US1807496A - Combination chute and closure - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1931. v H, ROBINSON 1,807,496

COMBINATION CHUTE AND CLOSURE Filed April 26, 1930 Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED STATES HENRY noBInsoN, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

comBInA'rroN CHUTE AND CLOSURE Application filed April 26,

This invention relates to a discharge means or combination chute and chamber closure for use on vegetable paring and washing machines or the equivalent to guide thevegetables or materialinto a receptacle as the same emerge from the machine andto prevent 1nsertio n of the hands of the operator or others into the machine and into contact with the rapidly moving mechanism therein.

Thepresent invention otherwise attains all of the objects and advantages of that disclosed in my pending application for Letters Patent vfor a combination chute and chamber closure, Serial Number 429,157, filed February 17,1930.

It'is particularly aimed to so improve the construction of the aforesaid application that especially when it is used as a washerfor spinach and other leafy vegetables or the equivalent, the latter, when discharging, Will not catch-on, pile or accumulate-on any of the parts between the do'or'opening of the chamber and the catching receptacle."

A further important object is to provlde a construction to attain theend last mentioned embodying a chute which is substantially completely open atthe' bottom and in which the'latch means for the door has fastening engagement-with the chute at one or more sides thereof as distinguished from the bottomtliereof and which applies more uniform pressure tothesame and gasket. I 1

Variousadditional obj ects and advantages will become apparent from, a consideration of the description following, taken in connection with accompanying drawings, illustrat ing, byway ofexamp'le, one practical embodiment of the invention. l

In said drawings :5 p I Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, of a vegetable paring a'ndwashing machine embodying the invention; p I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sideelevation;

A5 a. Figure 3 isa fragmentary side elevation reverse to Fig. 3; i V Figure i is a fragmentaryview,showing the chute in plan and'the chamber in section; V Figure 5 is a detail sectiontaken, onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and r 1930." Serial Nb. 447,645.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 66 Referring" specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like 'or similar parts throughout the differ- .56 ent views, A represents a vegetable paring and washing machine of the general type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States issued to me Numbers 1,752,202 and 1,7 52,203 on March 25, 1930, although it is obvious that no limitation is to be implied in this connection, since the improvement may be used with other apparatus within the scope of the invention, as defined in appended claims.

' In so far as it is necessary to describe the machine for an understanding of the present improvements, 10 designates the chamber wherein the vegetables or 1 materials are washed through the medium of a suitably rotated agitating element 11. Said chamber has a hinged lid or cover 9 and a lateral discharge opening 12 through its side wall which is normally closed by a door or closure 13 preferably having a gasket at 14 whereby it may fit the wall of the chamber so that water I or steam cannotescape. Said closure 13 is hinged atitstop'at 15 by a horizontally disposed pin mounted in lugs 16 and 16 on the chamber and door, respectivel ,permitting the door or closure to be opene by swinging the same upwardly.

, In connection with the said discharge opening 12, a frame or chute 17 is employed which may be a casting or otherwise constructed in one or more parts, as preferred. Suchchute 17 is generally of 'U-shape inn plan and may have lateral attaching flanges 18 at its free edges, which are riveted, welded or otherwise secured at 19 to the chamber;

The parts thus far described, arefsubsta-ntially as shown in my aforesaid pending ap plication Serial Number 429,157.

Unlike the chute of the aforesaid application, the present chute 17' is substantially completely open at top and bottom, a very narrow bar 21 being used at the'bottom to connectthe side walls and the same fitting intimately against the outer surface of the chamber 10. As a result, material dischargmg bycentrifugalforce throughthe action of the mechanism 11, through the door opening 12, will pass through the chute into a collecting receptacle 28 arranged beneath the same, it being realized, that there are no parts in the path of such material which will cause the same, especially spinach or equiva lent material, to catch, pile or mass within the chute or on any part thereof.

