US2836128A

US2836128A - Vine carrier and storage apparatus for hop-picking machines

Info

Publication number: US2836128A
Application number: US477020A
Authority: US
Inventors: Florian F Dauenhauer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-12-22
Filing date: 1954-12-22
Publication date: 1958-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 1975-05-27

Description

May 27, 1958 F. F. DAUENHAUER VINE CARRIER AND STORAGE APPARATUS FOR HOP-PICKING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1954 Wm H A 1' T INVENTOR FLOR IAN F- DAUENHAUER WTW- AT TORNEYS May 27, 1958 F. F. DAUENHAUER 2,336,123

VINE CARRIER AND STORAGE APPARATUS FOR HOP-PICKING MACHINES 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FLORIAN F DALJENHAUER BY r A-r-r oRNEYs May 27, 1958 F. F. DAUENHAUER 2,336,128

VINE CARRIER AND STORAGE APPARATUS FOR HOP-PICKING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 22, 1954 INVENTOR FLORIAM F- DALJENHAUER mun 79%,-

ATTORNEY y 27, 1 F. F. DAUENHAUER 2,836,128

VINE CARRIER AND STORAGE APPARATUS FOR HOP-PICKING MACHINES Filed Dec. 22, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS y 27, 1 F. F. DAUENHAUER 2,336,123

VINE CARRIER AND STORAGE APPARATUS FOR HOP-PICKING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 22, 1954 INVENTOR F'LORIAN F3 DAUENHAUER ATTORNEYS y 27, 1958 F. F. DAUENHAUER 2,836,128

VINE CARRIER AND STORAGE APPARATUS FORHOP-PICKING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 22, 1954 INVENTOR FLOR IAN FT DAUENHAUER Wm Wick ATTORNEYS United States Patent 9 VINE CARRIER AND TORAGE APPARATUS FQR HGP-PICKHI G MACHINES Florian F. Dauenhauer, Santa Rosa, Application December 22, 1954, Serial No. 477,'2-9

3 Clmhns. (Cl. 1il4-9l) In the vertical hop-picking machines shown in my Patent No..2,677,378, issued May 4, 1954, and in my co-pending application Serial No. 268,840, filed January 29, 1952, now Patent No. 2,757,785, issued August 7, 1956, I disclose an endless chain with carriers thereon that extends from a point near the ground to the top of the hop-picking machine and then extends throughout the length of the machine. Dificulty was experienced in keeping a steady feed of hop vines to the machine because there was a time lag caused by replacing an empty truck that had just had all of its vines unloaded, with a full truck. Also, it was found that when a truck was being unloaded, a larger number of vines could be fed to the hopicking machine than could be conveniently handled thereby.

In order to overcome the time lost between the changing of an empty trucl: for a full one and to overcome a possible surplus of feeding to the hop-picking machine when a. truck was being unloaded, l have devised a vine carrier and storage apparatus in which separate vine carriers are held in readiness in a gravity-feed storage arrangement Where one carrier at a time is moved into a feed station where a hop vine is attached thereto, after which the carrier is elevated to the top of the device. Here a second storage facility holds the carriers and their vines in readiness for a transfer operator to transfer one vine at a time to another carrier that will convey the vine through the hop-picking machine. It is possible for one or two truck-unloading operators, who unload a truck full of vines, to attach these vines to the vine carriers that elevate them to the second storage facility faster than the transfer operator can conveniently feed them to the hop-picking machine. The second storage facility, arranged at the top of the machine, will take care of this more rapid feeding of the hop vines and carriers and permitthe transfer operate-rte transfer the vines at a uniform speed from the carriers to other carriers that convey the vines through the hop-picking machine. The intermittent feeding of the vines to the second storage facility is thus smoothed out and time is given for the truck operators to remove and unload a truck and substitute a filled one without any loss of time to the actual feeding of hop vines to the machine.

