US2952286A - Peach half gripper for peach pitting head - Google Patents

Description

I T. M. HARRER ET AL PEACH'HALF GRIPPER FOR PEACH FITTING HEAD Sept. 13, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 3. 1957 IN VEN TOR5 mw w m% m 2 mm m w & w M M W2 V. B

P 1960 T. M. HARRER ETAL 2,952,286 Y PEACH HALF GRIPPER FOR PEACH FITTING HEAD s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 3, 1957 njv ' INVENTORS 77/5000?! M HIPFIP Ara-00v! Sept. 13, 1960 T. M. HARRER ET AL PEI ACH HALF GRIPPER FOR PEACH FITTING HEAD 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 3, 1957 INVENTORS 77/5000?! M. #49252 MAL 60AM W. LOViMA/0 BY Irma/n 5 Sept. 13, 1960 T. M HARRER ET AL PEACH HALF GRIPPER FOR PEACH FITTING HEAD 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 3, 1957 Sept. 13, 1960 2,952,286

PEACHI -XALF GRIPPER FOR #EACH FITTING HEAD T. M. HARR'ER ET AL 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 7 Filed Sept. 3; 1957 o W m m 227% Nn M EH 2 v mMw W E a 4 o my Sept. 1960 T. M. HARRER ETAL 2,952,286

PEACH HALF GRIPPER FOR PEACH FITTING HEAD Filed Sept. 3, 1957 e Sfieets-Sheet s INVENTOR5 rfizaaoii M, H4296? Mara/v MZOVEL/IND United States tent filice Patented Sept. 13, 1960 1 2,952,286 PEACH HALF GRIPPER FOR PEACH PI'ITING HEAD Theodore M. Harrer and Malcolm W. 'Loveland, Orinda,

Calih, assignors to Atlas-Pacific Engineering Company, Inc., Emeryville, Califi, a corporation of California Filed Sept. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 681,685

11 Claims. (Cl. 146-28) This invention relates to and in general has for its object the provision of a torque peach pitter and splitter of the type disclosed in the following United States Letters Patent, and which is particularly adapted for processing peaches of the clingstone variety: J. Perelli, 2,775,279, December 25, 1956; J. Perelli, 2,664,127, December 29, 1953; R. Polk et al., 2,402,181, June 18, 1946; R. Polk et al., 2,378,101, June 12, 1945; and T. M. Topp, 596,343, December 28, 1897.

In the structures disclosed in each of these patents pitting is effected by ringing the peach flesh, clamping the pit, and then turning the peach halves relative to the pit.

Although currently it is the practice of canners to grade peaches at some stage of their processing, to be commercially acceptable a splitting and pitting machine should nevertheless be able to handle peaches of a fairly wide range of sizes and hardness.

This condition, together with the fact that the flesh of clingstone peaches when ready for processing is still very firm and adheres or clings tightly to the stone or pit, has made it very difficult to design means for properly gripping and holding the halves of a peach during the rotation thereof relative to its pit during the pitting operation.

More specifically, the object of this invention is the provision of a peach splitter and pitter of the torque type wherein each of a pair of ringed peach halves is gripped adjacent its medial plane by a pair of diametrically opposed cinch belts and then while so gripped is bodily rotated about its axis thereby to sever it from its associated pit.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a peach splitter and pitter of the character above described, including a frame; a pair of coplanar splitting knives mounted on said frame for coplanar movement relative to each other, a reciprocating feed mechanism for periodically feeding peaches to and between said knives; means for closing said knives upon the pit of a peach impaled thereon; a peach-half gripping head mounted on each side of said frame for movement to and away from said knives, each of said heads including a rotatable peach-half receiving cup, a coaxial disc rotatable relative to said cup, a pair of diametrically opposed cinch straps secured to and between .said cup and said disc and arranged conjointly to circumscribe the periphery of apeach half; means for rotating said cup relative to said disc until said straps are in gripping engagement with said peach half and for then locking said discs against further rotation relative to its associated cup; means for then bodily rotating said disc, cup, and peach while its associated pit is held stationary by and between said knives; means for expanding said straps to release said peach half; and means for retracting said cup from said knives. v

