Throughout the specification the term fruit or fruits shall be taken to include all forms of fruit, berries, nuts and the like. Furthermore, throughout the specification the term tree shall be taken to include shrub, vine, tree or the like.

Background In the harvesting of tree borne fruits such as olives it is a known practice to provide a device which is intended to engage the tree and agitate the tree in order to loosen the fruits from the tree to cause them to fall to the ground. Such agitation can comprise the shaking of the tree and/or the branches of the tree.

This system of harvesting whilst effective in dislodgement of the fruit can be labour intensive in the collection of the fallen fruit. In addition this system can be quite wasteful as a result of the incomplete collection of fruit from the ground or alternatively can result in the collection of inappropriate fruit (i. e. windfall fruit) instead of the freshly harvested fruit.

Disclosure of the Invention Accordingly the invention relates to a platform comprising a carriage supported upon a set of ground engaging elements, a drive associated with the ground engaging element to enable the carriage to move over the ground, the carriage having opposed ends and a longitudinal passage, the carriage having a portion to each side of the passage, the carriage defined by a frame which includes

frame members extending across the passage to provide support between the portions of the frame to each side of the passage, the passage being intended in use to receive the trunk of a tree as the carriage moves over the ground towards and past the tree and to allow the relative movement of the tree trunk along the passage, the frame members being displaceable to lie clear of the passage to enable a trunk to pass the frame members, a second drive associated with the frame members to cause said movement of the frame members relative to the passage and a control for controlling the first drive to cause the movement of the carriage over the ground and to cause activation of the second drive to enable passage of the trunk relative to the passage and continued support between the portions by at least some of the frame members.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the passage is located centrally across the frame.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the frame members are movable separately by said second drive by activation through the control. According to a preferred feature of the invention the control includes a sensing means adapted to locate the position of the trunk relative to the passage and the control is adapted to cause the displacement of the frame members on the sensing means sensing the presence of a trunk moving relatively towards a frame member and the replacement of the frame member on the sensing means sensing the presence of a trunk having moved past the frame member.

According to a preferred feature of the invention a pair of frame members are located at each end of the passage, the frame members of each pair being parallel and extending transversely across the frame when extending between the portions, the frame members of each pair being movable separately and the control enabling movement of one frame member to be clear of the passage while the other frame member of the pair extends across the passage.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the frame members are longitudinally slidably moveable across the passage.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the ground support elements comprise a set of wheels. According to a preferred feature of the invention the set of wheels comprise one pair of wheels towards one end and another pair of wheels at the other end, the wheels of each pair located to each side of the passage. According to a preferred feature of the invention each wheel is supported from the frame by a suspension unit where the suspension units enable the variation of the relative vertical displacement of frame relative to the wheels. According to a preferred feature of the invention the suspension units are controlled by a suspension controller which is adapted to be able to activate each of the suspension units to maintain the frame at a substantially constant attitude relative to the ground with movement of the carriage across the ground.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the suspension controller is adapted to enable the attitude of the frame to be varied relative to the ground.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the suspension controller is adapted to enable the height of the frame relative to the ground to be varied.

According to a preferred feature of the invention at least some of the wheels are pivotable on the frame to enable the direction of travel of the carriage relative to the ground to be varied, said first control including a steering means adapted to control the pivotable movement of the wheels relative to the frame.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the carriage supports an operator cab which accommodates the control which is operable by the operator.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the control is adapted to be operated remotely by an operator.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the displacement of the frame members is effected by the control independently of the first drive for the carriage and automatically.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the carriage supports a personnel station which is adapted to support at least one personnel and enable the personnel to access the tree.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the carriage supports appliances adapted to treat the tree accommodated in the passage as the carriage is moved past the tree. According to a preferred feature of the invention the appliances comprise a spraying means. According to a preferred feature of the invention the appliances comprise a fruit harvesting means. According to one embodiment the fruit harvesting means is adapted to agitate the tree. According to another embodiment the fruit harvesting means is adapted to shake the tree. According to a preferred feature of the invention the carriage supports a platform which is positioned to collect the fruit dislodged from the tree by the harvesting means.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the platform includes a conveying means adapted to receive the dislodged fruit and convey it to an outlet.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the carriage supports a collection surface to each side of the passage and a conveying surface associated with the collection surface, said conveying surface being positioned to receive fruit from the collection surface and convey it to an outlet, a tree engaging member supported from the carriage, said tree engaging member being adapted to engage the tree to cause agitation thereof, said tree engaging member supported from the carriage to be moveable laterally between an engaged position in substantial vertical alignment with the passage and a retracted position to one side of the passage and being moveable along the length of the passage from a forward most position to a rear most position, a third control adapted to control the operation of the tree engaging member and to cause it when its forward most position to be moveable to its engageable position and engage and agitate the tree and when at its rear most position to be disengaged from the tree and moved from the rear most position to the forward most position.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the passage is closed by a cover which can be displaced as the trunk moves along the passage to maintain the portion of the passage unoccupied by the trunk closed. According to a preferred feature of the invention the cover extends across the passage and is capable of deflection to be in close abutting relationship with the trunk on the

