Abstract: An apparatus for removing pits from prunes or other soft fruit, including holders defining pockets for holding soft fruit, an excess fruit removal assembly (e.g., comprising one or more paddle wheels), a pitting knife assembly, and a holder drive assembly for translating the holders along a closed loop. Each pocket defined by each holder is movable between open and closed configurations as the holder is translated around the loop. Each holder includes a top chuck plate shaped to guide an article of fruit into each pocket with reduced risk that excess fruit (fruit not properly seated in a pocket) will remain lodged on the chuck plate after the holder has translated past the excess fruit removal assembly. Other aspects are a chuck plate configured for use as a top chuck plate of a fruit holder of a pitting apparatus, and a fruit holder including such a chuck plate.

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 coring apparatus and method for coring produce and/or forming a beverage container from produce including a rotatable cutting core or member. The coring apparatus allows linear translation and/or rotation of constituent members to facilitate insertion of a cutting member, separation of a core from produce, and/or removal of the core from produce. A carrier is used to translate a rotatable cutting core for insertion in and removal from produce. The rotatable cutting core is rotatable in relation to the carrier and may optionally include an additional cutting member disposed therein.

Abstract: A stuffing hand tool for inserting food material into pitted or cored produce items such as olives, figs, strawberries, cherries, which includes a body easily gripped with one hand by a user allowing a tube projecting from one end to be pressed into a mass of food material creating a plug of food material retained in the tube which is stuffed into an item when a plunger is advanced by depressing a pusher cylinder extended out from the opposite end of the body.

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: Described is a pitting machine, system and process that singularizes or individualizes fruit pieces, such as cherries, olives, dates and plums and that attempts to remove pits and pit material from each fruit piece. A conveyor comprises depressions, wells or receptacles for accepting fruit pieces for processing. The conveyor accepts fruit pieces into wells, passes the fruit pieces into a pitting area wherein the pitting machine removes pit material from the fruit pieces by a matrix of punching needles or pitting needles. The matrix moves in an oscillatory fashion in synchronization with generally continuous movement of the fruit pieces engaged in the conveyor. The singularization enables easier and better processing, sorting, and quality checking of fruit pieces. Quality checking may be done before and after pitting of fruit pieces. Quality checking may include desired color and size of each fruit piece. Quality checking virtually ensures successful or sufficient removal of pits and pit material.

Abstract: A food cutting device has a body frame defining an aperture, and a cutter removably located within the aperture. The body frame has a first engaging formation and the cutter has a second engaging formation adjacent and releasably engageable with the first engaging formation for connecting the cutter to the body frame to produce a unitary structure for a cutting operation.

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 puzzle apple slicer which cuts an apple or similar fruit or vegetable portions thereof into wedges by radial blades each having a protrusion forming interfit channels and ridges in adjacent sides of the wedges to interlock the wedges together.

Abstract: A food cutting device has a body frame defining an aperture, and a cutter removably located within the aperture. The body frame has a first engaging formation and the cutter has a second engaging formation adjacent and releasably engageable with the first engaging formation for connecting the cutter to the body frame to produce a unitary structure for a cutting operation.

Abstract: A pitting machine comprises a punching head that performs a curvilinear oscillatory movement in synchronization with the translation movement of fruits to be pitted, in particular for use in industries that process food such as pitted dried or dehydrated plums and which are currently performing manual operations or using rudimentary equipment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pitting olives (or other fruit) and slicing the pitted fruit. In preferred embodiments, a pitting knife and a coring knife horizontally translate each olive to be pitted while the pitting knife, coring knife, and olive revolve together about a horizontal axis, the pitting knife pushes out the pit horizontally as the olive and cup translate along a segment of a circular first path around the axis, the apparatus includes slicing pockets (in positions horizontally separated from the first path) which translate along a circular second path parallel to the first path, after pitting, a pitting knife pulls the pitted olive horizontally away from the first path and into one of the pockets, and the pitted olive in the pocket is sliced by slicing knives as the pitted olive and pocket translate around the axis along a segment of the second path into engagement with the slicing knives.

Abstract: A drupe which is infested with a larva of a moth or larvae of other insects, and is contaminated with related excretions, referred to as a “frass”, in a central zone within the drupe, is cleansed with a longitudinally bored pitting knife mounted in the pitting head of a conventional pitting machine. A source of cleansing fluid is connected to the bore within the knife and fluid is discharged through radial passages in the knife, which radial passages communicate with the longitudinal bore. In operation, while the knife pits the drupe, fluid discharged from within the knife contacts the walls of the passage left by the ejected pit, and removes the frass. If desired, the drupe may be first pitted, then decontaminated or washed, and/or dried sequentially, in separate stages. The invention is particularly effective with dates, prunes, olives, cherries, nectarines, peaches and avocados.

Abstract: A skinning blade assembly with a blade, clamp, and shoe where the blade is frictionally received in a recess formed in the bottom surface of the clamp, the clamp having a slot that extends from the top of the clamp through the bottom of the clamp such that a tool can be inserted in the slot to apply sufficient force against the back edge of the blade to overcome the frictional force of the clamp acting on the blade to remove the blade from the receiving recess.

Abstract: A drupe which is infested with a larva of a moth or larvae of other insects, and is contaminated with related excretions, referred to as a "frass", in a central zone within the drupe, is cleansed with a longitudinally bored pitting knife mounted in the pitting head of a conventional pitting machine. A source of cleansing fluid is connected to the bore within the knife and fluid is discharged through radial passages in the knife, which radial passages communicate with the longitudinal bore. In operation, while the knife pits the drupe, fluid discharged from within the knife contacts the walls of the passage left by the ejected pit, and removes the frass. If desired, the drupe may be first pitted, then decontaminated or washed, and/or dried sequentially, in separate stages. The invention is particularly effective with dates, prunes, olives, cherries, nectarines, peaches and avocados.

