西班牙专利ES2753673A1 Methods and apparatus for hulling crops

专利PDF首页>>西班牙专利

专利附录

专利说明

权利要求

类似技术

同族专利

引用文献

法律状态

优先权

专利摘要:
Improved methods and apparatus for dry hulling or dry peeling harvested crops, particularly pistachio nuts, are disclosed. The methods and apparatus of the present invention provide crop harvesting with great efficiency resulting in consistently high percentages of hulled or peeled crops and low percentages of nut breakage, without increasing processing times regardless of the sizes of the crops being hulled or peeled. The methods and apparatus of the present invention also provide for a relatively small overall machine footprint, plus easy and efficient removal and replacement of the impingement drum to accommodate for different drum speeds, different crop sizes, different bolt patterns, different bolt sizes, and other variations allowing embodiments of the invention to be used on a wide range of nuts and vegetables of different varieties, sizes and shapes.
公开号:ES2753673A1
申请号:ES202090005
申请日:2018-08-17
公开日:2020-04-13
发明作者:Ahmad Foroutanaliabad
申请人:Zymex Ind Inc；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

[0001]
[0002] Crop husking procedures and apparatus
[0003]
[0004] FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0005]
[0006] The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for shelling or peeling harvested crops, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for removing pistachio rinds without the use of water.
[0007]
[0008] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0009]
[0010] It is well known that harvested nuts should generally be processed and shelled within a relatively short period of time after harvest. Pistachios are particularly troublesome since, if the pistachio rinds are not removed quickly from the shells after harvest, the light color of the shell may stain, giving the pistachio a less attractive appearance and reducing its value of market. In addition, there is a bond between the shells and the shells of the pistachios, making it difficult to remove the shells, especially if the pistachios are not fully ripe.
[0011]
[0012] Modern cultivation practices have resulted in the harvesting of large volumes of nuts at the same time, or more or less, requiring shelling and large-scale processing for a relatively short period of time. Consequently, numerous mechanical devices and machines have been developed for large-scale processing and shelling of nuts. It is desirable that such nut harvesting machines avoid nut breakage as much as possible, to provide efficient processing (shelled / peeled) of nuts, to provide a high percentage of processed nuts, to provide good ratio of capacity in relation to the occupied surface of the machine and to provide a constant performance regardless of the sizes of nuts and / or varieties of nuts. Unfortunately, current dry pistachio husking machines cannot meet one or more of these standards, resulting in losses of unprocessed nuts, broken or damaged nuts, and / or inadmissibly long processing times.
[0013] Many existing nut shelling machines include a rotating drum that has a boss or bolt pattern on its surface, a hopper that feeds the nuts in contact with the drum, the hopper including a front plate and a back plate to guide the nuts. See, Shamsi, M., et al., Performance evaluation of a bolt type pistachio hulling machine, Journal of Agricultural Technology, 2011 vol. 7 (1), 57-62 (2011). See figure 1.
[0014]
[0015] In such systems, the pistachio rinds are removed from the shells as a result of the impact of the bumps on the drum surface against the rinds. In such machines, a back plate (Shamsi "plate 2") is located in the upper half circle of the drum in one quadrant, and a front plate (Shamsi "plate 1") is located in an adjacent upper quadrant upstream of the direction of rotation of the drum. The nuts are fed to the hopper area between the front and rear plate. As the drum is rotated, the nuts are pushed onto the back plate, which is placed above the bumps on the drum. The nuts are hit by the bumps on the drum, causing the rinds to be cut, chopped and / or split from the nuts' shells. The pieces or shells of the bark (Shamsi's "skin discharge") then pass through a space between the backplate and the drum. This space is too small for the shelled nuts to come out, so they are forced up against the back plate until they fall into the drum, where they move in a direction of rotation that is contrary to the rotation of the drum. As the drum rotates in one direction, it causes a counter rotation of the nuts that are in the drum and trapped by the front and rear plate to collectively rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation of the drum in a semi-fluid manner. Finally, the shelled nuts (Shamsi's "shelling discharge") travel to the front plate and exit through a different space between the front plate and the drum. Therefore, the front plate gap acts as a "gauge" for the dried fruit to process, allowing the peeled dried fruit to pass through, but not the unpeeled dried fruit. The opening size of this space determines the maximum diameter of the nuts that can come out of the machine. Unfortunately, in many cases (particularly when a wider gap is used for larger nuts), smaller shelled nuts may also leak through this gap between the face plate and the drum, resulting in in less processing of these nuts by these machines, reducing the percentage of usable shelled nuts.
