Apparatus for bunching broccoli

Claim 2

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables having a head and a stalk, comprising: first means forming a first loop extending between a first position and a second position; vegetable carrying means affixed to said first means at equal intervals so as to be carried around said first loop thereby, said carrying means including a vegetable head-holding portion and vegetable stalk-holding portion, said stalk-holding portion including a pair of upstanding arms forming a stalk receiving slot and adapted to carry banding means stretched thereacross; second means forming a second loop extending between said second position and a third position intermediate said first and second positions and disposed above said first means, said second means having a plurality of clamping elements affixed thereto at intervals corresponding to the spacing between adjacent one of said carrying means, said second means being positioned relative to said first means such that some of said clamping elements mate with said vegetable carrying means at a point proximate said third position and remain in such mating relationship until the mated carrying means reaches said second position; first drive means for driving said first and second means in synchronism; and trimming means disposed at a fourth position proximate said third position and between said third position and said second position so as to trim the ends of stalks carried by said carrying means and extending beyond said stalk-holding portion, said fourth position being separated from said second position by a distance long enough to enable the banding means to be removed from said upstanding members and placed about the trimmed ends of the stalks.

Claim 3

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 1 wherein said stalk-holding portion of said carrying means is spaced from said head-holding portion, and wherein said second means is aligned relative to said first means such that said clamping elements mate with said carrying means in the space separating said head-holding portion and said stalk-holding portion.

Claim 4

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 2 wherein said clamping elements are in the form of generally C-shaped rods having their midpoints affixed to said second means and their extremities extending outwardly away from said second means.

Claim 5

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 1 wherein said trimming means includes a motor driven saw blade aligned relative to said first means so as to trim the stalks of vegetables carried by said carrying means at a predetermined distance from the side of said stalk-holding portion opposite said head-holding portion.

Claim 6

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 1 and further comprising means forming a track for guiding said carrying means as they are moved from said first position to said second position and wherein said carrying means includes means for slideably engaging said track means.

Claim 7

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and tying vegetables as recited in claim 1 and further comprising: third means forming a third loop extending from said first position to a fifth position proximate said third position and having a plurality of support members affixed thereto and spaced therealong at intervals corresponding to the spacing between adjacent ones of said carrying means; and drive means for driving said third means in synchronism with said first means such that said support means are positioned adjacent said stalk support means so as to support the untrimmed stalk ends extending outside of carrying means as said stalks are carried from said first position toward said fifth position.

Claim 8

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 6 wherein said stalk-holding portion of said carrying means is spaced from said head-holding portion, and wherein said second means is aligned relative to said first means such that said clamping elements mate with said carrying means in the space separating said head-holding portion and said stalk-holding portion.

Claim 9

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 7 and further comprising means forming a track for guiding said carrying means as they are moved from said first position to said second position and wherein said carrying means includes means for slidably engaging said track means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 8 wherein said clamping elements are in the form of generally C-shaped rods having their midpoints affixed to said second means and their extremities extending outwardly away from said second means.

Claim 11

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 9 wherein said trimming means includes a motor driven saw blade aligned relative to said first means so as to trim the stalks of vegetables carried by said carrying means at a predetermined distance from the side of said stalk-holding portion opposite said head-holding portion.

Claim 12

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables having a head and a stalk, comprising: first means forming a first loop extending between a first position and a second position; vegetable carrying means affixed to said first means at equal intervals so as to be carried around said first loop thereby, said carrying means including a vegetable head-holding portion and a vegetable stalk-holding portion, said stalk-holding portion including a pair of upstanding arms forming a stalk receiving slot; second means forming a second loop extending between said second position and a third position intermediate said first and second positions and disposed above said first means, said second means having a plurality of clamping elements affixed thereto at intervals corresponding to the spacing between adjacent ones of said carrying means, said second means being positioned relative to said first means such that some of said clamping elements mate with said vegetable carrying means at a point proximate said third position and remain in such mating relationship until the mated carrying means reaches said second position; first device means for driving said first and second means in synchronism; trimming means disposed at a fourth position proximate said third position and between said third position and said second position so as to trim the ends of stalks carried by said carrying means and extending beyond said stalk-holding portion; third means forming a third loop extending from said first position to a fifth position proximate said third position and having a plurality of support members affixed thereto and spaced therealong at intervals corresponding to the spacing between adjacent ones of said carrying means; and drive means for driving said third means in synchronism with said first means such that said support means are positioned adjacent said stalk support means so as to support the untrimmed stalk ends extending outside of said carrying means as said stalks are carried from said first position toward said fifth position.

Claim 13

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables having a head and a stalk, comprising: first means forming a first loop extending between a first position and a second position; vegetable carrying means affixed to said first means at equal intervals so as to be carried around said first loop thereby, said carrying means including a vegetable head-holding portion and a vegetable stalk-holding portion, said stalk-holding portion including a pair of upstanding arms forming a stalk receiving slot; second means forming a second loop extending between said second position and a third position intermediate said first and second positions and disposed above said first means, said second means having a plurality of clamping elements affixed thereto at intervals corresponding to the spacing between adjacent ones of said carrying means, said second means being positioned relative to said first means such that some of said clamping elements mate with said vegetable carrying means at a point proximate said third position and remain in such mating relationship until the mated carrying means reaches said second position; first device means for driving said first and second means in synchronism; trimming means disposed at a fourth position proximate said third position and between said third position and said second position so as to trim the ends of stalks carried by said carrying means and extending beyond said stalk-holding portion; third means forming a third loop extending from said first position to a fifth position proximate said third position and having a plurality of support members affixed thereto and spaced therealong at intervals corresponding to the spacing between adjacent ones of said carrying means; and drive means for driving said third means in synchronism with said first means such that said support means are positioned adjacent said stalk support means so as to support the untrimmed stalk ends extending outside of said carrying means as said stalks are carried from said first position toward said fifth position.

Claim 14

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 11 wherein said clamping elements are in the form of generally C-shaped rods having their midpoints affixed to said second means and their extremities extending outwardly away from said second means.

Claim 15

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 11 wherein said trimming means includes a motor driven saw blade aligned relative to said first means so as to trim the stalks of vegetables carried by said carrying means at a predetermined distance from the side of said stalk-holding portion opposite said head-holding portion.

Claim 16

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 11 and further comprising means forming a track for guiding said carrying means as they are moved from said first position to said second position and wherein said carrying means includes means for slideably engaging said track means.

Claim 17

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 11 wherein said stalk-holding portion of said carrying means is spaced from said head-holding portion, and wherein said second means is aligned relative to said first means such that said clamping elements mate with said carrying means in the space separating said head-holding portion and said stalk-holding portion.

Claim 18

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 15 and further comprising means forming a track for guiding said carrying means as they are moved from said first position to said second position and wherein said carrying means includes means for slideably engaging said track means.

Claim 19

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 16 wherein said trimming means includes a motor driven saw blade aligned relative to said first means so as to trim the stalks of vegetables carried by said carrying means at a predetermined distance from the side of said stalk-holding portion opposite said head-holding portion.

Claim 20

Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables as recited in claim 17 wherein said clamping elements are in the form of generally C-shaped rods having their midpoints affixed to said second means and their extremities extending outwardly away from said second means.