Abstract:
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.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/639,477, filed Dec. 28, 2004, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   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. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this discussion are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a pitting and stuffing device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is another side view of a pitting and stuffing device of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of a feeder assembly of the pitting and stuffing device of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the feeder assembly of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is another top view of the feeder assembly of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of a bottom plate of the feeder assembly of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of a portion of a conveyer chain of the pitting and stuffing device of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the portion of a conveyer chain of  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of a roller link of the conveyer chain of  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a top view of a portion of the pitting and stuffing device showing a conveyer chain connecting the feeder assembly of  FIG. 3  to a pitting and stuffing assembly having a rotating drum; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a conveyer chain moved in close proximity to a portion of the rotating drum of the pitting and stuffing assembly of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a front view of a centering plate for attachment to the rotating drum of the pitting and stuffing assembly of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a side cross sectional view of the centering plate of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 14  shows a side view of a knife assembly disassembled from the rotating drum of the pitting and stuffing assembly of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 15  shows a side view of a pitting knife assembly disassembled from the rotating drum of the pitting and stuffing assembly of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 16  shows a perspective view of the pitting knife assembly of  FIG. 15 ; 
       FIG. 17  shows a side view of a stuffing knife assembly disassembled from the rotating drum of the pitting and stuffing assembly of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 18  shows a timing diagram of the pitting knife assembly and the stuffing knife assembly during a complete pitting and stuffing cycle of a food item; 
       FIG. 19  shows a side view of a stuffing manifold adjacent to the rotating drum of  FIG. 10 ; and 
       FIG. 20  shows a portion of an alternative timing diagram of the pitting knife assembly and the stuffing knife assembly during an alternative pitting operation. 
   

   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 in  FIGS. 1-20 , embodiments of the present invention are directed to a food item pitting or coring and stuffing device  10 , 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 device  10  of 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. 1  shows one embodiment of the food item pitting and stuffing device  10 . A brief overview of the pitting and stuffing device  10 , as well as the pitting and stuffing process that it performs, is described below with respect to  FIG. 1 , followed by a more detailed discussion of the device and the process. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the pitting and stuffing device  10  includes a food item feeder assembly  12  having a feeder bowl  14  for receiving a plurality of food items (not shown), such as a plurality of olives. The feeder bowl  14  separates the food items and individually feeds them onto a conveyer chain  16 . The conveyer chain  16  individually transports each food item from the feeder bowl  14  to a pitting and stuffing assembly  18 . 
   The pitting and stuffing assembly  18  includes a rotating drum  20  having a knife assembly (not shown) moveably disposed therein. The knife assembly transports each food item from the conveyer chain  16  to a centering bushing (not shown) disposed within the rotating drum  20 . 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 drum  20 . As the food item rotates with the rotating drum  20 , 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 manifold  22 ; 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 manifold  22  is disposed in close relation to a portion of the circular path of the centering bushing and the knife assembly of the rotating drum  20 . The stuffing manifold  22  is connected to a stuffing tank  24  which holds a large quantity of stuffing product. A stuffing pump  26 , such as a positive displacement pump, continuously feeds stuffing product from the stuffing tank  24  to the stuffing manifold  22  providing the knife assembly with stuffing product to be stuffed into the food items. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the feeder assembly  12 , the pitting and stuffing assembly  18 , the stuffing pump  26  (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) and the stuffing tank  24 , among other components of the pitting and stuffing device  10 , are supported by a support table  28 . The support includes a table  30  upon which the pitting and stuffing device  10 , the stuffing tank  24  and the stuffing pump  26  are mounted and a plurality of legs  30  for contacting a ground surface. The support table  28  also includes a horizontally extending arm  40  upon which the feeder assembly  12  is mounted. 
