Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2 l 7~435
PEAR PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS
This is a divisional application of copending
application 2,119, 631 filed March 22, 1994.
Technical Field
This invention relates generally to pear processing
10 ~-f~hin~.~, More particularly, the invention relates to a
method and apparatus for peeling, coring, seed celling and
trimming pears of various sizes and shapes.
Background of the Invention
Pear processing rn ~f h;n~ry and methods are known in the
prior art. However, this prior art technology suffers from
certain drawbacks. For example, the prior art machines and
methods tend to be less efficient and the machinery tends to
utilize more floor space than is desirable. Prior art
20 machines and methods tend to be comparatively slow in
processing pears and do not always orientate the pears
correctly. Prior art ~hin~q and methods have a tendency to
split the pear during the seed celling operation and are
less efficient at separating the useable portions of the
fruit from waste portions. Also, the prior art machines can
be difficult to maintain due to the fact that they have a
large number of parts.
2 ~ 79435
la
Brief Summar of the Invention
Y
The general terms, the present invention provides and
apparatus and method for efficiently processing pears.
The apparatus includes a pear orienting m~h~ni~n which
receives singulated pears from a feeder and tumbles the
pears on orienting rolls until the stems are pointing
downwardly. As each pear is properly oriented with its stem
pointing downwardly, it is dropped into a transfer cup
10 having a secondary r?ch~nis~n for orienting misaligned pears.
The transfer cup uses a plurality of resilient, spring
loaded fingers wherein a misoriented pear tends to be
oriented by one or more of those fingers.
Each pear is discharged from the transfer cup into a
feed cup having a generally concave receptacle for receiving
the stem of the pear and having a plurality of arms
extending upwardly for grasping and centering the blossom or
large end
2~ 7943~
of the pear. The feed cup in effect offers a third orienting
~-h;~n;Fm for properly aligning and positioning the pear.
A pusher and set height r- ' -n;f'~ is utilized which
positions the blossom end of each pear at a pro~ tP~minPcl
height to register the blossom end of the pear with the
peeling and seea celling portion of the ~ ~Lus. The feed
CUp ~ ' -ni~m presents the pear to the coring, peeling and
seea celling portion of the ~aL~l~u8 wherein peeling and seed
celling occur simultaneously after the pear has been cored.
One object of the invention is the provision of a
set height - ;Fm for positioning the blossom end of the
pear at a pr~A~ m;nPd height in the ~ U5 SO that the
pear can be properly located and aligned for the coring,
peeling and seed celling operations.
Another aspect of the invention is that the pear
procP~cs;n~ ~a~Lus is capable of simult~n~o~cly peeling and
seed celling pears automatically.
Still another aspect of the invention is that the
pear proc~cc;ng machine utilizes a roll orientor for orienting
20 singulated pears into a position wherein the pear stem extends
downwardly, and that whiskers are provided on the roll
orientor to more quickly and more ~ff;Ci--ntly orient the
pears .
A further aspect of the invention is a roll orientor
for pears in~;uL~Lclting a friction clutch - ; m wherein
at least one of the orientor rolls stops rotating when the
pear becomes properly oriented.
A further aspect of the invention is a transfer cup
for receiving the pears from the orientor, wherein the
30 transfer cup provides an additional measure of orienting of
misaligned pears.
A still further aspect of the invention is a feed
cup -AhAn;Fm for receiving the pears from the transfer cup
wherein the feed cup -- hAniFm provides a further -rhAn;F~n
for orienting misaligned pears. The feed cup - ;Fm
inc~ Ll.~L~Les a concave receptacle for locating and positioning
the stem of a pear, and in addition a plurality of arms which
move simultAn~o~cly to grasp and center the blossom end of the
pear.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
21 79~35
. ~
A further a5pect vf the invention is the provision
of a replaceable coring tube which may be readily removed and
replaced .
A still further aspect of the invention is that the
pear processing apparatus includes both blossom trim and stem
trim - -ni~ for ~ffi~ nt~y and dor~nAslhly trimming the
blossom and stem ends of the pear.