[0016] As noted in Shamsi et al, the tested pistachio husking machines only processed an average of approximately 73.8 % of the dried fruit, with an average of approximately 25.5% of the raw dried fruit. Therefore, about a quarter of all nuts entering such machines were not processed. Therefore, it is desirable to improve the percentage of nuts actually processed by pistachio and other nuts shelling machines without increasing the processing time or breakage of the nuts.
[0017]
[0018] An attempt to improve shelling of nuts is found in US Patent Publication. USA No. 2015/0223514 (Nakhei-Nejad - '514). The '514 application describes a husking plate that can be adjusted to establish a gap between the husking plate and the drum through which the removed rinds leave the machine, and a separation plate that can also be adjusted to establish a Different space between the separation plate and the drum through which the shelled or peeled dried fruit can leave the machine. The sizes of these gaps are not described, although in one embodiment the spacer gap is angled to be wider at one end, and a helical bulge pattern is provided in the drum that pushes nuts from one end of the drum towards the other, where the widest space is located. Unfortunately, the invention of the '514 application does not appreciably improve the percentage of truly shelled nuts, and the gradually increasing spacer space will allow many unprocessed nuts to pass through. In particular, the spacer space on the '514 application plate remains a gauge, as it only allows the nuts to come out according to their size at any given point on the drum. Therefore, if a particular size dried fruit that does not peel when it reaches the space that is larger than the diameter of the dried fruit, that unpeeled dried fruit will fall unprocessed; and a dried fruit that is peeled at the beginning of the procedure cannot come out until it reaches a part of the opening that is wider than its diameter. In addition, the front and back plates of the '514 application are located in different quadrants.
[0019]
[0020] Another attempt to improve shelling of nuts is found in US Patent Publication. USA No. 2015/0282518 (Tjerrild - '518). The '518 application describes adjusting the position of the back plate in a range of between 10 ° and 80 ° along the circumference of the drum relative to the horizontal, and the inclination of the back plate somewhere from 10 ° positive at negative 15 °. The back plate has a lower cut edge that is adjustable to position approximately 1mm above the drum bosses. The '581 application is silent regarding the position of the faceplate relative to the drum bosses. In the '518 application, the back plate is located in one quadrant (18), and the front plate is located in another quadrant (16). The '518 application describes the use of a gallon or dowel boss pattern that contacts the nuts at an oblique angle and pushes them toward the center of the drum. Unfortunately, the invention of the '518 application does not appreciably improve the percentage of nuts actually shelled, does not compensate for nuts of different sizes, can cause undesirable accumulation of nuts without shelling on the backplate, and can cause substantial breakage of the nuts on the back plate. Lateral drum removal also requires removal of one or both plates first.
[0021]
[0022] Consequently, there is still a need in the dried fruit industry, and particularly in the pistachio industry, for automatic shelling machines that provide a low percentage of breakage of the dried fruit (less than 1%), high peeling efficiency, a high percentage of processed nuts (greater than the average of 73.8%), a good capacity ratio in relation to the occupied surface of the machine and a constant yield regardless of the sizes of the nuts and / or varieties of nuts. The apparatus and methods of the present invention address all of these needs.
