A machine for plucking hops

摘要

449,535. Plucking hops. HINDS, G. A., 11, The Lees, Malvern, and McCONNEL, F. W., Barbers, Martley, both in Worcestershire. Dec. 22, 1934, Nos. 36853 /34 and 17027 /35. [Class 6 (iii)] Hops are plucked from hop bines hung on hooks 12, that are carried across a plucking chamber by a. conveyer, by comb-like members h moved downwards past the hanging bines by endless conveyer chains. The notches in the members h forming the combs are so narrow that only the thin stems in the immediate neighbourhood of the flowers can be engaged by them. The hooks 12 are provided with rollers 10 engaging a guide bar 11, the rollers and thus the hooks being caused to rotate by this engagement as the hooks traverse the chamber : the rollers and hooks are hung by rods 9 from an endless chain conveyer 4. The guide rail 11 is moved backwards and forwards as the bines are carried through the chamber by a lever 14 rocked in the one direction by the engagement of a cam 18 with a stop 17 on a lever 15 to which it is connected by a link 19 and in the other by a counterweight 20. The comb-like members h are carried bv brackets on sleeves x on rods extending between the vertical endless chains t. Auxiliary plucking members k project forwardly from the members h being carried on brackets l projecting from bearers y. An air current from a fan r is directed across the chamber, louvres q controlling the current being actuated in synchronism with the swinging of the bines.