Arrangement applied to a grape harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement applied to a grape harvester with tilt adjustment of the hopper (17) and of the single-rod beating discs (7), effected by couplings to the three-point hitch of the tractor, at two lower fixing points (19) provided with vertically adjustable apertures (20) for connection to the horizontal connecting bars (21), and a central fixing point (22) likewise provided with vertically adjustable apertures (20) for connection to the third point (23), wherein the grapes fall solely under the force of gravity directly into collection boxes (C) supported on end-pieces (18) extending from the base chassis (2), all of the power being supplied by the PTO of the tractor.

Description

Arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor. Introduction

[0001] This utility model patent application refers to a novel "ARRANGEMENT APPLIED TO A GRAPE BUNCH HARVESTER WITH TRACTOR-MOUNTED INCLINATION ADJUSTMENT," which is low-cost for the producer, compact in size allowing it to be embedded in the tractor using the PTO, benefiting agility in maneuvering during grape bunch harvesting on terrain with any slope. The grapes fall by gravity directly into collection baskets without loss of must (juice), reducing maintenance costs, eliminating the need for hydraulic oil, and requiring only one person during harvesting. Field of application

[0002] The innovation is applied in mechanized viticulture, more specifically in vines trained on pergolas. Technical persuasion

[0003] It is known among experts in the field that mechanized grape harvesting has been employed to speed up the process and reduce labor costs, mainly in trellised vineyards due to the availability of equipment, but also in pergola systems.

[0004] The grape harvest should take place when the fruit reaches the appropriate sugar and acid levels for processing, whether for juice or wine, but it can be influenced by weather conditions that may advance, delay, or restrict the time for harvesting. The grape harvest also competes for labor at the time of harvesting other fruits produced in the same region.

[0005] Labor shortages are one of the main problems faced by winegrowers in terms of crop productivity. Among the strategies to minimize this problem, the importance of agricultural mechanization stands out.

[0006] Since harvesting is the operation that demands about half of all the labor employed in the viticultural production system, the mechanization of this operation has been advocated worldwide as an alternative to reduce labor and annual production costs.

[0007] The equipment must not cause damage to the grapes due to vibration, impacting crop quality, or damage to plant parts, interfering with the lifespan of the vineyard.

[0008] In this context, new equipment technologies that can enable profitable and sustainable harvesting in the pergola system are welcome in this segment. State of the art

[0009] The current state of the art includes several patent documents concerning grape harvesters, such as document BR 202015003866-1 entitled “ADAPTATION IN GRAPE HARVESTER” - which integrates a grape harvester with tilt adjustment comprising a grape harvesting trailer equipped with a double hydraulic system. More precisely, the collection trailer consists of an axle with two wheels, topped by a base hopper, surmounted by another upper hopper equipped with a set of transverse rows of discs with radial rods. The collection trailer is equipped with a panel of hydraulic levers and an air blower. The upper hopper is supported by a tilting mechanism consisting of two hydraulic systems, each positioned in the center of the side of the upper hopper. The hydraulic lifting systems can operate independently, enabling them to tilt the upper hopper to either side.The hydraulic systems' connections to the hopper have articulations; characterized by the base hopper having, in the center, a helical conveyor for transporting the harvested grapes.

[0010] The equipment described above is a wheeled trailer, making it slippery on wet ground and prone to soil erosion, negatively impacting quality. Its extended size hinders movement during harvesting, and the auger used to convey the grapes leads to juice loss and higher maintenance costs. Finally, it uses hydraulic oil, which is environmentally unfriendly.

[0011] Document BR 202017018184-2, entitled “CONSTRUCTIVE ARRANGEMENT IN A GRAPE GRAIN HARVESTER,” is characterized by a rotating cylinder with double, flexible rods that form the harvesting discs incorporated into a hopper / collection box. The harvester is attached to the tractor by two lower hitches and one upper hitch, and has a metal shaft with a transverse hole at a special angle of 2 to 10°, which is inserted into the main shaft of the rotating cylinder equipped with bearings. It also has a tube coupled to the main tube of the collection box. An extension of the shaft allows for the inclusion of more harvesting discs, composed of flexible, double rods.

[0012] The grape harvester described above, which can be mounted on wheels, has three fixed points, without adjustments—two lower and one upper—for attachment to the tractor's three-point hitch. The points are fixed because the angle adjustment is made on the sides of the hopper. The construction of the invention is complex, as it includes an extended hopper, double vibratory discs, and eccentric shafts. A power generator is used to support the equipment. A high-powered turbine is used to separate the grapes from the leaves and twigs.

