Abstract: A rotary feeder mechanism capable of attachment to and synchronized operation with a variety of different types of fruit juice extracting apparatus, in which a fruit receiving hopper is rotatable about a generally vertical or tilted axis of rotation, the received fruit being moved under centrifugal force to the hopper periphery area containing entrance openings to depending magazines in which the fruits are stored in stacked relation. The lower ends of the magazines are respectively arranged with a pair of spaced-apart gating fingers which are controlled by separate cam tracks to successively release the lowermost fruit in the magazine, while opposing release of the other fruits in the magazine, at a predetermined point of the hopper rotation.

Abstract: Parallel horizontal toothed rolls form bights therebetween for reception of non-spherical citrus fruit such as lemons. A body of liquid submerges the toothed rolls so that puncturing of the peel of the fruit takes place below the liquid level. Groups of the toothed rolls are turned in the same direction but at progressively slower speeds. Adjacent toothed rolls are reciprocated axially in opposite directions to change the orientation of the fruit with respect to the toothed rolls. The rolls may be pushed and pulled from one side of the machine through a cam operated device or they may be pushed from both ends by mechanism on opposite sides of the machine.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for extracting oil from the peel of whole citrus fruit accumulates a plurality of rows of citrus fruit articles and then causes mass movement of said accumulation to displace a similar group of whole fruit articles being processed in troughs or pockets between power-driven parallel toothed rolls. The accumulation may be accomplished by means of a movable barrier gate near the lower end of an inclined chute on which the fruit articles accumulate.

Abstract: Fruit juice extraction apparatus in which a pair of confronting frusto-conical discs are supported on a rotatable main shaft by ball and socket connections and retained in angular tilted relation by guide bearing assemblies to provide a point of minimum peripheral spacing between the discs on one side, a stationary wall being interposed between the discs and cooperating therewith to form separate pressure-applying travel paths for the respective halves of cut fruit sections, each of the paths converging in the direction of disc rotation from a path inlet adjacent the minimum spacing point to an outlet. The whole uncut fruits are supplied in advance of the minimum spacing point and gripped between the discs and carried to a slicing knife for cutting into half-sections which are carried through the converging paths and forced against perforate portions of the stationary wall by progressively applied pressure to extract the juice.

Abstract: Horizontal rolls define troughs between them for reception and support of whole citrus fruit, each roll including a plurality of thin metal rings mounted in axially spaced relationship, each ring having a continuous series of pointed teeth on its periphery, and each ring being inclined to its rotary axis whereby rotary movement of the rings causes wobble movement of the disk peripheries so that penetration of the teeth is substantially uniform over the entire outer surface of each fruit. The rolls are turned in the same direction, each successive roll in a series turning at a slower speed. Washers are positioned between each pair of toothed rings and are free to move radially to prevent buildup of seeds, buttons, pieces of peel or other foreign matter on the toothed rings.

Abstract: Pairs of toothed rolls form bights or troughs for reception of whole lemons or other citrus fruit. The rolls turn in the same direction, one roll of each pair turning at higher speed. An axially extending bar moves in an orbit above the faster roll of each pair to contact the fruit intermittently to move it out of the bight between the rolls and into contact with a stationary inclined wall adjacent the slower of the rolls. The motion of the bar moves the fruit axially along the wall to re-enter the bight at an axially spaced location. A pool of water submerges the toothed rolls so that the sharp teeth on the peripheries of the rolls puncture the oil cells in the peel of the fruit to release the oil into the water without seriously damaging the fruit. A single oscillating mechanism provides orbital movement for two parallel bars, each bar cooperating with a pair of toothed rolls.

Abstract: A metal roll is provided with a series of sharp circular fins extending around its periphery, in the form of separate circular fins separated by shallow angular grooves. The grooved roll, in cooperation with a ribbed roll, pulls citrus peel through a shaving knife which separates the albedo from the flavedo before the latter passes between a bite formed between the grooved roll and a cooperating roller. A stationary wiper formed of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene engages the peripheral fins to scrape off flavedo and peel oil liquor which adheres to them.