Fruit hydrating method and apparatus

Claim 1

A HYDRATING APPARATUS FOR DATES COMPRISING A FEED TANK; A RECEIVING TANK; A SIPHON TUBE HAVING AN INLET IN THE FEED TANK, AN OUTLET IN THE RECEIVING TANK, AND AN ELEVATED CENTRAL PORTION, SAID TUBE BEING TELESCOPIC AT OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ELEVATED PORTION WHEREBY SAID PORTION CAN BE ADJUSTABLY RAISED AND LOWERED; LIQUID IN THE TANKS THE INLET IN THE FEED TANK AND THE OUTLET IN THE RECEIVING TANK BEING LOCATED AT PREDETERMINED POSITIONS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE TANKS BELOW THE FLUID LEVELS THEREIN; A PUMP CONNECTED TO THE ELEVATED PORTION OF THE TUBE ADAPTED TO EVACUATE AIR THEREFROM; A HOOPER HAVING PERFORATED WEALLS MOUNTED IN THE FEED TANK IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INLET OF THE TUBE; A FLOAT VALVE IN THE RECEIVING TANK CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF LIQUID ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN THE FLUID IN SAID TANK AT A PREDETERMINED LEBEL ABOVE PERFORATIONS IN THE WALLS OF THE HOPPER; AND A PUMP CONNECTED BETWEEN THE TANKS ADAPTED TO PUMP LIQUID FROM THE RECEIVING TANK INTO THE FEED TANK AT A RATE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE SIPHON FLUID CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE TUBE AND TO MAINTAIN LIQUID IN THE FEED TANK AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN IN THE RECEIVING TANK.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF HYDRATING FRUIT COMPRISING IMMERSING THE FRUIT IN A LIQUID AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, SIPHONING THE FRUIT AND LIQUID OVER AN ELEVATION SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE LEVEL AT WHICH THE FRUIT IS IMMERSED IN THE LIQUID, AND DISCHARGING THE SIPHONED FRUIT AND LIQUID INTO A POOL OF HE LIQUID AT A LEVEL SLIGHTLY BELOW THAT AT WHICH THE FRUIT IS IMMERSED, WHICH POOL IS SUBJECTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF HYDRATING FRUIT COMPRISING IMMERSING THE FRUIT IN A LIQUID AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, SIPHONING THE FRUIT AND LIQUID OVER AN ELEVATION SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE LEVEL AT WHICH THE FRUIT IS IMMERSED IN THE LIQUID, AND DISCHARGING THE SIPHONED FRUIT AND LIQUID INTO A POOL OF HE LIQUID AT A LEVEL SLIGHTLY BELOW THAT AT WHICH THE FRUIT IS IMMERSED, WHICH POOL IS SUBJECTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.