US1579598A - Sorting and cutting machine - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 1926.

faa( i@ ATTORNEYS.

s sheets-sheetA 1 INVENTOR. M/////am de ac* BY l /Z Filed -March 31. 1923 W DE BACK SORTING AND- CUTTING MACHINE April 6 1926. w. DE BACK SORTING ND CUTTING MACHINE Filed March 3l. 1925 3 Sheets- Sheet 2 I 7 .5.5.- u Z o 1 W/ /Vf l By Q M' v l y y ATTORNEYS.

April 6 f 1926.

w. DE BACK sRTING AND CUTTING MACHINE 3 shuts-Sheet :5

Filed March 31. 1,923L

ration.

Patented Apr. e, 192e.v

i UNITED STA WILLIAM ,DE BACK. VoF isLEToN,cAr;1-roRN'IA.

scarl-Nef AND CUTTING MACHINE.

`.aipiiiication filed Maren' 31, 1923. serial 110.629,020.

Another object scribed which is readily adjustable so that it can be quickly adaptedv to thecharacterk istics of the material whichis to 'be'handled Another `object of the invention is the *provisionv of ya. machineA of the character described which is entirely automatic in action, taling the asparagus as it is fed to it, sorting it for size, cutting it to separate the ledible top from the Viibrouslower portion Yof 1thekvstalk, and delivering the tops andthe waste portions at separatehpoi'nts.`

The invention possesses other objects and .featuresof advantage, some o'fwhich,with

the foregoing,willbe set forth inthe following description'of'the invention. AvIt is to'be understood that I' donot-limit myself y to the showingV made by the said description,

as-I may adopt variant forms of' the invention within the seopeof -the'claims Referringtothe drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevationof the machine a portion thereof being ybroken away to shorten the figure.

Fig. 21s a plan view of the structure shown in lF ig. 1, portions being omitted to better disclose the remaining structure. Fig. 3 is' an end elevation of the inachinetaken from thedirection indicated by the arrow inr- Fig 2. Fig. 4 is avertical sectional view, lthe planevof section'being indicated by the line-4 4- ofFig. 2. Fig. Slis a side-elevation on a larger sealeof a. portion of the conveyor and sorting mechanism. .6 is an elevation and 'vertical sectional vview taken in the plane Vindicated yby the line V6 6 of 111g. e.

In terms of-'broadinclusion the invention comprises a series of carriers, one foreach Of the: sizes into vwhich the asparagus is to baser-ted.v lja'ch" carrier moves forwardly 'froiiif-aflloadiiig" 'feint-to; a discharge. point," and is formed witlilogitudina grooves, as

of the invention is the pro-` vision ofa machine of the character deand the shaft.

well as grooves transverse thereto. A sortingy conveyor is arranged lto run over the carriers. Asparagu'sfisjfed. upon the conveyor, with'thfe headsin vone direction, and as the conveyor passes over theV carriers the asparagus Iis sorted according vto size and deposited inthe longitudinal'grooves of the carriers. Associated fwith each carrier is La cutting 'blade which lies inone loffth'e transverse grooves thereof7 and, as'the'car-v rier rmoves forwardly,` theasparagus inthe longitudinal grooves is pressed "against the.

cutting blade and severed. Theedible head and the waste lportion ofthe stalk are sub.-

discharged from' the machine. In order sequently deposit'edin .sepa-rate chutes and f that the stalks may be cut at the proper point it is necessary to position the pieces in the longitudinal grooves, and this is done by an automatically operated plunger arranged'in each longitudinal groove, ywhich vpresses against the head of V'thestalln and moves it to the desired position vrelative to the cutting blade. `Means `are provided for mount'- ing the cutting blade so that it may be read- Y ily shifted from one transverse groove to vanother to vary Athe 'length of `the edible portions of tthe .stalks in accordance withA thecondition'vof the material.

' Indetail, theinvention comprises a frame 2,l in which a series of carrier drumsB `are journaled. -A` shaftt connectedf'by suitable miter gears 5 with eachV drum, is (driven by a shaft-6,V whiclrin turn issdriven "thru lav suitable gear train i-,from the main drivsov in gshaft '8, liavingthe pulley 9, belte'dto v fanysuitable source of power. A'clutcli I11 is preferably interposed'between the pulley 'l The drawings show `two carrier drumsbut it is-to be understood that asmaiiy carrier drums may be includedin the'fmachine as the number of sizes into which itis desired to sort the' asparagus.