Another aspect of the invention is that the pear
proc~ =; ng a~dLaLus ; ncl-~A~ a slice cup ~---h In; fm for
10 slicing the ~LoveSsed pears into a pr~det~rm;n~-d number of
slices, for separating the usable product from the wast~ and
for effectively transferring the usable sliced product to a
discharge ~;v..v~:yu~ belt.
Another still further aspect of the invention is a
method for proc~s;ng pears which ;n"l~ s multiple
~nA~r~nA~nt gteps for properly orienting the pear as well as
the step of simultaneously peeling and seed celling the pears.
vther aspects, features, and advantages of the
invention will become d~aL~ l~L from the following description
20 of the preferred ' ~ Ls and the drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the pear procr~:~i
a~ r aLus according to the present invention;
Flg. 2 is a schematic ~L~ s~lLd~iOn of the pear
singulator and roll orientor.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the roll orientor;
Fig. 4 is a front view of the roll orientor showing
various portions of the orientor broken away;
Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the roll
orientor after the roll orientor has dropped a pear downwardly
30 into the transfer cup;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the transfer cup
according to the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the transfer cup according
to the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of the pear
being pushed downwardly out of the transfer cup and into the
f eed cup and set height ~ - A n i ~m;
Fig. 9 is a s~rtic~n;~l view of the feed cup ~-~h:~ni~
and set height ~ -n;~r according to the present invention;
~ 21 79~3~
Fig . lo is a top view of the f eed cup r - ^h q n i F''A o f
Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the pusher
qniF~ which al80 ;n~ the blossom trim ]~nives
according to the present invention;
Fig. 12 is a ~ tion-ql view of the as~ c.Lus shown
in Fig. 11;
Fig. 13 is a schematic 1e~LesellL<s1_iOn of the feed
cup and set height- ni after the pear height has been
10 set, the pear has been grasped by the feed cup assembly and
wherein the pear is about to be presented to the coring,
peeling and seed celling
Fig. 14 is a schematic ~es~eses~L<--ion of the pear
ana feea cup assembly having made a 90 turn and having pushed
the pear onto the coring tube and having properly positioned
the pear for peeling and seed celling;
Fig. 15 is a schematic ~Le~LèseslL<ILiOn of the pear
having been peeled, showing the - - iF~ for pushing out the
pear core from the coring tube and showing the seed celler
2 0 actuator assembly;
Fig. 16 is a bottom view showing schematically the
pt~sth of the peeling knives over the surface of the pear;
Flg. 17 i& a schematic leyL~senL~LiOn showing the
pear 1~ rr disc di&charging the pear from the coring tube
into the slice cup - -nif~;
Fig. 18 is a p~:-Dye- Live view of the peeling cutter
---hAni F~;
Fig. 19 is a sectional view of the internal portion
of the coring and seed celling - ni F~ of the present
3 0 invention;
Fig. 20 is a side elevational view of the seed
celler knife assembly, the coring tube and the drive -~hqniFn
for the seed celler and the coring tube;
Fig . 21 is a seCt i ~ l view of a portion of the
drive -~hAni F~ for the seed celler knives and the coring
tube, wherein the seed celling knives rotate with the turning
fins carried by the coring tube;
Fig. 22 is a sectional view of the drive -~h:3n;r~
shown in Fig. 21 wherein the seed celling 3~nives are held
2 1 7q435
stationary while the turning fins and coring tube continue to
rotate;
Fig. 23 is a sectional view of a portion of the
coring tube and seed celler support tube drive means wherein
the coring tube is rotating with the seed celler support tube;
Fig. 24 is a sectional view of a portion of the