vA further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described in which an endless track is used for supporting the individual hop-vine carriers and this track includes a first gravity feed station where one carrier at a time has a vine attached thereto; and a second gravity transfer station where one carrier at a' time is freed of its vine and the vine is transferred to the hop picking machine. An elevator is associated with Novel means are also provided for preventing any of r 6 2,836,128 Patented May 27, 1958 the dogs on the endless elevator chain when accidentally contacting with the top of the vine carrier from damaging it. In case a dog on the elevator does contact with the carrier top, the carrier is then travelling in a swingable portion of the endless track and this portion will be temporarily swung into an inoperative position and will permit the dog to free itself from the carrier without injuring the mechanism. The hinged portion of the track will then return to normal position and the next dog on the endless elevator chain will contact with the back of the carrier and move it up the elevator.

ther objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novelfeatures of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Drawings My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan schematic view of the device, shown in its relation to a hop-picking machine;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken along the line Il-II of Figure 1 and illustrates the inverted U-shaped frame for supporting the looped track portion that acts as a storage for empty vine carriers and also supports the lower end of the vine elevator;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of Figure 1 and shows the endless track and elevator schematically, and illustrates the vine carriers arranged in succession along the track;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of a vine stopper placed in a position where the vines are transferred to the hoppicking machine, and is taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure '5 is a front elevational view of the vine feedstation shown in detail and on a larger scale, the portion of the endless track shown in this figure being indicated by the bracketed portion V in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a substantially horizontal view of the feed station and is taken along the line VIVI of Figure 5;

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are transverse sections taken along the lines VIIVII, VlIl-Vlll and lXlX of Figure 5;

Figure 10 is a front elevation of the lower portion of the vine elevator as indicated by the bracketed tion X in Figure 3;

Figure 11 is a transverse section taken along the line XlXI of Figure 10.;

Figure 12 is a front elevation or the upper portion of the vine elevator as illustrated by the brack ted portion XII in Figure 3; and.

Figure 13 is an isometric view on a larger scale of the pick-01f finger for successively removing the vine carriers from the top of the vine elevator.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, itshould be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

In carrying out my invention, 1 show my device schematically in Figures 1 and 3 in its relation to a hop-picking machine indicated generally .at A, this machine preferably being of the vertical type shown in my patent and co-pending application already mentioned. The device in its broad scope comprises an endless track I for supporting and moving individual vine carriers rather than permanently securing the carriers to an endless chain. If Figures 1 and 3 are examineithe portion of the endless track indicated by the bracket V, represents the feed station of the track. it is at this point that the hop vines are attached .to the individual carriers C as the vines are ure 3.

' e 3 removed from a truck indicated generally at B in Fig- From the feed station D the vine carriers C are moved upwardlyby an elevator indicated generally at E and, whenthe vines reach thetop of the elevator, they are transferred from it .to a downwardly inclined gravity portion P- of -the endless track. The vines move along this gravity portion of the track to a looped portion indicated at F and this constitutes a storage magazine for the carriers that are supporting vines. The carriers with their vines will move along the downwardly inclined portion of the track from the looped portion F until they come to a vine transfer station represented by a vine-stopping member G, shown in Figures 1 and 3 and in detail in Figure 4. An operator stands on a platform H' disposed at the transfer station, and removes the vines from the vine carriers and transfers them to a horizontal vine carrier indicated by the dot-dash line A in the hop-picking machine A.

As soon as the individualvine carriers C are freed of their hop vines at the transfer station G, they will move down wardly along the inclined track R to a second looped portion I that constitutes a second storage magazine for hold- 7 ing the empty vine carriers From the second storage magazine I, the empty vine carriers C are fed one at a time to the feed station D as they are needed. This completes one cycle of the endless path taken by the vine carriers C and a detailed description of each portion of the endless track I will now be given.

H p vine feed station is shown in Figure 7, and it will be seen that this portion takes the shape of'an inverted U with inwardly and up- 7 wardlycurved guides 1 and 2 arranged atthe lower edges of the legs or sides of the U. The vine carriers C have rollers 3 that ride in the guides 1 and 2.

