US441971A - Fruit-gatherer - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

A. A. POTTERP.

FRUIT GATHEBER.

Patented Dec. 2, 1890.

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ALBERT A. POTTERF, OF OENTREVIETV, MISSOURI.

FRUIT-GATI-HIER'ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,971, dated December 2, 1890.

Serial No. 355,245. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT A. POTTERF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Centreview, in the county of Johnson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new' and useful Improvements in Fruit-Gatherers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to fruit gatherers; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, as will hereinafter be fully described, and set forth in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a detached plan view of my supportingring, showing the cutter or knife. Fig. 3 isa similar View showing a modified arrangement of the cutter. Fig. 4 isacross-scction of such modification. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the manner of securing the receptacle to the frame.

Like letters of reference denote like parts throughout the drawings.

Into an ordinary handle A of the usual length are inserted the ends 0. of the arms B, which are part of the wire-holder C. These arms B are of sufficient length to extend some distance dove 11 the handle A for the purpose of strengthening it, and they are securely attached to the upper end of the saidhan dle by a wire staple Z).

To form the holder 0 a suitable piece of wire of proper length is employed. First it is bent into the shape of a W to form one outwardly projecting loop D and two in- 'wardly-projecting loops 0 and d. From the W-shaped portion to either side the ends of the wire are bent toward each other at D until they are at a point opposite to an alignment with the loop D. Then the wire is bent at right angles to form the arms B, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Across the loop D near its outer point is secured a cutter or knife E by flattening the wire of the loop D and making small holes therein, so that the knife may be attached by small screws, or the knife may be attached in any suitable and most convenient manner.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 is similar in every respect to the device as shown in the other figures, except that the cutter or knife is made the shape of the end of the loop D, so as to fitinto the end of said loop, thereby making the point which does the greater amount of work and where the greatest strain comes the strongest.

A small groove 6 is made in the wire bythe loop D to accommodate the modified form of cutter, and it is then secured in place by small screws or rivets.

The inwardly-projecting loops 0 and d serve the purpose of gathering small fruit where a cutter is not necessary, such as cherries, &c. It will be found that the loops 0 and at will pull 01? such fruit quite as quickly as a knife will cut it, and thus in constant use save the cutting-edge of the knife to a great extent. Thus both the loop 0 and d and the loop D may be used in one operation and a double amount of fruit gathered.

F denotes a receptacle for fruit, and is made of canvas or other suitable material, and is stitched or otherwise secured to the holder B from the points f of the W-shaped portion eutirely around to the handle A. It slopes downwardly to a smallerdiameter, (shown at G,) where an enlarged portion or pocket 11 is formed having an opening covered by a flap h for the exit of the gathered fruit. This receptacle may be of any desired length, but I prefer to make it as shown in the drawings.

At the juncture of the smaller portion G and the head of the pocket a loopI is attached 0t sufiicient diameter to go over the head of a man and hang loosely around his neck.

It will be observed that the fruit after being cut or pulled will fall into the receptacle F and then down gradually into the pocket H, and this pocket being suspended by the loop I on the neck of the operator, the fruit is not deposited in places or baskets attached to the device or on the ground; but the operator is enabled to go from tree to tree without the trouble of continually moving baskets or piling up fruit, while at the same time the weight of the fruit is not on the handle, as in many such devices, thus obviating constant breaking thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a fruit-gatherer, the holder C, bent to form three gathering-loops and two arcs of a circle, one of the said gathering-loops being 10 grooved and provided with a knife or cutter,

in combination with the fruit-receptacle secured only to the said circle portions so as to prevent the receptacles from interfering with the gathering-loops, substantiallyas specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in I 5 presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT A. POTTERF. Witnesses:

W. R. DELANY, J. C. OLIVER.

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