The invention possesses other advantageous features,

some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description where those forms of the invention which have been selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification, are outlined in full. In said drawings, two forms of the invention are shown, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to such forms, since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodied in other forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a peach splitter and pitter embodying the objects of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the section i 2-:2 f g Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the section line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the section line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the section line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the section line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on the section line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section taken on the section line 8-8 Of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary Section taken on the section line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevation of Fig. 8 taken along the line 10-10 thereof.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to that illustrated in Fig. 7 but wherein the peach-half cinch bands or straps of the device are shown in their fully open or expanded position.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section taken on the section 1 2-12 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to that shown in Figs. 7 and 1'1, but illustrating a modified form of our invention wherein each peach half is gripped by only a single cinching belt or band, said band being shown in its expanded or open position.

Fig. 14 is a view similar'to Fig. 13, but showing the in hi g ban i c nt cted o p hippi Position- Structure in general Generally, the peach splitter and pitter illustrated in these drawings includes: a frame; a guillotine assembly for ringing a peach about its suture and gripping its pit in the plane of said suture; a reciprocating feed assembly for periodically delivering peaches to the guillotine assembly; a peach-half gripping and twisting assembly mounted on each side of said frame for movement to and from said guillotine, each such assembly including a relatively rotatable, coaxial cup and disc; 9. pair of diametrically opposed peach-half cinch straps secured to and between said cup and disc; means for rotating said cup so as to tension said straps into frictional engagement with the periphery .of the peach half associated therewith; means for locking said disc against rotation relative to its associated cup; means responsive to the outward movement of said peach-half and gripping assemblies for ejecting the peach halves from the cups thereof.

Frame assembly I As best shown in Fig. 1, our pitter includes a simple rectangular frame generally designated by the reference numeral 1 and includes arious brackets and transverse supporting members, the details f which will presently appear during .the description of the other assemblies of the machine.

G l ne s emb y Extending across the forward end of the frame 1, and secured thereto, is a transverse supporting angle 2, and detachably fastened thereto by an angle lug 3 a U- shaped knife carrier 4. .D etachably secured to the carrier 4 by bolts 5 is a fixed knife 6 having a forward arcuate cutting edge 7,.an upper horizontal thickened or anvil portion 8 provided with a serrated or scalloped peach pit receiving recess -9 and with a rear .L-shaped notch 11.

Secured .tothe frame '1 isatransversely extending supporting angle'lZ, and bolted thereto is an inverted, Vertically disposed U-shaped knife track 13. Slidably accommodated within the track 13 in the plane of the knife 6 is an upper vertically reciprocable knife carrier 14, and detachably mounted to the lower end thereof is an upper knife 15 provided with an arcuate, forward cutting edge 16 and with a thickened, serrated or scalloped arcuate pit-receiving recess 17 complementary to the recess 9 and with a depending portion 18 receivable within the L-shaped notch 11 of the lower fixed knife 6. Here it should be noted that the cutting edges 7 and 16 of the two knives form a convergent entryway for a peach delivered thereto.

Mounted on the top of the frame are bearings 21, and journaled therein is a transversely extending shaft 22. Keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 22 is a bell crank 23 including an upper arm 24 and a lower arm 25, the outer end of the arm 25 being pivotally connected to the upper end of the knife carrier 14. Extending through the upper end of the knife track 13 is a stop bolt 26.

As a result of the structure thus far disclosed, all of which is well known in the art, it will be seen that the upper knife 15 will reciprocate up and down in response to any reciprocation which may be imparted to the bell crank 23 by means presently to be described.

Peach feeding assembly Provided on the lower, forward end of the frame 1 is a bearing 31, and journaled therein is a shaft 32. Keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 32 is an arcuate arm 33, and pivoted to the outer free end thereof is a bifurcated peach holder 3'4, means being provided for locking the holder 34 in any desired adjusted position. Formed integral with the holder 34 is a peach centering pin 35.

