Food item pitting or coring and stuffing device

A method and apparatus for pitting and stuffing food items include a processing tool that may pit any type of fruit of vegetable product. The same processing tool then stuffs the fruit or vegetable with another food item. The processing tool may include two sets of opposed knife assemblies that work in combination to remove a core of the first food item by cutting into the food item from one side to push the core toward the other knife. The second knife assembly defines and cuts the interior space of the first food item. The core may be retracted by the second knife assembly or completely pushed out by the first knife assembly. The second food item is loaded into the second knife assembly and then pushed into the space created in the first food item by a piston within the second knife assembly.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a food item pitting and stuffing device and particularly to an automated device for removing a pit from or otherwise coring a food item, thereby creating a cavity in the food item, and stuffing the cavity with a stuffing product.

BACKGROUND

Many popular foods are created by pitting and coring a first food item such as a fruit or vegetable to allow for the stuffing of other food items including fruits and vegetables into the first food item. Olives, peppers and similar fruits and vegetables are commonly pitted, cored or similarly hollowed out and then stuffed with other fruits and vegetables, dairy products like cheese, meat and poultry items and similar foodstuffs. Traditionally, this process has been entirely manual. However, as food producers seek to increase the speed at which these foods are produced while reducing the cost of producing these items the process has become increasingly automated. Many automated devices are in common use for pitting, coring or hollowing out food items, but stuffing of such food items remains a manual process. One example food that is often pitted and stuffed is the olive. Olives are often stuffed with pimentos, anchovies, almonds, garlic, jalapeños and similar foodstuffs.

A process and machine has been developed to insert gelatin strips into olives, this specialized method and device is unable to insert foodstuffs in other forms or operate on items other than olives. This device utilizes a separate insertion tool from the pitting tools in the machine to insert the gelatin strips and results in folded gelatin strip placed within the olive that does not completely fill the interior space of the olive. As a result, a labor intensive, manual procedure must be utilized to insert other types of foodstuffs, which is more expensive.

SUMMARY

A food processing apparatus includes a first knife assembly to define a space in a first food item, the first knife assembly to insert a second food item into the first food item and a second knife assembly to push a cut portion of the first food item toward the second knife assembly and a hollow knife to receive the cut portion of the first food item. The first knife assembly may also include a piston to press the second food item into the first food item. The cut portion of the first food item may be a core of the first food item and the second food item may be in a pumpable form. A delivery assembly may pump the second food item through a manifold to be captured by the first knife assembly.

An automated food processing method including inserting a first knife of a processing tool into a first food item, inserting a second knife of the processing tool into the first food item, to define a space in the first food item, pushing a core of the first food item toward the second knife with the first knife to remove the core from the first food item, and inserting a second food item into the space in the first food item through the second knife. The method may further include loading the first food item onto a conveyance mechanism, securing the first food item from the conveyance mechanism using the first knife and a surface of the processing tool, pushing the core into a hollow interior of the second knife or out of the first food item, retracting the second knife to remove the core from the first food item, pressing the second food item into a hollow interior of the second knife, advancing a piston through a hollow interior of the second knife to push the second food item into the first food item, pumping the second food item through a manifold, and orienting the first food item on a conveyance prior to coring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention is described below, with reference to detailed illustrative embodiments. It will be apparent that the invention may be embodied in a wide variety of forms, some of which may be quite different from those of the disclosed embodiments. Consequently, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative and do not limit the scope of the invention.

As shown inFIGS. 1-20, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a food item pitting or coring and stuffing device10, which removes a pit from or otherwise cores a food item, such as an olive, and stuffs the food item with whole pieces of a fresh fruit product, such as a pimento, a vegetable product, a puree, a gelatin, a cheese product, or another stuffing product suitable for the food item being stuffed and of a suitable viscosity for use with the food item pitting and stuffing device10of the present invention.

In the embodiments described below, although a pitting apparatus and process are described for pitting a food item, the process and apparatus may be used to core food items that do not include a pit (such as pickles, peppers, or fruit as well as other appropriate food items that may be cored) to create a cavity therein into which a stuffing product is stuffed. As such, the terms pitting and coring may be interchangeably used in the description below.

