Abstract: A pressure vessel (1) for steam treatment of product to be peeled in a steam peeling system has substantially the shape of a sphere with opposed flattened side surfaces. The pressure vessel (1) is rotatable and has at least one internal lifting feature (51a, 51b, 51c) for entraining and raising product relative to the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel (1) during rotation of the pressure vessel (1). The pressure vessel (1) also at least one internal region (53) which is closed-off against ingress of steam during product treatment, said region (53) defining a steam saver. The pressure vessel (1) may be incorporated in a product treatment system also including a batcher for delivery of product to be peeled. The system may provide for accelerated pressure drop on completion of a peeling operation, as well as including arrangements to minimise release of entrained solid matter and/or odours in exhaust steam. A control system enables unproductive displacement of the pressure vessel to be minimised.

Abstract: The plantain peeler is a kitchen appliance that allows a person to easily and efficiently remove the skin from plantains. The device would consist of a slicing mechanism and a peeling mechanism integrated into a housing with a discard tray at the bottom and a plastic backsplash surrounding the peeling mechanism. The slicing mechanism would consist of four semicircular blades connected to a circular guide which rotate towards each other when activated and would be used to slice the tip from a plantain. The peeling mechanism would consist of four arcuate blades arranged in a circular manner that would force the peel from the plantain as it passes through the mechanism. A discard tray would be provided at the bottom of the device to catch the peel, a tip retrieval opening would be provided in the housing behind the slicing mechanism, and a plantain retrieval passage would be provided in the housing behind the peeling mechanism.

Abstract: A peeler is provided having a removable liner, the liner possessing a rough texture for assisting the turning of a food product during a peeling operation. A method of manufacturing the disclosed peeler and liner is also provided.

Abstract: A preferred device for cleaning an ear of corn including at least one of shuck and silk includes a platform having a top surface and a bottom surface. A cob cleaner aperture arranged in the platform is configured to receive the ear of corn therethrough. A cleaning member extends into the cob cleaner aperture and is adapted to engage the ear of corn inserted into the cob cleaner aperture. The cleaning member is adapted to remove at least a portion of at least one of the shuck and silk as the ear of corn is rotated and engages the cleaning member. Methods of operation are also provided.

Abstract: A peeling device supports a fresh commodity in a first position in a nonspecific orientation. The commodity is impelled using a thruster toward a scoring structure for scoring the peel to a predetermined depth into two sectors. Peel grippers hold the peel between the scores and release the peeled commodity, such that the peel is retained on the gripping means. The thruster is positioned and adapted to force the commodity along a path to engage the cutting and peel-gripping elements, the thruster bottom surface changeable from a first, generally concave orientation for conforming to a shape of the commodity to a second, generally convex orientation for releasing the commodity from the peel.

Abstract: A hand-held hand-powered food processor having a pull cord motor for rotating a spindle that carries an arm. The arm can be a cutter blade or an elastomeric flexible peeler arm having a durometer of preferable between Shore 80A and Shore 82A. A food processor having a spindle, an elastomeric arm driven by the spindle, a stop block on a sidewall near the end of the arm, and a drive for rotating the spindle to rub against the skin of food in the processor for peeling the food. The cover of the processor has a flat outer periphery so the cover can be used as a storage unit for the contents of the processor.

Abstract: The invention is related to a kind of device inside a grinder to peel the inner embryo membrane of coffee beans. It mainly comprises of a motor with an extruded motor shaft, a positioning cylinder located on the lateral side of a motor and equipping a lower exit inside an conveyor base, and a conveyor base, which is on the lateral side of the grinder and equips an extruded exit end on the other side of the grinder. The center of the motor extrudes a shaft connecting an eccentric synchronic rotation grinding bar. During rotation, the shaft is in a state of eccentricity, thus, the grinding surface completely hits the inner ring rim of the positioning cylinder and coffee beans are ground into particles. There is an inclined conveyor platform on the conveyor base. When grinding particles fall, due to low specific weight, the embryo membrane is sucked by a fan located on the lateral wall of a grinder and is collected in a dust collection bag.

Abstract: A device inside a grinder to peel the inner embryo membrane of coffee beans is disclosed. It has a motor with a motor shaft, a positioning cylinder located on the lateral side of a motor and having a lower exit inside a conveyor base, and a conveyor base, which is on the lateral side of the grinder and has an extruded exit end on the other side of the grinder. The motor shaft connects to an eccentric synchronic rotation grinding bar. During rotation, the grinding surface completely hits the inner ring rim of the positioning cylinder and coffee beans are ground into particles. When the particles fall, due to low specific weight, the embryo membrane is drawn by a fan located on the lateral wall of a grinder and is collected in a dust collection bag.