Also keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 32 is a crank arm 36 provided at its outer free end with a fork 37, and pivoted to-the free end thereof is a slide bearing 38. Slidably mounted in the bearing 38 is a connecting v rod 39 threaded at its free end for the reception of a pair of nuts 41 and 42. Circumscribing the rod 39 between the bearing 38 and a washer 43 is a compression spring 44 for outwardly biasing the connecting rod 39.

It will be seen that as a result-of this construction the arm 33 can be made to reciprocate back and forth in response to any reciprocating movement of the connecting rod 39. In the operation of this device, an operator places a peach on the bifurcated peach-supporting member 34 with its stem end depression disposed over the centering pin 35 and with the suture of the peach lying in a vertical plane during that portion of the cycle of operation of the device when the holder or supporting member 34 is in its rearwardmost position. The arm then moves forward under the influence of the movement of the rod 39, thereby to impale the peach on the lower stationary knife 6 with the pit of the peach located immediately above the pit recess 9 of the knife.

The feeding assembly above described is also of well known construction and operation and therefore per se forms no part of this invention.

Peach-half gripping and rotating assembly Secured to the frame intermediate its forward and rear ends is a transversely extending supporting plate 51, and secured thereto by bolts 52 is a bearing housing or block 53. Formed in the block 53 is a pair of vertical bores 54, and mounted therein are bearing sleeves 55. Journaled in the bearing sleeves 55 are parallel vertical shafts 56. Secured to each of the shafts 56 and adjacent its upper end is a supporting collar 57, and affixed respectively to the upper ends of the shafts 56 are helical gears 58 and 59. Also journaled in the bearing block 53 is a shaft 61, and secured thereto in mesh with the gears 58 and 59 is a gear 62 for driving the gear 59 from the gear 58, but in an opposite direction.

Journaled intermediate their ends on the lower ends of the two shafts 56 through the medium of bearing 4 sleeves 63 are arms 64 and 65. Aflixed to each of the shafts 56 beneath the arms 64 and 65 are collars 66, and keyed or otherwise secured to the lower ends of shafts 56 are beveled gears 67 and 68. Journaled in the arms 64 and 65 intermediate the ends thereof and through the medium of bearing sleeves 69 are horizontally disposed shafts 71 and 72. Keyed respectively to the inner ends' of the shafts 71 and 72 are beveled gears 73 and 74 in mesh respectively with the beveled gears 67 and 68. Keyed respectively to the outer ends of the shafts 71 and 72 are sprocket wheels 75 and 76 arranged to receive sprocket chains'77.

As best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the forward ends of A the arms 64 and 65 extend to a point adjacent the splitting other.

Since the peach-gripping and rotating mechanism associated with the forward ends of the arms 64 and 65 are identical with the exception that one can be considered as right hand and the other as left hand, only that structure associated with the arm 65 will here be specifically described.

Provided in the outer end of the arm 65 is a bearing sleeve 81 (Fig. 7), and journaled therein is a shaft 82 merging or formed integral at its inner end (right hand end as viewed in Fig. 7) with a fruit encompassing or accommodating cup 83. Mounted on the hub or base 84 of the cup 83 is a bearing sleeve 85 held in place by a retaining ring 86. Journaled on the sleeve 85 is a disc 87 and formed thereon is a peripheral flat 88 (Fig. 10). Swiveled to the fiat 88 by a pin 89 is a triangular rockerarm 91. Pivoted to the lower right hand corner of the rockerarm 91 (as viewed in Fig. 10) by a pin 92 is a brake 93 provided with a brake lining 94 located immediately adjacent the bottom 95 of the cup 83.

