AU666978B2 - Dual turret fruit juice and pulp extractor - Google Patents

Description

I IL b IP ~aL lg Patent 199/272F

SPECIFICATION

DUAL TURRET FRUIT JUICE AND PULP EXTRACTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of the invention is fruit juice extractors.

In processing fruit, especially citrus fruit, to make fruit juices and other fruit products, the fruit pulp must ordinarily be accessed through tne fruit peel or rind.

Typically, this is achieved by slicing the fruit in half and then reaming, or by crushing the fruit pulp within the peel. However, the fruit peel gernerally contains bitter oils and .o1 other peel components which are undesirable in fruit juices or other fruit products.

Accordingly, it is advantageous to avoid liberating peel oils and components during processing.

Deformation of, or excessive pressure applied to the peel increases the chances of liberating these undesirable peel components into the juice. These components can .1 be released from the inside of the peel (albedo), as well as from the outside (flavedo).

Some existing juice extractors can impart excessive pressures and high impact forces on the fruit peel. This has become a more significant problem in recent years as a result of the high operating speeds required by modern juice plants.

Patent 199/272F As harvested from orchards or farms, even a single load of fruit has a random assortment of fruit size, ripeness, peel condition, and other characteristics. This lack of uniformity can create difficulties in processing handling, slicing, reaming, crushing, etc.) the fruit since the fruit processing machinery generally cannot be optimally matched for each random size or other fruit characteristic.

In many known fruit processing machines, the fruit is temporarily held in position by chutes, holders, cups, etc., for each particular operation. The fruit is then ;-eleased and transferred to the next operation where the fruit is again secured or held in position by cups, cup fingers, etc., for further processing. The potential for improper handling of fruit generally increases with an increased number of holding and releasing steps.

"With citrus fruit, the highest quality juice and the juice having the highest sugar Sratio, is found in the fruit pulp closest to the peel. Hence, it is, of course, desirable to extract this highest quality juice from the fruit. On the other hand, this highest quality juice is difficult to extract from the fruit without liberating the above mentioned undesirable peel components, since the best juice and peel are adjacent to each other within the fruit.

Various fruit halving or cutting knives and methods have been known and used °"in the past with varying degrees of success. However, these known techniques can often liberate peel oils and other peel components which can bc carried into the juice portion of the fruit.

-3- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is disclosed herein a fruit loader and juice extractor comprising: a frame; a first turret ard a second turret rotatably supported by the frame; a plurality of reamers and pivotable cups on the first turret and on the second turret; turret drive means for rotating the first turret and the second turret in opposite directions; and a fruit feeder positioned over the first and second turrets for feeding fruit into the pivotable cups.

There is further disclosed herein a fruit juice extractor comprising: a frame; a first turret rotatably supported on the frame; 15 a second turret rotatably supported on the frame adjacent to the first turret; a plurality of spaced apart reamers extending upwardly from the first turret and Sthe second turret; a plurality of spaced apart pivoting cups supported on the first and second turrets, with each pivoting cup aligned with a corresponding reamer; 20 a halving knife supported by the frame substantially between the first turret and S* .hde second turret; S: turret drive means for turning the turrets in opposite directions; reamer drive means for turning the reamers; reamer advance means for relatively moving the reamers and cups vertically 25 towards and away from each other; and cup pivot means for cyclically pivoting the cups with rotation of the turrets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: Fig. 1 is a side section view fragment of the present rotary fruit juice extractor; Fig. 2 is a schematically illustrated top view thereof.

[n:\llbo100377:CBM ~LLL~B LI Patent 199/272F Fig. 3 is an end view of the present halving knife of the invention; Fig. 4 is a side elevation view fragment thereof; Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view fragment of the halving knife; Fig. 6 is a schematically illustrated side elevation view of a prior art halving knife; Fig. 7 is a section view fragment taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a section view fragment taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 2; Fig. 9 is a section view fragment taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 is a section view fragment taken along line 10-10 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 11 is a section view fragment taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 2 with Figs.

7-11 showing cup and reamer positions as the extractor turns through positions A through F in Fig. 2; Fig. 1i2 is a side elevation view of another preferred embodiment having two turrets counter-rotating in a horizontal plane and a loader rotating in a vertical plane to feed fruit to the turrets; Fig. 13 is a partial section view taken alone line 13-13 of Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is an enlarged section view of the first turret station of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is an enlarged section view fragment of the second turret station of Fig.

