Granted Patent B2

US 7,909,687 · App. 12/483,554 · Granted Mar 22, 2011

Abstract

Claims (25)

1. A device for stripping leaves from herbs and plants, comprising: a container having upwardly directed side walls and end walls, and an open top; an elongated lower plate having ends supported on opposing side walls of the container and being disposed over the open top; a plurality of upwardly directed closely spaced tines carried on a central portion of the lower plate;

an elongated upper plate pivotally attached at one end to an end of the lower plate, the upper plate being movable between a lowered position engaging the tines, and a raised position spaced above the tines; and

a scalper blade attached to the one end of the upper plate and being disposed to extend down from the upper plate at an angle, the scalper blade being movable between a first position disposed below the tines of the lower plate when the upper plate is in the lowered position, and a second position disposed adjacent the tines of the lower plate when the upper plate is in the raised position.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tines are flexible, shaped like the teeth of a comb, and their heads are round.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the scalper blade has a beveled upper edge.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the container includes a handle extending out from each of the end walls, and the top of each end wall and its respective handle are curved down.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the opposing side walls of the container supporting the lower plate include a tab extending therefrom, and wherein the lower plate includes a slot disposed at each of its ends, wherein mating engagement of the tabs within the slots secures the lower plate to the container side walls.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the lower plate has a chamfered edge on an upper side of one end beside a pivot pin opening, the chamfered edge being used as a stop for the upper plate at the raised position.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the upper plate includes a pair of downwardly directed spaced flanges, the flanges being disposed adjacent to opposite sides of the tines, and the flanges cover the upper half of the tines when the upper plate is in the lowered position.

8. The device of claim 2 , wherein the upper plate includes a pair of downwardly directed spaced flanges, the flanges being disposed adjacent to opposite sides of the tines, and the flanges cover the upper half of the tines when the upper plate is in the lowered position.

9. The device of claim 3 , wherein the upper plate includes a pair of downwardly directed spaced flanges, the flanges being disposed adjacent to opposite sides of the tines, and the flanges cover the upper half of the tines when the upper plate is in the lowered position.

10. The device of claim 4 , wherein the upper plate includes a pair of downwardly directed spaced flanges, the flanges being disposed adjacent to opposite sides of the tines, and the flanges cover the upper half of the tines when the upper plate is in the lowered position.

11. The device of claim 5 , wherein the upper plate includes a pair of downwardly directed spaced flanges, the flanges being disposed adjacent to opposite sides of the tines, and the flanges cover the upper half of the tines when the upper plate is in the lowered position.

12. The device of claim 6 , wherein the upper plate includes a pair of downwardly directed spaced flanges, the flanges being disposed adjacent to the opposite sides of the tines, and the flanges cover the upper half of the tines when the upper plate is in the lowered position.

13. A method for stripping leaves from herbs and plants using the device of claim 1 , including the steps of: providing a plurality of plants including stems having proximal and distal ends, and leaves attached to the stems adjacent the distal ends;

moving the upper plate to the raised position;

positioning the plants between the tines where the leaves are disposed on one side of the tines and the proximal ends of the stems are disposed on another side of the tines; moving the upper plate to the lowered position;

holding the upper plate in the lowered position and simultaneously pulling the proximal ends of the stems away from the tines thereby lodging the leaves between adjacent tines; and

moving the upper plate to the raised position thereby moving the scalper blade to its second position to engage and remove the lodged leaves from between the tines and allowing them to fall into the container.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the tines are flexible, shaped like the teeth of a comb, and their heads are round.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the scalper blade has a beveled upper edge.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the container includes a handle extending out from each of the end walls, and the top of each end wall and its respective handle are curved down.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein each of the opposing side walls of the container supporting the lower plate include a tab extending therefrom, and wherein the lower plate includes a slot disposed at each of its ends, wherein the mating engagement of the tabs within the slots secures the lower plate to the container side walls.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the upper plate includes a pair of downwardly directed spaced flanges, the flanges being disposed adjacent to opposite sides of the tines, and the flanges cover the upper half of the tines when the upper plate is in the lowered position, thus helping the adjacent tines in lodging the leaves.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the lower plate has a chamfered edge on an upper side of one end beside a pivot pin opening, the chamfered edge being used as a stop for the upper plate at the raised position.

Assignments (9)