US438158A - Fruit-gatherer - Google Patents

Description

(Nu-Model.)

S. O. HICKOK.. FRUIT GATHERBR.

No. 438,158.v Patented Oct. 14,1890.

Nirn TArns FFICE.,

STEPHEN O. I-IIOKOK, OF ALLEN, MICHIGAN.

FRUIT-GATHERR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,158, dated October 14, 1890.

Application filed ,Iuly 14, 1890i Serial No, 358;@02, (No modell).

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN O. HICKOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allen, in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Fruit- Gatherer, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to harvesters, more especially to that class thereof known as fruit-gatherers.7 The object of the same is to provide a distendingwire detachably connected to the mouth-piece for holding the fabric fruit-receptacles in distended position.

To this end the invention consists of the specific details of construction hereinafter more fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of this improved device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective detail of the wire frame of one of the receptacles.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter B designates the body of this device, which consists of two arms crossing` eachother and pivoted at the point of crossing, as at P, their lower ends being provided with long wooden handles H. At the upper end of each arm of the body is provided a fruit-receiving receptacle R. Each receptacle consists of a frame-work, preferably of stout wire, comprising a mouth M, rigidly secured to the upper end of the body-arm, and a distending-wire D, having clamping-hooks C, and a cloth cover V surrounding the whole. In assembling the parts the mouth M is first securedto the body-arm, the cover V then stitched to the mouth and allowed to project outwardly therefrom, as shown, and the distending-wire D then inserted within the body, with its hooks C engaging the mouth-wire M and its surrounding body of fabric.

By the word fabric I desire to be understood as including cloth, wire-netting, or any other suitable material which will answer the purpose.

In operation the user grasps the two handles II, opens the device, raises it to the defired position, closes it over the stem of the piece of fruit which it is desired to pick, and then draws toward himself or moves the device in a proper manner to break the stem. The piece of fruit falls into one receptacle or the other, and the operation is repeated until both receptacles have been filled. The device is then closed, lowered to the ground, and opened to discharge the fruit into abasket. The utility of the distending-wires is that they serve to hold the receptacles open and out of the Way of the successful operation of the device, and by means of their cltmpinghooks C they can be adj usted Within the receptacle so as to stand vertically or horizontally therein, as desired, or can be removed entirely.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- In a fruit-gatherer, the combination of the body B, comprising two arms crossing each other, and a pivot P connecting them at their point of crossing, with the mouth-pieces M secured to the upper ends of said arms, the fabric receptacles V at the outer sides of said mouth-pieces, the distending-wires D within said fabric receptacles, and the clampinghooks C at the ends of said Wires, detachably engaging the mouth-pieces M, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN O. HICKOK.

Vitnesses:

CLARENCE AVERY, H. E. BLACKMAR.

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