[0023]
[0024] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0025]
[0026] The present invention includes methods and apparatus for shelling harvested nuts, particularly pistachios, with high efficiency resulting in consistently high percentages of shelled nuts (90% or more) and low percentages of nut breakage (less than 1%). regardless of the sizes of the nuts that are shelled without increasing processing times. Embodiments of the present invention can also be used to peel vegetables such as, without limitation, carrots and potatoes without using water. The methods and apparatus of the present invention also provide a relatively small total machine footprint, in addition to easy and efficient removal and replacement of the impact drum, allowing the use of different bolt patterns, different bolt sizes and other variations so that Embodiments of the invention can be used in a wide range of varieties of nuts and vegetables, sizes and shapes (crops).
[0027]
[0028] Embodiments of the invention are designed to increase the number of impacts (bumps or contacts) between bumps on the drum and the crops being processed, without increasing breakage, and with little or no increase in processing times. This is accomplished using one or more of the following aspects of the invention independently or together: (1) a high start position for the backplate at or near the top dead center, (2) a vertical or very steep angle of the back plate, (3) a vertical or very steep angle of the front plate, (4) front and rear plates in relatively close proximity to each other, (5) an adjustable center opening in the front plate, (6) a pattern of protrusions in the drum that gently push the dried fruit towards the central opening in the front plate, and / or (7) specially formed protuberances in the drum that prevent the breakage of the dried fruit and improve the peeling of the dried fruit. Among other things, each of these aspects alone and / or in conjunction with some or all of the others has the effect of causing a tighter and faster counter-rotation of the crops that are processed in different embodiments of the invention, which increases the number of drum hits within the same travel distance. In some embodiments of the invention, the back plate is located at the top dead center or in the same quadrant as the front plate, which facilitates easy lateral removal of the drum in a direction away from the front and rear plates, without having to remove any plate.
[0029]
[0030] Embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatus where the bottom or start position of the adjustable back plate relative to the drum is in a position directly above the drum at or near the top dead center (12:00 in a watch). In some embodiments, the bottom of the backplate can be located up to about 3 degrees down from top dead center in the same quadrant as the front plate.
[0031]
[0032] In embodiments of the invention, the lower or start position of the adjustable front plate relative to the drum is always upstream of the rear plate with respect to the rotation of the drum. In most embodiments, the bottom or start position of the faceplate is generally not more than about 60 ° down from the vertical (not more than about 10:00 on a watch face, if the drum rotates in the clockwise; or 2:00 if turning counterclockwise). It should be appreciated that in In the embodiments of the invention, the front and rear plates are relatively close to each other, thus creating a tighter and faster counter-rotation of the crops being processed, resulting in more impacts of the crops against the bumps on the drum in a given time interval.
[0033]
[0034] In some embodiments, the angle of the backplate may be zero (i.e., it is vertical). In other embodiments, the back plate can be tilted from the bottom (pivot) by an angle of somewhere between about 0 to about 15 °, so that the top of the back plate is angled away from the front plate. Cultures have been observed to tend to accumulate on the back plate if tilted at an angle of 20 ° or more, resulting in a preferred range of between about 0 ° and about 15 °. The high positioning and small angle of the back plate accomplish two things. First of all, these aspects generally prevent crops from accumulating against the back plate as the drum rotates. Instead, crops easily fall by gravity back to the drum in a tight and fast rotation pattern that is in the opposite direction of the direction of rotation of the drum itself. This results in an increased number of impact of the crops against the bumps on the drum in a given time frame and at a fixed lateral distance. Second, having the backplate at the top or in the same quadrant as the frontplate allows easy lateral removal of the drum in a direction away from the front and rearplates, without having to remove any plates. This facilitates quick and easy changing of the drum, replacing it with another drum having a different diameter, different bolt shape and / or different bolt pattern, or for maintenance, inspection or cleaning.