Each vine carrier includes the two rollers 3 and these support a downwardly extending bar 4 and the lower end of the bar is provided with aV-shaped crotch 5 and an inverted U-shaped end 6. a Figure 5 illustrates how one or two vines, indicated at K,can have their stem ends passed over the crotch 5 and under the inverted (J -shaped end 6, and in this way the vine is secured to the vine carrier C so as to be supported thereby. Usually two vines are grown together in the hop field and these two 7 vines have their stems twisted about each other so as to constitute a single stem and it is this stem that is placed in the crotch 5 and in the inverted U-shaped end 6 of the vine carrier C.

The vine carriers C have spacing members 7 and 8 I integral therewith and of the shape shown in Figure 5.

\Nhen the vine carriers are empty, the spacing member; 7

of one carrier will contact with the spacing members of the adjacent carrier and these two will prevent the rollers or wheels 3 of the two carriers from contacting each other. a

The end of the lower looped portion 1' communicates with the vine feed station D and Figures 5, 6 and 8 illustrate the construction of the feed station. Thisjstation has two side walls 9--9 and the lower edges of the walls have channels 10-10 welded thereto. These channels 10-10 face upwardly and are adapted to receive and support the rollers 3 of the vine carriers C. The channels 10-10 are inclined downwardly as clearly shown in Figure 5, and therefore the vine carriers will move along the vine feed station D by gravity. l The tops of: the side walls 9-9 areinterconnected by a cross-piece 11, see Figure 8, and the bottoms of the upwardly turned channels 10-10 are reinforced byangle members 12-12.

.Therdepending portions of the angle members 1212 1 forma passage, as well as a guide, for the depending bar 4 of the vine carriers C.

I provide novel means for feeding one vine carrier at a time into the feed station D, and for spacing this vine carrier from the others so that the operator will have room in which to take the stem or" the hop vine K and hook it over the crotch 5 and under the inverted U-shaped end 6 for securing the vine to the carrier. A star or escapement wheel L is rotatably mounted between the sides 99 and is placed in a position free of the end. of the cross-piece 11 and so mounted that one of its four arms 13 will depend into the passageway afforded by the sides 9 of the vine feed station D. Figure 5 shows a'dependther movement along the gravity feed station channels 10- 10. The other carriers C placed to the right of the one held bythe star wheel in Figure 5, will contact, each other as indicated in this figure and will congregate on the looped portion J as shown'in Figure 3. This looped portion acts as a storage magazine for holding a plurality of the empty carriers.

The star wheel L has another arm 13b that is engaged by a stop 14 and this stop is carried by a strap 15 that is supported at its right end by a link 16. The left-hand end of the strap is pivotally connected to an arm 17 and this arm in turn is pivoted at 18 and carries a depending trigger 19that holds a vine carrier C shown bythe dotdash line in Figure 5 ina position where the operator can hook a vine on it. When the vine K'has been attached to the carrierC, the operator moves the carrier to the left in Figure 5, so as to swing the trigger 19 fromits depending dotted line position into a dot-dash line release position shown in the same figure. The swinging of the trigger to free the vine carrier from the feed station D will swing the arm 17 and move the strap 15 to the right and free the stop 14 from the arm 13b of the star or escapement wheel. This will bring a second stop 20, carried by the strap 15, into a position where it will engage with the arm 131:, as this arm is moved in a clockwise direction by the carrier C. The carrier in turn is urged against the arm by gravity. Therefore the stop 20 will permit the star wheel to rotate through an arcof 90 iand allow the next carrier C to move into the feed station. The succeeding empty carrier will now move into contacting position with the arm 13b which has now been swung into a depending position.

A'torsional spring 21 on the link 16 will swing the strap 15 to the left in Figure 5', and move the stop20 each time the trigger 19 is swung and the star Wheel'will act as a gate for permitting one vine carrier C at a time to pass into the feed station."

