Abstract:
An apparatus (10) for conveying and sorting products, in particular fruit and vegetable products, comprising product supporting elements (12) and means (14) for feeding the product supporting elements (12) along a respective feed path, in particular having a plurality of stations for receiving products respectively sorted; wherein the product supporting elements comprise a plurality of elements (12) each designed to support a respective product and which have respective means (16) for supporting and/or rotating the corresponding product and having means (210) for connecting to the feed means (14). The means (16) for supporting and/or rotating the product extend alongside the means (210) for connecting to the feed means and are in the form of respective means which rotate about a corresponding axis extending or directed along the feed direction of the corresponding product supporting element (12).
Abstract:
Fruit and vegetable transport system for a harvesting machine and harvesting machine that comprises a plurality of carrier units (2) for depositing a piece of fruit or vegetable in each one, said system (1) including means (8,9) for dragging said plurality of carrier units (2), said dragging means (8,9) determining a conveyor circuit that includes at least one section (6) for unloading said units (2) into a container, and at least one section (5) for loading the same units (2), once the fruit or vegetable has been deposited inside said container, wherein said dragging means comprise a chain (8) of links provided with means (9) for integrally joining said carrier units to said chain (8), each link (8a, 8b) of said chain (8) including an axis (13, 14) for a swivel joint with the adjacent link (8a, 8b), the axis (13, 14) of two adjacent links (8a, 8b) of said chain (8) determining a substantially right angle which allows the relative rotation of said links (8a, 8b) to guide said fruit or vegetable carrier units (2) in a predetermined place of the circuit. The machine (4) comprises a frame (3) provided with self-propulsion and travel means and the claimed transport system (1).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a conveyor (1) for feeding products, such as fruit, to, and transferring these onto a sorting conveyor (2) with conveying locations at fixed intermediate distances in at least one row, for instance a roller belt, wherein the conveyor (1) is provided with two flatendless conveyor belts (4a, 4b) positioned obliquely relative to a vertical plane, proceeding in a conveying direction (t) functioning as V-Channel, wherein at least one of these flat conveyors belts (4a, 4b) diverges from said conveying direction (t) wherein said at least one diverging flat conveyor belt (4a, 4b) is guided over a diverging path which gradually diverges substantially sideways.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a holder, device or method for sorting and/or transporting products, the holder comprises: a product carrier (4) movable in a transport direction for receiving and transporting the product to be transported; a first shaft (6) operatively connected to the product carrier (4) for rotating the product carrier in order to discharge the product transported with the product carrier; tilting means (14) for tilting the product carrier (4) about the first shaft (6) at a discharge position; and a second shaft (8) which is operatively connected to the product carrier (4) and to which a flexible member (10) can be releasably attached for discharging the product from the product carrier (4) in controlled manner.
Abstract:
A decelerator device for apples or the like is disclosed. The apples are delivered to the decelerator device by a tube which can be provided with either a positive pressure upstream of the transported objects or a downstream of the transporter device. In one embodiment of the invention, the decelerator is provided with an area of reduced pressure in communication with the distal end of the transport tube. A receiving device such as a plurality of inter-engaged wheels receives the apples of other objects in the area of reduced pressure. The wheels or conveyors receive objects between opposed sealing surfaces, reduce the traveling speed of the object, and transport the object to an area of ambient pressure. The sealing surfaces are disengaged from the transported objects in the area of ambient pressure, and the objects are delivered to a transport path, dry bin, or other desired structure. In another embodiment of the invention, a counter flow of air reduces the speed of the object traveling along the tube.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for sorting products, for example fruit, comprising, an endless sorting conveyor for conveying products in at least one row in a substantially horizontal plane in a conveying direction T, wherein this conveyor at its beginning takes over the products from a supply unit and wherein the products are conveyed in separate, substantially horizontally positioned carriers arranged in the at least one row in succession with fixed intermediate distances, wherein the carriers are movable to unload a product between the beginning and the remote end of the conveyor from the carrier out of the row, wherein furthermore at least two discharge conveyors are provided for discharging the unloaded products, wherein the carriers are asymmetrical in shape. Such carriers or cups are used in a sorting machine and are tiltable to unload the products at the right discharge section. With advantage, the carrier portion has a pentagonal shape, whereby the products quickly find a conveying position, no further products can take up a position there, which further enlarges the sorting capacity of the machine.
Abstract:
Fruit handling equipment comprising a conveyor having a plurality of linked carriages, each supporting at least one fruit carrying cup pivotally secured to the carriage, each cup having a latching mechanism operable to hold the cup in a fruit carrying mode and releasable to cause the cup to pivot to a delatched position to eject the fruit, and remotely controllable means in each carriage to release the latching mechanism.
Abstract:
A produce cutting machine may include a supporting structure, an endless conveyor coupled to the supporting structure and produce holding cups coupled to the endless conveyor. A pivoting cutting frame may house cutting assemblies with curved cutting blades configured to cut produce. The pivoting cutting frame may pivot to a lowered position above the endless conveyor to locate the cutting assemblies in a cutting location. A primary connecting rod may synchronically couple the endless conveyor with the pivoting cutting frame such that the produce holding cups and cutting assemblies converge at the cutting location. At convergence, a positional sensor may trigger an actuator to close the cutting assemblies and cut the produce. With produce such as broccoli and cauliflower, the cutting may produce florets.
Abstract:
The system (1) comprising a conveyor line (3) defined by a plurality of rollers (5) in which there are determined housing seats of the product (2) between adjacent rollers (5), a selection station (6) in which by means of at least one first member (7 or 8) at least one feature of the product (2) is detected, and a station (17) in which by means of a second member (18) the products (2) with the same features are sorted towards the same destination. The system (1), upstream of said selection station (6), comprises at least one assembly (24) adapted to determine the rotation of the rollers (5) so that the product (2) accommodated in its seat may either correctly settle in such a seat or shifts into an adjacent seat.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an apparatus for removing undesirable products, for instance eggs or fruits, from a stream of products which are fed in at least one single row on well-defined positions of an endless feed conveyor, for instance lying on rollers of a roller conveyor, and which are transferred in conveying direction to and onto at least one single row of an endless follow -on conveyor which is placed at virtually the same height in alignment with said feed conveyor, wherein the transfer of each product is carried out by a product transfer element which, upon transfer, takes up a transfer position between and in alignment with the two said rows, wherein the said undesirable products are removed from the stream of products at the end of said feed conveyor, wherein the product transfer element is energized and is removed from the transfer position, wherein the product transfer element takes up the transfer position only during transfer of the products from the feed conveyor to and onto the follow-on conveyor, while in the stream of products after the feed conveyor and prior to the follow-on conveyor the desired products only come into contact with said product transfer elements. Preferably, the product transfer elements are provided on a cylinder drum between said feed conveyor and said follow-on conveyor.