13; *o ••e I Ilr 1 IL Patent 199/272F Fig. 16 is a schematically illustrated plan view showing the turret drive system, the reamer drive system, and the reamer cam elevator drive system of the extractor of Fig. 12; Fig. 17 is a partial section view fragment taken along line 17-17 of Fig. Fig. '18 is a side elevation view fragment of the anti-rotation devices shown in Figs. 15 and 17; Fig. 19 is a plan view fragment of the extractor show ,n in Fig. 12; Fig. 20 is a schematic illustration of the sequencing of the extractor of Fig. 12; and Fig. 21 is a schematically illustrated section view fragment of the loader of Fig.

12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning to the drawings, as shown in Fig. 1, a fruit juice extractor 30 has a hopper 36 attached to a rotary frame 42. Fruit 34 are provided from a feed chute 32 into the hopper 36. The hopper 36 has tubular magazines 38 equally spaced apart about its circumference. With a hopper of approximately 36 to 42 inches in diameter, preferably 24 tubular magazines 38 are provided. Within each tubular magazine 38 is an escapement 40 to regulate the fruit flow or movement through the magazines.

The escapement 40 allows one fruit to pass out of the lower end of the tubular IL---r -b I--II Patent 199/272F magazine 38 with each revolution of the extractor 30. A housing 44 and juice trough 46 are provided around the lower circumfer6nce of the rotary frame 42.

A pair of pivoting cups 48 is associated with each tubular magazine 38.

Preferably, the cups 48 are made of a resilient material to cushion the fruit. Ridges or grooves are provided on the inside surface of the cups 48 to prevent the fruit from spinning within the cups 48 during reaming. Allowing fruit to spin in the cups would tend to disadvantageously release peel oils.

Each cup 48 is mounted on a pivot pin 50 supported by an armature 58 attached to the rotary frame 42. Referring momentarily to Fig. 7, the inner and outer cup 48 of each pair of cups are preferably identical and are centered horizontally below the magazine 38 with cup pivots on the same horizontal centerline M. Referring S once again to Fig. 1, a drive rod 52 has a rack segment 54 engaging a pinion segment eeoee 56 at the back of each cup 48. The drive rods 52 are supported through drive rod supports 60 passing through the rotary frame 42. Rollers 62 at the lower end of the drive rods 52 roll on cup pivot cams 96 on a cam base plate 92 fixed to the stationary housing 44.

A reamer 64 is aligned and associated with each cup 48. Each reamer 64 is supported on a reamer shaft 68 passing through the rotary frame 42. Gears 74 are S attached to the reamer shafts 68, with the inner reamer shaft gear engaging a sun .2D. gear 78 and also meshing with a like outer reamer shaft gear. The reamers 64 and shafts 68 are grouped in pairs to match the pairs of cups. The lower ends of each pair -_bBI PI Patent 199/272F of reamer shafts 68 are secured to a shaft plate 72 through bearings 70. A cam roller 76 under each shaft plate 72 rolls on a reamer advance cam 94 supported by cam elevators 128 on the cam base plate 92. A sun gear drive shaft 84 is attached to the sun gear 78. The shaft 84 is supported within the housing 44 by bearings 82. The cam elevators 128 are positioned under the reamer advance cam 94 and are linked to a processor 144 and an optical color detector 142 which form a system for maintaining reaming depth, as shown in Fig. 11.

The reamer advance cam 94, as well as the cup pivot cams 96 are circumferentially formed about the center of cam base plate which also corresponds to the center of rotation of the frame 42. The cams 94 and 96 have "lobes" or relatively raised portions about their diameters, for controlling the vertical movement of the cup drive rods 52 which pivot the cups 48, and for controlling the advance and retraction of the reamers, respectively. The left side of Fig. 1 shows the cup pivot cams 96 and reamer advance cam 94 at low points such that the cups are pivoted upwardly (loading position) and the reamers are retracted. The right side of Fig. 1 shows the highest points on the cams with the cups 48 driven to a face down (reaming) position and the reamers 64 fully advanced or extended. The weight of the components keeps the cam follower rollers 62 and 76 in constant rolling contact with the top surface of the fixed cams 94 and 96.

