Title of Invention

"A JACKET ATTACHMENT FOR CARRYING PORTABLE SKIFFING AND SHOOT HARVESTING MACHINES"

Abstract The jacket attachment of the present invention consists of a modified canvas jacket with multi-row button type tying aide, rope type tying aide, plurality of ventilation windows, cushion padding is also provided to distribute the load on shoulders and upper ribs, sturdy cross belt, for distribution of load from lower ribs to shoulders. The said jacket being provided with adjustable horizontal belts, which transfers a portion of weight to lower ribs and belly by adjusting clips, clamping aide for proper adjusting of jacket. The said jacket being also provided with adjustable vertical belts, belt adjusting clips, for vertical adjustment of skiffing machine and shoot harvesting machine. There is also provided easy clamping / hooking aide and transportation clamps /hooks for carrying machine to longer distance, belt adjusting clips, holding aides for transportation clamps / hooks when the machine is under the skiffing / shoot harvesting operation. It is suitable for both, front and side loaded portable type skiffing and shoot harvesting machines. The attachment enables reduction of intensity of vibration of machine to the body with provision for height adjustment, ventilation, and carrying aide by way of clamps and or hooks. The jacket attachment is suitable for all physiques. It reduces operators fatigue and enhances work efficiency. It brings about reduction in worker requirements, and is found suitable for skiffing, pruning and shoot harvesting machine requirement for tea, medicinal and aromatic plants harvesting and trimming of rose, citrus and other thorny plants.
Full Text The present invention relates to a jacket attachment for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines The present invention particularly relates to a simple, convenient, well-ventilated and appropriate aide to portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machine The present invention particularly relates to a jacket attachment for carrying front and side loaded portable type skiffing and shoot harvesting machines
Tea is the largest labour employing private sector enterprise where constant supply of workers is required for crop harvesting and other field operations round the year The lion's share of expenditure in tea garden pertains to shoot harvesting Now-a-days, human labourers are either not readily available or very expensive for this operation In addition, the labour wages, which are linked to the cost of living, assessed half yearly as per the labour act and the activities of various labour unions also aggravate the plight of garden owners to pay much higher wages to low productive labourers Moreover, the cost of tea is controlled by the auction market, which has stayed almost constant for the past few years Last year, the rate of Indian tea has fallen drastically after arrival of foreign tea in the Indian market India being one of the signatories of WTO agreement and as such has entered into bilateral trade agreements with many countries and therefore, cannot stop the import of tea Now the only option left is to increase quality tea production for greater profits to be competitive in the world markets
Presently, about ten to fifteen per cent of green shoot is left behind or slashed in the field by the owners of tea garden in peak flush period due to unavailability of skilled labourers Moreover, these enterprises and owners have to spend money for harvesting unproductive or over grown shoots,

otherwise they will lose the next plucking round or flush These over grown shoots also reduce the cup quality The problem of unavailability of skilled labourers may be overcome to a large extent by a slight compromise on quality i e by adoption of a shoot-harvesting machine, which increases the overall quantity of shoots harvested However, because of stiff competition, it's in the overall interest of tea growing nations not to compromise on tea quality together with bringing in mechanization to cut the cost of production
Previously, M/s Kawasaki, Japan had been marketing portable type tea skiffing and shoot harvesting machines Now, M/s New Century, Japan has taken over the world market by virtue of better performing machines There are also some new players from Italy and Taiwan, who are trying to establish their presence in this segment of portable type machines
In India, M/s Power Mobiles, Chennai has launched one man portable and two men portable machine one man held and two men operating machines and M/s Falcon Agricultural Tools Ludhiana has launched two men 1200 mm tea plucking machine Two men held tea skiffing and plucking machines are basically of two types a) 1200 mm and b) 1400 mm wide with their total weight being 16 5 kg and 29 kg respectively For anyone evaluating these machines, it will be noticed that the major and comparatively heavier parts viz engine, rotor, and power transmission units, wider section of conical blower assembly are on the engine side whereas, the narrow part of conical section of blower pipe is on the other side of engine The weight distribution of machine is, therefore is also unequal i e 65-70 per cent on engine side and 30 to 35 per cent on the other side This makes the harvesting or skiffing machine being unequally loaded The operator at the engine side is generally made to suffer because of this and

