Abstract: An onion peeling machine having a wheel for transporting the onions past a series of stations, where the onions are topped and peeled, the outer skins slit longitudinally of the onion, and the skin removed by water jets. The machine also includes separation means to separate the peeled onions from the skins.

Abstract: Onion harvesting apparatus comprising a wheeled chassis arranged to be coupled to driving apparatus, a produce receiving hopper, conveyor apparatus for raising produce from the hopper, precleaning apparatus, trimming apparatus and apparatus for operating the conveyor apparatus during movement of the wheeled chassis.

Abstract: A machine for processing pineapples, wherein the remaining blemishes and skin are trimmed from the top and butt portions of a sized and partially skinned cylinder of fruit automatically during processing through sizing, coring, and top and butt removal operations. The automatic top and butt trimming permits an increased yield of higher grade product through more precisely controlled cutting and trimming than have previously been accomplished by hand operations. Labor costs are also substantially reduced.

Abstract: Vegetables such as onions are rotated about their axes which are vertically oriented. As the vegetables move from an orienting unit to a cutting/notching mechanism, their rectilinear movement is ensured by engaging their opposite sides by opposed members which are linked so as to move equal lateral distances when they are deflected by the vegetables.

Abstract: A system is provided for slicing raw, whole potatoes into sticks or strips; sorting the sticks, separating out sticks having black or discolored spots thereon, snipping the ends of the separated sticks and sorting the separated sticks after snipping.

Abstract: An apparatus for trimming the top and the bottom from ears of corn to produce standardized size corn for packaging comprises a plurality of spring loaded clamps for holding individual corn pieces. The clamps are pivotally attached in a conveyor fashion and serve to transport the individual corn pieces past a pair of vertically spaced shearing blades. Each clamp includes an outer slidable member which rides on a cam surface. The cam surface pulls the sliding member away from a fixed member to release the corn cob after the slicing operation is completed. The cam surface holds the clamp open for insertion of additional corn pieces to be cut. A vertically adjustable gauge surface is disposed below the corn insertion position for determining the correct vertical trim position at which the corn is to be held.

Abstract: Onions are lifted and transported individually and are transferred in succession onto an orientation conveyor where the onions are made to roll along a belt conveyor driven in the opposite direction to align the stem axes transverse to the line of movement of the conveyor. Following orientation, the onions are gripped individually and carried into engagement with a pair of laterally spaced trimming blades which cleanly snip off the protrusions at the ends of each onion along the stem axis to prepare the onions for further processing. During their movement toward the trimming blades by the gripping and carrying means, the onions engage blade connected camming means which automatically adjusts the lateral spacing of the trimming blades responsive to variations in onion size. Following the trimming operation, the onions are released automatically into a collector means.

Abstract: A bean snipper having an annular drum including openings in the drum of a size to receive beans and to permit only the ends of the beans to protrude outwardly from the outer surface of the drum, knives held in contiguous relationship to the outer surface of the drum for snipping the protruding ends of the beans, an orienter consisting of a plurality of circular discs mounted perpendicularly on a shaft having its axis substantially parallel to the axis of the drum, and a motor for driving the discs and the drum in the same direction, the discs being spaced apart a distance less than the length of the beans and being located in the lower portion of the drum adjacent the downwardly moving side thereof for tending to cause the beans to be oriented with their axes extending perpendicularly to the axis of the drum to thereby increase the probability that the ends of the beans will enter the openings in the drum, and a plurality of parallel annular plates extending inwardly from the inner surface of the drum in subs

Abstract: Onions are lifted and transported individually and are transferred in succession onto an orientation conveyor where the onions are made to roll on a path of least resistance until their stem axes are transverse to the line of movement of the conveyor. Following orientation, the onions are gripped individually and carried into engagement with a pair of laterally spaced trimming blades which cleanly snip off the protrusions at the ends of each onion along the stem axis to prepare the onions for further processing. During their movement toward the trimming blades by the gripping and carrying means, the onions engage blade connected camming means which automatically adjusts the lateral spacing of the trimming blades responsive to variations in onion size. Following the trimming operation, the onions are released automatically into a collector means.

Abstract: An apparatus for trimming the ends of edible elongate roots, such as carrots, comprises a carrousel with upstanding upright partitions along which the centrally deposited roots move under centrifugal force into a set of ascending radial guide channels, coming to rest with their leading ends against a first peripheral barrier. Upon reaching a gap in that barrier, the roots approach a stationary first blade which cuts off their leading ends. Having passed the blade, the roots are centrifugally propelled into a set of steeply descending guide channels which they enter with their uncut ends facing down, coming to rest against a second peripheral barrier until they reach a gap at which a stationary second blade cuts off these latter ends.

Abstract: Several pairs of slender rolls having metal core shafts and resiliently soft outer coverings are disposed parallelly to each other and with an inclination in their longitudinal direction relative to the horizontal direction and submerged in water in a tank, into which berries with adhering calyxes are fed, guided toward the tank bottom, and released to float upward and along the lower surfaces of the rolls, each pair of which is pressed against each other and driven to rotate in opposite directions such that their surfaces in contact move upward. The calyxes of the berries, which are easily dispersed and rotated in the water, are caught between the pairs of rolls and are completely clamped thereby and finally plucked off from the pericarps of their berries.