FIG. 1shows one embodiment of the food item pitting and stuffing device10. A brief overview of the pitting and stuffing device10, as well as the pitting and stuffing process that it performs, is described below with respect toFIG. 1, followed by a more detailed discussion of the device and the process. As shown inFIG. 1, the pitting and stuffing device10includes a food item feeder assembly12having a feeder bowl14for receiving a plurality of food items (not shown), such as a plurality of olives. The feeder bowl14separates the food items and individually feeds them onto a conveyer chain16. The conveyer chain16individually transports each food item from the feeder bowl14to a pitting and stuffing assembly18.

The pitting and stuffing assembly18includes a rotating drum20having a knife assembly (not shown) moveably disposed therein. The knife assembly transports each food item from the conveyer chain16to a centering bushing (not shown) disposed within the rotating drum20. In one embodiment, the centering bushing holds the food item and centers the food item with respect to the knife assembly as the food item rotates with the rotating drum20. As the food item rotates with the rotating drum20, the knife assembly is moved into contact with the food item to: remove or “pit” a pit from the food item; transport the pit into a pit container; pull a stuffing product (not shown), such as a fruit product, from a stuffing manifold22; stuff the food item with the stuffing product; and transport the pitted and stuffed food item from the centering bushing to a food item container.

As shown, the stuffing manifold22is disposed in close relation to a portion of the circular path of the centering bushing and the knife assembly of the rotating drum20. The stuffing manifold22is connected to a stuffing tank24which holds a large quantity of stuffing product. A stuffing pump26, such as a positive displacement pump, continuously feeds stuffing product from the stuffing tank24to the stuffing manifold22providing the knife assembly with stuffing product to be stuffed into the food items.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the feeder assembly12, the pitting and stuffing assembly18, the stuffing pump26(not shown inFIG. 2) and the stuffing tank24, among other components of the pitting and stuffing device10, are supported by a support table28. The support includes a table30upon which the pitting and stuffing device10, the stuffing tank24and the stuffing pump26are mounted and a plurality of legs30for contacting a ground surface. The support table28also includes a horizontally extending arm40upon which the feeder assembly12is mounted.

As is also shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the support table28contains a cavity33having a lower table34upon which a motor38, which serves to power and operate the pitting and stuffing device10, is mounted. The motor38drives a motor drive sprocket42, which may include a torque limiter. The motor drive sprocket42is connected via a chain44to a pump sprocket46which drives a drive shaft48of the stuffing pump26. Also connected to the pump draft shaft48, (not shown, but located between the pump sprocket46and the stuffing pump26) is a second pump sprocket driven by the motor38through the pump draft shaft48. The second pump sprocket is connected to a sprocket52of the of the pitting and stuffing assembly18via a chain54to drive a drive shaft50of the pitting and stuffing assembly18. The drive shaft50of the pitting and stuffing assembly18, in turn, drives a first conveyer chain sprocket (not shown, but disposed about the drive shaft50of the pitting and stuffing assembly18.) The first conveyer chain16sprocket drives the conveyer chain16and a second conveyer chain sprocket56. The second conveyor chain sprocket56is connected via a drive shaft60(see alsoFIG. 4) of a feeder dial plate66(as shown inFIGS. 3-6and described below.)

As is also shown inFIG. 4, the feeder dial plate drive shaft60drives the feeder dial plate66through a right angle drive62and a feeder dial drive adapter64, which is connected directly the to feeder dial plate66. As such, in one embodiment, the entire pitting and stuffing device10is powered by the same motor (motor38ofFIG. 1.)FIG. 2shows an electrical control box65, which is electrically connected to the motor38and contains switches for activating and deactivating the motor38.

FIGS. 3-6show details of the feeder assembly12. As shown, the feeder assembly12includes the feeder bowl14having a bottom plate68(see for exampleFIGS. 4 and 6) and an open top for receiving a plurality of food items to be pitted and stuffed. Directly adjacent to the bottom plate68is the feeder dial plate66. The feeder dial plate66is a generally circular plate having a plurality of U-shaped openings72about its outer periphery. The U-shaped openings72are sized and shaped to receive a particular food item at a particular orientation. In this example, the U-shaped openings72are sized and shaped to receive a typical olive and to orient the longitudinal axis of the olive toward the edge or sidewall of the feeder bowl14.

