Historic Hood River
Cutler Grading Machine, 1913
11-7-2012
Notes
This Cutler grading machine belonged to Mr. A.I. Mason, whose family we visited last year. It’s interesting to see how by 1913 electricity was well established in this packing house.
This image courtesy of OSU Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center. The photographer is Starring.
charlott
good photo of the grader and love that old light bulb hanging there. No doubt the burlap at the windows is to keep the sun out……..
This packing house was located just north of the present day Walter Wells & Sons packing house on Mason Road in Pine Grove
Jay
Can you explain the operation of the grading machine? Is it sorting by size?
Arthur
Yes Jay, I believe it’s a size sort. Those boxes you saw yesterday need to be filled with apples of the same size so they pack correctly.
Arthur
Here’s a July 1915 description of the Cutler Grader:
The New Three-Grade Cutler
FRUIT WEIGHING MACHINE
Delivers an EXACT PACKING SIZE to each bin and makes the packing of fruit in boxes a simple affair at one-half the cost of hand methods.
Our new models employ a simple method of weighing the fruit "” the only principle by which the necessary accuracy can be accomplished. We know this sizer to be more efficient than any other machine on the market.
THE OUTSTANDING FEATURES ARE:
Astounding accuracy and the ability to regulate the delivery to any bin so that every layer packed at random therefrom will have the desired tightness and every pack will have the same height. Use your ordinary help as packers.
A quiet, gentle handling of the fruit "” no bruising or violent dropping or roll of the fruit.
Automatic feed with a belted sorting table accommodating from four to ten sorters.
WORKING CAPACITY up to 1,000 boxes in ten hours.
Built sectionally in three sizes so the capacity can be increased later by the addition of a section.
Patented spring supported bins with three times the capacity of ordinary bins and a practical device to move the fruit into the bins without any pawing or raking of the fruit by the packer. These bins are far in advance of those used on any other sizer.
The CUTLER SIZER can be quickly set to handle either two or three grades and each grade has a separate set of bins.
This machine has the benefit of our three years’ experience in the manufacture of sizing machines.
If you visit the San Francisco Exposition be sure to see the CUTLER SIZER
exhibited at the Oregon Section of the Palace of Horticulture.
WRITE FOR DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE
THE CUTLER FRUIT GRADER CO., Hood River, Ore.
Jill Stanford
Before we leave the packing and sorting sheds, I want to remember that one of the great thrills for me as a very little girl was being able to ride in an apple crate along the roller track. It was a short but fun ride. This was in the packing house in Pine Grove and probably about 1946 or so.
Susan Crowley
This is a flat-out beautiful image, Arthur. Practically suitable for framing.
Jacob Roth
We have a old cutler in our wear house and wonder if you possibly know where to find parts for our specific model. It’s is around 1946. Please respond 509-560-0813