Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises: (1) a track with specifically designed conveyor blades for cutting; (2) a motor for conveying the conveyor blades over each other; (3) a tumble blade to gently move or tumble the flowers over the conveyor blade; and, (4) trimmed flower excavation chute for collecting trimmed buds.

Abstract: A way of dealing with challenges to the pepper processing industry and pepper growers is to mechanize pepper processing, including the de-stemming of whole peppers. The present example provides a method for mechanically de-stemming whole peppers. The method provides for the recognition of a pepper's shoulder and or interior regions and stem in order to generate a control signal to initiate a process to de-stem the pepper. In particular, several implementations of the method are provided that may include a mechanical system, a laser system, a machine vision system, a combination of a machine vision system and the laser system, and other equivalent implementations. Additionally disclosed, are methods of processing whole peppers utilizing automated de-stemming.

Abstract: A leafy vegetable having a core end and a leafy end is processed after being harvested. The harvested leafy vegetable is transported to a trim area on a conveyor. A first cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the core end. A second cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the leafy end. The first and second cutting implements are spaced a set distance apart, which defines an amount of the leafy vegetable remaining after the portions of the core and leafy ends are trimmed. As the portions of the core and leafy ends of the leafy vegetable are being trimmed by the first and second cutting implements, a set of one or more nozzles located in the trim area sprays a rinsing liquid on cut sites on the leafy vegetable to rinse off natural juices exuding from the cut sites.

Abstract: A hulling device includes a cap, a pushing member, a spring between the cap and pushing member, and at least one nipper having two nipping members coupled to the pushing member and extending toward the cap. The nipping members are mutually shaped with the cap and slide contiguous respective contact regions of the cap to separate tips of the nipping members upon actuation of the pushing member. The separated tips can be inserted in a food item, such as a strawberry, and twisted and pulled to hull the food item. The user can release the pushing member when the tips are in the food item to improve gripping and severing the hull. The hulling device can also include a main body housing at least a portion of the pushing member, cap, spring, and first and second nippers, the main body being coupled to the cap, the pushing member, or both.

Abstract: Broccoli heads are placed individually, with the stem down or laying horizontal, in a receiving cup in a loading position. A gripping mechanism engages the stem portion to secure the head in place. A positioning and cutting assembly adjusts the position of the receiving cup to a cutting position with the head down and stem up and rotates the receiving cup. The assembly includes a cutting mechanism having a blade that engages the rotating head to cut the florets. The blade cuts off the florets which fall to a first location where they are collected in a first collecting bin or by a first collection conveyor. The assembly next adjusts the receiving cup to a releasing position, whereupon the clamping mechanism disengages to release the stem, which falls to a second location where it is collected on a second collecting conveyor or in a second collecting bin. The assembly then returns the receiving cup to the loading position.

Abstract: The bean knife mount is a mounting device to mount bean knives that allow the user to mount the knives in a manner consistent with cutting the bean plant just below the surface of the earth. The angle of the mounts allows the knives to travel just below the soil line, cutting the plant very low, preventing the plant from being harvested to high up on its stalk. This eliminates loss of bean pods from the plant and increases the output and increasing profits.

Abstract: A system for trimming a lettuce head using a digital imaging system and cutting mechanism. The lettuce head is conveyed between a lower feed conveyor and an upper feed conveyor that is disposed a fixed distance over and substantially aligned with a lower feed conveyor. The digital imaging system is configured to capture an image of the lettuce head and determine a cutting profile using the image. The cutting mechanism is disposed over the lower feed conveyor and includes: a servo motor mechanically coupled to a drive shaft; an armature with a pivot end mounted to the drive shaft and a sweep end disposed a radial distance from the pivot end; a cutting nozzle, mounted to the sweep end of the armature, configured to trim the lettuce head; and servo-control circuitry configured to articulate the cutting nozzle through a cutting arc based on the cutting profile.

Abstract: Broccoli heads are placed individually, stem down, in transporting cups that are affixed to a conveyor that at one end rotates around a carousel axis. A clamping and cutting assembly includes linkages rotating around the carousel axis synchronously with the transporting cups on the conveyor. Retractable clamps affixed to an upper linkage retain the broccoli heads while curved blades that are affixed to a lower linkage dissect the broccoli. The blades cut off the florets with a scooping motion along the bottom side of the transporting cups which results in similar sized florets, standardized by the diameter of the truncated cone-shaped chamfer of the cups. Upon dissection the florets are released from the cups and collected on a collecting conveyor.