[0035]
[0036] In all embodiments, the gap between the bottom of the backplate and the drum surface is adjustable to allow the removed shells or bark fragments to exit through this gap, while preventing shelled nuts or vegetables also go out through space. In preferred embodiments of the invention used with pistachios, this gap may be between about 3mm and about 5mm in height. Although this gap does not necessarily depend on the height of the bumps on the drum, in some embodiments it may be approximately 1mm above the top of those bumps. In other embodiments where larger crops are shelled or peeled, the gap may be between about 5mm and about 8mm in height. In embodiments of the invention, the back plate in itself is preferably made of a flat sheet of stainless steel plate, which is relatively cheap and easily replaceable; although it can be made of other suitable materials. It should be appreciated that the back plate of the embodiments of the present invention does not require a cutting edge as described in the '518 application, nor the type of robustness as described in the' 518 application. This is because, in the embodiments of the present invention, most, if not all, peeling and / or peeling is performed by impacts between the crop and the drum bolts. Furthermore, the high start position of the back plate in the embodiments of the present invention removes a substantial load from this plate, which in turn eliminates the requirement for highly resistant material.
[0037]
[0038] In embodiments of the present invention, three different angles have been determined to be important in improving performance and reducing breakage (see Figure 4). The first angle (alpha or a) is the location of the bottom of the front plate relative to the bottom of the back plate taken from the center of the drum. By way of example, and without limitation, for an embodiment with a 20 "drum having a radius of 10" (ten inches) where r = 10, and a backplate having its bottom located at top dead center, It has been determined that to shell the pistachios, the preferred angle alpha (a) should be approximately 37 °. Therefore, it is possible to calculate the distance between the bottom of the front and rear plates in this example of about 6.45 inches, with a drum with a radius of 10 and the plates 37 ° apart. [The drum circumference is 2nr, which is 2 x 3.14 x 10 = 62.8 inches. So 37 degrees would be 62.8 x (37/360) or 6.45 inches]
[0039]
[0040] The next major angle (beta or P) is the angle of the faceplate itself to the backplate, depending on the position of the faceplate along the length of the drum. It has been determined that this angle should almost always be approximately 27 ° in the direction towards the back plate when pistachios are processed.
[0041]
[0042] The final angle of tilt (T) is the angle between the faceplate and the vertical line at that point on the drum. The relationship between the three angles is described in the following formula: Alpha -beta = T (a-p = T). However, T should generally not be more than 20 ° because any larger inclination could lead to the accumulation (dead zones) of crops against the front plate, and T should not be less than zero, since it could cause fruit breakage. dry.
[0043]
[0044] Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment, if the bottom of the faceplate is at 27 ° down from the top dead center (a = 27), its initial position would extend radially at 27 °; it would then tilt 27 ° toward the back plate (P = 27), which would result in bringing the front plate vertically (T = 0). In a preferred embodiment of the invention for shelling pistachios, if the bottom of the faceplate is 37 ° down from the top dead center (a = 37), its initial position would extend radially at 37 °; it would then tilt 27 ° toward the back plate (P = 27), resulting in the front plate having a 10 ° tilt (T = 10) away from vertical. In another embodiment, if the bottom of the faceplate is 47 ° down from the top dead center (a = 47), its initial position would extend radially to 47 °; first it would lean 27 ° towards the rear plate (P = 27), which would give the front plate an inclination of 20 ° from the vertical (T = 20); however, since cultures tend to accumulate on any plate that has an inclination of more than approximately 15 °, the inclination of 20 ° would not be preferred. Since beta is almost always 27 degrees for pistachios, and T cannot be greater than 20 or less than zero when pistachios are processed, then a = 27 = T or = T 27. According to this formula, the possible range for the angle a would be from 27 (when T = 0) to 47 degrees (when T = 20). Next, in this example, if angle a is selected to be 40 degrees, then angle T would be 13 degrees (40-27 = 13). It should be appreciated that in this example, any face plate located 42 ° or below the top dead center or located 27 ° or less could lead to increased pistachio breakage and / or dead zones on the plates. To the
[0045]
[0046] shelling pistachios on a drum that has a 10 '' radius, a preferred location for the bottom of the faceplate is approximately 37 ° below the top dead center.
