US2371067A - Berry cleaning and sizing machine - Google Patents

Description

March 6, 1945.

E. RIVERS BERRY CLEANING AND SIZING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 v mi] Riz/ens March 6, 1945.

E. RIVERS 2,371,067

BERRY CLEANING AND SIZING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 imam/tof" im z'Z Rivera March 6, 1945. E. RIVERS BERRY GLEANING AND sIzING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 SM2/YM m. .www WM.

.W ml a March 6, 1945.

E. RIVERS A 2,371,067

BERRY CLEANING AND SIZING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I lf\ W o Nh 4 m m e J J,

l /fl /Z/ LF/US/ Emil River@ Patented Mar. 6, 1945 BERRY CLEANING AND SIZING MACHINE Emil Rivers, Rockland, Maine l Application June 25, 1942, Serial No. 448,469

1 Claim.

This invention relates to berry cleaning and sizing machines.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine of this kind which is particularly adapted to cleaning blueberries without injury thereto.

Another object of thisinvention is to provide a machine of this kind which will not only clean the berries, but will also size them.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of this kind which may be operated by a small power member.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of this kind which includes a feeding conveyor which is adjustable to permit regulation of the quantity of berries discharged onto an endless debris carrier, and which also includes a fan for removing the light loose material as the berries drop down from the feeder to the debris carrier, the latter being inclined to the vertical, and the berries rolling down the carrier opposed to the movement of the carrier and then dropping onto an endless sizing member from which the berries are discharged onto an endless picking table and finally discharged into baskets mounted on a rotatable receiver.

With the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is illustrated an embodiment of the invention as claimed, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings: l

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation partly broken away of a berry cleaning and sizing machine constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a detail top plan partly broken away f the machine,

Figure 3 is a Vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,-

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the machine on the side opposite from that shown in Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a detail top plan of the rotatable box support at the delivery end of the machine,

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line E-6 of Figure 2, A

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan of the sizing member, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings,J the numeral I0 designates generally a frame structure including base members or beams II which have extending upwardly therefrom upright frame members I2, I3 and I4. The uprights I2 are connected together by a horizontally disposed connecting member I5 and the uprights I3 are connected together by a horizontally disposed connecting member I6. The uprights I2 and I3 are connected together by a horizontally disposed connecting member I'I. r

A berry receiving hopper I8 is carried by the frame I and includes side walls I9, a forward wall 2n and a, rear downwardly and forwardly inclined wall 2i.- The bottom of the receiving hopper I8 is open and has movably disposed therebelow anendless feeding conveyor 22. The conveyor 22 engages about a driving rollerl 23 which is secured to a driving shaft 24, and an idler roller 25 carried by an idler shaft 26 engages the opposite end of the conveyor 22.'` The upper run 21 of theconveyor 22 constitutes a movable bottom for the hopper I8 and the forward end of the upper run 21 is 'adapted to be adjusted with respect to the forward wall l2l) of the hopperrl by vertical adjustment of the idler shaft 26.' This adjustment is accomplishedy by providing a pair of arcuate slots 28 in opposite side frame members 29 and a shaft 26 is xed in its adjusted position by means of adjusting nuts 3u. vThe adjustment of the space 3| at the for' ward end of the Vupper run 21 vof the conveyor 22 will provide for the variation in the quantitylof berries which are fed from the hopper I8. y

The berries whichare delivered or fed `from the hopper I8 by means of the conveyor 22 are gravitatingly dropped onto an endless debris carrier 32. The carrier 32 has the upper run 33 thereof moving upwardly and forwardly so as to l carry Ythe dirt and other debrisV upwardly, Whereas the berries dropping onto the run 33 are adapted to gravitatingly roll downwardly along the run 33. The carrier 32 at its lower portion is trained about a driving` drum 34 mounted on a driving shaft/35. A pair of forwardly and upwardly extending supporting arms 36 are pivotal- 1y mounted on the shaft 35 Vand extend along the opposite edges of the carrier 32. A second pair of elongated members 31 are adjusted lengthwise of the elongated members 36 by means ofy adjusting bolts `38. Each of "the extensible members 31 has secured thereto a bearing 39 through which an idler shaft 40 is journaled. An'upper drum 4I is mounted on the shaft 40 and as shown i Figure `3 is substantially larger in vsize than the drum 34.

The inclination of the carrier 32 may be varied 1 by means of a pair of carrier supporting levers 42 which are mounted on a transversely disposed shaft 43. The shaft 43 is journaled through bearings 44 and the shaft 43 at one end has an outer The lever 45 adjusting lever 45 xed thereto. at its upper or free end has pivotally secured g thereto a coup,ling 46,within which oneend of an adjustingshat 41'is swivel-ly mounted. The shaft shaft 47.

A fan or blower housing 53 is disposedA rearg wardly of and below the hopper |8. The fan housing-, 52E-has rotatably., mounted; therein a fan member 5 4rwhich is secured. to;AV a shaft 55.

