Fruit stemmer

Claim 2

Apparatus for separating solid matter from a dimensionally larger object to which the solid matter is attached comprising at least two longitudinal rollers having infeed and delivery ends, means mounting the rollers in spaced relation for rotation about fixed axes, helical gripping elements mounted on said rollers in meshing engagement with each other, and means for imparting rotation to said rollers in opposite directions to detach the solid matter from the object, the object being conveyed along the axes of the rollers toward the delivery ends because of said meshing engagement between the helical gripping elements.

Claim 3

Apparatus for separating solid matter from a dimensionally larger object to which the solid matter is attached comprising at least two longidutinal rollers, means mounting the rollers in spaced relation for rotation about fixed axes, helical gripping elements mounted on said rollers in meshing engagement with each other, and means for imparting rotation to said rollers in opposite directons to detach the solid matter from the object while conveying the object along the axes of the rollers, said rotation imparting means being drivingly connected to the rollers at an infeed end, said roller mounting means including spaced bearing elements supporting the rollers at a delivery end opposite the infeed end, the spacing between the bearing elements being dimensionally less than the object to permit gravitational separation of loose debris.

Claim 4

Apparatus for separating solid matter from a dimensionally larger object to which the solid matter is attached comprising at least two longidutinal rollers, means mounting the rollers in spaced relation for rotation about fixed axes, helical gripping elements mounted on said rollers in meshing engagement with each other, and means for imparting rotation to said rollers in opposite directons to detach the solid matter from the object while conveying the object along the axes of the rollers, said rotation imparting means being drivingly connected to the rollers at an infeed end, said roller mounting means including spaced bearing elements supporting the rollers at a delivery end opposite the infeed end, the spacing between the bearing elements being dimensionally less than the object to permit gravitational separation of loose debris.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 2 wherein ssaid helical gripping elements are made of a pliable material compressed by the solid matter drawn downwardly therebetween.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 wherein said solid matter is a stem of a fruit constituting the object.

Claim 7

Apparatus for detaching stems from ovate fruit comprising a plurality of rollers having infeed and delivery ends, a frame rotationably mounting the rollers about parallel spaced axes, pliable means mounted by the rollers in intermeshing relationship to each other for supporting the fruit above the rollers, and drive means imparting rotation to the rollers in opposite directions for gripping the stems between the pliable means to draw the same downwardly and conveying the fruit parallel to said axes toward said delivery ends.

Claim 8

Apparatus for detaching stems from ovate fruit comprising a plurality of rollers having infeed and delivery ends, a frame rotationably mounting the rollers about parallel spaced axes, pliable means mounted by the rollers in intermeshing relationship to each other for supporting the fruit above the rollers, and drive means imparting rotation to the rollers in opposite directions for gripping the stems between the pliable means to draw the same downwardly and conveying the fruit parallel to said axes toward said delivery ends.

Claim 9

Apparatus for detaching stems from ovate fruit comprising a plurality of rollers, a frame rotationably mounting the rollers about parallel spaced axes, pliable means mounted by the rollers in intermeshing relationship to each other for supporting the fruit above the rollers, drive means imparting rotation to the rollers in opposite directions for gripping the stems between the pliable means and drawing the same downwardly, and spaced bearing elements supporting the rollers at said delivery end, the clearance between the bearing elements being dimensionally less than the fruit to permit gravitational separation of loose debris from the destemmed fruit.

Claim 10

Apparatus for detaching stems from ovate fruit comprising a plurality of rollers, a frame rotationably mounting the rollers about parallel spaced axes, pliable means mounted by the rollers in intermeshing relationship to each other for supporting the fruit above the rollers, drive means imparting rotation to the rollers in opposite directions for gripping the stems between the pliable means and drawing the same downwardly, and spaced bearing elements supporting the rollers at said delivery end, the clearance between the bearing elements being dimensionally less than the fruit to permit gravitational separation of loose debris from the destemmed fruit.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 6 wherein said pliable means comprises helical elements conveying the fruit along the axes of the rollers from an infeed end to a delivery end in response to rotation of the rollers.

Claim 12

Apparatus for separating solid matter from a dimensionally larger object to which the solid matter is attached comprising at least two longitudinal rollers, means mounting the rollers in spaced relation for rotation about fixed axes, helical gripping elEments mounted on said rollers in meshing engagement with each other, and means for imparting rotation to said rollers in opposite directions to detach the solid matter from the object, the object being conveyed along the axes of the rollers because of said meshing engagement substantially without any axial clearance along the rollers.

Claim 13

Apparatus for separating solid matter from a dimensionally larger object to which the solid matter is attached comprising at least two longitudinal rollers, means mounting the rollers in spaced relation for rotation about fixed axes, helical gripping elEments mounted on said rollers in meshing engagement with each other, and means for imparting rotation to said rollers in opposite directions to detach the solid matter from the object, the object being conveyed along the axes of the rollers because of said meshing engagement substantially without any axial clearance along the rollers.