Nut harvester with a removable assembly and a method of replacing a removable assembly of a nut harvester

Abstract

Systems and methods for replacing a removable assembly from a harvester for collecting and separating harvested crop product from twigs, dirt, dust, and other debris. A removable assembly for picking up harvested crop product and a removable assembly for separating the picked up harvested crop product from twigs, dirt, dust, and other debris are mounted to be changed out quickly in the field. A removable pickup assembly is received for removably mounting in the harvester by an inclined slot formed in a sidewall of the harvester body frame, so that the removable pickup assembly with the worn belt is lifted up and out and a replacement removable pickup assembly with a new belt is dropped into its place.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters of the United States: 
     
         1 . A harvester comprising:
 a body frame;   a removeable pickup assembly;   a pickup assembly support adapted to releasably receive the removeable pickup assembly on top of the pickup assembly support.   
     
     
         2 . The harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the body frame comprises the pickup assembly support. 
     
     
         3 . The harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the body frame comprises a mounting rail and the mounting rail comprises the pickup assembly support. 
     
     
         4 . The harvester of  claim 1 , further comprising an inclined slot bottom surface and the inclined slot bottom surface comprises the pickup assembly support. 
     
     
         5 . The harvester of  claim 4 , further comprising an inclined slot top surface, wherein the inclined slot top surface and the inclined slot bottom surface form an inclined slot adapted to receive the pickup assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The harvester of  claim 5 , wherein the inclined slot is inclined at an operating angle of the removeable pickup assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The harvester of  claim 5 , further comprising an inclined slot curved surface connecting the inclined slot top surface to the inclined slot bottom surface. 
     
     
         8 . The harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the removeable pickup assembly is releasably engaged with the body frame. 
     
     
         9 . The harvester of  claim 8 , wherein the body frame comprises mounting ears adapted to releasably fasten to the removeable pickup assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the removable pickup assembly comprises:
 a pickup assembly drive shaft;   a pickup assembly idle shaft; and   a stretcher assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The harvester of  claim 10 , wherein the stretcher assembly releasably contacts the pickup assembly support when the removeable pickup assembly is releasably received by the pickup assembly support. 
     
     
         12 . The harvester of  claim 10 , wherein the stretcher assembly comprises:
 a closed bracket, an open bracket, and a stretcher rod connecting the closed   bracket to the open bracket;   
     
     
         13 . The harvester of  claim 10 , wherein the removable pickup assembly further comprises one or more belts wrapped around the pickup assembly drive shaft and the pickup assembly idle shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The harvester of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more belts are adapted to be at an operating tension when the removeable pickup assembly is releasably received by the pickup assembly support. 
     
     
         15 . The harvester of  claim 1 , further comprising a pickup assembly motor. 
     
     
         16 . The harvester of  claim 15 , wherein the pickup assembly motor is a pickup assembly hydraulic motor. 
     
     
         17 . The harvester of  claim 15 , further comprising a pickup assembly torque arm connected to the pickup assembly motor, the pickup assembly torque arm including a pickup assembly torque arm slot. 
     
     
         18 . The harvester of  claim 17 , wherein the pickup assembly torque arm comprises:
 a pickup assembly torque arm mounting end attached to the pickup assembly   motor; and   a pickup assembly torque arm slot end in which the pickup assembly torque   arm slot is formed,   wherein an opening of the pickup assembly torque arm slot is wider than a   size of a pickup assembly torque arm pin inserted into the pickup assembly   torque arm slot.   
     
     
         19 . The harvester of  claim 18 , wherein the pickup assembly torque arm slot is elongated to tolerate a movement of the pickup assembly motor with respect to the pickup assembly torque arm pin. 
     
     
         20 . The harvester of  claim 15 , further comprising a pickup assembly motor coupler releasably coupling the pickup assembly motor to the pickup assembly drive shaft.