Pear transfer apparatus and method

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for moving a pear (7) from a roll orientor into a transfer cup (70) wherein an inclined pear stop shoe (40) is provided which contacts and guides the pear (7) down-wardly into the transfer cup (70) as the orienting rolls (31,32) separate. The rolls (31,32) are separated at a predetermined speed so that the roll (31) maintains contact with the pear (7) and helps guide the pear (7) into the transfer cup (70). The pear stop shoe (40) is retractable after the pear (7) is guided into the transfer cup (70) so that the pear (7) is supported only by the walls of the transfer cup (70).

Description: Brief Summary of the Invention This invention relates generally to pear processing machines. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for moving pears from a roll orientor into a transfer cup. The roll orientor is as shown in U.S. patent application Serial No. 08/035,667 filed March 23, 1993 corresponding to EP-A-0 616 781 (published after the priority date of the present specification) and entitled "Pear Processing Method and Apparatus". The apparatus of that, application includes a pear orienting mechanism which receives singulated pears from a feeder and tumbles the pears on orienting rolls until the stems are pointing downwardly. That apparatus also includes a transfer cup having a somewhat different design from the preferred transfer cup design used in the present invention. The apparatus of Serial No. 08/035,667 moves the pears from the rolls to the transfer cup by abruptly separating the rolls and abruptly moving a pear stop out of contact with the pear. The pear then free-falls into the transfer cup. That mechanism would occasionally allow the free-falling pear to become misoriented. The invention shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,797,639 provides means for receiving pears in bulk and for feeding these in single file to a pear orienting means which positions each pear in a vertical position in which the stem end of the pear is lowermost. In this position the pears are fed into a conical cup as shown in FIG. 3 in U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,179. Following placement in the vertically positioned conical cup, the pear is grasped by pear gripping pads after which the cup is moved 90° to a horizontal position in which the pear is moved toward a core tube on which it is impaled for peeling and coring by a mechanism as shown in the aforementioned patent and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,055,408 and 3,058,502. The invention shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,766,990 provides a pear orienting and transfer apparatus for orienting pears stem-end lowermost and subsequently transferring oriented pears with the blossom-end foremost to subsequent inspection, peeling, coring and segmenting stations. The apparatus includes a channel-bottom reciprocable shaker pan and lifter at each channel for feeding singulated pears one at a time down a movably inclined and intermittently gated delivery chute to a set of orienting rolls that orients each pear stem-end lowermost and places it in one of a plurality of pneumatic gripping cups carried on an indexible rotary cup drum. The present invention provides an improved apparatus and method for continuously guiding the oriented pears downwardly from the roll orientor into the transfer cup while preserving the stem-down orientation of the pear. The pears do not free-fall into the transfer cup. The present invention also provides a pear stop shoe which extends downwardly from one of the rolls of the roll orientor into the transfer cup so that, as the rolls are separated at a controlled speed, the oriented pear slides downwardly into the transfer cup and, as it slides, it contacts both the pear stop shoe and one of the rolls. The present invention also provides for a pear orienting apparatus having a set of orienting rolls including at least a pair of rolls mounted for rotation upon spaced horizontal axes wherein the pair of rolls is capable of tumbling a pear until the stem of the pear is pointed downwardly, including a transfer cup located beneath the pair of rolls, means for separating the pair of rolls at a predetermined speed after a pear has been oriented between the rolls with its stem pointing downwardly, and pear stop shoe means extending downwardly from one of the rolls into the transfer cup. The apparatus is arranged such that as the rolls separate, the oriented pear moves downwardly into the transfer cup and the pear retains its stem-downward orientation by sliding between and contacting both the pear stop shoe means and the other roll of said pair as it moves into the transfer cup. In another aspect the present invention provides a method for moving the pears from a roll orientor into a transfer cup located beneath the roll orientor wherein the rolls of a pair are separated at a predetermined rate and the pears are guided downwardly into the transfer cup by sliding against a pear stop shoe extending downwardly from one of the rolls into the transfer cup and simultaneously sliding against the other of the rolls as the rolls separate. In yet another aspect the present invention provides a method for orienting pears into a position wherein the stem ends extend downwardly beneath the blossom ends and wherein the pear is held in a stem-downward orientation in a transfer cup, wherein the transfer cup has the shape of an inverted and truncated pyramid and two front walls and two rear walls, and wherein a pear stop shoe extends into the transfer cup, and the pear stop shoe is retractable through a channel between the rear walls to a position outside the transfer cup. The method comprises the steps of tumbling each pear between a pair of rolls rotating about spaced horizontal axes until the stem end of each pear extends downwardly between the pair of rolls, separating the pair of rolls at a predetermined rate, guiding the pear downwardly into the transfer cup by a pear stop shoe extending downwardly from one of the rolls into the tranfer cup, the pear sliding on the pear stop shoe and retaining its stem-downward orientation, simultaneously and continuously guiding the pear into the transfer cup by contacting the pear with the other roll of the pair of rolls as the rolls separate, guiding the pear downwardly against the front two walls of the transfer cup, and retracting the pear stop shoe and allowing the pear to move downwardly against the rear two walls of the transfer cup to a position wherein the pear is supported in a stem-downward orientation by all four walls of the transfer cup. Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments and the drawings wherein: Brief Description of the Drawings Fig.1 is a side elevational view of a roll orientor, transfer cup and pear stop shoe according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 wherein the rolls are separating and a pear is sliding downwardly into the transfer cup; Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 showing the motion of the pear downwardly as the rolls separate; Fig. 4 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 after the stop shoe has been retracted, showing the motion of the pear as it is centered in the transfer cup; Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the motion of the pear being centered in the transfer cup as the stop shoe is retracted; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the transfer cup; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the stop shoe; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the stop shoe; Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the lower portion of the stop shoe; and Fig. 11 is a side view of the pear stop shoe. Detailed Description of the Drawings Referring to Figs. 1-5, a roll orientor shown generally as 30 includes a front orienting roll 31 and a rear orienting roll 32, the purpose of which is to tumble a pear 7 until its stem end 8 is pointed downwardly as shown in Fig. 2 and its blossom end 9 is oriented in an upward direction. The operation of the roll orientor 30 is shown and described in greater detail in U.S. Patent application Serial No. 08/035,667 filed March 23, 1993 and entitled "Pear Processing Method and Apparatus," owned by the present applicant. Pears are fed onto chute 21 singularly and are stopped at a gate 22. Gate 22 opens to allow a pear to tumble downwardly onto orienting rolls 31 and 32. The pears are tumbled between rolls 31 and 32 until the stem is oriented downwardly and the blossom end 9 is oriented upwardly as shown in Fig. 2. The front orienting roll 31 is carried by an L-shaped frame 34. Roll 31 rotates about shaft 33 carried by frame 34. L-shaped frame 34 articulates about a mounting shaft 35 carried by the frame 11 of the apparatus. The L-shaped frame 34 may pivot around shaft 35 in the direction shown by arrow 39 in Fig. 3. Rear orienting roll 32 rotates on shaft 36. Rolls 31 and 32 form a pair of rolls mounted for rotation upon spaced horizontal axes formed by shafts 33 and 36. Once the pear is oriented with its stem pointing downwardly, rolls 31 and 32 are separated at a predetermined rate by the motion of frame 34 about shaft 35 which causes roll 31 to move in the direction of arrow 39 (Fig. 3). As the rolls 31 and 32 separate, pear 7 moves downwardly between the rolls as shown best in Fig. 3. A pear stop shoe means shown generally as 40 is carried by shaft 36 which supports the rear roll 32. The pear stop shoe means 40 extends downwardly from roll 32 into the transfer cup 70. The pear stop shoe means 40 is inclined at an approximately 30° angle to the vertical, so that the pear 7 will slide downwardly between the pear stop shoe means 40 and the front roll 31, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As the pear 7 moves downwardly along the path of the arrow 41, it is contacted and guided on one side by the pear stop shoe means 40 and on the opposite side by front roll 31. The continuous contact on both sides of pear 7 retains the stem downward orientation as the pear moves downwardly into transfer cup 70. As the pear enters transfer cup 70, as shown best in Fig. 3, it moves downwardly onto the front portion of the transfer cup and contacts the front walls 71 and 72 (Figs. 6 and 7). After pear 7 has moved to its position shown in Fig. 3, where it is resting against the front two walls of the transfer cup, the pear stop shoe means 40 is retracted to the position shown in Fig. 4, allowing the pear 7 to move downwardly to a position where it contacts the rear walls 73 and 74 of transfer cup 70 (Figs. 6 and 7). After the pear has moved in this fashion in transfer cup 70, it is centered within transfer cup 70 in a stem downward orientation and supported only by the four walls 71-74. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, transfer cup 70 has the shape of an inverted and truncated pyramid. Front walls 71 and 72 and rear walls 73 and 74 slope downwardly and inwardly, forming a bottom opening 75 adapted to receive and support the stem 8 of pear 7. A channel 76 is formed between the edges 77 and 78 of rear walls 73 and 74, respectively, to allow the pear stop shoe means 40 to move laterally into and out of transfer cup 70. Front walls 71 and 72 are positioned at a 45° angle relative to the path followed by the pear stop shoe means 40 as it is retracted through channel 76. This positioning of walls 71 and 72 provides a three point landing for pear 7 as it slides into the transfer cup 70; the three points of support being the two front walls 71 and 72, and the stop shoe 40. Although Figs. 6 and 7 show the preferred embodiment of transfer cup, alternate designs and positionings of transfer cup 70 may be utilized without departing from this invention. Figs. 8-11 show the configuration of the surface of the pear stop shoe means against which the pears slide. The upper portion 44 of the pear stop shoe means 40 is a generally triangular shaped, inclined surface which is roughly three times as wide at its upper end 45 as at its lower end 46. It has a generally V-shaped cross-section, shown best in Fig. 8, where the stem of the pear tends to slide against the apex of the V which forms the vertical centerline 48 of the stop shoe 40. The centerline 48 is radiused to accommodate the curvature of the stem end of the pear. The lower portion 46 of the stop shoe is relatively narrow with a V-shaped cross-section shown in Fig. 10. The lower portion 46 is narrow enough to pass through the opening 76 formed between rear walls 73 and 74 of transfer cup 70 as shown best in Fig. 7. The stop shoe 40 forms an inclined guide chute extending from the roll orientor 32 to the transfer cup 70. The surface formed by the centerline 48 of the stop shoe means 40 is tangential to the surface 38 of rear roll 32 against which the pear rolls. The pear stop shoe means 40 is connected to shaft 36 by a generally L-shaped frame 50. The stop shoe frame 50 is movable between a first position shown in Fig. 3 in which it supports the stop shoe 40 in a position where the stop shoe 40 extends downwardly into transfer cup 70 at approximately a 30° angle to the vertical and a second, retracted position, shown in Fig. 4, in which the lower portion of stop shoe 40 is moved laterally out of transfer cup 70 and extends in approximately a vertical direction. The stop shoe 40 therefore moves approximately 30° between its first position in which it guides the pear downwardly into the transfer cup and its second position in which it is retracted to allow the pear to become centered in the transfer cup.

