US1332893A - Egg tray and turning mechanism - Google Patents

Description

' H. v. FLICKINGER. EGG TRAY AND TURNING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-13.1919.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

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nnrrnn STATES PATENT ornrcn HERSCHEL V. FLICKINGER, 0F BUCYRUS, OHIO.

EGG TRAY AND TURNING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

Application filed February 13, 1919. Serial No. 276,788.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hnnsonnn V. FLICK- INGER, citizen of the United States, residing at Bucyrus, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg Trays and Turning Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved egg tray and turning mechanism for incubators and has as its primary object to provide a tray so constructed that the eggs contained within the tray may be mechanically turned each time the tray is withdrawn from the incubator to be turned end for end in the usual manner and again fitted within the incubator.

The invention has as a further object to provide a construction wherein the tray may, when desired, be slidably moved into or out of the incubator without effecting the turn. ing of the eggs within the tray.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a tray which will be characterized by simplicity as well as a construction of such nature that the tray and associated mechanism may be readily installed in incubators of conventional type.

, Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter. 'In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation showing a conventional type of incubator equipped with my improved tray and associated mechanism, the door of the incubator being removed and parts being broken away,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the egg tray in detail, the tray being inverted,

Fig. 3 is a. detail perspective view showing the socket and rack bar. of the turning mechanism disassembled,

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary elevation showing the manner in which the rack bar is adapted to coact with the pinions upon the turning rollers of the tray, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing one of the rollers in detail.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I have, in Fig. 1, conventionally shown an incubator at 10. Within the hatching chamber of this incubator are arranged the usual horizontal cleats 1 1 and '12 respectively for slidably supporting an includes an oblong tray body or frame co1n-- prising end bars 13 joined by side bars 14 Extending between the side bars at thclower side of the fran'ie is a transverse bracing strip 15 disposed substantially midway between the ends of the fran'ie. Formed in the lower edges of the side bars at their ends are pairs of alined notches. For convenience, one pair of said notches has been indicated at 16 while the other pair is indicated at 17. If desired, the frame may be braced at its corners by suitable angle plates secured to the side and end bars at their upper edges.

Screwed or otherwise secured to the inner side faces of the end bars 13 are bearing plates 18 seating fiat against said bars and journaled upon. these plates is a plurality of horizontally extending parallel turning rollers or members 19 forming the bottom of the tray. The rollers 19 may be constructed of wood or other approved material and at their ends are equipped with ferrules 20. Embedded in the terminals of the rollers and being thus rigidly connected therewith, are aziial trunnions 21 which are jonrnaled through the plates 18 and are received within suitable openings in the end bars'l of the tray frame for thus rotatably supporting the rollers upon the frame. Fixed upon the trunnions at corresponding ends of the rollers are pinions 22 abutting the adj accnt terminals of the rollers and arranged, as particularly shown in Fig. 2, to touch the plane of tl e lower edge of the contiguous end bar of the frame.

Mounted beneath one of the tray supporting cleats of the incubator, preferably the cleat 11, is a socket, shownin detail at the left of Fig. 3. This socket comprises an L ngle plate having angular portions 23 and 94: respectively and mounted upon the plate is a preferably squared socket barrel or sleeve 25 joined at its rear side with the portion 23 of theplate by a reduced medial connecting web and abutting at its upper end with the portion 24 0f the plate. The portion of the angle plate is rested flat against the adjacent end wall of the incubator while the portion 24 of said plate abuts the lower edge of the cleat 11 so that the angle plate thus fits snugly in the angle between the lower edge of the cleat and said end wall. Engaged through the angle plate are screws or other suitable fastening devices securing the socket to said end wall as well as said cleat. Adjustably supported by the socket is a rack bar 28. This rack bar is preferably provided beyond the teeth of the bar with beveled upper edges and preferably integral with the bar at a point sul stantially midway of its ends is avsquared stem or shank 29 snugly fitting within the barrel 25. The stem 29 carries a clamp screw 80 which is slidably received within a suitable slot formed in the lower portion of the barrel at its outer side, the screw being movable to coact with the barrel for clamping the rack bar 28 in vertically adjusted position with respect thereto.

The end bars 13 of the tray frame are, as shown in Fig. 1, adapted to slidably rest upon the cleats 11. and 1:2 of the incubator for supporting the tray therein and, as will now be observed upon reference to Fig. 4, the rack bar 28 may be upwardly adjusted to project above the upper edge of the cleat 11 into coacting relation with respect to the pinions 22 upon the rollers 19 of the tray. Consequently, when the tray is slidably removed from the incubator, the pinions will be shifted to successively coact with the rack bar for rotating the rollers 19 accordingly, the pair of notches 16 successively receiving the rack bar freely therethrough. The rollers are, of course, spaced apart a proper distance to receive the eggs therebetween resting upon the rollers so that the eggs will thus be automatically turned c'o incident with the removal of the tray. However, in order that the tray may be reversed end for end in the usual m anner and again fitted within the hatching chamber of the incubator without molesting the adjustment of the rack bar 28, the pair of notches 17 is provided. When the tray is so reversed, it will be seen that these notches will successively receive the rack bar freely therethrough when the tray may be moved inwardly upon the cleats 11 and 12 without rotating the rollers 19. Consequently, the eggs having been turned coincident with the removal of the tray will,'since the rollers will not be rotated when the tray is replaced, remain in their turned position. As will be. seen, when the tray is next removed to be turned end for end and again fitted within the incubator, turning of the eggs will occur at the time the tray is replaced. Should it be desired to shift the tray within the incubator without actuating the rollers 19 for turning the eggs, the rack bar 28 may, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, be simply adjusted downwardly upon its supporting socket to inactive position when the teeth of the bar will be disposed below the plane of the lower edge of the tray so "that the rack bar will be arranged out of the :path of the pinions 22. Furthermore,

for coaction with said pinions whereby the rollers will be rotated when the tray is slidably moved within the incubator.

2. In an incubator, the combination of a reversible tray having a plurality of rotatable egg supporting members, means slidably supporting the tray, and coacting means carried by one end portion of the tray and incubator respectively whereby the members will in one position of the tray be rotated when the tray is slidably moved within the incubator, the means upon the tray being at one end portion thereof only whereby when the tray is reversed end for end it may be slidably moved within the incubator upon said first mentioned means without rotating said members.

3. In an incubator, an egg tray including a plurality of egg supporting rollers, means slidably supporting the tray, and coacting means carried by the tray and incubator respectively whereby the rollers will be rotated when the tray is slidably moved within the incubator, the means upon the incubator being adjustable to a position out of the path of travel of the means upon the tray, and means for securing the meansupon the incubator in adjusted position.

4. In an incubator, an egg tray including a plurality of rotatable egg supporting members, rotating means carried by the members adjacent one end of the tray, means slidably supporting the tray, and means adjustable upon the incubator to a position projecting within the lines of the tray for coaction with said rotating means whereby the members will be turned when the tray is slidably moved within the incubator, the

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