US 4,917,007 A · Juicing apparatus

Abstract

A juicing apparatus includes a conveyor for delivering citrus fruit to the top of a truncated cone. The top of the cone defines a circular knife with a tube extending concentrically from the circular knife and through the convex cone. The fruit is centered on the convex cone by deflectable centering supports. A plurality of radially aligned knives are directed toward the upper portion of the convex cone. A concave cone is movably disposed over the fruit and over the convex cone. Downward movement of the concave cone causes a central cylindrical plug to be cut from each fruit and gently juiced in the tube extending from the circular knife. Further downward movement of the concave cone urges the fruit into the radially aligned knives and cuts the fruit into sections that can be squeezed and wiped against the outer surface of the convex cone. Ejectors are mechanically connected to the movable components of the apparatus and are operative to rapidly urge the remains of the fruit outwardly and toward discard chutes.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A juicing apparatus for expressing juice from citrus fruits, said apparatus comprising:

a convex truncated cone having a major diameter bottom and a minor diameter top, said top defining a generally annular knife, a plug tube extending downwardly through the convex cone from the circular knife thereof;
centering means for supporting a fruit on the circular knife;
a plurality of spaced apart sectioning knives disposed in proximity to the circular knife and generally radially aligned thereto;
a press means for urging the fruit downwardly toward the convex cone such that a generally cylindrical central plug is cut from the fruit and such that portions of the fruit disposed outwardly from the cylindrical plug are cut into sections by the sectioning knives, said press means being operative to urge the sections of fruit against the convex cone to express juice therefrom;
means for collecting the expressed juice;
and
means for ejecting the sections of fruit away from the cone after the juice has been expressed therefrom.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Juicing apparatus

Life of this patent

Juicing apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17