Volume 04 Issue 12-2024
37
American Journal Of Applied Science And Technology
(ISSN
–
2771-2745)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
12
Pages:
37-41
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
ABSTRACT
This article explores the design and analysis of a mobile mechanized system for harvesting apples and other similar
fruits, addressing critical challenges in the agricultural sector such as labor shortages and rising operational costs. The
proposed system is designed to meet key requirements for mobility, performance, compactness, and energy
efficiency, with a capability to harvest up to 2 tons of fruits per hour. Components such as a lightweight chassis,
conveyor belt, electric drive system, and loading mechanisms are described. Performance calculations demonstrate
the system's efficiency, while an economic analysis highlights its cost-effectiveness, with projected returns on
investment within 1
–
2 harvesting seasons. This mechanized solution offers a sustainable and profitable approach to
modernizing fruit harvesting practices, particularly in regions like Uzbekistan with significant orchard production.
KEYWORDS
Orchard, orchard machinery, harvesting and transport mechanization, mobile harvesting and transport chassis.
INTRODUCTION
In modern agriculture, the efficient harvesting of fruits
like apples, pears, and similar produce remains a critical
challenge. Traditional manual harvesting methods,
though effective, are labor-intensive and time-
consuming. With labor costs rising globally and
shortages
of
agricultural
workers
becoming
increasingly common, the need for mechanized
solutions has grown substantially. Uzbekistan is a key
agricultural producer, with a significant portion of its
economy driven by the cultivation of fruits. However,
many orchards still rely heavily on manual harvesting
methods, leading to increased operational costs,
inefficiencies,
and
potential
fruit
damage.
Furthermore, delicate fruits such as apples require
careful handling to maintain quality, creating
additional complexities in mechanization. This paper
Research Article
SELF-PROPELLED MECHANISED PLATFORM FOR HARVESTING APPLES
AND OTHER SIMILAR FRUITS
Submission Date:
December 04, 2024,
Accepted Date:
December 09, 2024,
Published Date:
December 14, 2024
Crossref doi:
https://doi.org/10.37547/ajast/Volume04Issue12-07
Umurzakov Zufar Muradovich
Independent researcher, National Research University "TIIAME", Uzbekistan
Journal
Website:
https://theusajournals.
com/index.php/ajast
Copyright:
Original
content from this work
may be used under the
terms of the creative
commons
attributes
4.0 licence.
Volume 04 Issue 12-2024
38
American Journal Of Applied Science And Technology
(ISSN
–
2771-2745)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
12
Pages:
37-41
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
aims to address these challenges by proposing a
mobile mechanized system specifically designed for
harvesting apples and similar fruits. The system is
tailored to meet the unique requirements of fruit
orchards, offering high performance, ease of use, and
cost-effectiveness. Through careful design and
performance analysis, this study demonstrates how
mechanization can improve harvesting efficiency while
preserving
fruit
quality
and
reducing
labor
dependency.
METHODS
The system was tested for maximum throughput with
apples and fruits of similar size and weight. The belt
speed and load distribution were adjusted to optimize
performance. The energy efficiency of the battery-
powered motor was monitored to ensure an
operational duration of up to 8 hours. In order to
achieve the stated task in the above-mentioned known
mobile system for mechanized harvesting of apples
and other similar fruits, including a mobile chassis with
an engine, running wheels and steering, a platform
with a transport vehicle for the harvested fruits
installed on it and a height-adjustable device for
accommodating the fruit picker, a conveyor with the
ability to transform the shape in height and length is
placed on the platform, while it should ensure quick
assembly and disassembly of the structure, and the
device for accommodating the fruit picker should be
made with a variable cradle height, convenient for
harvesting fruits and equipped with a local (address)
control panel for the cradle on site.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Having analyzed several horticultural technologies, we
propose a compact and efficient device. The essence of
the proposed device is explained by the drawings,
where Fig. 1 shows a basic diagram of a mobile
mechanized system for harvesting apples, pears,
plums and other stone fruits, a side view, then a top
view (b), then front view (c); the technical process of
work, and Fig. 2 shows a removed view of the mobile
system.
