US3211300A

US3211300A - Tobacco harvesting stick

Info

Publication number: US3211300A
Application number: US175552A
Authority: US
Inventors: Woolard Fritz Hertford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-02-26
Filing date: 1962-02-26
Publication date: 1965-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1982-10-12

Description

1965 F. H. WOOLARD TOBACCO HARVESTING STICK Filed Feb. 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR FRITZ H.WOOL.ARD

ATTORNEYS Oct. 12, 1965 Filed Feb. 26, 1962 F. H. WOOLARD TOBACCO HARVESTING STICK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FRITZ H. WOOLARD I ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,211,300 TOBACCO HARVESTING STICK Fritz Hertford Woolard, Pinetown, N.C. Filed Feb. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 175,552 4 Claims. (Cl. 2145.5)

This invention relates to the harvesting of tobacco and to equipment by which such harvesting is accomplished and intended to obtain a desired result in a minimum of time and With a minimum of elfort by the least number of workmen.

The invention relates particularly to equipment capable of being used with a tractor by an individual farmer for handling a mass of individually harvested leaves of tobacco to enable the leaves to be readily conveyed to a barn where they can be cured.

In the harvesting of tobacco, sticks have been cut of irregular size and configuration on which the leaves of tobacco could be strung and such sticks hung in a barn for curing. In this trying endeavor it has been a problem to obtain the needed workmen and the shortage has become and more acute until it has become necessary for the farmer to find a way to harvest his tobacco with less labor.

It is an object of the invention to provide a conventional tractor with a shelf or table along the same of a character to receive tobacco thereon and to provide for use therewith a series of tobacco sticks including a hinge connecting the ends of two sticks, and which hinge includes a pair of spaced sleeve portions, which can be forced one each over an end of a stick and with a metal prong or tine strip attached to one of the sticks so that the stick to which the tine strip is attached can be in an upright or elevated position while the other stick is in a generally 3,211,300 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 FIG. 2, a side elevation of a tractor and a trailing vehicle;

FIG. 3, a vertical section on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4, a perspective of the tobacco stick itself;

FIG. 5, a section on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6, a perspective of the hinge itself; and

FIG. 7, a section on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates mounting a table forming platform over each wheel of a tractor and the provision of a tobacco harvesting stick of a pair of members connected by a hinge and between which members a mass of tobacco can be held and carried, the table having a lengthwise groove in which one leg of the tobacco stick can be disposed either before or after tobacco has been placed on the table across the groove, the

tobacco harvesting stick being composed of two convenhorizontal position on the table until tobacco is distributed across and along the same fixed limits, whereupon the stick with the tine strip can be lowered to clamp and retain tobacco on the other stick and the free end portions of the sticks can be secured together as a unit by a link chain or other fastening means for making it possible to pick up, transport and deposit the tobacco stick on a nearby or associated vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tobacco harvesting stick or holder of increased capacity which can be readily filled, and by means of which a greater quantity of tobacco can be handled with less labor and in less time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge which can be readily driven onto or otherwise applied to the ends of two tobacco sticks pivotally connecting the same so that the free ends of the sticks can be brought together to clamp tobacco between the sticks, as well as to provide along one of the sticks a metal strip with spaced prongs or tines which will penetrate the tobacco and hold it in fixed relation between the cooperating sticks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a table or support for a two-part tobacco harvesting stick, which table can be applied to a tractor and is of a construction that the tobacco stick can be applied before or after tobacco is placed on the table and the stick employed in the handling of the newly harvested leaves of tobacco.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating the application of the invention to a tractor;

tional sticks fastened together by a hinge and having a sleeve or hollow portion at each side of the hinge, and which sleeve or hollow portion can be driven over the end of a conventional stick to provide a holder having a pair of legs pivoted together at one end and capable of being fastened together at the other by a chain or the like after a mass of tobacco distributed along the length of such legs has been secured therebetween, one of the legs being provided with a metal strip with spaced prongs or tines and which strip is readily secured by spaced nails or other fasteners to one of the legs of the stick, and with such leg being adapted to be disposed, in upright position until the necessary quantity of tobacco is placed over the lower leg whereupon it can be lowered to clamp tobacco between it and the other leg and to cause the prongs or tines to penetrate the tobacco, and when the ends of the legs remote from the hinge are fastened together, the stick can be moved as a unit and placed upon an additional vehicle for transportation to a barn or other place. With continued reference to the drawings, a tractor 10 having

rear wheels

11 and 12 and a rear platform 13 is adapted to have a table forming platform 14 mounted over each of its rear wheels in a manner which will be described later. Such table has a central channel or groove 15 along the same and a pair of end uprights or

limit stops

16 and 17 with

slots

18 and 19 therein to allow the application and removal of sticks on which leaves of tobacco 20 have been placed on the table 14 across the groove 15 by a workman at each side of the tractor. An abutment plate 14 is located along the outer edge of each table to assist in the placement of the leaves on the table.

In order to facilitate the handling of the tobacco, tobacco sticks are provided each composed of

conventional sticks

21 and 22, such sticks being fastened together by means of

hinge members

23 and 24 connected by a pivot 25. The hinge member 23 has a sleeve or hollow portion 26 of uniform internal size from end to end and with its exterior terminating in a relatively thin driving edge 27, and with an integral attaching arm or extension 28.

The sleeve 26 is adapted to be driven over the end of the conventional stick 21 and to be secured thereto by a screw or other fastener 29 extending through an opening 30 in the arm 28 and with such screw engaging the con ventional stick 21. In like manner the hinge member 24 is provided with a sleeve or hollow portion 31 of uniform internal size terminating in a thin edge 32 so it can be driven onto a conventional stick 22, the sleeve 31 having an arm 33 provided with an opening 34 through which another fastening screw 29 may be applied to fasten the arm 33 to the conventional stick 22. Thus the

sticks

21 and 22 will be fastened together at one end to provide a dual leg holder or tobacco stick across and between which leaves of tobacco are adapted to be retained.

