Fruit processing apparatus

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR REMOVING THE SKINS FROM EASILY DAMAGED FRUIT OF THE TYPE WHEREIN MEANS ARE PROVIDED FOR TREATING THE FRUIT IN A CAUSTIC BATH FOR LOOSENING THE SKINS, A SKIN REMOVER FOR THE TREATED FRUIT COMPRISING AN ENDLESS BELT HAVING A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED UPPER REACH AND PROVIDING A FRICTION SURFACE, FRUIT ABUTMENT MEANS FOR RETARDING MOTION ON THE FRUIT DOWN THE UPPER REACH OF SAID BELT, AND MEANS FOR RECEIVING SKINNED FRUIT FROM SAID BELT; THE IMPROVEMENTS WHEREIN THE FRICTION SURFACE OF SAID BELT IS FREE OF SUBSTANTIAL PROJECTIONS AND SKIN PIERCING ELEMENTS OVER MOST OF ITS AREA FOR FIRMLY ENGAGING THE SKINS AND WIPING THEM FREE OF THE FRUIT, AND WHEREIN SAID FRUIT RETARDING MEANS COMPRISES BAFFLE MEANS PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF UPSTANDING FRUIT ABUTMENT FACES ARRANGED GENERALLY LONGITUDINALLY ALONG THE UPPER REACH OF SAID BELT BUT WHICH ABUTMENT FACES ALSO HAVE A LIMITED LATERAL EXTENT SO THAT THE FRUIT RICOCHETS FROM SUCCESSIVE FACES WHILE TUMBLING DOWN THE BELT AT A RELATIVELY RAPID RATE.