Mounted on the lower left hand corner of the rockerarm 91 is a pin 96, and journaled therein is a cam follower roll 97. Fixed to the inner side of the arm 65 (Fig. 7 and 9) by screws 98 is a cam disc 99, and running clockwise on the inner side thereof as viewed in Fig. 9 is a cam track including an inclined cam shoulder 101, an elevated dwell surface 102, a declining cam surface 103, a depressed dwell surface 104, an inclined cam shoulder 105 diametrically opposite the shoulder 101, an elevated dwell surface 106 diametrically opposite the dwell surface 102, a declining cam surface 107 diametrically opposite the cam surface 103, and finally a depressed dwell surface 108 diametrically opposite the depressed dwell surface 104, and which merges with the shoulder 101.

, depressed dwell surfaces 104 and 108 the brake 93 is out of engagement with the bottom of the cup 83, and that consequently in so far as the structure thus far described is concerned there is nothing to cause the disc 87 to rotate in response-to the rotation of the cup 83. When, however, the cam follower roll 97 by climbing either of the shoulders 101 or is brought into engagement with the elevated dwell surfaces 102 or 106, the brake 93 is forced into locking engagement with the bottom 95 of the cup 83, and consequently the disc 87 is constrained to move in response to the movement of the cup 83. These independent and concurrent movements of the cup 83 and disc '87 and their angular duration are diagrammatically indicated in Fig.9.

Formed in the bottom 95 of the cup 83 are two diametrically opposed arcuate slots 111 and 112 each subtending an angle of about 90. Providedon the inner face of the disc 87 opposite each of the slots 111 and 112 is a boss 113, and journaled in eachof the bosses 113 is a pin 114 terminating at its outer end in a clamp plate or jaw 115 accommodated in one of the slots 111 and 112. Threaded to the outer end of the pin 114 and over a Washer 116 is a retaining screw 117. As a result of this construction each of the pins 114 moves with the disc 87 but only within the limits of its associated arcuate slot 111 or 112.

Here it should be noted from an inspection of Figs. 7 and 11 that the brake 93 and the slots 111 and 112 are so located relative to each other that there is no substantial overlapping of the brake with either of the slots.

Fastened to and between each of the clamp jaws 115 and a complementary clamp jaw 118 by means of screws 119 is one end of a fruit cinch belt or band 121. Preferably, the band 121 is made of very thin flexible steel and is provided with a rubber lining 122 formed with fruitengaging serrations or scallops 123 disposed over a major portion of its length.

Mounted in the cup 83 at diametrically opposed points thereon are bearing bushings 125 (Fig. 12), and journaled therein are pins 126 retained in place by lockwashers 127. Secured to or formed integral with the upper end of each of the pins 126 is an arcuate or banana shaped arm 128 provided at its free end with a pin socket 129'.

' Secured to the free end of each of the cinch bands 121 is a transverse pin 131 accommodated within one of the pin sockets 129. From an inspection of Figs. 6 and 11, it is to be noted that each of the cinch bands 121 starting from its clamping jaws 115 and 118 extends in a clockwise direction within the cup 83 and terminates in its pin 131. Since the arm 128 to which this particular pin is pivoted is in turn pivoted to the cup 83, and of necessity must rotate in response to the rotation of the cup 83, the rotation of the cup 83 in a clockwise direction relative to the disc 87 will serve to constrict each of the cinch bands 121 about the periphery of a peach half 132 disposed within the cup 83. This structure then functions to hold one end of each of the cinch bands stationary, while the opposite ends thereof are being rotated in the same clockwise direction. Preferably, the bands 121 and their scalloped liners 123 should be given an arcuate preset so as to conform generally to the contour of a peach.

To further constrain the bands 121 to retain a generally circular contour during their expansion or dilation there is secured to the interior of the cup 83 by screws 135 a pair of diametrically opposed, generally arcuate guide tracks 136 overlying the bands 121 and in effect forming a continuation of the pivoted or floating arms 128. Provided in each end of each of the guide tracks 136 is a threaded hole 137 for the screws used in securing an annular coverplate 138 (Fig. 7) over the open face of each of the cups -83.

From an inspection of Fig. 11 it will be noted that when the bands 121 are in their expanded position, the portions thereof adjacent their associated clamps 115 and 118 are held radially outward by the arms 128.