gets fatigued quickly and may enentually try to avoid his deployments on this side of the machine on a regular basis if the workers are not replaced frequently, he may not maintain the height of the plucking table resulting in unequal level of shoot harvesting from tea bushes and unequal level of bush table in case of skiffing Therefore, it is important to provide an aide attachment to these machines thereby, making the mechanization operations comparatively easier and operators friendly
Generally, mounting aides are developed for one man tea shoot harvesting machine, one man pruning machine and sprayers and dusters where machine is loaded on back or shoulders by simple straps The boom or the harvesting assembly is then operated by hand The arm of the worker is put under a strenuous eccentric load and therefore, continuous use of such machines makes the operators tired
The major drawback of use of such an aide is that it cannot carry the machine in the forward direction
Another draw back of this aide is that it is not adoptive to the machines, which are side loaded
Yet another draw back of this aide is that unit is not provided with any carrying mechanism for transportation of machine under non-operative conditions
Therefore, it is observed that there is a definite need to develop and provide a simple, convenient aide to portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines, for ease of operations

The main object of the present invention is to provide a jacket attachment for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines, which obviates the drawbacks as given herein above
Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, convenient, well-ventilated and appropriate aide to portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machine, for ease of operations
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a jacket attachment for carrying front and side loaded portable type skiffing and shoot harvesting machines
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cushion pad for preventing pin pointed loading (accumulated strain) by different types of machines
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an easy loading and unloading aide to skiffing and shoot harvesting machines
A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable aide that is fitted to workers having different physique
A still further object of the present invention is to provide adequate ventilation for the perspiring body of the operator
Another object of the present invention is to provide an aide that is adaptive to front-loaded machines or the like
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an aide that is used during the times when two men skiffing/shoot-harvesting machine is being used, on/off the field

Still another object of trhe present invention is to provide an aide that can also be used for machines used for trimming and pruning thorny plants such as roses, citrus
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an aide that is adaptive to the mechanical maintenance of the hedges
This invention provides a jacket attachment for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines It is suitable for both, front and side loaded portable type skiffing and shoot harvesting machines It consists of a cushion pad for uniform distribution of load from arm to the body of the operators The attachment enables reduction of intensity of vibration of machine to the body with provision for height adjustment, ventilation, and carrying aide by way of clamps and or hooks Moreover, the jacket attachment is suitable for all physiques It reduces operators fatigue and enhances work efficiency It brings about reductions in worker requirements, and is found suitable for skiffing, pruning and shoot harvesting machine requirement for tea, medicinal and aromatic plants harvesting and trimming of scented rose, citrus and other thorny plants
In figure 1 of the drawing accompanying this specification, a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, which is a jacket attachment for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines, is shown The description of the various parts and their function(s) are given in table -1 below

