A fruit processing apparatus includes a chute through which fruit passes to be placed into a series of holding cups positioned around the perimeter of a first rotating indexing delivery carousel. A second rotating indexing delivery carousel is located side by side the first delivery carousel and also includes a series of cups positioned around its perimeter. Two corresponding holding cups from the rotating delivery carousels close towards each other to cooperatively form a cavity to retain the fruit therein. A small separation remains between the two cups through which passes a splitting device for splitting, with one section/half remaining within each of the two cups. An ejector for ejecting the pit from the split fruit includes at least one pick configured to strike against the pit to remove the pit from the fruit.

A fruit processing apparatus includes a chute through which fruit passes to be placed into a series of holding cups positioned around the perimeter of a first rotating indexing delivery carousel. A second rotating indexing delivery carousel is located side by side the first delivery carousel and also includes a series of cups positioned around its perimeter. Two corresponding holding cups from the rotating delivery carousels close towards each other to cooperatively form a cavity to retain the fruit therein. A small separation remains between the two cups through which passes a splitting device for splitting, with one section/half remaining within each of the two cups. An ejector for ejecting the pit from the split fruit includes at least one pick configured to strike against the pit to remove the pit from the fruit.

An avocado cutting method discloses feeding, orientation and traveling along multi-lanes of avocados (A), a pre-cutting stage to create an incision in the upper and lower portions of each avocado (A) while the avocado (A) is held with its axis stem-blossom vertically oriented, and a cutting stage for cutting each avocado (A) in the sides thereof in order to divide the avocado (A) into two halves with simultaneous hit on its pit. A multi-lane machine is also disclosed having a cutting section (54) with a plurality of pairs of separate cutting blades (55). The cutting section (54) has a plurality of plungers (56) in the form of rods, each plunger (56) being movable between the separate cutting blades (55) with respect to an upper head (43) to strike the pit (N) and move it inside the avocado (A) in order to detach it from the pulp (P).

An avocado cutting method discloses feeding, orientation and traveling along multi-lanes of avocados (A), a pre-cutting stage to create an incision in the upper and lower portions of each avocado (A) while the avocado (A) is held with its axis stem-blossom vertically oriented, and a cutting stage for cutting each avocado (A) in the sides thereof in order to divide the avocado (A) into two halves with simultaneous hit on its pit. A multi-lane machine is also disclosed having a cutting section (54) with a plurality of pairs of separate cutting blades (55). The cutting section (54) has a plurality of plungers (56) in the form of rods, each plunger (56) being movable between the separate cutting blades (55) with respect to an upper head (43) to strike the pit (N) and move it inside the avocado (A) in order to detach it from the pulp (P).

A fruit pitting and cutting method provides a fruit feeding along more fruit lanes, a pre-cutting stage to create an incision in the upper portion and the lower portion of each fruit (P), a pitting stage, in which the pit is separated from the flesh but remains inside the fruit, and a subsequent cutting stage in which a vertical cut is made in side parts of each fruit (P) to be divided into two halves. A multi-lane machine is also described that has a longitudinal frame (1), a fruit flight conveyor (3), movable upper and lower transverse heads (8, 9), a station (7) including a pre-cutting section (10), a pitting section (11), and a cutting section (12) separated in succession.

A fruit pitting and cutting method provides a fruit feeding along more fruit lanes, a pre-cutting stage to create an incision in the upper portion and the lower portion of each fruit (P), a pitting stage, in which the pit is separated from the flesh but remains inside the fruit, and a subsequent cutting stage in which a vertical cut is made in side parts of each fruit (P) to be divided into two halves. A multi-lane machine is also described that has a longitudinal frame (1), a fruit flight conveyor (3), movable upper and lower transverse heads (8, 9), a station (7) including a pre-cutting section (10), a pitting section (11), and a cutting section (12) separated in succession.

A pitting and cutting process for fruit, in particular peaches, involves the coplanar insertion, inside each fruit, of right and left upper and lower cutting blades, reciprocally horizontally separating the blades, inserting in the fruit an upper and lower pitting knife, rotating the pitting knives around the pit, vertically displacing downward both the upper cutting blades and the lower cutting blades to complete the cutting of the fruit, returning the right and left upper cutting blades and the lower cutting blades, still in reciprocal horizontal separation, and reciprocally horizontally approaching the right and left upper cutting blades and the right and left lower cutting blades for repeating the process. The related machine is also described.

A pitting and cutting process for fruit, in particular peaches, involves the coplanar insertion, inside each fruit, of right and left upper and lower cutting blades, reciprocally horizontally separating the blades, inserting in the fruit an upper and lower pitting knife, rotating the pitting knives around the pit, vertically displacing downward both the upper cutting blades and the lower cutting blades to complete the cutting of the fruit, returning the right and left upper cutting blades and the lower cutting blades, still in reciprocal horizontal separation, and reciprocally horizontally approaching the right and left upper cutting blades and the right and left lower cutting blades for repeating the process. The related machine is also described.

An avocado cutting and pitting process has steps of: vertically approaching pairs of knives to the fruit-holding flights so that blades of each pair of knives are inserted in opposite sides of the avocado and in diametrical slots of fruit-holding flights recesses; horizontally moving the pairs of knives so that the blades approach each other around the same avocado pit; horizontally moving the pairs of knives so that the blades move away from each other with respect to the pit; lowering plungers for beating the pits; lifting the plungers with respect to the pits; and vertically removing the pairs of knives with respect to the avocados cut and pitted on the fruit-holding flights. A multi-lane machine for the process is also described.

An avocado cutting and pitting process has steps of: vertically approaching pairs of knives to the fruit-holding flights so that blades of each pair of knives are inserted in opposite sides of the avocado and in diametrical slots of fruit-holding flights recesses; horizontally moving the pairs of knives so that the blades approach each other around the same avocado pit; horizontally moving the pairs of knives so that the blades move away from each other with respect to the pit; lowering plungers for beating the pits; lifting the plungers with respect to the pits; and vertically removing the pairs of knives with respect to the avocados cut and pitted on the fruit-holding flights. A multi-lane machine for the process is also described.