As soon as the carrier C with its vine K is moved past the release trigger 19, the carrier will continue in its movement by gravity toward the base of the elevator E. This elevator has an endless chain 22 which is composed of links and certain of these links carry dogs 23 that are designed to engage with successive' vine carriers C and move them up the elevator. It may happen that the outer end of a dog 23 will contact with the top of a vine- Baffle! rather than engage with the back of the carrier and, should this occur, some means mustbe provided for freeing the carrier from the dog, between the parts would occur.

otherwise breakage Carrier release I will therefore describes the novel carrier releasemeans shown in Figures 5, 6 and 9 before describing in detail the elevator E. It will'be seen from Figure 5 that the side walls 9 pivotally carry an inverted t'J-shaped frame 24 and Figure 9 shows the sides of the frame straddling sesame the side walls 9 and being pivotally carried by pins 25 that in turn are mounted in brackets 26 which are secured to the side walls 9. U-shaped channels 27 have their ends secured to the downwardly depending sides of the U-shaped frame 24 and these ends are adapted to register with the ends of the channels 10, so that the rollers 3 of the carriers C can move from the fixed channels onto the swingable channels 27. Coil springs 28 are attached to the channels 27 and to the side walls 9 for yieldingly urging the channels into contact with the under-edges of the side walls 9. The channels 27 may be reinforced by angle members 29 in the same manner as the angle members 12 reinforce the channels 10.

In Figure 5 the left-hand end of the channels 27 are shown provided with a slight concave curve at 27a and this curve permits the channels to feed the rollers 3 of the carriers C onto a curved portion 30a of upwardly inclined channels 39 that form a part of the elevator E. The channels 36 extend upwardly to the top of the elevator in a manner presently to be described.

If a dog 23 on the endless chain 22 should strike the top of a carrier C as the latter moves from the trigger 1'9 toward the base of the elevator E, the dog, as it moves through an arcuate path around a sprocket 31, will press upon the top of the carrier and tend to move it downwardly. This movement is permitted by the hinged channels 27 which will swing about the pivots and move with the angle irons 29 as a unit into the dot-dash line position shown in Figure 5. The contacting of the dog with the top of the carrier will stop temporarily the travel of the carrier along the hinged channels 27 and. as soon as the dog is carried around the sprocket 31 far enough to free the carrier, the springs 28 will immediately return the channels 27 to the full line position shown in Figure 5. The carrier will then move into the curved portion 3% of the elevator E by gravity. The carrier will remain in the curved portion until the next dog 23 on the endless chain 22 comes into contact with the back of the carrier and Will move it upwardly along the elevator E. The frame 24 rigidly connects the two channels 2'7 together, and therefore the frame will swing about the pivots 25 as the channels are swung downwardly. This carrier release mechanism is automatic in operation and will prevent any breakage between a dog and a vine carrier should the dog strike the top of the carrier.

Vine carrier elevator The vine carrier elevator E is indicated schematically in Figure 3, and the lower portion of the elevator is shown in Figures 5 and 10, while the upper portion is shown in Figure 12. A cross-section of the elevator is shown in Figure 11 and therefore both Figures 10 and 11 will now be considered. The elevator E has an elongated, upwardly inclined frame in which the side angle irons 32 are spaced apart and used as parts of the frame. Figure 10 illustrates the lowermost pair of angle irons 32 as supporting bearings that rotatably carry the sprocket 31 for the endless chain 22. Spacing members 33 are secured to the lower ends of the side angle irons 32, see Figure 11, and these in turn support the channels 3%) on which the wheels 3 of the carriers C ride. I have already explained how the channels have a lower curved portion 39a which communicates with the free ends of the swingable channels 27.

The channels 30 extend through the entire length of the upwardly inclined elevator E and provide a path over which the rollers 3 travel as the carriers are moved upwardly along the elevator by the dogs 23. The channels 3% may be reinforced by angle irons 33, see Figure 11, and the depending portions of these angle irons are spaced apart to provide a passage for the bars 4 of the vine carriers C.

I provide means in the elevator for supporting and guiding the lower reach of the endless chain so that this portion of the chain will move parallel with the channels 30. In Figure 10 I show links disposed adjacent to the dogs 23 as having outwardly extending fingers 34. Fi ure 11 illustrates the fingers 34 as riding on elongated guide angles 35 that extend throughout the length of the elevator. The finger guide angles 35 are supported by the side angle irons 32. A bar 36 extends the full length of the elevator E and is supported by cross-pieces 37 which in turn are secured to the angle irons 32. The guide bar as will be contacted by the rollers interconnecting the links on the endless chain 22 and will keep the lower reach of the chain in parallel relation with the channels 3%). It will therefore be seen that the fingers 34 riding on the guide angles 35 will prevent downward movement of the lower reach of the endless chain in Figure 11, while the bar 36 will prevent upper movement. The side angles 32 are arranged at intervals along the length of the elevator E.

