摘要:
An apparatus and method for removing rind from a spheroidal food article, such as a melon is provided. The apparatus includes a carriage assembly having revolving spindles that retain a melon on its axis and revolve the melon on its equator. The spindles are aligned with a first axis when the carriage assembly is in an initial position. A cutting assembly is located adjacent to the carriage assembly. The cutting assembly includes reciprocating knifes that are positioned on either side of the melon and aligned with the equator thereof. The knifes are configured with a blade dimensioned to extend through the rind of the melon, without extending substantially into the flesh of the melon. A rotating assembly is provided for rotating the carriage assembly between the initial position and a completed position, and parallel to the first axis. The spindles revolve the melon on its equator, so that the knifes initially remove rind from the melon along the equator thereof. The rotating assembly rotates the carriage assembly toward the completed position for rotating the melon about its axis, so that the knifes can continuously remove rind from the melon as the carriage assembly is rotated toward the completed position. Thus, the entire rind is substantially removed from the melon. Additionally, knife members that extend beneath cups of the spindles may be provided. The knife members are simultaneously rotated through each pole of the melon to disengage the melon from the spindles, without removing excessive flesh from the melon.
摘要:
A processing apparatus and method for removing rind from a spheroidal food article, such as a melon is provided. The apparatus includes infeed and outfeed componentry for conveying melons to be processed into and out of the apparatus, providing an apparatus well suited for use in an automated environment. The infeed componentry includes a positioning device for positioning a melon to be processed between revolving mandrels, for achieving a desired orientation of the melon relative to the mandrels. The mandrels retain the melon on its axis and revolve the melon on its equator. Knife members are positioned on either side of the melon and aligned with the equator thereof when the melon is in an initial position. The knife members have detachable blades to accommodate rinds of different thicknesses, so that the blades extend through the rind, without extending into the flesh. Rollers are secured to the knife members to control the cutting depth of the blades and to enhance the ease with which the rind is cut. As the melon is rotated from the initial positron toward a completed position, the knifes initially remove rind from its equator, then simultaneously toward each pole, for removing substantially the entire rind from the melon. The cutting pattern provided by the invention obviates the need for excessive rotation of the melon, providing a processing apparatus having enhanced processing speeds. Rind remaining on the poles is sliced off without removing excessive flesh from the melon.