Abstract: An apparatus for severing fragments (such as fleurettes) from a one-piece core of an article, such as a cauliflower, as the article is translated between stations along a process path. In a preferred embodiment, the article is translated through a sequence of stations, including a coring station, along the process path. At the coring station, the article is held in a fixed position by an impaling knife or pin, while one or more rotating coring knives are lowered into engagement with the article by a pivoting arm mechanism. The pivoting arm mechanism causes each rotating knife to trace out a generally helical path as it cores the article.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for severing fragments (such as fleurettes) from a one-piece core of an article, such as a cauliflower, as the article is translated between stations along a process path. In a preferred embodiment, the article is loaded on a rotary table at a first station, then deleafed (or otherwise trimmed) at a second station, then aligned by a set of alignment rollers while translating through third and fourth alignment stations, then cored at a fifth coring station, and finally unloaded at a sixth station. At the coring station, the article is held in a fixed position by an impaling knife (or pin) while a set of rotating coring knives are lowered into engagement with the articles by a pivoting arm mechanism. The pivoting arm mechanism causes each rotating knife to trace out a generally helical path as it cores the article.