Mounted on each cup 83 is an outwardly extending pin 141 (Figs. 2 and 8), and similarly mounted on each disc 87 is a radially extending pin 142. Secured to and stretched between each pair of pins 141 and 142 is a tension spring 143. As a result of this construction, it will be seen that if rotation in a clockwise direction is imparted to the cup 83, the spring 143 Will function to resiliently urge the disc 87 to rotate in the same direction. However, from Figs. 9 and it is to be noted that when the cam follower roll 97 is in abutment with either of the vinclined shoulders 101 or 105, the disc 87 is held against rotation until such time as the tension on the belt 121 is sufiicient-to overcome the restraining action of the spring 110, this occurring when the cinch bands 121 have been brought into proper gripping relationship with a peach half. At this point, the restraining action of the spring 110 will have been overcome, and the cam follower roll 97 will climb the shoulder 101 to the raised dwell surface 102. When the roll 97 comes into engagement with the elevated dwell surface 102 or 106, as the case may be, the brake 93 engages the bottom of the cup 83 thereby to lock the disc to the cup, and when this occurs the disc, cup, and peach half rotate bodily relative to the peach pit which is held stationary by the clamping action of the two knives 6 and 15. This action then serves to break the bond between the pit and the peach flesh, and to this end it is immaterial whetherthe opposed cups of the unit rotate in the same or opposite direction so long as there is relative rotation between the pit and its associated peach halves. However, it is deemed preferable to have the cups rotate in opposite directions for then the knives are subjected to little or no torque. Here it should be noted that the sole function of the spring 143 is to return the disc 87 back to its home position relative to the cup 83 at the end of each cycle of operation. Since the cam disc 99 is provided with duplicate sets of camming surfaces, the cinch belts Will open and close twice during each revolution of the cups 83. However, following each complete cycle of operation of the cinch belts, the pitting heads are moved away from the guillotine assembly to permit a pitted peach to be discharged, and then moved back into their operative positions over the next succeeding peachfed to the guillotine assembly.

Knife wiper After each peach has been split and its halves twisted from its pit in accordance with the action above described it is desirable to wipe the knives 6 and 15 free and clear of any adhering pit portions. To this end a wiping finger 151 ((Fig. l) is journaled on one side of the knife track 13 for oscillation in a plane immediately adjacent the common plane of the knives 6 and 15. Formed integral with the hub of the finger 151 is a lever 152, and mounted on the upper end of the vertically reciprocating upper knife 15 is a pin 153, the end of the lever 152 being in the path of travel of the pin 153. Secured to and between the lever 152 and the track 13 is a tension spring 154 for resiliently biasing the lever 152 upwardly. It will therefore be seen that as a result of this construction the wiping finger 151 will be caused to move outwardly in response to the downward movement of the upper knife 1'5 and that upon the upward movement of the knife 15, the wiping finger 151 will sweep over the faces of the two knives under the infiuence of the spring 154.

Peach half pusher and ejector Slidably mounted in each of the arms 65 coaxially with its cup 83 is a rod 156 terminating at its inner end in a peach half pushing disc or pad 157. Surrounding the inner portion of the rod 156 is a compression spring 158 accommodated Within a counterbore 159 formed in the hub of the cup. Secured to the outer end of the rod 156 is a stop collar 1,60 serving to limit or gauge the inward movement of disc 157. As a result of this construction, each disc 157 resiliently pushes against a peach half during the pitting cycle operation of the machine, thereby preventing that portion of the peach half adjacent its axis of rotation from spreading outwardly during the pitting operation, and in addition serves to eject the peach halves from the cups 83 as the cups move to their open or retracted positions.

