047] - means for varying the elevation of said soil removal belt;
[0048] - means for varying the advance speed of said soil removal belt.
[0049] In a particularly preferred variant of the invention, said machine for harvesting tomatoes comprises a sorting belt also positioned crosswise to said direction of longitudinal extension of said machine and arranged below said soil removal belt so as to be partially surmounted by it, where said sorting belt is adapted to receive the loose tomatoes that roll back from said soil removal belt.
[0050] Furthermore, said machine for harvesting tomatoes comprises means for rotation of said soil removal belt around its own longitudinal axis, so as to modify the plane on which the work surface of said soil removal belt lies, thus favouring a uniform distribution of said loose tomatoes on the sorting belt below.
[0051] According to a further aspect of the invention, said machine for harvesting tomatoes comprises selector means located at the end of said sorting belt.
[0052] In particular, said selector means comprise optical scanning means adapted to identify the ripe tomatoes, and expulsion means adapted to identify and direct said ripe tomatoes towards a discharge belt for discharging the selected tomatoes positioned below said sorting belt.
[0053] In a particularly preferred embodiment, said interceptor cross belt, said soil removal belt and said sorting belt are operatively arranged in sequence with each other in a direction of extension orthogonal to said direction of longitudinal extension of said machine, at the end of the sorting path.
[0054] According to a possible variant of the invention, said machine for harvesting tomatoes comprises means for adjusting the width of said gap between said loading belt and said feed belt, so as to select the size of the loose tomatoes already detached from the plants and any foreign bodies for dropping onto said interceptor cross belt.
[0055] According to further aspects of the invention:
[0056] - said means for varying the elevation of said soil removal belt and said means for adjusting the width of said gap comprise actuator means controlled by said command and control unit;
[0057] - said means for varying the advance speed of said soil removal belt and said means for rotating said soil removal belt around its longitudinal axis comprise hydraulic motor means controlled by said command and control unit.
[0058] Advantageously, said command and control unit is located inside a driver's cab of said machine adapted to house an operator.
[0059] According to a preferred variant, said means for adjusting the width of said gap comprise safety valve means adapted to detect an abnormal pressure increase in a hydraulic supply circuit and to adjust the relative actuator means to widen said gap for the passage of large foreign bodies.
[0060] The machine for harvesting tomatoes according to the invention has numerous advantages.
[0061] The main advantage, deriving from the location of the interceptor cross belt and the soil removal belt in a direction orthogonal to the direction of longitudinal extension of the machine, consists in the fact that the tomatoes which are already loose and separated from the plants during the cutting and harvesting, as well as unwanted foreign bodies, are immediately isolated and sent to the same side of the machine assigned for sorting, downstream of the existing optical scanning means, without having to pass through the entire workflow of the machine itself. The already loose tomatoes thus avoid unnecessary passages, blows and crushing, especially inside the shaker means, which could damage them, compromising the quality thereof. The foreign bodies avoid passing through the tomato sorting step, and consequently the work of the optical scanning means and the expulsion means is relieved.
[0062] Even more advantageously, said gap can be selectively modified, both at the start of work as a machine setting operation, and during work in the field, directly from the driver's cab of the machine by the operator.
[0063] The possibility of varying the width of said gap allows to select the size of the loose elements, tomatoes or foreign bodies such as stones or debris, which can fall directly from the loading belt onto the interceptor cross belt, without the unnecessary passage inside the shaker means, as they are already detached.
[0064] Avoiding a passage through the shaker means protects the tomatoes from unnecessary blows and protects the shaker means themselves from damage which would be caused by foreign bodies during shaking.
[0065] The tomatoes and the machine itself are therefore preserved at the same time.
[0066] Furthermore, the quantity of foreign bodies intercepted before entering the shaker means and dropped back in the field after passing on the interceptor cross belt and the soil removal belt is much greater than the quantity of foreign bodies, mostly stones, eliminated in the prior art: on the side of the machine assigned to sorting, minimal quantities of stones will actually be in transit, which will not affect the work of the selector means.
[0067] Advantageously, said interceptor cross belt also acts as an unravelling device for a better distribution of the tomatoes and loose materials on the soil removal belt. The inclination and roughness of the cross belt cause the tomatoes to roll downwards and any foreign bodies to advance, as well as the advancement of leaves and twigs, so as to cause them to fall by gravity onto the field.
