Abstract: A vehicular display unit includes: a main display disposed in a forward position of a driver and adapted to display vehicle information; an external display, other than the main display, disposed in the forward position of the driver, adapted to display vehicle information and having a screen functioning as an operation portion; and a display mover mechanism including a gear belt disposed on a circumferential track and configured to move the external display in a vehicle forward-rearward direction by a circumferential movement of the gear belt, and a gear mechanism configured to transmit a driving force of a driving source to the gear belt.

Abstract: A device configured for the removal of pits from fruits such as cherries. The device features a planar rotating circular disk which rotates on an incline. A ramp deposits fruit on a top surface of the disk at a lower portion of the incline which keeps the fruit from moving with the surface of the disk. Depressions in the disk engage with individual fruit which is carried to a needle punch which translates through the fruit and an aperture communicating through the depression and the disk to push the pit out the fruit. An elastic member pulls the pits from the needles.

Abstract: Apparatus for extracting pomegranate seeds from pomegranates including a pomegranate breaker operative for breaking open pomegranates generally without cutting pomegranate seeds at the interior of the pomegranates and a pomegranate seed extractor operative to engage broken open pomegranates for separating the pomegranate seeds from other parts of the pomegranates.

Abstract: Tomatoes or other articles are placed over moving cutter blades (20) in article openings of an article locator of an article slicer (10). Article pushers (24) move downwardly and have downwardly extending pusher fins for pushing the tomatoes through the cutter blades. The article pushers are carried by a movable support plate (78) between retracted positions behind the cutter blades and extended positions over the cutter blades. A pick and placer (76) is carried by the same movable support plate (78) and moves simultaneously in the same lateral directions as the article pushers, between positions over the oncoming line of tomatoes on an entrance conveyor (64) and over the cutter blades.

Abstract: A cherry pitter includes a container having a removable cherry holder with a plurality of cavities for holding cherries. A mating plurality of cutters is secured to the lid of the container, which is pivotally secured to the container. By rotating the lid downward the cutters are pushed into and through the cherries, pushing the pits into the container. A spring-loaded push-off plate holds the cherries down against the holder as the lid rotates upward again, separating the cherries from the cutters. These and other examples of the invention will be described in further detail below.

Abstract: Apparatus for extracting pomegranate seeds from pomegranates including a pomegranate breaker operative for breaking open pomegranates generally without cutting pomegranate seeds at the interior of the pomegranates and a pomegranate seed extractor operative to engage broken open pomegranates for separating the pomegranate seeds from other parts of the pomegranates.

Abstract: Tomatoes (11) or other articles are placed over moving cutter blades (20) in article openings (46) of an article locator (44) of the article slicer (10). Article pushers (24) move downwardly and have downwardly extending pusher fins (26) for pushing the tomatoes though the cutter blades (20). The article pushers (24) have laterally extending front openings (36) for receiving a high pressure fluid spray for cleaning the fins (26) and cutter blades (20) without disassembling the components of the slicer. The article pushers (24) are carried by a movable support plate (78) between retracted positions behind the cutter blades (20) and extended positions over the cutter blades (20). A pick and placer (76) is carried by the same movable support plate (78) and moves simultaneously in the same lateral directions as the article pushers (24), between positions over the on-coming line of tomatoes (11) on an entrance conveyor (64) and over the cutter blades (20).

Abstract: Apparatus for extracting pomegranate seeds from pomegranates including a pomegranate breaker operative for breaking open pomegranates generally without cutting pomegranate seeds at the interior of the pomegranates and a pomegranate seed extractor operative to engage broken open pomegranates for separating the pomegranate seeds from other parts of the pomegranates.

Abstract: A device configured for the removal of pits from fruits such as cherries. The device features a planar rotating circular disk which rotates on an incline. A ramp deposits fruit on a top surface of the disk at a lower portion of the incline which keeps the fruit from moving with the surface of the disk. Depressions in the disk engage with individual fruit which is carried to a needle punch which translates through the fruit and an aperture communicating through the depression and the disk to push the pit out the fruit. An elastic member pulls the pits from the needles.

Abstract: A method and device for coring and cutting food products such as peppers in a hydrocutter. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes an outer rim, which is configured for placement within a hydrocutter. This rim has a first end and a second end and defines a passageway there through. A coring cutter is suspended in a generally centrally located position within this passageway. This coring cutter includes pairs of peaks and troughs which are positioned so as to impact the item being processed prior to the other portions of the coring cutter and by so doing enable the device to be cut with decreased amounts of force and water pressure upon the device. Thus preserving fragile structures such as a pepper.