In Figure 10, I show the central guide bar 36 extending to a point adjacent to the sprocket 31. In order to prevent the links of the chain 22 from tending to carry around with the periphery of the sprocket, as the latter rotates, I provide stationary fingers 38 and place one on each side of the central bar 36 as clearly shown in Figure l1, and these stationary fingers extend beyond the bar 36 and straddle a portion of the sprocket 31. The purpose of these fingers is to cause them to contact with the links of the endless chain 22 and guide the lower reach of the chain off from the sprocket 31 and under the central guide bar 36, whereupon the rest of the movement of the lower reach along the entire length of the elevator E, is made in contact with the central bar.

Figure 10 shows the lower reach of the endless chain 22 with a dog 23 moving one of the vine carriers C upwardly along the channels 30 in the elevator. The bar 4 of the carrier will hang downwardly as indicated and the vine K will be supported by the carrier. In this way the carriers are moved along the elevator until they reach the top.

Before describing how the vine carriers are removed from the elevator, it is best to set forth how the upper reach of the endless chain 22 is supported. The elevator frame has cross-pieces 39 that are carried by the side angle irons 32 and these cross-pieces support elongated angle iron guides 49 which take the place of the channels 30, because no vine carriers C are returned along the upper reach of the endless chain 22. Figure 11 also illustrates the fingers 34 on certain of the endless chain links as riding on the angle irons 40. In addition, a central bar 41, carried by the cross-pieces 39, supports the rollers on the upper reach of the endless chain, and in this way the upper reach is spaced from the lower reach and is supported while the chain is free to move.

The upper end of the elevator E is illustrated in detail in Figure 12. The channels 38 are shown terminating.

adjacent to a top angle iron 42. It should be noted that the channels 39 are reinforced throughout their entire lengths by the angle irons 33. Bearings 43 are carried by the top of the elevator frame and in turn they rotatably su port a shaft 4 which has a sprocket 31 mounted thereon. The endless chain 22 is passed around this sprocket.

Any means for moving the endless chain may be used. I show one mechanism in Figure 12 and this comprises a motor M that has belt-drive connection 45 that rotates a large sheave 46. The sheave 46 is mounted on a counter-shaft 47 and this shaft has a small sheave 43 keyed thereto. A belt 4-9 connects the small sheave 43 with a larger sheave 5%, that in turn is keyed to the shaft 44. The shaft 44 has the top sprocket 31 keyed thereto and the endless chain 22 is passed around the sprocket. The bearings 43 may be adjusted for moving the top sprocket and taking up slack. When the motor M is connected to a source of current, the endless chain 22 will be moved at the proper speed for lifting vine cara p i 7 V riers C in the elevator E. The top sprocket is shown schematically at 31 in Figure 3.

In Figures 12 and 13 I show a carrier removing finger N and this finger is curved as illustrated and extends from the guide angles 35 to the gravity portion P of the endless track J. The finger N is bifurcated and the two tines 51 thus formed are spaced apart to permit the endless chain 22 to pass therebetween. The'tines will guide the rollers 3 of the carriers C, ofi from the upwardly inclined channels 30 and will cause them to enter a gravityportion P of the endless track that is the same in cross section as that shown at J in Figure 7. I

Referring to Figure 3, I indicate the carrier-removing finger Nby a single heavy curved line and I further indicate the gravity portion P of the endless track I, by a heavy line. parallellines in Figure l and it conveys the vine carriers C to the looped or curvedportion F thatconstitutes an The gravity portion P is shown by two .upper storage magazine for. the loaded carriers. 'It is possible'for the 'vines'and carriers to be more closely bunched as they travel along the gravity portion P from the carrier removing finger N to the storage portion F and on to the transfer station G. The advantages of this will be set forth more clearly in the description of the operation of the entire'device.