In order to secure the leaves of tobacco between the two legs formed by the

sticks

21 and 22, a metal strip 35 may be provided having a series of nails or headed members 36 which form prongs or tines, and these serve to penetrate the leaves of tobacco and retain them distributed along and between the two legs of the stock. The metal strip 35 is adapted to be secured to one of the sticks by nails or other fastening means 35. The nails or headed members which form the prongs or tines may be spot welded or otherwise readily secured to the metal strips and the strips produced in any desired lengths.

In order to mount the tables on the tractor, a pair of sleeves or sockets 40 are provided to each of which a plurality of mounting legs 41 are welded or otherwise attached. The legs 41 have flattened portions on their free ends and such portions have openings for the reception of fasteners 42 whereby the sleeves may be secured to the fenders 43 of the tractor. Each table 14 has a depending post 44 rigidly attached to the bottom and telescopically receivable within a sleeve 40. The post 44 is secured to the sleeve 40 by a pin 45 adapted to pass through openings 46 in the sleeve and an aligned opening 47 in the post and thereby prevent both rotational and vertical movement of the tables 14.

In the use of the tobacco harvesting stick of the present invention, the smooth leg 21 is disposed in horizontal position on the table over the wheels, while the opposite leg 22 to which the metal strip 35 is attached with the prong-forming nails or headed members 36 is disposed in elevated position against a prop 37 so it will not interfere with the placing of tobacco on the lower horizontal leg, and after tobacco is placed across this lower leg uniformly throughout its length thus filling the leg, the upper leg may be brought down to a position overlying the lower leg so that the prongs or tines 36 penetrate the tobacco and bind the tobacco against the lower leg. Any desired means may be employed for fastening the two legs in leaf binding or holding position such as for example a chain 38 preferably on the lower leg and adapted to engage a hook 39 on the upper or opposite leg.

In view of the configuration and manner of attachment of the

hinge members

23 and 24 connected by the pivot 25, there is sufiicient space between the hinge members to receive and accommodate the hand thus to facilitate the handling of the assembly loaded with leaves of tobacco. Further by the provision of the hinge with the sleeves which can be driven onto conventional sticks a harvesting tobacco stick can be provided of minimum expense and of simplest construction and maximum use to an individual farmer.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus utilized in the harvesting of leaves of tobacco comprising a table having a longitudinally disposed channel extending the full length thereof, means for rernovably mounting said platform on a vehicle, an

upright stop extending substantially across each end of said table, each upright stop having a slot in alignment with said channel, an upright abutment plate extending along one side of said table from one stop to the other, a tobacco stick rernovably mounted on said table, said stick including a first leg receivable within said channel and extending through the slots in said upright stops, a second leg hingedly connected at one end to one end of said first leg, a plurality of tines on said second leg, means for retaining said second leg in an elevated position while leaves of tobacco are being placed on said table and first leg and against said abutment plate, and means for securing the opposite ends of said legs in generally parallel relation when said stick has been filled.

2. Apparatus utilized in the harvesting of tobacco comprising a portable platform having a longitudinal channel extending entirely along the length of the same and located substantially along the longitudinal axis thereof, means for moving said platform through a field of tobacco plants, a stop extending substantially across each end of said platform, each stop having a slot in alignment with said channel, an abutment plate extending along one side of said platform and attached to said platform and each of said stops, said platform being of a width to support individual leaves of tobacco, whereby when said leaves of tobacco are picked, they are directly placed on said platform with the stems abutting said plate so that said leaves are substantially in alignment.

3. The structure of claim 2 including a tobacco stick having a pair of elongated legs, hinge means pivotally connecting one end of one of said legs to one end of the other leg in spaced relation to each other, said one leg being relatively smooth, a plurality of tines mounted on said other leg, said one leg being longer than said platform and received within the channel of said platform and the slots of said stops before the leaves of tobacco are placed thereon, and means on said platform for retaining said other leg in a generally vertical position while leaves of tobacco are being placed on said platform.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said plurality of tines are mounted on a metal strip, means for permanently attaching said tines to said strip, and means for attaching said strip to said other leg.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 43,669 10/73 Combs 16-128 X 1,322,648 11/19 Sullivan 294- 2,048,380 7/36 Hansen 16-128 2,494,379 1/50 Droerner 294-55 2,702,134 2/55 Alphin 21483.1 2,808,283 10/57 Vickers 214-55 X 2,904,194 9/59 Jones et a1. 214-55 2,933,206 4/60 Alphin 214-55 3,008,175 11/61 Biedinger et al 16-128 3,107,018 10/63 Mish 214-55 X 3,107,792 10/63 Mish 214-5.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 5,264 4/85 Great Britain.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Examiner.

Claims

1. APPARATUS UTILIZED IN THE HARVESTING OF LEAVES OF TOBACCO COMPRISING A TABLE HAVING A LONGITUDINALLLY DISPOSED CHANNEL EXTENDING THE FULL LENGHT THEREOF, MEANS FOR REMOVABLE MOUNTING SAID PLATFORM ON A VEHICLE, AN UPRIGHT STOP EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ACROSS EACH END OF SAID TABLE, EACH UPRIGHT STOP HAVING A SLOT IN ALINGMENT WITH SAID CHANNEL, AN UPRIGHT ABUTMENT PLATE EXTENDING ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID TABLE FROM ONE STOP TO THE OTHER, A TOBACCO STICK REMOVABLE MOUNTED ON SAID TABLE, SAID STICK INCLUDING A FIRST LEG RECEIVABLE WITHIN SAID CHANNEL AND