drive means for the coring tube and seed celler support tube
where: the seed celler knives are held stationary but wherein
the coring tube continues to rotate;
Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the pear knockoff
disc discharging a ~L~ =ssed pear from the coring tube into
- the slice cup - ; ~.m and which shows in phantom the
discharge position of the slice cup; ~
Fig. 26 is a -' I,iC 1~ L lLion showing the
slice cup discharging the usable sliced pears onto a discharge
CO~I vl:yuI;
Fig. 27 is a perspective Yiew, partially exploded,
showing the repl~ hl~ coring tube according to the present
invention;
Fig. 28 is a sectional view of the coring tube
' ' n~ j Sm showing a coring tube mounted f or normal
operation;
Fig. 29 is a ~ec~ n~ l view of the coring tube
' n~ ~-niFm as the coring tube has been pressed
inwardly to detach the coring tube from its mounting;
Fig. 30 is a sectional view of the coring tube
mounting ~-~h~nirm showing the r~rl~ hlP coring tube being
removed f rom its mounting, and
Fig. 31 is a se~t~-~n~l view of a front roll showing
30 the friction clutch ^h:~ni~
De~ DescriPtion
Referring to Fig. l, a pear processing a~pe~Li~l US
according to the present invention i5 shown. Pears are fed
into the a~ L~Il us at the upper end of a~LclLus 10 at which
a portion of the roll orientor 20 is shown. As will be
described in greater detail hereafter, the pears are oriented
with their stems extending ~ lly and their blossom ends
extending upwardly by the roll orientor 20, are dropped
. ~ 2~79435
L-Ily through portions af the r Ah~nif~n, not visible in
Figs. l and 2. The coring, peeling and seed celling station
is shown generally as 11 in Fig. l.
Figs. 2 through 5 show the roll orienting - ' i
of the present invention.
A singulation device 12 is provided having a
plurality of plates 13 which are alternately oscillated in the
direction of arrows 14 to present pears one at a time to the
upper end of chute 21. A typical pear 7 is shown in Fig. 2
10 with its stem end 8 extending downwardly and its blossom end
g extending upwardly The blossom end 9 i5 ' '- - referred
to herein as the butt end and carries the calyx 6.
As the pear enters chute 21, the taper of the chute,
shown best in Fig. 4, causes the pears to tumble ~ lly
with the stem end 8 and blossom end 9 alternately c~nt~ ;n~
the floor of chute 21, as shown best in Fig. 3. The pear
tumbles d. ~.lly until it c~ntn~C gate 22. As gate 22 is
opened to its position shown in phantom in Fig. 3, the pear
7 tumbles ~' dly on chute 21 and onto orienting rolls 30
20 and 31. Back roll 30 and front roll 31 are mounted for
rotation upon spaced horizontal axes 32 and 33, L- Dye~Lively.
As shown best in Fig. 4, roll 30 has a left side 34 and right
side 35. The rolls are driven by drive belts 39. The three
chutes and roll orientors shown in Fig. 4 are shown at three
different elevational viewing point with different ~ ~ I,D
broken away. -~
~ ach back roll 30 carries a plurality of whiskers
36 on its left side 34 and a plurality of whiskers 37 on its
right side 35. Each of the whiskers 36 and 37 extends in a
30 direction radially outward from the axis of rotation 32 of the
roll. The whiskers 36 and 37 urge the Otems of misoriented
pears extending beyond the left side 34 or the right side 35
of the roll toward the center of the roll. The whiskers help
avoid the problem of prior art roll orientors taking excessive
time to locate the stem of the pear and to tumble the pear to
a position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the pear is positioned
between rolls 30 and 31 with it stem end 8 r.~rnr7~nrJ
downwardly. The whiskers 36 and 37 tend to shorten the time
nr~cr~c~ ry for the rolls 30 and 31 to tumble the pear to the
2~ 79435
position ~:hown in Fig. 3, wherein the stem of the pear exterlds
lly.