Drive assembly Mounted on the upper rear portion of the frame 1 is an electric motor 161 including a power take-off shaft 162. Bolted to the frame 1 is a bearing 163, and journaled therein is a drive shaft 164. Keyed to the take-off shaft 162 is a sprocket wheel 165, and similarly keyed to the drive shaft 164 is a sprocket wheel 166. Reeved chain 167, the ratio between the wheels 165 and 166 being such as to produce the desired speed of the drive shaft Keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 164 is a crank arm 171 (Fig. 1), and pivoted thereto through a fitting 172 is a connecting rod 173. The free end of the connecting rod 173 extends through a slide bearing 174 pivoted to the bifurcated arm 24. Surrounding the rod 173 between the slide bearing 174 and a stop collar 175 is a compression spring 176. Similarly surrounding the free end of the rod 173 and a stop collar not shown is a compression spring 177. As a result of this construction, the reciprocatory movement of the rod 173 is resiliently imparted to the bell crank 23, thereby to cause the upper knife 15 to reciprocate up and down within its guide track 13. Due to the lost motion action of the springs 176 and 177 the downward movement of the knife 15 will be arrested when the arcuate recess 17 of the knife has become seated on the pit of a peach regardless of the size of the pit.

To drive the feed assembly, the right hand end of the connecting rod 39 (Fig. l) is pivoted through a fitting 181 to a crank arm 182, which in turn is keyed or otherwise secured to the drive shaft 164. As a result of this connection, the rotation of the crank arm 182 imparts a reciprocatory movement to the connecting rod 39, and

this in turn causes the arm 33 to rock about its pivotal point to and from the guillotine assembly. Here it should be noted that during the feeding cycle the upper knife 15 is elevated a sufficient distance above the lower knife 6 to permit the pit of a peach to be advanced to a point between the arcuate recesses 9 and 17 of the two knives. However, even in the uppermost position of the upper knife 15 its depending portion or extension 18 closes the rear end of the cavity formed by the two knives. The extension 18 therefore serves to limit or gauge the forward movement (right hand as viewed in Fig. l) of the pit so that regardless of the size of a peach and its pit, the pit is always located between the knife recesses 9 and 17. This is of course made possible due to the fact that the spring 44 serves as a resilient lost motion connection between the connecting rod 39 and the crank arm 36.

Keyed to the drive shaft 164 is an interrupted gear 191 arranged to mesh with a complementary interrupted pinion 192, the pinion 192 being keyed to a shaft 193 (Fig. As shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 193 is journaled in a bearing 194 mounted on the frame 1 (Figs. 1 and 2). Also keyed to the shaft 193 is a helical gear 195 in mesh with a gear 196 journaled to a shaft 197 and in driving engagement with the gear 58. As a result of this construction, the gear 58 is periodically driven by the train of gears, including the interrupted gears 191 and 192. Since the gear 58 is in driving relationship with the gear 59 through the intermediate gear 62, the gears 58 and 59 periodically rotate in the same direction in response to the rotation of the drive shaft 164. But since the gears 58 and 59 are keyed respectively to the two shafts 56, the rotation of the gears '58 and 59 results in the rotation of the two opposed sprocket wheels 75'and 76 (Fig. 3).

Keyed to each of the shafts 82 is a sprocket wheel 201 arranged to receive one of the sprocket chains 77, a collar 202, and bolt 203 serving to hold the sprocket wheel 201 in place. This then serves as a means for intermittently rotating the cups 83 when the cups are in their operative position closed over a peach held by its pit in the guillotine assembly.

Periodic movement of the cup assemblies to and from the guillotine assembly is effected by the structure disclosed in Fig. 4. Included in this structure is a cam track disc 211 keyed to the main drive shaft 164. Mounted on the frame 1 adjacent the disc 211 is a bearing 212, and swiveled thereto is one end of an arm 213. Journaled on the arm 213 intermediate its ends is a cam follower roll 214 arranged transversely a sector shaped cam track 215 formed in one face of the disc 211. Pivoted to the bifurcated end 216 of the. arm 213 by a pin 217 is an arm 218. Swiveled to the right hand ends ofarms 64 and 65 by pins 219, as viewed in Fig. 2, are inwardly extending links 221 and 222, the inner ends of these links being pivoted together by a pin 223. Secured to or formed integral with the inner end of one of the links 221 and 222 is a lug 224, and pivoted thereto is the outer end of the arm 218.

