Pumpkin Lifter Assistive Technology

You say it is difficult to balance while lifting pumpkins from the ground to waist level? The pumpkin/squash lifter helps people who cannot bend down to pick up melons, squash, and other bulky items from the ground. It is built with conduit and pitchfork tines. It is a piece of ¾-inch metal conduit 36-inches long with a 6-inch bend in it. We spread the tines of a pitchfork wider and slightly up so the make a slight bowl shape. We slid rubber hose over the tines, so they are soft on the melons. The pitchfork tines are bolted into the conduit. An arm support handle is clamped on with hose clamps to give better control with one arm. It works very well picking up watermelons and cantaloupe. The handle can be lengthened, or the angles changed to make it more comfortable for individual workers. A cutter could be added on it for clipping the pumpkin vines in the future.

You will need

• some old pitchfork tines
• 4-feet of 1/2" metal electrical conduit or an old tent pole with a 90-degree bend.
• 4-feet of 1/4" vinyl tubing
• a robo handle
• a clip or small bolt.
• If you are not repurposing an old pitchfork, then purchase the refuse fork with 90-degree tines instead of a pitchfork and conduit.

Tools you will need are:

• a torch to heat and bend the pitch fork tines,
• a hack saw to cut the conduit to length, and
• a drill to drill through the conduit and tines.

Clamp your pitch fork or refuse hook tightly, then heat and bend the edge tines outward so the tines form a basket shape to hold round objects from rolling off the side tines.

If you purchased a refuse fork with 90-degree tines you can skip to line 3 and attach the robo handle.

1. Purchase a section of 3/4-inch metal electrical conduit with a 90-degree bend from a local hardware store.
2. Cut the conduit with 90-degree bend so it is a comfortable length for you to reach the ground. Usually about 48-inches-long.
3. Purchase a robo handle ergonomic handle from an online arthritis supply retailer and clamp it onto the conduit to make a comfortable handle.

After the tines have been bent and cooled,

1. Slide vinyl tubing over the tines so the sharp points are covered and they are cushioned for the items being picked up. If necessary heat with a heat gun so the vinyl flexes around the corners easily.
2. Insert the tines handle into the short side of the bent conduit. Drill a hole through both the conduit and tines handle and insert a small bolt or pin to secure the tines to the conduit.

1. Adjust the robo handle on the conduit with the tines facing toward you.
2. Adjust the robo handle so you can comfortably grip it and lower the tines to the ground without bending over.
3. Walk to the melon or squash or pumpkin needed.
4. Lower tines to the ground and nudge the melon onto the tines with your toe.
5. Lift the melon to waist height and remove it from the tines with your other hand or carry it to the crate.