Abstract: A pear orienting and transfer apparatus for orienting pears stem-end lowermost and subsequently transferring oriented pears with the blossom-end foremost to subsequent inspection, peeling, coring and segmenting stations which includes a channel-bottom reciprocable shaker pan and lifter at each channel for feeding singulated pears one at a time down a movably inclined and intermittently gated delivery chute to a set of orienting rolls that orients each pear stem-end lowermost and places it in one of a plurality of pneumatic gripping cups carried on an indexible rotary cup drum.

Abstract: The high speed syruper of this invention utilizes a combination of vacuum and pressure to fill cans with liquid. Steam is introduced into the cans prior to the application of a vacuum, and then the cans are filled with liquid under pressure, preferably in the range of 4 to 10 PSI.The filling apparatus comprises a circular ring manifold mounted for rotation on a vertical axis. A rotary coupling fluidly connects the manifold to a pressurized source of liquid, and a plurality of cam operated valves control the flow of liquid from the manifold into the cans.

Abstract: A filling apparatus for metal containers has a rotatable bowl carrying filling syrup or other fluid with a plurality of filling valves arranged on the bowl bottom around its periphery to fill empty containers moved into traveling engagement with each valve. A control cam manipulates each valve in a repeating sequence through close, vacuum, fill and vent positions. A switching cam follower tracking the control cam and a cooperating switch activate the valving sequence if a can is present at a particular filling valve and de-activate the sequence if a can is not present. A pneumatic cylinder actuated by series connected proximity sensors for metal objects, such as cans, manipulates the cooperating switch to direct the switching cam follower for each filler valve into one control cam tracking mode if an empty can is in place below the filler valve or into a second valve closing mode if a can is not present.