.2 A frame drive shaft 80 passes through clearance holes in the sun gear 78 and sun gear drive shaft 84 and rotatably supports the frame 42. The frame 42 is driven

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Patent 199/272F through a frame drive gear 86 linked to an electric motor. The sun gear 78 is driven by drive gear 110 linked to another motor or drive source such that the sun gear 78 and rotary frame 42 are separately rotatable at different speeds. While the extractor could operate with the sun gear fixed in position with a single motor or drive source) since the frame 42 preferably spins at approximately 30 the reamers 64 would generally spin below the preferred known reaming speeds for most fruit.

Juice chutes 98 are provided to channel juice from the juice pans 46.

Turning to Figs. 2-5, a halving knife assembly 100 includes a halving knife 102 and a fruit half retainer plate 104. The halving knife 102 has a knife center point 122 and diverging knife edges 124. The halving knife assembly 100 is attached to the housing 44 in between the inner cup circle 146 and outer cup circle 148 of pivoting cups 48. The knife center point 122 is positioned to generally engage the center of so S the fruit 34 as the frame 42 rotates. As best shown in Fig. 2, the fruit half retainer plate 104 has reamer engagement slots 106 extending into its back surface. Also 15 shown in Fig. 2 are first, second and third juice fraction pans 112, 114 and 116 which are separated by pan dividers 120 along the reaming sectors of the perimeter of the extractor 30. A peel eject juice pan 118 is provided adjacent to the third juice fraction pan 116.

°••oo Turning to the operation of the rotary fruit juice extractor 30, with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 7, fruit 34 is loaded into the hopper 36 which rotates with the frame S. 42 within the fixed housing 44. The fruit 34 moves via gravity into the tubular I LI- l-I111 Patent 199/272F magazines 38. The escapement 40 allows a single fruit to fall through the tubular magazine 38 with each revolution of that magazine into the fruit loading sector of the extractor 30, generally designated at A in Fig. 2. As the magazine moves through the fruit loading sector A, the cups 48, fixed in polar position with respect to the magazine 38, are pivoted to an upfacing fruit loading position P to accept a fruit from the magazine 38. The radial spacing d of the cup pivot centers is determined by the size of fruit to be processed and the cup size and style.

The pivoting movement of the cups 48 is achieved by the cup pivot cams 96 forcing the drive, rods 52 upwardly as the rollers 62 ride around the cup pivot carnms 96. The rack 54 on each drive rod 52 meshes with the pinion segment 56 on each cup 48, causing each cup to pivot about a pivot pin 50. The fruit 34 is released by the escapement and falls from the magazine 38 through slot 132 in housing 44 into the pair of cups 48 aligned with the magazine. Since the hopper 36 and cup pairs 48 are moving together, there is no relative movement between them.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 8, as the frame 42 continuously turns, the cups 48 next start to rotate downwardly to encompass and hold the fruit 34, again under the control of the cup pivot cams 96 driving the drive rod 52 and rack and pinion segments 54 and 56. As the cups approach the halving knife 102 (sector B in Fig. 2), .:ego they are positioned slightly downwardly. Specifically, the axis of each cup PL as shown in Fig. 8 in this slicirng position S are angled approximately 5-101 below horizontal. In this position, a small gap 147 is formed between the facing cups 48.

II( IsC~~ I Patent 199/272F The fruit falls into the gap 147 and automatically centers itself. The gap 147 is deep enough so that the fruit is not affected by centrifugal force (approximately .5g's at .0 rpm for a 90cm diameter hopper) generated by the rotation of the frame 42. The point 122 of the halving knife 102 is vertically positioned below the cup pivot centerline M, to engage the center of the fruit after the fruit has dropped into the gap 147. The cups 48 pass by the halving knife 102 a.nd the fruit 34 is sliced into fruit halves 35 in sector C of Fig. 2, and as shown in Fig. 4. The halving knife 102 has a radial curvature, as shown in Fig. 2, such that it slices through the fruit on a curved path. This slightly curved halving of the fruit does not effect the fruit processing.