Abstract: A cutting device is disclosed for use to derind a half-section of a citrus fruit. The device has an upwardly opened container with a vertical axis. An upwardly opened cup is coaxially mounted in a removable manner within the container at a short distance from the upper edge thereof, in order to receive and hold he half-section to be derinded. A manually operable knife-supporting element is removably mounted in a rotatable manner coaxially on top of the container. This element has an annular bottom edge shaped and sized to fit and be slidable onto the upper edge of the container. It also has a knife-receiving sleeve that extends at a radial distance from said vertical axis and projects downwardly towards the central bottom portion of the cup. A knife is removably insertable into the sleeve after the half-section has been positioned on top of the container.

Abstract: The system for peeling a fresh commodity includes barbs for piercing the peel in a plurality of spaced-apart locations. A vacuum infuser is used to infuse the pierced commodity with an aqueous solution to loosen the peel. A peeling device supports a fresh commodity in a first position. The commodity is impelled toward a structure having cutting elements for scoring the peel to a predetermined depth. Preferably the scores are made along generally circumferential lines having substantially common endpoints. Peel grippers hold the peel between the scores and release the peeled commodity, such that the peel is retained on the gripping means. A thruster is positioned and adapted to force the commodity along a path to engage the cutting and peel-gripping elements.

Abstract: A meat skinning machine has a frame with an elongated skinning blade mounted thereon. The skinning blade has an elongated cutting edge. An elongated gripper roll is rotatably mounted on the frame adjacent the blade for pulling the meat product to be skinning into operational contact with the cutting edge of the blade. A plurality of rows of teeth extend longitudinally on the outer surface of the roll with each row of teeth terminating in a cutting edge. The foregoing structure is conventional. A plurality of secondary teeth are formed on the cutting edges of the rows of teeth to facilitate the gripping of a meat product. The secondary teeth are smaller than the teeth in the rows of teeth. The cutting edge of the blade is comprised of a plurality of serrated teeth.

Abstract: A folding table having a hole in the table top is combined with a fruit and vegetable peeler. The table may include a plastic bag retained within and under the hole for containing peelings therein, or may include a variety of other containers in alternative embodiments. In one such alternative embodiment, the table and peeler are combined with a sink and garbage disposal, whereby the peelings may pass freely through the table and ultimately through the garbage disposal. The table is preferably constructed of materials and components that are easily cleaned, offer stain resistance, and which may be compactly stored.

Abstract: A peeling apparatus includes a set of abrasive rollers, at least one roller drive motor, a feeder for controllably feeding fruit or vegetables adjacent the abrasive rollers, at least one sensor associated with at least one roller drive motor for sensing a load thereon, and a controller for controlling the feeder based upon a sensed load. The controller may increase the feed rate based upon an increase in sensed load, and decrease the feed rate of the auger based upon a decrease in sensed load. The at least one roller drive motor may be a hydraulic or electric motor.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing skin from a convex surface of a section of fruit. The apparatus includes a substantially U-shaped peeling blade and a feeder which in use contacts and grips the fruit or vegetable at a location about opposite the apex of the peeling blade so as to urge the fruit past the peeling blade, characterized in that the apparatus also includes at least one guide for guiding the fruit past the peeling blade.

Abstract: A two-stage steam peeler for peeling the skins of fruit, such as tomatoes, from the body of the fruit, comprising an infeed conveyor (10), a feed valve (12), a pressurized steam chamber (14), an outlet vacuum valve (16), a flexible cable peeler (20), and a pinch roller assembly (22). A first stage heater is provided by an enclosure (90) and steam introduction device (100) that preheats the tomatoes prior to entry into feed valve (12).

Abstract: The invention relates to a steam peeling device comprising a vessel provided with a closable opening near one end for introducing and removing products to be processed. The opposite end of the vessel is closed by an end wall. A device for supplying steam to the vessel are furthermore provided. The vessel is rotatable about an at least substantially horizontal axis of rotation, which is positioned between the two ends of the vessel and which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the elongated vessel. A perforated jacket surrounding the receiving space all round is disposed within the vessel, spaced from the wall thereof by a short distance. A supply pipe for steam opens into the space present between the wall of the vessel and the jacket.

