US1853997A

US1853997A - Washing machine for spinach, etc.

Info

Publication number: US1853997A
Application number: US508287A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robinson Henry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1931-01-12
Filing date: 1931-01-12
Publication date: 1932-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 1949-04-12

Description

A ril 12, 1932. H. ROBINSON WASHING MACHINE FOR SPINACH, ETC

Filed Jan. 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet Iii-=5 Ill-=5 I I gwumto a, EWyJYOZZ TZJOZZ,

April 12, 1932. H. ROBINSON WASHING MACHINE FOR SPINACH, ETC

Filed Jan. 12, 1931 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 12, 1932 HENRY. nosmson, or, new YORK, 1v. Y."

WASHING MACHINE roe SPINACH, 'rd.

Application filerl'January12, 1931. Serial No. 50 8,2 87.

My invention relates to a washing machine'for spinach, other vegetables, fruits and berries or the like of the general character disclosed, forfexample, in Letters Patent No. 1,752,202 issued to me March 25, 1930.

The present improvement aims to render the machine more efficient especially when washing spinach or other leafy vegetables in that it avoids metal to metal contact or abrasion of the agitating element and perforated disk over which it moves and at the same time provides for filling the intervening space and the space between the washing chamber and end of the centripetally impulsive projection in such manner that the same will not be entered by wet leaves, which under existing conditions are caught and wedged under the agitator edge and between the agitator end and cylinder wall and torn in pieces or bruised, greatly interfering with operation of the machine and the washed product. 1

More specifically, it is aimed to provide a packing strip of rubber or equivalent material at the leading edge or edges of the agitator which will engage or wipe the surface of the disk and to provide an extension on the centripetally impulsive projection toattain the end stated. 7

Various additional advantages and objects will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection 7 with accompanying drawings.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a view'partly in front eleva tion and partly in central vertical section showing one form of the machine;

' Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of the unction of the cylinder and its base; t

Figure 3 is a sectional detail taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional detail taken on the line H of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an edge elevation of the agitator as used in the machine of, Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a modified form of agitator, v

Figure 7 is a plan view of a second modified form of agitator; Y

the line 8-8 of Figure 7 r Figure 9 is a plan View of another modified f Figure 8- isa cross sectional View taken on form of agitator; c

Figure 10 i's'a plan view of a further form of agitator;

Figure 11 is an end view of Figure 10 and v Figure 12 is a modification of the agitator of Figures 10 and 11. I

Referring specifically to. the drawings,

' of the agitator wherein like reference characters designate 7 like or similar parts, and first to Figures '1 and 2,'the machine consists of a suitably sup ported'base or bowl 10 which is surmounted by a cylinder or chamber member llihaving a top closure 12. The base 10 has a central bearing 13 and a relatively fixed removable, perforated, saucer-shaped disk 14, 'onwhich the spinach, other leafy vegetables,fruits, berries, tubers or other product or' material tobe washed, is supported. An agitator 15 moves over the disk 14:, efficientlyagitating the material within the chamber 11, and driving the same by a suitable mechanism gen erally designated D (such as disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States #1,799,- 136, issued to me on March 31-, 1931), which rotates a shaft 16 journaled in the bearing 13, and tothe upper end of which the agitator is detachably connected by the fitting of a socket 17 of the agitator over such shaft end, in combination with a binding screw 18 car ried by the socket member. The washed spinach or material is discharged, preferably under the action of the agitator 15', through an opening 19 in the cylinder ll, which opening is controlled by a suitable closure 20, and which discharged material is directed down- W'ardly by a chute or shovel constructi0n'21,

therefrom through a pipe 23.

The agitator 15 maybe of various forms and, for instance, that shown at Figure 13 in my aforesaid Patent 1,7 52,202, since it comprises a plate portion 30 and a centripetal j impulsive relatively attenuated projection 31,

into a receptacle arranged beneath the same. V

the former extending, for instance, approximately 90 about the center of the agitator. Plate 30, at one portion thereof, is higher than the remainder, which may be a ridge 32 radiating from the center of the agitator and such plate may gradually slope or curve downwardly from the ridge 32 to the side edges of the plate. Through the rotation of the agitator, it imparts centrifugal action to the spinach or other materials to throw them against the inner surface of the cylinder. The vegetables falling from such inner surface of the cylinder, are caught or engaged by the centripetally impulsive projection 31 which is generally hooked-shaped and extends downwardly and forwardly in the direction of rotation, such direction being indicated bythe arrow in Figure 2.