[0068] The means for varying the elevation and the means for varying the speed of the soil removal belt facilitate the calibration of the soil removal belt to encourage the downward rolling of everything that is round, i.e., the tomatoes; at the same time, the means for rotating the soil removal belt around its longitudinal axis allow the rolling tomatoes to occupy the entire width of the belt so that they then fall onto the sorting belt well spaced from each other and are thus more easily identified by the optical scanning means.
[0069] Brief description of the drawings
[0070] These and other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more evident from the more detailed description set out below, with the help of the drawings representing a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example, in which:
[0071] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate, in an axonometric view from two different angles, a machine for harvesting tomatoes (partially without the closing casing) according to the invention;
[0072] Fig. 3 illustrates, in longitudinal section, the machine for harvesting tomatoes of Figures 1 and 2;
[0073] Fig. 4 illustrates, in schematic view, a cross section of the machine of Figures 1 and 2;
[0074] Fig. 5 illustrates, in an axonometric view, a detail of Fig. 2;
[0075] Fig. 6 illustrates, in a partially transparent side view, a detail of the machine according to the invention. Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention
[0076] With reference to Figures 1 -3, a machine 1 for harvesting tomatoes is illustrated having a direction of longitudinal extension x along which the cutting and loading operations of tomato plants takes place and a side C assigned to the sorting and transfer of only the ripe tomatoes into special trailers (not illustrated) next to the machine.
[0077] With particular reference to Figure 1 and the section of Figure 3, said machine comprises:
[0078] - a driver's cab 11 adapted to house an operator, in which a command and control unit 12 is located for all the functions of the machine 1 available to the same operator;
[0079] - thermal motor means 13 adapted to provide energy to support and advancement means 14 on a ground in a direction of travel M;
[0080] - front cutting means 15 adapted to cut tomato plants;
[0081] - a loading belt 2 on which the cut plants bearing the tomatoes, the ripe tomatoes PM and the unripe green tomatoes PV that may already be detached from said plants, and any undesired foreign bodies S such as soil, stones or debris are loaded;
[0082] - a feed belt 3, in jargon defined "interrupted belt”, positioned consecutively to said loading belt 2 in said direction of longitudinal extension x, but with the interposition of a gap D, adapted to feed said cut plants bearing the tomatoes towards shaker means 4 for separating the tomatoes from the plants;
[0083] - shaker means 4 provided with flexible rods 16 adapted to exert vibrations on the plants so as to detach the tomatoes and clean the plants of any soil, stones or debris;
[0084] - a lower collecting belt 17 onto which the tomatoes fall, and also any soil, stones and debris, falling below the shaker means 4;
[0085] - a plurality of sorting belts 18 arranged in series one after the other on the right side C of the machine, comprising selector means 18' adapted to optically recognise and hit the green tomatoes PV and foreign bodies S to remove them from the sorting belts 18;
[0086] - an interceptor cross belt 5, arranged orthogonally to said direction of longitudinal extension x, located below said gap D.
[0087] Said interceptor cross belt 5 is adapted to recover loose tomatoes PM, PV already detached from the plants and any foreign bodies S falling through said gap D arranged between said loading belt 2 and said feed belt 3, and to directly transfer what has been recovered towards the side C of machine 1 assigned to sorting, downstream of the sorting itself.
[0088] Said machine 1 comprises means for adjusting the width of said gap D between said loading belt 2 and said feed belt 3.
[0089] By varying the width of said gap D, unlike the minimum fixed gap of the traditional machines, it is possible to select the size of the loose tomatoes PM, PV already detached from the plants and of any foreign bodies S to be dropped onto said interceptor cross belt 5, thus significantly reducing the quantity of foreign bodies S accessing the shaker means 4 and then in selection on the sorting side C.
[0090] With reference to the detail of Figure 6, said means for adjusting the width of said gap D comprise actuator means 19 controlled by the command and control unit 12 located in the driver's cab 11 , and preferably comprise a hydraulic cylinder.
[0091] The adjustment of the width of the gap D can therefore also be controlled directly by the operator from the driver's cab 11 while the machine 1 is operating.
[0092] To prevent any foreign bodies S, in particular stones and debris, of size comparable to the width of the gap D from blocking and obstructing the gap itself, said means for adjusting the width of said gap D comprise safety valve means 20 (overpressure valves) adapted to detect an abnormal pressure increase in a hydraulic supply circuit and to adjust the relative actuator means 19 to widen said gap D for the passage of large foreign bodies S.
