Economic pressure requires agricultural processes, alike industrial processes, to operate mechanically, thus with a minimum of manpower, and to yield superior results in the shortest possible time. Consequently, for the sake of efficient tree harvesting and fruit collection, fruit-tree grooves are planted in successive rows between which dedicated fruit harvesting and fruit collection equipment operates. Nowadays for example, mechanical harvesting is achieved by running a motorized harvester along a first row-side of a row of trees, stopping to clamp a vibrator on each successive tree-trunk, and using a deflector to guide the harvested fruit to the second row-side, for collection. In association with the deflector supported by the harvester on the first row-side, the fruit collection equipment being operated on the second row-side receives the fruit and forwards it for further transportation.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,469,695 and 5,816,037, the present applicants disclose equipment for mechanical harvesting and for the collection of fruit from harvested trees, but those means are rather bulky, and expensive to acquire and maintain.
The terms “mechanical” and “mechanically” are used hereinbelow to define operations not requiring manual labor or manual intervention, besides the operation of controls by an operator or a driver.
Fruit collection equipment is required to feature simple construction, operate fast and reliably at minimal maintenance costs, and be offered to the market at low acquisition price. This contrasts with the hereinabove-mentioned fruit collection means, which are expensive to acquire and to maintain.