Abstract: An apparatus for drying produce and small parts or pieces utilizing a fluid flow, typically air, through passages in a treatment member, and that is well suited for use in association with the drying of small fruit (i.e. blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, etc.). The dryer apparatus includes a frame, a treatment member, and a fluid supply member. The treatment member holds the items while the fluid supply member directs fluid through the treatment member and into contact with the small parts or pieces. The treatment member may be a flexible belt which is passed along a plurality of rollers. Advantageously, the fluid supply member can be controlled so that the small parts or pieces rotate or lift off the treatment member thereby exposing multiple surfaces thereof to the fluid.

Abstract: A container denester apparatus which overcomes, among other problems, the problems identified above. The denester apparatus positively controls the flanges of the container so as to individually denest a lowermost container from a stack of containers. The apparatus protects the container by spreading the force required to denest the container along much of the flange structure. In addition, the stack of containers above the lowermost container are retained, again along much of the flange structure of the immediately adjacent container.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying produce and small parts or pieces utilizing a fluid flow, typically air, through passages in a treatment member, and that is well suited for use in association with the drying of small fruit (i.e. blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, etc.). The dryer apparatus includes a frame, a treatment member, and a fluid supply member. The treatment member holds the items while the fluid supply member directs fluid through the treatment member and into contact with the small parts or pieces. The treatment member may be a flexible belt which is passed along a plurality of rollers. Advantageously, the fluid supply member can be controlled so that the small parts or pieces rotate or lift off the treatment member thereby exposing multiple surfaces thereof to the fluid.

Abstract: A container denester apparatus which overcomes, among other problems, the problems identified above. The denester apparatus positively controls the flanges of the container so as to individually denest a lowermost container from a stack of containers. The apparatus protects the container by spreading the force required to denest the container along much of the flange structure. In addition, the stack of containers above the lowermost container are retained, again along much of the flange structure of the immediately adjacent container.

Abstract: A weight filling device for filling small objects comprising a vibrating feed assembly, at least two bins in a side by side orientation, and a chute assembly. The feed assembly includes feed stations having a feed tray with a large feed portion and a small feed portion in a side by side orientation, either integrally formed along a part or all of the length thereof, and each extending to a distal end thereof and vibrating at a predetermined frequency. The bins are positioned so as to be placeable in communication with the distal end of the at least one feed tray. The chute assembly is positioned below the distal end of the at least one feed tray, and has at least one directing chute station having a large feed selector positioned below the large feed portion of the feed tray and a small feed selector positioned below the small feed portion of the feed tray.

Abstract: A weight filling device for filling small objects comprising a vibrating feed assembly, at least two bins in a side by side orientation, and a chute assembly. The feed assembly includes feed stations having a feed tray with a large feed portion and a small feed portion in a side by side orientation, either integrally formed along a part or all of the length thereof, and each extending to a distal end thereof and vibrating at a predetermined frequency. The bins are positioned so as to be placeable in communication with the distal end of the at least one feed tray. The chute assembly is positioned below the distal end of the at least one feed tray, and has at least one directing chute station having a large feed selector positioned below the large feed portion of the feed tray and a small feed selector positioned below the small feed portion of the feed tray.