entry of a trunk into the passage. According to one embodiment the cover comprises at least one endless belt-like element supported between each end of the passage to be movable along the passage such that on engagement of the clover with the tree with the cover remains stationary relative to the tree.

According to another embodiment the cover comprises a set of plate members each pivotally supported from the frame to overlie the passage and being displaceable from the overlying position on being engaged by the trunk as it moved past the respective plate, the plates combing when at rest to close the passage.

The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of several specific embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a isometric view of the harvesting harvester according to the first embodiment; Figure 2 is an end elevation of a harvester according to the first embodiment; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a harvester according to the first embodiment; Figure 4 is a plan view of a harvester according to the first embodiment; Figure 5 is a schematic isometric view of a harvester according to the second embodiment; Figure 6 is a plan view of the harvester according to the second embodiment; Figure 7 is a front elevation of a suspension unit which can be used with the second embodiment; and

Figures 8A, B and C are plan views of the suspension unit as shown at Figure 7 showing a verity of the positions of the wheel relative to the carriage.

Detailed Description of Specific Embodiment The first embodiment is directed to a platform which provides a tree harvester which is intended to be used in the harvesting of olives from an olive grove in which the trees are planted in rows and where the harvester is able to move along a row of trees and sequentially shake the trees in the row to cause fruit to fall from the trees.

The harvester according to the first embodiment and as shown at Figures 1 to 4 comprises a carriage having a chassis supported by a set of wheels 17. The chassis comprises a pair of side frames 11 and 13 where the forward most ends and the rear most ends of the side frames are each interconnected by a pair of frame members which are in the form of transverse struts 15. Each of the side frames is supported by a set of 6 wheels 17 disposed at substantially equal intervals along the length of the frames and at least some of the wheels are driven to cause movement of the carriage over the ground. Each side frame provides a collection surface 19 in the form of a membrane where the collection surface extends laterally and is upwardly inclined from the central portion of the carriage to the outer sides of the carriage. In addition the inner most edge of each collection surface 19 is associated with conveying surface 21 in the form of an endless belt supported by a suitable set of rollers where the conveying surface 21 is lower than the lowest portion of the collection surface 19.

Each of the conveying surfaces 21 are spaced from each other to define a central passage 23 between the side frames. The passage is dimensioned to receive the trunk of a tree such that with movement of the carriage past a tree the trunk will pass along the passage.

In addition the passage is associated with a pair of opposed endless belts 25 which are supported at their ends by vertically disposed rollers such that the belts are adjacent the inner edge of respective conveying surface and extend

parallel to that edge. Each of the belts 25 are formed of a set of flexible finger- like elements 27 which extend laterally outwardly from the belt toward the other belt and which are in closely abutting relationship to each other when the belt is linearly disposed between its ends. At the central portion of the passage, the finger-like elements of the opposed belts 25 overlap. The combined effect of the finger-like elements of the belts 23 is to provide a closed surface across the passageway. In addition the finger like elements on the belt are flexibly resilient such that on a tree trunk entering into the passageway the finger-like elements will be deflected to enable the entry of the tree trunk into the space between the belts and with relative movement of the tree trunk along the passageway the belts will be moved correspondingly. As a result of the presence of the belts and their finger like elements the passageway is effectively closed.

The struts 15 which support the side frames are provided with a drive (not shown) which enables the struts to be slidably moveable laterally from a position at which they extend between the side frames to provide support between the side frames and a retracted position at which they are supported from one side frame and lie clear of the space between the side frames. A control is associated with the carriage which causes the sequential retraction and relocation of the struts such that at any one time both the forward most and rear most end of the side frames are supported from each other by at least one strut.

