US802388A

US802388A - Machine for quartering fruit.

Info

Publication number: US802388A
Application number: US23008204A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Goossen Jr
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1904-10-26
Filing date: 1904-10-26
Publication date: 1905-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1922-10-24

Description

No. 802,888. I PATENTED OUT. 24, 1905.

J. GOOSSEN, In.

MACHINE FOR QUARTBRING FRUIT.

APPLIQATIQN FILED OCT. 20, 1904.

PATENTEID new. 24, 1905. 3., eroos w, JR.

MACHINE FOR QUARTEHING FRUIT.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 26 1906.

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JOHN GOOSSEN, J11, OF NEWARK, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR QUARTERING FRUIT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed October 26,1904. Serial No. 230,082.

To ctZZ who/1t [it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN G-oossnn, Jr., of Newark, in the county of Wayne and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Quartering Fruit, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

My invention is a machine for quartering fruit, the same being hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The main object of this invention is to produce a power-macl'iine at low cost for rapidly quartering apples and similar fruits, the machines being designed more particularly for use at extensive fruit-evaporating establishments or dry-houses where fruit in quantities is cured for the market.

The following is a specification of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which, with the reference characters marked thereon, form a part thereof.

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front and a rear elevation of the machine as in use. Fig. 3 is a side elevation seen as indicated by arrow 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a plan of one carrier for the cutter-bars with parts of the latter in place thereon, parts being broken away. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of a part of the hopper andthe swinging section or platform, taken on the dotted line 5 in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a plan of the machine. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the carrying mechanism detached seen as in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a plan of a portion of a cup-section. Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the cup-section on the dotted line 9 9 in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a plan of the under surface of a cutter-bar. Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of a cutter-bar on the dotted line 11 in Fig. 6, parts being broken away. Fig. 12 is a plan of links of the carrying-chain and adjacent part of a cup-section, parts being broken away. Fig. 13 is an end view of a link with a portion of a cup-section in place thereon. Figs. 4c, 5, and 7 to 13 are drawn to various scales larger than that of Figs. 1 to 3 and 6.

Referring to the drawings. A is the frame of the machine, and B the hopper mounted thereon.

(J, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, is the driving-shaft, held to turn in hearings on the frame and provided with tight and loose belt-pulleys D of common kind to receive a driving-belt in the usual manner to operate the machine. The

as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

shaft C has a pinion a in position to engage a toothed gear E, held upon a shaft F, resting in bearings secured to the frame, the opposite end of the shaft F carrying a mutilated gear Gr. Above the shafs C and F isa third shaft H, Figs. 2, 3, 6, and7, the three shafts being in a vertical plane at the rear of the frame, said shaft H carrying a mutilated pinion l), engaged by the gear G, on account of which several coacting parts the shaft H is turned intermittently from the driving-shaft (J. The shaft H is provided with two equal sprockets 00, Figs. 2, 6, and 7, there being a corresponding shaft I, Figs. 1, 3, 6, and 7, at the front of the frame carrying larger sprockets (Z (Z opposite the sprockets c a, respectively, the two pairs 0 d, a (Z of opposing sprockets holding parallel carrying-chains c c, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 12. Upon the chains c c and disposed transversely thereto are secured a scries of parallelopipedal cup-sections f, preferably of wood, each having a series of conical cavities g in its face opposite the face in contact with the chain in which to receive the apples to be quartered, said cup-sections being parallel and near together.

The sprockets c o and (Z (Z are preferably made of unequal diameters, as above stated and clearly shown in Fig. 7; but the shafts H I are relatively so placed that the upper portion or stretch it of each carrying-chain c is horizontal, as appears in said figure, all po sitions of the cup-sections being horizontal. The driving-gearing for the chains 0 0 turns in a manner to cause the upper horizontal row of cup-sections to move toward the left, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, said cup-sections moving beneath the floor 11 of the hopper B,

The front vertical side or wall l: of the hopper is formed with a rectangular opening Z, Figs. 1 and 5, out through which the fruit held in the hop per passes onto a swinging platform or hinged section on, Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 6, of the floor II of the hopper. This section or platform at when in a horizontal position is level with and a continuation of the floor i, and the opening Z has equal measurements with said section 122, on account of which when the latter is turned upward to a vertical position it fits and fills the opening Z, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, to temporarily hold the fruit in the hopper.

From the fruit upon the platform m the attendant fills the cups or cavities 7 of the cup-sections f, placing one apple in each cavity and so that its axis through stem and calyx shall be vertical. As previously stated, the motion of the shaft H, and consequently of the two carrying-chains e e, is intermittent, each advance movement of the chains and the attached cup-sections being equal in extent to the combined width of two cup-sections plus the intervening spaces that is to say, :at each forward motion of the chains two adjacent cup-sections are brought into position to be fed or filled with fruit from the platform m, as stated.