An' operator'is stationed on a platform H adjacent to the transfer point G,where he can reach vines K that have been stopped in their travel along the gravity portion of the track, by coming into contact with .the stop member G of the type shown in Figure 4. The operator removes the vines from the carriers, one at a time, at this point and attaches them to vine carriers, not shown, that are arranged on'a horizontal vine carrier indicated schematically bythe'dot-dash line A in Figure 1. This vine carrier A transports the vines through the hop-pickingmachine A where the endless vertical belts Q carry the hop-pickingifinger's, not shown, that will strip the trigger 19 by the operator and this will swing the trigger for releasing the next empty vine carn'er C and permit .it to move into the feed, station D by gravity The one or two operators standingon the truck platfor1n-52 may attachthe vines K to the carriers C as rapidly as-they desire. Adequate space is afforded at the feed station for one carrier and the other empty carriers will be kept away by the star wheel L, so that it will be easyto attach the vine to the carrier that is temporarily in this station. The star Wheel L will hold all of the remaining empty carriers in a position ,where they will be in readin'essto move into the feed or loading station D as required. The star wheel L will feed only one empty carrier C at a time, and this is only 'donejwhen a loaded carrier is freed from thefeed station as already explained.

I have already described how the hinged track portion 27 can swing into the dot-dash line positionfshown in vines of their ho'ps as they move between the vertically arranged belts. It will be noted from Figures 3 and 4 that thestop member G is disposed below the forward part of the inclined track of the upper magazine portion,

at a sufiicient distance for passage of the carriers C thereover, after the hop vines. K have been removed from the carriers. The vines depending from the carriers contact the 'stop member G rather than the carriers. from its vine K, it will travel along the gravity portion R of the endless track I, until it comes to the lower looped end I that constitutes the lower magazine for empty car- .riers. At this point the empty vine carriers are free to contact with each other and will remain in readiness to be fed oneat a time into the-vine-feeding station D in the manner'already described. If desired, some retarding means may be used for slowing down the movement of the vine carriers as they descend along the portion R from. the transfer station G to the lower looped portion J. r

Operation .From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operationthereof may be readily understood. In Figures 1 and 3 I show a vine-carrying truck B of the type shown in my Patent No. 2,685,773, issued August 10, 1954, on a method of harvestingand transporting hop vines. The truck has a platform 52, see Figure3, that has upstanding bars 53 at its forward end which are spaced apart 'forreceiving the stub ends 54 of the vines As soon as the vine carrier C is freed K. The truck is placed in a position where the platform 52 will be adjacent to the feed station D of the endless track J The station D is shown in detail in Figure Sand the portion it occupies in the endless track 1, is illus trated by the bracket V' in Figure 3.

The stub end 54 of a vine K is attached to the vine carrier C at the feed station D in themanner already described and then the loaded carrier is moved past'the clined track portion; individual vine carriers each having Figure 5 in case one of the dogs 23, on the endless elevator chain 22, strikes the top of the carrier C, instead of contacting withthe back of the carrier. The coil springs '28 will permit the hinged track 27 to swing downwardly should a dog 23 contact with the top of the carrierC. As soon'as the dog is moved around the sprocket 31 and frees itself from the carrier, the springs 28 will immediately return the hinged track portion to its full line position and the loaded carrier Will move on to the curved portion of the track 30 where itwill be engaged by the next succeeding dog 23. In this way, damage to. either the dog, the'carrier or tothe gravity chute is eliminated.

Figure 3 illustrates how the elevator E will lift the loaded carriers C upwardly to a point above-the elevated platform H. At'this placethe finger N, shown in detail in Figure 13, will'remove the carriers C from the elevator and will transfer them to the gravity portion P of'the endless track. The endless track I is supported by framework indicated generallyat S in Figures 1 and 3. It is unnecessary to go into detail of how the track is supported because this forms no part of my invention.