Directly adjacent to the feeder dial plate66is a center cone70(see for exampleFIGS. 4 and 5.) The center cone70includes a peak at the center of the feeder bowl14and tapers downwardly toward the outer circumference of the feeder bowl14. The center cone70covers a center portion of the feeder dial plate66, but does not cover the U-shaped openings72of the feeder dial plate66. Thus, food items placed within the feeder bowl14are guided by the tapered sides of the center cone70to the U-shaped openings72of the feeder dial plate66.

The feeder dial plate66is driven by the feeder dial plate shaft60(as described above) to rotate relative to the bottom plate68. As the dial plate66rotates and the food items descend toward the periphery of the dial plate66, the food items gradually fall into the U-shaped openings72of the dial plate66.

As shown inFIGS. 3-5a portion of the circular path of the dial plate66overlaps the conveyer chain16. In addition, the bottom plate68of the feeder bowl14has an opening or cut-out74which overlaps the conveyer chain16(see for exampleFIGS. 4 and 6.) Above the bottom plate opening74is an overflow gate76(see for exampleFIGS. 4 and 5.) The overflow gate76covers the circular path of the feeder dial plate66in the area above the bottom plate opening74and the conveyer chain16. The overflow gate76ensures that when each U-shaped opening72overlaps the bottom plate opening74and the conveyer chain16, only one food item is disposed in each U-shaped opening72. A lower end of the overflow gate may be composed of a soft material, such as rubber, so as not to damage the food items that it contacts.

When each U-shaped opening72is aligned directly over a corresponding receiving plate78(as shown inFIGS. 7-9and described below) of the conveyer chain16, the food item disposed therein is allowed to drop through the bottom plate68of the feeder bowl14and into the receiving plate78of the conveyer chain16. In one embodiment, a mutli-legged wheel or “star wheel” is rotatably attached to a sidewall of the feeder bowl14. The star wheel (not shown) contacts a portion of a corresponding one of the U-shaped openings72to rotate therewith such that a corresponding one of the legs of the star wheel rotates downwardly over the food item when it is disposed over the cut-out74of the bottom plate68to facilitate the dropping of the food item through the bottom plate68of the feeder bowl14and into the receiving plate78of the conveyer chain16.

Due to the orientation of the U-shaped opening72, when the food item (such as an olive) is received by the receiving plate78of the conveyer chain16, its longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the conveyer chain16.

FIGS. 7-9shows portions of the conveyer chain16. In this embodiment, the conveyer chain16includes a series of alternatingly connected roller links82and connector links80, wherein each connector link80is connected to an adjacent roller link82via a spring clip84. Each roller link82includes a concave shaped receiving plate78mounted on an upper surface thereof, such as by a weld.

The spacing86between adjacent connector links80may vary depending on the size of the food item to be pitted and stuffed. Preferably, this spacing86is appropriate to allow a lateral axis of a food item to pass therebetween such that the food item is received by the receiving plate78of a corresponding one of the roller links82with the longitudinal axis of the food item being disposed perpendicular to the direction of motion88of the conveyer chain16. In one exemplary embodiment, the chain is a stainless steel single strand top roller chain manufactured by Tsubaki of Canada, or its parent company Tsubakimoto Chain Company of Japan, although in other embodiments any appropriate conveyor chain for individually transporting the food items may be used.

Once the food item is received by the conveyer chain16, the conveyer chain16transports the food item directly adjacent to a centering plate90D (see for exampleFIGS. 10 and 11.) Although a feeder assembly12and conveyer chain16are described above, in other embodiments other means of individually transporting the food items to a position directly adjacent to the centering plate90D may be used.

The centering plate90D outwardly extends from the rotating drum20and rotates therewith. An outer periphery of the centering plate90D includes a plurality of openings94(see for exampleFIGS. 12 and 13.) In the depicted embodiment ofFIGS. 12 and 13, a centering bushing95is concentrically mounted within one of the centering plate openings94and contains an elliptically shaped opening97, or another shaped opening appropriate for the food item being pitted. Note that for clarity purposes only one centering bushing95is shown inFIGS. 12 and 13, however, preferably a centering bushing95is concentrically mounted within a corresponding one of each of the plurality of openings94in the centering plate90D.