The fan housingcommunicates. at its delivery l end with an air-ductwhich. extends below the feeding'. conveyor: 22; and.. between the delivery end. of.'the.-convey or 22..an.d` the upper run of the carrier .The airl forced forwardly by the fan l blades 54:.isadapted topass. through the dropping berriesr whichdrop fromthe deliveryend off. the conveyor` 22s. and anyflooseor free debris is forced forwardly and upwardly. into-a receiving housing` 51. The housing 51`4 is disposed forwardly ofrltheh-opper liand includes upright side wallwSl-anda bottomrwall 62. The bottom wall 612-is substantially shorterin length than thetopl wall 60-so-as-toprovide a passage |53A through whichthe air andf debris: isadapted to pass in order-gto enter the( housing-` 51.; The top wall BB has secured-theretoan elongated screen 64 which f covers anair outletvopeningand the oppositef side-walls 58' also havescreensl covering side openingsfinvthe walls 58 so that the-air entering the;-housing-5-1 may readily pass into theatmosphere.- The-housing5-1fatitsforward endhas secured'thereto-a depending-duct-or-chute 61 which is open as at |58-vv ats-itslower end so that the dirt-ordebriscollectediin' thewhousing 51 will bev dischargedat` onevend of the` frame structure Mi.

The berries4 which'rell' downwardly over the upwardly moving carrier 32 areadapted todrop on theV horizontalrupperrun of#k asizing member 69. The sizing -mem-ber 59 greater' detailv infFigures'f'and 81 comprisesA apair of`spaced apart chains Tir-which have securedA to the inner sides thereofsockets 'Hl and sizing bars 12engageattheir'opposite ends in the-sockets 1|. The'chainsl onfthefupper-run-13vof the sizing member (S9-are trained overfsprookets-lll andY T5 which arewflxedl to shafts 41 61 andy 11 respectively; The chainsv'10 at their rear portionsare then eX-f tended?, downwardly. andi, forwardly and are trained overfsprockets 18|- carriedby a., shaft 19 journaled; in bearings81T.;4 The bearings 80 are secured.; to;.uprights.8| which are fixed at their lowerv ende-.togl the horizontal frame` members 1. rllhevchains.1li-.are then extended forwardly and horizontally and are trained abouta second pair of lowerA sprockets 8.|r whichare secured to a shaft 8,2.-'journaled in bearings 8,3v The bearings 83 are carried; by theuprights I3.Y The chains 1Q are thenextendedupwardly about sprockets 84 which areecuredto a shaft' 85; The shaft 85' is journaledinbearings 83'also,se cured to-the uprights |3 andthe chains are then extendedl forwardly which is shown inl walls58;4 air-ear wall59i,v a topwalll, a forward and upwardly to the forward end of the upper run 13. A collecting hopper 8 1 is disposed below the upper run 13 oflthe sizing member 69 and is interposed between the upper and lower runs of the sizing member 69 as shown in Figure 3.

The larger berries which do not drop through the sizing member G9 are carried forwardly and are then delivered to a forwardly moving and horizontally disposed picking table 88. The picking table.. 881s. constructed. inthe, form ofy an endless conveyor which has one end portionjthereof trained about a drum 89 mounted on' a driving shaft 90. The other end of the conveyor or table 88 is trained about an idler drum 9| mounted on an idlershaft 92.v The table or conveyor 88 has disposed on the opposite longitudinal edges thereof elongated side boards or members 9,31whichextend above the upper run of the table `or conveyor 89, and preferably, the side members 93 have secured to the upper inner faces thereof inwardly projecting anges '94 which overlie the upper run of the conveyor 88. The flanges.r 94ar.e disposed close enough to thel upper surface. of the conveyor or table 88 so as. to prevent., anyy berriesfrom rolling over the opposite longitudinal f edges, of; the tableg.-v

A. pair;` of. receivingpvhoppers. 95- and. 98. areffdi'se posed at the delivery'endof the conveyor.r or table 881 andare separated-from. each other-by a center divider- 91. The hoppers. 95 and 9.8. arev open at their upper and lower. ends;V andthe berries received inV the hoppers 9,5:and- 96l are adapted to be delivered.intobasketsB; which aremounted in-a. rotatablebasket carrier or support, gener.- ally designated as; 38.. The basket carrierxSSfis as shown in Figure., 5 of hexagonal configuration and includes vertical; side/walls 99;, a/downwardly inclined bottom wall |188. and; an. inner,A perforate bottom'or'screen HM. l'Ihecarrier ||l||is mounted: on la vertically` disposed-f shaftvv |82. which is carried. by forwardly extending supporting: beams |83 secured vto the lower'frame members The carrier. 98; is provided atthejunction between: the' respective side membersgllfl thereof withxa plu.- rality of inwardly projectingfdividers |032 so that atleast two berry baskets maybe disposed between the pairsv of.l the dividers. |0411 and such baskets may.I be positioned.' directly.v beneathA the hoppers 951 and Bt In the eventI the with ber-ries,'tlie excessberries will drop onto the screen or'inner bottomV ||`J1l1and passithrough this screen and= will be collected in` the: space llil'between the inner bottomv IUI-and thelowerbottom |00. IThe screen IUI mayfbe of ai readily removable construction so that any berries:k collecting in theispacefor chamberV |35" may bei-periodically removed. l

