CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background and Rationale Fruit picking or fruit harvesting is a seasonal activity that occurs during harvest time in areas with fruit growing wild or being farmed in orchards. Most of the fruit picking is done by migrant workers. Migrant workers are frequently used and usually do the job quite well. Manually operated fruit harvesters of various kinds have been provided which allow workmen to stand on the ground and pick fruit from a tree. Some of these harvesters have included a pole, a fruit picker head, and a pair of jaws which move to engage the fruit so that such fruit can be removed from the tree. These harvesters pick fruit by force thus damaging the fruit and lessening the quality of the harvested fruit. Some of these prior harvesters have been provided with a multi-part linkage normally connected to a rope, cable or other connecting means for operating the movable jaws from a brake lever position. However, the members of such linkages usually have protruded outwardly from the pole and picker head and have included projections which have engaged the limbs and foliage of a fruit tree [1]. In order to sever the stem as close to the body of the fruit as possible, it is preferred to locate the cutter bars above the base plate such that the cutter bars project into and through the slot extending beyond the plane of the base plate. In such arrangement, it is preferred for the cutter to have limited

displacement relative to the plate so that the cutter bars may move into and out of the slot to accommodate fruit having depressions of different depths surrounding the location where the stem is attached to the fruit. In such case, it is preferred for the cutter bars to be spring urged into the slot [2]. Due to problems and limitations identified. This study is conducted to develop a mechanical fruit picker that can outdo the existing picker. Moreover this study will utilize locally available materials.

1.2 Objectives The main objective of this study is to come up with a fruit picker with a cutting bar placed above the ring for better picking and minimizing damage to the fruit. Specifically it aims: 1. To design a fruit picker that focuses on minimizing damage to the fruit. 2. To develop a fruit picker based on the design utilizing locally available materials. 3. To evaluate the acceptability of the fruit picker.

1.3 Significance of the Study The purpose of the study is to create a fruit picker of the same capabilities of the existing picker but with added components which will increase the efficiency. This study is Conducted for the purpose of minimizing fruit damage during harvest. Stainless steel is used to carry the possible high loads and is rust free.
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1.4 Scope and limitations The focus of this study is to come up with a prototype on a mechanical fruit picking systems that would be useful for fruit farmers. It also helps them in attaining a bigger harvest. The overall height of the fruit picker is 14 feet. This picker can only be used on hybrid fruit bearing trees with the exemption of durian and jack fruit trees.