Abstract: A pepper seed polishing machine consists of a frame made from welded angle iron bars, a polishing mechanism which is a concave made from iron sieve having holes with diameter of 1.5-2 millimeters, and an agitator set. The agitator set consists of three backward curve vane blades welded onto a rotating shaft and is driven by a two-horsepower electric motor via a two V belt-pulley set. Black pepper seed is loaded into a hopper located on top of the machine. After polishing process, the polished seed is unloaded from the machine, while dust and rubbish can be collected separately. Polishing or rubbing off the outer skin of pepper seed resulted from rubbing action between seed to metal and seed to seed. The revolution of the rotor can be changed by changing pulleys' diameter. This results in changing of time required for each cycle of polishing process and polishing capacity as well. After polishing, the pepper seed has much more favorably odor than those polished by the conventional method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a peeling element (10, 11) having a rod-like shape and being attached to means for rotating the peeling element around a rotation axis (3) and comprising peeling means on an outer surface. To allow a product to be peeled in a single peeling device, on a first part (1) of said peeling element (10, 11) said outer surface comprises a rough scraping surface, and on a second part (2) of said peeling element (10, 11) at least one cutting means (4).

Abstract: An egg cleaning kit is provided for removing contents of a raw egg from the interior of a shell so that the shell's exterior surface may be decorated. The kit includes a hole-former for producing an opening through the shell, and an injector including a nozzle that is insertable through the opening. The injector operates to introduce air into the interior at a pressure greater than ambient pressure whereby the interior becomes pressurized thereby to eject the contents of the raw egg from the shell. The egg cleaning kit may also include either a surface decoration material adapted to be applied to the exterior surface of the shell during the decorative process, a holder for engaging the shell after removal of the contents and for supporting the shell during the decorative process, or a container which includes a lid for allowing submersion of the shell in the decorative fluid. A method of treating a raw egg for decorative purposes is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for peeling vegetables of a round, oval or elongated shape such as cucumbers, turnips, carrots or potatoes. The apparatus has a frame defining a hole sized to receive and let pass the vegetable to be peeled. A given number of knives is mounted onto the frame in such a manner as to be radially slidable toward the center of the hole. The knives are distributed in an equal manner all around the frame and each comprises a blade extending tangentially within the hole so as to peel an adjacent part of the vegetable introduced into and pushed through the hole. Springs are provided for applying in a permanent manner a radial force onto the knives in order to push the knives toward the center of the hole. This apparatus permits to peel vegetables in a single movement or with a minimal number of movements. A base may be provided to hold the frame vertically onto a table.

Abstract: Described are flavored calcium supplement compositions, beverage (e.g., coffee, milk, cocoa and citrus/whey protein), foodstuff, chewing gum and oral care (e.g., toothpaste and mouthwash) compositions and articles comprising flavored calcium supplements, foodstuff, beverage, chewing gum and oral care base compositions and intimately admixed therewith an aroma or taste augmenting, enhancing or imparting quantity and concentration of one or more freeze-dried or spray-dried tastand compositions containing tastands produced from Saccharum officinarum leaves (sugarcane leaves) by means of carrying out one or more physical separation unit operations on a plurality of such leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof whereby one or more natural food additives, chewing gum additives or oral care additives is separated and isolated from the remainder of the plurality of leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves end macerates thereof.

Abstract: By providing fruit processing apparatus comprising rotatable movement control members and a U-shaped cutting blade cooperatively associated therewith, high speed, efficient and automatic removal of skins and seeds from a fruit segment is efficiently achieved. The rotatable movement control members receive the fruit segment with the cutting blade positioned along the junction between the skin and the edible fruit portion. Then, the fruit segment is arcuately pivoted, causing the blade to pass between the juncture surface, completely separating the skin from the fruit. If desired, a seed sack removal member is also employed for removing and separating the seeds from the edible fruit.

Abstract: A garlic surface membrane stripper comprises a first body, a second body, a press rod, and a press structure. The first body is installed with a plurality of membrane stripping claws therewithin. The lower ends of the membrane stripping claws are formed with respective free ends, and each of the membrane stripping claw is installed with a protrusion. The membrane stripping claws encircles around a space as a chamber. The second body is installed with an assembling hole and an inlet, and the second body is connected to an upper end of the first body. The press rod is slidably matched to an assembling hole of the second body. The press structure is installed with a plurality of press pieces, and the press structure is connected to a lower end of the press rod. By aforesaid structure, a garlic surface membrane stripper is formed.