After halving, as the cups 48 move with rotation of the frame 42 through sector D in Fig. 2, they pivot downwardly once more, again driven by the cup pivot cam 96, S drive rod 52, and rack and pinion segments 54 and 56. The fruit halves 35 are very briefly held within the cups 48 against the fruit half retainer plate 1 04, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and especially Fig. 9. (FIor clarity of illustration, the cups 48 are not shown in Figs. 3 and 4.) As the cup pairs 48 enter to sector E with the continuous rotation of the frame 42, they have been pivoted fully downwardly into the ream position RM and are engaged by the reamers 64 as shown in Fig. 10. The reamers 64 gradually rise through sectors D and E as the cam rollers 76 on the reamer shaft plates 72 roll on .2,Q the reamer advance cam 94. The reamers 64 continue to rise through the reamer 4.

_LI Is -*g4 Patent 199/272F engagement slots in the fruit half retaining plate 104 and engage the fruit halves as they move into sector E.

The reamer advance cam 94 can be designed to provide a linear single speed reamer engagement into the fruit halves. With this type of reaming, juice reamed from the initial penetration will collect in the first fraction pan 112, juice reamed from the middle of the pulp of the fruit halves 35 will collect in the second juice fraction pan 114, and juice reamed from the pulp closest to the peel will collect in the third juice fraction pan 116. These separate juice fractions having different characteristics can then be drawn off for further processing, mixing or packaging. The reamer advance cam 94 can also be designed for other types of reamer engagement, to produce different juice fractions. For example, the reamer could undergo a quick initial engagement of the fruit half 35, with a slower engagement as the peel is approached.

01: Alternatively, the reamer 64, as controlled by the reamer advance cam 94 could undergo a slow initial approach, a quick advancement through the center portion of the fruit half 35, and then a slow approach once more towards the peal. The reamer advance cam can also provide a dwell at the point of maximum reaming. Various 0. *0 other reamer advance programs can be accomplished by appropriate configuration of the reamer advance cam 94. These various advance programs can all be *00040 accomplished as a result of the relatively long path available for the reaming operation.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 11, as the cups 48 move from the reaming sector E to ect sector F, the reamers 64 are withdrawn from the cups 48. The fruit00 the peel eject sector F, the reamers 64 are withdrawn from the cups 48. The fruit *000* s IL~ -L- Patent 199/272F peels generally remain in the cups at this point. An optical color sensor 142 detects the color of the inside of the passing reamed fruit peels 37. The optical color sensor 142 is linked to a processor 144 which preferably is programmed with a target color range. The optical color sensor, under the control of the processor, reads the reamed fruit half color from several fruit peels. A position sensor may be provided to supply timing pulses to the processor, so that the processor can determine the proper intervals for reading color inputs from the color sensor.

The processor 144 compares the detected color with the target color range which is preferably selected somewhere in between an "over-reamed" white peel color *.f18i and an "under-reamed" orange colored peel cavity. If, after sensing several peel cavities, the detected color is sufficiently over or under the target color range, the depth of reamer penetration into the fruit halves is automatically readjusted to an optimum by selectively adjusting the position of the cam ring plate 92 through cam elevators 128. The optical color sensor 142, processor 144 and cam elevators 128 are thus linked together to form a system 180 for automatically maintaining proper S fruit reaming depth.

In reaming type juice extractors, a change in peel thickness has a significant effect on the quantity and quality of the juice removed during reaming. Peel thickness can vary over a wide range in loads of fruit from different geographic areas. Thickskinned fruit will usually undergo excessive reaming, with all juice and membrane being removed, leaving only white albedo exposed inside the reamed fruit half. On the Patent 199/272F other hand, thin-skinned fruit will not be reamed as thoroughly, leaving some juice bearing pulp material in the fruit half. Nevertheless, the foregoing system 180 can provide proper reaming for both thick skinned and thin skinned fruit.