Abstract: A frothing device adaptable to a steam outlet for producing milk froth comprising a steam inlet, a milk inlet, an air inlet, a vacuum chamber adapted to receive steam, liquid milk and air therein, a restriction with a limited cross-section adapted for conducting the product there through at high velocity, an emulsifying chamber; the emulsifying chamber having an outlet for draining the product froth out of the chamber and a froth flow regulation system configured for breaking the kinetic energy of the froth stream and for changing its direction sufficiently so that the froth is gently delivered out of the device. The frothing device can be mounted on a coffee machine to deliver cappuccino upon a push of a button.

Abstract: Apparatus for extracting pomegranate seeds from pomegranates including a pomegranate breaker operative for breaking open pomegranates generally without cutting pomegranate seeds at the interior of the pomegranates and a pomegranate seed extractor operative to engage broken open pomegranates for separating the pomegranate seeds from other parts of the pomegranates.

Abstract: Fruit items are positioned between vertical pins located in the calyx and stem hole of said fruit item, thereby securing the fruit item by a compressive force through its core. A core tube surrounding the upper pin descends to meet the lower pin, thereby completely piercing the fruit item and isolating its core inside the tube. A cushioned ram pushes the edible portion of the fruit item down over the core tube, through a cassette of radial knives, creating a plurality of wedges that fall immediately into an enzyme bath. The bath seals freshness into the fruit item's cell structure by preventing contact with oxygen. The solid core is ejected and the edible outside portion of the fruit item is not touched or bruised by mechanical handling.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a vegetable delivery device for use in trimming roots and tops from bulbs such as onions. The device comprises a frame, a bottom conveyance means and a top conveyance means composed of a chain and gear system with a common synchronized drive. Concave cups are synchronously positioned in opposition to grasp and secure a vegetable as the conveyance means passes the vegetable to, through and past a cutting means. A wheel or skid means exerts a downward force against the top conveyance means proximal the cutting means as an additional manner of securing the vegetable as it passes the cutting means.

Abstract: An adjustable peach aligner cup assembly 20 is provided for use in an automatic peach aligning and pitting mechanism. An adjustable alignment ring has first and second movable segments 51,52. Segments 51,52 are moved away from each other to align large peaches and are moved toward each other to align small peaches. An actuator 61,62 causes the segments 51,52 to move. An optional sensor 80 is provided which allows the segments 51,52 on a specific aligner cup assembly 20 to be adjusted on a peach-to-peach basis to align a specific peach.

Abstract: A fruit pitting apparatus including at least one of a box cam assembly for driving pitting knives relative to holders containing fruit, an active separating assembly which improves the efficiency of separation of the pitted fruit flesh from the holders after pitting, and a wiping blade positioned to wipe pits from the holders after pitting. The holders can be driven continuously during the pitting operation, or they can be driven intermittently so as to be stationary during pitting and to translate before and after pitting. The separating assembly preferably includes actively driven cam tracks within the knife driving assembly which vary the force with which the holders grip the fruit during and after pitting, especially when the holders are driven intermittently.

Abstract: Such are designed to optionally allow the stoning machine to work as an olive stoner-slicer and lie in establishing at quite some distance from a disc (14') bearing cups (14) serving as dollies during the olive stoning stage, a disc (17') bearing a plurality of cradles (17) toward which the stoned olives (31) are conveyed when the stoning punch (13) retracts, which punch is to this end provided with olive retaining spears (13') and it is thus at these cradles (17), i.e. outside the stoning area, where the olive is cut into slices with the assistance of a set of parallel, disc-shaped and turning blades (23) or fixed blades with an arcuate and concave cutting-edge (38), each such blades (23-38) being capable of taking up two near- and far-end positions with respect to the cradles (17) in order for the stoning machine to act also as a slicer or only as a slicer.

Abstract: A pitting knife drive assembly for mounting in a fruit pitting apparatus to drive pitting knives of the pitting apparatus. The pitting knife assembly includes a box cam, a drive assembly for rotating the box cam, a pivot unit which undergoes reciprocating pivoting motion in response to the rotating box cam, and a set of one or more shafts which reciprocate longitudinally in response to the reciprocating pivoting motion of the pivot unit. Preferably also, the pitting knife assembly includes a subassembly for causing the shafts to undergo reciprocating motion in directions perpendicular to their longitudinal axes. A preferred implementation of this subassembly includes a carriage driven by a rotating eccentric, where the eccentric and the box cam are mounted along a common drive shaft, and the drive assembly includes a motor for rotating the drive shaft.

