Sizing screen with individual row spacing adjustability

Sizing screen apparatus for agricultural produce, comprising an elongate sizing screen having a sizing deck extending longitudinally from a loading end thereof to a final discharge end thereof;

• a supporting frame within which said screen is mounted;
• said screen comprising a longitudinal series of transverse rows of sizing members that are mounted side-by-side in the respective rows on shaft means for rotation;
• longitudinally movable members pivotally mounted in said frame and rotatably receiving said shaft means, respectively, for supporting the respective rows of sizing members, said rows being spaced apart from one another longitudinally of said sizing screen to define respective transverse series of sizing openings for passing therethrough various sized items from a mass of agricultural produce that is loaded on the screen deck at the loading end thereof and that travels on and along said deck toward the discharge end thereof;
• and mechanism for adjusting the extent of the respective spacings longitudinally of said deck between mutually adjoining, individual rows relative to one another, said mechanism comprising longitudinally movable structure mounted on and adjacent to one end of said frame, a series of individual, elongate, connecting members extending side-by-side longitudinally of said screen and connected at one set of their corresponding ends, respectively, to said longitudinally movable structure and at the opposite set of their corresponding ends to said longitudinally movable members, and means for moving said longitudinally movable structure back or forth longitudinally of said screen for simultaneously adjusting the spacings between rows of said sizing members;
• and means for selectively shortening or lengthening the effective lengths of the individual, elongate, connecting members, respectively, to individually adjust the extent of spacings between mutually adjoining rows of said sizing members, said means comprising coactive, length-adjustable means interconnecting said one set of ends, respectively, with said longitudinally movable structure;
• wherein, the individual, elongate, connecting members are rods having the one set of ends that are connected to the longitudinally movable structure threaded;
• and wherein the means for selectively shortening or lengthening the effective lengths of the individual, elongate, connection members include a corresponding series of brackets that are affixed to the longitudinally movable structure and through which the threaded ends of the connecting members are passed, respectively;
• and sets of lock nuts threaded onto said threaded ends, respectively, for effecting the desired lengthwise adjustments and for locking said adjustments in place.