Abstract: A method and apparatus for scarifying fruit by advancing at least one pair of opposed knives contemporaneously into an article of fruit (typically a frozen cranberry or other article of frozen fruit) through at least two locations on the surface of the fruit, such that none of the knives advances so far into the fruit that its tip protrudes out from the fruit. In embodiments which scarify frozen cranberries, each of the knives typically penetrates not more than about 7 mm, or in some cases not more than about 1 mm or 2 mm into the fruit. In some embodiments, each knife has a concave distal surface (for fitting against a convex article of fruit) with a pin protruding distally (e.g., by an amount in the range from about 1 mm to about 7 mm) from the distal surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing pits from prunes or other soft fruit, including holders defining pockets for holding soft fruit, an excess fruit removal assembly (e.g., comprising one or more paddle wheels), a pitting knife assembly, and a holder drive assembly for translating the holders along a closed loop. Each pocket defined by each holder is movable between open and closed configurations as the holder is translated around the loop. Each holder includes a top chuck plate shaped to guide an article of fruit into each pocket with reduced risk that excess fruit (fruit not properly seated in a pocket) will remain lodged on the chuck plate after the holder has translated past the excess fruit removal assembly. Other aspects are a chuck plate configured for use as a top chuck plate of a fruit holder of a pitting apparatus, and a fruit holder including such a chuck plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing pits from prunes or other soft fruit, including holders defining pockets for holding soft fruit, an excess fruit removal assembly (e.g., comprising one or more paddle wheels), a pitting knife assembly, and a holder drive assembly for translating the holders along a closed loop. Each pocket defined by each holder is movable between open and closed configurations as the holder is translated around the loop. Each holder includes a top chuck plate shaped to guide an article of fruit into each pocket with reduced risk that excess fruit (fruit not properly seated in a pocket) will remain lodged on the chuck plate after the holder has translated past the excess fruit removal assembly. Other aspects are a chuck plate configured for use as a top chuck plate of a fruit holder of a pitting apparatus, and a fruit holder including such a chuck plate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scarifying fruit by advancing at least one pair of opposed knives contemporaneously into an article of fruit (typically a frozen cranberry or other article of frozen fruit) through at least two locations on the surface of the fruit, such that none of the knives advances so far into the fruit that its tip protrudes out from the fruit. In embodiments which scarify frozen cranberries, each of the knives typically penetrates not more than about 7 mm, or in some cases not more than about 1 mm or 2 mm into the fruit. In some embodiments, each knife has a concave distal surface (for fitting against a convex article of fruit) with a pin protruding distally (e.g., by an amount in the range from about 1 mm to about 7 mm) from the distal surface.

Abstract: A pitting knife assembly including a pitting knife mount and a pulley drive assembly coupled and configured to move the knife mount around a circular or substantially circular path, and a fruit pitting apparatus including such an assembly. During operation of the pitting knife assembly with at least one pitting knife mounted to the knife mount and a fruit conveying assembly positioned to convey fruit to the pitting knife assembly, the pitting knife can produce pitted fruit by moving into engagement with fruit conveyed by the conveying assembly (to pit the fruit) as the knife mount moves through a first portion of the path, and the pitting knife can then move out of engagement with (and away from) the pitted fruit as the knife mount moves through a second portion of the path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pitting olives (or other fruit) and slicing the pitted fruit. In preferred embodiments, a pitting knife and a coring knife horizontally translate each olive to be pitted while the pitting knife, coring knife, and olive revolve together about a horizontal axis, the pitting knife pushes out the pit horizontally as the olive and cup translate along a segment of a circular first path around the axis, the apparatus includes slicing pockets (in positions horizontally separated from the first path) which translate along a circular second path parallel to the first path, after pitting, a pitting knife pulls the pitted olive horizontally away from the first path and into one of the pockets, and the pitted olive in the pocket is sliced by slicing knives as the pitted olive and pocket translate around the axis along a segment of the second path into engagement with the slicing knives.

