Joo I Kim

US Patent:

39701506, Jul 20, 1976

Filed:

Dec 5, 1974

Appl. No.:

5/529802

Inventors:

Robert R. Gibson - Lemoore CA
Joo I. Kim - Fresno CA

International Classification:

A01D 2306

US Classification:

171 56

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for harvesting crops, such as mushrooms, wherein the method comprehends the growing of the crops in rows and the apparatus has a mobile frame adapted for transport along the row; a driven picking assembly mounted on the frame for rotational movement about an axis extending substantially transversely of the frame and having pairs of opposed, radially extending arms mounted thereon for pivotal movement toward and from each other; guides borne by the frame defining first paths of travel for the pairs of arms laterally of a picking station and second paths of travel for the pairs of arms toward each other into juxtaposition in the picking station; a sensing mechanism mounted on the frame adapted to detect crops in the row of predetermined maturity; and a control mechanism borne by the frame interconnecting the sensing mechanism and the guides adapted to direct a pair of opposed arms into the second paths of travel upon detection of a mature drop to pick the crop in the picking station.