US914502A - Fruit-picker. - Google Patents

Description

G. L. NIKON.

4 FRUIT Henn. .APPLIOATION FILEDV APE. 27, 190B.

Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

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@DATES GEORGE LA NIXON, OF PORTLAND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH W. BROWN, OF PORTLAND, INDANA.

FRUT-PICKER Specification of Letters lPatent.

Application filed April 27, 1908.

Patented March. 9, 1909.

Serial No. 429,346.

To all odio/m it may concern:

Be it known that l, Gnonon L. Nixon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county ci J ay and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Pickers, of which the following is specification.

This invention relates to that class of fruit-pickers which are equipped with cooperating cutting jaws for detaching the fruit, and with a bag into which the fruit may be received without danger o bruising; and it has for its objects to simplify and improve the construction and operation oit this class of devices; further objects being to provide improved means rior bracing the stationary cutting jaw and for supporting a claw, which is utilized for the purpose ot detaching small fruits, suoli as cherries and plums.

lVith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred torni oi. the invention; it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the invention, may be resorted to when desired.

1n the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fruit-picker constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view ot' the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of the claw used for detaching small fruits. F ig. 1 is a detail view, in elevation, out a portion or' the device.

Corresponding parts in the several iigures are denoted by like characters of reference.

Upon the upper end or' a stick or handle 5 of suitable dimensions is secured a head 6 which has been shown as being formed with a socket 7 for the reception of the shouldered or tenoned upper extremity of the handle. The head 6 is provided with upward-extending side flanges 8, 8 affording bearings for the pivoted j aw 9 and for a plurality of independently pivoted hoops 10, 10, which are disposed below the jaw 9. A stationary hoop 11 extends laterally from the head 6 below the lowermost hoop 10; and a hoop 12, which constitutes the stationary jaw of the device, extends upwardly from the head, adjacent to the pivoted jaw 9. rPhe several hoops constituting the stationary and pivoted jaws and the stationary and pivoted hoops just enumerated may be advantageously formed ot course steel wire; and the stationary hoop 11, together with the sta tionary jaw 12, may be very conveniently formed or constructed of a single piece of wire, bent to forni the two hoop- shaped members 11 and 12 at approximately right angles to one another, thus constituting a frame which is further provided at the angles thereof with downward extending arms 13, having terminal eyes 14 for the passage ot a pin or fastening member 15, which extends transversely through the socketed head, and assists in securing the latter upon the stick or handle. Y

A U-shaped wire brace 16 extends through suitable apertures in the flanges 8, and the arms or side members of said brace converge adjacent to the stationary jaw 12, which latter is flattened in its upper portion to enable it to support a cutting blade 17, which may be secured in position by means of rivets 1S; the blade 17 is connected with the upper converging portion of the U- shaped brace 16 by means of a bolt 19, which latter also serves to attach in position a claw 20, which has been shown as being formed of a piece of wire, bent or doubled upon itself and connected by means of sleeves 21, said claw being provided with divergent terminal blades 22 having cutting edges 23, which may be usefully employed for the purpose of detaching small fruit. The pivoted jaw 9 carries a cutting blade 2-1 which cooperates with the blade 17 upon the stationary jaw for the purpose of detaching fruits such' as apples and pears from the trees.

The laterally extending stationary hoop 11 carries a bag or receptacle 25; and said stationary hoop is connected with the pivoted jaw 9 and with the intermediate pivoted hoops 10 by a iiexible, collapsible covering 26, which may be formed of netting, t xtile material or the like. Collapsible guards 27 also connect the stationary with the pivoted jaw, and a hood or guard 28, preferably of wire netting, is secured upon the stationary aw 12 and the brace 16.

The pivoted jaw 9 is equipped with an arm 29 projecting intermediate the flanges 8 of the head, and said arm is connected by a suitable guided link 30 with a sleeve or collar 3l slidable upon the handle 5; an actuating spring 32 being suitably arranged to operate upon the link 30 in such amanner that the pivoted jaw will be normally thrown open by the action of said spring; that is to say, the action of the spring tends to move the pivoted jaw away from the stationary jaw.

The operation and advantages of this improved implement will be readily understood from the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawing. The device is manipulated by the handle and the jaws, which are normally held in open relation by the action of the spring are made to seize the fruit which will thus be detached and dropped into the bag or receptacle, the movement of the pivoted jaw being effected by sliding the sleeve 8l downward upon the handle. Small fruits may be detached by means of the claw 20, without actuating the pivoted jaw. The inner portions of the jaws may be protected by soft cushioning material, as indicated at 33, to prevent bruising of the fruit.

Having thus described the invention, what` is claimed is i l. In a device of the class described, a

head having side flanges, an upward extend head having side flanges, a laterally extending stationary hoop and an upward extending stationary jaw secured upon the head, a spring-actuated jaw pivoted upon the head, collapsible guards connecting the pivoted jaw with the stationary jaw and with the stationary hoop, cutting blades upon the jaws, a brace extending from the head to the cutting blade upon the stationary jaw, a iruit-detaching claw adjacent to the cutting blade, and means connecting the claw, the blade, and the brace.

3. In a device of the class described, a handle having a terminal tenon, a socketed head engaging the tenon and having side ianges, and a `frame secured upon the head and constituting a laterally-extending stationary hoop and an upward-extending stationary jaw, said frame being provided with arms disposed adjacent to the head and having terminal eyes, and a fastening member extending through said eyes and connecting the head with the handle.

L1. In a device of the class described, a handle, a flanged head secured upon the handle, a frame secured upon the head and constitutingia laterally-extending hoop and an upward extending stationary jaw, a spring-actuated jaw pivoted upon the head intermediate the stationary jaw and the stationary hoop and provided with an arm eX- tending between the flanges of the head, a sleeve slidable upon the handle, a link connecting the sleeve with the arm of the pivoted jaw, collapsible guards connecting the pivoted jaw with the stationary hoop and with the stationary jaw, o o-acting cutting blades upon the jaws, a brace connecting the blade upon the stationary jaw with the head, and a hood secured upon the brace and the stationary jaw.

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

GEORGE L. NIKON.

Titnesses OMER S. WHrrnMAN, JOSEPH W. BROWN.

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