CA1211671A - Food peeler - Google Patents

Abstract

AN IMPROVED FOOD PEELER

An Abstract of the Disclosure A food peeler which includes an auger having a flexible blade for urging food items transversely across an endless belt which carries the food items.
The auger blade has multiple protrusions formed on its surface for abrasively contacting the food items.

Description

121~L6'71 AN IMPROVED FOOD PEELER

Summary of the In~vention This invention relates to a device for removing peelings from food items, s;uch as fruits and vegetables, and will have particular application to an aucJer construction.
Heretofore, deviceci for removing peelings from food items have included a continuous belt which conveys the food items across the device. Brushes are arranged in a spiral pattern transverse the belt and make contact with the food items as they are carried upon the belt. The brushes in contacting the food items cause their outer surfaces or peelillgs to be removed. In this invention, flexible augers are substituted for the spiral brushes. The surfaces of the blades have protrusions which abrasively contact the food items to remove their peelings.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a food peeler which includes an auger having a flexible blade for removing the peelings from food items, such as fruits and veyetables, Another object of this invention is to provide a peeler which is for food items such as fruits and vegetables and which is of ef~icient dependable operation.
Another object of this invention is to provide an auyer havin~ a tlexihle hlade.
Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following description.

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srie~ Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view o~ a device for removing peelings from food items having the augers of this invention used therein.
Fig. 2 is a seclional vie!w of the peeling device taken generally along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sect:ional view of the peeling device taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of augers of this invention.
Descri~tion of the Preferred ~mbodiment The preferred embodiment illustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is chosen and described in order to e~plain the principles of the invention and its ap~lication and practical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to utili~e the invention.
Peeling device 10 includes a frame 12. An endless belt 14, which preferably includes inner and outer belt sections, is carried by sprockets 16 mounted on shafts 17 at each end oE frame 12. Belt 14 is driven by a motor 1~. A sprocket 20 is carried upon the drive shaft of motor 13 and is connected by a chain 22 to a sprocket 24 mounted on one of the shafts 17. ~he food items such as tomatoes or peaches are carried to belt 14 by a feed conveyor 26 which deposits the food items at one end of the belt. Conveyor 26 is chain driven by a motor 28.
The invention herein relates to augers 30 having shafts 32 which extend transversely of belt 14 and lZ11~71 which are journaled at their ends in bearings 34 connected to ~rame 12. Shafts 32 carry sprockets 36 at corresponding ends. Sprockets 36 are joined by a chain 42 to a drive sprocket 38 connected to the sha~t of a motor 40. Actuation of motor 40 causes rotation of augers 30. Each auger 30 includes a flexible, spiraling blade 44 which may be formed from a rubber material. Auger blades 44 are carried adjacent to and above belt 14 with the blades of adjacent augers 30 havin~ opposite twists. The surface of e~ch auger blade 44 includes a number of protrusions 46 which give the surface an abrasive quality.
In use, the food items are conveyed by belt 14 longitudinally o frame 12. The twist in blades 44 exerts a resistance force transverse to the motion of the food items upon belt 14 so as to urge protrusions 46 into frictional contact with the food items to cause removal of the skins or peelings. As the food items come into contact with auger blades 44, they are shifted transversely relative to the direction of travel of belt 14 as they are carried through the auger blades to the discharge end of the belt.
It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the above description but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (5)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In a peeling remover for food items such as fruits and vegetables, said remover including a frame, an endless belt means for conveying said food items longitudinally across said frame, twisting means journaled in said frame and extending transversely of said belt means for abrasively contacting said food items being conveyed upon said belt means and urging the food items transversely over the belt means, the improvement wherein said twisting means includes a spiral blade located adjacently above said belt means for receiving said food items between the turns of said blade, said blade having abrasive food item contacting surfaces and being flexible to provide yieldable resistance for said food items.

2. The peeling remover of Claim 1 and a plurality of said twisting means spaced longitudinally along said belt means, each twisting means having its blade turn oppositely from the blade of the adjacent twisting means.

3. The peeling remover of Claim 2 wherein said blade surfaces include multiple protrusions,

4. An auger comprising a shaft part and a blade part extending about said shaft in a spiral pattern, said blade being flexible and having sufficient stiffness to contact and urge items longitudinally along the blade part upon shaft rotation.

5. The auger of Claim 4 wherein said blade part includes abrasive item contacting surface.