GB1170876A - Method of and machine for preparing onions. - Google Patents

Abstract

1,170,876. Topping, tailing and peeling onions. TRIPAX ENG. CO. PTY. Ltd. 7 May, 1968 [8 May, 1967], No. 21637/68. Heading A4C. An onion preparing machine comprises a means for directing a jet of fluid directly into a slit or slits in a firmly supported onion, that has been topped and tailed, to remove the skin therefrom. The onion is placed between the fingers (29) Fig. 3 (not shown), of a gripping assembly 24, Fig. 2 as it rounds the end of conveyer 14, and is carried through the cutters 35 where a predetermined amount is removed from the top and tail of the onion. The onion is then transferred from assembly 24 to gripping assembly 45 on conveyer 15. The gripping assembly 45 is turned through 90 degrees so that the onion passes longitudinally through cutters 62 which slit the skin and adjacent layers to a predetermined depth. The onion is then carried between two air jets 82, Fig. 13, which may be fixed or are moved in unison with the assembly 45 for a short distance by engagement of projections 51 on gripping assembly 45 with projection 86 so that an air blast is directed into each slit to remove the slit skin and layers from the onion. The onion is then released from the gripper assembly 45 into the delivery shoot 5. The means for topping and tailing the onions, Fig. 4, comprises two rotary cutters 35, one each side of conveyer 14, which are slidably mounted on parallel bars 37. The distance between the cutters 35 is determined by the onions forcing apart cam plates 42. The means, Fig. 11, for slitting the onions comprises two rotary cutters 62 one each side of conveyer 15 mounted for reciprocation on carriages 63 which are in turn mounted for reciprocation on parallel bars 64. Tension springs 72 are connected to the stops 71 and to the extensions 69 to bias each carriage 63 towards each other until screws 70 engage stops 71. As the onion is carried by gripping assembly 45 between the cutters 62, the cutters slit the skin and adjacent layers until the onion is engaged by the cam plates 73. The cam plates then follow the contour of the onion to give the same depth of cut throughout the length of the onion.