Automatic sectionizer
AssigneeSunkist Growers, Inc.
InventorsRichard D. Heck, Henry A. Affeldt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic food product cutting apparatus is provided that employs a continuously rotating table arranged with multiple cutter cups, each cup being aligned with a plunger that rotates with the table. The plungers are driven to force fruit through the cup and to withdraw from the cup by cam following rollers that follow a generally elliptical cam track. The cam track is concentric to but does not rotate with the table. With this arrangement, a single drive motor is used to power both the rotation of the table and the plunging force to push the food product through the cutter cups, thereby achieving smooth, continuous operation.
Claims32
An apparatus for cutting food products, said apparatus comprising:
- a continuously rotating table having a plurality of cutters arranged thereon for receiving and cutting said products, said cutters including an array of cutting blades;
- a plurality of plungers arranged to rotate with said table, each plunger being aligned with one of said cutters and being constrained to move toward and away from said cutter, each of said plungers including a plunger head that contacts the product and forces the product through said array of cutting blades;
- and
- a plunger actuator means mounted on said apparatus, not rotatable with said table, and arranged to cooperate with said plungers to move said plungers toward and away from said cutters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.