Improvements in Raisin and like Seeders.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 20th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Raisin and like Seeders.
We, FRANK HOWARD CHASE, Manufacturer, of 51 South Jefferson Street,
and THOMAS EDWARD DOUGHERTY, Gentleman, of 260 Warren Avenue, both
in the City of Chicago, in the County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States
of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in raisin seeders and is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a raisin seeder embodying the invention, portions
being broken away.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of portions thereof on a larger scale the cutting
plane being indicated by the line 3-3, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a face view of the pulp receiver, the pulp ejector and the disk by
which they are carried.
Figure 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6. Figure 3, showing more especially
the cam for operating the plunger, the mechanism for transmitting intermittent
movement to the disc carrying the pulp receiver, and the mechanism for tripping
the dog by which said disk is restrained against movement while the raisin is being
impaled.
Figure 7 is a plan view of a portion of a feeder, the hopper being omitted, and a
portion of the cell-disk being broken away in order to show the opening through
which the raisins are dropped into the cradle.
Figures 8 and 9 are sections of the feeder on the lines 8-8 and 9-9, respectively,
Figure 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.
Figure 10 is a perspective view on a larger scale of a fragment of the pulp
receiver and of the disk by which it is carried.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of the pulp ejectors.
Figure 12 is an elevation showing in detail the mechanism for transmitting
movement to and for dogging the disk by which the pulp receiver is carried.
Figure 13 is a vertical section of portions of a machine embodying in its
preferred form the means for intermittently rotating the disk by which the pulp
receiver is carried and the means for adjusting the co-operating seeding devices
with relation to each other.
Figure 14 is a diagram showing the manner in which the transmitting mechanism
shown in Figure 13 operates.
In the machine shown in the accompanying drawings there is a reciprocating
plunger 1 Figures 2, 3 and 13 carrying ore of the seedling devices, the co-operating
seeding device (or a series of them) being carried by a part to which an intermittent
movement is given; a cradle 4 by which the raisin is supported between the seeding
devices until it is impaled, and a feeder by which the raisins are dropped one at a
time into the cradle. The sceding device carried by the plunger consists of an
elastic pad 2, and the co-operating seeding devices carried by the intermittently
The movement
movable part consist of the pulp receivers 3 Figures 3, 5 and 10.
of the several parts is so timed that as the plunger is making its backward stroke
the pulp receiver is moved out of the path of the plunger, past a scraper 5

page_text: Figures 1 and 4, by which the seeds are dislodged, after which the pulp ejector
ejects the pulp, and about the time that the plunger completes its backward stroke
the raisin falls into the cradle and the next pulp receiver reaches its position in the
path of the plunger and is there stopped. The pulp receiver consists essentially of
a series of small pins arranged parallel with each other and preferably in inter-
secting rows at such distances apart that the seed of the raisin cannot enter
between them. They are all secured in a backing 6 of babbit metal or other
suitable material and this backing is in turn secured to the intermittently movable
part 7 Figures 3 and 10 by which they are carried. Preferably the part 7 takes
the form of a disc having where each of the receivers is to be located an
enlargement 8 Figures 3 and 8 and in this enlargement is formed a recess 9
Figures 3 and 10 of such depth that the outer extremities of the pins of which the
receiver is made up terminate in the plane of the face of the disk. The advantage
in having the surfaces of the pins of which the pulp receiver is made up terminate
in the plane of the face of the disk is that it makes it absolutely impossible for any
seeds to adhere to the pulp receiver and be carried past the seed-scraper. The
backing 6 is secured in this recess permanently by a tongue 10 projecting from its
back and through an opening in the back of the enlargement 8. In assembling
these parts the pins are arranged in a perforated block which is co-extensive in
area with the recess 9 and from which projects those portions of the pins which are
shown in the drawing as being embedded in the backing 6, and when this block
and the pins are placed in the recess, the molten metal of which the backing is
made is run through the opening in the back of the disk and fills all the spaces
around the projecting portions of the pins and also the opening, thereby permanently
securing the pins in place.
The plunger preferably consists of a sliding part 11 Figures 3 and 4 which fits
between suitable guides 12 formed upon an arm 13 of the frame of the machine
and a depending head 14 having in its outer face a socket for receiving the elastic
pad 2.
This socket preferably takes the form of an undercut groove 16 closed at
bottom by a flange 15 projecting from the head 14 and forming a support for the
pad, the latter being provided at its edges with tongues 16" that occupy the
grooves. The part 11 of the plunger is provided with a longitudinal slot 17
through which projects a screw bolt 18 between whose head and the top surface of
the plurger is arranged a washer 19, and by these means the plunger is restrained
against horizontal and vertical displacement while being left perfectly free to move
end wise.