[0047]
[0048] In some embodiments, the angle of the faceplate may be zero (i.e., it is vertical). In other embodiments, the face plate can be tilted from the bottom (pivot) at an angle of somewhere between about 0 ° to about 15 °, so that the top of the face plate is angled away from the back plate . In most embodiments, the bottom of the faceplate is located somewhere between about 25 ° and about 50 ° down from the top dead center, preferably between about 27 ° and about 42 °, upstream of the plate , the preferred locations being relatively close to the backplate, but also depending on the size (circumference) of the drum itself, as well as the particular crop being processed.
[0049] In embodiments of the invention, there is an adjustable gap between the bottom of the face plate and the drum. However, as more fully described below, embodiments of the invention also include an adjustable center opening in the faceplate that provides a primary outlet for crops that have been shelled or peeled. Therefore, in some embodiments, the gap between the face plate and the drum surface is set to a minimum height (for example, 5mm when the drum bolts are not more than 4mm high) to prevent crops exit through this space so that they exit through the central opening. In embodiments of the invention, the face plate is preferably made of a flat sheet of stainless steel plate, which is relatively inexpensive and easily replaceable; although it can be made of other suitable resistant materials.
[0050]
[0051] Embodiments of the invention include a central opening in the front plate through which processed crops can exit. This opening is located on the front plate, near the center, above the drum. The length and width of this opening can be varied to accommodate different crop processing as described in more detail below. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the length and width of this opening can be varied using one or more adjustable gates. This allows the size and position of the opening to be adjusted in advance or in real time during processing to respond to the peculiarities of a particular batch of dried fruit or vegetables being processed. In other embodiments, the size and position of the faceplate opening may be predetermined, depending on historical information such as prior shelling operations or the wishes of the processor operator, in which case a faceplate having an opening in a predetermined fixed position.
[0052]
[0053] In these embodiments, adjusting the height of the center opening in the faceplate can be accomplished using one or two adjustable gates. In many embodiments, a first adjustable gate is provided above the opening (top gate) that can be raised to increase the size of the opening, or lowered to decrease the size of the opening. In most embodiments, a second gate can also be provided below the opening (bottom gate) that prevents crops on or near the surface of the drum from escaping through the opening (see, eg, Figure 6 ). It should be appreciated that by coordinating the positions of these two gates, the opening between the gates can be raised or lowered relative to the drum. Therefore, by increasing the heights of the first and second, the opening moves higher so that crops near the top of the counter-rotation exit the machine, while crops on or near the drum surface can receive additional impacts that may be desirable for further processing complete (shelled / peeled) of the crops in certain situations. Similarly, by lowering the heights of the first and second gates, the opening moves downward, so that crops at lower levels of counter-rotation can exit the machine, which may be desirable if crops require less stripping impacts. (See figure 8).
[0054]
[0055] In general, it is desirable to allow crops from the top of the counter-rotation to exit through the opening in the faceplate because it gives the operator several important controls. Firstly, it allows the operator to visually see in real time what is being downloaded, therefore, it allows him to make a decision in real time regarding more peeling or less peeling of the product. Second, it allows the operator to control the depth (height) of the product in counter-rotation, allowing the operator to control the aggressiveness of the peeling as well as the procedure time by simply increasing the depth of the product. This is because increasing the depth of the product increases the weight of the product in counter-rotation, and therefore increases the friction contact of the lower levels of the product with the drum. Alternatively, by reducing the depth of the product in counter-rotation, the operator can reduce product procedure time and cycle time. This is because as the thickness of the product decreases, the product travels a shorter distance to complete a full rotation cycle.
[0056]
[0057] Third, allowing the crops to come out of the top of the counter-rotation allows the operator to reduce the drum speed substantially without allowing the unwanted product to fall through the gap. One of the most significant shortcomings of the systems described in the prior art is that they do not allow the operator to reduce the drum speed beyond a certain level (typically not less than about 200 rpm). In the prior art, at lower drum speeds, the gap between the face plate and the drum allows for indiscriminate product output through this gap. By using the adjustable bottom gate in embodiments of the present invention, the operator can operate the drum at any desired speed (even very low speeds) without worrying that unprocessed product will come out prematurely.
