GRADING 289 



While the capacity of this machine is greater than what is re- 

 quired by the average commercial grower, it is always well to have 

 ample capacity. Experience shows that best results are obtained, 

 especially from packers hired by the day, by setting the machine 

 to a lively pace and requiring the packers to follow the machine. 



The Woods grading machine and how it works. This machine 

 has the appearance of being a large wheel with triangular pockets 

 or attachments fastened to the edge or side of the wheel, some of 

 which may appear to be opened and others to be closed. 



The wheel is 44 inches in diameter. The center or hub part is 

 a large, flat, metal disk from which eight arms extend. At the 

 outer end of these arms the wheel is bound by a heavy steel rim. 

 A series of triangular pockets are fastened to the edge of this steel 

 rim, each pocket having a hinged side also attached to this rim. 

 The metal bearings on either side of the framework of the machine 

 support the wheel at its center, which places the weight and oper- 

 ation of the whole grading mechanism on one center, with friction 

 in but one place. 



In the rotation of the wheel the hinged sides of the triangular 

 pockets open and close automatically. Ascending, and passing 

 under the hopper, or conveyer, they are sufficiently opened to re- 

 ceive the fruit and are then held in proper position by small wheels 

 or rollers. These small wheels or rollers are adjusted so that the 

 hinged sides gradually open and discharge the fruit into chutes 

 leading to the packer's table. The position of these sides is such 

 that after having discharged their fruit, they are automatically closed 

 by their own weight. 



We will now assume that we have fruit in the conveyer, one 

 piece resting on the wheel. The operator starts the wheel, and 

 the first piece of fruit is caught in the first triangular pocket, the 

 next piece of fruit follows in the second pocket, and so on. At 

 the first chute the hinged side is opened, we will say, 2 inches. 

 If the fruit is too large to pass through, it remains in the pocket 

 until it arrives at the second chute, over which by an adjustment 

 of the small wheels or rollers the hinged side is opened from j inch 

 to 2\ inches wider, or as required by the sizes of the grades, and 

 so on to the third and fourth chutes. All fruit over the fourth size 

 is carried to the end table. 



