Apparatus for field sleeving of lettuce and other vegetables

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention pertains generally to the field of agriculture, and more particularly to vegetable and produce harvesting and the field-sleeving of produce in protective plastic sleeves prior to packing.

#2. Description of the Background Art

#FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of sleever assembly (10) of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of sleever assembly (10) of FIG. 1, shown attached to the lower leg of the user by leg strap (73) and belt strap (69);

#FIG. 3(a) is a top view of frame assembly (11);

#Referring now to FIG. 1, sleever assembly 10 of the present invention is shown. Sleever assembly 10 may be worn attached to the front of either lower leg by wrapping and securing leg strap 73 around the calf, and attaching and suspending belt strap 69 from the waist. Sleever assembly 10 is used in the harvesting of vegetables and other produce, where each product is individually sleeved or wrapped prior to shipping. Individual sleeving is particularly useful in the shipping of lettuce, where the leaves can easily be damaged in packing. Individual sleeving also tends to allow the lettuce product to retain water thereby prolonging shipping life.

#The structural support for sleever assembly 10 is provided by frame 31. Frame 31 is constructed of sheet steel, and bent to form a three-sided "U". Three hangars 38,41 project from the frame to support a reservoir of 200 or more sleeves 17. The hangars 38,41 project through holes 42 in the top of the sleeves, and the holes 42 permit an individual sleeve 13 to be selected and removed from the hangar by pulling sleeve 13 away from the frame. Prior to completely removing sleeve 13 from hangars 38,41 the sleeve may be opened at the top to expose a mouth 15, into which the lettuce or other vegetable product may be inserted. The product is pushed to the sleeve bottom 19, and the sleeve 13 is then removed from hangars 38,41. Following removal of sleeve 13 from hangars 38,41, a new sleeve is selected and opened.

#A feature of the present invention is the protection which frame assembly 11 provides to the product and sleeves 17 from wind and dirt. Attached to the sides of frame 31 is a plastic front shroud 33 which descends from the frame approximately the length of sleeve 13 and provide a protective enclosure sufficiently large to hold sleeve 13 containing inserted product. The front shroud 33 joins near the sleeve bottom 19 at shroud seal 35, and can be opened to allow easy insertion of sleeves 17. Front shroud is preferably made of flexible 1/8th plastic sheeting, although a variety of other materials could be equivalently used. Shroud seal 35 is formed using VELCRO-type eye-and-hook connecting strips. A large section of the front of frame assembly 11 from above shroud seal 35 to sleeve mouth 15 remains open to permit easy removal of the product following sleeving.