[0058] In some embodiments, a single adjustable bottom gate can be provided that can be raised to cause additional nut impacts to achieve additional processing, or lowered or removed to reduce impacts if additional processing is not required.
[0059]
[0060] It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, the positions of the upper and / or lower gate can be adjusted during processing in response to the particular batch of crops processed by the machine. For example and without limitation, if the incoming nuts are more mature, they can be peeled more easily, so that a larger and / or lower opening is desirable; if the nuts are less ripe, they may require additional peeling so that a smaller and / or higher opening is desirable. For any given batch of crops, if it is observed that a significant number of crops are emerging without being fully processed, the second gate can be installed and / or raised to induce additional impacts for further processing, with or without also raising the top gate. .
[0061]
[0062] By way of example and without limitation, the face plate opening can be as large as 6 "by 6" when fully open. Lower gate embodiments can be up to 3 "high, leaving an opening of up to 3" above the lower gate, depending on whether the upper gate is also being used. The size and location of the opening depend on how full the machine is operating. For example, and without limitation, a 3 "high and 6" wide opening can produce a production of 4 to 4.5 tons per hour.
[0063]
[0064] In some embodiments, different varieties of nuts or vegetables may require softer shelling to prevent breakage. In such embodiments, the speed of the drum can be substantially reduced to accommodate a softer impact. However, the slower the drum speed, the more indiscriminate drops of crops through this gate. Accordingly, in these embodiments, the bottom gate should preferably be installed to prevent these nuts or vegetables from falling due to the slower speed of the drum.
[0065]
[0066] Determining the proper position of the front plate opening relative to the drum (i.e. determining the positions of the top and bottom gates) may depend on a number of factors including, without limitation, the particular variety of dried fruit or vegetable being processed, the type of rind or rind to be removed, the level of maturity, the thickness of the rinds or rinds, the moisture content (dryness) of the rinds or rinds, etc.
[0067]
[0068] By way of example and without limitation, at the beginning of the harvest season, when a larger subpopulation of nuts is not ripe, or at the end of the season, when the majority of nuts come from the field with dry bark, the operator may decide to use more aggressive peeling because the crusts are harder. In such cases, the front plate opening can be placed in a very high location (3 "high bottom plate), so that crops will experience considerable impacts before exiting (because the high bottom plate blocks the outlet and because the weight of the depth of the nuts forces them to return to the drum for additional impacts.) Therefore, in this example, the front plate opening can be 3 "high and 6" wide, and can be located at 3 "above the drum (see, eg, Figure 8C).
[0069]
[0070] However, in another example and without limitation, during the middle of the season, when most of the incoming nut products are ripe, but there is still a small immature sub-population, the operator may choose less aggressive peeling and fastest procedure for the product. In such cases, the operator can set the height of the bottom gate to be only 1 " or perhaps 2" high. This will have the effect of reducing the thickness of the counter rotation thickness, reducing impacts and allowing crops to emerge more quickly. Therefore, in this example, the front plate opening can be 3 "high and 6" wide, and can be located approximately 1 "or perhaps 2" above the drum. (See, for example, Figure 8B). In a related and unrestricted example, if the operator is processing pistachio varieties that require very light peeling to prevent breakage, the operator can reduce the drum speed, but keep the gate height lower around 1 "or 2 "for less stripping aggressiveness, a faster procedure time while preventing indiscriminate product output through the opening above the bottom hatch.
[0071]
[0072] In another example and without limitation, there may be periods of time during harvest when the incoming product from the field is substantially shelled before reaching the central opening of the drum. During these times, there is no need to have the bottom hatch, as no additional impacts are needed. In such cases, the 3 "by 6" opening can be Place at the bottom of the faceplate over the drum, and / or the opening size can be enlarged to the full 6 "by 6" opening. In such situations, product discharge is so fast that there is virtually no product left in the center of the drum. Therefore, there will be no resistance against the product moving to the center in a short time, allowing for a much shorter procedure time, which in turn allows for a substantial increase in capacity. Similarly, if the operator is peeling vegetables, the same configuration can be chosen (no bottom hatch) as vegetables may not require a long procedure time, and this configuration will allow for a substantial increase in capacity. (See, for example, Figure 8A).
