US 3,965,809 A · Fruit pitting apparatus

Abstract

This invention relates to a pitting needle and malfunction detector for use in automatic fruit pitting machinery. The needle has a bottom portion which is releasably fixed with respect to a holder. Movement of the bottom portion with respect to the holder as, for example, when a foreign object is struck, is sensed and, as a result thereof, an alarm is sensed and/or the machinery is stopped. In one embodiment, the needles are made in two parts and movement of one part with respect to the other is detected by a pressure sensor which is electrically connected to a power supply for the machinery to render it inoperative. In another embodiment, the needle is made in one part and the shank of the needle is releasably mounted in a holder bar which contains electrical, electro-mechanical, or pneumatic sensing means to detect movement of the needle with respect to the holder bar.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A pitting apparatus comprising:

a two-section pitting needle having a tip section and a shank section, said sections being joined together at a junction, said shank section having a fluid passageway therein communicating with the junction of said sections;
said tip section and said shank section being telescopically joined together at said junction, said sections having fluid pressure inlet and outlet ports therein, said sections when in a first position isolating said inlet port from said outlet port and when in a second position providing an open fluid passageway between said inlet and said outlet ports;
a fluid pressure source connected to said passageway in said shank sections;
the fluid pressure within said passageway changing upon the occurrence of relative movement of said sections between said first and second positions at said junction;
and
means for sensing such changes.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fruit pitting apparatus

Life of this patent

Fruit pitting apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6