[0093] As evident from Figure 2 and the detail of Figure 5, said machine 1 for harvesting tomatoes further comprises a soil removal belt 6 fed by said interceptor cross belt 5.
[0094] Said soil removal belt 6 is also placed crosswise to said direction of longitudinal extension x of said machine 1 , and extends in continuation of said interceptor cross belt 5.
[0095] A first separation occurs on said soil removal belt 6: the foreign bodies S, such as soil, stones, debris, leaves and twigs, are accompanied towards the outside of the machine 1 to fall back onto the field.
[0096] Said soil removal belt 6 is provided with a certain inclination, starting from the bottom, at the point of proximity with the interceptor cross belt 5, upwards at the falling point of the undesired foreign bodies S towards the outside of the machine 1 .
[0097] Said soil removal belt 6 is a solid rubber belt, preferably made of plastic material such as PVC.
[0098] Said soil removal belt 6 comprises, on its support surface, gripping means for said undesired foreign bodies S, adapted to retain them until they fall back onto the field.
[0099] Said gripping means comprise rough areas 21 provided on the support surface of said soil removal belt 6.
[0100] Similarly, the inclination of the soil removal belt 6 itself favours the rolling of said tomatoes, both red and ripe PM and green PV, backwards and downwards.
[0101] To this end, said machine 1 further comprises means for varying the elevation of said soil removal belt 6, so as to vary the inclination thereof as a function, for example, of the flow rate and size of the tomatoes being transferred.
[0102] Said means for varying the elevation of said soil removal belt comprise actuator means 22 controlled by the command and control unit 12 located in the driver's cab 11 , and preferably comprise hydraulic cylinders.
[0103] Furthermore, said machine 1 comprises means for varying the advance speed of said soil removal belt 6 and said means for varying the advance speed comprise hydraulic motor means 23 always controlled by said command and control unit 12.
[0104] With particular reference to the schematic section of Figure 4, said machine comprises a sorting belt 7 also placed crosswise to said direction of longitudinal extension x, below said soil removal belt 6 so as to be partially surmounted by it.
[0105] Said sorting belt 7 is adapted to receive the loose, red and ripe PM and green PV tomatoes, which fall backwards by rolling from said sorting belt 6.
[0106] At the end of said sorting belt 7, selector means are arranged which are adapted to isolate the red and ripe tomatoes PM from the green tomatoes PV, and from any minimal residues of foreign bodies S.
[0107] Said selector means, of the type known as "colour sorter", comprise:
[0108] - optical scanning means 8 adapted to identify the ripe tomatoes PM;
[0109] - expulsion means 9 of the paddle type adapted to hit and direct said ripe tomatoes PM towards a discharge belt 10 for discharging the already selected ripe tomatoes PM, placed below said sorting belt 7 and sliding in the longitudinal direction of the machine 1 .
[0110] The optical scanning means 8 work in reverse with respect to the selector means 18' provided on the side C of the machine 1 , i.e., they recognise the red and ripe tomatoes PM and induce the expulsion means 9 to direct them, instead allowing the green tomatoes PV and any residual foreign bodies S to advance, and then fall onto the field.
[0111] Said sorting belt 7 has a greater width with respect to said soil removal belt 6 and to better distribute the tomatoes rolling from said soil removal belt 6, so as to make the reading of the optical scanning means 8 easier, said machine 1 comprises means for rotating said soil removal belt 6 around a longitudinal axis thereof, so as to modify the plane on which the work surface of said soil removal belt 6 lies, so as to favour a uniform distribution of the loose tomatoes on the sorting belt 7 below.
[0112] Also in this case, said rotating means of said soil removal belt 6 comprise hydraulic motor means (not illustrated, controlled by said command and control unit 12.
[0113] What is clear from the section of Figure 4 is that said interceptor cross belt 5, said soil removal belt 6 and said sorting belt 7 are arranged operatively in sequence in a direction of extension y orthogonal to said direction of longitudinal extension x of said machine 1 , at the final end of the ordinary sorting path, so as to not create external bulk along the sides of the machine 1 .
[0114] The entire "soil removal section" is comprised in the overall width of machine 1 , which thus maintains dimensions within road limits.
