US Patent 6974017 Tote conveying apparatus and method

A method and apparatus for moving and packing freshly harvested agricultural products in such a way as to minimize the damage to agricultural products from bruising and breakage resulting from falling into storage bins. This invention uses a hydraulic-driven conveyor belt to move smaller transport containers which are physically closer to the actual point where the agricultural products are discharged into the waiting transport containers. Because the transport container is physically closer to the discharge point of the agricultural products, the actual distance the agricultural products fall is greatly reduced as is the probability of damage from bruising or breaking apart.