The looped'portion F constitutes an upper storage facility for the loaded vine carriers. These loaded carriers will gravitate to the stop G which constitutes the flansfer station and at which an operator is positioned while standing on the platform H. The position of the vine at the stop G is indicated by the dot-dash line 55 in Figure 4. The operator removes the vine from the carrier at G and transfers it to the hop-picking machine A. The empty carrier will move along the gravity portion R ofthe endless track 'and' will enter the lower storage magazine I. This completes the cycle of the carriers because they are now ready to 'be fed, one at a time, into the feed station by the operators who attach the D as they are needed vines thereto. a l

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the horizontal endless vine carrier, shown schematically at A extends from the front of the hop-picking machine A to a point adjacent to the platform H where the operator, standing I Serial No. 268,840.

, An inverted U-shaped frame'56 supports the lower end of the elevator E as well as the lower. storage magazine I of the endless track I, see Figures 1, 2 and 3. The dot- .dash line D in Figure 3 indicates the position of the feed or loading stationD with respect to the sides ofthe inverted U-frame 50. The trucks can drive under the frame 55.

I claim:

1. In a device of the type described: a downwardly inwheels designed to travel along the track by gravity and be guided and supported thereby; an elevator having a' lower sprocket positioned near the track; an endless chain having a portion passed around the lower sprocket and a lower reach extending from the lower sprocket; an upper sprocket supporting the upper end of the chain; carrier moving dogs mounted on the chain; said track having an upwardly inclined portion paralleling the lower reach of the chain and having a hinged section disposed adjacent to the lower sprocket; spring means for yieldingly holding the hinged section in operative position where it will interconnect the downwardly and upwardly inclined track portions so that the wheels of the carriers can travel from the downwardly inclined portion, across the hinged section, and up the upwardly inclined portion; said carriers including bars that depend from a point between the wheels; the dogs on the chain being positioned for engaging with the backs of the bars for moving the carriers along the hinged section and onto the upwardly inclined section; the springs permitting the hinged section to swing downwardly should a dog engage with the top of the carrier bar rather than at its back; whereby the dog would be able to move out of contact with the bar without damaging it; the spring means returning the hinge section to normal position immediately upon the freeing of the dog from the carrier.

2. In a vine carrier and storage apparatus for hoppicking machines: an endless track; a plurality of vine carriers movable along the track; each carrier having means engageable with the stem end of a hop vine to support the latter, with the vine depending therefrom; the track defining an upper storage magazine into which hop-loaded carriers may be advanced; this portion of the track being inclined downwardly so that the carriers will gravitate therealong to a forward part of the upper magazine; a stop member positioned to abut the depending hop vines as they are advanced; this stop member being disposed below the forward part of the inclined track of the upper magazine, at a sufficient distance for passage of the carriers thereover by gravity after the hop vines have been manually removed from the carriers; the track extending downwardly beyond the stop, whereby the unloaded carriers will gravitate away from said magazine.

3. In a vine carrier and storage apparatus for hoppicking machines: an endless track; a plurality of vine carriers movable along the track; the track defining a vineloading portion having an entrance end and an exit end; this portion of the track being inclined downwardly so that the carriers will gravitate therealong from the entrance end to the exit end; an escapement wheel rotatably mounted at said entrance end, and having a series of arms movable into the path of the advancing carriers, whereby the wheel will he intermittently turned by the gravitating carriers as they pass thereby in succession; the arms of the wheel being disposed so as to re case only one carrier at a time for forward travel along the track; a reciprocable member supported by said track and having a pair of stops disposed on opposite sides of the escapement Wheel; these stops being positioned to alternately release the wheel for partial rotation and then enwith the arms to lock the wheel, when said member is reciprocated back and forth; a sa ingahly-mounted trigger located at the exit end of the vine-loading portion of the track, and being positioned to temporarily arrest a carrier at that location, while a vine is being secured thereto; the trigger being movable into an out-of-the-way position to allow passage of the loaded carriers; and scans operatively connecting the trigger with said reciprocable member to move the latter and its steps into a position to release the escapement wheel for partial turning to allow another carrier to gravitate into the loading portion, when the loaded carrier is manually shoved past the trigger so as to swing the latter.

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