Inventors:
Douglas F. Paterson - Colorado Springs CO
Konrad Meissner - Lafayette CA
William V. Redd - Broomfield CO
Anthony D. Oliver - Rye CO
Michael S. Lipford - Pueblo CO
Don A. Perry - Manitou Springs CO
C. Richard Schoner - Palm Desert CA
Assignee:
Atlas Pacific Engineering Company - Pueblo CO
International Classification:
A23N 1502
Abstract:
A pear processing methods and apparatus is provided which includes several mechanisms for properly orienting the pear prior to coring, peeling and seed celling of the pear. Each pear is tumbled between a pair of orienting rolls to a position wherein the stem of the pear is oriented downwardly. Whiskers on one of the rolls speed up this orienting of the pear. A friction clutch on the other roll helps maintain the pear in its proper position, once the proper alignment has been attained. The pear is dropped downwardly into a transfer cup having four resilient fingers which tend to orient the pear. The pear is then pushed out of the transfer cup downwardly into a feed cup having a concave receptacle for centering the stem of the pear and three upwardly extending arms which grasp and center the blossom end of the pear. The pear is then transferred to a station wherein the pear is cored and thereafter peeled and seed celled simultaneously. The stem and blossom are also trimmed.