'One ofthe gears of the train 4rItis fixed on a shaft 12' which also'carriesV a pair of sprockets 13. .At the opposite end of the machine sprockets l14 are'arran'ged'on the shaft 16,'and'these sprockets 13 and 14 carry the upper reaches oftwin endless chains 17,

'on-which the sorting conveyor is arranged.

The lower reaches ofthe'ehains run around the sprockets 18 and 19"'suitably `mounted on the Vframe of ythe machine below the sprocketsl and '13 respectively. vThe upper reaches ofthe conveyor eh'ainsruninangle irons' I 21, and afilat plate Vorl table 122,* best y fall into the carrier drum.

shown lin Fig. G, underlies the angle irons,- and is provided with an aperture 9.3 over each of the carrier drums. A guard flange 2i extends downwardly from the table on cach side of the aperture into close proximity to the carrier.

Automatically operating means are provided on the conveyor chains dropping asparagus thereon at predetern'iincd points upon the table, in accordance with the suce or diameter' of the asparagus, and then sweeping the dropped stalks along to the next succeeding aperture 23 thru which they Arranged between th-e parallel reaches of the conveyor chains 17 are cross niieuihers formed preferably of sheet metal, and each one coinprising a plate 26 preferably fianged about the edge to give added strength, and having the integral arms O7 on each side, suits -ably apertured to facilitate attachment to the links of the chain. The Vplate 26 as best shown in Figs. 5 and (i, extends close to the table 22, and is provided with suitable stiffening ribs 2S. As the upper reach of the conveyor passes along the angle irons Q1, each plate 26 extends upwardly in relatively fixed position as to the chain.

Pivot-ally mounted at the upper end of each of the fixed plates is a plate 31, which extends across the entire width of the fixed plate and inwardly toward the table 22, for perhaps half of its height. These pivoted plates are each provided with a projecting lug 32, which ride on a cam plate 33, the function of which is to control the angular relation of each pivoted plate with the adjacent fixed plate, that is to say, to control the space which separates the end of each pivoted plate from the adjacent xed plate.

Each two plates thus co-operate to provide a trough-like support for an asparagus stalk placed upon the conveyor, and the varying width of the space separating the plates the conveyor progresses over the carrier drums, determines the point at which stalks are dropped upon the table Q2.

' It should be noted that in .feeding asparagus to the machine, one stalk at a time is placed between the supporting plates, as shown in Fig. 5, with the head pointing away from the operator who stands adjacent one end of the machine, as indicated by the reference character 34, Fie'. 2. As

shown in Fig. 6, both plates are recessed in their upper edges to facilitate the placing of the stalks or their removal. Dropping from the conveyor the stalks, which are within certain size limits, at predetermined points, is effected by the change in position of the pivoted plates as they ride along the cam 33. Preferably the caml comprises a piece of angle iron supported on bracket `36, and arranged at an angle,

neraiaes as shown in Fig. l, to the direction of movement of the conveyor. At the point where the stalks of asparagus are placed upon the machine, that is the left hand side of the machine, as viewed in Fig. l, the cam is highest so that the pivoted plates are held closer to the Vfixed plates. ins the pivotcd plates pass along the earn they are gradually permitted to fall, and separate more and more from the adjacent fixed plate. Thus the smallest size of stalk is permitted to drop first and then successively larger sizes are dropped upon the table as the conveyor progresses. As each stalk drops from between the two plates, it falls upon the table 2Q, and is 'caught by the lower portion of the fixed plate, and swept along the table to the next succeeding aperture 23, thru which it falls into the carrier drum.

Each of the carrier drums is provided with a series of closely spaced longitudinal slots 23T, adapted to receive stalks of asparagus falling thru the apertures 23 as the carrier revolves. Slidably mounted in the far end of the slot, as viewed from the operators side of the machine, is a plunger 38 arranged on a shaft 39 terminating in a roller adapted to engage a fixed cani al. The cani is so formed that each plunger -is in a retracted position until after the groove in which it operates has passed the aperture 23, thru which it receives a stalk of asparagus. Immediately after this point has been pass-ed by the rotating carrier, the plunger is forced inwardly by the cam, engaging the head end of the stalk,'and pushing it alone' the groeve to a predetermined position therein. lt will be understood that the stalks are of varying lengths and that it is desired to cut equal lengths from the head ends of the stalks so that such ends may be uniform forV canning.v 1