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: 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: 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: In a machine for stuffing olives automatically with meat paste, olives are transferred from a serial infeed station to a runout station, at which the stuffed end product emerges, by way of a transfer station that comprises an indexing conveyor with peripheral contoured pockets interconnected by a profiled channel; the channel freely accommodates a fixed knife by which the top part of each olive is cut at a station between the infeed and runout stations, and a divaricator serving to spread the sides of the cut olive and thus create an opening into which the meat paste can be forced by an injector supplied from a relative feeder station. Advantageously, the infeed and runout stations, the conveyor and the feeder station are mechanically interconnected and driven synchronously by a single power transmission system.

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: A method for preparing fruit sauce is disclosed wherein fruit having skins, seeds, and meat is extruded through a perforated drum to provide a small particle size pulp. The pulp is immediately heated quickly to a temperature above the inactivating temperature of the discoloring enzymes of the fruit within a time period less than is necessary for the enzymes to cause discoloration. The pulping process maximizes pectin in the pulp to give the pulp a high viscosity. Particles remain in the pulp to give the pulp a good, discernible bite or mouth feel. The volatile flavors and aromas are trapped in the pulp by heating the pulp in a closed container while causing the enzymes to be inactivated with heat.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pitting olives and then slicing the pitted olives. In a preferred embodiment, each olive is carried in a cup positioned between a coring knife and a pitting knife in a manner so that the longitudinal axes of the cup and the knives coincide. As the cup and knives rotate around a drive shaft along parallel circular paths, a system of cams extends and retracts the knives relative to the cup, in order to pit the olive. After the pitting operation, the cup (containing a pitted olive) continues to rotate along its circular path past a set of slicing knives or water jet cutters. The slicing elements are oriented substantially parallel to the plane of the cup's circular path, so that the slicing elements will sever the olive cleanly into slices as the cup translates past them. In the inventive method and apparatus, both the pitting and slicing operations are performed on each olive while the olive is held in a known orientation.

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: Fins have edges which extend forward from a body which is reciprocated back and forth by a driving rod. The fins also have cutting blades. Olives are depitted by causing the forward edges to penetrate the olives and engage the pits. The cutting blades then slice the depitted olive into separate disconnected slices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pitting olives and then slicing the pitted olives. In a preferred embodiment, each olive is carried in a cup positioned between a coring knife and a pitting knife in a manner so that the longitudinal axes of the cup and the knives coincide. As the cup and knives rotate around a drive shaft along parallel circular paths, a system of cams extends and retracts the knives relative to the cup, in order to pit the olive. After the pitting operation, the cup (containing a pitted olive) continues to rotate along its circular path past a set of slicing knives. The slicing knives are oriented substantially parallel to the plane of the cup's circular path, so that the slicing knives act as wedges to sever the olive cleanly into slices as the cup translates past the slicing knives. In the inventive method and apparatus, both the pitting and slicing operations are performed on each olive while the olive is held in a known orientation.

Abstract: A method for chopping olives comprises feeding olives into an abrading zone in a pulper having at least one rotatable brush which clears a screen extending around the periphery of the abrading zone. The brush is rotated to abrade the olive meat between the brush, the screen, and the pits from the olives. The product passing through the screen is collected and has a uniform character and is essentially pit free. The pit caps are separated from the olive pits by this process and shredded through the screen.

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: An apple coring apparatus (10) includes a first arm (16) which is pivotally connected to a base plate (12). A lever arm (20) is pivotally connected to the first arm (16). A sliding tube (36) is mounted on a guide rod (38) which is mounted normal to the base plate (12). A tubular knife (30) is pivotally connected to the lever arm (20). A blade (34) is rigidly connected to the tubular knife (30) and to the sliding tube (36). A blocking arm (54) is pivotally mounted to the plate (12) and rigidly connected to a handle (58). The blocking arm (54) includes a notch (54a) which is positioned to receive a pin (24) mounted longitudinally on the lever arm (20). When the lever arm (20) is forced downward, the pin (24) is received in the notch (54a) and the downward travel of the lever arm (20) is blocked.

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: 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: 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: A tubular rotating blade assembly which can reciprocatorily cycle along the blade assembly axis. The assembly is incorporated into apparatus which sequentially functions to core a fruit member such as a grapefruit or the like after which the core member is removed from the fruit member before the blade assembly is withdrawn from such fruit member. A control means is also provided for synchronizing cycling and core removal operations of a blade assembly (or a gang of blade assemblies) relative to each of a successive plurality of fruit members to be cored.

Abstract: An improvement in apparatus suitable for continuous separation of the flesh of fruit from its pits and seeds comprising a rotor 13, a screen 19 opposite the rotor wherein the rotor has radial arms provided with hammer heads 15 for working of the fruit for passage of the flesh through the screen and collection of the pits and skins on the screen. The improvement comprises the screen being rotatably mounted, drive means for the rotor and the screen for driving the rotor and screen at circumferential speeds differing by at least 10%, the hammer heads having striking surfaces inclined so as to form an acute angle with the axis of rotation in the radial projection of the striking surfaces onto the axis, and the rotor and screen being conical and disposed in nested relation. The heads can be so inclined that they advance the fruit along the surface of the screen.

Abstract: A fruit pitting machine apparatus for separating unpitted fruit from pitted fruit having pitting needles which force fruit pits through a pair of springloaded jaws. As a pit is forced through the jaws a pneumatic valve actuates a pneumatic pressure switch which generates electric signals in an electrical memory. If the jaws are not actuated by a pit being forced therethrough an air ejector will eject the unpitted fruit into a separate container following a predetermined positional relay for aligning the unpitted fruit with the ejector.