Abstract: A food cutting device for processing leafy vegetables such as collard greens having a groove roller and a cutting roller with discs which engage the grooves of the groove roller to cut the leafy vegetable longitudinally and a cam-actuated blade that cuts the leafy vegetable across the longitudinal cuts.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing skin from a convex surface of a section of fruit. The apparatus includes a curved peeling blade which presents a concave peeling surface to the convex surface of the section of fruit and a drive gear wheel in mesh with an idler gear wheel. Each wheel has a concentric outwardly extending fruit gripping portion which are profiled such that in combination they conform to the curved peeling blade. When the drive wheel is driven and the wheels are rotating, the fruit gripping portions grip a section of fruit and urge the section of fruit past the peeling blade so as to remove the skin from the fruit.

Abstract: A system for preparing a skinned food product includes a roasting unit, a smoking chamber, and a conveyor system for transporting the skinned food product through the roasting unit and through the smoking chamber. The roasting unit has a heated zone for at least partially loosening the skin of the skinned food product. The heat in the heated zone may also blacken portions of the skinned food product. The conveyor system rotates the skinned food product as the product passes through the heated zone. The contact with the smoke in the smoking chamber provides the skinned food product with a desired flavor. A method for preparing a skinned food product includes contacting the product with heat to at least partially loosen a skin thereof, and contacting the product with smoke for a period of time sufficient to provide the product with a smoked flavor. The system and method may be used to prepare skinned food products such as tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, corn, potatoes, and artichokes.

Abstract: A tomato lye applicator (10) including a pre-heat apparatus (14) mounted to the shell (16) of applicator (10) for pre-heating tomatoes prior to submerging in a lye solution bath (28). Pre-heat apparatus (14) includes a conveyor (42) and steam connections (64, 66) for heating enclosure (40) so that as tomatoes move from inlet (18) to applicator inlet (20), the skins of the tomatoes are pre-heated an amount sufficient to enhance skin loosening by the lye solution.

Abstract: Described is a process for producing one or more tastands including food and beverage additives from Saccharum officinarum leaves (sugarcane leaves) by means of carrying out one or more physical separation unit operations on a plurality of such leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof whereby one or more natural food additives is separated and isolated from the remainder of the plurality of leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof. Such unit operations include pressurization using hydraulic press means, steam distillation, fractional distillation, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, volatile solvent extraction and/or charcoal column separation means. Also described is apparatus for carrying out such processes as well as the products produced using such processes and organoleptic uses of such products. Also described are compositions comprising (a) such tastands in admixture with (b) an eatable having a bitter and/or metallic taste.

Abstract: A peeler for garlic and/or peanuts includes a housing having an open top end and a cylindrical inner wall surface on which four ribs having respective surfaces are formed, and a lid for closing the housing top end. The peeler includes a central beater surrounded by the wall surface and supported for rotation about an axis. A handle is provided for rotating the beater so the garlic and/or peanut pieces strike the rib surfaces at a steep angle, whereby the skin of the garlic and/or peanut pieces is cracked open through continued movement by the beater for subsequent peeling.

Abstract: A high speed, high volume fruit sectionizer is comprised of a pair of suction cup conveyors onto which fruit is loaded. The fruit is coupled by means of suction attachment to a first conveyor and carried to a position wherein the opposing side of the fruit is suction coupled to the second conveyor. The fruit is drawn through a halving guillotine and coring blade. The fruit halves are then positioned on scooping and sectioning assemblies. A rotating semicircular hoop blade cuts the fruit meat away from the peel while leaving the fruit meat and peel in place. The separated peel and fruit meat are moved across the scooping and sectioning assembly through a blade assembly which sections the fruit meat. The meat sectioning blade has a first portion which cuts through the peel and fruit meat to establish a first radial extent of the section cut.

Abstract: A peeler for fruits and vegetables having a handle for gripping the peeler and having a pair of head portions which diverge from a fore end of the handle and between which a cutting blade is supported. An elongated, generally rectangular plate member such as a thin plastic plate is fixedly secured to one of the head portions, whereby the cutting blade can peel the fruits and vegetables with one face of the plate member being maintained in sliding contact therewith when the peeler is moved relative to the fruits and vegetables in the direction from the fore end to opposite rear end of the handle.

