US2603265A - Ijnitfll statf - Google Patents

Description

' July 15, 1952 T. J. SEMMES PRODUCE GATHERING SACK I Filed Sept. 6', 1949 INVENT OR 750010: J JEMMES ATTORNEY5 Patented July 15, 1952 UNI TED S TAT .Efi PATEN T OFFICE 2,603,265 PRODUCE GATHERING SACK Thomas J. Semmes, Memphis, Tenn, Application'september 6, 1949, 'Serial N 0. 114,125 fllaims. ((21,150-2) "This invention relates to produce carrying sacks and "has particular reference to means for securing such a sack during handlingand weighing operations.

In the fruitpicliing trades, various ineans'have been devised for employing sacks to carry the natural fruit and other produces once torn from the plant. 'Sacks hitherto employed have been made with a view toward stability of construc tion and consequent longevity. The industry has created various tubular sackswhich may be carried by the fruit gatherers which are generally of oblong reinforced construction. Reinforced shoulder straps are added for carrying. A reinforcing of the seams and undercarriage of fruit sacks has been effected to the end that the subsurfaces of the sacks and wearing surfaces thereof may be preserved against excessive and abusive handling. Further it has been found essen- 'tial to devise means for hanging the sacks during the handlingand weighing operations once the sack has been filled with produce.

To facilitate the handling, the trade in industry such'as the cotton picking industry, has utilized a reinforced shoulder strap. Preparation for-handling includes grasping a bite on the neck of the sack and winding the shoulder or carrying strap'about. Pulling a-portion of the loop formed between loop and neck, a depending loop is pro-- vided for carrying purposes duringthe weighing operation. Further, measurers have grasped one corner of the bottom of the sack, securing the same by bending a Wire such as common bailing wire therearcund and through the loop formed by the carrying portion of the sack and depending the filled sack in a semi-folded form from scales extension through the engagement of the bailing wire and/ or the carrying strap. The employment of such methods naturally results in excessive wear to the corner used. Tearingoi corner portions occurs through the repeated application of the bailing wire to the cotton or hemp bag surfaces. This usage has therefore resulted in impracticality due to necessary replacement of corners which have been torn or frayed to point of uselessness.

To the industry, this presents a problem of great concern since repair and replacement of sacks creates undesirable pecuniary expense and wastage of valuable man-hours of fruitful labor. With a View toward obviating the deficiencies mentioned, the present invention has been directed, notwithstanding that the cotton picking industry has attempted to overcome the deficiencies by suchadditions as applying ring means to each corners for :the weighing and handling purposes. Ring means hitherto known is timpractical of usage since the mode-of application generally employed will not withstand rough and abusive handling such as weighted sacks 'areac- 'custoined to receive.

In general, the invention embraces the folding of a corner of the bottom of the sack in such a manner that folds vertically and horizontally of the sack overlap in ceoperative relationship each withtheother to form a-reinforced base. The insertion of a grommet through the folds formed, securing the same against displacement, serves to provide 2. depending or hangingelement suitable for insertion under the carrying element of the sack. The natural reinforcement provided by the arrangement of the folds in-overlapping form together with clamping engagement of grommet assures that a maximum of wear to the folds and sack in general will be availablanotwithstanding successive abusive handlings during operations incidental to the preparation-oi fruit products.

With a view toward overcoming the abovementioned deficiencies, the following objects of the present invention areoutstanding, other objects being apparent from theensuing-description taken in connection with the drawings.

It is an object-of this invention to provide a fruit carrying sac-l: with means for preventing excessive wear in the handling andweighing operations when the sack has been filled with produce.

A further object-of this invention is to provide -a facile means for creating a reinforced hanging element in fruit carrying sacks, the reinforcing element beingmadecf the walls of the sack itself.

Yet another object'of the invention is'to provide a fruit carrying sack having integrally formed therewith reinforced hanging 'means for operation when the sack is filled with the produce economy .of manufacture and elimination of problems of repair being of foremost consid' eration.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means for securing fruit sacks during the hanging and handling operations wherein-reinlforced elements of the sack used in the hanging operation are formed from the surfaces of the sack, the'reinforcedreceiving seam of which has at least eight ply'thickness.

In the drawings:

Figure l. is :a viewin .side. elevation of :a innit carrying sack showing the folded portions of the bag as seen when assembled;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective taken along the lines 22 of Figure 1, revealing the mode of folding the several portions of the bag at the critical point;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the invention in the handling or weighing operation, showing the method of usage to which the invention is preferably adapted.

A fruit carrying sack H) of the general characteristics shown in Figure 1 is employed in the manufacture of the present invention. The sack may be constructed of any suitable material such as eight ounce duck canvas, as normally employed in the cotton picking industries. The sack I is constructed of a single rectangular folded sheet having faces H and I2 placed one upon the other and stitched inwardly of the edges thereof to form an envelope which it turned inside out has inverted seams of lineal smoothness. Seams which extend inwardly along the vertical edges of the sack are generally designated by the numeral [3. These seams do not continue along the bottom of the sack, for it is this portion which has a natural fold. One of the faces, namely face [2, has an extension portion protruding beyond the opening of the sack envelope, portions of edges being folded toward the center to provide overlapping reinforcement to a shoulder strap I4. A reinforced portion of the face I2 is shown at of Figure 1.

