 Stepless automatic variable transmission |
| The stepless automatic variable transmission of the present invention is defined by the claims with ... |
|
| Probe cleaner |
| It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a unique process monitoring probe cleaner ... |
|
| Method for treating pineapples |
| OF THE INVENTION This invention is based on the surprising discovery that certain plant growth ... |
|
| Vacuum filter for swimming pools |
| Having regard to the foregoing disclosure, the following is claimed as the inventive and patentable ... |
|
| Aquarium filter assembly with restricted pumping window |
| It is an object of the present invention to provide a filter assembly that would eliminate the ... |
|
| Rotary separating and extracting devices |
| OF SPECIFIC PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIG. 1, the apparatus according to the ... |
|
| Apparatus for water treatment |
| I claim: 1. Apparatus for adding chemicals in small amounts to water comprising: a. a supply of ... |
|
| Apparatus for separating impurities from fiber suspensions |
| It is the object of the invention to effectively separate impurities from a fiber suspension, and ... |
|
| Screening apparatus for a papermaking machine |
| The present invention provides a screen apparatus for processing stock flowing to a papermaking ... |
|
| Device for cleaning and recovering paper pulp |
| The object of the present invention is a sorter device capable of continuously cleaning a paper ... |
|
|
Apparatus for slicing broccoli and the like into spears
| Details |
Inventors: Switek, Jr., Robert E.;
Assignee:
Primary Examiner: Simone; Timothy F.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Schapp and Hatch
A method, apparatus and system for slicing broccoli and the like into relatively uniform spears suitable for packing and freezing by grasping the stem end of the broccoli in clamping jaws with the main portion of the broccoli head depending vertically, moving a plurality of slicing knives upwardly to slice through said main portion, and severing the stem portion from the sliced portion to provide spears of similar size and shape. The heads of broccoli move along a feed conveyor and erecting means to a transfer station where their stem ends are grasped by clamping jaws carried on a rotary turntable in vertical alignment with a slicing knife assembly reciprocable vertically in response to the rotation of the turntable. A rotary knife severs the stem ends from the spears which drop onto a discharge conveyor. All of the described actions occur as the broccoli moves at a constant uniform speed through the slicing machine. The system provides multiple slicing machines arrayed along a supply conveyor, with each machine accomodating a specific size range of broccoli heads, and being adjustable to different size ranges. Intermixed broccoli heads of varying sizes are manually transferred from the supply conveyor to the feed conveyors of the correct slicing machines for the size of the broccoli head. |
|
DETAILED DESCRIPTION The machine of the present invention, formed for longitudinally slicing elongated vegetables and fruits into spears of similar size and shape, provides clamping jaw means formed for grasping the stem end of a head of broccoli or the like with the major portion thereof depending from the stem end, slicing means having one or more knife blades moveable upwardly toward the clamping jaw means for slicing through the major portion of the broccoli head, cutting means for severing the stem end from the sliced portion of the broccoli head, and drive means formed for operating the jaw means, the slicing means, and the cutting means in sequence so as to move the broccoli head continuously through the machine at a constant speed.
With each of the described means operating in synchronism so that the grasping, slicing, and cutting operations are all accomplished as the broccoli head is being moved at a constant rate of travel through the machine without abrupt stops and starts, it is possible to operate the machine at high rates of speed producing large amounts of usable broccoli spears with comparatively little wastage.
In the present machine, the clamping jaw means and the slicing means are mounted in vertically aligned relation for joint rotational movement on a horizontal turntable which is revolved at constant speed by the drive means.
The machine further includes conveyor means formed for receiving the heads of broccoli and transporting them in one at a time order, at the same constant speed, to the clamping jaw means.
Also provided is erecting means associated with the conveyor means and formed for erecting the heads of broccoli on the conveyor means to inverted position resting on their enlarged flower ends, and with their stem ends uppermost in position to be grasped by the jaw means.
The slicing means preferably provides a plurality of straight knife blades angularly related to each other for providing a plurality of angularly related longitudinal slices through the major portion of the broccoli head so as to form a plurality of spears of relatively similar size and shape
|
|
Cooking 