The cradle 4 consists of a number of wires or slender rods all secured at one end
to a plate 20 Figures 2, 3 which in turn is secured to the arm 13 of the frame of
the machine. These wires or rods extend nearly to the surface of the pulp
receiver and preferably the head 14 of the plunger and the elastic pad 2 are
provided with perforations each of which is occupied by one of the rods or wires.
So far as we are aware, we are the first to use in a raisin seeder a cradle for
supporting the raisin iu position to be impaled and an impaling device (such as the
pad 2) which extends below the bottom of the cradle, and this is important for the
reason that if the raisin were supported in such position that the impaling device
did not extend below it, when acted upon by the impaling device it would flatten
and squeeze out beyond the bottom of the impaling device so that it would not be
perfectly impaled.
After the pulp receiver has passed the seed scraper 5 the pulp is ejected by the
reciprocable ejector which is shown more clearly in Figure 11. This ejector has a
series of blades or teeth 21 which fit between and alternate with the rows of pins
of which the pulp receiver is made up, a stem 22 occupying a perforation of the
disk 7, whereby it is guided and confined to a strictly rectilinear movement in a
direction perpendicular to the surface of the pulp receiver, and a finger 23
occupying a cam groove 24 Figure 3. The course of this groove is such that
while the pulp receiver is travelling from its position in the front of the plunger
to a position past the seed-scraper the ejector remains in its withdrawn position,

page_text: after which it is projected as shown at a in Figure 3. In its projected position
the surfaces of the tongues or blades 21 are outside of and beyond the outer face
of the pulp receiver and the pulp is free to fall. If, however, it should stick after
this position is reached, it will come in contact with a scraper 25 Figure 4 and be
dislodged, but before the pulp receiver has reached this scraper the cam 24 will
have again withdrawn the ejector.
For the purpose of cleaning, it is desirable that the disk 7 and its accessories be
removable and to this end it is simply slipped onto the shaft 26 and there confined
between a shoulder or collar 27 formed on said shaft, and a nut 28, and in order to
key it to the shaft so that it partakes of the movement thereof any suitable device
may be used. As shown in the drawing the disk is provided with a notch 29
Figure 5 into which projects a tongue 30 formed on the shoulder 27, but any other
suitable means for non-rotatively associating the disk and shaft may be used. The
cam groove is formed partly in an arm 31 Figure 3 of the frame and partly in a
removable ring 32 having a pin 33 which projects into a perforation in said arm
whereby the ring 32 is prevented from turning. In other words, that part of the
arm of the machine in which the cam groove is formed is separated upon a line
following said groove, resulting in a ring 32. The object of this construction is to
enable the disk 7 to be removed from the shaft 26 without at the same time
removing the ejectors, and the advantage of this is that it makes the re-assembling
of the parts very much easier.
Mounted loosely upon the shaft 26 is a sleeve 33 Figures 2 & 3 carrying the
flywheel 34, a pinion 35, a cam 36 and a disk 37. The cam and disk are shown as
being integral with the sleeve and the flywheel and pinion as being secured to it
by a key 38, but the details in the construction and arrangement of the parts in no
way affects the present invention, it being simply necessary that they be so
associated that they will all move together as a single member. The cam projects
between a pair of studs arranged on the part 11 of the plunger and provided with
anti-friction rollers 39, and the shape of the cam is such that at each complete
revolution it will advance and retract the plunger once. Preferably it is so
graduated that the plunger is advanced very much more quickly than it is retracted,
but this is not essential and the movement may be a more regular one if desired.
To the shaft is permanently secured a disk 40 Figures 3 and 6 having as many
ratchet teeth as there are pulp receivers (two being shown in the present instance)
and to the disk 37 is pivoted a pawl 42 engaged by a spring 43 which is also
secured to the disk. The face of the pawl is of greater width than the face of the
ratehet disk so that it projects over a stationary cam 44 which is shown as being
formed on a part of the frame of the machine Figures 2 and 3. This cam is so
shaped that at the instant when it is desired that the rotation of the shaft 26 shall
cease, (or in other words at the instant that the pulp receiver reaches its position
in front of the plunger) the cam disengages the pawl from its tooth, and leaves it
in position to engage the next tooth when reached. By this means the pulp
receiver is given an intermittent movement and while this means for accomplishing
this result is entirely practical still I prefer to use the means shown in Figures 13
and 14 and described hereinafter.
