GB1348570A - Device for stemming fruit - Google Patents

Abstract

1348570 Fruit-stemming devices E E PERTICS 13 Oct 1971 47639/71 Heading A4C (Also in Division B8] A device for removing stems from fruit comprises a frame 10, a tank 16 extending the full length and width of the frame, shafts 24, 26 extending transversely of the frame 10 and journalled within plates 14, a shaft 28 located between shafts 24, 26 and below the upper edge 30 of said tank and journalled within supports 32, sprockets 34 positioned at opposite ends of said shafts, and two endless chains 36 extending around each group of sprockets 34 at opposite ends of said shafts Fig.3. Extending between the endless chains 36 are a plurality of transversely positioned rollers 38 with their end portions connected to links 40 of the chains. Rollers 38 co-operate with the chains 36 to define an endless conveyor (46) Fig.1, (not shown) having a fruit conveying surface 47 with an upper run 48 and a lower run 50 which extends into the tank 16 around sprockets 34 carried by shaft 28. The end portions of each roller are reduced in cross-section and each alternate roller carries a sleeve 54' while the remaining rollers carry a sleeve 54", both constructed of e.g. rubber, for contacting the elongated roller drive members 56, 60 respectively secured to the upper and lower flanges 52 of the plates 14. An electric motor (66) Figs.1, 2 (not shown) is connected to the sprockets 34 of the shaft 24 and causes movement of the chains, and hence the conveyor, in a counter clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig.3). As the rollers 38 are carried along the upper run 48 of the conveyor 46, sleeves 54', 54" make frictional engagement with members 56, 60 respectively and cause rotary movement of the rollers 38 with respect to the chains 36. Due to the arrangement of the roller drive members 56, 60, each roller 38 along the upper run of the conveyor rotates in an opposite direction to that of the immediate roller adjacent thereof (See Fig.6 not shown). OPERATION Fruit is deposited upon the upper run 48 at the feed end 72 of the conveyor, which has a linear speed of approximately 15-25 feet/minute, and carried to the discharge end 74. Deflectors 76 are mounted slightly above surface 70 of the rollers to prevent fruit from rolling laterally off the upper run of the conveyor. A rolling and shifting movement of the rollers causes the stems (80) of the fruit to be drawn between those pairs of rollers which rotate inwardly toward each other and thus are pulled from the fruit. Any skin, pulp and juice from fruit crushed during the stemming operation is cleared from off the rollers when they pass through the tank 16 containing cleansing fluid 84. A brush 86 is used to remove any stalks, skins and pulp from the rollers, and a sponge 90 absorbs the cleansing fluid after the rollers have been immersed in the tank. The movement of the fruit on the upper run may be assisted by utilising one or more nozzles (98) Fig.7 (not shown), mounted above the upper run 48, through which compressed gas is directed on to the conveyor. Alternatively, flexible flaps (120) Fig. 9 (not shown) are located just above the upper run 48 so as to yieldably contact the fruit carried on the conveyor and thus assist rollers 38 in orienting the fruit for stemming. Alternatively, brushes can be substituted or used in conjunction with the flaps 120. Further, cleansing fluid in spray form may be directed onto the lower run, the sprayed fluid draining into the tank 16, the level of which being maintained at a selected level.