Referring once again to Figs. 2 and 11, as the cups 48 move further into the peel eject sector F, they pass over a peel ejector 136. The peel ejector slots 108 in the cups 48 provide clearance for the ejector 136. The peel ejector 136 is preferably a wire bar or prong attached to the housing 44. The peel ejector 136 strikes the peels 37 and causes them to fall out of tne cups 48. A wire grid 149 covers a peel eject juice pan 118 which collects whatever juice falls away from the peels 37, The peels 1 37 pass through a peel chute 140 and are removed from the extractor 30. The design shown in Fig. 1 rotates at approximately 30 rpm and processes about 720 fruit per minute.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 7-11, all components shown spin with the frame 42, except S for the chute 32, housing 44, juice pans 112, 114, 116, peel eject pan 118, grid 149, dividers 120, cam base plate 92, halving knife assembly 100, peel ejector 136, and S the system 180 for automatically maintaining reamer engagement depth, including the optical sensor 142. The embodiment of Fig. 1 can also be modified into a fixed frame extractor. In such a modified embodiment, the frame cups, reamers and magazines remain in a stationary non revolving position. The knife assembly, cams, conical center section of the hopper, peel ejector and optical color sensor revolve about or within the frame. The operation of the fixed frame embodiment is similar to the -~6111 Patent 199/272F rotating frame embcdijmeti: of Fig. 1, although collection of separate juice fractions would require revolving juice collection pans.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, in known juice extraction machines, 'fruit is typically cut in half with a halving knife, prior to juice extraction. These known halving knifes are generally of the blade and cutting configuration 126 shown in Fig. 6. At point J in Fig. 6, the cutting force is high as the flat edge of the knife blade 126 breaks through the peel. From point J to points K in Fig. 6, halfway through the fruit, pe,: oils and other peel components are forced into the pulp or juice area of the fruit, potentially degrading juice quality.

!With the present knife shown in Fig. 5, at point G where the knife point 122 first enters the fruit 34, the puncture force is extremely low, such that there is a minimal tendency to liberate peel oils. From point G to points H in Fig. 5 (an arc on the fruit of perhaps only 600) the knife forces are from the outside towards the inside.

From points H to the completion of the cutting, the knife forces are from the inside to the outside. Accordingly, the present halving knife as shown in Fig. 5 tends to force *00000 peel oils and components away from the fruit pulp during most of the halving cycle.

This helps to prevent undesirable peel components from eniering the pulp from which juice will be subsequently extracted.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, a more advanced machine 400 includes a fixed frame 402 having feet 404. Stanchions 406 support a first turret station 408 and a second turret station 410. A loader 412, rotatable about a horizontal axis, is centrally -b _P Patent 199/272F positioned in between the first turret station 408 and the second turret station 410.

An inlet hopper 414 is attached to the loader 412. The loader 412 and hopper 414 are similar to those shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,887,062, incorporated herein by reference.

Referring to Fig. 14, the first turret station 408 includes a inner drive shaft sprocket 420 bolted on to an inner drive shaft 424 rotatably supported within a bearing pedestal 416 by inner shaft bearings 428 and 430. An outer drive shaft sprocket 422 attached to an outer drive shaft 426 is iotatably supported within the bearing peoestal 416 by bearings 432 and 434, independently of tic iiner drive shaft 424. For clarity of illustration, drive chains around the sprockets have been omitted.

A first turret 482 in the first turret station 408 rotates on the bearing pedestal 416 and principally includes a reamer carrier 502, a cup support plate 524 and a bearing plate 522.

Referring to Figs. 14 and 15, an annular reamer cam 444 is supported on the frame 402 within each of the turret stations 408 and 410. Four reamer cam adjustment elevators 446 are equally spaced around the diameter of each reamer cam 444. Referring to Figs. 14-16, elevator sprockets 448 attached to the reamer cam adjustment elevators 446 are connected by an elevator chain 450. Idler sprockets 464 guide and tension the elevator chain 450. The reamer cam adjustment elevators extend or retract via screw threads) with rotation of the elevator sprockets 448.

An elevator chain drive 466 engaged to the elevator chain 450 is controlled to turn L d I, Patent 199/272F in either direction to simultaneously extend or retract each of the reamer cam adjustment elevators 446 to raise or lower the reamer cam 444 in both turret stations.

Accordingly, the elevator chain drive 466 can be used to raise or lower the reamer cam 444, thereby adjusting the depth of reamer engagement into the fruit. Hen'e, compensation can be made for fruit loads having varying peel and pulp characteristics.

The elevator chain drive may be controlled manually or automatically as part of an automatic adjustment system linked to sensors and a control processor.

Referring to Figs. 14-16, a turret drive chain 452 links a first motor sprocket 456 on a drive motor 460 to the inner drive shaft sprocket 420, for rotatably driving >li: the first turret 482. A reamer drive chain 454 connects a second motor sprocket 458 orn the drive motor 460 to a second turret reamer drive sprocket 440, and to the outer shaft drive sprocket 422 in the first turret station 408. A reamer drive chain idler sprocket 4F? is positioned in between the first and second turret stations, generally aligned with the drive motor 460.

