US1808676A - Asparagus trimming and canning machine - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1931. c. c. MCDONAU'D T A 1,808,676

ASPARAGUS' TRIMMING AND GANNING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY June'Z, 1931". c. c.- M DONALD ET AL AS PARAG US 'TRIMMING AND CANNING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR CCMDOnald and C L Wautman ATTORNEY June 1931- c. c. M DONALD ET AL 2 ,676

,ASPA-RAGUS. TRIMMING AND CANNIYNG MACHINE Filed Tpril 28, 1928 6-Sheets-Sheet 4 z INVENTOR Z9 CfCAlDonald and v CLTH oatman BY fl 41% ATTORNEY June2, 1931. c, cv M DONALD ET AL 1,808,676

ASPARAGUS TRIMMING AND CANNING MACHINE v Filed April 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 uni INVENTOR I aCM nMau and BY CLTioutman ATTORNEY Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oF CHARLES C. MCDONALD AND CHARLES L. TROU'I'MAN, OF ELYRIA, OHIO ASPARAGUS TRIM'MINGAND CANNING MACHINE Application filed April as,

Our invention relates to asparagus trimmin'g and canning machine and an object thereof is to provide an automatically operable machine wherein cans or other recep- A; tacles are advanced to filling position, the

asparagus butts severed and a bunch of asparagus packed in each can.

Afurther'object of the invention is to provide an ap aratus of this character which is continuous y operated to perform the asparagus buttsevering operation and to pack the asparagus into cans thereby facilitating the packing or canning of asparagus.

The invention also contemplates a machine for trimming and canning e'dibles having means for holding the edibles in advance of a can and areciprocable plunger .or ejector which is operable to eject edibles into the can.

With the preceding and other objects and advantages in mind; the invention consists in the novel combination of elements, constructions and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically referred to, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an end elevationo'f'themachine;

Figure 2 is a similar view taken at'the opposite end of the machine;

I Figure 3 is a rear face view;

Figure 4: 1s a front elevation of the'machine Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of mechanism embodied in the invention;

nism illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view and illustrating the can conveyor;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view.

on line 88 of Figure 7; a

Figure 9 is a detail elevation of coacting beveled gear stop plates embodied in the -in-- edges of the base plate.

Figure 6 is a'front elevation of the mech'a- 1928 Serial No. 273,676.

Figure 13 is a perspective of the sliding door or abutment. v

Referring to the invention in detail an angularly disposed base plate 5 supported on vertical legs 6 is provided and cast with the upper. face of the plate 5 and extending transversely thereof is the can retaining hopper or trough 7 whose inner end is open and extends to a point intermediate the longitudinal Within the confines of the hopper or. trough 7 the plate 5 is provided with a longitudinal opening 8 which is disposed centrally ofthe side walls ofthe hopper or trough, and p'ositioned in this opening is a shaft 9 journalled in bearings 10 formed with theplate, and rota'table therewithis a screw conveyor 11 for advancing cans longitudinally of the hopper or trough.

For the purpose of holding asparagus in a circular bunch, coacting fixed and movable circular jaws 12 and 13 are provided on the base plate slightly above the hopper or j trough, at the open end of the latter; The fixed jaw 12 is formed with a forwardly projecting extension 12" having a dove-tail groove 14; in its upper' face, whiley'the movablejaw is formed with a dove-tail tongue 15"slidably received in thegroove 14. For

"the purpose of actuating the movable jaw '80 towards and away from the fixed'jaw a pitj' man rod 16 extending-parallel to the trough or hopper has-one end operativelyconnected with the movable jaw,as at 17, while its opposite end is eccentrical-ly connected witha rotatable disk '18 fiXe-dto one end ofashaft 1 9 'journalled in a bearing "20 upon the under face of the base plate, at its lower edge.

A power take-off shaft 21 extends transversely of the base plate 5 and is journalled in bearings 22 upon the outer face thereof and carries oppositely disposed interrupted beveled gears 28-and24:. lhe shaft 19 carries a gear 19a'whichmeshesfwith the gea-r23,

Movable transversely of the base plate 5 and adapted to-extend across and close the lower ends of the coaotingj aws when in gripping engagernent withabunch of asparagus, is an abutment or sliding door'26. This abut-'1 ment is formed with a depending arm or shank 27 which is movable longitudinally within, a transverse slot 28 in the base'plate. A U-shaped pitman 29 has one end pivotally connected with the arm 27 and its opposite end eccentrically connected with a disk 30 fixed to one end of a shaft 31 extending parallel to the shaft 19 and j ournalled in a bearing 32 upon the outer face of the base plate. This shaft 31 is provided with a beveled gear 32 which meshes with the interrupted gear 24. 7 p V V A cutting blade or knife 34 is provided for severing the butts of the asparagus stalks as they are held between the coacting jaws.