As a result of this construction, the reciprocating movement of the arm 213 as controlled by the cam disc 211 is transmitted to the inner adjacent ends of the links 221 and 222, and the back and forth movement of the inner ends of these links results in rotating the arms 64 and 6 5 periodically towards and away from each other about their respective pivotal points. Here it should be noted that the circular portion of the cam track 215 constitutes a dwell period during which the two cups 83 are held in their closed positions over a peach as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. The opening and closing movement of the cup assemblies toward and away from each other takes place only during such time as the roll 214 is disposed in the generally radial portions of the cam track.

Operation tine assembly, the upper knife is in its open or retracted position. During the advance of the peach into the knives it is impaled on both knives with its pit located between their arcuate recesses 9 and 17 and with the blossom end of the pit in engagement with the rear edge of the knife extension 18. Upon the downward movement of the upper knife, the peach moves downwardly until it pit is firmly clamped within the sealloped arcuate recesses 9 and 12 of the two knives. At this point, the peach is substantially ringed, the two peach halves being held together because of their adherence to the pit. During the downward movement of the upper knife 15 the peach-feeding mechanism starts to return to its initial peach-receiving position, and the opposed peach gripper heads close on the peach being held by the two knives. At this point in the cycle of operation the peach cinching bands 121 are in their open or expanded position, forming substantially a circle sufliciently large to receive a peach of maximum diameter. After the two heads have fully closed over a peach the opposed cups 83 start to rotate in opposite directions. The initial movement of each cup simply serves to constrict the bands 121 so as to cinch them around their associated peach half. This having been accomplished the disc 87 which up to this point has remained stationary becomes locked to the cup, and consequently rotates therewith. Since at this point the pit of the peach is locked between the knives, and each peach half is cinched within and to its associated cup, the further rotation of the cup serves to break the bond between the pit and its two peach halves. Following this, the cups move outwardly; each disc 87 is unlocked from its associated cup and rotates back to its home position under the influence of its spring 143; the cinch belts are retracted from the peach halves and the latter are cleared of the machine by the pads 157. When the cups are clear of the guillotine assembly the knife wipers 151 sweep across the two knives so as to clear them of pits.

Referring now to the modification illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, it will be seen that a single cinch band or belt can be used for gripping each peach half rather than two bands as illustrated in -the modification above described. I

To this end, each of the cups is provided with an arcuate slot 111:: subtending an angle in the order of 175 rather than only 85 or 90 as in the case of the first modification. Attached to the clamp jaws 115 and 118 supported by the disc 87, just as in the case of the previous modification, is a cinch belt or band 121a of sufiicient length to be wrapped substantially clear around the periphery of a peach half. The free end of band 121a, like the free ends of each of the bands 121, is pivoted to the end of an arm 128' Here it is to be observed that in this modification only one arm 128 is necessary inasmuch as only one cinch belt is used. Like the first modification, a guide track 136a secured to the cup by screws 135a serves to limit the outer movement of the cinch band, and as in the case of the first modification, the band 121a is lined with a resilient, scalloped liner 122a.

Except for these minor changes, the modification illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 is identical in construction and operation to the modification illustrated in Figs. 1-12, inclusive, and merely illustrates that either a single band or a plurality of bands can be used to lock each peach half against rotation relative to its pit. However, it is to be observed that all other factors being equal, two bands for gripping each peach half is preferable. Here it should be noted that regardless of the number of bands used, each band is brought into frictional or wrapping engagement with the periphery of a peach half by locking one of its ends against rotation and pulling on its free end.