Referring to Fig. 14, the reamer carrier 502 is attached to the inner drive shaft 424 by means of carrier mounting hub 500. As shown in Figs. 14-16, a first ring gear 470 attached to the bearing plate 522 in the first turret station 408 meshes with a corresponding second ring gear 472 of equal diameter in the second turret station 410. The first and second turrets 482 and 484 accordingly turn in opposite directions at equal speed, when driven by the drive motor 460. The meshing ring gears 470 and 472 provide a fixed and relatively precise angular registration between the turrets.

_1 Patent 199/272F As shown in Fig. 12, upwardly projecting reamers 498 are equally spaced about on the reamer carrier 502, on the first and second turrets. In the embodiment shown 16 cups are used, although more or less cups cou'd be used. Referring to Fig. 14, each reamer 498 is attached to the top end of a reamer shaft 496. The upper end of the reamer shaft 496 is rotatably supported by a reamer shaft bearing 508 wi.Ilin a reamer carrier tube 506 extending through and fixed to the reamer carrier 502. A reai.ler shaft gear 510 on each reamer shaft 496 meshes with a reamer drive sun gear 474 supported on the outer drive shalt 426. The lower section of the reamer shaft S 496 extends into and rotates within a lower slide tube 512. A bushing 514 extending through the bearing plate 522 supports the slide tube 512 but allows it to shift verIcaly.

y, A reamer spring adjustment 476 attached to the slide tube 512 engages the flat bottom end of the reamer shaft 496 with a low friction engagement, to facilitate automatic load adjustment for each reamer 498, to cont'tol reaming force or pressure.

0* A cam roller axle 494 attached to the slide tube 512 rotatably supports a cam roller 492 which rolls on the reamer cam 444. An upper cam rail 490 with supports 488 overlies the reamer cam 444 over the downward cam slope to insure reamer retraction.

f o Referring to Figs. 14, 17 and 18, an anti-rotation plate 516 is attached to an anti-rotation plate holder 518 on the rutside of each slide tube 512, opposite to the axle 494. Each anti-rotation plate holder 518 has a slot 520 for slidably holding the

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Patent 199/272F trailing edge of an adjacent anti-rotation plate 516. The anti-rotation plates prevent turning of the slide tubes resulting from the reaction of driving the reamer shafts 496, without interfering with vertical travel of the slide tubes as they shift vertically while moving around on the reamer cam 444. Consequently, the rollers 492 remain aligned on the reamer cam 444.

Referring to Figs. 14 and 19, a cam plate 530 on top of each turret station is fixed to the non-rotating frame 402. A cup cam track 532 is provided on the underside of the cam plate 530. Cups 542 are equally spaced about on and pivotally attached to a cup support plate 524 by a pin 546 passing through the cup 542 and spacers 544 extending downwardly from the cup support plate 524. The back end of the cup 542 has a gear segment 548.

As shown in Fig. 14, a cam roller 534, associated with each cup 542, t,'acks within the fixed cup cam track 532. The cam roller 534 is attached to a radially displaceable toothed rack 536 slidably supported within a rack glide support 540 preferably made of a low frictiorn material. As the turret turns, the cam rollers 534 move through the cup cam track 532, moving the racks 536 radially nwardly and outwardly, to pivot the cups 542 to the appropriate position at each angular

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orientation of the turret.

A juice pan 504 surrounds the reamer carrier 502 to collect extracted juice.

The juice pan 504 is advantageously approximately 13mm inchn apart from the reamer carrier. Peel eject and co1lection features similar to those previously described are Patent 199/272F advantageously also included. Slots 554 are provided on the reamer carrier to allow juice and pulp to pass into juice pan 504 and to insure that no peel can come into contact with juice. Spaced apart vertical web plates 418 are attached, preferably welded, to the cup support plate 524, the reamer carrier 502, the carrier hub 500 and the bearing plate 522.

Referring to Figs. 12 and 19, a halving knife 550 is attached to the frame 402.

