Abstract:
In a method for stuffing pitted olives with an edible filling, pitted olives are placed in a drum along with a quantity of filling, then the drum is rotated, agitating the olives and filling in tumbling fashion, and causing the filling to work its way into the cavities in the olives. The invention facilitates stuffing of large quantities of olives at one time, rather than individually, without manual contact with the olives or the filling materials. Effective stuffing may be accomplished with a variety of filling materials. The efficacy of the stuffing process may be enhanced by imparting reciprocating motion to the drum in addition to rotational movement, and by providing protuberances on the interior surface of the drum.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/193,195 filed Jul. 12, 2002, and the disclosure of said earlier application is fully incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for stuffing pitted olives.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Pitted olives stuffed with edible fillings of various kinds are popular delicacies. Edible fillings commonly stuffed into pitted olives include foodstuffs such as vegetable pieces (e.g., pimientos, garlic cloves, onions, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes), nut meats (e.g., almonds or almond pieces), cheese and cheese mixtures, and meat pastes. Olive stuffing is often done manually, but this procedure has numerous drawbacks. It can be tedious and inefficient work, as each olive must be stuffed individually. It requires a certain degree of manual dexterity. It can be messy work as well, especially when the olives are being stuffed with a soft filling material such as a cheese mixture or meat paste. Furthermore, it can be unsanitary and unhealthy if the persons stuffing the olives do not take adequate precautions against contamination of the olives and filling materials.  
         [0004]     The prior art illustrates numerous examples of apparatus and methods for stuffing olives. U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,853, to L. H. Smith issued on Sep. 9, 1952, discloses a machine directed in particular to stuffing olives with pieces of pimiento. U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,982, issued to W. W. Smith on Nov. 20, 1973, respectively, discloses apparatus for slicing freeze-dried pimiento and then stuffing olives with the pimiento slices. U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,257, issued to Gonzalez on Jul. 25, 1978, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,070, issued to Marco on Jan. 5, 1993, disclose further examples of prior art olive-stuffing apparatus.  
         [0005]     All of these prior art devices are characterized by considerable mechanical complexity and many moving parts, which makes them more costly to manufacture, and more susceptible to wear and breakdown, than simpler apparatus might be. A further drawback to these prior art devices is that each is generally suited to stuffing olives with only one type of filling material. For instance, the Marco device is specifically directed to stuffing olives with a meat paste, and may be functional to some degree for other paste-like filling materials, but quite clearly would not be suitable, satisfactorily if at all, for stuffing olives with pieces of pimiento or other vegetables. Similarly, it may be readily observed that although the L. H. Smith device may be functional for stuffing olives with pieces of pimiento, it is unsuitable for stuffing olives with a paste-like filling.  
         [0006]     For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an apparatus and method of stuffing pitted olives with an edible filling: 
        (a) such that manual contact and handling of the olives and filling material is minimized or eliminated, thus minimizing the messiness and maximizing the cleanliness of the olive-stuffing operation;     (b) with apparatus of minimal mechanical complexity; and     (c) with apparatus suitable for stuffing olives with a variety of filling types.        
 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present invention is directed to the foregoing needs. In general terms, the invention is a method and apparatus for stuffing pitted olives, in accordance with which a quantity of pitted olives may be placed in a drum along with a quantity of selected edible filling material, whereupon the drum is rotated such that the olives and filling material are interminglingly tossed about inside the drum for a period of time, with the result that the filling material migrates into the pit cavities created by the pitting of the olives. The invention thus facilitates stuffing of large quantities of olives at one time, rather than individually, without need of manual contact with the olives or the filling material.  
         [0011]     Accordingly, the invention in one aspect is a method of stuffing pitted olives with an edible filling, said method comprising the steps of: 
        (a) placing a quantity of pitted olives and a quantity of edible filling material in a drum, said pitted olives each having a pit cavity; and     (b) rotating the drum about a selected rotational axis at a selected rate of rotation, such that said pitted olives and edible filling material are agitated together in tumbling fashion, such that a portion of the edible filling material enters the pit cavity of at least one of the pitted olives.        