As shown inFIG. 10, and perhaps more clearly inFIG. 11, that portion of the conveyer chain16that moves directly adjacent to the centering plate90D, and specifically each receiving plate78of the conveyer chain16that moves directly adjacent with the centering plate90D, is aligned with and moves at a same rate as a corresponding one of the centering bushings95in the centering plate90D. As such, when one of the receiving plates78of the conveyer chain16carries a food item into proximity with one of the centering bushings95, a pitting knife assembly106of an overall knife assembly100(each described in detail below) transports the food item from the conveyer chain receiving plate78to the elliptically shaped opening97in the centering bushing95. The centering bushing95ensures that the food item is centered with respect to both the pitting knife assembly106and a stuffing knife assembly108(described in detail below) of the overall knife assembly100.

For reference, inFIG. 10, the side of the rotating drum20to the left of the centering plate90D may be referred to as a stuffing side104of the pitting and stuffing assembly18, and the side of the rotating drum20to the right of the centering plate90D may be referred to as a pitting side102of the pitting and stuffing assembly18. The knife assembly100includes the pitting knife assembly106movably disposed on the pitting side102of the assembly18, and the stuffing knife assembly108movably disposed on the stuffing side104of the assembly18.

As shown inFIG. 10, the pitting and stuffing assembly18includes the rotating drum20having the centering plate90D attached thereto. As shown, a plurality of stuffing knife plates90A-90C, as well as a plurality of pitting knife plates90E-90G, outwardly extend from and rotate with the rotating drum20. The stuffing knife and pitting knife plates90A-90C and90E-90G are each substantially similar to the centering plate90D (shown for example inFIGS. 12 and 13), and each have openings corresponding to, and axial aligned with, a corresponding one of each of the plurality of openings94in the centering plate90D.

As shown inFIG. 10, the stuffing knife assembly108is disposed in a corresponding set of axially aligned openings in the stuffing knife plates90A-90C and is moveable relative thereto in order to contact and manipulate a food item held within a corresponding one of the centering bushings95of the centering plate90D from the stuffing side104of the assembly18.

Similarly, the pitting knife assembly108is disposed in a corresponding set of axially aligned openings in the pitting knife plates90E-90G and moveable relative thereto in order to contact and manipulate a food item held within a corresponding one of the centering bushings95of the centering plate90D from the pitting side102of the assembly18. Note that for clarity purposes only one knife assembly100is shown inFIGS. 10 and 11, however, preferably a knife assembly100including the stuffing knife assembly108and the pitting knife assembly106is disposed in each aligned set of openings in the drum plates90A-90C and90E-90G. For example, one embodiment of the pitting and stuffing assembly18includes twenty two knife assemblies100all worked at the same time.

As shown inFIG. 10, the drum20also includes a plurality of cam plates92A-92D, which do not rotate with the drum20. The stuffing knife assembly108rides within and is movable by the cam plates92A and92B. Similarly the pitting knife assembly106rides within and is movable by the cam plates92C and92D. As described in detail below, the cam plates92A-92D cause the relative motion of the pitting knife assembly106and the stuffing knife assembly108relative to the drum plates90A-90G, which allows the knife assemblies106and108to contact and manipulate a food item held within the centering bushing95of the centering plate90D.

FIG. 14shows the knife assembly100(including the pitting knife assembly106and the stuffing knife assembly108) as well as a corresponding one of the centering bushings95detached from the rotating drum20. Also shown adjacent to the centering bushing95is a receiving plate78detached from the conveyer chain16.

As shown inFIGS. 14-16, the pitting knife assembly106includes a pitting knife110having a cross-haired or X-shaped blade112(as shown for example inFIG. 16.) The pitting knife38serves to pierce an outer surface of the food item; traverse within the food item until a pit of the food item is met; and continue to traverse the food item until the pit has been ejected from the food item (as discuss in detail below.) Although an X-shaped blade is shown, the pitting knife blade112may be of any shape and size appropriate for piercing the surface of the food item and driving the pit out of the food item.