As shown best in Fig. 31, each front roll 31 is
divided into symmetrical halves 31a and 31b, each carried by
drive shafts 49a and 49b. A pear 7 tumbles in the space
between halves 31a and 31b and roll 30. A friction clutch
means 40 is provided for interrupting driving power to both
halves 31a and 31b of front roll 31 when a pear is properly
oriented between a pair of roll 30 and 31. When a pear becomes
10 oriented with its stem 8 ~'c lly between rolls 30 and 31
and with its blossom end or butt end 9 upwardly, the friction
generated between the pear 7 and rolls 30 and 31 is ~-Y~m;7~
When this position of pear 7 is achieved, friction clutch 40
~shown best in Fig. 31) allows both halves of roll 31 to stop
rotating about axis 33. By s~orr;n~ the rotation of roll 31,
we have found that pear 7 tends to remain aligned between the
pair of rolls 30 and 31 with its stem pointed ~ lly. The
friction clutch means 40 ~Fig. 31) is preferably achieved by
util;7inq a wave spring 42 on each of roll halves 31a and 31b
20 carried between each roll half and an adjustable collar 43
having a set screw 44. Roll 31 and collar 43 are carried by
bushing 45 having a flange 46 at one end and set screw 48.
Wave spring 42 rides against one side of each roll half.
Collar 43 applies a pr~d~t~rmin~-d amount of ~lesD~ against
wave spring 42. Nhen pear 7 is properly oriented, roll 31
stops rotating on its shaft 49.
A pear stop means 50 is provided and is carried by
back roll 30. Pear stop means 50 comprises a vertical or
nearly vertical plate 51 which pivots about the axis 32 of
30 roll 30. The lower end of plate 51 is offset slightly from the
vertical to the right in Fig. 3 to sustain pear 7 as close to
vertical as possible. The purpose of pear stop means So is to
help retain the pear 7 as shown in Fig. 3 in its vertical
position and to help prevent pear 7 from rotating in the
direction of arrows 54. The stem 8 of pear 7 tends to rotate
L~w~ldly towards the axis of rotation 32 of back roll 30 as
the rolls of 30 and 31 are separated to their positions shown
in Fig. 5 (and as shown in phantom in Fig. 3). Cylinder 55 and
linkage arms 56 and 57 hold pear stop means 50 in its nearly
2 1 7~435
.
vertical or extended position as shown in Fig 3. When rolls
30 and 31 are separated, as shown in Fig. 5, pear stop
cylinder 55 is activated, moving pear stop means 50 to its
retracted position shown in Fig 5. Pear stop means S0 is moved
to its retracted position out of contact with pear 7 abruptly
as rolls 30 and 31 are separated in order to keep the pear 7
from rotating in the directions of arrows 54 shown in Fig. 3.
The rolls 30 and 31 are ~17~ J~ and separated from the
surface of pear 7 slightly prior to the time that pear stop
means 50 is retracted so that pear 7 retains its proper
with the stem 8 ~ nrling ~ dly and the blosso~
end extending upwardly.
Rolls 30 and 31 are carried by bars 60 and 61,
~e. ~ively, which in turn are pivoted about shaft 62. A roll
separation cylinder 63 is c~nn~tecl by linkage arms 64 and 65
respectively, to bars 60 and 61. When roll separation cylinder
63 is activated, linlcage arms 64 and 65 operate to separate
bars 60 and 61 and the axes of rotation 32 and 33 of rolls 30
and 3 1.
Rolls 30 and 31 are separated ana, either slightly
before or simultaneously with their separation, pear stop
means 50 is retracted, so that the points of contact between
the pear 7 and the orienting rolls 30 and 31 and with pear
stop means 50 are separated from the surface of pear 7
abruptly and nearly si~ult~n~ ly. This allows pear 7 to fall
d. ~.vly along the path of arrow 68 in Fig. 5 into transfer
cup means 70.
q'ransfer cup means 70 is shown best in Figs. 6 and
7. Transfer cup means 70 comprises four fingers 71, 72, 73,
74 and which form a generally "x" shaped array. Each finger
extends downwardly towards the center of the "x" at a rest
angle of between 30 and 60 to the horizontal. I~ach finger
may be pushed d. .~ _Ldly against a spring loaded support until
it forms an angle to the horizontal which approaches 90. Each
of the fingers is resiliently mounted as by a spring 7S shown
in Fig. 6. Fingers 71 and 72 are carried by angle support 76
and fingers 73 and 74 are carried by angle support 77. Angle
~U~)~VL ~5 76 and 77 are carried by frame member 78. Angle
supports 76 and 77 extend in a parallel fashion away from
21 7943~
frame member 78 forming an opening 79 between the ends of
angle DU~J~/VL~D 76 and 77 distal from frame member 78. Opening
79 receives a pusher 100 described below.