In addition each side frame is associated with a support rail 29 which extends between the ends of the respective side frame and overlies the collection surface. Each support rail 29 supports a tree engaging head 31. The tree engaging head is one which is able to engage the trunk of the tree and cause the shaking of the upper portion of the tree whilst causing the base of the trunk and the roots to remain stationary. The tree engaging member 31 is supported from the support rail to be slidably movable along the rail and is supported from the rail by a linkage to be moveable between an engaged position at which it overlies the passage and a retracted position which it lies to one side of the passage and adjacent the support rail. The control is adapted to be able to cause movement of the tree engaging member between the retracted and engaged positions, operation of the tree engaging member and movement of the tree engaging

member along the support rail from a rear most position to a forward most position.

Each of the wheels 17 are supported from the chassis through a suspension unit (not shown) which is able to vary the vertical spacing of the respective wheel from the chassis. The suspension units are each controlled from a suspension control which is associated with sensors which can sense the relative vertical disposition of each wheel, the direction of such relative movement and the rate of such relative movement and control the suspension units such that they maintain the wheels in contact with the ground with substantially equal loads on the wheels and such that the attitude of the chassis remains substantially constant.

In use it is intended that the harvester according to the first embodiment be operated remotely and/or automatically and therefore be associated with appropriate sensors such that it can: move along a row of trees with the passage aligned with the row; note the entry of a tree trunk into the passage; cause retraction of the respective strut members 15 as the trunk of the tree enters the passage and moves along the passage; cause engagement of the tree engaging member with the tree trunk; activate the tree engaging member during the passage of the tree along the passage whilst the tree engaging member is engaged with the tree; zon the tree approaching the rear most position of the carriage cause disengagement of the tree engaging member from the tree trunk and return of the tree engaging member to the forward most position; and cause the sequential retraction of the respective strut members 15 as the trunk of the tree departs the passage.

In use it is intended that the carriage is located at the head of a row of trees and is moved towards the row of trees such that the passage is aligned with the row of trees. As the sensors note the proximity of a tree trunk at the forward end of the carriage the forward most strut 15 at the forward end of the carriage is retracted and on passage of the tree trunk past the forward most strut the forward most strut is reengaged with the opposed side rail and the rear most of the forward most struts is retracted to allow the tree trunk to enter the passage.

On movement of the tree trunk past the rear most of the forward most struts the strut is then returned to its engagement position with the opposed side frame.

On further movement of the tree trunk into a position opposite the forward most position of the tree engaging member the tree engaging member is moved in to its engaged position with a tree trunk and once so engaged the tree is shaken by the tree engaging member in order to loosen any fruit carried by the tree. During this time the tree engaging member is able to slide along the respective support rail with movement of carriage until the tree engaging member approaches its rear most position. When the tree engaging member is at its rear most position it is then disengaged from the tree retracted laterally away from the engaged position overlying the central passage and is returned to its forward most position. As a result of the presence of two tree engaging members supported from opposed sides of the passage, two tree trunks can be engaged at any one time as the carriage moves along a row of trees.

As a result of the tree being shaken loose fruit will fall from the tree onto the collection surface 19 and will flow to the conveying surface which is located lower most and in turn the conveying surface will then convey the fruit to an outlet (not shown) which can be associated with a hopper (not shown). In addition because of the presence of the belts which close the passage 19 any fruit which has fallen onto the passage will be caused to move to the conveying surface and be conveyed from the machine.

Whilst the first embodiment has been described in relation to an automatically operated machine it is anticipated that according to an alternative embodiment of the invention the harvester may be associated with an operator station where the operator is able to supervise the operation of the harvester.

The second embodiment is directed to a tree harvester which is intended to be used in the harvesting of olives from an olive grove in which the trees are planted in rows and where the harvester is able to move along a row of trees and sequentially shake the trees in the row to cause fruit to fall from the trees.

The harvester according to the second embodiment and as shown at Figures 5 to 8 comprises a carriage having a chassis supported by a set of wheels 117.

The chassis comprises a pair of side frames 111 and 113 where the side frames are interconnected by a pair of transverse struts 115 located at spaced intervals along the frame. Each of the side frames is supported by a set of 4 wheels 17 disposed in pairs towards each end of the frames. Each of the wheels is driven by a hydraulic motor associated with the respective wheel to enable movement of the carriage over the ground. In addition each wheel is steerable and the four wheels at each end of the carriage are controlled by a steering control to be pivotable cooperatively to effect the desired direction of movement of the carriage.

