METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A LIQUID CONTAINING A POST-HARVEST TREATMENT ORGANIC COMPOUND TO GENERALLY SPHERICAL OR OVOID AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE ITEMS

摘要

An apparatus for applying a liquid containing a post-harvest-treatment organic compound to generally spherical or ovoid produce items, the apparatus including: a first set of cylindrical brushes, each rotatable about its axis in a first direction, the axes of the first set of brushes being generally parallel, lying generally in a common horizontal plane, and positioned sufficiently close to one another to create a rolling transport platform having a series of alternating peaks and troughs for the items; a second set of at least one brush positioned above the first set so that the bristles of both sets are deformed as the items pass between them. The liquid is applied to the second brush set, which may include multiple rotating cylindrical brushes having horizontal parallel axes, at least one stationary or movable flat brush, multiple right-conical section brushes, or multiple cylindrical brushes having skewed, horizontal axes.