Fruit handling machinery

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR SHAPING AND PITTING DRUPACEOUS FRUIT, COMPRISING: A FRUIT SUPPORTING PLATE; A ROLLER CONVEYOR SUPPORTED ABOVE SAID PLATE INCLUDING A CHAIN OF ROLLER MEMBES SPACED EQUAL DISTANCES APART; MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID ROLLER MEMBERS AS SAID CHAIN IS MOVED LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID SUPPORT PLATE; A ROLLER TURRET HAVING A PLURALITY OF TURRET ROLLERS ROTATABLY SUPPORTED RADIALLY OF A TURRRET AXIS OF ROTATION, SAID AXIS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE DIRECTION OF CHAIN MOVEMENT AND LOCATED ABOVE SAID SUPPORT PLATE AND ROLLER CONVEYOR, SAID TURRET ROLLERS BEING SUPPORTED RADIALLY IN A PATH WHICH WILL BRING EACH ROLLER INTO POSITIONS SPACED FROM BUT ADJACENT SAID SUPPORT PLATE, SAID TURRET ROLLERS BEING SPACED ANGULAR DISTANCES APART APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN ROLLER MEMBERS; MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID TURRET TO BRING SAID TURRET ROLLERS INTO POSITIONS BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT ROLLER MEMBERS; MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID TURRENT ROLLERS DURING AT LEAST THAT PORTION OF THEIR MOVEMENT ABOUT THE TURRET AXIS WHICH BRINGS THEM INTO SAID POSITIONS; A SLOTTED SUPPORT SHELF DISPOSED AT THE UPPER END OF SAID SUPPORT PLATE FOR RECEIVING FRUIT MOVED BY SAID ROLLER CONVEYOR: A FRUIT RECEIVING BUCKET, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BUCKET TO PICK UP FRUIT PLACED UPON SAID SUPPORT SHELF, AND MEANS FOR PITTING SAID FRUIT WHILE IT IS SUPPORTED UPON SAID BUCKET.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF SELECTING AND SHAPING DRIED DRUPACEOUS FRUIT PREPARATORY OF PITTING, COMPRISING THE STEPS: ROLLING PIECES OF FRUIT ALONG A VERTICALLY INCLINED SUPPORTING SURFACE AND CONFINING SAID PIECES OF FRUIT BETWEEN ROTATING ROLLERS AND SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE WHILE SAID FRUIT IS BEING ROLLED ALONG A PORTION OF SAID SURFACE.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF SELECTING AND SHAPING DRIED DRUPACEOUS FRUIT PREPARATORY OF PITTING, COMPRISING THE STEPS: ROLLING PIECES OF FRUIT ALONG A VERTICALLY INCLINED SUPPORTING SURFACE AND CONFINING SAID PIECES OF FRUIT BETWEEN ROTATING ROLLERS AND SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE WHILE SAID FRUIT IS BEING ROLLED ALONG A PORTION OF SAID SURFACE.