A guide sleeve114is disposed in surrounding relation to and movable relative to the pitting knife110. In fact, the guide sleeve114may move past the pitting knife blade112to allow a tapered end116of the guide sleeve114to receive and center the food item relative to the pitting knife blade112before the blade112contacts the food item. The tapered end116of the guide sleeve114may be elliptically shaped or any other shape suitable for receiving an end of the food item to be pitted. The guide sleeve114is received within a guide sleeve housing115. Within the guide sleeve housing is a biasing means, such as a spring, for biasing the guide sleeve toward the food item. The pitting knife110also extends within an open lumen in the guide sleeve housing115.

As shown inFIG. 14, an end117of the pitting knife110opposite from the pitting knife blade112extends into a pitting knife housing118. The housing118includes a set screw119which receives a spring120. The end117of the pitting knife110extends into the pitting knife housing118and abuts the spring120, biasing the pitting knife110toward the food item.

As shown inFIG. 14, attached to an outer surface of the guide sleeve housing115is a cam follower122C having a bearing124C which rides within the cam plate92C (seeFIG. 10) to move the guide sleeve114toward or away from the food item. Similarly, attached to an outer surface of the pitting knife housing118is a cam follower122D having a bearing124D which rides within the cam plate92D (seeFIG. 10) to move the pitting knife blade112toward or away from the food item.

As shown inFIGS. 14 and 17, the stuffing knife assembly108includes a stuffing knife126having a circular blade128with a hollow interior129. The stuffing knife126serves to pierce or penetrate the pit of a food item so that the pit will follow the stuffing knife126out of the food item (with the help of the pitting knife110.) The hollow interior129of the stuffing knife126serves to receive a stuffing product from the stuffing manifold and transport the received stuffing product into the pitted food item (discuss in detail below.)

The stuffing knife126is also disposed in surrounding relation to a piston130, which serves to remove the food item pit from the stuffing knife blade128after the pit has been removed from the food item, and also serves to push the stuffing product out of the hollow interior129of the stuffing knife126and into the pitted food item (discussed in detail below.) Preferably the piston has a flat head131.

As shown inFIG. 14, a stuffing knife holder136holds an end of the stuffing knife126and is further connected (such as by threads) to a connector tube136that connects to a stuffing knife holder housing134.

The piston130extends through a lumen in the stuffing knife holder housing134and has an end140that extends into a piston housing142. The piston housing142includes a set screw144, which receives a spring146. The end140of the piston130extends into the piston housing142and abuts the spring146, biasing the piston130toward the food item.

As shown inFIG. 14, attached to an outer surface of the stuffing knife holder housing134is a cam follower122B having a bearing124B which rides within the cam plate92B (seeFIG. 10) to move the stuffing knife126toward or away from the food item. Similarly, attached to an outer surface of the piston housing124is a cam follower122A having a bearing124A which rides within the cam plate92A (seeFIG. 10) to move the piston130toward or away from the food item. As such, each of the piston130, the pitting knife110and the pitting knife guide sleeve114are spring biased toward the food item. The pitting knife guide sleeve114is spring biased to allow for variations in the size of the food item being held between the centering bushing95and the guide sleeve114. Similarly, the shape, angles, sizes and similar characteristics of each knife assembly including cam followers, bearings, cam plates and other components may be altered depending on the size and shape of the food item being processed.

Referring back toFIG. 1, the stuffing manifold22is disposed in close relation to a portion of the circular path of the stuffing knife126(not shown inFIG. 1.) The stuffing manifold22is connected to the stuffing tank24which holds a large quantity of stuffing product. The stuffing tank24may be any tank adapted to hold an appropriate amount of stuffing product and adapted to allow the stuffing product to be pumped therefrom. In an exemplary embodiment, the stuffing tank24is cylindrical, having an open upper end through which new stuffing product may be added; and a conically-shaped basin with an opening180through which the stuffing product is pumped. The stuffing tank24is connected to the stuffing pump26via a link182. The stuffing pump26, such as a positive displacement pump, continuously feeds stuffing product from the stuffing tank24to the stuffing manifold22via the link182and another link184, which connects the pump26to the stuffing manifold22. The stuffing manifold22is adjacent to an arc of the circular path of the stuffing knife126to provide the stuffing knife126with stuffing product to be stuffed into the food item. A return tube186re-circulates stuffing product from the stuffing manifold22to the stuffing tank24. As such the stuffing product is continuously moved as shown by the arrows inFIG. 1.