Abstract: A food processing apparatus particularly designed for handling produce items with a calyx and including a vacuum mechanism for grasping the produce item by the calyx for orientation and transportation of the item and a coring implement for removal of the calyx from a properly oriented produce item, the processing apparatus being designed to perform grasping and coring operations at separate stations or is a single operation.

Abstract: An apparatus for pitting articles such as prunes or dates. Each article is loaded between jaws of a chuck assembly which translates between stations along a process path. At a pitting turret, a pitting rubber moves below the chuck assembly, and the chuck assembly and rubber translate together until a pitting knife engages the article and ejects a pit therefrom. The chuck assembly then translates the pitted article to a station where the pitted article is discharged. Preferably, a relatively large number of chuck assemblies are provided, each having a fixed jaw fixedly attached to a chain and a sliding jaw slidably mounted to the fixed portion. A relatively small number of pitting rubbers and one pitting knife for each rubber are mounted to the pitting turret.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for moving a pear from a roll orientor into a transfer cup wherein an inclined pear stop shoe is provided which contacts and guides the pear downwardly into the transfer cup as the orienting rolls separate. The rolls are separated at a predetermined speed so that the roll maintains contact with the pear and helps guide the pear into the transfer cup. The pear stop shoe is retractable after the pear is guided into the transfer cup so that the pear is supported only by the walls of the transfer cup.

Abstract: A cherry pitter comprising a pitting station (24) adapted to support a cherry (88) having an opening 84 sized to allow passage of a pit (85), but not the cherry (88). A pit ejector (26) adapted to reciprocate along a longitudinal axis includes an elongate punch having a number of arms (50, 52, 54, 56) radiating out from the longitudinal axis, each arm extending beyond the proximal end of the punch to form a cruciform cross-section. One of the arms (56) has a substantially flat profile and the other three arms (50, 52, 54) have an undercut portion (66) of the same order of axial length as the diameter of a typical cherry. The punch is oriented so that the flat arm (56) projects towards a delivery passage (22). The delivery passage (22) has an arcuate channel that aligns the cherries and delivers them to the pitting station (24) one at a time. The elongate punch drives into the cherry (86) and pushes the pit through the outer flesh of the cherry (86) and through the opening (84) and into a pit chamber (94).

Abstract: A peeling and coring apparatus (20) for use with perishable produce (24) having a tapered neck portion (32) of reduced transverse dimension. Upon placement of the produce (24) into a tapered coring cup (30) formed to receive the produce (24), a detecting mechanism (36) detects the extension of the tapered neck portion (32) into the coring cup (30) by a distance sufficient to indicate proper orientation of the produce (24) relative to the coring cup (30). If the detecting mechanism (36) determines that the produce (24) is improperly oriented relative the coring cup (30), the peeling and coring apparatus (20) removes the produce (24) from the coring cup (30) prior to further processing of the produce (24). If the detecting mechanism (36) determines that the produce (24) is properly oriented, a gripping mechanism (34) grips the produce (24) to secure it against the coring cup (30) in preparation for further processing such as peeling and coring.

Abstract: The prunes are each supported by an annular trough (21A) of the tank (20A), on which trough abuts a sleeve (50A) mounted slidingly counter to an elastic return (52A) along a pitting rod (46A). The sleeves (50A) are juxtaposed one next to the other, while the rods (46A) are operated simultaneously by a jack (43A). The fall of the pits is checked by detection means (90A). These detection means (90A) are connected to a programmable automatic mechanism (95A), which controls the actuation of the means for removing the pitted prunes, and the unpitted prunes, if necessary, as a function of the values sensed by the detection means.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a work object utilizing high pressure fluid. The apparatus includes an orientation conveyor which is operable to transport and selectively position the work object in a work station; a water manifold is mounted at the work station and is operable to move along a predetermined path of travel and to deliver a stream of high pressure fluid in the work station to cut the work object; and a control system is borne by the apparatus, and is adapted to coordinate the operation of the water manifold and the orientation conveyor such that the orientation conveyor positions the work object in the work station for a predetermined period of time and the water manifold is energized and directed along the path of travel to cut the work object in a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning articles as the articles are translated in cups along a substantially circular path. In one embodiment, each cup is formed in the outer surface of a rotating cylindrical drum, and one or more slots, each oriented parallel to the substantially circular path, extend through each cup's bottom surface. A stationary, notch alignment strip is positioned in at least one of the slots. As the cups translate past the notched strip, the strip bumps the articles in the cups to urge them into a uniform alignment. In a preferred embodiment, the slots are spaced and dimensioned to receive parallel slicing knives. In an important application of the invention, the cups are dimensioned to carry pitted olives, and the slots are spaced and dimensioned to receive a set of parallel olive slicing knives.