Abstract: A hand holdable peeler for fruit and vegetables comprises a housing that has an electric motor mounted in the housing to rotate a peeler attachment. The peeler attachment has a central body and a number of planar plastic blades. Each blade has serrations along its leading surface to cut into the peel or outer surface of the fruit or vegetables. The trailing edges of the serrations and a planar trailing edge of the blade clear and scrape the outer surface.

Abstract: A method of peeling tomatoes with the disclosed machine includes passing tomatoes through the steam chamber and maintaining a steam-controlled temperature of approximately 220.degree.-290.degree. F. and a pressure of 12-30 psi. The level of condensate is controlled for dragout by adding water and the concentration of naphthalene sulfonate is monitored and maintained at approximately 1000-2000 ppm. Residence time in the steam chamber is 8-35 seconds, while residence time in the vacuum chamber is 5-10 seconds while maintaining a vacuum of approximately 16-26 in. Hg at approximately 75.degree.-90.degree. F.

Abstract: A high speed, high volume fruit sectionizer is comprised of a pair of suction cup conveyors onto which fruit is loaded. The fruit is coupled by means of suction attachment to a first conveyor and carried to a position wherein the opposing side of the fruit is suction coupled to the second conveyor. The fruit is drawn through a halving guillotine and coring blade. The fruit halves are then positioned on scooping and sectioning assemblies. A rotating semicircular hoop blade cuts the fruit meat away from the peel while leaving the fruit meat and peel in place. The separated peel and fruit meat are moved across the scooping and sectioning assembly through a blade assembly which sections the fruit meat. The meat sectioning blade has a first portion which cuts through the peel and fruit meat to establish a first radial extent of the section cut.

Abstract: An improved higher capacity caustic peeler of fruits such as tomatoes. The peeler subjects the tomatoes to a caustic applicator with shallower buckets with apertures in the buckets and a higher number of caustic dispensing jets, and then provides peeling using a flexible cable cage, which tumbles the tomatoes. A pinch roller is used to remove the remainder of the peels (or skins).

Abstract: A food processing machine is provided for separating a body of a food item, for example for removing a portion of potato from its outer skin. The machine comprises a plurality of cutting means (4) arranged in an array; a plurality of receptacles (41) for containing a plurality of food items, the receptacles (41) being arranged in an array; and means for moving the cutting means (4) between a cutting position, in which the cutting means are operable to cut a body portion from each of the food items, and the release position, in which thefood items are released from the cutting means.

Abstract: A method for dry peeling potatoes includes punching the periphery of a potato to form a partially peeled potato having a standardized dimension, moving the partially peeled potato under and over other cutting members to remove the remainder of the potato skin. According to a presently preferred method, the potato is punched with an oval-cylindrical punch and the punch is utilized to hold the potato as a workpiece for further cutting operations.

Abstract: A fruit cleaning device includes a lid and a bowl. The lid comprises a barrel shaped handle with a plurality of small apertures formed on the lid within the handle. The bowl comprises a plurality of blades extending along the inner wall thereof and a plurality of scrapers along the bottom surface bulging upwardly therefrom. Upon the lid and the bowl are closed, an enclosure is formed which is able to receive fruits and water therein. By shaking the device, the fruit will roll on the blades and scrapers that will scratch off any foreign objects attached on the fruits. The water is later drained from the small apertures, and fruit are cleaned thoroughly.

Abstract: A potato peeling apparatus includes a drum-type batch peeler having a rotary plate and three vertically adjustable, cylindrical liners. Each liner has a different abrasive material and a separate drive for moving the liner between a raised and a lowered position. The liners have different diameters to allow positioning of the three liners inside each other in raised or lowered positions.

Abstract: A tomato peeling machine is disclosed which includes an inclined, cylindrical steam chamber having star valves at its input and output ends. A feed screw is concentrically mounted therewithin and drives tomatoes through a biphasic environment comprised of an aqueous condensate solution of naphthalene sulfonate and steam vapor. A fluid delivery conduit in fluid communication with the steam chamber is connected to a water source as well as to a chemical reservoir containing concentrated solution of naphthalene sulfonate. The fluid delivery conduit includes flow-regulating apparatus and the steam chamber includes condensate level-controlling apparatus. A vacuum chamber is provided downstream of the steam chamber, and a vacuum pump draws vapors out of the vacuum chamber into a condensing chamber. A method of peeling tomatoes with the disclosed machine includes passing tomatoes through the steam chamber and maintaining a steam-controlled temperature of approximately 220.degree.-290.degree. F.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved peeler of fruits such as tomatoes. The peeler passes the tomatoes through a pressure inlet valve to a high temperature stem in a pressurized system. The tomatoes then are passed through a pressure outlet valve to a flexible cable peeler, which helps to remove the peels from the tomatoes. A chute passes the tomatoes from the flexible cable peeler to a pinch roller, which removes the remainder of the peels.