As shown in Fig. 6, each of the fingers 71-74 is
pivotally mounted by pins 81-84, respectively, to brackets 85
and 86 carried by angle support 76 and brackets 87 and 88
carried by angle support 77.
Since each of fingers 71-74 is resiliently mounted,
a pear dropping ~' .lly into the center of the "x" formed
by fingers 71-74 will ~Yp~ri~ e equal ~ DDU' ~ from each
finger and will tend to remain c~ll_~L~d in the "y. " ~Iowever,
i~ the pear falls into the ~Y~ off center, the r~c~ nt
finger or fingers against which the pear has fallen tend to
urge the pear toward the center of the -y" with a force
yLv~vl Lional to how far off center the pear is. The four
resiliently mounted fingers LLeL~fvL~ cov~=L~t.e to urge an off
center pear towards the centOE of the "x" formed by the four
fingerDs. Although it is p~ cc; hl ~ to use a number of fingers
different than the four shown, the ~Lefl LLCd number of fingers
is four as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.
Transfer cup means 70 moves vertically between an
upper or firDst position shown in Fig. 5 in which it receives
a pear dropping from the orienting rolls 30 and 31 to a lower
or second position shown in Fig. 8. Transfer cup means 70
moves ~ dly along the path of arrow 89 in Fig. 5 to its
lower or second position shown in phantom as 70a in Fig. 5 and
as also shown in Fig. 8. Support frame 78 carries transfer cup
means 70 between its upper and lower positions shown in Fig.
5 and Fig. 8, respectively.
Once the transfer cup means 70 has carried the pear
to its l_ L position shown in Fig. 8, a pusher arm 100
is rotated from a vOEtical position shown in phantom in Fig.
8 to a horizontal position shown in Fig. 8, where it contacts
the blossom end 9 of pear 7. After this contact is made,
transfer cup means 70 begins traveling upwardly. As transfer
cup means 70 moves upwardly, pusher 100 maintains contact with
the blossom end 9 of pear 7. If pear 7 is somewhat misaligned,
as transfer cup means 70 moves upwardly, the resiliently
mounted fingers 71-74 tend to center the stem of the pear in
2 1 79435
the center o~ the "x" ~ormed by those fingers As thiG
centering occurs, the blossom end 9 of pear 7 is free to slide
against its contact point with pusher loO.
As the transfer cup means 70 moves upwardly, as
shown in Fig. 8, pusher 100 also begins pushing pear 7
downwaraly . Af ter the blossom end of the pear moves the
fingers 71-74 of the transfer cup to their nearly vertical
position shown in Fig. 8, the stem end 8 of pear 7 is urged
into feed cup means 110. Feed cup means 110 ;n~ A~: a
10 generally concave shaped receptacle 111 having downwardly
sloping walls which assifit in centering the stem end 8 of the
pear as it is urged into feed cup means 110 by pusher 100.
As shown best in Fig. 9, r~ -lf 111 is carried
by a ~LeDDuLe loaded shaft 112 having a cv.."l~..L upwardly
nAin~ biased ~JL~ 5DuLe which may be exerted by a spring
acting between transfer bar 140 and the base plate 117 which
supports r~ r~ e 111. Base plate 117 is carried at the
top of shaft 112. The lower end 113 of shaft 112 is a free
ena. The purpose of ~leDDuLc loading shaft 112 is to account
20 for the varying vertical Ai- .,nc of pears 7 between their
stem and blossom ends. As pusher 100 urges pear 7 downwardly,
the stem end 8 of pear 7 cfmt~tC ~he rec~-rt~ 111 of feed
cup means 110. Pusher 110 continues to urge pear 7 downwardly
against ~ 5DULt: loaded shaft 112 until pusher 110 reaches a
pr/~A~t~ mi n~A "get height" for the blossom end 9 of pear 7 .
