Method and machine for pitting and re-pitting fruit halves

A multi-lane machine for pitting and re-pitting fruit halves comprising a loading tank (1), an elevator for fruit halves (P), a shuffle feeder (3), a fruit holding flight conveyor (4) in which a belt composed of mesh elements (5) and fruit holding flights (6) advances in a longitudinal frame (7) of the machine up to a cutting station (8), which is provided with knives for removing the pit or pit fragments, if any, from fruit halves, characterized in that the machine further comprises:

• a detecting station (9) for detecting a supporting condition of each fruit half (P) on its advancing lane for allowing the removal of pit or pit fragments in the cutting station, and a presence of pit or pit fragments, if any, in the fruit half (P);
• a control unit (10) for assessing as correct or incorrect the supporting condition of the fruit half;
• communication means for sending information about the presence of the pit or pit fragment, if any, in the fruit half (P), to the cutting station (8) for removing the pit or pit fragments and to a separating station (13) for delivering the fruit halves to their further treatment;
• and
• conveying means for bringing the fruit halves back to the loading tank (1) for the fruit halves, in case their supporting condition is assessed as incorrect.