Apparatus for separating dried fruit aggregates

An apparatus for separating blocks of aggregated dried fruit into individual food pieces comprising:

• a. a supporting framework,
• b. a pair of parallel deaggregating rolls mounted upon the framework,
• c. the surfaces of both the deaggregating rolls being formed from rubber,
• d. substantially uniformly spaced apart rubber projections over substantially the entire surface of each of the rolls of the pair,
• e. the projections being integral with each of the roll surfaces,
• f. the height and width of the projections being less than an inch,
• g. the space between the projections being on the same order as the width thereof,
• h. the rubber projections frictionally engaging the dried fruit pieces on the surface of the aggregate,
• i. the deaggregating rolls being mounted on the framework for rotation in opposite directions such that points on the surfaces move toward one another and thereafter away from one another through a zone of minimum clearance between the rolls,
• j. the width of the clearance zone between the rolls being from about l/2 to 2 times the average diameter of the food pieces,
• k. a drive means operatively connected to both of the rolls to impart rotation thereto in opposite directions and at different surface speeds such that a speed differential is established therebetween to provide a shearing action upon the fruit,
• l. the blocks of aggregated fruit upon being placed on the rolls between the surfaces being thereby subjected to shear forces sufficient to reduce the aggregated blocks into individual fruit pieces as the rolls rotate thereby separating the fruit aggregate into individual fruit pieces without macerating or otherwise damaging the fruit pieces.