Pitting apparatus
OwnerNolton Johnson, Michael Hendricks +1inventors
InventorsNolton Johnson, Michael Hendricks, Andrew Shutz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device configured for the removal of pits from fruits such as cherries. The device features a planar rotating circular disk which rotates on an incline. A ramp deposits fruit on a top surface of the disk at a lower portion of the incline which keeps the fruit from moving with the surface of the disk. Depressions in the disk engage with individual fruit which is carried to a needle punch which translates through the fruit and an aperture communicating through the depression and the disk to push the pit out the fruit. An elastic member pulls the pits from the needles.
Claims20
An apparatus for removal of pits from fruit, comprising:
- a frame;
- a planar disk, with flat top and bottom surfaces, without bends on said top and bottom surfaces, rotationally engaged upon an axis point, said axis point engaged to a member upon said frame;
- said top surface having a plurality of rows of depressions formed therein, said depressions formed in radially extending rows;
- apertures formed in said depressions and communicating between said depression and said bottom surface of said disk opposite said top surface;
- a ramp for dispersing fruit upon said top surface of said disk;
- said disk rotating on an axis point engaged to said frame;
- said disk having an incline, said incline positioning a first half of said disk at an elevation higher than said axis point and a second half of said lower than said axis point;
- said ramp having a distal end located adjacent to said top surface of said disk at a deposit point for said fruit upon said disk;
- said distal end extending along a substantial length of said planar disk such that said row of depressions pass beneath said distal end when said planar disk rotates on said axis point;
- said incline urging said fruit toward said deposit point during said rotation of said disk;
- said depressions configured to engage upon an outside surface of said fruit positioned in said deposit point and overcome said urging provided by said incline;
- said depressions engaged with said fruit rotatable to a pitting position adjacent to a plurality of translating needles, each of said needles positioned in a registered engagement with any said depression positioned thereunder;
- and
- said needles aligned to translate through said fruit and said apertures and thereby remove pits from within said fruit, whereby said fruit deposited upon said top surface is continually urged in a direction opposite said rotation of said disk and remains adjacent to said ramp unless engaged by a said depression and carried to said pitting, wherein said needles will de-pit said fruit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.