A power'member Mis carried bythe frame |0 being mounted above the horizontal. support'- ing members;r and#V the power member Mr is adapted. to rotate a drive shaft lilil Preferably; aspeed reducingl gear/memberI |01-is interposed between the motor or powermemberMI and the drivel shaft |86. The-shaft IBG-has fixed theretoI a pulley-r liigabout'whicha belt lfisl trained. The fan shaft 55 has fixed thereto apulley ||||ll and the-belt |39 is also trained about the pulley H0. The'drive` shaftl lialsofhas fixed.E theretoa second pulley |f| labout which a twistedbelt ||2 engages. The belt ||.2 alsoengages about a pulley |3f-which1r is mounted" on thefshaftz35. The belt I2 is adapted to drive the endless'care rieng32f; A secondpulleyi |.l4rispmountedgorr the drive shaft |06 and has:,trained'thereaboutnaibelt baskets; Bl become overlled l xed thereto a second pulley H8 about which an endless belt H3 is trained. `The belt H9 is also trained about a pulley |20 which is xed to the shaft 16 so that the sizing member 69 will be operated through the train comprising the driving belt H and the belt I I9.

The shaft H1 also has secured thereto a third 'pulley 2| about which an endless belt |22 is trained. lThe belt |22 engages about a pulley |23 which is xed to the shaft 90 so that the conveyor or moving table 88 will be operated with rotation of the shaft H1. Preferably, a clutch |24 of conventional construction is correlated with the pulley H6 and the shaft H1 and is released or engaged by means of a handle lever |25 which is fixed to a rock shaft |26. The rock shaft |26 is rockably mounted in bearings I 21 and the shaft |26 has formed at the end thereof opposite from the handle or lever I 25 a right langular lever 28. A transversely and horizontally disposed releasing link |29 is connected at one end to the lever |28 and at the other end is connected to a clutch shifting fork |30 of conventional construction. The movement of the clutchI24 to disf engaged position will stop movement of the sizing member 69 and the picking table 88.

The shaft 85 which is rotated by movement of the sizing member 69 has fixed thereto a pulley |3| about which a belt |32 is trained. The drive shaft 24 of the feeding member 21 has fixed thereto a pulley |33 about which the belt |32 is also trained. In this manner, when the clutch |24 is disengaged and the sizing member 69 isstopped, the feeding member 21 will also be stopped but the fan member 54 and the debris carrier 32 will be operated when th'e power member M is operating. l

In the use and operation of this machine, the berries as picked are placed in the hopper I8. The feeding conveyor 22 will feed the berries through the delivery opening 3| onto the debris carrier 32. The light debris which drops down with the berries will be blown forwardly by the draft of air created by the fan 54 and this debris will be collected in the housing 51 and then dropped downwardly onto the ground through the duct 61. Any heavier debris which engages the upper run 33 of the carrier 32 will be moved upwardly and discharged onto the bottom wall 62 of the housing 51. The berries which drop onto the carrier 32 will roll downwardly by gravity onto the upper run 13 of the sizing member 69. The smaller berries will drop between the sizing bars 12 and the larger berries will be carried 'forwardly and then dropped onto the upper surface of the picking table or conveyor 88.- Any undesired berries or other material which may beV discharged onto the ypicking table 88 may be removed as the upper run of the table 88 moves forwardly so that when the berries are discharged into the hoppers `and 96 the berries will` be cleaned and the Cleaned berries will be delivered to the baskets B which are supported `on the basket support or carrier 98. I-

When a pair of baskets have become filled, the carrier or support 98 may be rotated to position another pair of `baskets beneaththe hoppers 95 and this operationvmay take place without stopping the picking table 88.

What I claim is:

A' berry cleaning and sizing machine comprising a frame structure, a receiving hopper in said frame, a horizontal feeding conveyor below said hopper, an endless debris carrier inclined to the vertical and disposed forwardly of saidfeeding conveyor, a blower rearwardly of said feeding conveyor 'for creating an air draft between said feeding conveyor and said carrier in the same direction as the movement of. the upper run of said carrier to thereby remove light debris from the berries and force such light debris forwardly and upwardly, a debris collector forwardly of said carrier, said collector having an intake opening underlying the upper run of said carrier, a movable endless perforate sizing member below said carrier for receiving the berries gravitating downwardly of the latter, and a collector between the upper and lower runs of said' sizing member,l an endless picking member disposed with an end thereof beneath the discharge end lofsaid sizing member, said sizing member including horizontal upper and lower runs, a forward run having an upper portion extending downwardly and rearwardly at an acute angle to said upper run,

and a lower portion extending downwardly and forwardly at an obtuse angle from said upper portion, and a rear run extending between thev rear ends of said lower and upper runs, the angle l between the upper and lower portions of said forward run providing a space whereby the rear end of a picking member may be extended rearwardly beneath said upper run. I

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