(Table Removed)
The jacket attachment of the present invention essentially consists of main parts such as a canvas jacket (1), multi rowed buttons tying aide (2), rope type tightening device (3), ventilated windows (4) for aeration of heat, adjustable belts placed horizontally at lower and upper ends (5) and (9), adjusting clips (6), (10), (16), and (19), clamping aide at lower and upper ends (male end) (7) and (11), clamping aide at lower and upper ends (female end) (8) and (12), cushion pads at the shoulders (13), cioss belt (14), vertical adjusting aide (15, 18, 25 and 26), clamping/ hooking aide (17) and (20) under operation, transportation clamps/ hooks (21) and (22) under non-operative condition, and tie aide for transportation clamps / hooks (23), (24)
In the present invention there is provided a jacket attachment for carrying portable skiffmg and shoot harvesting machines, which is a simple convenient, well-ventilated and appropriate aide to skiffmg and shoot harvesting machine The jacket attachment of the present invention consists of a modified canvas jacket (1) with multi-row button type tying aide (2), rope type tying aide (3), plurality of ventilation windows (4), cushion padding (13) is also provided to distribute the load on shoulders and upper ribs, sturdy cross belt (14), for distribution of load from lower ribs to shoulders The said jacket being provided with adjustable horizontal belts (5) and (6), which transfers a portion of weight to lower ribs and belly by adjusting clips (6) and (10), clamping aide male (7) and (11), and clamping aide female (8) and (12) for proper adjusting of jacket The said jacket being also provided with adjustable vertical belts (15) and (18), belt adjusting clips (16) and (19), for vertical adjustment of skiffmg machine and shoot harvesting machine There is also provided easy clamping / hooking aide (17) and (20) and transportation clamps /hooks (21) and (22) for
carring machine to longer distance, belt adjusting clips (25) and (8), holding aide (23) and (24) for transportation clamps /hooks when the machine is under the skiffing / shoot harvesting operation
Accordingly, the present invention provides a jacket attachment for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines, which comprises a canvas jacket (1) having tying means (2 & 3) such as multi-row buttons (2) and rope (3), characterized in that the said jacket being provided with a plurality of ventilation windows (4), shoulder cushion padding (13), and in combination a cross belt (14), lower and upper horizontal adjusting and clamping means (5,6,7,8,9,10,11 & 12), left and right vertical adjusting and clamping means (15,16,17,18,19 &20), and left and right transportation means (21, 22,23,24,25 &26)
In an embodiment of the present invention, the lower horizontal adjusting and clamping means (5, 6, 7 & 8) consists of an adjustable horizontal belt (5) having adjusting clip (6) and clamping means (7 & 8)
In another embodiment of the present invention, the upper horizontal adjusting and clamping means (9, 10, 11 & 12) consists of an adjustable horizontal belt (9) having adjusting clip (10) and clamping means (11 & 12)
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the left vertical adjusting and clamping means (15,16 &17) consists of an adjustable vertical belt (15) having adjusting clip (16) and clamping/hooking means (17)
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the right vertical adjusting and clamping means (18,19 & 20) consists of an adjustable vertical belt (18) having adjusting clip (19) and clamping/hooking means (20)
In a further embodiment of the present invention, tne left transportation means (21, 23 & 25) consists of a transportation hook (21), tying aide (23) and vertical adjusting belt (25)
In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the right transportation means (22, 24, & 26) consists of a transportation hook (22), tying aide (24) and vertical adjusting belt (26)
In another embodiment of the present invention, the jacket attachment is adaptable for carrying one man and two men held portable skiffing machines
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the jacket attachment is adaptable for carrying one man and two men held portable shoot harvesting machines
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the jacket attachment is adaptable to front loaded machines
In still yet another embodiment of the present invention, the jacket attachment is adaptable to side loaded machines
The jacket attachment, of the present invention, essentially consists of a well-ventilated canvas jacket with three adjusting and clamping aides These are as follows
1 Horizontal adjusting and clamping aide (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12)
2 Vertical adjusting and clamping aide (15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20)
3 Transportation aide to machine under non-operative condition (21, 22,23,24,25 and 26)
The canvas jacket (1) is provided with well-ventilated windows (4) for better aeration, tying aide (2) and (3) for precisely fitting of the jacket to the workers The jacket is also provided with a horizontal belts (5) and (9),
adjusting clips (6) and hooks/ clamps (7), (8), (11) (12) at lower and upper ribs for precisely fitting of appropriate aide to the workers and transfer of weight to the different parts of the body A cushion pad (13) is also provided under shoulders of the jacket to avoid pinpoint loading of the machine on the shoulders
The jacket is also provided with a vertical cross belt (14), vertical adjustable belts (15) and (18), adjusting clips (16) and (19) and hooks/ clamps (17) and (20) for proper strengthening and precisely adjustment of height for different operations
The jacket is also provided with a vertical belt with adjusting clips (25) and (26) and clamps (21) and (22) for proper adjustment of height while machine has to be transported on road as well as along the road/paths /gardens/ orchards The aide is also provided with hooking system (23) and (24) for clamps (21) and (22) under non-operative conditions
The novelty of the present invention resides in providing a jacket attachment for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines, which is a simple convenient, well-ventilated and appropriate aide to skiffing and shoot harvesting machine This allows
(a) Complete distribution of load
(b) Easy loading and unloading aide
(c) Easy transportation
(d) Easy height adjustment
(e) Easy peripheral adjustment
(f) Steady tying aide and mechanism
(g) Appropriate ventilation
The novelty of the present invention has been realized as a result of the
non-obvious inventive steps of a combination of constructional features incorporating the following features of the jacket attachment, of the present invention, for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines
1 Horizontal belts and an adjusting clips and clamping aide for distribution of weight mechanical device to the body of the workers
2 Vertical straps with clips for adjusting the height of the machine with that of the plant height
