Method for preparing pineapple

Claim 1

A method of preparing fresh pineapple or like fruit comprising A. positioning the fruit in an inflatable pocket structure and gripping said fruit intermediate its opposite ends by inflating said pocket structure, B. removing the skin from said opposite ends to expose the meat thereat, C. coring said fruit, D. trimming said cored fruit to a predetermined length, E. inserting a supporting mandrel through said cored fruit, F. releasing said grip on said cored fruit intermediate said ends by deflating said pocket structure, G. removing additional skin from said fruit between said opposite ends to expose the meat between said ends, and H. cutting said fruit to cylindrical form of predetermined diameter.

Claim 2

A method of preparing fresh pineapple or like fruit comprising A. positioning the fruit in an inflatable pocket structure and gripping said fruit intermediate its opposite ends by inflating said pocket structure, B. removing the skin from said opposite ends to expose the meat thereat, C. coring said fruit, D. trimming said cored fruit to a predetermined length, E. inserting a supporting mandrel through said cored fruit, F. releasing said grip on said cored fruit intermediate said ends by deflating said pocket structure, G. removing additional skin from said fruit between said opposite ends to expose the meat between said ends, and H. cutting said fruit to cylindrical form of predetermined diameter.

Claim 6

A method of preparing a quantity of fresh pineapple or like fruit in sequence comprising A. providing a supply of fruit, B. introducing fruit individually and in sequence into a movable holder having a plurality of inflatable pockets therein, C. at a first station gripping the outer surface of each fruit introduced into an inflatable pocket of said holder intermediate the ends of such fruit by inflating the pocket in which said fruit is positioned, D. at a second station peeling opposite ends of each fruit while the same is gripped by said inflatable pocket to expose the meat at said ends, E. at a third station removing the core of each fruit to provide an opening therethrough extending between said opposite ends, F. at a fourth station trimming each cored fruit to predetermined length, G. at a fifth station supporting each cored fruit internally and releasing said grip on said outer surface thereof by deflating said pocket in which said fruit is positioned, and H. at a sixth station removing the remainder of the skin from each fruit while the same is supported internally to expose the meaT between said ends and cutting each fruit to cylindrical contour of predetermined diameter.

Claim 7

A method of preparing a quantity of fresh pineapple or like fruit in sequence comprising A. providing a supply of fruit, B. introducing fruit individually and in sequence into a movable holder having a plurality of inflatable pockets therein, C. at a first station gripping the outer surface of each fruit introduced into an inflatable pocket of said holder intermediate the ends of such fruit by inflating the pocket in which said fruit is positioned, D. at a second station peeling opposite ends of each fruit while the same is gripped by said inflatable pocket to expose the meat at said ends, E. at a third station removing the core of each fruit to provide an opening therethrough extending between said opposite ends, F. at a fourth station trimming each cored fruit to predetermined length, G. at a fifth station supporting each cored fruit internally and releasing said grip on said outer surface thereof by deflating said pocket in which said fruit is positioned, and H. at a sixth station removing the remainder of the skin from each fruit while the same is supported internally to expose the meaT between said ends and cutting each fruit to cylindrical contour of predetermined diameter.

Claim 14

A method of preparing fresh pineapple or like fruit comprising A. providing a supply of fruit, B. providing a rotatable turret having a plurality of inflatable pockets therein, C. withdrawing successive fruit from said supply and introducing the same in sequence into successive pockets of said turret at a feeding station, D. centering successive fruit in sequence in said turret pockets at said feeding station and gripping the same for movement with said turret by inflating such pockets, E. indexing said turret to position successive gripped fruit in sequence at an end contouring station,

Claim 15

A method of preparing fresh pineapple or like fruit comprising A. providing a supply of fruit, B. providing a rotatable turret having a plurality of inflatable pockets therein, C. withdrawing successive fruit from said supply and introducing the same in sequence into successive pockets of said turret at a feeding station, D. centering successive fruit in sequence in said turret pockets at said feeding station and gripping the same for movement with said turret by inflating such pockets, E. indexing said turret to position successive gripped fruit in sequence at an end contouring station,

Claim 19

A method of preparing fresh pineapple or like fruit comprising A. positioning a fruit in an inflatable pocket structure and gripping said fruit intermediate its opposite ends by inflating said pocket structure, B. removing the skin from said opposite ends of said fruit to expose the meat thereat, C. coring said fruit to provide a longitudal opening therethrough, D. trimming said cored fruit to a predetermined length, E. inserting a supporting mandrel into said cored fruit through the longitudal opening formed therein, F. releasing said grip on said cored fruit by deflating said pocket structure, and G. removing additional skin from said cored fruit between said opposite ends to expose the meat between said ends.

Claim 20

A method of preparing fresh pineapple or like fruit comprising A. positioning a fruit in an inflatable pocket structure and gripping said fruit intermediate its opposite ends by inflating said pocket structure, B. removing the skin from said opposite ends of said fruit to expose the meat thereat, C. coring said fruit to provide a longitudal opening therethrough, D. trimming said cored fruit to a predetermined length, E. inserting a supporting mandrel into said cored fruit through the longitudal opening formed therein, F. releasing said grip on said cored fruit by deflating said pocket structure, and G. removing additional skin from said cored fruit between said opposite ends to expose the meat between said ends.

Claim 21

A method of preparing a quantity of fresh pineapple or like fruit in sequence comprising A. providing a supply of fruit, B. introducing fruit individually and in sequence into a movable holder having a plurality of inflatable pocket structures therein, C. at a first station gripping the outer surface of each fruit introduced into an inflatable pocket structure of said holder intermediate the ends of such fruit by inflating the pocket structure in which said fruit is positioned, D. at a second station peeling opposite ends of each fruit while the same is gripped in said inflatable pocket structure to expose the meat at said ends, E. at a third station removing the core of each fruit to provide an opening longitudinally therethrough extending between said opposite ends, F. at a fourth station trimming each cored fruit to a predetermined length. G. at a fifth station supporting each cored fruit internally and releasing said grip on said outer surface thereof by deflating said pocket structure in which said fruit is positioned, and H. at a sixth station removing the remainder of the skin from each fruit while the same is supported internally to expose the meat between said opposite ends.

Claim 22

A method of preparing a quantity of fresh pineapple or like fruit in sequence comprising A. providing a supply of fruit, B. introducing fruit individually and in sequence into a movable holder having a plurality of inflatable pocket structures therein, C. at a first station gripping the outer surface of each fruit introduced into an inflatable pocket structure of said holder intermediate the ends of such fruit by inflating the pocket structure in which said fruit is positioned, D. at a second station peeling opposite ends of each fruit while the same is gripped in said inflatable pocket structure to expose the meat at said ends, E. at a third station removing the core of each fruit to provide an opening longitudinally therethrough extending between said opposite ends, F. at a fourth station trimming each cored fruit to a predetermined length. G. at a fifth station supporting each cored fruit internally and releasing said grip on said outer surface thereof by deflating said pocket structure in which said fruit is positioned, and H. at a sixth station removing the remainder of the skin from each fruit while the same is supported internally to expose the meat between said opposite ends.