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 invention deals with an appliance with which onions or other vegetable bulbs can be oriented with their axial direction in a particular position necessary to present the onions to a processing machine for instance for the removal of top and root ends, the removal of the outermost skins and the cutting of the onions into slices. In a first embodiment the alignment appliance comprises a cylinder 2, 3 with a helical groove in the outer surface thereof, a roller 1 provided next to said cylinder and a means of driving 8 to rotate the groove cylinder and the roller, both the width of the groove and the minimum distance between the groove cylinder 2, 3 and the roller 1 being less than the diameter and axial length of the onions to be aligned. In a second embodiment the appliance comprises a cylinder 2, 3 with a helical groove in the inside surface thereof and means for rotating the grooved cylinder, the width of the groove being less than the diameter and axial length of the onions to be aligned.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus of peeling citrus fruit. Citrus fruits are peeled by utilizing a series of cups for holding the fruit such that the core axis of the fruit lies horizontal at right angle to the path of travel. A conveyor is used for advancing the cups in a series of stop/start motions along the path of travel while the fruit is being held in the cups by means of a series of metallic fingers applying downward pressure on the fruit. The blossom and stem of the fruit are sliced to establish parallel planes on the fruit such that the fruit can be guided along parallel plates to prevent movement of the core axis of the fruit. A pair of photo-electric cells will estimate the diameter of the fruit and the information stored for further processing. The fruits are then pierced by means of forks or tines which will rotate them at a constant speed and be carried below a set of rotating cutters.

Abstract: A machine for the pitting of drupaceous fruits, e.g. prunes, has an endless chain of articulated conveyor plates each provided with several vertical cylindrical bores whose flared mouths face upward on the upper run of the chain where each plate passes successively, in steps, through a loading station, a pitting station and an ejection station. The loading station comprises a hopper filling each bore of an underlying conveyor plate with a fruit to be pitted; in the pitting and ejecting stations, the conveyor plates are overhung by a vertically reciprocable carrier supporting a series of pushers and an adjoining series of plungers. In the pitting station the conveyor plates are underlain by a base plate having perforations aligned with their bores, each perforation being provided with an elastic insert which closes around a pit being dislodged by a pusher in order to strip adhering pulp therefrom.

Abstract: First and second rotary turrets are connected by a drive belt or chain which carries cups to carry and support the olives while they are being pitted and stuffed. Pitting takes place as the belt passes around one of the turrets and stuffing takes place while the belt passes around the other turret.A folded stuffing strip is fed radially of the stuffing turret and knives carried by the stuffing turret move transversely of the strip to cut off stuffing pieces and carry them away in vertical, stuffing alignment with the cups.

Abstract: In a peach pitter of the type including a pair of blades which both bisect the peach and grip the peach pit, a pair of jaws which twist the peach halves to remove them from the pit, and an aligner which orients the peaches so that their suture planes lie in the plane of the blades, a transfer mechanism is disclosed which accurately feeds individual, oriented peaches from the aligner to the blades in a sequence which minimizes the time required. A pair of claws grasp a peach at a transfer point on the aligner when it is momentarily substantially stationary and immediately carry the peach through an arc toward the blades.As the peach is impaled on the lower of the pair of blades, the upper blade descends to grip the pit. The claws, which are specially designed to insure that the peach is properly aligned with the pitting axis extending between the blades, are then released from the peach and rapidly returned to the transfer point in spread-apart condition ready to receive the next peach.

