US Patent 7117661 Mechanical collection of harvested tree-fruit

A method and a system for collection of harvested tree-fruit having a collection device mounted on a hauled cart. For fruit collection, two arms are extended under the foliage of a tree to spread an apron hung between them, in a fruit receiving position. After harvesting is completed, and the apron contains the harvested fruit, the arms draw the apron away from under the tree, and swing through an arc of a circle to stop in a fruit discharge position, where fruit is discharged by gravity into the open top opening of the cart. Then, the arms are returned back from the discharge position to the fruit receiving position.