Claims
CLAIMS1) A machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes having a direction of longitudinal extension (x) and a side (C) assigned to sorting, comprising:- a loading belt (2) on which the cut plants bearing the tomatoes, the ripe tomatoes (PM) and the unripe tomatoes (PV) that may already be detached from said plants, and any foreign (S) such as soil, stones or debris are loaded;- a feed belt (3), positioned consecutively to said loading belt (2) in said direction of longitudinal extension (x), but with the interposition of a gap (D), adapted to feed said cut plants bearing the tomatoes towards shaker means for separating the tomatoes from the plants;- shaker means (4), provided with flexible rods (16) adapted to exert vibrations on the plants so as to detach the tomatoes (PM, PV) and clean the plants of any foreign bodies (S);- a lower collecting belt (17) onto which the tomatoes (PM, PV) fall, and also any foreign bodies (S), falling below the shaker means (4);- a plurality of sorting belts (18) arranged in series one after the other on the side (C) of the machine (1 ),- an interceptor cross belt (5), arranged orthogonally to said direction of longitudinal extension (x), located below said gap (D) and adapted to recover the fallen material from said gap (D);- a soil removal belt (6) fed by said interceptor cross belt (5),- a command and control unit (12), where said gap (D) between said loading belt (2) and said feed belt(3) allows the passage of the loose tomatoes (PM, PV) already detached from the plants and any foreign bodies (S) and the dropping thereof down onto said interceptor cross belt (5), adapted to convey them towards said soil removal belt (6), characterized in that:- said interceptor cross belt (5) is adapted to transfer the dropped material from said gap (D) towards the same side (C) of the machine (1 ) assigned to sorting;- said soil removal belt (6) is positioned crosswise to said direction of longitudinal extension (x) of said machine (1 ), extends upwards as a continuation of said interceptor cross belt (5) and is adapted to carry out a first separation, transferring the foreign bodies (S) towards the outside of the machine (1 ), to the side (C) of the machine (1 ) assigned to sorting, so that they can drop back onto the field.2) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 1 , characterized in that said soil removal belt (6) comprises, on the supporting surface thereof, gripping means for said foreign bodies (S), adapted to retain them until they drop back onto the field and allow said tomatoes (PM, PV) to roll back downwards.3) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 2, characterized in that said gripping means comprise rough areas (21 ) provided on the continuous full supporting surface of said soil removal belt (6).4) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 1 ,characterized in that it comprises means for varying the elevation of said soil removal belt (6).5) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises means for varying the advance speed of said soil removal belt (6).6) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a sorting belt (7) also positioned crosswise to said direction of longitudinal extension (x) of said machine (1 ) and arranged below said soil removal belt (6) so as to be partially surmounted by it, where said sorting belt (7) is adapted to receive the loose tomatoes (PM, PV) that roll back from said soil removal belt (6).7) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises means for rotation of said soil removal belt (6) around its own longitudinal axis, so as to modify the plane on which the work surface of said soil removal belt (6) lies, thus favouring a uniform distribution of said loose tomatoes (PM, PV) on the sorting belt (7) below.8) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises selector means located at the end of said sorting belt (7).9) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 8, characterized in that said selector means comprise optical scanning means (8) adapted to identify the ripe tomatoes (PM), and expulsion means (9) adapted to identify and direct said ripetomatoes (PM) towards a discharge belt (10) for discharge of the selected tomatoes positioned below said sorting belt (7).10) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 6, characterized in that said interceptor cross belt (5), said soil removal belt (6) and said sorting belt (7) are arranged operatively in sequence in a direction of extension (y) orthogonal to said direction of longitudinal extension (x) of said machine (1 ), at the end of the sorting path.11 ) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises means for adjusting the width of said gap (D) between said loading belt (2) and said feed belt (3), so as to select the size of the loose tomatoes (PM, PV) already detached from the plants and any foreign bodies (S) for dropping onto said interceptor cross belt (5).12) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claims 4 and 11 , characterized in that said means for varying the elevation of said soil removal belt (6) and said means for adjusting the width of said gap (D) comprise actuator means (22, 19) controlled by said command and control unit (12).13) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claims 5 and 7, characterized in that said means for varying the advance speed of said soil removal belt (6) and said means for rotating said soil removal belt (6) around its longitudinal axis comprise hydraulic motor means (23) controlled by said command and control unit (12).14) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 1 , characterized in that said command and control unit (12) is located inside a driver’s cab (11 ) of said machine (1) adapted to house an operator.15) The machine (1 ) for harvesting tomatoes according to claim 12, characterized in that said means for adjusting the width of said gap (D) comprise safety valve means (20) adapted to detect an abnormal pressure increase in a hydraulic supply circuit and to adjust the relative actuator means (19) to widen said gap (D) for the passage of large foreign bodies (S).