   As is also shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the support table  28  contains a cavity  33  having a lower table  34  upon which a motor  38 , which serves to power and operate the pitting and stuffing device  10 , is mounted. The motor  38  drives a motor drive sprocket  42 , which may include a torque limiter. The motor drive sprocket  42  is connected via a chain  44  to a pump sprocket  46  which drives a drive shaft  48  of the stuffing pump  26 . Also connected to the pump draft shaft  48 , (not shown, but located between the pump sprocket  46  and the stuffing pump  26 ) is a second pump sprocket driven by the motor  38  through the pump draft shaft  48 . The second pump sprocket is connected to a sprocket  52  of the of the pitting and stuffing assembly  18  via a chain  54  to drive a drive shaft  50  of the pitting and stuffing assembly  18 . The drive shaft  50  of the pitting and stuffing assembly  18 , in turn, drives a first conveyer chain sprocket (not shown, but disposed about the drive shaft  50  of the pitting and stuffing assembly  18 .) The first conveyer chain  16  sprocket drives the conveyer chain  16  and a second conveyer chain sprocket  56 . The second conveyor chain sprocket  56  is connected via a drive shaft  60  (see also  FIG. 4 ) of a feeder dial plate  66  (as shown in  FIGS. 3-6  and described below.) 
   As is also shown in  FIG. 4 , the feeder dial plate drive shaft  60  drives the feeder dial plate  66  through a right angle drive  62  and a feeder dial drive adapter  64 , which is connected directly the to feeder dial plate  66 . As such, in one embodiment, the entire pitting and stuffing device  10  is powered by the same motor (motor  38  of  FIG. 1 .)  FIG. 2  shows an electrical control box  65 , which is electrically connected to the motor  38  and contains switches for activating and deactivating the motor  38 . 
     FIGS. 3-6  show details of the feeder assembly  12 . As shown, the feeder assembly  12  includes the feeder bowl  14  having a bottom plate  68  (see for example  FIGS. 4 and 6 ) and an open top for receiving a plurality of food items to be pitted and stuffed. Directly adjacent to the bottom plate  68  is the feeder dial plate  66 . The feeder dial plate  66  is a generally circular plate having a plurality of U-shaped openings  72  about its outer periphery. The U-shaped openings  72  are sized and shaped to receive a particular food item at a particular orientation. In this example, the U-shaped openings  72  are 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 bowl  14 . 
   Directly adjacent to the feeder dial plate  66  is a center cone  70  (see for example  FIGS. 4 and 5 .) The center cone  70  includes a peak at the center of the feeder bowl  14  and tapers downwardly toward the outer circumference of the feeder bowl  14 . The center cone  70  covers a center portion of the feeder dial plate  66 , but does not cover the U-shaped openings  72  of the feeder dial plate  66 . Thus, food items placed within the feeder bowl  14  are guided by the tapered sides of the center cone  70  to the U-shaped openings  72  of the feeder dial plate  66 . 
   The feeder dial plate  66  is driven by the feeder dial plate shaft  60  (as described above) to rotate relative to the bottom plate  68 . As the dial plate  66  rotates and the food items descend toward the periphery of the dial plate  66 , the food items gradually fall into the U-shaped openings  72  of the dial plate  66 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3-5  a portion of the circular path of the dial plate  66  overlaps the conveyer chain  16 . In addition, the bottom plate  68  of the feeder bowl  14  has an opening or cut-out  74  which overlaps the conveyer chain  16  (see for example  FIGS. 4 and 6 .) Above the bottom plate opening  74  is an overflow gate  76  (see for example  FIGS. 4 and 5 .) The overflow gate  76  covers the circular path of the feeder dial plate  66  in the area above the bottom plate opening  74  and the conveyer chain  16 . The overflow gate  76  ensures that when each U-shaped opening  72  overlaps the bottom plate opening  74  and the conveyer chain  16 , only one food item is disposed in each U-shaped opening  72 . 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 opening  72  is aligned directly over a corresponding receiving plate  78  (as shown in  FIGS. 7-9  and described below) of the conveyer chain  16 , the food item disposed therein is allowed to drop through the bottom plate  68  of the feeder bowl  14  and into the receiving plate  78  of the conveyer chain  16 . In one embodiment, a mutli-legged wheel or “star wheel” is rotatably attached to a sidewall of the feeder bowl  14 . The star wheel (not shown) contacts a portion of a corresponding one of the U-shaped openings  72  to 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-out  74  of the bottom plate  68  to facilitate the dropping of the food item through the bottom plate  68  of the feeder bowl  14  and into the receiving plate  78  of the conveyer chain  16 . 