The parts that are non-rotatively secured to the shaft 26 will gain considerable
momentum while the machine is at work and it is therefore necessary, in order to
insure that the pulp receiver shall not be carried past its proper position with
relation to the plunger, to provide a means for dogging it. To this end the disk 7
is provided in its periphery with notches 45 Figures 4 and 5 which are entered by
a spring actuated dog 46 as soon as the proper position is reached. This dog ís
preferably formed upon a slide 47 Figure 12 suitably secured to an arın 48 of the
frame and it is held normally in contact with the periphery of the disk by a
spring 49. It is necessary of course to withdraw the dog before the disk can be
again rotated and this is done by a cam 50 arranged upon the periphery of the
disk 37 and operating through the medium of a shaft 51 Figures 4 and 12 having a
tappet 52 arranged in the path of the cam and an arm 53 engaging the slide 47 or

page_text: a part projecting therefrom. The cam 50 is so arranged that it comes in contact
with the tappet 52 and withdraws the dog 46 just an instant before the pawl 42
engages the ratchet.
In the preferred means Figures 13 and 14 for intermittently moving the pulp
receiver, instead of using a shaft or sleeve mounted loosely thereon and pawl and
ratchet for alternately engaging and disengaging them, I use two shafts 54 and 55,
one of which 54, carries the pulp receivers, and the other of which is permanently
secured to the driving wheel. These shafts are arranged end to end with their
axes parallel but not co-incident. From the shaft 54 projects radially as many
arms or tappets 56 as there are pulp receivers and by the shaft 55 is carried a
tappet 57 that travels in the path of the tappets 56 during only a part of each
revolution of the shaft 55. The degree of eccentricity of the two shafts and the
proportions of the paths are such that during a portion of each revolution of the
shaft 54 each of the tappets 56 will project into the path of the tappet 57. If
there are two pulp receivers diametrically located it will be necessary of course to
move the shaft 64 through one-half of a complete revolution each time and the
tappets 56 and 57 must therefore be in engagement with each other during a
corresponding interval.
Another reason for preferring this construction to that shown in the preceding figures
of the drawing is that by simply adjusting the shaft 55 end wise the position of the
co-operating seeding devices with relation to each other may be adjusted. To this
end the shaft is provided with fixed shoulders or collars 58 between which is
confined a sleeve or bushing 59 in which the shaft turns freely. This bushing
occupies a perforation in an arm 60 of the frame of the machine and is provided on
its exterior with screw threads upon which fit lock nuts 61 that engage said
arın 60. By changing the positions of these nuts the position of the shaft and
the cam 36 is changed and this in turn changes the position of the plunger.
This completes the description of the seeding part of our machine leaving only
the means for feeding the raisins to it to be described, and while we prefer to use a
feeder of some sort, still, if desired, the feeder may be dispensed with and the
raisins fed to the machine by hand. The feeder shown consists of a hopper 62, a
cell disk 63, having any desired number of cells 64 a valve 65 Figure 8 for each of
said cells, a track or way by which said valves are held normally closed, said track
or way being interrupted at the point where it is desired that the valve shall fall
away and open the cells in succession so as to permit their contents to be discharged.
As shown in the drawing this track or way is simply a disk 66 Figures 1, 2, 3
and, but so far as the office of holding the valves closed is concerned the only
operative part of this disk is the surface upon which the valves rest and slide, the
interruption in the track being simply an opening 67 formed through the disk
directly over the cradle 4. Preferably a shield 68 is secured to the disk in the
vicinity of the opening 67 Figures 2 and 9 for the purpose of guiding the raisins
in their descent and insuring that they fall in the hopper. Each of the valves is,
at its side which is in advance as the disk rotates connected to the cell disk by
menus of a hinge 69 Figures 8 and 9 so that the instant the rear edge of the valve
passes the extremity 70 of the track 66 the valve will fall away as shown in
Figure 9 and thus open the bottom of the cell and permit its contents to fall. As
soon as the valve comes in contact with the extremity 71 of the track it will be
closed. Preferably the rear wall of the cell is cut away as shown at 72 and the
object of this is to prevent the valve from mashing the raisin or other article
between it and the bottom of the cell in case the raisin should fail to fall.
As shown more clearly in Figure 9, those portions of the face of the cell disk
which are adjacent the forward sides of the cells are depressed as shown at 73 and
the object of this depression is to facilitate the entrance of the raisin into the cell.
It will be seen that the cell-disk is inclined Figures 7 and 9, and this is important
as it very materially facilitates the entrance of the raisin into the cell. By
inclining it there is a constant agitation and tumbling of the raisins, and of course
the more they are agitated the more liable they are to enter the cells. The feeder

page_text: is supported by an arm 74 of the frame aud the disk 66 forms its base or foundation.