[0013] Ultimately, transporting the grapes via conveyor belt causes damage to them, negatively impacting their quality.

[0014] Document BR 202019012206-0 U, entitled “CONSTRUCTIVE ARRANGEMENT IN HARVESTER,” describes a compact grape harvester for trellis harvesting systems, in the field of agricultural equipment. More specifically, it comprises a collecting hopper equipped with two rotating cylinders fitted with harvesting discs that have flexible vibrating rods, and composed of two through shafts with a thickness of 35 mm that rotate, causing the discs and rods to vibrate. Thus, the leaves and grains fall onto a conveyor belt that leads them to an innovative separating unit, where they are deposited in a hopper / bin.

[0015] The equipment described in the document above is also of complex construction and utilizes angular adjustment on the sides of the bucket and tracks. Objectives of the invention

[0016] The objective of this innovation is to propose a design applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor, of simple construction.

[0017] The objective of this innovation is to propose an arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor, in which the berries follow, by gravity, directly into the collection basket, eliminating the need for means of displacement and causing less damage to the grapes.

[0018] The objective of this innovation is to propose an arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor, which is powered by the tractor's PTO, eliminating the need for hydraulic motors and lubricants.

[0019] The objective of this innovation is to propose an arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor that uses fans to separate the grapes from plant debris, which is lighter and as efficient as turbines.

[0020] The objective of this innovation is to propose an arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with adjustable tilt on a lightweight tractor, which, combined with the fact that it is suspended and operates elevated on the tractor's three-point hitch, prevents soil compaction.

[0021] The objective of this innovation is to propose an arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor, which, due to its compact size, allows for flush mounting on the tractor, facilitating maneuvers.

[0022] The objective of this innovation is to propose an arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor that allows it to be operated by only one operator, the tractor driver.

[0023] The objective of this innovation is to propose an arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor that adapts to any model of tractor unit.

[0024] The objective of this innovation is to propose an arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor, capable of operating on different types of terrain.

[0025] The objective of this innovation is to propose an arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment on the tractor, offering an excellent cost-benefit ratio. Innovation Summary

[0026] The "ARRANGEMENT APPLIED TO A GRAPE BUNCH HARVESTER WITH TRACTOR-MOUNTED INCLINATION ADJUSTMENT" operates on the tractor's three-point hitch, using its PTO to provide motive power to the beaters, which have their inclination adjusted according to the irregularities of the terrain and the vineyard canopy, by means of the third point, maintaining optimal parallelism in relation to the bunches, whose harvested berries then flow by gravity directly to collection boxes. Description of the figures

[0027] The following figures are presented to better explain the patent application in an illustrative, but not limiting, manner: Figure 1: Perspective view of the arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment, with the collection box; Figure 2: Inverted perspective view of the arrangement applied in a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment; Figure 3: Exploded perspective view of the arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment; Figure 4: Cross-sectional view of the arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment; Figure 5: Cutaway detail of the arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester showing the hopper adjustment device; Figure 6: Top view of the arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment; Figure 7: Perspective view of the geared motor only, as applied in a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment; Figure 8: Perspective view of the upper part of the arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment; Figure 9: Perspective view of the arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment, showing its use; Figure 10: Front view of the arrangement applied to a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment, with the collection box, in the hydraulic version; Figure 11: Perspective view of the hydraulic drive device of the arrangement applied in a grape bunch harvester with tilt adjustment, with the collection box. Detailed description of the innovation

[0028] The “ARRANGEMENT APPLIED IN A GRAPE BUNCH HARVESTER WITH TRACTOR TILT ADJUSTMENT”, the subject of this Utility Model patent application, with tilt adjustment of the hopper (17) and the single-rod beater discs (7) effected by the hitches on the tractor's three points, at the two lower fixing points (19) with vertical adjustment holes (20) for connection to the horizontal connecting bars (21) and a central fixing point (22), also with vertical adjustment holes (20) for connection to the third point (23), where the berries fall, only by the force of gravity, directly into collection boxes (C) supported on tips (18) derived from the base chassis (2), with all the force supplied by the tractor's PTO.