~his particular "set height" is used to register t~e blossom
end of the pear into proper ~ with the peeling and
seed celling means as di ccl~c~P~ below.
When pusher 100 has urged the blossom end 9 of pear
30 7 to the pr~ t~m;n~d "set height," the ~LeDDuL~: loaded shaft
112 supporting the feed cup receptacle 111 is locked into
position by movable bar 114 with a serrated edge ~oving to the
left in Fig. 9 to engage the serrations 115 formed on the
surface of shaft 112.
Shortly before the movable bar 114 locks shaft 112
into position, a plurality of arms 120, 121 and 122 extending
upwardly relative to said feed cup roc~p~ engage and
center the blossom end 9 of pear 7. Arms 120, 121 and 122 are
all identical, each pivoting about a horizontal axis 121a. The
2 1 7943~
.
11
lower end 121b of arm 121 is driven inwardly and outwardly by
a cam surface 121c. The upper end of each arm carries a
plastic pad 124, 125 and 126, each of which is pivotally
cnnnPr-t~d to each of the arms and each contacts the blossom
end 9 of the pear 7. As shown best in Fig. 10, the lower end
121b of arm 121 is a cam follower, which follows the cam
surface 121c Each of the arms 120, 121 and 122 will move
simult~nPo~ly and will theLeLulé tend to center the blossom
end 9 of the pear 7 as the pads 124, 125 and 126 contact the
10 pear.
A variable force drive means for driving arms 120,
121 and 122 in~ P-: an adjustable ~LeS~ e air cylinder 128
which drives c- - l ;n~ rod 129. This feature allows a
pro~Pt~m; n~ amount of force to be applied to the pear by
arms 120, 121 and 122 to account for pears of different
degrees of sc L l~,ess .
After the pear has been grasped by the three arms
120, 121 and 122 and held against the feed cup Lec~p~cle 111,
the blossom end of the pear is trimmed by blossom trim means
20 130 comprising blossom trim blades 131 and 132 which rotate
about pivot 133. As ~hown best in Figs. 11 and 12, blossom
trim blades 131 and 132 are driven in the path of arrcws 134
and 135, Lè"~eel_ively, by drive levers 136 and 137,
respectively. As drive lever 136 is driven to the right in
Fig. 12 by pin 13B, blade 132 is driven downwardly in the
direction of arrow 135. Simult~nPo~ ly, lever 137 is driven
to the left in Fig. 12 by pin 139 which rotates blossom trim
blade 131 in the direction of arrow 134 to achieve a generally
hPmi ~rhP~ical cut trimming the calyx from the blossom end 9
30 of the pear 7. Lever 136 is connected to blade 132 by link
136a. A similar link joins lever 137 to blade 131.
As shown in Fig. 13, the ~eed cup assembly including
the feed cup means 110, the three arms 120, 121 and 122, the
pLèS~ ULe loaded shaft 112 and the serrated locking piece 114
are separated from the pusher means and is carried by transfer
bar 140 through a 90 turn and drives the pear onto the coring
tube 150. Coring tube 150 i8 a hollow cylindrical tube having
a distal end 151 an a proximal end 152. Coring tube 150
12 2 1 79435
carrie5 near it~ distal end, 151 a pair of turning fins 153
and 154.
As shown in Fig. 14, the pear 7 has been impaled
upon coring tube 150. Arms 120, 121 and 122 have been opened
after the pear has been impaled on the coring tube. After arms
120-122 have opened, feed cup means 110 backs up slightly, and
turning fins 153 and 154 begin to rotate, causing the pear 7
to rotate with the coring tube 15 0 .