3 Fitted with easy clamping / holding aide for the machines
4 Fitted for easy carriage of machines during transportation in garden/orchards/paths and roads
5 Provided with ventilation windows for the perspiring operators
6 Provided with a cushion pad on the shoulders for distribution of load, absorbing vibrations and making the operators comfortable during operation
7 Provided with a strong and sturdy tying mechanism for appropriate distribution of weight to the body of the worker to prevent fatigue
8 Provided with multi rowed button type tying aide so that the aide is fitted properly for uniform distribution of load
9 Provided with double rows of rope type tying aide for providing extra strength and better fitting to the operators
10 The load on the arm is uniformly distributed to the body of the worker
The present device therefore, provides a simple conventent well ventilated and appropriate aide to portable type skiffing and shoot harvesting machine operations in tea, medicinal and aromatic plants and trimming and pruning of fruit plants The aide comprises of an adjustable mechanism for horizontal and vertical adjustments to man and machine for performing the job both under field condition and carriage on roads
The constructional features of an embodiment of prototype of the jacket attachment of the present invention as used in the actual field evaluation are given below
A canvass jacket (1) 800-1500 mm perimeter at chest and 500-1500mm long, multi row buttons (2) 2-4 rows 8-20 mm diameter buttons, rope type tying aide (3) 1-3 rows 6-12mm diameter cotton, synthetic nylon rope or like, ventilation windows (4) 4-15mm size, horizontal belts at lower and upper end and vertical belts, cross belt (5), (9), (15), (18) and (14) 20-75mm width nylon, cotton belt or like Adjusting clip (6), (10), (16) and (19) 20-75mm size, Clamping aide (male end) (7) and (11) 20-75mm, clamping aide (female end) (8) and (12) 20-75mm, cushion pad (13) 8-40mm foam, cotton, sponge or like, clamping/ hooking aide and transportation clamps/ hooks (17), (20), (21) and (22) 20-80mm diameter and 60-150 mm long and holding aide (23 and (24) 8-20 mm diameter buttons
The following examples are given by way of illustration of the jacket attachment, of the present invention, for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines, in actual practice using a prototype and should not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention
been observed that the workers requirement reduced by 25 per cent and the area covered increased by 25 per cent, thus confirming the utility of the jacket attachment of the present invention
Example - 3
In conventional green shoot harvesting of tea, usually two persons are engaged for machine operation and the third person acts as a reliever All the three persons are used to work on rotation for skiffing operations The worker at engine side gets tired quickly due to the eccentric loading of a two-men skiffing machine In this conventional operation the workers required are three persons and the average area covered is 900 sq m per hour
This operation when carried out during actual field evaluation using the prototype of the jacket attachment of the present invention required only two persons and the average area covered was 1,300 sq m per hour Thus, it was been observed that the workers requirement reduced by 33 per cent and the area covered increased by 44 per cent, thus confirming the utility of the jacket attachment of the present invention
Example - 4
In conventional green shoot harvesting of Tagetes mmuta plants, four skilled people are deployed for machine operation At a time, two persons are engaged for holding the machine, third one for guiding the collection unit and fourth one works as a reliever to all the three All the four persons are put to work on rotation for harvesting operations as the engine side worker gets tired
Example -1
In conventional tea skiffing, usually two persons are engaged for machine operation and the third person acts as a reliever All the three persons are used to work on rotation for skiffing operations The worker at engine side gets tired quickly due to the eccentric loading of a two-men skiffing machine In this conventional operation the workers required are three persons and the average area covered is 800 sq m per hour
This operation when carried out during actual field evaluation using the prototype of the jacket attachment of the present invention required only two persons and the average area covered was 1,000 sq m per hour Thus, it was been observed that the workers requirement reduced by 33 per cent and the area covered increased by 25 per cent, thus confirming the utility of the jacket attachment of the present invention
Example - 2
In conventional damask rose pruning, usually two persons are engaged for machine operation and two persons act as relievers All the four persons are used to work on rotation for pruning operations The worker at engine side gets tired quickly due to the eccentric loading of a two-men skiffing/pruning machine In this conventional operation the workers required are four persons and the average area covered is 1200 sq m per hour
This operation when carried out during actual field evaluation using the prototype of the jacket attachment of the present invention required only three persons and the average area covered was 1,500 sq m per hour Thus, it was
quickly. In this conventional operation the workers required are four persons and the average area covered is 600 sq m per hour
This operation when carried out during actual field evaluation using the prototype of the jacket attachment of the present invention required only three persons and the average area covered was 900 sq m per hour Thus, it was been observed that the workers requirement reduced by 25 per cent and the area covered increased by 50 per cent, thus confirming the utility of the jacket attachment of the present invention
Example - 5
In conventional green shoot harvesting of Citronella plants, four skilled people are deployed for machine operation At a time, two persons are engaged for holding the machine, third one for guiding the collection unit and fourth one works as a reliever to all the three All the four persons are put to work on rotation for harvesting operations as the engine side worker gets tired quickly In this conventional operation the workers required are four persons and the average area covered is 600 sq m per hour
This operation when carried out during actual field evaluation using the prototype of the jacket attachment of the present invention required only three persons and the average area covered was 800 sq m per hour Thus, it was been observed that the workers requirement reduced by 25 per cent and the area covered increased by 33 per cent, thus confirming the utility of the jacket attachment of the present invention
The comparative performances of the jacket attachment, of the present invention, for carrying portable skiffing, pruning and shoot harvesting machines under different machine operations are tabulated in Table - 2 below
Table - 2

