US145979A - Improvement in cranberry-pickers - Google Patents

Description

J. WESTON.

Cranberry-Pickers.

No. 145,979, I Patented Dec. 30,1873.

WW2 ea I wl/ T) UNITED STATES PATENT Orrron.

JOSEPH WESTON, OF DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CRANBERRY-PICKERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,979, dated December C0, 1873; application filed October 22, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WEsroN, of Duxbury, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Oranberry-Pickers, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l of the accompanying drawing is a central vertical longitudinal section of my improved cranberry picker and receptacle. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same with the lid removed.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a device for picking cranberries, whereby they are gathered in a clean and expeditious manner, without injury either to the berries or the vines. My invention consists mainly in a cranberry-picker having inclined curved bottom teeth, and intermediate guards and side guards, and side teeth of varying lengths projecting from a suitable back or frame, provided with a top hinged lid having a handle, and having depending at the front from its under side an inclined brush, that, when the lid is closed, meshes with the forward portion of said bottom teeth, and detaches the berries from the vines, which are held above the said teeth. These improvements also consist in a box or receptacle, to receive the berries from the picker, said box being connected with the back or frame of the picker, and in this case made open, and provided with a hinged flap opening inward, and a hinged bottom or rear trap opening outward, to allow the entrance and exit of the berries, all of which I will now proceed more particularly to describe.

In the drawings, A represents a back or frame, of wood, metal, or other suitable material, from the lower portion of which project, parallel with each other, a series of curved teeth, a, beveled on the front, at the bottom, to form an edge. These teeth a are of metal, or other suitable material, and have, at proper intervals between them, metal or other suitable guards G, inclining in a straight line on the top, and curving on the bottom from the back toward the forward point. Outside of the outer teeth a, on each side of the lower portion of the front of the back or frame A, is a side guard, D, similar to, but of less depth or height than, the intermediate guards O, as shown by the dotted line f, Fig. 1. Above the side guards D,

projecting forward from each side of the front of the frame A, are rods or teeth I), of metal or other suitable material, beveled to an edge on the front, and each diminishing in length above the other, the bottom rods being of shorter lengths than the side guards D. Hinged to the top of the frame A is a lid, E, provided on the top, at the rear, with a bent lever or other suitable lift, F, and having at the front, attached to its under side, an inclined brush, G, that extends downward, when the lid is closed, between the ends of the teeth a. Projecting upward from the rear of the upper portion of the frame A is an inclined handle, H. At the rear of the frame A is attached a box or receptacle, I, of wood, metal, wire, or other suitable material. In the present case, it is made with a wooden bottom, having a hinged strap, J, opening downward, and held by a spring-catch, K, the side and rear of the receptacle being of tin, and the front being formed by the frame A, which is made open, and has a hinged flap, B, opening inward, but not outward. The top of the receptacle is formed by an open frame, L, provided with wires (1, extending across it either longitudinally or transversely, or otherwise arranged with a wire or other screen,-or perforated top, to allow the escape of dust and other extraneous matter, and admit a view of the interior of the receptacle; or the top may be made solid, without any opening. Instead of the bottom trap J, the rear end of the receptacle may, if desired, be formed with a suitable hinged trap, opening outward.

The operation of my invention is as follows The picker device being held in one hand by the handle H, and the lid E lifted by the other hand, or by the lift F with the same hand holding the handle, the device is brought down by an inclined or scooping movement, so that the front of the teeth a are readily inserted between the cranberries. 'The lid E is then let down on the teeth, and the device scooped upward, the brush cleanly removing the berries from the vines, which are taken up above the berries by the guards C D and teeth b, through which guards and teeth they are drawn, without injury, by the upward movement of the device, which movement carries back the berries through the flap B, which opens automatically to admit them into the receptacle. The flap B, only swinging inward, prevents the return of the berries into the picker. By unloosening the spring-catch K, the trap-bottom J, or trap in the rear of the receptacle, is opened, and the berries released.

If desired, a bag or other receptacle may be readily adjusted to the box I, so that on opening the trap the berries may be deposited at once into the bag. It is obvious also that the bag or other receptacle may be connected directly with the picker, which may be arranged to be used separately Without the connection of any receptacle, the berries, in this case, being gathered by the picker device, and deposited as fast as picked into a basket, barrel, or other proper detached receptacle.

Having thus fully described my improvements,what I claim as my invention, and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patcnt, is

1. A device for picking cranberries, formed with a back or frame, A, hinged lid E, brush G, teeth a, guards G and D, and side teeth I), all constructed and combined substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the subject-matter of the foregoing claim, the receptacle I, having a hinged flap, B, trap J, and jointed cover L, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing WitIlGSSOS.

JOSEPH WESTON.

Witnesses:

CARROLL D. WRIGHT, SAML. M. BARTON.

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