As the pear is rotated by the coring tube 150 and
10 turning fins 153 and lS4, a stem trim knife 160 carried by
feed cup means 110 is activated by stem trim cylinder 161,
advancing stem trim knife blade 162 ~ lly into position
to sever the pear stem as the pear i8 rotated. During the
first complete revolution of the pear 7, the stem is trimmed
and thereafter the feed cup asse~nbly 110 is retracted and
peeling begins by motion of peeling knives 201 and 202, each
peeling approximately one-half of the pear. Rotary cutter 201
starts at the blossom end 9 of pear 7 and, as the pear is
rotated on coring tube 150, rotary cutter 201 begins rotating
20 and moves from blossom end 9 to approximately the center of
the pear 7. Simultaneously, rotary peeling knife 202 begins
approximately at the center of pear 7 and moves to the right
in Fig. 15 to the stem 8 of the pear 7. ~he peeling knives
are described in greater detail in IJ.S. patent 5,027,699 dated
July 2, 1991 and entitled "Peelinq Head. "
As the pear 7 is being rotated by turnirlg fins 153
and 154, a seed celler knife means 170 rotates with them.
However, during the last full revolution of the pear 7 caused
by turning fins 153 and 154, the seed celling knife means 170
30 is held stationary as will be described below and, during this
final revolution of the pear 7, the seed cell of the pear is
severed by the seed celler knife means 170.
During peeling the core 7a is pushed out of coring
tube 150 by core push-out rod 155.
As shown in Fig. 17, when the peeling operation has
been c~mcl~ eA, the pear is pushed off the coring tube 150 by
a knockoff disc 210 which drives the pear into slice cup 220,
shown in greater detail in Figs. 25 and 26 below
21 7~¢35
13
Fig. 18 shows the rotary peeling cutters which are
described in full in U.S. patent 5,027,699. Peeling cutters
201 and 202 are driven by a drive wheel 204 and are moved on
and o~f the pear by kick out lever 205 and are moved forward
in the peeling cycle by lever 206.
Referring to Fig. 20, seed celler knife means 170
comprises two blades 171 and 172 carried by hollow,
cylindrical seed celler support tube 180, having a proximal
end 181 and a distal end 182. Seed celler blades 171 and 172
are carried by seed celler support tube 180 near its distal
end 182.
Coring tube 150, which is a hollow and cylindrical
tube, has a proximal end 151 and a distal end 152. Coring tube
150 eYtends through seed celler support tube 180, ~he distal
end 152 of coring tube extending beyond the distal end 182 of
the seed celler support tube 180 and at least one turning fin
153 or 154 is carried by the distal end 152 of coring tube
150. In the preferred ~mhorli-- , two turning fins are
utilized mounted 180 degrees apart.
Seed celler blades 171 and 172 are aligned with
turning fins 153 and 154 so that, as turning fins 153 and 154
rotate to cause pear 7 to rotate, seed celling blades 171 and
172 rotate with turning fins 153 and 154.
Figs. 21 and 22 show in greater detail the drive
FrA for the coring tube 150 and geed celler support tube
180. The coring tube drive pulley 159 receives power from a
pulley 281 driven by stepping motor 280 (Fig. 17~ and
transmits the power directly to coring tube 150 and indirectly
to seed celler support tube 180 through a d;1:~n~a~eable drive
pin 156. As shown in Fig. 22, power from the coring tube drive
pulley 155 to the seed celling support tube 180 is di-:~n~a~cl
by separating drive pin 156 from a movable plate 175. As shown
in Fig. 23, drive pin 156 is fully engaged with plate 175. In
this mode, power is being transmitted from pin 156 through
plate 175 directly to the seed celler support tube 180.
However, as shown in Fig. 24, which .;u.l~ol~ds to Fig. 22,
when plate 175 is moved to the right in Fig. 22 and d;F~c~n~
from drive pin 156, the two tangs 176 and 177 of plat~ 175
engage stops 178 and 179, respectively. In this condition, the
2 1 7~43~
14
seed celling knives 171 and 172 are held stationary but coring
tube 150 and turning fins 153 and 154 continue to rotate.
Therefore in the condition shown in Figs. 22 and 24, the seed
cell of the pear is being severed by the rotation of the pear
against the stationary seed cell knives. As used in the
claims, the phrase "brake meansn in~ oc plate 175, tangs 176
and 177, as well as ctops 178 and 179.