Volume 04 Issue 12-2024
39
American Journal Of Applied Science And Technology
(ISSN
–
2771-2745)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
12
Pages:
37-41
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of a mobile mechanized system and technical process of work of the device
The proposed mobile mechanized system for
collecting apples and other stone fruits includes a
welded frame 2 mounted on running wheels 1, on
which an internal combustion engine 3, a landing seat
4, a steering control 5 and a platform 6 with a side 7 are
placed. On the platform, on both sides, two telescopic
three-stage hydraulic lifts 8 are placed, on which a
cradle 9 is mounted for accommodating an apple
picker (worker) (not shown in the figure) and a control
panel 10 for the lift 9. Containers 11 for storing and
pumping working oil for the hydraulic lifts are located
under the platform 6. A frame 12 is fixed to it along the
central axis of the platform, on which a supporting
frame 13 of a chain vertically inclined conveyor 14 is
mounted. The latter consists of a vertical 15,
intermediate 16 and final 17 inclined sections. In the
upper part of the frame 13 there is an axle 18 with
sprockets 19, and in the lower part there is an
intermediate axle 20 with the corresponding sprockets
and kinematically interconnected with the electric
drive 21. The right and left branches of the conveyor 14
are interconnected by rods 22 located between them
at a certain interval, on which removable returnable
containers 24 are hung by means of hooks 23. The
container can be made of plastic, light and durable, and
mutually stackable. At the end of the frame 13 of the
terminal 17 inclined section, an axle with sprockets 25
is installed. The terminal 17 section of the conveyor is
pivotally 26 interconnected with the intermediate
section 16 with the ability to rotate in the vertical plane
by 180
ᵒ
. The entire structure of the conveyor 14 is made
of a standard angle section by welding. In the free
a)
b)
c)
Volume 04 Issue 12-2024
40
American Journal Of Applied Science And Technology
(ISSN
–
2771-2745)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
12
Pages:
37-41
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
spaces of the platform 6, it is possible to store
returnable empty containers 26. The mobile
mechanized system for collecting apples operates as
follows. Before starting work, the terminal 17 section
of the conveyor 14 is dismantled from the folded state
and, turning it relative to the hinge joint by 180
ᵒ
degrees, it is connected to section 16, the tension of
the right and left chain transmission on the sprocket 25
is checked. The drive 21 is started and the operation of
the chain conveyor 14 is checked in idle mode. Having
made sure of the rhythmic operation, the mobile
system is adjusted to the apple tree and they begin to
collect apples from the lower branches. As the height
increases, the collector, being in the cradle 9, controls
the height of the cradle with the control panel 10. The
container 24 filled with apples is hung by means of a
hook 23 on the chain conveyor 14, which is constantly
in motion.
Figure 3. Movable mechanized system for collecting apples and other similar fruits in assembled form.
A secondary worker, being at ground level, removes
the filled container from the conveyor and stores it,
either on site, or immediately transfers it to another
vehicle for sending to the warehouse. Empty
containers are hung on the rear free branch of the
conveyor 14, which can be stacked in sufficient
quantities on the free spaces of the platform. The
system can be serviced by two or more people.
CONCLUSION
We suggest that the mobile system can be widely used
in intensive gardening and will facilitate the harvesting
of not only apples, but also other fruits and vegetables:
pears, plums, peaches and others. The device used for
harvesting fruit in orchards, when attached to a
tractor, harvests the fruit in an apple orchard in a semi-
mechanized way, puts the fruits in containers, collects
the filled containers and carries them out of the field,
reducing labor costs by 50-60% and increasing
productivity by 2-3 times, resulting in an economic
benefit of 30,000,000-35,000,000 soums. The
performance indicators of the mobile device intended
for use in harvesting apples and other types of fruit
trees fully meet the requirements of agrotechnology,
with fruit loss not exceeding 0.5% and damage not
exceeding
1%,
while
significantly
increasing
productivity and reducing labor costs, operating and
transportation costs by 2-2.5 times.
Volume 04 Issue 12-2024
41
American Journal Of Applied Science And Technology
(ISSN
–
2771-2745)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
12
Pages:
37-41
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
REFERENCES
1.
Abdullaev, S. (2021). "Advancements in Agricultural
Machinery for Uzbek Orchards." Journal of
Agricultural Science and Technology, 12(3), 145-153.
2.
Bhattacharya, R., & Chen, H. (2020). "Design
Principles for Fruit Harvesting Machines."
International
Journal
of
Agronomy
and
Horticulture Engineering, 8(2), 101-112.
3.
Nematov, I., et al. (2019). "Economic Analysis of
Mechanized Harvesting Systems in Central Asia."
Central Asian Agronomic Studies, 4(5), 59-65.
4.
Patel, R., & Zhao, L. (2018). "Energy Efficiency in
Agricultural Systems." Renewable Agriculture and
Food Systems, 33(1), 56-63.
5.
Uzbektomology Report (2022). "Apple Production
in Uzbekistan: Challenges and Opportunities."
Uzbekistan Agricultural Statistics Bureau, 17-25.
6.
Zimov, A., & Karaev, J. (2023). "Applications of
Modular Machinery in Farming." Mechanics and
Farming Innovations, 6(1), 89-97.