   Due to the orientation of the U-shaped opening  72 , when the food item (such as an olive) is received by the receiving plate  78  of the conveyer chain  16 , its longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the conveyer chain  16 . 
     FIGS. 7-9  shows portions of the conveyer chain  16 . In this embodiment, the conveyer chain  16  includes a series of alternatingly connected roller links  82  and connector links  80 , wherein each connector link  80  is connected to an adjacent roller link  82  via a spring clip  84 . Each roller link  82  includes a concave shaped receiving plate  78  mounted on an upper surface thereof, such as by a weld. 
   The spacing  86  between adjacent connector links  80  may vary depending on the size of the food item to be pitted and stuffed. Preferably, this spacing  86  is appropriate to allow a lateral axis of a food item to pass therebetween such that the food item is received by the receiving plate  78  of a corresponding one of the roller links  82  with the longitudinal axis of the food item being disposed perpendicular to the direction of motion  88  of the conveyer chain  16 . 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 chain  16 , the conveyer chain  16  transports the food item directly adjacent to a centering plate  90 D (see for example  FIGS. 10 and 11 .) Although a feeder assembly  12  and conveyer chain  16  are described above, in other embodiments other means of individually transporting the food items to a position directly adjacent to the centering plate  90 D may be used. 
   The centering plate  90 D outwardly extends from the rotating drum  20  and rotates therewith. An outer periphery of the centering plate  90 D includes a plurality of openings  94  (see for example  FIGS. 12 and 13 .) In the depicted embodiment of  FIGS. 12 and 13 , a centering bushing  95  is concentrically mounted within one of the centering plate openings  94  and contains an elliptically shaped opening  97 , or another shaped opening appropriate for the food item being pitted. Note that for clarity purposes only one centering bushing  95  is shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , however, preferably a centering bushing  95  is concentrically mounted within a corresponding one of each of the plurality of openings  94  in the centering plate  90 D. 
   As shown in  FIG. 10 , and perhaps more clearly in  FIG. 11 , that portion of the conveyer chain  16  that moves directly adjacent to the centering plate  90 D, and specifically each receiving plate  78  of the conveyer chain  16  that moves directly adjacent with the centering plate  90 D, is aligned with and moves at a same rate as a corresponding one of the centering bushings  95  in the centering plate  90 D. As such, when one of the receiving plates  78  of the conveyer chain  16  carries a food item into proximity with one of the centering bushings  95 , a pitting knife assembly  106  of an overall knife assembly  100  (each described in detail below) transports the food item from the conveyer chain receiving plate  78  to the elliptically shaped opening  97  in the centering bushing  95 . The centering bushing  95  ensures that the food item is centered with respect to both the pitting knife assembly  106  and a stuffing knife assembly  108  (described in detail below) of the overall knife assembly  100 . 
   For reference, in  FIG. 10 , the side of the rotating drum  20  to the left of the centering plate  90 D may be referred to as a stuffing side  104  of the pitting and stuffing assembly  18 , and the side of the rotating drum  20  to the right of the centering plate  90 D may be referred to as a pitting side  102  of the pitting and stuffing assembly  18 . The knife assembly  100  includes the pitting knife assembly  106  movably disposed on the pitting side  102  of the assembly  18 , and the stuffing knife assembly  108  movably disposed on the stuffing side  104  of the assembly  18 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 10 , the pitting and stuffing assembly  18  includes the rotating drum  20  having the centering plate  90 D attached thereto. As shown, a plurality of stuffing knife plates  90 A- 90 C, as well as a plurality of pitting knife plates  90 E- 90 G, outwardly extend from and rotate with the rotating drum  20 . The stuffing knife and pitting knife plates  90 A- 90 C and  90 E- 90 G are each substantially similar to the centering plate  90 D (shown for example in  FIGS. 12 and 13 ), and each have openings corresponding to, and axial aligned with, a corresponding one of each of the plurality of openings  94  in the centering plate  90 D. 