The point 552 of the halving knife 550 is positioned forward or in advance of the centerline L-L of the turrets by dimension K, which preferably is approximately one half of a typical fruit diameter, generally 2.5-7.5cm. The second turret station 410 is generally identical in design concept and symmetrical to the first turret station 408 but does not have an inner drive shaft sprocket as it is driven by the ring gears 470 and 472.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 21, the loader 412 includes equally spaced apart radially projecting paddles 560 rotatable about an axle 576, a support plate 562 and

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roller 564 to move fruit from the hopper to pockets 574 in the loader, as described in U.S. Patent No. 3,887,062. However, vanes 566 are provided in the rotating conical section 568 of the loader 412, to accelerate the fruit to the rotating speed of the loader while the fruit is still in the hopper.

In operation, generally round fruit, such as oranges or grapefruit, are loaded into the iopper 414. Within the rotating conical section 568 of the loader 412, the fruit is driven by the vanes 566 into a circular motion. The fruit are then immediately -I I h_ Patent 199/272F available to be transferred to paddles 560 and loaded into the extractor cups 542.

The action of the vanes improves per'frmance over the loader of U.S. Patent No.

3,887,062 as the pockets are more uniformly filled with fruit and fewer pockets cycle through empty.

Referring to Fig. 16, the drive motor 460 is turned on and spins counterclockwise (all turning directions referred to are when viewed from above). The turret drive chain 452 around the first motor sprocket 436 drives the inner drive shaft sprocket 420 and the inner drive shaft 424. The inner drive shaft 424 in turn, thr )ugh the carrier mounting hub 500 and the bearing plate 522 turns the reamer carrier 502, Hence, the entire first turret 482 (principally comprising the reamer carrier 502, cup support plate 524 and bearing plate 522, and all other components attached to them) is turned counterclockwise. The first ring gear 470 turning with the first turret meshes with the second ring gear 472 to drive the second turret clockwise. The turrets are advantageously driven at about 40 RPM, although other speeds are 0:1. possible. Preferably, the first motor sprocket has 18 teeth and the inner drive shaft Ssprocket 420 has 48 teeth.

Referring still to Fig. 16, the reamers 498 preferably are all driven at the same speed and in the same direction. The second motor sprocket 458 turns with drive S motor 460 and drives the reamer drive chain 454. Consequently, the second turret reamer drive sprocket 440 and the outer drive shaft sprocket 422 on the first turret turn counterclockwise. In the first turret station, the outer drive shaft sprocket 422 I b 3 1 -is 1 Patent 199/272F turns the outer drive shaft 426 which in turn drives the sun gear 474 counterclockwise. The sun gear 474 meshing with the reamer shaft gears 510 drives the reamers 498 clockwise on the first turret.

As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, similarly, the reamers on the second turret are driven clockwise by the sun gear 474 which is mechanically linked to the drive sprocket 440 by an inner drive shaft. The counterclockwise turning first turret subtracts from the reamer rotation speed while the clockwise turning second turret adds to the reamer rotation speed. To compensate for this effect the second turret drive sprocket, preferably having 36 teeth, is larger than the outer drive shaft sprocket '1?d 422, which preferably has 21 teeth. As shown in Fig. 16, an idler sprocket with 18 teeth is also provided. These sprocket size selections will compensate for the additive/subtractive effect on reamer rotation speed resulting from the counter-rotating turrets and will result in uniform reamer rotation speeds on both turrets. Of course, many other mechanical equivalents may be used. The sun gear 474 is sufficiently tall to stay ronstantly meshed with the reamer shaft gears 510 over the entire range of vertical travel of reamer shaft gear's 510 as the reamer shaft moves up and down as driven by the reamer cam 444.

Referring to Fig. 12, slicing or halving of the fruit is enhanced as the point of the halving knife 550 is positioned to engage the fruit while the fruit is still being pushed by the paddle 560. As the fruit half slides off of the halving knife 550, it is picked up, in timed sequence, by a cup 542, which is pivoted to a horizontal position,

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Patent 199/272F as shown in Fig. 1. As the cup holding the fruit half moves away from the loading position at the halving knife, the cup cam track 532 causes the cup 542 to pivot downwardly. Simultaneously, the reamer 498 associated with the cup 542 is driven upwardly towards to the fruit half, by the reamer cam 444. A transfer plate prevents the fruit half from falling out of the cup 542 prior to the time the fruit half is engaged by the reamer 498. Referring to Fig. 20, the cups dwell at the reaming position to extract juice from the fruit half and then retract while the cups pivot to a peel eject position, prior tM restarting the cycle at the load position.

