Patent ID: 7000513

Claim:
A method for preventing the spread of disease through a knife when cutting seed potatoes by eliminating said knife and for cutting seed potatoes for planting with a liquid comprising the steps of: supplying seed potatoes for planting; sizing said seed potatoes by separating seed potatoes for cutting into seed; moving said seed potatoes to a lower conveyor having a first end and a second end said conveyor having a V shaped belt for grasping the lower portion of said seed potato; conveying said seed potatoes on said lower conveyor starting at said first end of said lower conveyor to contact with an upper conveyor having a first end and a second end, said first end of said upper conveyor being forward of said first end of said lower conveyor and said second end being forward of said second end of said lower conveyor, said upper conveyor having a V shaped belt for grasping the upper portion of said seed potato; supplying a chamber between said upper and lower conveyor with a water jet passing across said chamber; grasping said seed potatoes between said upper and lower conveyor and moving said seed potatoes for cutting through said water jet; and cutting said seed potatoes completely through with said water jet.