For our technical readers….On our farm, we use Korvan Grape Harvesters. Our machines use a set of bow rods placed in close proximity to each other on each side of the fruiting zone. These rods freely float through the canopy as the harvester rolls through the field. The rods oscillate at a fairly high number of beats per minute. Meanwhile, the vines move back and forth in time to the picking rods, and the grape clusters (whose stems have become mature & somewhat brittle) drop toward the vineyard floor.
After the grapes have been shaken off the vine, the fruit lands on a catching tray, is collected by conveyor cups, and then transported to a cross conveyor that sits high at the rear of the machine. As the grapes drop onto the cross conveyor, two large fans pull out all of the light debris (such as leaves).
Then the grapes are transported to the discharge conveyor where they are screened by a third fan and by an inspector, who pulls out any foreign material (such as grape wood).
The fruit continues to move along the conveyor toward a trailer (catch bin) that travels in the row next to the harvester. Before the grapes enter the catch bin, the final screening is performed by a high power magnet, which removes any metal (wire or clips) that may have been caught by the picking rods.