   As shown in  FIG. 10 , the stuffing knife assembly  108  is disposed in a corresponding set of axially aligned openings in the stuffing knife plates  90 A- 90 C and is moveable relative thereto in order to contact and manipulate a food item held within a corresponding one of the centering bushings  95  of the centering plate  90 D from the stuffing side  104  of the assembly  18 . 
   Similarly, the pitting knife assembly  108  is disposed in a corresponding set of axially aligned openings in the pitting knife plates  90 E- 90 G and moveable relative thereto in order to contact and manipulate a food item held within a corresponding one of the centering bushings  95  of the centering plate  90 D from the pitting side  102  of the assembly  18 . Note that for clarity purposes only one knife assembly  100  is shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , however, preferably a knife assembly  100  including the stuffing knife assembly  108  and the pitting knife assembly  106  is disposed in each aligned set of openings in the drum plates  90 A- 90 C and  90 E- 90 G. For example, one embodiment of the pitting and stuffing assembly  18  includes twenty two knife assemblies  100  all worked at the same time. 
   As shown in  FIG. 10 , the drum  20  also includes a plurality of cam plates  92 A- 92 D, which do not rotate with the drum  20 . The stuffing knife assembly  108  rides within and is movable by the cam plates  92 A and  92 B. Similarly the pitting knife assembly  106  rides within and is movable by the cam plates  92 C and  92 D. As described in detail below, the cam plates  92 A- 92 D cause the relative motion of the pitting knife assembly  106  and the stuffing knife assembly  108  relative to the drum plates  90 A- 90 G, which allows the knife assemblies  106  and  108  to contact and manipulate a food item held within the centering bushing  95  of the centering plate  90 D. 
     FIG. 14  shows the knife assembly  100  (including the pitting knife assembly  106  and the stuffing knife assembly  108 ) as well as a corresponding one of the centering bushings  95  detached from the rotating drum  20 . Also shown adjacent to the centering bushing  95  is a receiving plate  78  detached from the conveyer chain  16 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 14-16 , the pitting knife assembly  106  includes a pitting knife  110  having a cross-haired or X-shaped blade  112  (as shown for example in  FIG. 16 .) The pitting knife  38  serves 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 blade  112  may 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 sleeve  114  is disposed in surrounding relation to and movable relative to the pitting knife  110 . In fact, the guide sleeve  114  may move past the pitting knife blade  112  to allow a tapered end  116  of the guide sleeve  114  to receive and center the food item relative to the pitting knife blade  112  before the blade  112  contacts the food item. The tapered end  116  of the guide sleeve  114  may be elliptically shaped or any other shape suitable for receiving an end of the food item to be pitted. The guide sleeve  114  is received within a guide sleeve housing  115 . Within the guide sleeve housing is a biasing means, such as a spring, for biasing the guide sleeve toward the food item. The pitting knife  110  also extends within an open lumen in the guide sleeve housing  115 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 14 , an end  117  of the pitting knife  110  opposite from the pitting knife blade  112  extends into a pitting knife housing  118 . The housing  118  includes a set screw  119  which receives a spring  120 . The end  117  of the pitting knife  110  extends into the pitting knife housing  118  and abuts the spring  120 , biasing the pitting knife  110  toward the food item. 