Abstract: A leafy vegetable having a core end and a leafy end is processed after being harvested. The harvested leafy vegetable is transported to a trim area on a conveyor. A first cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the core end. A second cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the leafy end. The first and second cutting implements are spaced a set distance apart, which defines an amount of the leafy vegetable remaining after the portions of the core and leafy ends are trimmed. As the portions of the core and leafy ends of the leafy vegetable are being trimmed by the first and second cutting implements, a set of one or more nozzles located in the trim area sprays a rinsing liquid on cut sites on the leafy vegetable to rinse off natural juices exuding from the cut sites.

Abstract: Bean sprouts conveyed on a conveyor are caused to fall into a number of cylindrical cases moved on an upper severing table so that the bean sprouts are enclosed in the respective cases in a standing state. Air is caused to blow from over the cylindrical cases by a blowing casing so that downward roots or leaves of the bean sprouts in the cylindrical cases are caused to fall into the severing slits. A first severing work is carried out in which the root or leaf of the bean sprout is held between a lower edge of the cylindrical case and an edge of the severing slit to be severed. A second severing work is then carried out in which the cylindrical cases are inverted upside down so that the bean sprouts in the cases are inverted upside down and so that the downward roots and leaves of the bean sprouts are severed by the lower severing table.

Abstract: A machine for removing roots and tops from crops including a pair of counter-rotating rollers spaced apart so as to define a nip therebetween, and means for rotating the rollers characterized in that at least one roller is in the form of a polygonal twisted prism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for severing roots of bean sprouts and dewatering the bean sprouts are disclosed. Bean sprouts are supplied onto a severing and dewatering table having a number of severing slits each of which has such a width that a root of a bean sprout falls into each severing slit. Air is caused to blow from above the severing and dewatering table so that a flow of air flowing downward through the severing slits is produced to cause the roots of the bean sprouts on the severing and dewatering table to fall into the severing slits. The roots of the bean sprouts fallen in the severing slits are severed by a cutter blade while water adherent to the bean sprouts are being blown away by wind pressure downward from the severing slits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for severing roots of bean sprouts are disclosed. Bean sprouts are supplied onto a severing table having a number of severing slits each of which has such a width that a root of a bean sprout falls into each severing slit. Water is sprinkled over the severing table so that the roots of the bean sprouts on the severing table flow into the severing slits. The roots of the bean sprouts fallen in the severing slits are severed by a cutter blade.

Abstract: Sprouting beans roots removing apparatus cuts and removes roots of sprouting beans, as harvested, efficiently. A plurality of projections, each having at its upper face angular portion, are fitted to upper surface of base plate with predetermined space being maintained between each of them. Roots cutting member having angular portion is arranged above the base plate with predetermined space being maintained from upper surface of the projections. The base plate is moved in certain velocity and the roots cutting member repeats faster movements and stops, thereby the sprouting beans have their roots cut and removed by and between both the angular portions of the projection and the roots cutting member.

Abstract: Apparatus for the automated removal of cores from vegetables, especially floretting vegetables, comprises a conveyor (13, 14) including vegetable supports (15) for indexed advancing of vegetables (35) from a loading station (A) to a cutting station (B) and a cutting head assembly comprising one or more cutter elements (23) movable in a core-excision cutting movement, in which the cutting head assembly is movable between a cutting position in registration with a vegetable support in the cutting station and a core discharge position displaced from the pass of the conveyor. The apparatus may be single- or multi-lane. The cutter blades may be formed as lobes (23) which retain the excised cores in the closed-together condition pending ejection at the discharge position.

Abstract: A strawberry dehulling machine which provides for manually placing a berry or other fruit onto a retainer that will close under a controlled spring action and retain the berry or other fruit with the hull or calyx in an opening formed in the retainer. A rotating cutter removes the hull as the retained berry or other fruit is moved over the cutter for dehulling the berry or fruit. Once the dehulled berry is moved past the cutter, the retainer will be opened and the berry removed either manually or by using an air jet or other mechanical member.