 
         [0014]     The method may be implemented using apparatus comprising: 
        (a) a drum holder;     (b) a drum, mountable in the drum holder; and     (c) drive means, for rotating the drum holder about a selected rotational axis.        
 
         [0018]     The drum preferably has an opening and a mating lid, and preferably includes lid-clamping means for preventing the lid from opening when the apparatus is in use.  
         [0019]     The drum may be cylindrical or frustoconical in shape, or may be of polygonal cross-section. In preferred embodiments, the rotational axis of the drum substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis of the drum, whatever shape the drum may take. Also in the preferred embodiments, the rotational axis is substantially horizontal, and may slope slightly upward from the horizontal. However, the rotational axis may also slope downward from the horizontal. The apparatus may include means for tilting the rotational axis.  
         [0020]     The drive means may include an electric motor with either a belt-drive or chain-drive linkage with the drum holder. The electric motor may be a gear motor.  
         [0021]     In the preferred embodiment, the drive means of the apparatus includes means for regulating the rotational speed of the drum holder and the drum. In the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, the rotational speed of the drum is in the range between approximately 5 and 15 revolutions per minute.  
         [0022]     The apparatus may include means for moving the drum in reciprocating fashion, concurrently with its rotation about the rotational axis. The direction of reciprocating movement may be either horizontal or vertical, or both.  
         [0023]     In an alternative embodiment, the method of the invention uses apparatus that includes a second drum holder, for holding a second drum. In this “twin-drive” embodiment, the drive means is adapted to rotate both drums simultaneously, at the same or different rotational speeds.  
         [0024]     The filling used in accordance with method of the invention may be selected from a variety of edible materials, including but not limited to fillings comprising cheese, nut meats, vegetable pieces, or spices. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]     Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which numerical references denote like parts, and in which:  
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of the apparatus of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the apparatus of the present invention, generally designated by reference numeral  10 , has a frame  12 , one or more drum holders  14  rotatably mounted to the frame  12 , and a motor  16  mounted to the frame, plus drive means for using the motor  16  to rotate the one or more drum holders  14  about a selected rotational axis A.  
         [0029]     Rotational axis A will be predominantly horizontal, but may be tilted upward, as in the preferred embodiment, or downward from the horizontal. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus  10  includes axis-tilting means  13 , for setting the rotational axis A in a desired orientation. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the axis-tilting means  13  may comprise a hinge  13   a  and clamping means  13   b,  each of which may be of any well-known conventional type. However, other axis-tilting means  13  may be used without departing from the concept of the invention.  
         [0030]     The frame  12  may be of any desired construction suitable for mounting the other components of the apparatus  10 , and suitably robust to allow for satisfactory operation thereof.  
         [0031]     In the preferred embodiment, rotatable mounting of each drum holder  14  is accomplished by way of a drum pulley  18  fixed to the drum holder  14  as generally indicated in the Figures, with the drum pulley  18  having a shaft  18   a  which rotates in a bearing  19  mounted to the frame  12 . The motor  16  has a power output shaft  16   a  and a motor pulley  17  mounted on the output shaft  16   a  so as to be substantially coplanar with the one or more drum pulleys  18 . A drive belt  20  is deployed around the motor pulley  17  and the one or more drum pulleys  18 . The motor pulley  17  and the one or more drum pulleys  18  may be V-groove pulleys, in which case the drive belt  20  will be a conventional V-belt. However, pulleys and drive belts of other types well known in the art may also be used. In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), conventional toothed sprockets are used in lieu of the motor pulley  17  and drum pulleys  18 , and a drive chain is deployed around the motor sprocket and the drum sprockets.  
         [0032]     Each drum holder  14  is adapted to receive and securely hold a drum  22  into which a desired quantity of pitted olives may be placed. In the Figures, each drum  22  is illustrated as being cylindrical in shape. However, the shape of the drum  22  is not critical to the apparatus or the method of the present invention. The drum  22  may take any of various alternative shapes, including frustoconical (i.e., like a conventional pail, tapering in diameter toward the closed end), and either prismatically or taperingly polygonal in cross-section.  
         [0033]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the drum holder  14  may be fashioned in a shape matingly similar to that of the drum  22  being used, such that mounting the drum  22  on the drum holder  14  is a simple matter of inserting the drum  22  into the drum holder  14 , which in turn holds the drum  22  securely by friction fit. This has been found to work satisfactorily in the particular case where the drum  22  is of frustoconical shape, such as the plastic pails in which bulk pitted olives are commonly packed and shipped, and in this case the drum holder  14  may be conveniently and easily fashioned from such a pail. However, this arrangement is not critical; the drum holder  14  may comprise alternative means of securely holding a drum, such as clamps, brackets, flanges, bolts, straps, or other well known accessories, without departing from the essential concept of the invention.  
         [0034]      FIG. 1  illustrates the preferred embodiment of the apparatus  10 , which features two drum holders  14  each adapted to receive a drum  22 . The drum holder  14  at the left side of  FIG. 1  is shown ready to receive a drum  22 , while a drum has already been mounted in the drum holder  14  on the right. However, the apparatus  10  may have only a single drum  22 , or may have more than two drums  22 , without departing from the concept of the invention.  
         [0035]     In  FIG. 1 , each drum  22  is shown fitted with a lid  23 , which may be hingedly connected to the drum  22 , or may be removably securable to the drum  22  by means of a perimeter groove  23   a  in the lid  23  which is engageable with a perimeter flange  22   a  on the drum  22 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In one alternative embodiment, the apparatus  10  includes lid-clamping means (not shown) for greater assurance that the lid  23  will not become unexpectedly loosened during operation of the apparatus  10 . The lid-clamping means could of any type well known in the art, selected or adapted to suit the particular type of drum  22  being used. In a further alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the lid  23  may be firmly connected or fastened to the drum  22 , or even formed integrally with the drum  22 . In that case, a hatch (not shown) will be provided in either the lid  23  or the wall of the drum  22  for purposes of loading and emptying the drum  22 .  
         [0036]     The method and the operation of the apparatus  10  of the present invention may be simply explained with reference to the Figures. A desired quantity of pitted olives  30  is introduced into each drum  22 , along with a desired quantity of a selected edible filling material  40 . Beneficial results have been achieved using drums  22  having a volume of approximately 5 U.S. gallons each, filled about 50% full of pitted olives  30 . However, effective results may also be achieved using drums  22  of other volumes, or by loading the drums  22  more or less than 50% full of pitted olives  30 . The size of the drums  22  and the relative amount of pitted olives  30  loaded into the drums  22  are not critical to the method of the invention.  
         [0037]     Once loaded with desired quantities of pitted olives  30  and filling material  40 , each drum  22  is mounted onto one of the drum holders  14  (if not already so mounted). In the preferred embodiment, as best seen in  FIG. 2 , the rotational axis A of the drum holders  14  is tilted upward from horizontal; as previously mentioned, however, the rotational axis A in other embodiments could be substantially horizontal or tilted downward from the horizontal. The motor  16  is then actuated, causing the drive belt  20  to rotate the motor pulley  17  and the drum pulleys  18 , thus causing each drum  22  to rotate about its rotational axis A, as generally indicated by the curved arrows in  FIG. 1 . This rotation causes the pitted olives  30  and the filling material  40  to be interminglingly agitated in a tumbling fashion. As each drum  22  rotates, a portion of the mixture of pitted olives  30  and filling material  40  inside the drum  22  is raised a distance along the inner surface of the drum  22  whereupon gravity eventually causes such portion of the mixture to drop onto the remainder of the mixture. It has been discovered that after the mixture has been agitated for a sufficient period of time, the cavities originally present in the pitted olives  30  will have become substantially packed with portions of the filling material  40 .  
         [0038]     The mechanism through which this beneficial result is achieved is not known with certainty. However, it is believed that the tumbling motion of the olive/filling mixture causes pieces or portions of the filling material  40  to impact the pitted olives  30  in random fashion but with a certain degree of kinetic energy. In many of these impacts, the filling material  40  will be impelled against the outer surfaces of the pitted olives  30 , and will simply bounce off. In accordance with probability theory, however, in a certain proportion of these impacts, the filling material  40  will be impelled toward the openings of the cavities in the pitted olives  30 , urging the filling material  40  into the cavities. It may also be that the filling material  40  is forced into the cavities at least partly due to direct pressure between the filling material  40  and the olives  30  during agitation of the mixture.  