The sack being of normal envelope construction has two corners l6 and I! at one longitudinal extremity thereof. One corner I! has portions folded in such a manner that a re inforced section is provide for the desired function. Along the bottom seam of the sack, a portion thereof is folded upon itself so that a reinforced seam of substantial width with relation to other seams in the bag is provided. The folding of the bottom portion of the bottom seam upon itself creates an overlap of four surface plies, each of the plies cooperating one with the other to provide reinforced area to the corner portion of the sack.

Along the vertical extension of the sack and toward corner I! a fold is made substantially the same width as the fold I8 made in the bottom portion of the sack. This fold 20 is formed in the same manner as the fold l8 and tends to diminish the volume capacity of the sack at its extremity commensurate with the fold overlap. At a point indicated by numeral I9 of the Figures 1 and 2, the folds of the bottom and side portions overlap to form a reinforced area having eight thicknesses or plies of surface material, each of the folds combining to form an aggregate reinforced section suitable for mounting the securing element.

Forpurposes of carrying and weighing the sack, there is inserted through the overlapping portions of folds l8 and 20 at point 19, a grommet element 2|. Through one surface of the sack, an eyelet 22 is forced and secured to a washer 23 placed on opposed surface of the overlap. A complete eyelet grommet element is thus attached which may be suitable for bearing the weight of a sack filled with the fruit produce for purposes of handling and weighing. Securing of the eyelet and washer one to the other at the point indicated by numeral [9 will force the overlapping portions of folds l8 and 20 each upon'the Jother' sov that .displacement in the periods of usage.

handling and weighing operations may be prevented. The invention is not to be construed and limited to the particular type of hook receiving means above described. Other types of reinforced receiving means may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, woven wire structure circular in form may be applied to the overlapping portions of the bottom segment of the bag to serve the purpose mentioned. Other innovations such as the employment of circular or oval shaped leather or plastic attachments may be applied to the reinforced portion of the bag in the manner described to accomplish the requirements mentioned.

In usage the bag is filled to capacity with a hand picked or machine picked fruit or produce such as cotton. The picker in preparing his individual bag for weighing will drop the shoulder strap l4 over the open mouth of the bag, grasping the bag just beneath the mouth and drawing the folds thereof tightly together. The loop of strap 14 is then pulled over the enclosed portion of the mouth and through itself to provide a simple slip knot, thus leaving an open or free loop 26 which is exposed. Loop 25 shown in Figure 3 is encircled about the open mouth of the bag or at its so-called neck 24. Once the filled bag has been so closed at its orifice, the operator may grasp the corner 11 of the sack containing overlapping portions of the bottom and side seams, and insert that corner including the receiving means beneath the exposed portion of loop 26. A compact and composite bundle is now ready for hanging on the receiving hook 21 of a conventional weighing scale. In this condition, the bag is further properly disposed toward facile moving by hook means from one place to another.

To those skilled in the art, it is known that the shoulder strap employed by cotton pickers is incapable of withstanding the abusive treatment incidental to handling and weighing functions carried out after the bag has been filled. For this reason, and due to the fact that a solid and compact bundle is desired, a procedure of operation similar to the above has been commonly accepted by the trade as more practical than would be the conveying and weighing of the bag by use of the shoulder strap. The present invention may eliminate habitual practice of securing a corner of a cotton picking sack by bailing wire or rope means for insertion through the looped shoulder strap for weighing purposes. Not only does the innovation guarantee rapidity of the process, but it further insures that wear to the critical portions of the sack during the operations mentioned will be minimized.

Reference to the drawings and above description discloses that the reinforced section of overlapping portions of the bag has a thickness of eight plies. This thickness serves to increase the longevity of the bag at the critical point which hitherto has been known to wear after short To the industry, this innovation should prove of utmost value, for the plantation owners may hereafter devote that portion of their energies which were directed to repair and replacement of cotton picking sack parts to the cotton picking and other functions of the industry, thus enabling an economy of production not hitherto conceived.

While particular reference has been made throughout the foregoing description to the cotton picking and related industries, it is to be emphasized that the present invention is not to be limited to that specific trade, but'rather the invention as described may be employed in vari ous other produce carrying functions of other industries. The specific mode of construction of the critical portion of the sack is set forth merely by way of illustration of the concept. It is true that the invention might be modified through the use of additional folds and varying types of receiving elements without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is to be noted that the invention is not specifically limited by the foregoing description, but rather is to be considered in the light of the broadest of the ap pended claims.

I claim:

1. A sack for produce comprising superposed layers of material closed at their sides and one end, a fold in the side edge of said material commencing intermediate its ends and extending through said closed end, a second fold in said closed end commencing intermediate its sides and extendingthrough said folded side, and a grommet joining said side and bottom folds and forming a lifting hook receiving aperture in the sack.

2. A sack oi the type recited in claim 1 wherein said grommet is positioned substantially adjacent and equi-distant from one side edge and said bottom edge.

3. A sack of the type recited in claim 1 wherein said grommet is spaced inwardly from the side and bottom edges of the sack.

THOMAS J. SEMMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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