Abstract: An apparatus for conveying/dispensing produce susceptible to damage upon impact. The apparatus includes a produce conveyor assembly adapted to receive, transport, and gently deposit produce into an open topped bin or container.

Abstract: An apparatus for the mechanical harvesting of tree fruits has been designed which has the capability of providing fruit suitable for the fresh market. The harvester features an impactor for dislodging fruit from a tree limb, a unique positioning system, a collecting conveyor utilizing energy-absorbing materials for minimizing fruit damage due to the impact of falling fruit, a transport conveyor which moves the harvested fruit to a revolving collecting bin, and bin-filling mechanisms which gently deposit harvested fruit in the collecting bin.

Abstract: Hydrolyzed gelatin has been found to provide an improvement in taste and mouthfeel when incorporated in small amounts into chewable tablets containing ingredients requiring taste masking. Medicinals and nutritional supplements may now be prepared as chewables for those who find tablets difficult to swallow, for example children and older adults, or for those who prefer the convenience. There is a particularly large improvement in the taste and mouthfeel of chewables incorporating magaldrate and/or calcium carbonate.

Abstract: Hydrolyzed gelatin has been found to provide an improvement in taste and mouthfeel when incorporated in small amounts into chewable tablets containing ingredients requiring taste masking. Medicinals and nutritional supplements may now be prepared as chewables for those who find tablets difficult to swallow, for example children and older adults, or for those who prefer the convenience. There is a particularly large improvement in the taste and mouthfeel of chewables incorporating magaldrate and/or calcium carbonate.

Abstract: A flow controller device includes a valve assembly connected with a tensiometer to provide automatic control of flow of water for irrigation, including variable control of the rate of flow according to the matric tension of the soil for water. The tensiometer is made of a porous cup and a connecting tube to measure this tension of the soil, which depends on the moisture and type of the soil. The valve assembly is formed of a piston moving in a cylinder, to move a rod connected to the piston. A cavity on the piston end of the cylinder connects with the tensiometer, and at the far end of the rod a flow valve is formed. As the soil dries, water moves out of the tensiometer's porous cup into the soil, reducing the pressure in the tensiometer and cylinder cavity, thereby shifting the piston to begin or increase the flow for irrigation. As soil moisture increases, water moves back into the tensiometer, increasing its pressure, thereby moving the piston to close the flow valve.

Abstract: The invention involves a granulating composition composed of an aqueous solution of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate and sodium hexametaphosphate. This composition can be used to prepare granules of ingredients for inclusion in any formulation for which rapid disintegration or dispersion are important factors. It is useful for tablets containing ingredients which are difficult to compress and is particularly useful for formulating swallowable tablets of a single non-soluble ingredient such as calcium carbonate. Disintegration times are markedly decreased.

Abstract: A fruit decelerator having a plurality of adjacent resilient rollers able to receive substantial quantities of fruit free-falling a distance of at least four feet without harming the fruit; wherein there are gaps between some of the adjacent rollers; wherein there is a single tier of several side-by-side gaps; wherein the rollers in each gapped pair are counter rotating in the direction of the gap's entrance; wherein the rollers' rotational movement conveys fruit through a fap at a velocity below the impact velocity on the resilient rollers, and places the fruit gently on a conveyor.

Abstract: The invention involves a granulating composition composed of an aqueous solution of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate and sodium hexametaphosphate. This composition can be used to prepare granules of ingredients for inclusion in any formulation for which rapid disintegration or dispersion are important factors. It is useful for tablets containing ingredients which are difficult to compress and is particularly useful for formulating swallowable tablets of a single non-soluble ingredient such as calcium carbonate. Disintegration times are markedly decreased.

Abstract: An improved shaking mechanism for small fruits is described. The shaker comprises panels of radially spaced flexible rods which are oscillated by a positive displacement, direct drive that gives more uniform acceleration and displacement along the length of the rods than do conventional inertia and cam-drive shakers. Shaker design is mechanically simple and reliable.

Abstract: Described is a directly compressible formulation comprising calcium carbonate, citric acid, and a compression vehicle. In the preferred embodiment, the compression vehicle comprises a maltodextrin and lactose. The formulation can be compressed into an effervescent tablet system, which when placed in water effervesces in a relatively rapid dissolution releasing CO.sub.2 and resulting in a solution of monocalcium citrate.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that retracts the shaking mechanism of a shake-catch harvester without damaging a tree. The apparatus also provides a mechanism for preventing the shaker from sliding backwards when the harvester is going uphill, a sealing mechanism for the catching surface of the harvester, and an energy absorbing catching surface to minimize fruit damage.

Abstract: A rotary applicator for applying herbicides or other chemicals to vegetation is described. The applicator is especially useful for use in fruit orchards, nurseries and around any plant or bush that grows on or from a stem or trunk above ground.

Abstract: An automatic vegetable buncher for use in combination with a mechanical harvester of leafy green vegetables conveys the greens to a packing station where a pair of packer fingers driven by a novel rectangular motion generator incrementally feeds the greens into one of a plurality of pockets mounted on a rotatable wheel. When a predetermined bunch size is accrued, the wheel rotates to position an empty pocket at the packing station and to advance the vegetable bunch to a device which ties it into a marketable bundle.

Abstract: A rod press fruit harvester having a plurality of fruit removing rods combined with a mechanism for allowing movement of the harvester through a fruiting canopy without damage to limbs and branches of the tree. The harvester is also provided with mechanisms for automatically removing or clearing it of branches and debris and for repositioning rods which are moved out of operating position during the harvesting operation.

Abstract: An automatic vegetable buncher for use in combination with a mechanical harvester of leafy green vegetables conveys the greens to a packing station where a pair of packer fingers driven by a novel rectangular motion generator incrementally feeds the greens into one of a plurality of pockets mounted on a rotatable wheel. When a predetermined bunch size is accrued, the wheel rotates to position an empty pocket at the packing station and to advance the vegetable bunch to a device which ties it into a marketable bundle.

Abstract: A continuous tree crop harvester is fitted with right and left catching surfaces. The right half catching surface is designed to move back and forth over the left half catching surface. At the same time and without interrupting the forward motion of the harvester, a rotating trunk seal is provided to enclose and seal the trunk of the tree to be harvested. Thus sealing of the catching surface and tree trunk is reversed after harvesting and the harvester is moved to the next crop harvesting position.

Abstract: An improved leather marking tool which incorporates both the hammer and the punch into a single unit, the improvement being directed to the keying of the drive shaft of the unit in order to prevent rotation and incorporating a structure at the end of the drive shaft which permits such to cooperate with a plurality of different marking heads so marking heads can be used interchangeably.