The intermitting of the motions of the shaft H and the incumbentcarrying-chains is effected by means of the mutilated gear G and coacting pinion b. The gear is formed with a concentric blank surface n, the teeth extending only part way around its periphery, as shown in Fig. 3, there being a deep notch 0 in the rim of the gear at either end ofthe series of teeth. The coacting pinionb has several teeth omitted at one side, in place of which are formed two lengthened teeth or tions. The cutter-bars are formed near their ends with transverse slots (Z, Figs. 6 and 10, and shown in dotted lines in Fig. i, and the carriers L L are formed with corresponding slots f, Fig. 4:, crossing the slots d, through which bolts 6, Fig. 6, pass for holding the cutter bars in place on the carriers. By means of these several pairs of slots crossing each other the cutter-bars may be adjusted in horizontal directions to cause each cutter and its associated cavity g to be coaxial.

The cutter-bars, with their two series of cutters, are given motions in vertical directions along the guides K K by means of vertical connecting-bars or connectors P P, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, joined at their upper and lower ends pivotally to the respective sliding heads 9' r and to each of a pair of sway-arms R R, as shown. These sway-arms are pivoted at u 10, respectively, to the front legs of the frame in a manner to swing in vertical planes at the sides of the frame. The sway-arms are actuated and controlled by cranlvpins o o, ex-

spurs p 9, adapted to meet and slide upon the I tendinghorizontally out in opposite directions blank surface a of the gear as the latter re- I from the gears Eand G, respectively, through volves, during which time the shaft H with l slots w in the sway-arms, one crank-pin and a the chains and the cup-sections are motionless. When, however, in the revolving of the gear a notch 0 is presented to a long tooth p of the pinion, the tooth is caught therein and the pinion started to revolve, bringing the teeth of the gear into engagement with the regular teeth of the pinion and causing the latter and the shaft H to be given one complete revolution and again brought to a position of inaction or idleness, as shown in Fig. 3. The shafts C and F revolve continuously; but the shaft H is turned through only single revolutions intermitted, the teeth of the gear G being in number just sufficient to give the pinion b one complete revolution at each action. The diameters of the driving-sprockets c 0 on the shaft H are such as to advance the carryingchains 6 e sufiiciently to bring two fresh cupsections into positions of action at each intermitted turning of the shaft H, as stated.

A pair of vertical guide-bars or guides K K, Figs. 2, 3, and 6, are provided, secured rigidly on either side of the frame A in rear of the hopper, each guide holding a sliding head '1', adapted to movein vertical directions thereon. To each head 9* is rigidly secured a horizontal holder or carrier L, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, said two carriers being opposite and in a horizontal plane. Resting upon and secured to the carriers L L are a pair of horizontal cutter-bars N N, Figs. 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, and 11, each bar carrying a series of pendent cutters O, each comprising a vertical central tube 8 and a series of vertical radial blades t. The construction and the operation of the parts are such that during the intervals of rest of the carrying-chains two cup-sections are directly beneath the two cutter-bars N N, with a cutter 0 over each cavity 9 of the cup-seccoacting slot being shown in Fig. 3. As the shaft F is revolved the two sway-arms will be moved downward and upward simultaneously and alike by the crank-pins, causing the cutters O to descend into the cavities of the cupsections beneath and divide the apples held therein and then again raised out of action. The cutter-bars andcutters rest motionless dur ing a period when at their lowest and th eir highest positions, these periods of rest occurring while the crank-pins are traversing the respective slots 20 in the sway-arms as the gears E and G revolve. The parts are so arranged and timed that the pinion b and the shaft H are turned only while the cutters are at rest at their upper positions or out of the way of the advancing cup-sections.

From the description of the operating mechanism thus far given it will be understood that means are present in this machine for intermittently carrying the cup-sections by pairs opposite or beneath the cutters and then away therefrom, these movements of the cup-sections being alternated with the reciprocated movements of the cutter-bars, the motions of the cup-sections being made in a plane parallel with the plane of the cutter-bars. The cutters are near the shaftH, and the advance movement of the carrying-chains made each time the cutters are raised, as stated, will cause the two cup-sections, which have just received the actions of the cutters, to tip or become inverted, and so empty thedivided apples at the rear of the machine, simultaneously bringing two more filled cup-sections under the cutters to receive their action when again brought down by the sway-arms, as described. The cupsections are formed with longitudinal and transverse slots or channels :0 crossing the axes IIO of the cavities g, as shown, to make way for the blades 6 of the cutters when they descend to divide the fruit, as stated, the lower cutting edges of the blades going to the bottoms of the cavities.

I sometimes and for doing certain work find it desirable to provide the inclined walls of the fruit cavities g with short pointed spurs or pins y, Figs. 8 and 9, to aid in temporarily staying or steadying the apples in place in the cavities. Some of the apples to be quartered are liable to be solarge as to not touch the bottoms of the cavities, while others are smaller and liable to rock or wabble in the cavities. The pins 7 are short and generally inserted at right angles with the walls of the cavities, and while they aid in steadying the apples in place they do not penetrate them sufliciently to prevent the divided parts from readily falling out when the cup-sections are turned or inverted, as above stated.

