US3602282A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Peeling treated fruit to minimize sewage waste
Assignee: FMC Corp
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Filing: 1969-10-31
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Granted: 1971-08-31
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Expires: 1989-10-31
Abstract
Abstract Pears are treated in a hot caustic bath, subjected to a holding step and steamed to loosen the skins. The pears are then confined between upper and lower, downwardly inclined coarse nettings and the nettings are oscillated to lightly abrade and dislodge the loosened skins. The loosened skins and associated caustic are collected separately for drying and incineration. The partially peeled pears are delivered to a brush washer wherein remaining fragments are removed by abrasion and flushing, thereby minimizing the amount of skins and caustic that must be sent as waste to the sewage disposal system.
Inventors
- 👤 Katsuji Hirahara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 11:38
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23N; A23N7/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
The method of continuously peeling fruit comprising the steps of caustically treating the whole fruit in order to loosen their skins, supporting and tumbling the caustically treated fruit on a normally substantially planar abradant netting without flushing the fruit to lightly abrade the fruit and to dislodge loosened skins and associated treatment caustic, collecting the dislodged skins and associated caustic separately from the fruit for dry disposition, and thereafter lightly abrading the partially peeled fruit in the presence of flushing water for completing removal of the skins and associated caustic.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
90 words
The method of continuously peeling fruit comprising the steps of caustically treating the whole fruit in order to loosen their skins, supporting and tumbling the caustically treated fruit on a normally substantially planar abradant netting without flushing the fruit to lightly abrade the fruit and to dislodge loosened skins and associated treatment caustic, collecting the dislodged skins and associated caustic separately from the fruit for dry disposition, and thereafter lightly abrading the partially peeled fruit in the presence of flushing water for completing removal of the skins and associated caustic.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the first light abrasion of the fruit is accomplished by supporting the fruit on downwardly inclined coarse netting, oscillating the netting in the direction of inclination for simultaneously abrading the fruit to dislodge skins and for causing the fruit to traverse and tumble along the netting, and causing the skins thus dislodged to fall through the netting for collection.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the first light abrasion of the fruit is further accomplished by confining the upper faces of the fruit by an upper coarse netting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said upper coarse netting is oscillated with the lower coarse netting.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
79 words
The method of peeling fruit or the like wherein the fruit has been treated to loosen the skins comprising the steps of confining the fruit between upper and lower coarse nettings with the lower netting supporting the fruit, oscillating the nettings to lightly abrade the fruit and dislodge the previously loosened skins, causing the dislodged skins to fall through the lower netting, collecting the peeled fruit from between the nettings, and collecting the dislodged skins separately from the fruit.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
79 words
The method of peeling fruit or the like wherein the fruit has been treated to loosen the skins comprising the steps of confining the fruit between upper and lower coarse nettings with the lower netting supporting the fruit, oscillating the nettings to lightly abrade the fruit and dislodge the previously loosened skins, causing the dislodged skins to fall through the lower netting, collecting the peeled fruit from between the nettings, and collecting the dislodged skins separately from the fruit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the skins are dislodged solely by oscillating the nettings and without flushing the fruit during said dislodgement, so that the dislodged skins can be disposed of in bulk instead of being flushed down a water drain.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the fruit to be peeled are pears, and the netting is oscillated at about 300 cycles per minute.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the fruit-receiving ends of the nettings are elastically restrained against free oscillation with their support.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
98 words
A fruit-peeling system for minimizing the introduction of solids and chemicals to the sewage system comprising means for treating the fruit in a hot caustic bath, a preliminary peeling unit comprising means for lightly abrading the treated fruit on a normally generally planar, oscillating coarse netting without flushing the fruit to dislodge loosened skins and associated caustic, conveyor means below said netting for collecting the dislodged skins and associated caustic separately from the fruit, a final-peeling unit comprising fruit abrading and washing means, and means for transferring the partially peeled fruit from said preliminary to said final-peeling unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
98 words
A fruit-peeling system for minimizing the introduction of solids and chemicals to the sewage system comprising means for treating the fruit in a hot caustic bath, a preliminary peeling unit comprising means for lightly abrading the treated fruit on a normally generally planar, oscillating coarse netting without flushing the fruit to dislodge loosened skins and associated caustic, conveyor means below said netting for collecting the dislodged skins and associated caustic separately from the fruit, a final-peeling unit comprising fruit abrading and washing means, and means for transferring the partially peeled fruit from said preliminary to said final-peeling unit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
A peeling unit for fruit that has been pretreated to loosen the skins, said unit comprising laterally spaced supports, upper and lower nettings on said supports for confining the fruit and with the lower netting supporting the fruit, means for introducing pretreated fruit betweeN said nettings, means for oscillating said netting supports for causing the nettings to lightly abrade the fruit and dislodge the loosened skins, and conveyor means below said nettings for separate disposal of the dislodged skins.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
A peeling unit for fruit that has been pretreated to loosen the skins, said unit comprising laterally spaced supports, upper and lower nettings on said supports for confining the fruit and with the lower netting supporting the fruit, means for introducing pretreated fruit betweeN said nettings, means for oscillating said netting supports for causing the nettings to lightly abrade the fruit and dislodge the loosened skins, and conveyor means below said nettings for separate disposal of the dislodged skins.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The peeling unit of claim 10, wherein said netting-oscillating means causes skin dislodgement without the use of flushing water during the oscillations, so that the collected skins can be subjected to a substantially dry disposal system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The unit of claim 10, wherein the netting interstices are about 1 1/2 inches across.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The unit of claim 10, wherein said netting oscillating means operates at about 300 cycles per minute.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The unit of claim 10, wherein means are provided for elastically restraining the fruit-receiving ends of said nettings against free oscillation with their supports.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
The unit of claim 10, wherein said netting supports are downwardly inclined along substantially their length so that oscillation of the supports and nettings causes the fruit to traverse along and tumble within the nettings, the lower ends of said nettings terminating in the free edges for egress of the peeled fruit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
The unit of claim 15, wherein said means for introducing pretreated fruit between the netting comprises a chute of netting material that extends through an upper end portion of said upper netting.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The unit of claim 15, wherein said netting supports are suspended by links at their ends, the links at the fruit-receiving ends being inclined from the vertical toward the links at the fruit-delivery ends, the links at the fruit-delivery ends being substantially vertical at their back stroke.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The unit of claim 17, wherein said links at the front receiving ends of the netting supports are somewhat shorter than those at the fruit delivery ends.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The unit of claim 10, wherein yielding abutments are supported by the lower netting in the paths of the fruit tumbling along the netting.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-30 | 1975-03-01 | 1975-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-30 | 1979-03-01 | 1979-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-30 | 1983-03-01 | 1983-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |