Improved Machine for Stoning or Seeding Raisins and like Fruit.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machine for Stoning or Seeding Raisins and like Fruit.
I, EUGENE SUTHERLAND of No. 211 Duane Street, New York City, County
of New York, State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :--
My invention relates to that class of apparatus or machines for removing the
stones or seeds from raisins and other like dried fruit, which operate by impaling
the fruit upon pins placed so closely together upon a rotating cylinder that while
the pulp of the fruit is forced upon the pins, the stones or seeds are thrust by the
pins through the skins of the fruit and are then removed by a scraper, after which
the impaled and stoned or seeded fruit is taken off from the pins and carried into a
receptacle separate from the removed stones or seeds.
The object of my invention is to construct a simple machine of this character
whereby the freeing of the fruit from the stones or seeds and the removal of the
stoned or seeded fruit from the pin cylinder are effected with the least possible
injury to or waste of the fruit.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 of which is a vertical section of sufficient of the operative parts of my
machine to illustrate my invention, and
Figure 2 is a detached view of the rotary scraper for removing the stones or
seeds.
The essential elements in the machine are the pin cylinder A, to which rotary
motion may be imparted by any suitable means, the presser drum B, rotating at
the same surface speed as the pin cylinder, and in contact with the ends of the pins,
a scraper for removing the stones or seeds and a series of blades E lying between
the rows of pins on the cylinder to detach the stoned or seeded and impaled fruit
from the pins.
The presser cylinder B is preferably arranged in relation to the pin cylinder, as
shown in Figure 1, and above the two there is provided a hopper H with a feed
table F, over which the operator can supply raisins or other dried fruit in proper
quantity to drop through the hopper onto the pin cylinder, which is driven in the
direction of the arrow. The presser roll B which is to cause the impalement of
the fruit upon the pins of the cylinder A has a surface b of rubber and is rotated
in the direction of the arrow by surface contact with the pin cylinder, or
otherwise.
In a machine of this description as hitherto constructed the scraper consisted of
a stationary blade adjacent to the periphery of the pin cylinder and below the
presser roll. According to my invention I provide a rotary scraper D arranged in
similar relation to the pin cylinder and presser roll. I prefer to construct this
rotary scraper of a series of blades d mounted upon a hub or hubs d' upon a
rotating shaft d². I set these blades at an angle to the axis of the scraper or
slightly spirally, as illustrated in the drawings, and I impart to the scraper a
rotary motion, rapid relatively to the speed of the pin cylinder, so as to scrape off
from the pin cylinder and project to a distance, the stones or seeds which have
been forced by the pins from the fruit. The rapid rotary motion of the scraper
and the inclination of the blades, tend to prevent their becoming clogged.
In order to facilitate the removal of the stoned or seeded fruit from the pins a
of the cylinder A by the blades E, which are arranged between the rows of pins

page_text: upon the cylinder A, and also to avoid as far as possible, tearing and waste of the
fruit in removing it from such pins, I arrange the latter at a slight angle to the
radial lines, this angle being in a direction backward from such radial lines, con-
sidering the direction in which the cylinder rotates. This can be seen on reference
to Figure 1.
Between the rotary scraper blades d and the presser drum B I arrange a
partition P, and also between the rotary scraper and the pin cylinder A, I arrange
a partition P which may form a continuation of the partition P. In the
partition P¹, however, there is provided an opening p through which the rotary
scraper may reach and remove the projected stones or seeds.
Over the presser cylinder B there may be provided a perforated water pipe as
shewn at W for moistening purposes. If much water is used, I prefer to employ
a reticulated or perforated screen R in front of the lower part of the partition p
so as to thus provide for the convenient carrying off of the water, while the seeded
fruit passes down over the reticulated screen into its proper receptacle, more or
less freed from the water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a machine for removing stones or seeds from raisins, and the like dried
fruit the combination of a rotary pin cylinder, a presser roll to impale the fruit
upon the pins and rotary scraper blades to remove the projected seeds, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
2. In a machine for removing stones or seeds from raisins and other like fruit,
the combination of a rotary pin cylinder, and a presser roll, to impale the fruit
upon the pins, with rotary scraper blades set at an angle or spirally, to remove the
projected stones or seeds, substantially as herein before described.
3. In a machine for removing stones or seeds from raisins and other like fruit,
the combination of a pin cylinder having the pins set at an angle backward from
radial lines, with means for impaling the fruit upon the pins, means for removing
the projected stones or seeds, and blades lying between the rows of pins, to remove
therefrom the stoned or seeded fruit, all substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 14th day of April 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.