The apples treated by this machine are usually previously peeled and sometimes have the cores removed; but frequently they are not previously cored. In this case the tubes 8 of the cutters O serve to cutout and remove the cores, as said cutters are forced down through the apples, the tubes, like the blades 2,, being formed with cutting edges at the lower ends.

in case the cores are removed from the apples before they are given to the machine the tubes may be omitted from the cutters, this being, however, a mere matter of judgment in using the machine, and when the apples are previously cored short axial pins g, Figs. 8 and 9, one and one-half inches high, are inserted at the bottoms of the cavities g to enter the core cavities in the apples as the latter are placed in the cavities of the cup-sections, as stated.

The alternate links of the carrying-chains a a are each formed with a pair of oppositelyprojecting lugs .2, Figs. 12 and 13, constituting small elevated platforms upon which a cu p-section directly rests, each covering or occupying two alternate links of each chain and being supported by eight lugs altogether of the two chains. When a cup-section is thus placed upon the series of lugs or platforms, there will be four of said lugs or platforms in each of two lines, respectively, near the two opposing faces of the body of the cup-section adjacent to the face in contact with the lugs; but in securing the cup-sections to the chains it is only the lugs in the lines near the forward or advance faces or sides of the respective cup-sections that are made rigid with the latter, the cup-sections merely resting freely upon the lugs in the lines adjacent to the rear sides of the cup-sections. The lugs of the links secured to the cup-sections are held thereto preferably by ordinary wood-screws b, Fig. 12, passed through holes a in the lugs and threaded into the wood bodies of the cupsections. On account of this manner of fastening the cup sections to the chains the former are caused to tilt, as appears at the left in Fig. 7, immediately upon reaching the bends in the chains where passing around the sprockets c c, and so to quickly deliver their contents, both cup-sections being discharged substantially at the same time, which is desirable in'the matter of handling the divided fruit. The links of the chains being flexibly joined and the chains being drawn taut over the carrying-sprockets enables the two forward links secured to the cup-sections to control the positions of the latter relative with the chains, the controlling-links acting to lift the distant or rear sides of the cup-sections off of the other links altogether, as shown in Fig. 7, when passing around the sprockets.

The filled cup-sections ordinarily need no support other than that afforded by the taut carrying-chaii'is a while passing under the floor ii of the hopper; but they need to be rigidly supported while under and receiving the action of the cutters. For the purpose of holding them against the downward thrust or pressure of the t lescending cutters a pair of ledges or supports a Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, (also shown by dotted lines inF ig. .7 ,)are provided, secured rigidly to the frame A. These ledges bend inward under the ends of the two cup-sections temporarily resting beneath the cutters and support them against a downward movement, as shown. The ends of these ledges first receiving the ap n'oaching cup-sections are made inclined or beveled, as indicated in Fig. 7, so the cup-sections may readily glide upon or mount them when moved onward by the carrying-chains.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A machine for quartering fruit, comprising a series of cup-sections each formed with a series of cavities for holding the fruit, and a series of quartering-cutters adapted to move into said cavities, and means for carrying the cu gi-sections into positions opposite the cutters, and for moving the cutters alternately toward and from the cup-sections and means extending into the cavities for holding the fruit.

2. A machine for quartering fruit, having a series of cup-sections formed with cavities and channels crossing the cavities and means in said cavities to enter and hold the fruit, a series of quartering-cutters adapted to enter said cavities, having blades disposed to 00' cupy said channels of the cup-sections, and means for moving the cup-secti0ns in pairs intermittently beneath the cutters and away therefrom, and for reciprocating the cutters.

3. A machine for quartering fruit, having a series of cup-sections, means extending into the cavities thereof to pierce and hold the fruit, carrying-chains for the cup-sections, cu tter-bars having q uartering-cutters over the chains and coacting with the cup-sections, and

means for moving the chains and the cutterbars intermittently and alternately.

4. A machine for quartering fruit, having a frame and a series of cup-sections supported by the frame, carrying-chains for the cupsections, cutter-bars having cutters over the chains, and means for moving the chains simultaneously and intermittently and for moving the cutter-bars intermittently in pairs into position opposite the cutter-bars, the motions of the chains and the cutter-bars being alternated, and supports on the frame bent inward beyond the side bars of the frame for supporting the edges of the cup-sections beneath the cutter-bars said support being beveled at one end.

5. In a machine for quartering fruit, a pair of carrying-chains, and a series of prismatic bodies disposed transverse of the carryingchains and secured thereto, said bodies having a series of cavities on the sides opposite the carrying-chains, a series of cutters adapted to occupy said cavities of the bodies, and means for moving the chains and said cutters alternately, a removable axial pin in each cavity and pins projecting from the Walls of the cavities in said bodies into the spaces of the cavities.

6. A machine for quartering fruit, having a series of cup-sections With means extending thereinto for entering and holding the fruit, and means for entering the core-cavities of the fruit, and cutter-bars each With a series of quartering-cutters to coact with the cupsections, and means for moving the cup-sections and the cutter-bars relatively With one another, the cup-sections being moved in pairs into position opposite the cutter bars, the motions of the cup-sections being in a plane parallel With the cutter-bars and the latter being universally adjustable in a plane parallel with the cup-sections.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 21st day of October, 1904, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN GOOSSEN, JR.

lVitnesses:

Enos B. VHITMORE, MINNIE SMITH.