An inter-row machine, of the type used to work laterally to the travel path of the tractor by which it is towed or pushed, during the treatment of the land in espalier orchards or vineyards, having one or two working units, each preceded by a probe element which actuates, at each obstacle to be avoided, a known (hydraulic, pneumatic or electric) device for movement transversely to the travel path and to the row. The encounter of each probe with the obstacle to be avoided causes the rotation of the tool of the corresponding working unit—so that the translation of the latter, which is transverse to the travel path of the tractor, is directly proportional to the angular displacement performed by the tool and reported by an electromagnetic sensor to the electronic controller of the machine.

A grapevine soil-cleaning device and engineering machinery installed with the soil-cleaning device, comprising an air blower (4), an air vent direction reversal device, a soil-retaining device, an angular sensor (7) and a controller (19). The controller (19) is connected to the air blower (4), the angular sensor (7), the air vent direction reversal device and the soil-retaining device respectively. The present device achieves non-contact soil cleaning by blowing air, and has the advantages of no harmful impact on buds and branches, one-time cleaning, and highly efficient soil cleaning. The air vent direction reversal device may achieve a consistent air-blowing direction when the grapevine soil-cleaning device moves among rows of the grapevine. The soil-retaining device may hold back the blown soil and reduce the displacement distance of the blown soil. An auxiliary air pipe is provided below a main air pipe to assist soil-cleaning operations and avoid generating pits on a ridge due to concentrated wind power of the main air pipe. The air vent direction reversal, adjustment of the air power of the air blower and automated direction reversal of the soil-retaining device when moving among ridges are achieved by using the angular sensor (7) and the controller (19), thus achieving a high level of technological intelligence.

A grapevine soil-cleaning device and engineering machinery installed with the soil-cleaning device, comprising an air blower (4), an air vent direction reversal device, a soil-retaining device, an angular sensor (7) and a controller (19). The controller (19) is connected to the air blower (4), the angular sensor (7), the air vent direction reversal device and the soil-retaining device respectively. The present device achieves non-contact soil cleaning by blowing air, and has the advantages of no harmful impact on buds and branches, one-time cleaning, and highly efficient soil cleaning. The air vent direction reversal device may achieve a consistent air-blowing direction when the grapevine soil-cleaning device moves among rows of the grapevine. The soil-retaining device may hold back the blown soil and reduce the displacement distance of the blown soil. An auxiliary air pipe is provided below a main air pipe to assist soil-cleaning operations and avoid generating pits on a ridge due to concentrated wind power of the main air pipe. The air vent direction reversal, adjustment of the air power of the air blower and automated direction reversal of the soil-retaining device when moving among ridges are achieved by using the angular sensor (7) and the controller (19), thus achieving a high level of technological intelligence.

A tractor mounted tiller/cultivator system that includes right and left swing arms pivotally attached to tractor chassis, right and left cutting head assemblies mounted on the swing arms, each including a right disc motor driving a rotary disc mounted on a distal portion of the swing arm and operatively coupled to the motor. Ground-engaging cultivation wheels surround the rotary disc, and an annular guard prevents unwanted contact of the wheels with vines or trunks of vines and trees. A drive mechanism lowers and raises the swing arms to put the cultivation wheels into engagement and disengagement with ground and to rotate said swing arms about their longitudinal axes. User controls operatively connected to the swing arms, cutting head assemblies, and drive mechanisms enable a user to finely tune the movement of the cutting heads into and out from rows of trees or vines.

A tractor mounted tiller/cultivator system that includes right and left swing arms pivotally attached to tractor chassis, right and left cutting head assemblies mounted on the swing arms, each including a right disc motor driving a rotary disc mounted on a distal portion of the swing arm and operatively coupled to the motor. Ground-engaging cultivation wheels surround the rotary disc, and an annular guard prevents unwanted contact of the wheels with vines or trunks of vines and trees. A drive mechanism lowers and raises the swing arms to put the cultivation wheels into engagement and disengagement with ground and to rotate said swing arms about their longitudinal axes. User controls operatively connected to the swing arms, cutting head assemblies, and drive mechanisms enable a user to finely tune the movement of the cutting heads into and out from rows of trees or vines.

A two-way soil clearing device for single-ridge grapevine and a construction machine for mounting the device, comprising a frame part, a soil clearing mechanism, a distance measuring sensor, an expansion and contraction device and a control unit; the frame comprises a left side frame and a right side frame; the left side frame and the right side frame are provided with a soil clearing mechanism respectively and expansion and contraction devices; the distance measuring sensor is provided in front of the soil clearing mechanism; and the control unit is respectively connected with the distance measuring sensor and the expansion and contraction device. The present invention can flexibly remove the covering soil between the piles of the grapevine and the covering soil at the side of the grapevine at one time, and can operate on both sides of the same soil ridge at the same time during work.

A two-way soil clearing device for single-ridge grapevine and a construction machine for mounting the device, comprising a frame part, a soil clearing mechanism, a distance measuring sensor, an expansion and contraction device and a control unit; the frame comprises a left side frame and a right side frame; the left side frame and the right side frame are provided with a soil clearing mechanism respectively and expansion and contraction devices; the distance measuring sensor is provided in front of the soil clearing mechanism; and the control unit is respectively connected with the distance measuring sensor and the expansion and contraction device. The present invention can flexibly remove the covering soil between the piles of the grapevine and the covering soil at the side of the grapevine at one time, and can operate on both sides of the same soil ridge at the same time during work.

An autonomous agricultural robot, referred to as robot, including: a straddle chassis defining an aisle through which a row of crops can pass, propulsion means for moving the robot in a direction of forward travel, a control unit for controlling the robot and an obstacle-characterization device. This device including: obstacle detection means which are configured to detect an obstacle lying in the path of the autonomous agricultural robot, a processing unit configured so that when an obstacle is detected by the obstacle-detection means, the unit logs the data collected by the obstacle-detection means, and/or processes the data collected by the obstacle-detection means and determines at least one characteristic of the detected obstacle.

An autonomous agricultural robot, referred to as robot, including: a straddle chassis defining an aisle through which a row of crops can pass, propulsion means for moving the robot in a direction of forward travel, a control unit for controlling the robot and an obstacle-characterization device. This device including: obstacle detection means which are configured to detect an obstacle lying in the path of the autonomous agricultural robot, a processing unit configured so that when an obstacle is detected by the obstacle-detection means, the unit logs the data collected by the obstacle-detection means, and/or processes the data collected by the obstacle-detection means and determines at least one characteristic of the detected obstacle.

An apparatus for tending to rows of vines is presented which may be pulled, or driven, between a pair of rows of a vineyard. The apparatus includes implements to tend to the vines on both rows at the same time. The apparatus include a left portion that tends to a left row of vines and right portion that tends to a right row of vines. The portions are attached to the apparatus using linkages that permit the portions to adjust to changes in row spacing or the position of the apparatus between the rows. The apparatus also includes weeder assemblies that weed the ground between the vines while preventing damage to the vines, and a spray device for spraying the vines.