Abstract:
A multiple lane fruit orienter having a conveyor comprising transverse carriers with fruit receiving cups. A rotary finder wheel projects into each cup from below to rotate the fruit and locate the stem cavity. In addition to being rotated the finder wheels are oscillated about a vertical axis to rotate the fruit in varying planes. After the stem cavity has been found the finder wheel is no longer rotated but rapidly oscillated with an increasing frequency and decreasing amplitude so that the major axis of the stem cavity and suture plane of the fruit become aligned with the finder wheel. An additional vibration is imparted to the cam that produces the finder wheel oscillation during the suture plane alignment.
Abstract:
A shuffle feed structure wherein articles are progressed from valley-to-valley over a shuffle feed mechanism involving reciprocating shuffle feed members, where an additional function is involved employing movement of a member of the shuffle feed mechanism which is actuated by the movement of the shuffle feed members but is in a different direction.
Abstract:
Feeder apparatus for fruit handling machines including a water tank to receive fruit in bulk and render it buoyant, a pocket conveyor having a fruit-receiving reach movable angularly upwardly and outwardly of said tank to receive buoyant fruit and remove the same from said tank, said conveyor including means for removing excess fruit from the pockets thereof, means for retaining fruit in said pockets to the extent of one fruit per pocket, and means for transferring fruit from said pockets to a fruit handling machine.
Abstract:
A device for grading fruits according to their sizes and for gently depositing them in a container. The fruits are picked up in a reservoir by a conveyor belt. The fruits larger than a predetermined size are then deposited in horizontal carriers moving continuously on an endless chain. At a position of transfer, the fruits in the horizontal carriers are deposited in a vertical carrier which deposit them in a container.
Abstract:
A shuffle feed structure for feeding articles which require cutting into lengths or other operations involving orienting, in which the article advancing faces of the shuffle members include a series of wedge-shaped surfaces for feeding and orienting the articles (such as carrots or cucumbers) so that each article rests against one of the inclined faces of the shuffle feed member and abuts the end face of one of the wedges. A series of the shuffle feed members have their wedges offset laterally toward one side of the machine to produce a feeding action of the articles laterally in the direction of the offset to insure proper orientation of each article into a wedge-shaped pocket. Finally, the articles are carried through a series of knives and are cut into lengths.