Patent ID: 8322275

Claim:
A system to process a leafy vegetable after being harvested, wherein the leafy vegetable has a core end and a leafy end, the system comprising: a conveyor to transport the leafy vegetables through a trim area; a first cutting implement located in the trim area to trim a portion of the core end; a second cutting implement located in the trim area to trim a portion of the leafy end, wherein the first and second cutting implements are spaced a set distance apart, and wherein the set distance defines an amount of the leafy vegetable remaining after the portions of the core and leafy ends are trimmed; a set of cleats disposed on the conveyor, wherein the leafy vegetable is transported between two cleats of the set of cleats when the leafy vegetable is transported to the first and second cutting implements on the conveyor; and a roller disposed vertically above the conveyor in the trim area, wherein the roller is configured to hold the leafy vegetable against the conveyor as the first and second cutting implements trim the portions of the core and leafy ends.