Patent ID: 6289800
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: A23N

Abstract:
A citrus-juice extractor comprising:two squeeze belts having vertical walls juxtaposed on opposite sides of a squeeze channel intermediate squeeze surfaces of the vertical walls;the squeeze belts are a first squeeze belt and a second squeeze belt having respective travel patterns with linear-travel portions that are oppositely disposed squeeze sections which converge intermediate a wide entry and a narrow exit of the squeeze channel;the travel patterns having return loops oppositely disposed from the squeeze channel with the squeeze belts traveling in opposite belt-rotational directions for common directional travel of squeeze sections linearly;a conveyor having a horizontal platform for conveyance of fruit halves from proximate a loading end of the conveyor to proximate the wide entry for opposite-side grasping of the fruit halves by the squeeze surfaces;a fruit-half feeder positioned proximate the loading end of the conveyor;a juice collector vertically under the squeeze channel;belt cleaners proximate the return loops for cleaning the squeeze belts in return travel intermediate the narrow exit and the wide entry; anda peel collector proximate the narrow end of the squeeze channel.