US1705920A - Machine for packing asparagus - Google Patents

Description

1' March 19, 19 29. s, K W 1,705,920

MACHINE FOR PACKING ASPARAGUS Filed Sept. 26, 1,927

5o q l INVENTOR; Q2023 GwSM'ra/Faa/Q.

' Y ATTORNEY.

vide a method of assembling the shoots when one crate full has been placed in ,th packing receptacle.

Patented Mar. 19, 1929. V

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-GEORGE S. HIRAKAWA, OF SUISUN, CALIFORNIA.

. MACHINE r03 PACKING ASPARAGUS. V

' Applicationfiled September 26, 1927.. Serial No. 222,027.

which the asparagus shoots may beassem bled and which is used to transfer the assembled shoots to the crate. r

Another object of the invention is toprowhich will make them more convenient to assemble for transference to the crate'and which will insure. the proper placing of the shoots in the crates. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide means for squeezing'the shoots together to make av tight package and also to enable the buttsto be readily cut off when a crate full of shoots has been prepared.

A further object of the invention is to provide a removable supportfor the, shoots which will enable the receptacle Within which the packing is first done to be turned up to transfer the asparagus to the crate Other. objects of the invention .will be parent as the description proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which the samereference numeral is applied to the the same portion throughout the several figures ofthe-drawings and of which there may be modifications.

Figure 1 is a front elevation ofthe packing receptacle support,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the packing receptacle support showing the plate for carrying the cut butts ready to be inserted in position, 1

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the original packing receptacle,

Figure 4: is a perspective view of the butt support used for transferring the shoots from the packing receptacle to the crate,

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the packing receptacle filled ready to betransferred t0 the crate,

sition when in use.

Figure 6 is a front View of one of the crates showing the padding used on the bottom of the crate, and

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of one of the crates.

The packing receptacle consists of :1 rec tangular sheet metal boX with a bottom 1, ends 2 and 3 and a back 4. This sheet;

metal box is placed on a supporting shelf 5, which shelf is carried by two cleats 6 and 7 which are secured at right angles to two posts 8 and 9. The posts 8 and 9 are about four feet long and each has a spike as indicated at 10 and 11. Two other cleats 12 and 13 are secured ,to the two posts 8 and 9 to hold them rigidly in the position shown in ient height for the workman to either stand or sitand place the asparagus tips in the receptacle with the butts outwardly.

In ordinary practice the butts will. ex-

tend outwardly somewhat'beyond the ends.

Figures 2 and 3. The shelf is at a convennect each post to two screw eyes 18 placed 7 inthe bench or building against which the. packing stand is leaned. A cleat 19 at the backand on the top of the shelf 5 serves to hold the packingreceptacle in a fixed po- Ordinarily the packed inthe receptacle somewhat higher than its top whereupon the fiat lever'21 is brought downupon the-top'of the asparagus shoots to press them tightly into the receptacle. This lever is locked in the positionshownby means ofthe pivoted latch lever 22, said lever ,beingpivotally connected to th'e'post 9 by means of a lag bolt 01' asparagus shoots arev other suitable bolt 23. The other end of the V lever is connected by means of a pivot pin 24 to a slidab-lespring bolt 25. The bolt 25 slides in two forwardly projecting ears of a plate 26 which is secured to the post 8 and the lever 21 has a flattened face at 27. to inflattened face down against the upper car of plate 26 holds the lever 21 in a vertical position. Y

When the asparagus has been packed tightly into the receptacle all of the butts of the asparagus shoots will project beyond the back of said receptacle whereupon a long knife is operated by hand to cut oil the projecting asparagus butts so that the asparagus shoots will all be substantially of the same length, the bud ends or tips being packed against the sides 4 during the time the receptacle is being filled. As soon as the receptacle has been filled and the butts cut off the plate 30 is placed against the fore part of the asparagus butts, the section 31 being placed under the asparagus shoots said plate 30 being then at right angles to the cut off butts. The receptacle with the plate 30 is then lifted bodily and placed so that the tips of the asparagus will occupy the position shown in Figure whereupon the asparagus is transferred to the incomplete crate shown in Figure 6.

The crate ordinarily consists of a bottom 85, two trapezoidal ends 36 and 37, sides 88, 39 secured to each of the sides of the trapezoidal ends, and a top 40, the latter being put on after the asparagus has been placed in the crate. The bottom is padded with some moss as indicated. at 41 and two plates with their ends upturned as indicated at 41-2 and d3 are used to hold the moss in place while the asparagus is being put in the crate.

The method of operation is as follows: Assuming the receptacle into which the as paragus shoots are to be placed is first placed on the support, the workman then takes asparagus shoots of different lengths and assembles them in this receptacle with the bud ends or tips against the back wall 4:. As soon as the receptacle has been filled to about greater than its ordinary capacity the lever 21 is used to squeeze the asparagus tightly into the receptacle whereupon a long knife is used to cut off the 3 uneven butts even with the outer edges of the Thereup on ends 2 and 3 of said receptacle. the plate is placed in the position shown in Figure 5, the box is then turned up and the entire body of asparagus placed on the top of the two slides 42 and 43 which crate is ordinarilyftilted slightly when the asparagus is being placed therein, and the metal plates at the bottom and the metal of the fact that the asparagus tips are alwaysv somewhat thicker at the butt than they are at theextreme top so that the ultimate package is slighly wider at the bottom than it is at the top as illustrated in Figure 7.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows, but modifications may be made in carrying out theinvention as shown in the drawing and in the above particularly described form thereof, within the purview of the annexed claims:

1. An asparagus packing stand comprising a shelf, means to support the shelf at an incline, means to detachably secure-the support to the wall of a building, a removable packing receptacle, a cleat on the support to hold said packing receptacle in a given position, a presser arm and a universal hinge on one of the'supports for hold ing said arm to permit it to press the asparagus into place in the packing receptacle or to permit the arms to swing horizontally out of the way of the packer.

2. An asparagus packing stand comprising a shelf, portable means to support the shelf in an inclined position, means todetachably secure the support to the wall of a building in the desired position, a cleat on the supportto hold a packing receptacle at a given position, a presser arm carried-by one of the supports for pressing the asparagus into place in the packing receptacle, and a slidable spring bolt holding one end of said arm to enable it to be turned and held in a position out of the way of thepackeri In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of September, A

GEORGE s. HIRAKAWA.

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