(Table Removed)
The main advantages of the jacket attachment, of the present invention, for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines present invention are
1 Helps increase productivity
2 Useful for load distribution of both front and side loaded portable type skiffing and shoot harvesting machines
3 Suitable for use with skiffing and shoots harvesting machines at different heights for different tea varieties
4 Suitable for mechanical harvesting of medicinal and aromatic plants, such as Tagetus minuta, Citronella
5 Suitable for mechanical pruning of Damask rose or other thorny plants
6 Suitable for different PHYSIQUE workers viz short /tall, lean & thin/ fat
7 Keeps the body of the workers cool
8 Provided with a cushion pad, which is suitable for uniform distribution of the machine load
9 Provided with easy carrying aide on road /paths
10 Provided with a tying aide that prevents movement of clamps/ hooks
11 Reduces workers' fatigue and thereby enhancing working efficiency
12 Reduces worker requirement for carrying out skiffing / pruning / plucking operations through machines




We claim:
1. A jacket attachment for carrying portable skiffing and shoot harvesting machines, which comprises a canvas jacket (1) having tying means (2 & 3) such as multi-row buttons (2) and rope (3), characterized in that the said jacket being provided with a plurality of ventilation windows (4); shoulder cushion padding (13); and in combination a cross belt (14); lower and upper horizontal adjusting and clamping means (5,6,7,8,9,10,11 & 12); left and right vertical adjusting and clamping means (15,16,17,18,19 & 20); and left and right transportation means (21, 22,23,24,25 & 26).
2. A jacket attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower horizontal adjusting and clamping means (5, 6, 7 & 8) consists of an adjustable horizontal belt (5) having adjusting clip (6) and clamping means (7 & 8).
3. A jacket attachment as claimed in claim 1-2, wherein the upper horizontal adjusting and clamping means (9, 10, 11 & 12) consists of an adjustable horizontal belt (9) having adjusting clip (10) and clamping means (11 & 12).
4. A jacket attachment as claimed in claims 1 & 3, wherein the left vertical adjusting and clamping means (15,16 &17) consists of an adjustable vertical belt (15) having adjusting clip (16) and clamping/hooking means (17).
5. A jacket attachment as claimed in claims 1 & 4, wherein the right vertical adjusting and clamping means (18,19 & 20) consists of an adjustable vertical belt (18) having adjusting clip (19) and clamping/hooking means (20).

6. A jacket attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the left transportation
means (21, 23 & 25) consists of a transportation hook (21), tying aide
(23) and vertical adjusting belt (25).
7. A jacket attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the right transportation means (22, 24, & 26) consists of a transportation hook (22), tying aide (24) and vertical adjusting belt (26).

Documents:

312-del-2005-abstract.pdf

312-del-2005-Claims-(22-07-2011).pdf

312-del-2005-claims.pdf

312-del-2005-Correspodence Others-(22-07-2011).pdf

312-del-2005-correspondence-others.pdf

312-del-2005-description (complete).pdf

312-del-2005-drawings.pdf

312-del-2005-form-1.pdf

312-del-2005-form-18.pdf

312-del-2005-form-2.pdf

312-del-2005-Form-3-(22-07-2011).pdf

312-del-2005-form-3.pdf

312-del-2005-form-5.pdf


Patent Number 258005
Indian Patent Application Number 312/DEL/2005
PG Journal Number 48/2013
Publication Date 29-Nov-2013
Grant Date 27-Nov-2013
Date of Filing 14-Feb-2005
Name of Patentee COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
Applicant Address ANUSANDHAN BHAWAN, RAFI MARG, NEW DELHI-110001, INDIA.
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 DR. RAVINDRANATH S SRIGIRIPURAN DESIKACHAR SCIENTIST, INSTITUTE OF HIMALAYAN BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY (IHBT), PALAMPUR (H.P), INDIA.
2 KRISHNA KUMAR SINGH SCIENTIST, INSTITUTE OF HIMALAYAN BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY (IHBT), PALAMPUR (H.P), INDIA.
PCT International Classification Number A01D 45/02
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA