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US 6,644,905 B1Granted
Bin filler for fruit crops
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
InventorsDonald L. Peterson, Scott D. Wolford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for conveying/dispensing produce susceptible to damage upon impact. The apparatus includes a produce conveyor assembly adapted to receive, transport, and gently deposit produce into an open topped bin or container.
Claims19
An apparatus for gently dispensing produce into a container comprising:
- a. a frame;
- b. an upwardly disposed, revolving conveyor loop supported by said frame;
- c. a plurality of projections extending outwardly from said conveyor loop, said projections being of a sufficient size and extending at an angle effective to support and carry produce thereon as said conveyor revolves before dispensing said produce at approximately the bottom of said loop, and wherein said projections comprise a first inner support adjacent to said conveyor loop and which comprises substantially planar front and back surfaces of sufficient depth for supporting produce thereon, and a second outer retention support having raised portions which extends above the planes of each the front and back surfaces of said first inner support effective for hindering produce on said first inner support from inadvertently rolling thereoff when said first inner support is horizontally disposed;
- d. first and second side walls, one of said side walls being positioned on each side of said conveyor loop and effective for preventing produce from falling off the sides of said projections;
- and
- e. a cover spaced from and extending across at least the lower portion of said conveyor loop on the same side thereof which rotates toward the bottom of said loop, said cover being spaced from said conveyor a distance sufficient to allow the passage of said projections and produce thereon, and further wherein said cover is open at the bottom of said conveyor loop to allow the discharge of produce therefrom;
- and further wherein said conveyor loop, the interior surface of said cover, and said projections are constructed of or covered with a kinetic energy absorbing material.
4 more elements
An apparatus for gently dispensing produce into a container comprising:
- a. a frame;
- b. an upwardly disposed, revolving conveyor loop supported by said frame;
- c. a plurality of projections extending outwardly from said conveyor loop, said projections being of a sufficient size and extending at an angle effective to support and carry produce thereon as said conveyor revolves before dispensing said produce at approximately the bottom of said loop;
- d. first and second side walls, one of said side walls being positioned on each side of said conveyor loop and effective for preventing produce from falling off the sides of said projections;
- e. a cover spaced from and extending across at least the lower portion of said conveyor loop on the same side thereof which rotates toward the bottom of said loop, said cover being spaced from said conveyor a distance sufficient to allow the passage of said projections and produce thereon, and further wherein said cover is open at the bottom of said conveyor loop to allow the discharge of produce therefrom;
- f. a delivery chute effective for dispensing produce onto one of said projections;
- and
- g. a transfer mechanism intermediate said delivery chute and said conveyor loop, said transfer mechanism comprising a rotating shaft and a plurality of radially spaced projections radiating outwardly therefrom, said radially spaced projections comprising a substantially planar surface of a sufficient size effective to support and carry produce thereon, and wherein said transfer mechanism is positioned such that said radially spaced projections are effective for receiving and carrying produce from said delivery chute when one of said projections is adjacent to said delivery chute;
- and further wherein said conveyor loop, the interior surface of said cover, and said projections are constructed of or covered with a kinetic energy absorbing material.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.