# US 10,440,891 B2 · Apparatus for separating plant material from a harvested plant > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,440,891 B2 - Document ID: US10440891B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/653,244 - Filed: 2017-07-18 - Published: 2019-01-24 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-18 - Applicants: Peter Ryan Hall - Inventors: Peter Ryan Hall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10440891B2 ## CPC - A01F 7/067: {with material-flow influencing means} - A01F 12/184: {Cleaning means} - A01F 12/56: Driving mechanisms for the threshing parts - A01F 12/58: Control devices; Brakes; Bearings - A23N 15/00: Machines or apparatus for other treatment of fruits or vegetables for human purposes; Machines or apparatus for topping or skinning flower bulbs {(treatment of coffee, other than drying or roasting A23F; treatment of cocoa A23G1/02)} - A23N 15/02: for stemming, piercing, or stripping fruit {(for household appliances A47J21/00)}; Removing sprouts of potatoes - A01F: PROCESSING OF HARVESTED PRODUCE; HAY OR STRAW PRESSES; DEVICES FOR STORING AGRICULTURAL OR HORTICULTURAL PRODUCE (devices for topping or skinning onions or flower bulbs A23N15/08) - A23N: MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING- STUFFS (machines for cutting straw or fodder A01F29/00; disintegrating, e.g. shredding, B02C; severing, e.g. cutting, splitting, slicing B26B, B26D) ## Abstract An apparatus for separating plant material from a stem of a harvested plant includes a frame and a planar sheet attached to the frame having a thickness thereof and an aperture therethrough that has a length defining a longitudinal axis and a width equal to or greater than the thickness of the planar sheet, the width being operable to receive the stem when the stem is pushed through the aperture but to sever the plant material extending from the stem; and a motor-driven blade defining a cutting edge dimensioned for sweeping adjacent to one side of the planar sheet, the cutting edge being aligned with the longitudinal axis when adjacent to the aperture and operable to disintegrate a portion of the stem that protrudes through the aperture to the one side as the stem is pushed through the aperture. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for separating plant material from a stem of a harvested plant, the apparatus having a frame, the apparatus comprising: (a) a planar sheet attached to the frame, the planar sheet having a thickness thereof and an aperture therethrough, the aperture having a length defining a longitudinal axis and a width equal to or greater than the thickness of the planar sheet, the width being operable to receive the stem when the stem is pushed through the aperture but operable to sever the plant material extending from the stem; and (b) a motor-driven blade defining a cutting edge dimensioned for sweeping adjacent to one side of the planar sheet, the cutting edge being aligned with the longitudinal axis when adjacent to the aperture and operable to cut a portion of the stem that protrudes through the aperture to the one side as the stem is pushed through the aperture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the planar sheet is sloped in a downwardly sloped direction toward a front of the apparatus, the planar sheet defining a path from the aperture in the downwardly sloped direction that is uninterrupted along the planar sheet for diverting the plant material that has been severed from the stem toward the front. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a receiving tray attached at the front of the apparatus to at least one of the planar sheet and the frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the receiving tray defines left, right and front sides thereof, at least one of the left, right and front sides being open-walled, and wherein the receiving tray comprises an entry adjacent the planar sheet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the width of the aperture is equal to or greater than twice the thickness of the planar sheet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cover slidably coupled to the planar sheet and resiliently urged to cover the aperture. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the cover defines a beveled edge parallel to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the apparatus comprises a stopper for limiting a sliding distance of the cover. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a pair of said covers resiliently urged in opposing directions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the edge of each said cover is beveled, each said beveled edge being aligned with the longitudinal axis, and wherein the apparatus comprises stoppers for limiting sliding distances of the covers, respectively. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of said apertures having a plurality of corresponding lengths along a plurality of corresponding axes, respectively, the cutting edge being aligned with said corresponding axis when the cutting edge is adjacent said each aperture. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the plurality of apertures have a plurality of corresponding widths different from each other to accommodate a plurality of stem sizes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of covers slidably coupled to the planar sheet and resiliently urged to cover the plurality of apertures. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein each said cover defines a beveled edge parallel to one said corresponding axis, and wherein the apparatus comprises stoppers for limiting sliding distances of the covers, respectively. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the planar sheet is sloped in a downwardly sloped direction toward a front of the apparatus, the planar sheet defining a path from each said aperture in the downwardly sloped direction that does not intersect any other said aperture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a receiving tray attached at the front of the apparatus to at least one of the planar sheet and the frame. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the receiving tray defines left, right and front sides thereof, at least one of the left, right and front sides being open-walled, and wherein the receiving tray comprises an entry adjacent the planar sheet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16 wherein one of the left, right and front sides is open-walled.