US2197978A - Asparagus washer - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1940.

C. W. HOON ASPARAGUS WASHER Filed May 8, 1937 4 Sheets- Sheef 1 3 15 8 17 9 4 as I 13 INVENTOR C. V V. HOOI'L ATTORNEY April 23, 1940. c. w. HOON ASPARAGUS WASHER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 8, 1937 INVENTOR C. W110 01 ATI'TORNEY April 23, 1940. Q 2,197,978

ASPARAGUS WASHER Filed May 8, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR C. WHOOJL' ATTORNEY April 23, 1940. c. w. HOON ASPARAGUS WASHER Filed May 8; 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 r I. I

II II -J s 7 9 7?; A IN 2 2 9 5 5 3 'INVENTOR C. WHOOJ'Z/ Patented Apr. 23, 1940 ASPARAGUS WASHER Clyde W. Hoon, Rio Vista, Calif. Application May8,'1937, Serial No. 141,499

'7 Claims.

9 Another object is to provide a means, func tioning in conjunction with the washing'of the asparagus, for cutting the stalks to a common length as they pass through the machine, and a means for automatically holding the stalks 15 against relative movement while they are being cut.

These objects I accomplish by -means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following 80 specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure l is'a top plan view of the apparatus,

.25 somewhat diagrammatically displayed on account of the small scale to which it is drawn. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Figure 3 is a similar view on theline 3-3 of 80 Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a similar view on the line i4 of Fig. 1.

It may here be noted that all these sectional views face in the direction of the arrows shown 85 adjacent the section indicating lines.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference von the drawings, the supporting frame of the apparatus consists essentially of horizontal symmetrically crossing beams '40 I which are mounted a suitable distance from the floor on legs or the like (notv shown).

The frame supports a rotary table on which the asparagus is disposed for washing and cutting. This table consists essentially of an end- 45 less circular main band 2, an outer band 3 and an inner band 6-, all said parts being concentric. The radial distance between the outer and inner bands is greater than the lengthof any out asparagus stalks, and the tops of the bands 2 and 50 3 are on the'same level. The band 4 however extends upwardly a considerable distance above the other bands and forms a back stop or locating means for the tips of'asparagus. The bands are all connected in rigid relationship by radial 6!, bars '5 disposed some distance below the top surface of the bands. The band 2 is turnably supported from the supporting frame for movement in a horizontal circular path on a plurality of flanged rollers t which are mounted on a, cire cular band 1' secured on the beams. I.

A plurality of relatively narrow bands 8' set on edge are disposed in spaced relation between the bands 2 and t and are supported on the bars. 5. Other-bands 9 also on edge are supported on the bars 5 and are disposed between the bands 2 and 3. All these bands are on the same level and form in effect a fiat grate on which the asparagus rests. Fromthe above description it'will be seen that the table as a whole is in effect an endless conveyor whose actual width is approximately that or slightly greater than the length of any asparagus stalks.

The above described table is rotated'at a suitable speed by means of an electric motor ill mounted axially of the tableon a supporting platform H built up from the beams i. This motor through a conventional reduction gear unit indicated at [2, drives a shaft I3 which-extends radially of the table and is connected to a bevel pinion it. The shaft adjacent the pinion issupported in a bearing bracket 55 secured on another band It disposed radially inward relative to the inner table band t and ism'ounted on the beams i as shown in Fig. 4:. The pinion engages a downwardly facing internal bevel gear ll secured against the .outer'face of the bandt' adjacent the bottom; said gear being preferably made in sections for ease and economy of man- 'ufacture and installation. The opposite end of the motor shaft is directly connected to another radially' extending drive shaft 18 on the outer end of which is secured a rotary cutter H) of suitable form. The shaft l8 adjacent the cutter is journaled in a bearing bracket 26 supported from the fixed band It as shown in Fig. 2. This cutter overlaps and co operates with the outer face of theband 2,which forms in eifecta stationary cutting blade.

This cutter is disposed in a tunnel 2] adjacent the intake end thereof. This tunnel extends for a certain arcuate portion of the circumference of the table and encloses the same (exceptat 22 and from the band l6 inwardly of the table by straps 23 or the like.

Mounted in the tunnel are horizontal longitudinally extending spray pipes, one such pipe 24 being disposed adjacent the roof of the tunnel and spraying down. Another pipe 25 is mounted under the tunnel and table and sprays upwardly through the grate bars. A third pipe 26 is mounted along the outer side of the tunnel some distance above the table and sprays downwardly and radially toward the asparagus supporting surface of the table as shown in Fig. 3.

The pipes 24 and 25 extend diagonally of the table surface from one end (which is just beyond the cutter) to the discharge end of the tunnel, at which end all the pipes are suitably connected to a valved supply pipe 21. This arrangement is indicated in Fig. 1. A drain trough 28 extends the length and width of the tunnel with a downward slope from the discharge end thereof. All the water as sprayed on the asparagus passing through the tunnel is thus confined and prevented from splashing to the outside and such water together with any dirt, as well as the butt portions of the stalks removed by the cutter l9, fall into the drain trough and are carried away.