   As shown in  FIG. 14 , attached to an outer surface of the guide sleeve housing  115  is a cam follower  122 C having a bearing  124 C which rides within the cam plate  92 C (see  FIG. 10 ) to move the guide sleeve  114  toward or away from the food item. Similarly, attached to an outer surface of the pitting knife housing  118  is a cam follower  122 D having a bearing  124 D which rides within the cam plate  92 D (see  FIG. 10 ) to move the pitting knife blade  112  toward or away from the food item. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 14 and 17 , the stuffing knife assembly  108  includes a stuffing knife  126  having a circular blade  128  with a hollow interior  129 . The stuffing knife  126  serves to pierce or penetrate the pit of a food item so that the pit will follow the stuffing knife  126  out of the food item (with the help of the pitting knife  110 .) The hollow interior  129  of the stuffing knife  126  serves 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 knife  126  is also disposed in surrounding relation to a piston  130 , which serves to remove the food item pit from the stuffing knife blade  128  after the pit has been removed from the food item, and also serves to push the stuffing product out of the hollow interior  129  of the stuffing knife  126  and into the pitted food item (discussed in detail below.) Preferably the piston has a flat head  131 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 14 , a stuffing knife holder  136  holds an end of the stuffing knife  126  and is further connected (such as by threads) to a connector tube  136  that connects to a stuffing knife holder housing  134 . 
   The piston  130  extends through a lumen in the stuffing knife holder housing  134  and has an end  140  that extends into a piston housing  142 . The piston housing  142  includes a set screw  144 , which receives a spring  146 . The end  140  of the piston  130  extends into the piston housing  142  and abuts the spring  146 , biasing the piston  130  toward the food item. 
   As shown in  FIG. 14 , attached to an outer surface of the stuffing knife holder housing  134  is a cam follower  122 B having a bearing  124 B which rides within the cam plate  92 B (see  FIG. 10 ) to move the stuffing knife  126  toward or away from the food item. Similarly, attached to an outer surface of the piston housing  124  is a cam follower  122 A having a bearing  124 A which rides within the cam plate  92 A (see  FIG. 10 ) to move the piston  130  toward or away from the food item. As such, each of the piston  130 , the pitting knife  110  and the pitting knife guide sleeve  114  are spring biased toward the food item. The pitting knife guide sleeve  114  is spring biased to allow for variations in the size of the food item being held between the centering bushing  95  and the guide sleeve  114 . 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 to  FIG. 1 , the stuffing manifold  22  is disposed in close relation to a portion of the circular path of the stuffing knife  126  (not shown in  FIG. 1 .) The stuffing manifold  22  is connected to the stuffing tank  24  which holds a large quantity of stuffing product. The stuffing tank  24  may 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 tank  24  is cylindrical, having an open upper end through which new stuffing product may be added; and a conically-shaped basin with an opening  180  through which the stuffing product is pumped. The stuffing tank  24  is connected to the stuffing pump  26  via a link  182 . The stuffing pump  26 , such as a positive displacement pump, continuously feeds stuffing product from the stuffing tank  24  to the stuffing manifold  22  via the link  182  and another link  184 , which connects the pump  26  to the stuffing manifold  22 . The stuffing manifold  22  is adjacent to an arc of the circular path of the stuffing knife  126  to provide the stuffing knife  126  with stuffing product to be stuffed into the food item. A return tube  186  re-circulates stuffing product from the stuffing manifold  22  to the stuffing tank  24 . As such the stuffing product is continuously moved as shown by the arrows in  FIG. 1 . 
   In order to further describe the features of the pitting and stuffing device  10 , an example of a typical pitting and stuffing cycle using an olive  150 , having a pit  160 , is described with reference to a timing diagram of  FIG. 18 . The timing diagram as shown in  FIG. 18  shows the sequence of actions of the pitting knife  110 , the pitting knife guide sleeve  114 , the stuffing knife  126 , and the stuffing knife piston  130 . Note that the cam plates  92 A- 92 D, which are actually circular plates have been linearly drawn in  FIG. 18 , with 0 to 360 degree denotations signifying that the cam plates  92 A- 92 D are indeed circular plates and not linear plates. 