Abstract: A fruit pitting apparatus including at least one of a box cam assembly for driving pitting knives relative to holders containing fruit, an active separating assembly which improves the efficiency of separation of the pitted fruit flesh from the holders after pitting, and a wiping blade positioned to wipe pits from the holders after pitting. The holders can be driven continuously during the pitting operation, or they can be driven intermittently so as to be stationary during pitting and to translate before and after pitting. The separating assembly preferably includes actively driven cam tracks within the knife driving assembly which vary the force with which the holders grip the fruit during and after pitting, especially when the holders are driven intermittently.

Abstract: A pitting knife drive assembly for mounting in a fruit pitting apparatus to drive pitting knives of the pitting apparatus. The pitting knife assembly includes a box cam, a drive assembly for rotating the box cam, a pivot unit which undergoes reciprocating pivoting motion in response to the rotating box cam, and a set of one or more shafts which reciprocate longitudinally in response to the reciprocating pivoting motion of the pivot unit. Preferably also, the pitting knife assembly includes a subassembly for causing the shafts to undergo reciprocating motion in directions perpendicular to their longitudinal axes. A preferred implementation of this subassembly includes a carriage driven by a rotating eccentric, where the eccentric and the box cam are mounted along a common drive shaft, and the drive assembly includes a motor for rotating the drive shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for pitting articles such as prunes or dates. Each article is loaded between jaws of a chuck assembly which translates between stations along a process path. At a pitting turret, a pitting rubber moves below the chuck assembly, and the chuck assembly and rubber translate together until a pitting knife engages the article and ejects a pit therefrom. The chuck assembly then translates the pitted article to a station where the pitted article is discharged. Preferably, a relatively large number of chuck assemblies are provided, each having a fixed jaw fixedly attached to a chain and a sliding jaw slidably mounted to the fixed portion. A relatively small number of pitting rubbers and one pitting knife for each rubber are mounted to the pitting turret.

Abstract: An apparatus for slicing objects, such as potatoes, with a rotatably mounted knife assembly. Objects (such as potatoes) to be sliced are conveyed downward toward the knife assembly between a gripper chain and a feed chain. A pair of springs provide a biasing force which urges the chains together, thereby ensuring that the conveyed potatoes are fed positively and uniformly toward the knife assembly. Preferably, two feed rolls having teeth are mounted between the lower ends of the chains and the knife assembly (each feed roll at the end of a rotating, slidable shaft). The teeth of the rotating feed rolls grip each potato conveyed against them by the chains, and force each such potato downward against the rotating knife assembly. Preferably, a support and retaining plate is fixedly mounted to the feed mechanism to constrain vertical movement of the feed rolls as they rotate with a potato gripped between them.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing helical slices of an object, such as a potato. The apparatus includes a rotatably mounted knife assembly having one or more sets of knife blades arranged in a spiral pattern. Each set of knife blades produces a set of helically shaped potato slices. The spiral arrangement of each blade set reduces the torque needed to slice an object using the knife assembly. The knife assembly includes a knife bearing rotatably mounted within a housing. To rotate the knife assembly, a gear rotatably mounted on a mounting member engages and drives an outer annular surface of the knife bearing. A liquid is injected through a channel within the knife bearing housing, and preferably also through a channel within the gear mounting member, to flush fragments of the objects being sliced from the knife assembly and gear.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning articles as the articles are translated in cups along a substantially circular path. In one embodiment, each cup is formed in the outer surface of a rotating cylindrical drum, and one or more slots, each oriented parallel to the substantially circular path, extend through each cup's bottom surface. A stationary, notch alignment strip is positioned in at least one of the slots. As the cups translate past the notched strip, the strip bumps the articles in the cups to urge them into a uniform alignment. In a preferred embodiment, the slots are spaced and dimensioned to receive parallel slicing knives. In an important application of the invention, the cups are dimensioned to carry pitted olives, and the slots are spaced and dimensioned to receive a set of parallel olive slicing knives.