Abstract: An apparatus for removing the skins of bulbs, such as onions, garlic and scallions, with numerous slits previously provided thereon after cutting off their stems and roots, utilizing the force of jetted fluid. In this apparatus, a carrier for transferring onions placed on a pair of rollers along a direction parallel to the axes of these rollers, the carrier comprising an endless belt, such as a chain, positioned above a clearance between the parallel rollers and having a portion moving in the direction parallel to the axes of the rollers, arms having base ends fixed to the belt and axes directed toward the clearance between the rollers, and feed plates respectively attached to distal ends of the arms. In this apparatus, the bulbs placed on the rollers are subjected to compressed air jetted from obliquely above.

Abstract: An apparatus for routering sprouts from tubers comprises a plurality of sprout routering units, each scanning the surface of a tuber and removing sprouts therefrom if any, and a rotary table on which these sprout routering units are mounted and which rotates them horizontally about a support column. Each sprout routering unit comprises a mechanism which holds a tuber between the ends of upper and lower rods, rotates the tuber at a constant speed and moves the tuber along the common axis of the rods, a sprout detecting part provided with a camera which detects tuber sprouts by color differentials, and a sprout routering part which routs detected sprouts to their roots with a drill. A plurality of these sprout routering units are mounted at equal intervals in the direction of rotation on a rotary table rotatably mounted on a support column projecting upward from a base, and rotate together with the rotary table.

Abstract: A peeling apparatus comprises a support shaft which is laterally mounted on a frame, a container arranged on the outside of the support shaft and having an inner surface which is curved with respect to an axis of the support shaft and with respect to an axis extending perpendicularly to the axis of the support shaft, and a cutting edge extending along an inner surface of the container and movable with respect to the container.

Abstract: In a cutting apparatus for a root and a stem of an onion, a plurality of first swing links composed of a plurality of parallel link rods and a plurality of second swing links composed of a plurality of parallel link rods are mounted to a machine frame for vertically angular movement. A first and second supports are mounted respectively to one ends of the respective first swing links and to one ends of the respective second swing links for angular movement. A first and a second cutting edges are provided respectively on the first and second supports in facing relation to each other for angular movement, with cutting planes of the respective first and second cutting edges maintained horizontal. A first and a second guides are arranged respectively at the first and second supports so as to project respectively from front parts of the respective first and second supports. Biasing means is arranged at the second swing links for moving the first and second cutting edges toward each other.

Abstract: In a bulb centering clamp apparatus, a plurality of first parallel swing links are angularly movable vertically and are mounted above a rotary table rotatable about a vertical axis. A plurality of second parallel swing links are angularly movable vertically and are mounted below the rotary table in facing relation to the first swing links. An upper gripper is movable angularly in facing relation to one ends of the respective first swing links. The upper gripper has a gripping surface maintained horizontal. A lower gripper is movable angularly in facing relation to one ends of the respective second swing links. The lower gripper has a gripping surface maintained horizontal. A first cam mechanism inlcudes a pair of cam followers and a pair of stationary cams, for moving the upper and lower grippers toward and away from each other. The cam followers are provided respectively at the other ends of the respective first and second swing links and are abutted respectively against the stationary cams.

Abstract: In a bulb slitter, a plurality of first swinging elements are mounted to a frame is juxtaposed relation to each other, and a plurality of second swinging elements are mounted to the frame is juxtaposed relation to each other. The first swinging elements have their respective one ends which are arranged in facing relation to one ends of the respective second swinging elements. The first and second swinging elements are mounted to the frame for angular movement toward and away from each other obliquely vertically. A plurality of first disc-like cutting edges are mounted to the one ends of the respective first swinging elements for angular movement. A plurality of second disc-like cutting edges are mounted to the one ends of the respective second swinging elements for angular movement.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting and removing stems and roots of bulbs includes a carrying element for the bulb, a centering element, cutting elements for the stem and the root, and a holding element to hold the bulb. The central position, between an upper cutter and a lower cutter arranged in said cutting element, and the similar central position between the upper portion and the lower portion of the bulb are both arranged to be on a reference line located at a predetermined height above a base reference such as a floor. The holding part of the holding element is moved from the centering element to the cutting element, for cutting of the stem and the root thereby, along the base line while said holding part is holding the bulb.

Abstract: A first and a second leading member are disposed in opposite relation with one another and are supported for movement in a direction axially of a cutting apparatus. A first and a second cutter are supported for movement integral with the respective leading members and are disposed in opposite relation with one another and at locations downstreams of the leading members in a direction transversely of the apparatus and closer to the bulb to be cut than the leading member in the direction axially of the apparatus. The leading members move toward one another and the respective cutters are rotatably driven by motors. The leading members are adapted to abut against the bulb, to be displaced away from one another by the bulb so as to cause the cutters to assume their desired positions for a cutting operation.

Abstract: An apparatus for routering sprouts of a tuber such as a potato has: a drill-like blade having a distal end with a tapered portion; a blade motor for rotating the drill-like blade; a drilling unit having a feeding unit for reciprocally feeding the drill-like blade; a rotating member mounted with a hydropneumatic cylinder having clamping members for clamping the tuber therebetween; and a tuber motor for rotating the rotating member.