   During a typical pitting and stuffing cycle, the knife assembly  100  is operated by the cams plates  92 A- 92 D. That is, a pitting knife cam plate  92 D controls the movement of the pitting knife  110 ; the guide sleeve cam plate  92 C controls the movement of the guide sleeve  114 ; the stuffing knife cam plate  92 B controls the movement of the stuffing knife  126 ; and the piston cam plate  92 A controls the movement of the piston  130 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 18 , degree markings 0 to 360 denote the angle of rotation of the rotating drum  20 . On the timing diagram of  FIG. 18  0 degrees represents the point at which a corresponding one of the receiving plates  78  (hidden by the olive  150  in  FIG. 18 ) of the conveyer chain  16  first aligns with a corresponding one of the centering bushings  95 . From an initial time t 0  to a time t 2  the pitting knife assembly  106  moves toward and contacts the olive  150  transporting it from the conveyer chain  16  to a corresponding one of the centering bushings  95 . During the same time span the stuffing knife  126  moves into a position directly adjacent to the olive  150 . At the time t 2 , the stuffing knife  126 , the pitting knife  110 , and the guide sleeve  114  are each positioned directly adjacent to the olive  150 . 
   From the time t 2  to a time t 3 , the tapered end  116  of the guide sleeve  114  moves into full contact with the olive  150 , such that the olive  150  is firmly held between the elliptically shaped opening  97  of the centering bushing  95  and the tapered end  116  of the guide sleeve  114 . As such, the centering bushing  95  serves to center the olive  150  with respect to the stuffing knife  126 , and the guide sleeve  114  serves to center the olive  150  with respect to the pitting knife  110 . Also during this time span, the circular blade  128  of the stuffing knife  126  pierces an outer surface of the olive  150 , while the blade  112  of the pitting knife  110  pierces an outer surface of the olive  150  on an opposite end thereof. The blades  128  and  112  of the stuffing knife  126  and the pitting knife  110 , respectively, each continue to traverse the olive  150  to contact the pit  160  (again at opposite ends thereof.) 
   The circular blade  128  of the stuffing knife  126  penetrates or pierces into the pit  160  of the olive  150 , causing the pit  160  to “stick” to the circular blade  128  of the stuffing knife  126 , while the blade  112  of the pitting knife  110  pushes the pit  160  toward the stuffing knife  126  urging the stuffing knife  126  to penetrate the pit  160 . 
   Note that from time t 3  to time t 20 , the guide sleeve  114  remains in the same position, so that in combination with the centering bushing  95 , the olive  150  is firmly held in a centered position with respect to both the pitting knife  110  and the stuffing knife  126  during an entire pitting and stuffing cycle. This allows the olive  150  to 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 t 3  to a time t 5 , the stuffing knife  126  reverses directions to pull the pit  160  out of the olive  150 , while the pitting knife  110  continues to traverse the olive  150  until the pit  160  is completely ejected therefrom to create a cavity into which the stuffing product is later inserted. 
   At time t 5 , the pit  160  might be stuck onto the end of the circular blade  128  of the stuffing knife  126 . Therefore, from the time t 5  to a time t 6 , the circular blade  128  of the stuffing knife  126  moves to a position substantially flush with the head  131  of the piston  130  to disengage the pit  160  from the circular blade  128  of the stuffing knife  126 , allowing the pit  160  to fall therefrom and into a pit container (not shown.) 
   An alternative method for pitting the food item, in this case the olive  150 , is shown in the timing diagram of  FIG. 20  (showing only the portion of the operation from the 0 degree to the 60 degree positions of the cam plates  92 A- 92 D, although the cam plates  92 A- 92 D 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 blade  128 ′ of the stuffing knife  126 ′ is larger in diameter than a typical olive pit  160 . 
