Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for slicing broccoli and the like into relatively uniform spears suitable for packing and freezing by grasping the stem end of the broccoli in clamping jaws with the main portion of the broccoli head depending vertically, moving a plurality of slicing knives upwardly to slice through said main portion, and severing the stem portion from the sliced portion to provide spears of similar size and shape. The heads of broccoli move along a feed conveyor and erecting means to a transfer station where their stem ends are grasped by clamping jaws carried on a rotary turntable in vertical alignment with a slicing knife assembly reciprocable vertically in response to the rotation of the turntable. A rotary knife severs the stem ends from the spears which drop onto a discharge conveyor. All of the described actions occur as the broccoli moves at a constant uniform speed through the slicing machine. The system provides multiple slicing machines arrayed along a supply conveyor, with each machine accomodating a specific size range of broccoli heads, and being adjustable to different size ranges. Intermixed broccoli heads of varying sizes are manually transferred from the supply conveyor to the feed conveyors of the correct slicing machines for the size of the broccoli head.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim