LABOUR REDUCTION OF TEA PLUCKING OPERATION WITH PORTABLE TYPE MACHINE

With the purpose of labour reduction in tea plucking operation with portable type machine, the influence of frame angles and tea leaves weight on the grasping forces of each finger were investigated. At the measurement of the grasping force of each finger except for thumb, grip strength dynamometers were attached at the grasping position of the frame instead of handle grips. A series of measurement was carried out changing frame angles of the tea plucking machine and the weight of tea leaves. With the obtained results of the experiments , the influences of the frame angles and the weight of the tea leaves on the grasping forces of each finger were analyzed. Some reasonable suggestions for the labour reduction in the tea plucking operation with portable type machine were obtained in the aspect of normalizing the balance of the grasping force on each finger and these suggestions are expected to contribute the labour reduction of the tea plucking operation.