Fmc Corporation

Stephen D Cross

Elmer F Frost, Jr

David N Anderson

Guillermo T Segredo

William M Easter

Wilber C Belk

Paul L Ballentine

Citrus juice extraction equipment is provided with an annular cutter head provided with a plurality of apertures or window means which allow peel oil that is pressed out of plug of citrus fuit rind cut by annular cutter head to pass therethrough and join the rind of citrus fruit which passes adjacent the windows in the annular cutter head when the citrus fruit is being processed to extract citrus juice.

Juice extractor having modified plug-forming cutter

Disclosed is a citrus fruit extractor of the type wherein a whole fruit is positioned in one of opposed interfitting cup halves which are provided with means for cutting the skin or rind at diametrically opposed areas. Concurrent movement of one or both cups toward each other compresses the fruit and produces the diametrically opposed cuts. Cutting and compressing ruptures the juice sacks and the juice flows through one of the cut areas of the skin, through a screen and to a collecting trough. In its path to the trough, the juice makes little or no contact with the freshly cut surfaces of the skin.

Citrus juice extractor

An apparatus for extracting several frozen confections from the mold cups of the mold member of a freezing apparatus and for conveying the frozen confections away from the freezing apparatus while rotating each confection 90.degree. and separating the confections to wider intervals. Such extractor-conveyor includes a plurality of extractor bar assemblies and an endless conveyor for moving the extractor bar assemblies from an extraction station to an ejection station. Each extractor bar assembly includes a plurality of gripper units that are initially arranged at relatively close intervals along the length of the extractor bar assembly that are each aligned with their direction of travel. The gripper units are connected by links and are mounted within a transverse channel so they may be rotated and separated as they are conveyed by a camming rail that is positioned to engage a cam follower roller attached to an end gripper unit.

Stick confection extraction apparatus

In a system for producing frozen confections without molds, a transfer conveyor is provided for picking up the confections from a freezer conveyor and dropping them on a wrapper conveyor which transfer conveyor includes a large number of carriages pivotally mounted in series to an endless chain. Each carriage has a pair of scissorable arms and tongs detachably mounted to the arms for engaging a confection. The arms are opened by a wedge mounted on a push rod, and a pneumatic cylinder is used at the drop zone to rapidly extend the push rod and thereby quickly open the tongs so that the confection will fall through a predetermined trajectory. The retracted position of the wedge and rod, and thus the closed position of the tongs, is controlled by a stop assembly that is slidably mounted on the carriage. The positions of the stop assemblies of the carriages can be sequentially reset as they engage an adjustable deflector mounted to the main frame, thus vastly reducing the switchover time to a new type of confection. A track arrangement is provided for supporting the free ends of the carriages and includes a rod at the pickup point that is vertically adjustable to select the height at which a confection is grasped. A mechanism is also provided for sensing when a confection is stuck to the freezer conveyor which operates to disengage the tongs from the stuck confection at the pickup point.

Transfer conveyor for frozen confections

An improved carriage for use in a conveyor for transferring frozen confections includes a pair of scissorable tong-receiving arms. A pair of tongs are detachably mounted on the arms in a manner which facilitates rapid replacement of the tongs. Each tong is pivotable on a pin extending transversely of the arms and is held by a spring clip that remains attached to the arm during removal and replacement of the tong. Preferably, the clip is generally U-shaped and attached to the arm such that the inner wall thereof abuts against the inner surface of the tong. Such inner wall has an inwardly bent tip which snaps into place against the tong when the tong has been pivoted into alignment with the arm.

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Stephen D Cross