A harvest sweeper attachment system (10) is provided for attaching to a harvester machine (12) having a collection aperture (14), for use in propelling desired objects (11), such as nuts, toward the collection aperture (14). The system (10) preferably has two sweep units (20) mounted on each side of the harvester machine (12) at a forward angle, each including a rotating rake subassembly assembly (34). The rake subassembly (34) is characterized by having three axially spaced freely rotating tine bars (88), each having a depending array of tines (90), mounted between a proximal rake plate (74) and a distal rake plate (76). The proximal and distal rake plates (74, 76) are mounted at about a forty-five degree angle such that the rake subassembly (34) has an offset parallelogram aspect.

The present application in particular is directed to fruit collector (1) comprising a retaining bracket (3) and a collecting container (4) that is pivotably associated with the retaining bracket, wherein the retaining bracket comprises a hub (9) arranged to pivotably retain a stub axle section (12) of the collecting container projecting from an axial end of the collecting container.

A harvesting machine designed to push ends of nut rows in after sweeping may include a bottomless basket removably attached to a ridable device, and a linear actuator operatively attached to the bottomless basket. The basket may include a back wall; a first side wall and a second side wall attached to and extending from the back wall at an angle such that first ends of each side wall attached to the back wall are closer together than second ends of each side wall positioned distal from the back wall; and a cross support attached to and extending between the second ends of the side walls. Each of the back wall and the side walls may have slotted sides and skid shoes attached to a bottom surface thereof.

A harvesting machine designed to push ends of nut rows in after sweeping may include a bottomless basket removably attached to a ridable device, and a linear actuator operatively attached to the bottomless basket. The basket may include a back wall; a first side wall and a second side wall attached to and extending from the back wall at an angle such that first ends of each side wall attached to the back wall are closer together than second ends of each side wall positioned distal from the back wall; and a cross support attached to and extending between the second ends of the side walls. Each of the back wall and the side walls may have slotted sides and skid shoes attached to a bottom surface thereof.

An impact processing system (10) having a central opening (12) enabling material flow into a primary impact zone (14) in which is located an impact mechanism (16) rotatable about a rotation axis (18). An impact structure (20) provided with a plurality of holes (22) surrounds the impact mechanism (16). The rotatable impact mechanism (16) impacts material entering the primary impact zone (14) from the central opening (12) and accelerate the impacted material in a radial outward direction toward the impact structure (20) to effect fragmentation of the impacted material so that when sufficiently fragmented the material is able to pass through the holes (22). An optional outer structure (30) is radially spaced from the impact structure (20) and may comprise one or more segments that cumulatively extend about the axis of rotation (18) for an angle from 30° and 270° inclusive. A rotatable set of impact members (50) may be located between the impact structure and the outer structure. One or more gaps (28) may be provided in the impact structure (20) to allow the passage of large and/or hard objects that cannot otherwise be fragmented. The outer structure (30) is positioned to span across the gaps (28) so that material passing there thought is directed onto the outer structure (30).

Disclosed is an automated walnut picking and collection method based on multi-sensor fusion technology, including: operation 1.1: when a guide vehicle for automated picking and collection is started, performing path planning for the guide vehicle; operation 1.2: remotely controlling the guide vehicle to move in a park according to a first predetermined rule, and collecting laser data of the entire park; operation 1.3: constructing a two-dimensional offline map; operation 1.4: marking a picking road point on the two-dimensional offline map; operation 2.1: performing system initialization; operation 2.2: obtaining a queue to be collected; operation 2.3: determining and sending, by the automated picking system, a picking task; operation 2.4: arriving, by the picking robot, at picking target points in sequence; operation 2.5: completing a walnut shaking and falling operation; and operation 2.6: collecting shaken walnuts. The provided method can obtain high-precision fruit coordinates and complete autonomous harvesting precisely and efficiently.

A self-propelled forage harvester is disclosed. The forage harvester includes a feed device, a chopping device comprising a cutterhead equipped with cutting blades and a shear bar for comminuting harvested material, a drive, and a driver assistance system for controlling at least the chopping device. The driver assistance system includes a memory for saving data and a computing device for processing the data saved in the memory, wherein the chopping device and the driver assistance system in combination form an automatic chopping system in that the computing device continuously determines a compaction of the comminuted harvested material using harvested material parameters during a harvesting process in order to autonomously ascertain and specify a cutting length to be adapted for maintaining nearly constant compactability.

Methods and systems for estimating volumes of agricultural crops are provided. A geographic position sensor provides positions of a harvesting machine as it gathers an agricultural crop and places the crop on the ground in a windrow. A speed of the harvesting machine is determined using the geographic position sensor. Signals are received from a sensor system disposed at a bottom of the harvesting machine. The signals are indicative of profiles of segments of the windrow on the ground. Cross-sectional areas of the windrow are estimated using the signals. Volumes of the agricultural crop are estimated using the speed of the harvesting machine and the estimated cross-sectional areas of the windrow.

Methods and systems for estimating volumes of agricultural crops are provided. A geographic position sensor provides positions of a harvesting machine as it gathers an agricultural crop and places the crop on the ground in a windrow. A speed of the harvesting machine is determined using the geographic position sensor. Signals are received from a sensor system disposed at a bottom of the harvesting machine. The signals are indicative of profiles of segments of the windrow on the ground. Cross-sectional areas of the windrow are estimated using the signals. Volumes of the agricultural crop are estimated using the speed of the harvesting machine and the estimated cross-sectional areas of the windrow.

An orchard sanitation implement disposes of unharvested nuts which may otherwise be utilized as habitat and food for navel orangeworms. Unharvested nuts are lifted from the orchard floor and delivered to a storage bin of the implement. Once received within the storage bin, the unharvested nuts are separated from other orchard debris by a looping belt which allows unharvested nuts to fall through, but other orchard debris is conveyed outside of the storage bin for deposit either into a container or back to the orchard floor. The unharvested nuts fall through openings in the looping belt, through an outlet at the bottom of the storage bin and into a shredding unit attached to the outlet. The shredding unit shreds and pulverizes the unharvested nuts into a composition which is too small to be utilized by navel orangeworms for habitat or a source of food.