US1360471A - Fruit packer and shaper - Google Patents

Description

W. H. TAYLOR.

FRUIT PACK ND SHAPER.

APPLICATION M'AY 3.1920.

1 ,360,47 1 Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

mm WWW Q W12? Zz zpZar G 3% WILLIAM HAYES TAYLOR, OF ANNA, ILLINOIS.

, FRUIT PACKER Ann sHAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 30 192() Application filed May 3, 1920. Serial No. 378,506

i '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. TA LOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anna, in the county of Union and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit Packers and Shapers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and. exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled. in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in fruit packers, and it has more particular reference to a hand appliance which is used to properly pack fruit into barrels or baskets in a compact form.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an appliance which may be easily manipulated by hand, and one which will properly pack the fruit and at the same time will not bruise the fruit because of its cushion-like effect thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide an appliance of the above mentioned type which is constructed in such a manner that it will form a means for shaping the fruit to present an attractive and uniform appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned type which is simple in construction, strong, du rable and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the device constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereof, partly in section.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a body, preferably a metal plate, which has its under face concaved. Stretched across this concave under face of the plate is a fabric covering which is attached to, and spaced away from said under face, whereby an air space is formed, thereby forming a cushion and preventing injury or bruising of the fruit to a great extent. I also preferably employ means to vary this air space or tension of the covering, whereby said covering will yieldmore or less as desired.

Y In the drawings,\vl1erein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a body, preferably in the form of a metal cone-shaped plate, which has its under face concaved or cone-shaped as shown. A

suitable handle 2 issecured thereto in any desired manner.

A fabric covering 3, preferably made of canvas, is stretched over the concave under face of the body 1 and overt-he edge thereof as shown at 4. A draw-stringo is passed through the holes 6 near the edge of the portion whereby the covering is properly held, and is adjustable on said body. This construction will thus form an air cushion or space between the said concave under face and the canvas cover.

In order to place the cover 3 under tension at all times and regulate said tension, I drill or punch holes 7 in the plate 1 adjacent to the center thereof. The canvas cover is also provided with apertures or holes 8 which are adapted to aline with the holes 7,

whereby when a cord or other tying element 9 is passed through the holes 7 and 8 in the manner shown, the tension of the covering may be made greater or less as may be desired.

When it is desired to vary the space between the under face of the plate and covering it is obvious that the draw-string 5 will be loosened or tightened accordingly. When it is desired to vary the tension of the said covering, the, cord 9 will be loosened or tightened as the case may be.

Hence, it will be seen that my packing todl, because of its cushion or yielding effect on the fruit, will not mar, or bruise the same during the packing or shaping operation. I

It is desired, in some instance, especially when packing soft fruit, such asover-ripe peaches and the like, to place raw cotton or any other soft material between the covering 3 and the under face plate 1 to form an exceedingly soft and yieldable pad which will not mash the fruit.

As hereinbefore stated, the body 1 is preferably in the form of a cone-shaped plate, which construction affords a convenient means for shaping fruit in a basket. In other words, when it is desired to form a cone design or fancy face such as is formed to present an attractive appearance in a fruit basket, the body or plate 1 will be slightly rotated or twisted by means of the handle 2, and the fruit will be caused to move toward the center orapex of the body and thus formed into the desired coneshape. The cone design of the fruit may be made high or low by moving the cover away from or drawing it closer to the apex of the cone-shaped body as is obvious.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention as herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A hand tool for packing and shaping fruit comprising a body having a concave underface, and a flexible covering disposed over said underface and spacedtherefrom to form an air space, thereby providing a cushion.

2. A fruit packer comprising a body having a concave under face, a fabric cover secured to the edge of said body and spaced from ering to the center of the body, whereby the tension of the cover maybe varied.

4:. A fruit packer comprising a body hav- "ing a cone-shaped under face'and provided with apertures, a handle adjacent to its center secured to said body, a fabric covering stretched over the under face of said body and extending over the outer edge thereof, and provided with a series of openings near'the edge thereof, a draw-string passing through the openings in the covering adapted to adjustably secure the covering to the body, and a tying element passed through said covering and through the openings in the body to vary the tension of the covering, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 7

WILLIAM HAYES TAYLOR.

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