Abstract: A melon peeler simultaneously removes the seed pod, seeds and rind from a melon slice. A melon slice input channel and a drive assembly cooperate to guide a melon slice toward a cutting assembly arranged across the input channel. The cutting assembly includes an upper blade and a lower blade arranged so that the upper blade removes the seeds and seed pod while the lower blade removes the find, leaving a melon slice of selected thickness.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for a high speed non-bruising dry bin loader for apples and other produce. A transfer belt receives fruit from an transfer source and transfers fruit to a distribution belt once the transfer belt has accumulated a predetermined, staged pattern of fruit. While fruit is transferred from the transfer belt, the distribution belt reciprocates into a bin, which is held in a sideways loading position. As the distribution belt retracts out of the bin, it discharges its load of fruit. The bin is lowered in pre-determined increments between discharge cycles of the distribution belt, so that the fruit is deposited into the bin one layer at a time.

Abstract: A vegetable peeling and shaping machine has a preliminary cutting assembly for cutting off portions of a vegetable to produce a vegetable core insertable into a tube, and a main cutting assembly with a tube positioned to sequentially receive vegetable cores from the preliminary cutting assembly. A reciprocable plunger is operable to push the vegetable cores sequentially through the tube, the tube having a series of circumferentially spaced shaped slots therein, and a series of reciprocable non-rotatable cutter blades is circumferentially spaced around the tube. The cutter blades are shaped correspondingly to the slots in the tube and are movable from a position exterior to the tube through the slots into the tube to cut a vegetable core to form a vegetable product of the desired shape.

Abstract: A fruit or vegetable peeling apparatus (1) moves the fruit or vegetable from a loading station, which includes a centralising means (14) to a heating station (23), a ripping or scragging station (24), a vacuum peeling station (25) and finally a cutting station (26). The heating at (23) which can be by infra-red radiation, is sufficient to at least partially lift the skin from the flesh. One or more scragging wheels (32) can then puncture and lift the skin to provide access for vacuum at (25) to peel the skin off. A further embodiment uses gas flame heating and a linear conveying system.

Abstract: A combination can crusher, juicer and slicer having a main housing with a vertically adjustable cutting blade holder or can holder and a ratcheted lever adapted to raise and lower a pressure plate into contact with either a can disposed in the holder or a cutting blade retained in the holder. Moving the pressure plate, which will vary depending on the operation desired, downwardly against a can disposed in the holder crushes the same. Moving the pressure plate downwardly against a mating cutting blade cuts a fruit or vegetable therebetween. Moving the pressure plate downwardly against a mating juicer assembly juices a vegetable or fruit disposed therebetween and juices the same.

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: A device includes a barrel for receiving objects and includes air supplied into the barrel for generating air eddy in order to disengage and to remove outer membrane from the objects. A shutter is pivotally coupled to the lower portion of the barrel for enclosing the open bottom of the barrel and for maintaining the objects within the barrel. The air eddy is supplied into the barrel from the bottom portion of the barrel for removing the outer membrane from the objects. The outer membranes may be removed without hurting the objects.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a potato into a helical shape, the apparatus having a hollow, generally cylindrical body, a cutting plate having a top side and a bottom side located in the body for cutting a potato into a helical shape when a potato is inserted into the body, forced against the cutting plate and rotated around the longitudinal axis of the body, the cutting plate having a plurality of vertical blades for cutting a potato extending perpendicularly upward from the cutting plate and a horizontal blade located above the cutting plate for cutting a potato, and a feeding apparatus for forcing a potato onto the cutting plate and for rotating the potato about the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body to cut the potato into a helical shape, and an apparatus for cutting an onion into a helical shape, the apparatus having a hollow, generally cylindrical body, a cutting plate having a top side and a bottom side located in the body for cutting an onion into a helical shape when an onion is inserted into the b