The cell-disk derived its motion from the pinion 35, through the medium of
gearing 75, 76 and 77, and a shaft 78 Figures 1 and 2, the gearing being so timed*
with relation to the number of cells and the operation of the seeding mechanism
that one of the cells drops its contents each time the plunger is withdrawn.
We
We are aware that prior to my iuvention it had been proposed to use in a
raisin seeder a seed receiver (not a pulp receiver) made up of pins set at close.
intervals and converging toward their outer ends. In this seed receiver the pins
were placed a sufficient distance apart to admit the seeds between them and the
outer portion of each of the pins was of a double conical shape for the double purpose
of facilitating the entrance of the seed between them and retaining the seed.
are also aware that prior to our invention it was proposed to use in a raisin seeder
four or five parallel pins arranged in a group and operating in conjunction with a
plate having correspondingly arranged perforations, the intention of the inventor
being that each of the pins should operate to force one seed through one of the
perforations. Neither of these devices is the equivalent of our pulp receiver
which consists essentially of parallel pins, (as distinguished from converging pins),
having intervening spaces too small for the admission of raisin seeds, a sufficient
number of such pins being used to cover an area equal to or greater than that
of the raisin. With a pulp receiver made up of parallel pins, the pulp may be
impaled and ejected without being torn, the only marks upon the fruit being the
perforations made by the pins, but with a pulp receiver made up of converging
pins the pulp is torn to an objectionable extent. We are the first to use in a raisin.
seeder a plurality of pulp receivers such as described carried by an intermittently
moving part and a co-operating seeding device adapted to operate with first one
and then another of said pulp receivers. We are also the first to use in a raisin.
seeder a pulp receiver such as described in combination with an elastic pad for
impaling the pulp upon said receiver while the seeds are left on the outside thereof
in position to be dislodged by a suitably arranged scraper.
We have described the subject of the present invention as being an improvement
in raisin seeders, but it is obvious that it may be used for seeding any similar
small fruit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a fruit seeder the combination of a pulp-receiver and an elastic impaling
device, said pulp-receiver consisting of a number of pins set over an area at least
as great as the area of the fruit to be seeded and with intervening spaces-
insufficient to admit the seeds, and means securing them together, each pin being
parallel with every other pin, substantially as set forth.
2. A fruit seeder having in combination, a pulp receiver consisting of a number
of pins set over an area at least as great as the area of the fruit to be seeded, and
with intervening spaces insufficient to admit the seeds, each pin being parallel with
every other pin, means securing them in place, an impaling device having an
elastic working surface, means for relatively moving the pulp receiver and impaling
device toward and from each other, and means confining said movement to a
direction parallel with the pins of the pulp receiver, substantially as set forth.
3. In a fruit-seeder, the combination of two co-operating seeding devices, one
consisting of a number of pins set over an area at least as great as the area of the
fruit to be seeded and with intervening spaces insufficient to admit the seeds, all of
said pins terminating at their working extremities in the same plane, and each pin
being parallel with every other pin, and means for moving said co-operating
seeding devices relatively toward and from each other in a direction perpendicular
to their working surfaces, substantially as set forth.
4. In a fruit-seeder, the combination of a movable part, means for moving it
intermittently, a plurality of pulp-receivers carried by it and consisting of a.

page_text: number of pins set over an area at least as great as the area of the fruit to be
seeded and with intervening spaces insufficient to admit the seeds, and a seeding
device adapted to co-operate with first one and then another of the pulp receivers,
substantially as set forth.
5. In a fruit-seeder, the combination of a plunger carrying a seeding device, a
movable part, a plurality of pulp-receivers carried thereby and consisting of a
, number of pins set over an area at least as great as the area of the fruit to be
seeded, and with intervening spaces insufficient to admit the seeds, and means for
intermittently moving said part and bringing first one and then another of the
pulp-receivers in operative relation to the seeding-device of the plunger, substantially
as set forth.
6. In a fruit-seeder, the combination of a plunger, a seeding device carried
thereby, a part mounted to move about an axis, a plurality of pulp-receivers
carried thereby each consisting of a number of pins set over an area at least as
great as the area of the fruit to be seeded and with intervening spaces insufficient
to admit the seeds, and means for intermittently moving said part and bringing first.
one and then another of the pulp-receivers in operative relation to the seeding-
device of the plunger, substantially as set forth.
7. In a fruit-seeder, the combination of a revoluble part a plurality of pulp-
receivers carried thereby and consisting of a number of pins set over an area at
least as great as the area of the fruit to be seeded, and with intervening spaces
insufficient to admit the seeds, a seeding-device adapted to co-operate with the
pulp-receivers, and means for intermittently revolving said part and thereby
bringing first one and then another of the pulp-receivers in operative relation to
the co-operating seeding device, substantially as set forth.
