Machine for handling artichokes

Claim 1

IN A MACHINE FOR REMOVING THE HEARTS FROM ARTICHOKES, A GRIPPER SUPPORT PLATE MOUNTED FOR STEP-BY-STEP ROTATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF GRIPPER ARMS MOUNTED RADIALLY AND SYMMETRICALLY ABOUT SAID SUPPORT PLATE FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, ONE PAIR OF GRIPPER ARMS BEING PROVIDED FOR EACH ROTATIVE STEP OF THE SUPPORT PLATE ABOUT ITS AXIS, ARTICHOKE GRIPPING MEANS ON THE OUTER END OF EACH GRIPPER ARM, A FEED CHUTE SLOPING TOWARD THE SUPPORT PLATE AND HAVING A GAP IN ITS LOWER END FOR PASSAGE OF THE ARTICHOKE GRIPPING MEANS THERETHROUGH UPON ROTATION OF THE SUPPORT PLATE, ARTICHOKE ARRESTING MEANS AT THE LOWER END OF THE FEED CHUTE, SAID ARRESTING MEANS BEING LOCATED TO ARREST AN ARTICHOKE GRAVITATING DOWN THE FEED CHUTE IN CENTERED REGISTER BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE ARTICHOKE GRIPPING MEANS UPON EACH ROTATIVE STEP OF THE SUPPORT PLATE, MEANS FOR SEPARATING EACH PAIR OF GRIPPING MEANS AT ITS POSITION OF REGISTER WITH THE GAP IN THE LOWER END OF THE FEED CHUTE, WHEREBY AN ARTICHOKE GRAVITATING DOWN THE CHUTE WITH ITS STEM AXIS TRANSVERSELY THEREOF, AND ARRESTED AT THE LOWER END THEREOF BY THE ARRESTING MEANS, IS POSITIONED BETWEEN THE PAIR OF GRIPPING MEANS IN CENTERED REGISTER THEREWITH, AND MEANS FOR CLOSING EACH SUCCESSIVE GRIPPING MEANS IN REGISTER WITH THE GAP IN THE FEED CHUTE TO GRIP SUCH ARTICHOKE IN CENTERED POSITION THEREIN SUBSTANTIALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE INITIATION OF EACH ROTATIVE STEP OF THE SUPPORT PLATE AND THE GRIPPING MEANS MOUNTED THEREON.