Patent US3630355A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3630355A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Suction cleaning apparatus for discrete conveyor loads
Assignee: FMC Corp
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Filing: 1969-05-15
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Granted: 1971-12-28
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Expires: 1989-05-15
Abstract
Abstract A nut harvester has an elevator housing with a bucket conveyor therein. A suction duct has an inlet opening adjacent the conveyor. The conveyor buckets, which have vented bottoms, pass through a throat one at a time as they approach the duct inlet, and a flexible flap stretches over the bucket to define with the throat and bucket a chamber at the inlet opening through which debris from the bucket is drawn.
Inventors
- 👤 William M Christensen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 20:09
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D51/00; A01D51/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
In a nut-harvesting machine having an elevator housing and having a bucket elevator in the housing, said elevator having a plurality of buckets with vented bottoms and upstanding back plates, means defining a suction duct having an inlet opening adjacent the fronts of said bucket elevator, means defining a throat at the upstream side of the opening to closely receive a bucket approaching the inlet opening, said throat defined by a front plate connected to the bottom of the upstream end of said suction duct and by the sidewalls of the elevator housing, a flexible flap connected to the top of the upstream end of said suction duct and extending therefrom in closely spaced relation to the housing sidewalls to engage the backplate of an approaching bucket, said flap defining a chamber with the throat and bucket whereby air may be drawn through the bucket and remove debris from the nuts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
In a nut-harvesting machine having an elevator housing and having a bucket elevator in the housing, said elevator having a plurality of buckets with vented bottoms and upstanding back plates, means defining a suction duct having an inlet opening adjacent the fronts of said bucket elevator, means defining a throat at the upstream side of the opening to closely receive a bucket approaching the inlet opening, said throat defined by a front plate connected to the bottom of the upstream end of said suction duct and by the sidewalls of the elevator housing, a flexible flap connected to the top of the upstream end of said suction duct and extending therefrom in closely spaced relation to the housing sidewalls to engage the backplate of an approaching bucket, said flap defining a chamber with the throat and bucket whereby air may be drawn through the bucket and remove debris from the nuts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
100 words
In a harvesting apparatus, a housing defining a restricted passage, a plurality of crop-carrying vented buckets movable along a path through said restricted passage and in closely spaced relation thereto, means defining a suction opening adjacent said restricted passage, and a flexible flap extending across the path of the buckets beyond said suction opening to define with a bucket moving through said restricted passage a suction chamber in communication with said suction opening for the suction removal of debris from the moving bucket, said flap yieldable to permit passage of the moving bucket after the bucket passes said suction opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
100 words
In a harvesting apparatus, a housing defining a restricted passage, a plurality of crop-carrying vented buckets movable along a path through said restricted passage and in closely spaced relation thereto, means defining a suction opening adjacent said restricted passage, and a flexible flap extending across the path of the buckets beyond said suction opening to define with a bucket moving through said restricted passage a suction chamber in communication with said suction opening for the suction removal of debris from the moving bucket, said flap yieldable to permit passage of the moving bucket after the bucket passes said suction opening.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
99 words
In a nut-harvesting machine, a bucket elevator having a housing and having an endless loop of vented buckets in the housing means defining a throat in the housing to closely confine buckets moving upwardly through said throat, means defining a suction opening above said throat, and a yieldable member extending across the housing in closely spaced relation to the sides thereof, said member positioned above said opening to define a vacuum chamber above a bucket moving through the throat, said chamber in communication with the suction opening to draw debris from said buckets as they move through the throat.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
In a nut-harvesting machine, a bucket elevator having a housing and having an endless loop of vented buckets in the housing means defining a throat in the housing to closely confine buckets moving upwardly through said throat, means defining a suction opening above said throat, and a yieldable member extending across the housing in closely spaced relation to the sides thereof, said member positioned above said opening to define a vacuum chamber above a bucket moving through the throat, said chamber in communication with the suction opening to draw debris from said buckets as they move through the throat.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
In a harvesting apparatus, a bucket elevator comprising an endless loop of vented buckets, a housing to receive said loop of buckets, said housing having at least one portion closely spaced to the front and to the sides of a bucket moving through said portion, means defining a suction opening at said portion of the housing, and a yieldable member extending across the path of said buckets above said opening in closely spaced relation to the housing to define with the housing and bucket a vacuum chamber in communication with said suction opening.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
In a harvesting apparatus, a bucket elevator comprising an endless loop of vented buckets, a housing to receive said loop of buckets, said housing having at least one portion closely spaced to the front and to the sides of a bucket moving through said portion, means defining a suction opening at said portion of the housing, and a yieldable member extending across the path of said buckets above said opening in closely spaced relation to the housing to define with the housing and bucket a vacuum chamber in communication with said suction opening.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3227276A
Cited
US3428172A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-27 | 1975-06-28 | 1975-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-27 | 1979-06-28 | 1979-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-27 | 1983-06-28 | 1983-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |