Abstract: A vegetable peeling and shaping machine has a preliminary cutting assembly for cutting off portions of a vegetable to produce a vegetable core insertable into a tube, and a main cutting assembly with a tube positioned to sequentially receive vegetable cores from the preliminary cutting assembly. A reciprocable plunger is operable to push the vegetable cores sequentially through the tube, the tube having a series of circumferentially spaced shaped slots therein, and a series of reciprocable non-rotatable cutter blades is circumferentially spaced around the tube. The cutter blades are shaped correspondingly to the slots in the tube and are movable from a position exterior to the tube through the slots into the tube to cut a vegetable core to form a vegetable product of the desired shape.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a product of predetermined shape from a vegetable, in which a cylindrical core is cut from the vegetable, and a predetermined shape is cut laterally from the core. In another aspect of the invention a cylindrical plug is cut into the vegetable, a cylindrical pocket is cut in the plug, and the base of the plug is severed from the vegetable for form a cup.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a product of predetermined shape from a vegetable which the vegetable is centered above a tube, the tube having an annular cutting edge. The vegetable is pressed into the tube to form a cylindrical core. The core is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the tube and then a cutting tube moveable laterally against the core cuts the predetermined shape from the core when the core is rotated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a product of predetermined shape from a vegetable, in which a cylindrical plug is cut into the vegetable, a cylindrical pocket is cut in the plug, and the base of the plug is severed from the vegetable to form a cup.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a product of predetermined shape from a vegetable, in which the vegetable is split and the opposed sections are scooped out. In another aspect of the invention a shaft penetrates the vegetable and blades are laterally flexed to carve out a cavity when the shaft is rotated. In still another aspect of the invention a pair of sloping U-shaped cutters move together into the vegetable and a U-shaped knife in each of the cutters rotates to form a heart-shaped core.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a product of predetermined shape from a vegetable, in which a cylindrical core is cut from the vegetable by forcing the vegetable against an annular cutting edge of a tube and cutting the product from the core by advancing a pair of opposed rotatable cutting elements into apertures in the side of the tube.