Machine of cutting cores of vegetables

A machine for cutting or sectioning the cores of leafy vegetables such as heads of cabbage or the like, said machine comprising:

• a. an elongated supporting frame having a feed end and a discharge end;
• b. conveying means mounted on said frame for continuous travel substantially along a first plane at a uniform linear speed from said feed end to said discharge end;
• c. retainer means on said conveying means for releasably holding said vegetables in positions with the cores thereof extending substantially perpendicular to said first plane;
• d. a stationary core cutting station through which said conveying means travels;
• e. core cutting means at said cutting station mounted for cyclical reciprocal movement in a second plane substantially perpendicular to said first plane for engaging and cutting the cores of said vegetables during continuous travel of said conveyor;
• f. means for moving said cutting means in said second plane into engagement with said cores of said vegetables when said vegetables reach said cutting station, said moving means moving said cutting means at a cyclical speed relative to said continuous uniform linear speed such that said cutting means completes a core cutting operation before said conveying means has traveled more than an incremental distance whereby it is unnecessary to stop said conveying means during said core cutting operation;
• and
• g. means actuated by said cutting means when moved in the direction of engagement with said cores of said vegetables for withdrawing said cutting means in said second plane at the end of the core cutting operation without separating said vegetables into discrete portions whereby substantially all of said vegetables are retained for subsequent use.