GB2178301A - Fruit and vegetable peeling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a bayonet 3 capable of piercing and supporting a vegetable or fruit detachably mounted for rotation within a headstock 10 located on a baseplate 1 of the apparatus. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a carriage which supports a vegetable or fruit to be processed and can be driven towards the bayonet of the headstock to cause the vegetable or fruit to be impaled on the bayonet. The carriage may comprise an upstanding post 12 formed with an aperture through which the bayonet can pass and a tailstock 13 movable selectively relative to or in concert with the post. A stand 35, 36 may be provided for supporting fruit and vegetable peeling tools (Figs. 13-16). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Food processing apparatus This invention relates to food processing apparatus and more especially to apparatus for removing the outer skin from fruit and vegetables.

Peeling vegetables and fruit manually is a kitchen chore which is time consuming and disliked by many. Automatic food processing equipment is available which removes the outer skin of vegetables by bringing the vegetables into direct contact with moving abrasive surfaces located within a receptacle into which the vegetables are placed. This method of peeling suffers from several disadvantages, these including the fact that the depth of peel removed is not controlled and in many cases is excessive leading to wastage in bulk and nutritional terms.

The present invention sets out to overcome this and other disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided food processing apparatus which includes a bayonet capable of piercing and supporting a vegetable or fruit to be processed and detachably mounted for rotation within a headstock. Preferably, the apparatus includes a carriage adapted to support a vegetable or fruit to be processed and capable of being driven towards the bayonet of the headstockto cause such vegetable or fruit to be impaled on the bayonet.

The apparatus may include one or more cutting or peeling blades supported on stand located alongside the bayonet.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevationai view of processing apparatus in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view from above of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are respectively end views of the apparatus illustrated taken in the directions of arrows Ill and IV of Figure 1; Figures 5,6 and 7 are sections to an enlarged scale of a part of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 8 is a sectional view of a detail of a headstock of the apparatus illustrated; Figure 9 is a part sectional view of a detail of a tailstock of the apparatus; Figures 10 and 11 are side views of typical bayonets for use with the apparatus;; Figure 12 is a side elevational view of an alternative bayonet for use with the apparatus; Figure 13 is a plan view of a peeling tool for use with the apparatus; Figure 14 is a side view of the tool illustrated in Figure 13; Figure 15 and 16 are respectively plan and side views of an alternative peeling tool; and Figures 17 and 18 are respectively side and end views of an alternative processing apparatus in accordance with the invention.

The apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings includes a frame 1 which supports at one end a headstock 2 carrying a rotatable bayonet fitting 3. As illustrated in greater detail in Figure 8 of the drawings, the tapered shank 4 of the bayonet 3 is retained within a suitably internally tapered spindle 5 mounted for rotation within bearings 6 carried by the headstock 2. The end of the spindle 5 remote from the blade 7 of the bayonet passes into an aperture formed in the upper end of a handle 8 by which the bayonet 3 can be rotated and is retained in place by a key 9. The bayonet is held firmly in place by means of a threaded nut 10 which meshes with a screw thread formed on the shank end of the bayonet. It will be appreciated that the bayonet fitting can readily and easily be removed from the headstock simply by undoing the nut 10.Thus, bayonet blades and accessories can be changed quickly and with the minimum of effort. Alternative arrangements for mounting the bayonets and accessories within the headstock may be employed.

Furthermore, alternative means for effecting rotation of the bayonet fitting 3 may be provided.

Thus the spindle 5 may be coupled to the drive shaft of an electric motor. Alternative manually operable and motor drive mechanisms may be provided.

A tray may be positioned below the frame 1.

The frame 1 also carries a carriage-like structure 11 comprising a holding post 12 and a tailstock 13.

The carriage structure 11 is supported for sliding movement along longitudinal guideways 14 forming side members of the frame 1.

The holding post 12 is formed with an aperture 15 through which the blade 7 of the bayonet 3 can pass and includes two slide bars 16 which extend rearwardlytowardsthetailstock 13 and are embraced by forwardly extending channelsectioned slide bars 17 of the tailstock 13.

As will be seen more ciearly from Figure 5, the slide bars 17 are themselves embraced by channel sectioned side members 18 of the frame 1. Thus, the holding post 12 and the tailstock 13 can slide one relative to the other to vary the spacing therebetween. The slide bars 16 carry buttress racks 19 which co-operate with butts or complimentary rack segments (not shown) carried by the tailstock to lock the tailstock relative to the holding post upon depression of a lever 20. The lever 20 can be retained in its depressed position through operation of a catch 21.

Alternative constructions of the slide bars of the holding post and the tailstock are illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

The tailstock 13 includes a handle 22 connected to a rotatable spindle similar to that illustrated in Figure 8 to enable a bayonet, accessory or like fitting to be supported and rotated within the tailstock.

Thus, the tailstock is capable of retaining the same range of fittings as can be carried by the headstock.

These fittings include grating discs or drums, rounded knives for removing cores from fruit, hollow punches for removing stones, etc from fruit and a rotatable centre for supporting large vegetables. As will be seen more clearly from Figure 9, the tailstock carries a shank of a holding cup 23 which is shaped to receive one end of a vegetable supported between the tailstock and the holding post. As will be seen from Figure 8, the holding post 12 includes a cup-shaped recess 24 which receives the other end of a vegetable to be processed. The holding cup 23 and recess 24 may be lined with removable nylon inserts.

The carriage comprising the holding post 12, tailstock 13 and slide bars 16, 17 can be moved towards and away from the headstock 2 by means of a lever 25 mounted on a tapered spindle 26 housed within a hollow spindle 27 and coupled to the holding post th rough linkages 28, 29 and pivots 30, 31. Thus, movement of the lever 25 in an anticlockwise direction causes pivot 30 to describe an arc as indicated by arrow 32 and the carriage to move to the left as shown in Figure 1 to a position in which the holding post 12 comes into contact with the forward face of the headstock 2. Movement of the lever 25 in a clockwise direction returns the carriage to the position shown in Figure 1. The spindles 26, 27 are joined together by a threaded nut 34. The nut 34 and lever 25 are interchangeable depending upon the preference of the user.

Other means of moving the carriage can be employed. Thus, one or more rotatable pinions may be carried by the holding post 12 which mesh against a rack mounted on the frame 1.

Alternatively, a motorised drive embodying driven ieadscrews may be provided.

As mentioned above the mechanism by which the tailstock 13 can be disengaged from the holding post 12 is located within the body of the tailstock.

When disengaged, the tailstock can be freely moved as indicated by arrows 13A. To prevent accidents to the hand of the user, however, a stop may be provided to prevent the tailstock closely approaching the bayonet 3. The tailstock can be readily removed from the frame 1; similarly the holding post can readily be removed upon disconnection of the pivot 30.

Typical bayonet fittings are illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. As will be seen from Figure 11, in section the bayonet has three outwardly extending wings to hold securely a fruit or vegetable impaled on the bayonet blade. Bayonet blade 38 is for use with average to large sized fruits and vegetables whilst blade 39 is for use with smaller fruits or vegetables.

An alternative bayonet fitting is illustrated in Figure 12. In this arrangement, the blade 40 is of spiral configuration to enable a fruit or vegetable to be threaded onto the bayonet blade.

Many alternative constructions of bayonet blades may be employed.

Examples of such alternative constructions include blades formed with threads of serrations; and blades which are twisted abouttheir longitudinal axes in the manner of drills.

Mounted to one side of the frame 1 is a stand comprising a central guide rail 35 supported on uprights 36. The guide rail 35 is capable of carrying one or more bladed peeling tools designed to conform to the irregular shapes of vegetables to be peeled buy a user of the apparatus.

Typical peeling tools are illustrated in Figures 13 to 16. Referringfirstlyto Figures 13 and 14, the tool comprises a peeling blade 40 connected to struts 41 which support within bearing surfaces at their ends remote from the blade a rotatable roller 42 which, in use, bears against the surface of the fruit or vegetable to be peeled. The assembly of the blade 40, struts 41 and roller 42 are pivotably mounted within a yoke 43 carried by a support 45 connected to a slide 46 mounted on the guide rail 35. The yoke 43 is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the arm 44 and the connection between the support 45 and the slide 46 is such that the support can pivot about a pin 47.

Referring now to Figures 15 and 16, the peeling tool illustrated comprises a handle 48 connected to a blade 49 through a yoke 50. The tool may be supported on the guide rail 35 of the apparatus in a manner similar to that described above or may be hand held with the blade in peeling contact with the fruit or vegetable to be peeled. In the latter case, a suitably shaped hand support pad may be provided.

