JPH0443633B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] This invention is a method for removing and finishing defective lower leaves and dead leaves of leafy vegetables such as spinach and komatsuna without adversely affecting the quality of the leafy vegetables themselves. Pertains to leaf finishing methods.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, removal of defective lower leaves and dead leaves from leafy vegetables before packaging and shipping as described above has relied on manual labor.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Relying on manual labor in this way is extremely inefficient and does not meet the current demand for cost savings through rationalization of agricultural work, which is why countermeasures are strongly desired. It is.

[Means for solving problems]

Here, the present invention includes a leaf insertion portion on the upper side,
A pair of horizontal shafts parallel to each other are driven by a drive source into a gap in the middle of the horizontal shafts when viewed from above, and are moved in opposite directions into an action section housing in which a discharge section for excised material, etc. is opened at the bottom. A strip made of an elastic body, at least in part, is stretched parallel to each pair of disk bodies supported by these horizontal axes, and the strip is stretched around the circumference of the horizontal axes. While rotating, the leaf is inserted from above the leaf insertion part with its base facing downward, and the strip is used to remove the lower leaves of the leaf, dead leaves, attached dust, mud, etc. We propose a method for finishing leaves that is characterized by scraping them off and discharging them from a discharge section, and in carrying out the method, the cross-sectional area of the action section housing is configured to be reduced toward the discharge section. The present invention proposes a method in which the excised material is suctioned and discharged, and the rotational speed of the horizontal axis by the drive source can be continuously variable.

[Effect]

Next, the method of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First of all, in Fig. 1, 1 has a leaf insertion opening 2 at the top.
This is an action part housing in which a discharge part 3 for excised material etc. is opened at the bottom, and a pair of horizontal shafts 4 and 5 parallel to each other are installed in this action part housing 1 as a driving source. The continuously variable speed motors 6 and 7 (see Fig. 2) are used to drive the motors 6 and 7 (see Fig. 2) to rotate in opposite directions toward a gap S (see Fig. 3) between the horizontal axes 4 and 5 when viewed from above. A pair of disk bodies 8, 9, 10, 11 are supported on these horizontal shafts 4, 5, respectively, and strips 12, 13 are placed at appropriate angular intervals between these disk bodies 8, 9 and between 10, 11. on each horizontal axis 4,
These strips 12 and 13 are made of an elastic body such as a rubber cord, or are partially made of a rubber cord or a spring body, and the middle portion is made of thread. Items etc. can be adopted arbitrarily. A mounting body 1 formed on the disc bodies 8, 9, 10, 11 when the strips 12, 13 are attached to these disc bodies
4 itself functions as a kind of fan as the disk body rotates, and generates an air current, which contributes to promoting the evacuation of the resected material. If the area is reduced toward the discharge section 3 as shown in FIG. 4, it becomes possible to suction and discharge the excised material.

To carry out the method of the present invention using the apparatus configured as described above, first, grasp 4 to 8 plants above the center of the leaf 15 that need to be finished at a time, and insert the leaf with the roots facing down. By inserting it from the mouth 2 and shaking it up and down at the action part 16 shown by diagonal lines in FIG. 3, the hanging strips 12 and 13 remove bad lower leaves and dead leaves that are hanging down as shown in FIG. It is twisted and scraped off. The cut objects 17, such as scraped lower leaves, dead leaves, attached dust, and mud, are discharged from the discharge section 3 by their own weight and the airflow.

The reason why it is effective to employ a continuously variable speed motor as the drive source is as follows. That is,
Drugs of the same variety, such as spinach, can be used in spring, summer,
This is because the degree of flexibility of the leaves differs in each season of autumn and winter, and for summer crops, the rotation speed must be extremely low or the product will be damaged, and for autumn and winter crops, the lower leaves etc. cannot be removed properly unless the rotation speed is increased. Furthermore, due to differences in product types and different types of action, it is necessary to use them in completely different speed ranges.

In fact, as a drive source, instead of using the direct drive method as described above, it is also possible to use an indirect drive method using belt transmission, gear transmission, or the like.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to this invention, unnecessary lower leaves, dead leaves, attached dust, mud, etc. can be efficiently removed from leafy vegetables, so that especially for leafy vegetables where freshness is required,
It is extremely effective in that finishing work can be done quickly before shipping.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus suitable for carrying out the method of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the driving situation, Fig. 3 is a view showing the place where it is used during finishing work, and Fig. 4 is a modification of the apparatus. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing how leaves are held. In the figure, 1... acting part housing, 2... leaf insertion part, 3... discharge part, 4, 5... horizontal axis, 6,
7... Drive source (continuously variable speed motor), 8, 9, 10,
11... Disc body, 12, 13... Strip, 14...
Attachment body, 15... Leaves, 16... Action part, 17...
...excisions, etc.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pair of mutually parallel horizontal shafts are driven from above by a drive source into an action part housing in which a leaf insertion part is opened at the top and a discharge part for excised material is opened at the bottom. At least a portion of the disk body is rotated in opposite directions towards the gap between the horizontal axes, and is stretched parallel to each of the horizontal axes on each pair of disc bodies supported by the horizontal axes. While the strip made of an elastic material is rotated around the horizontal axis, a leaf is inserted from above the leaf insertion part with its root facing downward to remove the lower leaves, dead leaves, etc. A method for finishing leaves, characterized in that removed objects made of adhering dust and mud are scraped off by the strip and discharged from a discharge section. 2. The leaf finishing method according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the action part housing is reduced toward the discharge part so that the cut material is suctioned and discharged. 3. The leaf finishing method according to claim 1, wherein the rotational speed of the horizontal axis by the drive source is continuously variable.