In order to further describe the features of the pitting and stuffing device10, an example of a typical pitting and stuffing cycle using an olive150, having a pit160, is described with reference to a timing diagram ofFIG. 18. The timing diagram as shown inFIG. 18shows the sequence of actions of the pitting knife110, the pitting knife guide sleeve114, the stuffing knife126, and the stuffing knife piston130. Note that the cam plates92A-92D, which are actually circular plates have been linearly drawn inFIG. 18, with 0 to 360 degree denotations signifying that the cam plates92A-92D are indeed circular plates and not linear plates.

During a typical pitting and stuffing cycle, the knife assembly100is operated by the cams plates92A-92D. That is, a pitting knife cam plate92D controls the movement of the pitting knife110; the guide sleeve cam plate92C controls the movement of the guide sleeve114; the stuffing knife cam plate92B controls the movement of the stuffing knife126; and the piston cam plate92A controls the movement of the piston130.

As shown inFIG. 18, degree markings 0 to 360 denote the angle of rotation of the rotating drum20. On the timing diagram ofFIG. 180 degrees represents the point at which a corresponding one of the receiving plates78(hidden by the olive150inFIG. 18) of the conveyer chain16first aligns with a corresponding one of the centering bushings95. From an initial time t0to a time t2the pitting knife assembly106moves toward and contacts the olive150transporting it from the conveyer chain16to a corresponding one of the centering bushings95. During the same time span the stuffing knife126moves into a position directly adjacent to the olive150. At the time t2, the stuffing knife126, the pitting knife110, and the guide sleeve114are each positioned directly adjacent to the olive150.

From the time t2to a time t3, the tapered end116of the guide sleeve114moves into full contact with the olive150, such that the olive150is firmly held between the elliptically shaped opening97of the centering bushing95and the tapered end116of the guide sleeve114. As such, the centering bushing95serves to center the olive150with respect to the stuffing knife126, and the guide sleeve114serves to center the olive150with respect to the pitting knife110. Also during this time span, the circular blade128of the stuffing knife126pierces an outer surface of the olive150, while the blade112of the pitting knife110pierces an outer surface of the olive150on an opposite end thereof. The blades128and112of the stuffing knife126and the pitting knife110, respectively, each continue to traverse the olive150to contact the pit160(again at opposite ends thereof.)

The circular blade128of the stuffing knife126penetrates or pierces into the pit160of the olive150, causing the pit160to “stick” to the circular blade128of the stuffing knife126, while the blade112of the pitting knife110pushes the pit160toward the stuffing knife126urging the stuffing knife126to penetrate the pit160.

Note that from time t3to time t20, the guide sleeve114remains in the same position, so that in combination with the centering bushing95, the olive150is firmly held in a centered position with respect to both the pitting knife110and the stuffing knife126during an entire pitting and stuffing cycle. This allows the olive150to remain in a fixed orientation or registration during both the pitting and the stuffing operations, such that the same cavity created during the pitting operation is stuffed during the stuffing operation, with no misalignment of the cavity between the pitting and stuffing operations.

From the time t3to a time t5, the stuffing knife126reverses directions to pull the pit160out of the olive150, while the pitting knife110continues to traverse the olive150until the pit160is completely ejected therefrom to create a cavity into which the stuffing product is later inserted.

At time t5, the pit160might be stuck onto the end of the circular blade128of the stuffing knife126. Therefore, from the time t5to a time t6, the circular blade128of the stuffing knife126moves to a position substantially flush with the head131of the piston130to disengage the pit160from the circular blade128of the stuffing knife126, allowing the pit160to fall therefrom and into a pit container (not shown.)