The power to the seed celling support tube is
engaged and .lic~ J~ by cam surface 190 and cam follower 191
(Fig. 20~. The cam surface l90 is formed in ring 192. F~ing 192
is moved from the engaged to ~9iC-~n~qo~ positions by bar 194
and block 195 which together cause the ring 192 to rotate
between the engaged position shown in Fig. Z3 and the
~liCOI J~ J~d position in Fig. 24. In the .l;c.~ J~d position
shown in Fig. 24, the power is ~icon~a~ to the ceed cell
support tube, and simult:~nDollcly the brake means are engaged
to hold the seed celling knives 171 and 172 stationary.
Fig. 25 shows a slice cup means 220 rotatable
between a first or upper position and a second or lower
20 position shown in phantom in Fig. 25. In the first or upper
position, a blade 221 is positioned to sever the pear 7 into
halves as the knock off disc 210 pushes the pear through blade
221. Various blades may be used. Slice cup means 220 ~ c.,~
a generally U shaped container 222 which, in its first or
upper position, c~nt~;nC the severed pear halves as shown in
~ig. 25. After the pear halves have been deposit~:cl in slice
cup 222, the slice cup is rotated downwardly about shaft 223
in a rather abrupt fashion to fling the pear halves downwardly
against an ;nrl inP-l processed pear discharge chute 230 onto
30 processed pear cullv~y~r 232, shown best in Fig. 26. By
~l;n~in~ the slice cup d. - ~lly toward chute 230, the usable
pear portions are more effectively separated from the waste
seed cell. When slice cup 222 is in its downward position, in
which it forms a generally inverted ~-shape, cup 222
effectively ~UL.~JUIIdS the upper portion of discharge chute
230. Any waste product that drops onto cup 222 tends to slide
off cup 222 and into the waste discharge chute formed by walls
233 and 234. As shown in Fig. 26, waste C~llv~y~. 231 receives
waste from waste discharge chute having i nl~l i no~ walls 233 and
2 1 7q435
234 and removes the stem trim waste, the peel strings and the
core, whereas CVIIV~::YUL 232 removes the usable pear product and
as little as possible of the waste.
Figs. 27-30 show in detail the removable coring and
seed celling tubes according to the present invention. Since
the coring and seed celling tubes occasionally hecome bent or
otherwise lmlc~hlf, it is highly ht~n~fiC-iAl to have a coring
tube and seed celling tube assembly which is readily removable
and repl~ ~Ah7o. Fig. 27 shows the r~rlAc~ hl~ coring and seed
10 celling tube assembly 350 which incll~t7~F coring tube 150 and
seed celling tube 180, and turning fins 153 and 154 and seed
celling knives 171 and 172. The assembly 350 has been
separated from the coring tube drive ~- '-n;r~^ 250. The
~t2~--hAhl ~ ' n~ means is shown generally as 260 and
~n~~ t~s a pair of spring loaded dogs 261 and 262 carried by
the coring tuhe drive means 250 which engage a pair of holes
271 and 272 formed in the surface of coring tube 150 and seed
celler support tuke 180. Additionally a second pair of dogs,
263 and 264 engage a pair of U shaped or~nin~s 273 and 274
20 formed in the proximal end of coring tub, 150 and seed celler
support tube 180 ~Figs. 28,29~.
Fig. 28 shows the unit in normal operation with the
dog 261 and 262 fully engaged in holes 271 and 272 and dogs
263 an 264 fully engaged in the U shaped recesses 273 and 274.
The dogs are ~-int~;n~ in the position shown in Fig. 28 by
spring 265. In order to remove the assembly 350~ a tool is
inserted into the end of hollow coring tube 150 and pressed
against the solid wedged shaped piece 266 which, as it is
driven to the left, pulls dogs 261 and 262 inwardly as shown
30 in Fig. 29 so that the coring and seed celling tube assembly
350 may be separated from the core tube drive --hAnit- 260
~s shown in Fig. 30. A new assembly 350 can thereafter be
snapped into position. The time required to remove and replace
assembly 350 in this fashion is merely a matter of seconds.