This blade is slidable transversely of the base plate across the upper ends of these jaws and carriesa depending arm 36 movable in a transverse slot 37 in the base plate. v A pit man rod 38 has one end eccentrically connected with a disk 39 fixed to a shaft 40journalled in a bearing 41 upon the outer face of the base plate, and its opposite end pivotally connected with the arm 36. A beveled gear 42 is fixed to one end of the shaft 40 and meshes with an'interrupte'd beveled gear 43 rotatable with a shaft 44 extending at'right angles to the shaft 40. A pinion 45 rotatable-with the shaft 44 engages a larger pinion 46 fixed to the adjacent end of the'shaft 22. It follows that the power is taken from the shaft 22 by way 'of'the operative connections referred to,

to intermittently reciprocate the knife or cut-.

ter 34. p I The invention provides means for moving asparagus. stalks, held between the jaws into a can after the butts have been severed, in the form of a'reciprocatory cylindrical ejector or plunger 46 slidably mounted in upstand ing guides 47 on the upper face of the base plate in longitudinal alinement with the coacting jaws, and movable therethrough when the latter are in the operative position illustrated in Figure 7. This ejector or plunger is of a diameter slightly smaller than the cans ,to be packed and thecoacting jaws when in operative position.

To retain the cans against the screw con-c veyor and to hold each can 1n posltion as it is advanced to filling position below the coacting jaws, a resilient arm 48 extends longitudinally within the trough or hopper at the upper end thereof and is secured to resilient brackets 49 attached tothe lower side wall of the trough or hopper and projecting at right angles thereto. This resilient arm normally contacts with all of the cans withinthe hopper to retain them against the blade of the screw conveyor. At its forward end a longitudinally curved can embracing seat 50 is provided in the resilient arm, which normally engages the forwardmost'; can and retains it in a concavity or can seat 51 in the upperface of the extension 12 of the jaw 12. It will be observed that the forward end of the resilient arm will engage each can as it is advanced to filling positionand-firmly hold it in place while being filled or packed.

A main power shaft 52 extending trans- Versely of the base plate at its rear lower edge, is j ournalled in bearings 53 thereof and carries at one end a beveled gear 54 which meshes with a beveled gear 55 fixed to one A vertical shaft 58, journalled in vertically i alined bearings 59 and 60 on the outer face of the base plate, carrying a beveled gear 61 at its lower end, meshing with adrive gear 62 on the drive shaft 52, is provided. At

its upper end the shaft 58 carries a beveled 7 gear 63 meshing with a smaller gear 64ifixe d.

to one end of a horizontal shaft 65 journalled in a bearing 66 projecting laterally from the upper end ofth'ebase plate and which'car-.

ries at its rear 1 end an interrupted beveled gear 67. This gear 67 meshes with a beveled gear 68 fixed'to one end of a crank shaft 69,

the latter beingljournalled in the outer end of a laterally projecting arm 70 extending per end. A connecting rod 71 has one end pivotally connected with the crank shaft from the rear face of the base plate at its upf and its opposite end extended at right angles,

as at 7 2, and pivotally connected with a crack et '7 3 fixed to the under face of the ejectorv or" plunger.

In order tohold the conveyor shaft, mov able jaw, abutment or door 26 andcutter34 against accidental movement when their coincidlng beveled gears arestatlonary, in-

cident to the companion interrupted'gear forv the latter coming to a position where its'blank surface rides overthe teeth'lof these gears,

locking means is 'providedfo'r each pair'of companion or. right angularly disposed gears.

For the sake of simplicity this locking means will be de'scribedin conjunction with gears and 68, respectively. However, it is to be un derstood that this lockingmeans is employed throughout the entire machlne where two I companion or right angularly disposed gears,

the driving "one of which is an interrupted gear, are employed for taking power from onerotatable element and transmitting it to the abutment or sliding door, movable jaw,

cutter and reciprocating plunger or ejector.

This locking means comprises a disk 75 fixed to the rear face of the driving interrupted bevelled gear 67 and cutaway at one side,

opposite the teeth thereof as at 7 6. Disposed at rightangles to the plane of rotation of the disk 7 5 and fixed to the rear face of the driven bevelled gear 68 is a plate 77 having right is disposed in opposed relation to the gear 68,

the latter is free to rotate by reason of the plate 77 clearing the disk.

It will be noted that all interrupted gears are continuously rotating drive gears, therefore, when the blank space thereon passes over the teeth of a companion driven gear, the driven gear will be permitted to stop momentarily. When the teeth on the interrupted drive gears again come into contact with the teeth on the driven gears, the part driven by such gears will be caused to pass through another complete cycle of operation.

Operation The power shaft being in motion, the coasting jaws being in the position illustrated in Figure 4 to grasp a bunch of asparagus stalks chine, an angularly dlsposed base plate, co-

therebetween, and the sliding door or abutment extending across the lower ends of the coacting jaws, the knife 34 is advanced to the left to sever the asparagus stalk butts and then returned to normal position where it remains momentarily stationary. As the knife is returning to normal position the door or abutment is retracted to uncover the lower ends of the coacting jaws and remains in a position to one side of the latter momentarily. The plunger or ejector is now moved downwardly between the coacting jaws engaging the bunched asparagus stalks, ejecting the latter into a can which has been previously advanced to line up with these jaws. The ejector or plunger now returns to normal position where it is held stationary momentarily, and at the same time the movable jaw moves away from the fixed jaw and is held in this position for a suflicient period of time to permit a bunch of asparagus to be placed between the latter and the fixed j aw. The movable jaw and door or abutment now move to the right and the entire operation is repeated. The interrupted sections of the drive gears, 4, 23, 24, 43 and 67 are of such length and are so spaced relative to each other that the above operations are caused to occur in their proper sequence and in proper timed relation. The stop mechanism which prevents accidental rotation of the driven gears at, 19, 32, 42 and 68, due to momentum or other causes, further insures the proper operation of the parts in correct timed relation.