An alternative method for pitting the food item, in this case the olive150, is shown in the timing diagram ofFIG. 20(showing only the portion of the operation from the 0 degree to the 60 degree positions of the cam plates92A-92D, although the cam plates92A-92D have been omitted for clarity.) This embodiment is substantially the same as that described above with a difference being that in this embodiment the circular blade128′ of the stuffing knife126′ is larger in diameter than a typical olive pit160.

This allows the circular blade128′ of the stuffing knife126′ to pierce through the olive150, and around the pit160as shown from a time T1to a time T5, such that at the time T5, an end of the circular blade128′ of the stuffing knife126′ is in a position adjacent with an end of the blade112of the pitting knife110. This facilitates removal of the pit160of the olive150since the meat of the olive150adjacent to the pit160is cut through by the circular blade128′ of the stuffing knife126′.

From the time T5to a time T11, the blade112of the pitting knife110completely traverses the olive150until the pit160is completely ejected therefrom, and the circular blade128′ of the stuffing knife126′ is completely removed form the olive150to create a cavity into which the stuffing product is later inserted. From this point the process is the same as that shown inFIG. 18.

As such, returning toFIG. 18, from the time t5to a time t16, the pitting knife110remains in a position with the blade112of the pitting knife110traversing the entire length of the olive150. Similarly, from the time t6to a time t8, the stuffing knife126maintains the same position. Note that the extension of the blade112of the pitting knife110across the length of the olive150from the time t5to the time t16helps to maintain the cavity of the olive150created during the pitting operation in the same orientation during the stuffing operation.

As shown inFIGS. 18 and 19, the stuffing manifold22is disposed adjacent to an arc of the circular pathway of the stuffing knife126. As shown inFIG. 19, stuffing product enters the stuffing manifold22through a lower opening192and passing through an area194having a cavity170that faces the rotating drum20, and specifically the pathway of the stuffing knife (not shown.) Note that the rotation of the drum20as shown by arrow190is opposite from the pumping direction of the stuffing product as shown by arrow192this facilitates a loading of the stuffing product into the circular blade128of the stuffing knife126as described below.

Referring now again to the timing diagram ofFIG. 18, at a time t9, the stuffing knife126moves into the stuffing manifold cavity170to pierce through the stuffing product to volumetrically receive a predetermined amount of the stuffing product from the stuffing manifold22. In one embodiment, the stuffing product includes pimentos, such as diced pimentos. At a time t10, the hollow interior129of the circular blade128of the stuffing knife126extends into the stuffing product of the stuffing manifold22. At times t11and t12, the stuffing knife126moves away from the stuffing manifold cavity170, taking with it the predetermined volumetric amount of stuffing product that has been loaded in to the hollow interior129of the circular blade128of the stuffing knife126. At a time t13, the stuffing knife126is completely withdrawn from the stuffing manifold cavity170.

From the time t13to a time t17the stuffing knife126transports the stuffing product that has been loaded therein and brings it adjacent to the olive150. At time t17, the pitting knife110begins to withdraw from the pitted olive150to allow the stuffing product from the stuffing knife126to be inserted in the cavity created during the pitting operation. From the time t17to a time t19the piston130moves toward the cavity of the olive150forcing the stuffing product from the stuffing knife126and into the cavity of the olive150. At the time t19, the head131of the piston130is substantially flush with the end of the stuffing knife126allowing all of the stuffing product from the stuffing knife126to be pushed into the cavity of the olive150.

From the time t19to a time t21, the pitting knife110remains inserted into the now pitted and stuffed olive150while the stuffing knife126and the piston130move away from the olive. From the time t21to a time t22, the pitting knife110transports the olive150to a position exterior from the centering bushing95. From the time t22to a time t24the pitting knife110withdraws from the olive150while the guide sleeve114remains in contact therewith enabling the olive150to fall from the pitting knife110and into an olive container (not shown.)

The preceding description has been presented with reference to various embodiments of the invention. Although the above description focuses on pitting and stuffing olives, the described pitting and stuffing device may be used to pit stuff other food items as well. Persons skilled in the art and technology to which this invention pertains will appreciate that alterations and changes in the described structures and methods of operation can be practiced without meaningfully departing from the principle, spirit and scope of this invention.