         [0039]     The apparatus  10  and method of the invention have been found to work well with edible fillings such as cheese or cheese mixtures of various types. However, beneficial results have also been achieved using filling materials such as pieces of vegetables including sun-dried tomatoes, pimientos, garlic, and pickled artichokes. As well, it has been found that the apparatus  10  and method may be used to stuff olives with nut meats such as almonds or almond pieces, provided that the nut meats or pieces are of a size compatible with the cavities in the pitted olives. It is believed that beneficial results should be generally obtainable with other edible filling materials not specifically referred to herein, provided that they comprise pieces small enough to be stuffed into the cavities of the olives, or if they are of relatively soft and shapable consistency like cheese mixtures or meat pastes. The filling material  40  may comprise more than one of the exemplary filling materials mentioned above. Spices may also be added to the filling material  40  to enhance the flavour of the finished product.  
         [0040]     The amount of time required to stuff pitted olives using the apparatus  10  and method of the invention will vary with a number of factors, including the size of the olive drums  22 , the rotational speed of the drums  22 , the characteristics of the particularly types of pitted olives  30  and filling material  40  being used, and the selected proportions of olives  30  and filling material  40 . As only one example, satisfactory results have been obtained using 5-gallon drums  22  filled about 50% full of pitted olives  30 , plus a quantity of filling material  40  made up primarily of feta cheese, and rotated at a rate in the range between approximately 5 and 25 revolutions per minute. In a more particular example, good results have been obtained by rotating the drum at approximately 10 revolutions per minute for approximately 30 minutes, using for the motor  16  an electric gear motor of well-known type rated at approximately 1/10 horsepower. However, effective and beneficial results may be achieved using different combinations of drum size, types and quantities of olives and filling materials, motor types and power ratings, rotational speeds, and mixing times, as may be readily determined through reasonable experimentation.  
         [0041]     In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus  10  of the invention includes speed regulation means (schematically indicated by reference numeral  15  in  FIG. 2 ), whereby the rotational speed of the drums  14  may be set as desired. The speed regulation means may comprise a speed governor or rheostatic control of known type. Alternatively, the speed regulation means may comprise a gearbox of known type.  
         [0042]     Also in the preferred embodiment of the apparatus  10 , the drum  22  is provided with ribs, vanes, or other types of protuberances (generally indicated by reference numeral  25  in  FIG. 2 ) on the interior surface of the drum  22 . These ribs, vanes, or protuberances further enhance the intermingling and mixing of the olives  30  and filling material  40 , by helping to lift the olive/filling mixture as the drum  22  rotates, and tending to increase the height reached by the mixture before it falls, thus increasing the kinetic energy of the pieces or particles of filling material  40  such they will be more readily packed into the cavities in the pitted olives  30 .  
         [0043]     In another embodiment, the apparatus  10  includes reciprocation means (not shown), for moving the drum  22  in reciprocating fashion, in addition to its rotational motion. The reciprocating movement imparted to the drum  22  by the reciprocation means may be vertical, horizontal, or any other desired orientation. Whatever its orientation may be, such reciprocating movement of the drum  22  further enhances effectiveness of the intermingling and mixing of the olives  30  and the filling material  40 , and the resultant filling of the olives  30 .  
         [0044]     Where any form of the verb “comprise” is used in the disclosure and claims herein, such use is intended in the non-limiting sense, whereby items or elements specifically referred to are included, but items or elements not specifically referred to are not excluded. As well, any reference to a claim element using the indefinite article “a” or “an” is intended in the non-limiting sense, so as to cover embodiments having more than one of such element unless the context clearly requires that there be only one such element.  
         [0045]     It will be readily seen by those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be devised without departing from the essential concept of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included in the scope of the claims appended hereto.