The door or closure 13 is adapted to be manipulated for opening or closing by means of a lever or handle 23 pivoted thereto on a horizontal axis at 24, the handle portion extending substantially vertically and being designated 25. Such lever generally is of T-shape, since it also has lateral latch mem bers or extensions 26. Such members 26 are adapted to enter inclined slots 27 provided in the sides of the chute 17, thus forming a double locking arrangement. Preferably such sides are thickened or reinforced at 29 and the openings 27 also extend therethrough. It will be noted that the inclination of the slots 27, which is reversed at opposite sides of the chute 17, enables a more uniform and progressive tightening of the door or closure 13, especially such as becomes necessary incidental to the wear on the gasket 14.

When the machine is in operation, the vegetables or materials are washed within the chamber 10, but cannot escape therefrom through the opening 12 as the latter is normally closed by door 13 and latched in that position by the engagement of the members 26 in slots 27. The vegetables or materials are adapted to be discharged by centrifugal force by member 11 through opening 12 when the door 13 is opened or raised. To open the door, the handle 25 is rocked either to the right or left sufficiently to disengage the members 26 from the slots 27 and is then lifted so as to swing the closure 13 to or toward the top of the chute. Vhen said door israised, it is impossible for any one to insert his hands into the machine through the opening 12. The chute 17 also arrests any scattering of the materials, confining the same and causing them to fall into the receptacle 28. Upward escape of the materials is prevented by the door 13. At the same time, it will be realized that the chute is substanti ally completely open at the bottom and that there are no slots or'parts in the path of travel of the vegetables or material on which the same can catch, pile or mass, whereby complete and positive discharge of all the material from the chamber direct to the receptacle 28 is assured.

Various changes may be resorted to pro- Vided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined by appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a chamber having a discharge opening, a chute about said opening for engagement by material discharged therethrough to confine the same sothat it will fall from the chute, a closure normally covering said opening means mounting said closure for upward movement and against sidewise movement to substantially close the top of the chute to prevent upward escape of material and access to the machine through said opening, and means carried by the closure to secure the closure in closed position, and means above the bottom of the chute for fastening engagement with said means.

2. In a machine of the class described, a chamber having a discharge opening, a chute on the exterior of the chamber about said opening, a closure for said opening, means mounting the closure for upward movement within the chute and against lateral movement, and means for securing the closure over said opening having engagement with the chute above the bottom thereof.

3. In a machine of the class described, a chamber having a discharge opening, a chute on the exterior of the chamber about said opening, a closure for said opening, means mounting the closure for upward movement within the chute and against lateral movement, and means for securing the closure over said opening having engagement with a side of the chute.

4. In a machine of the class described, a chamber having a discharge opening, a chute on the exterior'o-f the chamber about said opening, a closure for said opening, and means mounting the closure for upward movement within the chute and against lateral movement, a lever on the closure and said chute at a side thereof, having a slot for engagement by the lever to secure the closure in closing position.

5. In a machine of the class described, a chamber having a discharge opening, a chute on the exterior of the chamber about said opening, a closure for said opening movable within the chute, a lever for securing the closure over said opening, opposite sides of said chute having oppositely inclined slots engageable by the free ends of said lever, said lever being movable to disengage said slots.

6. In a machine of the class described, a chamber having a discharge opening, a chute on the exterior of the chamber about said opening and open at top and bottom, a closure for said opening immovable laterally and adapted in open position to substantially close the chute at the top, a fastening means on said closure, and said chute at a side thereof, having a slot engageable by said fasten- 1ng means.

7. In a machine of the class described, a chamber having a discharge opening, a chute on the exterior of the chamber about said opening and open at top and bottom, a relatively narrow bar connecting the side walls of the chute and fitting said chamber below said opening, a closure for said opening adapted in open position to substantially close the chute at the top, a lever pivoted to the closure, said lever having oppositely extending latch portions, and the sides of the said chute having oppositely inclined slots engageable by said latch portions to secure the closure in closed position.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

HENRY ROBINSON.

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