The highest point of projection 31 is higher than the ridge 32 and the upper edge of such projection extends downwardly from the highest point toward the center of the agitator whereby the projection is relatively thin or lower than its proximal and distal ends as at 33. Said portion 33 is relatively narrow so as not to interfere with the turning or agitation of the material engaged thereby. As a result, when the vegetables are engaged by projection 31, they are given a positive mechanical centripetal impulse or motion which causes them to travel from said projection across port-ion into disk 23 from which they'are scooped up by the plate 30. As, a result of continuous rotation of the agitator for a predetermined length of time, the spinach or other materials within the cylinder are constantly moved downwardly by gravity, centrifugally, centripetally and upwardly, the leaves or elements of the mass constantly interplaying through mechanical force.

In actual practice, it is essential that the lower surface of the agitator be at least onesixteenth of an inch above and away from the plate or disk 14 in order to avoid metal to metal and abrasive contact. Since spinach has to be agitated and washed longer than other materials in view of the fact that it is usually very dirty, the spinach frequently clogs or is caught and wedges between the agitator and disk, impairing the operation of the machine and, in addition, bruising the spinach. To overcome this objection, the leading edges of the agitator 15, that is at the plate 30 and arm 31, are equipped with a filler strip 35 which is secured "to the agitator in any suitable manner as by means of rivets 36. Such strip extends slightly forwardly beyond the adjacent edge of the agitator and is in wiping contact with the upper surface of the disk. The filler strip 35 may be made of any suitable material, for instance, rubber, leather or other flexible material.

.As a result, the spinach cannot lodge or clog under the agitator and none of the same will become bruised or out, resulting in thoroughly efficient operation, from the standpoint of washing and the treatment of the material.

An extension or flange 31a is provided on arm 31 at the top and outer end which prevents spinach entering between the outer curved end surface of the arm 31 and the inner wall of the pot, further preventing clogging and bruising of spinach and the equivalent.

' The same improvements are applicable to other typesof agitators, examples of which are illustrated in the drawings.

In vFigure 6, the agitator corresponds to that of the'first form except a raised portion or ridge 32 is provided on plate 30, which extends from one end thereof and curves inwardly on a linebetween the periphery and center of the disk instead of extending diametrically like rib 32. l

In Figures 7 and 8, the agitator differs from the previous forms in that a plate portionBOa is used instead of plate 30 although it functions similarly, since one edge 32a is higher than the other edge.

Figure 9 discloses a form of agitator which is adapted for rotationin either direction, since it employs a plurality or centripetally acting impulse projections at and 61 branching from the same shank 62 which is formed integrally with a plate63 identical with that at 30.

The form of agitator shown in Figure 10 and 11 may also be used, the same having an attaching socket at similar to that at 17, from which reversely disposed angular blades 71 extend in opposite directions, such blades having the filler stripsattached thereto. The blades 71 as shown in Figure -l1,'may be transversely straight or as shown at 72 in Figure 12, may be transversely curved.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a machine for washing vegetables such as spinach and thelike, a plate to holld the same for agitation and draining, an agitator movable over said plate, said agitator being of skeleton form so that it will not completely cover said member, said agitator having a portion to centripetally coact with-the vegetables and a portion to centrifugally 00- act with the vegetables, the leading edges of each of said portions having non-metallic filler strips in wiping engagement with said plate to prevent the entrance of vegetables between the agitator and. plate.

2. A machine of the class described having a centripetally impulsive agitating means having an arm-like projection on one side of its axis, said projection extending generally 1;.

radially and laterally, said projection being laterally dished and adjacentits outer end having a portion higher than the part thereof between the same and said axis, said part being relativelynarrow whereby it does not affect the motion of material during agitation and said projectionhaving an extension substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the projection and terminating relatively close to the inner wall of the machine to prevent entrance of material between its curved outer end and inner wall of the machine, substantially as. described.

3. In a machine for washing spinach and 1 the like, a drain plate to support the spinach,

an agitator member extending generally radially, said agitator member having its leading I 5 edge portion relatively close to the plate and normally immovable vertically relatively thereto, said agitator member being movable over the plate from a substantially vertical axis, and a flexible strip on said agitator member extending from substantially said axis to its outer end normally urged by its inherent flexibility into wiping contact with said plate to prevent the entrance of spinach between means securing said strip to the agitator member, said strip extending from substantially said axis to the outer end of said agitator member and being normally maintained through its inherent resiliency in wiping contact with said plate to prevent the entrance of spinach between the agitator member and plate during operation of the machine.

5. In a machine for washing spinach and the like, a cylinder, a drain plate therein to support the spinach,'an agitator member normally having its sole motion on an axis substantially centrally of the plate, said agitator member extending generally radially and substantially to the inner surface of the main wall of the cylinder, said agitator member having an arcuate leading edge portion disposed relatively close to the plate, and having a portion lower than the outer end portion thereof located between such outer end portion and axis, and a flexible wiper element secured to the agitator member adjacent said edge portion and normally engaged with said p ate.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature.

HENRY ROBINSON.