Means are provided within the handle 48 to effect reciprocation of the blade 49 in directions parallel and/or normal to the cutting edge of the blade. Such reciprocation may be effected by means of a magnet, transistor circuit and rechargeable batteries housed within the handle 48. Alternative drive means may be provided. A counterweight may be necessary to counteract any undesired shaking caused by reciprocation of the peeling blade.

Furthermore, safety mechanisms such as blade shields and automatic switches may be provided operable to switch-off drive to the blade in the event of an accident.

The cutting edge may be level or serrated.

Alternatively, a peeling tool which abrades the surface of a vegetable or fruit may be used. Thus, the tool may comprise a series of relatively thick wires (e.g. 1 mm diameter) arranged as a spiral about the circumference of a rotatable rod housed within a hollow tube provided with a slit through which contact between the wires and the surface to be peeled can be made and open at one end for the ejection of abraded material.

In use of the apparatus illustrated, one end of a vegetable to be peeled is grated by means of a rotatable disc carried by the headstock or tailstock or on a separate grater mounted on the frame. The ungrated end of the vegetable is then placed into the holding cup 23, the lever 20 depressed and the tailstock 13 moved towards the holding post 12 until the vegetable is supported between the cup 23 of the tailstock and the recess 24 of the holding post.

The tailstock is then locked into position and the carriage moved towards the headstock by operation of the lever 25 whereby the vegetable is impaled upon the bayonet 3. The tailstock is withdrawn upon operation of the lever 20 to provide good access to the vegetable which can then quickly be peeled by urging peeling tools carried by the guide rail 35 into contact with the surface of the vegetable as it is rotated by operation of the handle 8.

Alternatively, peeling can be achieved using a hand-held knife or the like. Once peeling has been completed, the lever 25 is operated to release the vegetable from the bayonet.

The alternative processing apparatus illustrated in Figure 17 and 18 includes a spiral bayonet blade 51 supported within a headstock 2 similar to that illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 8. In this embodiment, the headstock 2 is mounted on a plain surfaced board 52 and the depth to which a fruit or vegetable can be pierced is determined by a hollow plastics insert 53 carried by the bayonet blade 51. A grating disc 54 is also carried by the bayonet 51.

The apparatus illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 may include a carriage including a tailstock and holding post, similar to that described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 to guide a vegetable orfruittowards and onto the bayonet 51. The tailstock and holding post may include sliding bars as described previously; alternatively, the carriage may simply slide along guideways formed on the board 52.

Further, the carriage may simply comprise a tailstock which can be locked relative to the board 52. The means of locking may comprise a buttress rack as described previously or a simpler form of locking mechanism, e.g. a friction lock.

It is to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are merely exemplary of processing apparatus in accordance with the invention and that various modifications may be made without departing from the true scope of the invention.

Thus, the holding post may be fixed relative to the frame and the headstock movable relative thereto buy a mechanism similar to that described and illustrated for transporting the holding post.

Claims (13)

1. Food processing apparatus including a bayonet capable of piercing and supporting a vegetable or fruit to be processed and detachably mounted for rotation within a headstock.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including a carriage adapted to support a vegetable orfruitto be processed and capable of being driven towards the bayonet of the headstock to cause such vegetable or fruit to be impaled on the bayonet.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a cutting or peeling blade is supported on a stand located alongside the bayonet.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the carriage is supported for sliding movement along longitudinal guideways forming side members of the apparatus.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the carriage comprises an upstanding post formed with an aperture through which the bayonet can pass and a tailstock movable selectively relative to or in concert with the post.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the post includes slide bars which extend towards the tailstock and are embraced by channel sectioned slide bars of the tailstock, means being provided selectively to lock the respective slide bars one to another.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the tailstock and post carry cup-shaped members adapted to receive opposite ends of a fruit or vegetable to be processed by the apparatus.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7 wherein the cutting or peeling blade is supported from a guide rail mounted to one or each side of the apparatus.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the bayonet includes a spindle mounted for rotation within bearings carried by the headstock and connected at its end remote from the bayonet to a handle to effect rotation of the bayonet.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the bayonet includes a spindle mounted for rotation within bearings carried by the headstock and coupled to the drive shaft of an electric motor to effect rotation of the bayonet.

11. Food processing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

12. Bayonets for use with food processing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 10 to 12 of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

13. Food processing apparatus substantially as herein described with referenceto Figures 13 and 14 of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.