The side frames 111 and 113 are spaced from each other to define a central passage 123 between the side frames. The passage is dimensioned to receive the trunk of a tree such that with movement of the carriage past a tree the trunk will pass along the passage.

In addition each side frame is associated with an agitation means 131 which comprises a cylindrical array of fingers which are each supported by an arm 133.

The arm 133 is controlled to enable the agitation means 131 to move around the tree as it passes with the fingers engaged with the branches of the tree and wherein the fingers are agitated to cause the agitation of the branches Each side frame supports a collection surface (not shown) which overlies the side frame to be upwardly inclined from the passage and also extends upwardly around the outer perimeter of the agitation means. The collection surface is defined by a membrane or netting where the collection surface extends laterally and is upwardly inclined from the central portion of the carriage to the outer sides of the carriage. The collection surface further comprises upward extensions

supported from each side frame and which include a set of displaceable panels which extend across the carriage to close the space between the upward extensions supported by each side frame. The panels are pivotally supported for pivotable movement about an upright axis to be displaceable on a tree passing along the passage to allow entry and departure of a tree into and out of the enclosure defined by the upward extensions and panels. When closed the panels define an enclosure which will capture any fruit dislodged from the tree and flung laterally form the tree. In addition the inner most edge of each collection surface is associated with a conveying surface 121 in the form of an endless belt supported by a suitable set of rollers where the conveying surface 121 is lower than the lowest portion of the collection surface.

In addition the passage is associated with a cover defined by a set of"fish plates" which are pivotally supported from each side of the passage and are biased to overlie the passage. The adjacent fish plates overlap such that they cooperatively close the passage. However on movement of a trunk through the passage the plates will sequentially engage the trunk and pivot away to enable the trunk to move past them without a significant opening of the space adjacent the trunk. The combined effect of the plates is to provide a closed surface across the passageway however the plates are individually displaceable such that on a tree trunk entering into the passage the finger-like elements will be deflected to enable relative movement of the tree along the passageway. As a result of the presence of the plates the passageway is effectively closed.

The struts 115 which support the side frames are provided with a drive (not shown) which enables the struts to be moveable laterally from a position at which they extend between the side frames to provide support between the side frames and a retracted position at which they extend laterally from one side frame and lie clear of the space between the side frames. A control is associated with the carriage which causes the sequential retraction and relocation of the struts such that at any one time the forward most and rear most end of the side frame are supported by at least one strut.

Each of the wheels 17 are supported from the chassis through a suspension unit as shown at Figures 7 and 8A, B and C which is able to vary the vertical spacing of the respective wheel from the chassis. The suspension units are each controlled from a suspension control which is associated with sensors which can sense the vertical disposition of each wheel relative to the frame, the direction of such relative movement and the rate of such relative movement and control the suspension units such that they maintain the wheels in contact with the ground with substantially equal loads on the wheels and such that the attitude of the carriage remains substantially constant. In addition each wheel is pivotable about an upright axis and is controlled by an extendable cylinder 137 to enable the wheels to be steered by the steering control.

The carriage further supports an operators cab 139 which is supported from the carriage by a boom (which can take any desired form) whereby an operator is able to control the movement of the vehicle and monitor the operation of the agitation means 131 and the struts 115 which extend across the passageway.

The boom is intended to be pivotally supported from the carriage and be extendable and/or be articulated in order that the cab can occupy a stored position overlying the carriage and a range of operating positions outward of the carriage from which the operator can observe the harvesting operation.

It is intended that the activation of the agitation means will be operated automatically on the entry of a tree into the enclosure defined by the collection surface and that the struts 115 will automatically retract from across the passage and extend across the passage with movement of the trunk along the passage.

In addition it is possible for the harvester according to the second embodiment to be operated remotely and/or automatically and therefore be associated with appropriate sensors such that it can: move along a row of trees with the passage aligned with the row; note the entry of a tree into the passage;

cause retraction of the respective strut members 15 as the trunk of the tree enters the passage and moves along the passage; cause engagement of the agitation means with the tree; activate and deactivate the agitation means; cause retraction of the respective strut members 15 as the trunk of the tree departs the passage.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the carriage of the first and second embodiment can be associated with any appliance required for the treatment of the trees including spraying apparatus or pruning apparatus.

According to an alternative embodiment the harvester may be associated with a tractor vehicle which is able to cause the movement of the carriage over the ground and past the trees.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise"or variations such as"comprises"or"comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiments described above.