   This allows the circular blade  128 ′ of the stuffing knife  126 ′ to pierce through the olive  150 , and around the pit  160  as shown from a time T 1  to a time T 5 , such that at the time T 5 , an end of the circular blade  128 ′ of the stuffing knife  126 ′ is in a position adjacent with an end of the blade  112  of the pitting knife  110 . This facilitates removal of the pit  160  of the olive  150  since the meat of the olive  150  adjacent to the pit  160  is cut through by the circular blade  128 ′ of the stuffing knife  126 ′. 
   From the time T 5  to a time T 11 , the blade  112  of the pitting knife  110  completely traverses the olive  150  until the pit  160  is completely ejected therefrom, and the circular blade  128 ′ of the stuffing knife  126 ′ is completely removed form the olive  150  to create a cavity into which the stuffing product is later inserted. From this point the process is the same as that shown in  FIG. 18 . 
   As such, returning to  FIG. 18 , from the time t 5  to a time t 16 , the pitting knife  110  remains in a position with the blade  112  of the pitting knife  110  traversing the entire length of the olive  150 . Similarly, from the time t 6  to a time t 8 , the stuffing knife  126  maintains the same position. Note that the extension of the blade  112  of the pitting knife  110  across the length of the olive  150  from the time t 5  to the time t 16  helps to maintain the cavity of the olive  150  created during the pitting operation in the same orientation during the stuffing operation. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 18 and 19 , the stuffing manifold  22  is disposed adjacent to an arc of the circular pathway of the stuffing knife  126 . As shown in  FIG. 19 , stuffing product enters the stuffing manifold  22  through a lower opening  192  and passing through an area  194  having a cavity  170  that faces the rotating drum  20 , and specifically the pathway of the stuffing knife (not shown.) Note that the rotation of the drum  20  as shown by arrow  190  is opposite from the pumping direction of the stuffing product as shown by arrow  192  this facilitates a loading of the stuffing product into the circular blade  128  of the stuffing knife  126  as described below. 
   Referring now again to the timing diagram of  FIG. 18 , at a time t 9 , the stuffing knife  126  moves into the stuffing manifold cavity  170  to pierce through the stuffing product to volumetrically receive a predetermined amount of the stuffing product from the stuffing manifold  22 . In one embodiment, the stuffing product includes pimentos, such as diced pimentos. At a time t 10 , the hollow interior  129  of the circular blade  128  of the stuffing knife  126  extends into the stuffing product of the stuffing manifold  22 . At times t 11  and t 12 , the stuffing knife  126  moves away from the stuffing manifold cavity  170 , taking with it the predetermined volumetric amount of stuffing product that has been loaded in to the hollow interior  129  of the circular blade  128  of the stuffing knife  126 . At a time t 13 , the stuffing knife  126  is completely withdrawn from the stuffing manifold cavity  170 . 
   From the time t 13  to a time t 17  the stuffing knife  126  transports the stuffing product that has been loaded therein and brings it adjacent to the olive  150 . At time t 17 , the pitting knife  110  begins to withdraw from the pitted olive  150  to allow the stuffing product from the stuffing knife  126  to be inserted in the cavity created during the pitting operation. From the time t 17  to a time t 19  the piston  130  moves toward the cavity of the olive  150  forcing the stuffing product from the stuffing knife  126  and into the cavity of the olive  150 . At the time t 19 , the head  131  of the piston  130  is substantially flush with the end of the stuffing knife  126  allowing all of the stuffing product from the stuffing knife  126  to be pushed into the cavity of the olive  150 . 
   From the time t 19  to a time t 21 , the pitting knife  110  remains inserted into the now pitted and stuffed olive  150  while the stuffing knife  126  and the piston  130  move away from the olive. From the time t 21  to a time t 22 , the pitting knife  110  transports the olive  150  to a position exterior from the centering bushing  95 . From the time t 22  to a time t 24  the pitting knife  110  withdraws from the olive  150  while the guide sleeve  114  remains in contact therewith enabling the olive  150  to fall from the pitting knife  110  and 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.