In operation, the asparagus to be cut and washed is placed on the table ahead of the tunnel with the tips against the back plate or band 4 and so that the stalks are substantially radial with the table. The diameter of the table is sufficiently great so that when the stalks are thus disposed, adjacent stalks while actually radiating from a common center, are substantially parallel to each other. As the table in its rotation passes through the tunnel carrying the asparagus with it, .the butt portions of the stalks which extend outwardly beyond the band 2 are cut oif by the rapidly revolving cutter, so that all the stalks are then the same length. The stalks are then washed by the various sprays which obviously act on said stalks from all directions, and when passing from the tunnel are removed by an operator stationed at that point and placed in lug boxes or otherwise disposed of.

In order to hold the stalks against relative movement on the table while they are being out, without interfering with the desired ease of initially placing the asparagus on the table or subsequently removing the same, I provide the following means:

Adapted to rest on the asparagus at a point near the band 2 inwardly of the same is a rela tively heavy endless flexible member 29 such as a fiat chain of special form. This chain is supportedat intervals on the outer ends of hangers 30 preferably of wishbone form, whose inner ends are pivoted on the band 4 adjacent the top there of. The weight of the chain when resting on the asparagus is sufiicient to hold the same against relative movement.

In order to raise the chain well clear of the table ahead of and beyond the tunnel, so as not to interfere with the placing or removing of the asparagus, I mount upstanding blunt hook-like elements 3! on the different hangers 30 intermediate their ends, which elements face inwardly of the table. The upper ends of the elements are adapted to ride on a cam rail 32 supported in a fixed position by standards 33 upstanding from the band l6 at intervals. The rail at its ends terminates adjacent the opposite ends of the tunnel, and at said ends is on a level such that the elements 3| are then free of the rail, enabling the chain to exert its unrestrained weight to hold the asparagus down. From said ends however the rail slopes upwardly to a height sufficient to cause the hangers and consequently the chain to'be swung up as in Fig. 4 so as to offer no interference with the asparagus placing or removing operations, which of course are performed from outwardly of the table. This arrangement also causes the desired holding down action to be imparted to the asparagus without any tendency 5 to shift theasparagus one way or the other and which would disturb its desired radial setting. Not only is the holding down of value while the stalks are being cut, but it also prevents the force of the sprays from possibly shifting the position 10 of the asparagus on the table and which would interfere with ease of removal of the asparagus after it has been washed.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein. While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An asparagus treating apparatus comprising a circular table adapted to support a layer of asparagus stalks about its peripheral portion in radiating relation to the axis of the table, a con- F l tinuous band rigid with and upstanding from the table a predetermined distance radially inward from the outer peripheral edge of the table concentric with the axis thereof to form a back stop for engagement with the tips of the asparagus 3i, disposed on the table, means supporting the table for rotation in a horizontal plane, means to rotate the table, and a fixed cutter mounted a predetermined distance radially out from the plane of said band in position to cut off the butt portions '40 of the stalks a predetermined distance from the tip ends thereof.

2. An asparagus treating apparatus comprising a horizontal circular table adapted to support a single layer of asparagus stalks about its periph- 4-5 eral portion in radiating relation to the axis of the table, means to rotate the table, a fixed cutter mounted in position to cut off the butt portions of the stalks, a back stop band on and upstanding from the table a predetermined distance radially 50 in from the cutter to engage the tips of the stalks} an endless flexible and relatively heavy element extending over and about the table between the plane of the cutter and the band and adapted to rest on the asparagus supported on the table, R55

hangers connected at one end to said element at intervals in its length and pivoted at their opposite end on said back stop band of the table for swinging movement in a vertical plane and a cam rail mounted in a fixed position adapted to engage 60 and swing the hangers upwardly to lift the ele.- ment clear of the table except for a predetermined distance from a point ahead of the cutter to one beyond the same.

3. In an asparagus trimming apparatus, an endless conveyor to support a layer of asparagus stalks in side by side relation at rightangles to the longitudinal plane of the conveyor, said conveyor including a pair of traveling longitudinally extending and transversely spaced asparagus sup- "70 porting bands and means to locate the stalks on the conveyor so that each stalk initially extends across both bands and the space therebetween; and a relatively fixed cutter projecting into the space between said bands, one band being of 7 rigid metal and disposed adjacent the cutter to form a cooperating blade.

4. An asparagus trimming machine comprising a rotary table to support a layer of asparagus stalks in radial relation to the axis of the table, said table including a circular band disposed outwardly of the inner periphery of the table and depending from the level thereof, a relatively fixed cutter cooperating with the upper edge of said band on one side, and supporting elements mounted under and engaging the lower edge of said band.

5. An asparagus trimming machine comprising a rotary table to support a layer of asparagus stalks in radial relation to the axis of the table, said table including a circular band disposed outwardly of the inner periphery of the table, radial bars projecting inwardly from said band below the top thereof, additional circular bands supported on said bars and extending to the level of the top of said first named band, and means supsupporting surface of the table concentric with the axis thereof and disposed just radially inward of the cutter, the latter depending below the upper edge of the band whereby said band forms a cooperating cutting element.

7. In an asparagus trimming apparatus, a rotary table for the support of the asparagus to be trimmed, said table'being of relatively large diameter and substantially of ring-dike form and including concentric elements spaced apart radially a distance less than the length of asparagus stalks, a back-stop band upstanding from adjacent and rigid with the radially innermost element for locating engagement with the tips of the stalks and a cutter mounted to overlap the radially outermost element.

CLYDE W. HOON.

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