As a result of the construction of our pitter, the peach halves are twisted by the application thereto of a uniformly distributed force at the most advantageous point or area, namely, the equator of the peach half.v Furthermore, since the cinch belts contact the peach halves over an extended area the force required to turn the peach halves is distributed over this same area instead of being concentrated at a few points. Finally, it will be noted that our machine readily accommodates itself to peaches of a wide range of sizes, and therefore reduces the necessity of grading to a We claim:

1. A peach pitting head comprising: first and second belt anchoring members arranged for rotation relative to each other on a common axis and substantially in a common plane transverse to said axis; an arcuate peachgripping belt secured at one end thereof to said first anchoring member, and secured at its other end to said second anchoring member; means for effecting the relative rotation of said first and second anchoring members, thereby to contract said arcuate belt; and means for locking said first and second anchoring members against rotation relative to each other.

2. A peach pitting head comprising: first and second belt anchoring members arranged for rotation relative to each other on a common axis and substantially in a common plane transverse to said axis; a first arcuate peach-gripping belt secured at one end thereof to said first anchoring member, and secured at its other end to said second anchoring member; a second arcuate peachgripping belt secured at one end thereof to said first anchoring member and secured at its other end to said second anchoring member, said first and second belts being diametrically opposed to each other and together defining a symmetrical, generally circular structure for the reception of a peach half; means for effecting the relative rotation of said first and second anchoring members, thereby to contract said arcuate belts upon each other; and means for locking said first and second anchoring members against rotation relative to each other.

3. A peach pitting head comprising: first and second belt anchoring members arranged for rotation relative to each other on a common axis and substantially in a common plane transverse to said axis; a first arcuate peach gripping belt secured at one of its ends to said first anchoring member, the other end of said belt being anchored to the free end of a first arm extending rearwardly of and generally in parallelism with said first belt; means for pivoting the rear end of said first arm to said second anchoring member; a second arcuate gripping belt secured at one of its ends to said first anchoring member, the other end of said second belt being anchored to the free end of a second arm extending rearwardly of and generally in parallelism with said second belt; means for pivoting the rear end of said second arm to said second anchoring member; means for rotating said first anchoring member relative to said second anchoring member; and means for locking said second anchoring member to said first anchoring memher.

4. A peach pitting head comprising: first and second belt anchoring members arranged for rotation relative to each other on a common axis and substantially ina common plane transverse to said axis; a first arcuate belt secured at one of its ends to said first anchoring member and secured at its other end to the forward free end of a first arm, the rear end of said first arm being pivoted to said second anchoring member at a point intermediate the ends of said first belt; second arcuate belt secured at one of its ends to said first anchoring member at a point diametrically opposite the connection therewith of said first arcuate belt, the opposite end of said second belt being secured to the forward free end of a second arm, and the rear end of said second arm being pivoted to said second anchoring member at a point intermediate the ends of said second belt; means for rotating said second anchoring member relative to said first anchoring member; and means for locking said second anchoring member to said first anchoring member.

5. A peach pitting head such as defined in claim 2 wherein means is associated with said first and second anchoring members for resiliently biasing said members to assume a predetermined position relative to each other.

6. A peach pitting head such as defined in claim 2 wherein spring means is associated with said first and second anchoring members for resiliently biasing said members towards a predetermined position relative to each other.

7. A peach pitting head such as defined in claim 2 wherein the inner face of each of said first and second belts is provided with a resilient, corrugated peachengaging surface.

8. A peach pitter such as defined in claim 2. wherein said first anchoring member is provided with first and second guide tracks for respectively confining said first and second belts from expanding outwardly beyond a predetermined extent.

9. A peach pitting head such as defined in claim 4 wherein the outer face of said first arm is in engagement with the inner face of said second belt and wherein the inner face of said first arm is in engagement with the outer face of saidfirst belt.

10. A peach pitter such as defined in claim 2 wherein said second anchoring member is provided with an inwardly biased pin terminating at its. inner end in a halfpeach engaging foot.

11. A peach pitter such as defined in claim 2 wherein said locking means includes a brake shoe pivoted to said first anchoring member adjacent said second anchoring member, a stationary cam track disposed adjacent said first anchoring member; a cam track follower associated with said brake shoe; and means for resiliently biasing said cam follower against said cam track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images