Means are provided for cutting the positioned stalks in the grooves and discharging the pieces sepa 'ately. Each of the carrier drums is formed with transverse or circumferential grooves, preferably four in number. These grooves i2 are sufficiently wide to admit a cutting blade 4?), preferably a knife. rllhe knife does not touch any portion of the carrier and the cutting edge thereof is disposed, as shown in Fig. l, tangentially in respect of the carrier and inside of or within the bottoms of the longitudinal grooves. As the carrier drums revolve, the stalks in the grooves thereof are drawn against the knife which effects a shearing cut thru them. The cutting blade is fixed on a shaft 44: mounted for both lUCK rotary and axial movement in bearings i6 on cross slots 48, in which a pin'49 is adapted vides means whereby the shaft may be os-y cillated to register the pin 49 with the slot 47, and then moved ,inv an axial direction until the pin 49 engages in the desired cross slot 48, at which time the knifewill be engaged in the corresponding circumferential groove. A spring 52, interposed between the frame of the machine and the shaft 44, resiliently holdsl the cutting blade in operative position in its groove.

A guard plateA 53 is also mounted onthe shaft by means of a bracket 54 on each side of the cutting blade so that the guard plate moves axially with the shaft when the cuts` ting blade is shifted from one groove to another. `At the lower end of the guardv plate 53, is fixed a discharge chute 56, which delivers the pieces of the cut stalks out of the machine to a suitable receptacle or conveyor. The discharge chutes also move axially with the shaft 44 so that each one is always in position to catch a piece of stalk as it is released from the carrier drum.

I claim;

l. In a sorting and cutting machine, a carrier for each size of the article to be handled, means for sorting said articles into said carriers, means for positioning said articles in said carriers, a cutting blade associated with each carrier and againstvwhich the articles are pressed by the carrier, a shaft on which said blade is fixed, and means for varying the longitudinal position of the shaft to vary the length of the articles cut bythe blade.

2. In a sorting and cutting machine, a carrier comprising a rotary drum formed with longitudinal grooves and circuinferen-A tial grooves, means for depositing articles to be handled in the longitudinal grooves, means for positioning the Varticles in said longitudinal grooves, a longitudinal inovable and oscillatable shaft parallel to the axis of said drum, a cutting blade fixed on said shaft and adapted to lie in a, selected circuinferentia-l groove, and a discharge chute mountedon said shaft on each side of said blade.

3. In a sorting and cutting inachine,.a

carrier comprising a rotary drum formed with longitudinal grooves and circumferenvLto-operating with the fixed tial grooves, means. for'depositing articles to be handled in the longitudinalgrooves, means for positioning the articles in said longitudinal grooves, a longitudinal movable and oscillatable shaft parallel to the axis of said drum, a cutting blade fixed on said shaft and adapted to lie in a selected circun'iferentialgroove,a guard plate enclosing the side of said Vdrum mounted on said shaft on each side of saidhlade, and a discharge chute underlying the drum and fixed on each guard plate. v

i 4. In Va sorting and cutting machine, a carrierffor each size of the article to be handled, a conveyor running ,over said carriers, fixed plates on saidconveyor, pivoted plates on said conveyor co-operating with the fixed plates to support the articles to be handled, cam means forvarying the position ofthe pivoted plates relative. to 'the fixed Yplates so that the articlesV therebetween are deposited according to size into said carriers, and means for cutting the articles in the carriers to a predetermined length.

5. `.In a sorting and cutting machine, a carrier for each size of the article" to be handled, a table overlying said carriers and .provided with a discharge aperture over each carrier, a conveyor running over said table, fixed plates on said conveyor extending close to said table, pivoted/plates on said conveyor plates to support the articles to lbe handled, cam means kfor varying the position of the pivoted plates relative to the fixed plates so that the articles therebetween are deposited at predetermined points according to size uponV said table and swept therealong by saidv fixed plates to said discliargeapertures and into said carriers, and means for cutting the articles in the carriers to a predetermined length i v 6. In a sorting and cutting machine, a carrier having longitudinal grooves therein, means for depositing articles to behandled in said grooves, a plunger in each groove and mounted on said carrier,'means for cutting' the articles inthe grooves, and means for moving the plungers to'position the articles relative to the cutting means.

7. In a sorting and cutting machine, a rotary carrier drum having longitudinal grooves therein, a plunger in each groove, a fixed cam for moving said plungers during thek rotation of said drums to position articles in the grooves, and means for cutting the positioned articles.

In testimony whereof, I have hereimto set my hand.

VILLIAM Dn BACK.V

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