APPARATUS FOR PREP ARING THE RECEPTACLES AND FRUITS OF BRACTATEDPLANTS, PARTICULARLY ARTICHOKES

摘要

1279867 Apparatus for preparing artichokes SOC D'INTERET COLLECTIF AGRICOLE MARCHE DE VENTE AUX ENCHERES DU NORD-FINISTRERE 16 July 1969 [26 July 1968 23 May 1969] 35860/69 Heading A4C Apparatus for preparing the receptacles of leafy plants, particularly artichokes, the apparatus comprising a receptacle support, a blowing head for removing the leaves, a suction holder for thereafter picking up the receptacle from the support, and a machining device for shaping the receptacle bottom. In a first embodiment, Figs.2-6 (not shown) and Fig.1, a plurality of working units are mounted on a system 3 rotating about a hollow column 2 serving as a pressurized fluid reservoir for blowing heads 22 and for connection of suction holders 40 to a suction source. A working unit comprises a tubular receptacle support 32, mounted on a parallelogram linkage moved via contact of linkage 36, 37 with a can on a stationary bedplate 1, a blowing head 22, rotating about a vertical axis and having a side arm with a nozzle directed radially to said axis, a side arm with a tangential nozzle, and having two rows of nozzles, the nozzles in one row being parallel to said vertical axis and those in the other row being inclined to said axis, the working unit further comprising a suction holder 40, rotatable about an axis through itself and mounted on an arm rotatable about a spindle 41a secured to an arm 16 carrying head 22, and a machining device. After removal of the leaves and choke the receptacle bottom is cut off from the stem by a knife 39 the bottom then being picked up by holder 40 which is rotated about spindle 41a towards the machining device which comprises a straight blade 54, Fig. 5 (not shown) or a rotating circular blade (54a) Fig. 6 (not shown) the operative position of either type of blade being determined by contact of a feeler 60 with the receptacle, feeler 60 adjusting the position of a cam surface (64) Figs.5, 6 (not shown) engaged by the blade as it executes a partial rotation about the axis of a spindle 57 caused to oscillate by linkage 61, 62 actuated by a cam 63 on bedplate 1. After machining the receptacle bottom is removed from holder 40 by an ejector 56. In a second embodiment Fig.7 after removal of the leaves and choke by a blowing head and severing of the receptacle bottom from its stem, the bottom is picked up from a support 101 by a suction holder 40a. A spider 96 rotating about a shaft 90, comprises a plurality of double arms 97 between the ends of which are pivots 98 each supporting a rotatable support 100 for a holder 40a. As spider 96 rotates each support engages and rolls on a cam 103 thus positioning holder 40a for machining of the receptacle by a cylindrical blade 54b which rotates about an axis co-axial with the axis of rotation of Spider 96.