Tea harvesting equipment

摘要

In tea harvesting equipment having an elevated platform with laterally spaced ground contacting transporting elements (not shown) such as wheels or endless tracks such that a clear space is provided below the platform and between the transporting elements to allow passage of a row of tea bushes during harvesting, a tea leaf cutter bar 11 is mounted on a movable chute 20 sliding within a stationary passage 22 and thereby supported from the elevated platform such that the cutter bar extends generally across the clear space below the platform, the cutter bar comprising at least one complete helix mounted on a rotatable shaft 12 with the shaft being rotated at a speed responsive to a forward speed of the harvesting equipment as a whole, the helically formed cutter bar co-operating with a stationary cutter bar 25 to provide a cutting action. A storage bin 19 is provided to receive cut tea leaves from the movable chute under the action of vacuum conditions established therein.