Abstract: There is disclosed method and apparatus for cleaning roots, tubers, bulbs, and the like, for example, sugar beets, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, dahlia, potato, and onions (hereinafter "articles"). In the apparatus, spaced horizontal rollers have helices on their cylindrical surfaces which scroll the articles laterally to the ends of the rollers where they are deposited on a slide that removes them from the cleaner, or, optionally, returns the articles to the cleaner at strategically located lower positions for stalk removal and/or leaf stripping, or for other desired cleaning. The first sets of rollers are designed to separate small chips, small stones and loose soil from the articles. The next sets of rollers are designed to remove adhering soil and/or mud, weeds, and larger stones. Strategic placement sizing, rotational speed, and direction of rotation of the helices on the rollers are instrumental in removing leaves, stalks, weeds, breaking up dirt clods and mud balls, and cleaning of the articles.

Abstract: A bean sprouts processing apparatus includes a feeding section, a treating section and a separating section arranged in sequence substantially in a horizontal manner. The feeding section includes a receptacle for receiving un-processed bean spouts therein and a conveyor for conveying the bean sprouts to the treating section. The treating section has a sprout tray movably supported on a base with a shaking device arranged between the sprout tray and the base to shake the sprout tray relative to the base so as to separate husks from the sprouts and to break roots of the sprouts and also move the sprouts and the separated husks and broken roots toward the separating section. A cooling device is optionally mounted on the base of the treating section to lower the temperature of the sprouts down to about 3.degree.-5.degree. C. The separating section has a sprout support plate movably supported on a base to receive the sprouts from the treating section.

Abstract: A vegetable topper is disclosed. In one embodiment, the topper includes a plurality of spaced rollers which are mounted on a pair of laterally spaced roller chain loops such that the rollers are able to freely spin relative to the roller chains. The rollers define a bed on which vegetables may be positioned and the flow of vegetables along the bed is generally perpendicular to the rotational axes of the rollers. A pair of laterally spaced traction members engage the lower surface of the rollers on the "upper" portion of the roller chain loops which define the bed such that the rollers of the bed are spun by relative movement between the roller chain loops and these belts. At least two cutter blades are disposed below the bed and cut vegetable tops which extend below a pair of adjacent rollers to provide a self-cleaning feature. A paddle wheel is disposed between these two cutter blades.

Abstract: A beansprouts roots, husks, cleaning machine is disclosed. The machine has an internal spiral (7) and external spiral (6) in opposite directions mounted on the perforated cylinder (3) with integrated grouts bearings (8) driven by a motor rotating inside a casing cylinder (1). When the unclean sprouts are loaded by the given direction into the rotating perforated cylinder (3); causing by the rotating cycle, the roots are broken and the husks separated which then gets through the holes (4) into the gap (5) between the rotating cylinder (3) and casing (1), pushing out in one direction by the external spiral (6) as by-product. The clean sprouts are being pushed out by the internal spiral (7) in another direction as products. The machine can be used as a single or double, even multicylinders to clean the roots and husks and in different quantities of product in demand.

Abstract: A finish topper for bulb crops having a plurality of longitudinal, parallel, generally horizontal, spaced-apart moving belts for conveying bulbs through the apparatus. Adjacent belts are driven at different linear speeds. In a preferred embodiment, alternate belts are replaced by stationary rails to maximize the speed differential. Below and adjustably close to the belts is a driven rotating blade for cutting the bulb stems and also exerting a downwards draft of air through the belts. Onions introduced onto the belts are conveyed through the apparatus by the belts, and the differential in speed between the moving belts and stationary rails causes the bulbs to rotate and gyrate randomly as they are being conveyed. Because the belts are spaced apart, the bulbs assume momentarily an attitude to permit the uncut stems of bulbs to extend downwardly between the belts. The bulbs are retained on their shoulders on the belts in inverted posture.

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: Broccoli fleurettes are rapidly trimmed from broccoli heads by positioning the heads accurately so that the axes of the head stalks intersect the axes of rotation of special U-shaped guillotine blades shaped and dimensioned to trim fleurettes of substantially uniform size. The heads are securely but yieldably pre-positioned in an upward direction, followed by final positioning by a dome shaped cap designed so that optimum trimming is effected and the cut fleurettes are directed toward a collecting station. Denuded stalks are ejected and recovered for further use. The process is characterized by an electronically programmed operation providing both accuracy and speed.