Abstract: In prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,586,081, 3,586,151 and 3,869,974, machines are disclosed for orienting an apple along the axis of its central core. The oriented apple was impaled on a fork and rotated while being processed. The machine herein disclosed cuts the apple into a plurality of rings and thereafter removes the core so that when the apple is released, one has a plurality of annular apple segments which are useful in decorating salads and the like.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting halved fruit with the cut sides thereof facing downwardly includes a longitudinally extending vibrating table which is inclined slightly downwardly from the receiving end to the discharge end. The table is provided with longitudinally extending opposed side walls, with a bottom extending therebetween to define a channel along which the fruit translates. In the first receiving section of the apparatus, the bottom is inclined laterally toward one side as well as longitudinally. In the second section, contiguous with the first, a channel is formed in the one side wall to engage the upwardly facing cut faces of the fruit. In a third section, a trough narrower than the width of the fruit is formed in the bottom wall generally adjacent to the lower edge of the one side, the channel of the second section directing the fruit into the trough. The trough widens and deepens with increasing distance along the vibrating table, forming a V shaped trough which is bilaterally symmetrical.

Abstract: Apparatus for pitting dates wherein an endless apron consisting of plates with sockets for dates is transported stepwise by two chains past a hopper which dispenses randomly distributed dates onto the upper sides of successive plates, past an adjustable elastic refuser which intercepts overlapping dates and directs some intercepted dates into empty sockets, past a rotary brush which inclines partly inserted dates in a direction counter to the direction of movement of the plates, past a centering station wherein semicylindrical extensions of tubular centering elements penetrate into the sockets of the adjacent plate to promote or cause complete penetration of partly inserted dates into the respective sockets, and thereupon past a removing station where the cutting edges at the leading ends of reciprocable tools penetrate into the sockets to expel pits from the dates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for separating the meat of an olive into two end portions and preparing such an olive for packing. This method and apparatus provides for receiving an olive and producing a cut substantially through the meat in a plane transverse to an axis extending through the ends of the olive, thus defining a pair of olive meat end portions each extending around and adhered to a portion of the olive pit, with the receiving and cut-producing structure being configured to restrain movement of the olive end portion along the axis while permitting movement of the pit of the olive along that axis. Also provided are first and second punches each aligned with and mounted for reciprocation along the axis between two sets of respective positions, in one set the punches being outside the respective ends of the olive meat end portions and in the other set of positions the punches extending at least partially through the olive meat end portions sufficient to dislodge the pit from the end portions.

Abstract: First and second rotary turrets are connected by a drive belt or chain which carries cups to carry and support the olives while they are being pitted and stuffed. Pitting takes place as the belt passes around one of the turrets and stuffing takes place while the belt passes around the other turret.A folded stuffing strip is fed radially of the stuffing turret and knives carried by the stuffing turret move transversely of the strip to cut off stuffing pieces and carry them away in vertical, stuffing alignment with the cups.

Abstract: Continuous destoning and halving machine comprises a conveyor belt wound as an endless ring and consisting essentially of a chain to each link of which there is externally hinged a half cup, provided in a position opposing said hinging point with an idle roller sliding on a rail in order to be kept horizontal, during processing of the fruits or inclined for discharging purposes; on the horizontal part of the conveyor being provided loading station consisting of a fixed cylindrical peripheral duct there being provided inside said duct and fixed to the driven shaft of the conveyor a group of radial dividing elements each of which faces, during operation, to a single hole through which the first piece of fruit of each alignment is discharged singly on to the underlying half cup; the processing station consists of lower and upper cylindrical crowns moving rigidly with the driven ring gear and supporting cooperating vertically sliding mandrels aligned two by two.

Abstract: A turntable with olive cups is advanced stepwise by a suitable Geneva movement. At a feed station unpitted olives are delivered into the cups. Between the feed station and the pitting station the cups are vibrated to properly orient the olives for pitting. After pitting, the olives are stuffed with pimento, the pimento feed system including toothed drive means for a continuous pimento strip, a feed chute which serves to fold the strip in half along its lengthwise centerline, and cut-off knives to sever the strip into sections for stuffing.

Abstract: A machine for repitting peach halves which have previously been subjected to a pitting operation, but wherein the peach halves are not completely pitted because of split or fragmented pits remaining attached to the fruit. The machine automatically feeds the peach halves, centers them relative to a pitting knife, and re-pits the halves to remove any pit fragments which have escaped the initial pitting operation. Since the initial pitting is done by first cutting whole peaches in half along their entire planes and the resulting peach halves cannot be repitted in the same machine, the present peach repitting machine provides a recovery system for the primary pitting operation in order to increase the overall yield without hand-pitting.