GB1273972A - Improvements in apparatus for topping carrots, parsnips and other elongated vegetables - Google Patents

Abstract

1,273,972. Apparatus for topping vegetables. SORTEX-BRETTEN Ltd. May 14, 1969 [Feb. 16, 1968], No.7703/68. Heading A4C. Apparatus for topping elongated vegetables, such as carrots and parsnips, comprises an elongated linear conveyer, having two moving, spaced, endless wires 1, for feeding vegetables, "crown first", to a transverse stop 4, 9), a transverse vertical blade 12 with an inclined lower cutting edge 13 located adjacent the downstream end of the conveyer and upstream of the stop, a cradle 14, 15, having a part 14 narrower than the spacing of wires 1 and located normally below a top run of wires 1, the cradle being on one end of a lever (16, 18), Fig. 2 (not shown) movable by a driver (20), Fig. 2 (not shown), actuated by a detector responsive to the proximity of a vegetable with the stop, for moving a vegetable, abutting the stop against the blade to severe the vegetable crown 10. Driver 20 is a solenoid actuated via a variable-delay relay by a photo-electric device 22, 23 between blade 12 and the stop, the stop comprising a pivoted plate 4, adjustable in position by a screw 7, with spaced wires 9 extending upwards from the plate edges, the wires 9 abutting against the vegetable on either side of a central part 11 of its crown 10. The topped vegetable is directed into a receiver by a guide (21), Fig. 2 (not shown). Topped vegetables may be selectively directed according to size to one of a plurality of receivers by deflectors selectively operated by a series of photo-electric sensors 25 detecting the vegetabletail position as the crown abuts stop 4. In an alternative embodiment, Figs.3 and 4 (not shown), the solenoid delay relay system is actuated by a biassed micro-switch (27) with an actuating lever (28) momentarily engaged by each vegetable, and the stop comprises a plate (31), Fig. 4 (not shown)having a slot(32) into which acrowncentre 11 can pass. The plate (31) is located on a hood (29) of a suction duct (30), blade 12 being fixed to hood (29) above plate (31). Suction through duct (30) from a fan tends to hold a vegetable against plate (31). During topping, the cradle moves the vegetable-crown across the downstream side of blade 12 within hood (29), the severed crown falling down duct (30).