Fluid jet fruit slicer

A fruit slicing apparatus for severing a piece of fruit into two hemispherical sections comprising:

• a rotatably driven transport wheel positioned to receive the piece of fruit between a pair of spaced resiliently deflectable gripping members disposed around a periphery thereof, the gripping members coacting to engage the fruit in a secured position during at least a portion of the wheel rotation, said transport wheel having a groove within the outer edge configured to receive a portion of the gripping members therein;
• a pair of relatively rigid rims configured to fit within the groove along with the gripping members wherein a first of the relatively rigid rims securely holds a first of the gripping members against a first edge of the groove and a second of the relatively rigid rims securely holds a second of the gripping members against a second edge of the groove;
• and
• a fixedly positionable fluid jet configured to emit a fruit slicing fluid to sever the piece of fruit into two hemispherical sections while said fruit is held in the secured position.

Apparatus for slicing generally round fruit having an interior pit into hemispherical sections comprising:

• a rotatable transport wheel having a pair of axially spaced and resiliently deflectable flanges extending around the periphery, the flanges having an open position, wherein fruit can be inserted between the flanges, and a closed position, wherein fruit positioned between the flanges is held in a secured position, the water jet being powered by a fluid pressure mechanism that generates fluid pressure such that the water jet severs the fruit while leaving the pit intact;
• means for continuously rotating the wheel, with the wheel moving through successive first, second and third angular positions of the wheel;
• means for causing the flanges to be in their open position at the first and third positions of the wheel and to be in their closed position at the second position of the wheel;
• means for orientating the fruit in single file and inserting the fruit one by one between the flanges at the first position of the wheel as the wheel rotates;
• water jet means for slicing the fruit into hemispherical sections while the wheel is in its second position and the fruit is held in its secured position;
• and
• means for removing the sliced fruit from the wheel after it has been sliced and the wheel has moved from the second position to the third position.

A method of slicing a piece of fruit containing an interior pit into two hemispherical sections with a high pressure fluid jet comprising the steps of:

• transporting the piece of fruit to a rotatably driven transport wheel wherein said wheel includes a pair of resiliently deflectable gripping members;
• inserting the piece of fruit between the pair of resiliently deflectable gripping members at a first angular position of the wheel while the gripping members are in an open position;
• deforming the pair of gripping members to a secured position at a second angular position of the wheel such that the gripping members firmly secure the piece of fruit with respect to the gripping members;
• severing the piece of fruit into two hemispherical sections with a fluid stream emitted from the high pressure fluid jet while the fruit piece is in its secured position, the fluid stream emitted in said severing step being forceful enough to cut the fruit but gentle enough to leave the pit intact;
• releasing the pair of gripping members after the wheel rotates past the secured position to release the piece of fruit from the secured position;
• and
• ejecting the piece of fruit from the transport wheel into a fruit section receiving means.

Apparatus for slicing generally round fruit containing a pit into hemispherical sections comprising:

• a rotatable transport wheel having a pair of axially spaced and resiliently deflectable flanges extending around a periphery, the flanges having an undeflected position wherein fruit can be inserted between the flanges;
• means for continuously rotating the wheel;
• means for orientating the fruit in single file and inserting the fruit one by one between the undeflected flanges at a first wheel position as the wheel rotates;
• pincher means for pressing the flanges inwardly to temporarily hold the fruit in a secured position after the fruit has been inserted between the flanges and the wheel has rotated to a second angular position;
• water jet means for slicing the fruit into hemispherical sections while the fruit is held in its secured position, said water jet means being powered by a fluid pressure source such that it slices the frozen cherry into hemispherical sections while not slicing a pit contained therein;
• means for removing the sliced fruit from the wheel after it has been sliced and moved from the second angular position.