US666986A

US666986A - Fruit-picker.

Info

Publication number: US666986A
Application number: US1971600A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerhard Louis Thunen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1900-06-09
Filing date: 1900-06-09
Publication date: 1901-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1918-01-29

Description

No. 666,986. Patented Ian. 29, I90l; G. L. THUNEN.

FRUIT PICKER.

(Application filed June 9, 1900.)

(No Model.)

raaaaz UN TAT a ATENT FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 666,986, dated January 29, 1901.

Application filed June 9, 1900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERHARD LoUIs THU- NEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resi-.

dent of Oroville, in the county of Butte and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Pickers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved fruit-picker of compact form and of simple and durable construction adapted to be secured to the first two fingers of the operators hand in a convenient position over the palm, the cutter-blade of the picker being arranged to be operated by a free and ready movement of the thumb.

The invention consists in the novel features hereinafter particularly described, and defined in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view showing the manner of using my-improved fruit-picker, the view being taken from the under side. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the picker. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, given to illustrate the picker applied to a glove.

In Figs. 1 to 4 the'device is provided with finger-sheaths merely instead of securing it to a glove in the manner that two of the fingers thereof form the finger-sheaths, as indicated'by Fig. 5. In both cases, however, the construction and operation are essentially the same.

The body A of the picker is preferably formed of a plate, as shown, and a flaring opening or slot at is provided in the plate at the front end, ranging rearwardly for receiving the stem of an orange or other fruit. On the upper side of the plate I provide two finger-sheaths B or any equivalent loops, one at each side of the slot a and opening toward the rear of the plate, so that the fingersthe first and second of the operator-may enter rearwardly to bring the plate into a position over the palm. The sheaths are secured in any suitable manner, as by rivets b. On the Serial No- 19,716. (No model.)

under side of the plate Athat is, on the opposite side from the finger-sheathsthe cutter-blade O is pivoted, as at c, the cutting edge 0 ranging adjacent to the slot a. At one side and at the forward end the blade 0 is extended laterally to form the operatingarm 0 the outer end of which is bent downward at about a right angle to form the thumbpiece 0 which ranges in a forward and rearward direction at a slight angle to the longitudinal axis of the plate A, thus conforming to the natural position of the thumb of the operator when the device is in the operative positionthat is, when the fingers are flexed to bring the picker over the palm of the hand, with the thumb-piece c adjacenttothe thumb. A wear-plate or thrust-plate A is secured to or formed upon the body A and rises therefrom along that side of the slot or opening on opposite the cutter-blade and between the finger-sheaths. This plate receives the contact and wear of the fruit-stem as the latter is pressed against and severed by the cutter blade. The cutter-blade is retracted to normal position by a retractile spring D, secured to the blade and to the plate A, and the movement of the blade in either direction on its pivot is limited by a stop-pin E, against which either one of, two shoulders c on the blade will contact.

The rear end of the plate A has a downwardly-bent flange a ranging transversely, which serves the twofold purpose of strengthening the plate and providing a broad contact-surface for the fingers at this point.

An eye or ring F is provided on the plate A, and attached to this is an elastic wriststring G for preventing the picker from falling when detached from the fingers.

The references hereinbefore made to Fig. 5 will suffice, except to mention that the plate A is secured to the glove H by rivets h similarly to the securing of the finger-sheaths B and also that the glove obviates the necessity for the wrist-string G. By arranging the finger-sheaths as shown and on the opposite side from the cutter convenience in grasping and severing the fruit is promoted and a very small and compact structure is obtained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A fruit-picker, comprising a body having a rearwardly-eXtending flaring opening at the front, a finger-sheath located at each side of the opening and on the upper side of the body, the sheaths opening toward the rear for entering the fingers from the rear of the picker, and a cutter-blade ranging on the under side of the body and pivoted thereto, the said blade having a thumb-piece at one side and at a point in front of the fingersheaths.

2. A fruit-picker, comprising a body-plate having a flaring slot at the front end, and a flange projecting downwardly and ranging transversely at the rear end of the plate, a finger-sheath at each side of the slot, on the upper side of the plate, and a pivoted cutterblade adjacent to the slot and ranging on the under side of the body-plate for movement across the slot, the said blade having a lateral extension beyond the body-plate at one side, the extension being bent downwardly to form a thumb-piece ata point forward of the fingersheaths.

3. A fruit-picker, comprising a body-plate having a flaring slot at the front end, and a flange projecting downwardly and ranging transversely at the rear end of the plate, a finger-sheath at each side of the slot, 011 the upper side of the plate, a pivoted cutterblade adjacent to the slot and ranging on the under side of the body-plate for' movement across the slot, the said blade having a lateral extension beyond the body-plate at one side, the extension being bent downwardly to form a thumb-piece at a point forward of the finger-sheaths, a retractile spring connected with the body-plate and with the cutter-blade, a loop on the plate, and a wriststring attached to the loop.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GERHARD LOUIS THUNEN.

\Nitnesses:

O. T. BELDING, J. O. ()SGOOD.