Centrifugal orbital flower cutter with an iris blade follower
AssigneeMarjo Engineering, LLC
InventorJohn Timothy Sullivan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A harvester for removing cannabis flower from stalks includes a blade follower iris that adjusts the size of the flower-stripping opening to correspond to the diameter of the stalk. The size of the opening may be controlled by centrifugal and spring forces that cause the iris to open and close. In addition, an improved stalk-pulling belt drive conveyor system utilizes two relatively floating, releasably coupled belt systems to pinch and pull the stalk through the blade follower iris.
Claims20
Apparatus for stripping cannabis flower from a stem, branch, or stalk of a cannabis plant, comprising:
- a cutting assembly that includes at least two movable plates that cooperate to form an opening through which the stem, branch, or stalk is pulled, wherein edges of the opening engage the stem, branch, or stalk to cut the cannabis flower from the stem, branch or stalk, wherein movement of the plates in response to a first force in first diametrically opposed direction increases a size of the opening, and wherein movement of the two movable plates in second diametrically opposed directions opposite the first diametrically opposed directions in response to a second force overcomes the first force to decrease the size of the opening until edges of the opening engage the stem, branch or stalk as it is pulled through the opening;
- a stalk pulling assembly that includes at least two stalk pulling conveyor belt systems including conveyor belts configured to pinch the stalk, stem, or branch, wherein a first of the two conveyor belt systems floats relative to a second of the two conveyor belt systems to enable a spacing between the belts at a pinch point to vary with a diameter of the stalk, stem, or branch.
Apparatus for stripping cannabis flower from a stem, branch, or stalk of a cannabis plant, comprising:
- a cutting assembly that includes an iris for adjusting a size of an opening through which the stem, branch, or stalk is pulled to strip the cannabis flower;
- a stalk pulling assembly that includes at least two stalk pulling conveyor belt systems including conveyor belts configured to pinch the stalk, stem, or branch and pull it through the cutting assembly, wherein a first of the two conveyor belt systems floats relative to a second of the two conveyor belt systems to enable a spacing between the belts at a pinch point to vary with a diameter of the stalk, stem, or branch.
Apparatus for stripping cannabis flower from a stem, branch, or stalk of a cannabis plant, comprising:
- a cutting assembly that includes at least two movable plates that cooperate to form an opening through which the stem, branch, or stalk is pulled, wherein edges of the opening engage the stem, branch, or stalk to cut the cannabis flower from the stem, branch or stalk, wherein movement of the plates in response to a first force in first diametrically opposed direction increases a size of the opening, and wherein movement of the two movable plates in second diametrically opposed directions opposite the first diametrically opposed directions in response to a second force overcomes the first force to decrease the size of the opening until edges of the opening engage the stem, branch or stalk as it is pulled through the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.