Claims: A pear orienting apparatus having a set of orienting rolls including at least a pair of rolls (31, 32) mounted for rotation upon spaced horizontal axes wherein said pair of rolls (31, 32) is capable of tumbling a pear until the stem of said pear is pointed downwardly, comprising a transfer cup (70) located beneath said pair of rolls (31, 32), means for separating said pair of rolls (31, 32) at a predetermined speed after a pear has been oriented between said rolls (31, 32) with its stem pointing downwardly, and pear stop shoe means (40) extending downwardly from one of said rolls (31, 32) into said transfer cup (70), the apparatus being arranged such that as said rolls (31, 32) separate, the oriented pear moves downwardly into said transfer cup (70), said pear retaining its stem-downward orientation by sliding between and contacting both said pear stop shoe means (40) and the other roll of said pair (31, 32) as it moves into said transfer cup (70). The apparatus of Claim 1, further characterized in that said pear stop shoe means (40) is movable between a first position in which it extends downwardly from said roll at an angle of approximately 30° to the vertical and a second, retracted position in which it extends downwardly in an approximately vertical direction. The apparatus of Claims 1 or 2, further characterized in that said pear stop shoe means (40) forms an inclined guide chute extending from said roll orientor into said transfer cup (70). The apparatus of Claims 1, 2 or 3, further characterized in that said pear stop shoe means (40) is movable between a first position wherein it extends into said transfer cup (70) and a second, retracted position wherein its lower portion has been withdrawn laterally out of said transfer cup (70). The apparatus of Claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, further characterized in that said transfer cup (70) has the shape of an inverted, truncated pyramid, including two front walls (71, 72) and two rear walls (73, 74), and in that said pear stop shoe means (40) is moveable between a first position in which a pear is supported by said two front walls (71, 72) and said stop shoe means (40) and a second position wherein said pear is supported only by said front and rear walls (71, 72, 73, 74) of said transfer cup (70). A method for orienting pears into a position wherein the stem ends extend downwardly beneath the blossom ends and wherein the pear is held in a stem-downward orientation in a transfer cup (70), comprising the steps of tumbling each pear between a pair of rolls (31, 32) rotating about spaced horizontal axes until the stem end of each pear extends downwardly between said pair of rolls (31, 32), separating said pair of rolls (31, 32) at a predetermined rate, guiding said pear downwardly into said transfer cup (70) by a pear stop shoe means (40) extending downwardly from one of said rolls into said transfer cup, said pear sliding on said pear stop shoe means (40) and retaining its stem-downward orientation, and simultaneously and continuously guiding said pear into said transfer cup (70) by contacting said pear with the other roll of said pair (31, 32) as said rolls (31, 32) separate. The method of Claim 6 wherein said transfer cup (70) has the shape of an inverted and truncated pyramid and two front walls (71, 72) and two rear walls (73, 74), and wherein said pear stop shoe means (40) extends into said transfer cup (70), and said pear stop shoe means (40) is retractable through a channel between said rear walls to a position outside said transfer cup (70), further characterized by the steps of: guiding said pear downwardly against the two front walls (71, 72) of said transfer cup (70), and retracting said pear stop shoe (40) and allowing said pear to move downwardly against the two rear walls (73, 74) of said transfer cup (70) to a position wherein said pear is supported in a stem-downward orientation by all four walls (71, 72 ,73, 74) of said transfer cup (70).

Inventors: FORDEN NOAH P, PATERSON DOUGLAS F, FORDEN, NOAH P., PATERSON, DOUGLAS F.
Applicants: ATLAS PACIFIK ENG CO, ATLAS PACIFIC ENGINEERING COMPANY
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A23N4
IPC codes: A23N4, A23N15