Abstract: Trimmer for vegetables of the broccoli type is provided with a structure supporting a rotating plate in which are mounted vegetable holding systems. Each vegetable holding system is free to rotate about its axis so as to be capable of being propelled with a movement of rotation about that axis by a drive device. The device for driving in rotation acts during a portion of each revolution of the rotating plate during which a cutter associated with the corresponding vegetable holding system is brought by a control system against the vegetable so as to remove heads from the vegetable at the required section.

Abstract: The method of partially husking corn includes the steps of completely severing the first end of the ear of corn. The second end is partially crossed cut. The husk from the partially cut end is then rotated transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the corn ear. Subsequently and substantially concurrently, the husk is removed from the ear of corn by transversely pulling the husk away from the ear and longitudinally moving the ear along its axis. The corn husking apparatus includes a conveyor having corn holding channels which retain the ears of corn. The corn husker has a corn end cutter which cuts the first end of the corn. A trimmer is disposed next to the conveyor downstream and opposite the end cutter. The trimmer partially cross cuts the second end of the corn. A guide is disposed immediately downstream of the trimmer. The guide has an inboard surface which guides and rotates the corn husk away transverse with respect to the movement of the conveyor.

Abstract: A machine for destemming cherries has a base frame and a fruit transport frame. The fruit is moved over the transport frame on an endless belt. A stem wiper blade is rotated just above the surface of the fruit. A source of rapid horizontal motion is provided for the transport frame to cause the fruit to rotate so that the stems will be erected into the path of the blade during the passage of the fruit beneath the blade whereby the blade can detach the stems from the fruit. The transport frame is mounted on motion absorbing supports which also convert the circular movement of the motion source into ellipsoidal motion with the greater axis parallel to the direction of travel of the belt.

Abstract: A device to remove the pod peanuts from the root thereof. The device mainly comprises a stem and leaf conveying mechanism and a pod peanut rubbing and conveying mechanism. The two mechanisms hold the stem and leaf portion and the pod peanut portion respectively, and twist the two portions simultaneously so as to cause the pod peanuts to separated from the root of peanut plant. The stem and leaf conveying mechanism includes a sliding member and a driving member; the pod peanut rubbing and conveying mechanism includes a fixed rubbing member and a rotary rubbing member. Both of the two mechanisms are driven with a driving power so as to provide almost an equal conveying speed for the stem and leaf portion and the pod peanut portion.

Abstract: Bundles of vegetables such as broccoli, and the like, are banded by apparatus (10) comprising an expander assembly (18) having a plurality of arms (86, 86', 86") which swing toward and away from one another about axes perpendicular to a phase of an associated segment in order to expand and contract an elastic band (E) placed on the arms when retracted and permit a worker to place a bundle to be banded within an expanded band. A plurality of expander assemblies (18) can be mounted on a continuous conveyor (14, 14') formed by a plurality of planar segments (16) articulated to one another and each supporting a respective expander assembly. Banded bundles are removed from conveyor (14, 14') by an extractor arrangement (30) including a pair of opposed belts (32, 32') provided with flexible fingers (34) which engage the banded bundles in a protective manner in order to remove them from an associated expander assembly (18).

Abstract: A machine for effecting an orientation of carrots or other elongate, tapered vegetables placed thereon, comprising a vibratory table of elongate configuration whose upper surface is principally constituted by a plurality of generally parallel members. These members are spaced along the longitudinal centerline of the table, with the spacing between members increasing incrementally such that the minimum spacing between members exists at one end of the table, and the maximum spacing exists at the other end. Alignment means are utilized such that elongate vegetables cuased to be individually aligned with the longitudinal axis of the table can travel for a substantial portion of the length of the table, bridging at least some of the spaces between members.

Abstract: The apparatus is comprised of a frame which supports a plurality of conveying troughs, an upper rotating drum, a lower rotating drum and a stationary decapping blade. The strawberries are first deposited in the troughs which then convey the strawberries to the lower rotating drum. The strawberries are then deposited singly into one of a plurality of cylindrical carrier pockets which are disposed in a spaced relationship upon the lower rotating drum. Each of the pockets communicates with a source of sequentially applied air pressure. The upper rotating drum is in a closely spaced and parallel relationship with the lower rotating drum. A plurality of spaced ports are located in the upper drum and communicate with a sequentially applied vaccum source. The two drums are rotated in a timed relationship so that the pockets and ports come into sequential communication with each other at the same time a pressure and a vacuum is sequentially applied to the respective pockets and ports.