[0029] More specifically, the claimed innovation concerns an “ARRANGEMENT APPLIED TO A GRAPE BUNCH HARVESTER WITH TRACTOR-MOUNTED TILT ADJUSTMENT” – the mechanical version of the harvester (1) is mounted on a rectangular tubular chassis (2), which houses a transmission box (3) that has a shaft (4) that receives motive power from the tractor's PTO and an orthogonal output shaft (5) that transmits said power by means of a side gear (6) to the single-rod beater discs (7), flanked by protectors (8), and toothed wheels (9) for the fans (10) juxtaposed on the vertical part (11) of said tubular chassis, in whose crossbar (12) bearings (13) are mounted facing a protective screen (14) opposite the angled wall (A), such chassis projecting orthogonally through longitudinal beams (15), equipped with movement devices (DM) that with the aid of bearings (16) the shaft of the single rod beater discs (7),forming a frame which, enclosed by plates, gives shape to the collection hopper (17) for the harvested bunches, which are collected by contact with the single-rod beater discs (7), and by gravity fall into collection boxes (C) supported on tips (18) derived from the base chassis (2). The box (C) has a drive rod (H) positioned on the tubular chassis, whose crossbar (12) is in horizontal contact with said box (C). The harvester (1), by means of two lower fixing points (19) with vertical adjustment holes (20) for connection to the horizontal connecting bars (21) and a central fixing point (22), also with vertical adjustment holes (20), connected to the third point (23), allows the adjustment of the harvester's inclination and, consequently,of the single-rod beater discs (7) in relation to the vineyard canopy. The PTO, connected by means of a cardan shaft to the shaft (4) of the transmission box (3), transmits the force and rotation necessary for the operation of all the mechanisms that make up the harvester (1) without using energy or other motors.

[0030] In one constructive version, the harvester (1) is hydraulically driven (24), which operate the fans (10) by means of traction motors (25a) installed in the said tubular chassis in whose crossbar (12) bearings (13) are mounted.

[0031] The hydraulic drive system (24) is equipped with an oil cooling device (26), contained in the oil reservoir (27), which consists of a temperature level meter (28), oil pump (29) and traction motor (25b) of the pulleys (30). By means of hoses (31) the pressure is directed to the drive points of the traction motors (25b) of the pulleys (30).

Claims

CLAIMS 1) “ARRANGEMENT APPLIED IN A GRAPE BUNCH HARVESTER WITH TRACTOR-MOUNTED TILT ADJUSTMENT”, mounted on a rectangular tubular chassis (2), which houses a transmission box (3) that has a shaft (4) that receives motive power from the tractor's PTO and an orthogonal output shaft (5) that transmits said power by means of a side gear (6) to the single-shank beater discs (7), flanked by guards (8), characterized by toothed wheels (9) transmitting power to the fans (10) juxtaposed on the vertical part (11) of the tubular chassis in whose crossbar (12) bearings (13) are mounted facing a protective screen (14) opposite the angled wall (A), such chassis projecting orthogonally through longitudinal beams (15), equipped with movement devices (DM) where the shaft of the single-shank beater discs is mounted (16). (7),forming a frame which, enclosed by plates, gives shape to the collection hopper (17) for the harvested bunches, which are collected by contact with the single-rod beater discs (7), and by gravity fall into collection boxes (C) supported on tips (18) derived from the base chassis (2); the box (C) has an actuation rod (H) positioned on the tubular chassis whose crossbar (12) is in horizontal contact with said box (C); the harvester (1) has tilt adjustment by means of two lower fixing points (19) with vertical adjustment holes (20) for connection to the horizontal connecting bars (21) and a central fixing point (22), also with vertical adjustment holes (20), connected to the tractor's third point (23); the PTO, interconnected by means of a cardan shaft to the shaft (4) of the transmission box (3), transmits the force and rotation necessary for the operation of all the mechanisms that make up the harvester (1). 2) “ARRANGEMENT APPLIED IN GRAPE BUNCH HARVESTER WITH INCLINATION ADJUSTMENT ON THE TRACTOR”, according to claim 1, the constructive version of the harvester (1) is characterized by a hydraulic drive device (24), which operates the fans (10) by means of traction motors (25a) installed in said tubular chassis in whose crossbar (12) are mounted bearings (13) the hydraulic drive (24) is equipped with an oil cooling device (26), contained in the oil reservoir (27), which consists of a temperature level meter (28), oil pump (29) and traction motor (25b) of the pulleys (30), by means of hoses (31).

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