8. In a fruit seeder the combination of a revoluble disk, a plurality of pulp
receivers carried thereby and consisting of a number of closely set pins having
their outer ends terminating in the plane of the face of the disk, means for
intermittently revolving the disk, and a seeding device adapted to co-operate with
first one and then another of the pulp receivers, substantially as set forth.
9. In a fruit seeder the combination of a revoluble disk, a plurality of pulp
receivers carried thereby consisting of a number of closely set pins having their
outer ends terminating in the plane of the face of the disk, a seeding device
adapted to co-operate with first one and then another of the pulp receivers, and a
seed scraper located with its edge in close proximity to the surface of the disk,
substantially as set forth.
10. In a fruit seeder the combination with a pulp receiver and a cradle for
sustaining the raisin opposite it, of an impaling device extending both above and
below the bottom of the cradle, substantially as set forth.
11. In a fruit seeder the combination with a pulp receiver and a cradle for
sustaining the raisin opposite it, of an elastic pad extending both above and below
the bottom of the cradle, substantially as set forth.
12. In a fruit seeder the combination with a pulp receiver of a cradle consisting
of a number of rods, a plunger and an elastic pad carried by the plunger and
adapted to impale the raisin upon the pulp receiver, said pad being provided above
its bottom margin with openings through which pass the rods of which the cradle
is formed, substantially as set forth.
13. In a fruit seeder the combination with a pulp receiver of a plunger having
an undercut groove in its face and an elastic pad having a flange or tongue
occupying said groove, substantially as set forth.
14. In a fruit-seeder, the combination with a plurality of pulp-receivers having
interstices and means for forcing the pulp thereinto, of a movable part by which
the pulp-receivers are carried, means for moving said part intermittently a
reciprocable pulp-ejector occupying the interstices of each of the pulp-receivers,
and means for alternately projecting and withdrawing the pulp-ejectors, substantially
as set forth.
15. In a fruit-seeder, the combination of a plurality of pulp-receivers, each

page_text: having interstices and means for forcing the pulp thereinto, of a revoluble part
carrying said pulp-receivers, a reciprocating pulp-ejector occupying the interstices
of each of the pulp-receivers, and a circular cam disposed around the axis about
which said revoluble part moves for alternately projecting and withdrawing the
pulp-receivers, substantially as set forth.
16. In a fruit seeder the combination of a pulp receiver having interstices
into which the pulp is forced, a revoluble part carrying said pulp receiver, means
for intermittently revolving said part, an ejector occupying the interstices of the
pulp receiver, a finger projecting from the ejector and a circular cam groove into
which said finger projects, whereby the ejector is operated, substantially as set
forth.
17. In a fruit seeder the combination of a pulp receiver having interstices into
which the pulp is forced, a movable part of which said pulp receiver is carried,
means for intermittently moving said part, a pulp ejector occupying the interstices
of the pulp receiver, a stem on the pulp ejector, a socket in the movable part
aforesaid in which said stem fits whereby the pulp ejector is guided in its move-
ment, and a cam for operating the ejector, substantially as set forth.
18. In a fruit seeder the combination with two co-operating seeding devices, of
a plunger by which one of said seeding devices is carried and means for adjusting
the relative positions of said seeding devices, substantially as set forth.
19. In a fruit seeder the combination with two co-operating seeding devices, of
a plunger by which one of said devices is carried, a cam for operating said plunger
and means for adjusting the position of the cam whereby the seeding devices are
adjusted relatively to each other, substantially as set forth.
20. In a fruit seeder the combination of two co-operating seeding devices, a
plunger by which one of them is carried, a cam for operating said plunger, a shaft
by which said cam is carried, and means for adjusting the shaft end wise and
thereby adjusting the seeding devices with relation to each other, substantially as
set forth.
21. In a fruit-seeder the combination of a plurality of seeding-devices, a movable
part by which they are carried, means for intermittently moving said part, a
seeding-device adapted to co-operate with first one and then another of the
seeding-devices aforesaid, a hopper for containing the fruit, means for discharging
the fruit therefrom, into the path of the seeding-device last aforesaid, and means
for operating said discharging means after each operation of said seeding-device
last aforesaid, substantially as set forth.
22. In a fruit seeder the combination of a plurality of seeding devices, a movable
part by which they are carried, means for intermittently moving said part, a
seeding device adapted to co-operate with first one and then another of the seeding
devices first aforesaid, a feeder having a cell, a valve for controlling the discharge
of the contents of the cell, and means for opening said valve after each operation
of the seeding device, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of April 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.