The extractor 400 offers advantageous performance as the loader 412 transports the fruit in the same plane as the halving knife, thereby ensuring that the fruit is cut on center. The point of the halving knife actually penetrates the fruit while S it is still driven by the feeder In addition, since each of the stations on the first and second turrets carries only half of each fruit, precise peel ejection is achieved and each peel half is positively thrown into a peel discharge area with no likelihood of the peel contacting juice surfaces. The dual turret configuration with the feeder turning on a horizontal axis also lends itself to extremely easy and thorough clean up.

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Claims (16)

1. A fruit loader and juice extractor comprising: a frame; a first turret and a second turret rotatably supported by the frame; a plurality of reamers and pivotable cups on the first turret and on the second turret; turret drive means for rotating the first turret and the second turret in opposite directions; and a fruit feeder positioned over the first and second turrets for feeding fruit into the pivotable cups.

2. The loader and extractor of claim 1 further comprising a halving knife supported by the frame in between the turrets.

3. The loader and extractor of claim 1 further comprising means for pivoting the cups with rotation of the turrets. 0150

4. The loader and extractor of claim 1 further comprising means for moving the reamers and cups vertically together and apart with rotation of the turrets.

Patent 199/272F The loader and extractor of claim 1 further comprising vanes within a rotatable conical section of the loader.

6. The loader and extractor of claim 1 further comprising reamer rotation means for rotating the reamers.

7. The loader and extractor of claim 2 further comprising a point on the halving knife positioned approximately 1-3 inches in advance of a centerline bisecting the turrets.

8. The loader and extractor of claim 3 wherein the means for pivoting comprises a roller within a cam track, the roller attached to a toothed slide rack engaging ca gear segment on the cups.

9. The loader and extractor of claim 4 wherein the mearns for moving comprises a reamer cam supported by the frame. S 0

10. A fruit juice extractor comprising: a frame; a first turret rotatably supported on the frame; 24 Patent 199/272F a second turret rotatably supported on the frame adjacent to the first turret; a plurality of spaced apart reamers extending upwardly from the first turret and the second turret; a plurality of spaced apart pivoting cups supported on the first and second turrets, with each pivoting cup aligned with a corresponding reamer; a halving knife supported by the frame substantially between the first turret and the second turret; turret drive means for turning the turrets in opposite directions; ':o0 reamer drive means for turning the reamers; Aj reamer advance means for relatively moving the reamers and cups vertically towards and away from each other; and cup pivot means for cyclically pivoting the cups with rotation of the turrets.

11, 7 juice extractor of claim 10 wherein the turret drive means comprises a motor linked to the first turret and a gear on the first turret meshed with a gear on the second turret.

12. The juice extractor of claim 10 wherein the reamer drive means comprises a motor linked to the reamers on the first and second turrets and reamer I- _L 01 -26- speed compensation means for driving the reamers on the first and second turrets at substantially the same speed.

13. The fruit juice extractor of claim 10 wherein the reamer advance means comprises for each reamer a tube rotatably supporting a reamer shaft attached to the reamer, a reamer cam roller rotatably attached to the tube, and a reamer cam supported on the frame and engaging the reamer cam roller.

14. The fruit juice extractor of claim 13 further comprising a reamer cam elevator system including a plurality of reamer cam elevators positioned under the reamer cam and a linkage for linking the reamer cam elevators together for simultaneous operation.

15. The fruit juice extractor of claim 13 further comprising anti-iotation links connecting adjacent tubes.

16. A fruit juice extractor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 12-21. 15 DATED this Second Day of January 1996 Brown International Corporation Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON too*: In:\lbo100377:BFD -1 Dual Turret Fruit Juice and Pulp Extractor Abstract A rotary and juice extractor (30) has a pair of counterrotating turrets. Each turret (38) has a plurality of pivotably mounted holding cups A rotatable reamer (64) is associated with each cup (48). Cams (92, 96) pivot the cups from a fruit loading position, to a fruit slicing position and then to a reaming position as the frame (42) rotates. Reamer cams (76,94) drive the reamers (64) into and out of the fruit halves held within the cups (48) as the frame (42) rotates. A hopper (36) spinning on a horizontal axis feeds fruit to the rotating turrets for slicing and reaming. (Fig.l) 1* *o *o *ooo JED/7028U