What is claimed is: I

1. In an automatic stalk canning and trimming machine, a base, fixed and movable coacting jaws mounted thereon for retaining stalks in bunched relation, a sliding door normally'closing one end of the jaws to retain the stalks therein, a cutter operable across the other end of said jaws to sever projecting'ends of the stalks, a reciprocating ejector for ejecting the stalks into a can placed in registration with the jaws when in operative position, and a common mechanism for'actuating the cutter, door, ejector and movable jaw to operative and inoperative positions in timed relation.

2. In a stalk trimming and packing machine, a base, coacting fixed and movable jaws for holding bunched stalks, a door slidable on the base and normally closing one end of the jaws, a cutter movable across the opposite end of the jaws for trimming the stalks, a

reciprocable ejector movable at right angles to the movable jaw, means for singly advancmg cans to a posltion coinciding with the. awswhen n operative posltion, and

means for impart'ng movement to the door,

movable jaw, cutter, ejector and can advancng. means whereby said parts are actuat ed in sequence. l 8. In a stalk trimmlng and canning maacting fixed and movable jaws arranged thereon andadapted to hold stalks in a cylindrical bunch, means for holding the can 4:. An apparatus of the character described comprising a vertically inclined base plate, fixed and movable jaws mounted thereon for holding bunched. stalks, a plurality of rotatable. elements'supported from the base plate,

a sliding door normally closing the lower ends of the jaws, a cutter movable across the; opposite ends of'the jaws, operative connec-. tions between the rotatable elements, cutter, movable jaw and door whereby to move the cutter, movable jaw and door over the base, 7

plate in timed relation, and'a reciprocable plunger movable between the jaws to eject objects therefrom into a can supported in longitudinalalinement with the plunger and the jaws when the cutter and door are dis- 1 posed in inoperative positions;

5. An apparatus of thecharacter described comprising a vertically inclined base plate, fixed and movable jaws mounted thereonfor holding bunched stalks, a plurality of rotatable elements supported from the base plate, a slidin door normally closing. the lower ends of t e jaws, a cutter movable acrossthe opposite ends of'the jaws, operative connections between the rotatable elements, cutter,

movablexj aw and doorwhereby to move outter, movable jaw and doorover the base plate movable between the jaws to eject objects therefrom into a can supported in longitu-- dinal alinement with the jaws and plunger when the cutter and door are disposed in inoperative positions, and means for stopping the movement of the cutter, movable jaw, door and plungerfat predetermined intervals.

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising a vertically inclined base plate, fixed and movable jaws mounted thereon for holding bunched stalks, a plurality of rotatable elements supported from the base plate, a sliding door normally closing thelower ends of the jaws, a cutter movable across the opposite endsof the jaws, operative connection between the rotatable elements, cutter, movable jaw and door whereby to move the cutter, movable jaw and door over the base plate in timed relation, a reciprocable plunger movable between the jaws to eject objects therefrominto a can supported in longitudinal alinement with the jaws and plunge when the cutter and door are disposed in inoperative positions,and means for intermittently actuating the cutter, movable jaw, door and plunger atpredetermined intervals, including pairs of rotatable elements disposed'at right'angles to each other, one of a each pair of which being cut away to permit the other to pass at predetermined times and against which the other engages normally to hold one member of each pair stationary.

'Z. In an apparatus of the character described, a supporting frame, arearwardly inclined plate supported thereon, means at one end of the plate for advancing cans in a transverse direction, means for holding the cans in a position for filling after they are advanced, coacting fixed and movable semicircular jaws on the plate for holding asparagus stalks therebetween withtheir butts projecting, a door slidably mounted on the plate to" normally close the lower ends of the jaws, a cutter movable transversely of the upper ends of the jaws and in parallelism to the latter to sever the asparagus butts, and

' a plunger slidably mounted on the plate for movement between the jaws to eject the asparagus bunch therefrom and deposit the same within a can. 7

8. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a supporting frame, a rearwardly inclined plate supported thereon, means at one end of the'plate for advancing cans in a transverse direction, means for holding the cans in a position for filling after they are advanced, coacting fixed and movable semicircularjaws on the plate for holding as-- paragus stalks therebetween with their .butts projecting, a door slidably'mounted on the plate to normally close the lower ends of the jaws, a cutter movable transversely of the upper'ends of the jaws and in parallelism to the door, a plunger slidably' mounted on the plate in 'alinement with the jaws and adapted to pass between the latter to eject the asparagus bunch therefrom and deposit the same within the can, and driving means for actuating the movable jaw, cutter, door and plunger in timed relation.

CHARLES 0.. MCDONALD.

CHARLES L. TROUTMAN.

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