Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for separating the meat of an olive into two end portions and preparing such an olive for packing. This method and apparatus provides for receiving an olive and producing a cut substantially through the meat in a plane transverse to an axis extending through the ends of the olive, thus defining a pair of olive meat end portions each extending around and adhered to a portion of the olive pit, with the receiving and cut-producing structure being configured to restrain movement of the olive end portion along the axis while permitting movement of the pit of the olive along that axis. Also provided are first and second punches each aligned with and mounted for reciprocation along the axis between two sets of respective positions, in one set the punches being outside the respective ends of the olive meat end portions and in the other set of positions the punches extending at least partially through the olive meat end portions sufficient to dislodge the pit from the end portions. Apparatus is also provided for reciprocatingly moving these punches.

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First Claim