[0073]
[0074] In another example and without limitation, if the incoming crop has a smooth skin, the crop will need fewer impacts to complete the shelling / peeling, so the bottom gate does not rise very high, so the crop only encounters some impacts earlier of being discharged through the opening. In another example and without limitation, if the incoming crop has a very smooth outer skin, this crop may need a slower drum rotation speed, as well as fewer impacts, to avoid breakage, so the drum speed is reduced and the lower gate is not configured too high to not only reduce impacts but also to reduce the force of such impacts.
[0075]
[0076] It should be appreciated that the above examples illustrate different vertical locations for the front plate opening, and that the width of this opening can also be adjusted depending on the same factors, including, without limitation, the particular variety of dried fruit or vegetable being processed , the type of bark or rind to be removed, the level of maturity, the thickness of the rinds or rinds, the moisture content (dryness) of the rinds or rinds, etc. In embodiments having a center face plate opening, the cultures are introduced at both ends of the drum so that when they reach the center opening, they have been fully processed. These embodiments can work in conjunction with bump patterns on the drum that push crops toward the center, including such patterns, without limitation, chevron and herringbone patterns. The size, shape, number, and positions of the bumps on these patterns (pattern criteria) can be adjusted to change the way crops move toward the center opening in the faceplate.
[0077]
[0078] It is often desirable for crops to encounter as many impacts as possible as they travel towards the central opening, with the understanding that the more numerous the crops are Impacts that may occur, most, if not all, crops are more likely to be shelled or peeled when they reach the central opening. However, excessive impacts can cause the nut to break. Accordingly, adjusting the positions and inclination of the front and rear plates, adjusting the size and height of the opening in the front plate, adjusting the pattern to push the nuts towards the center, adjusting the speed of the drum and other adjustments made possible by the embodiments of the present invention will allow to establish an adequate amount of impact for the most complete processing without breakage of the dried fruit.
[0079]
[0080] In some embodiments, the drum bulge criteria can be set so that the nuts take longer to reach the center, thereby facilitating additional impacts and more complete shelling. Similarly, the use of the bottom hatch can increase the amount of time nuts are processed before going out, thereby facilitating additional impacts and fuller shelling. Accordingly, more complete processing can be achieved in embodiments of the invention using protrusion criteria that push nuts more slowly toward the center and / or embodiments using a second lower gate in the center opening of the faceplate.
[0081]
[0082] However, in many harvest situations, it is neither desirable nor advisable to slow down the yield of processed nuts, as the processing time period may be short. Therefore, in the embodiments of the present invention, additional impacts can be achieved by using a steeper and higher back plate that causes the nuts to fall more quickly onto the drum. Additional impacts can be achieved using front and rear plates that are relatively close to each other to cause a tighter and faster counter-rotation of the nuts and more impacts in a given time interval. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention are provided utilizing a steeper rear plate and / or positioned near the front and rear plates along with drum and pattern protrusion criteria and / or the use of the lower gate to allow for more impacts. and, therefore, a more complete husking of dried fruits without increasing the processing time.
[0083]
[0084] It should be appreciated that aspects of the proximity of the front and rear plates to each other, the small angles of the front and rear plates, the sizes and shapes of the bolts provided on the drum, and the patterns / locations of the bolts on the drum they each contribute independently and collectively, to a tight and rapid rotation pattern of the dried fruits in the embodiments of the present invention, which increases the impacts and, therefore, improves the peeling without increasing the time it takes to achieve it. A typical rotation pattern of prior art devices such as those described in the '518 application is shown in Figures 2A and 2B which can be contrasted with the adjusted rotation pattern of an embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 3 and 3A . It should be appreciated that the number of impacts found in the embodiments of the present invention having a tighter and faster counter-rotation may be significantly greater than that of the prior art.
[0085]
[0086] In some embodiments, the width of the center opening in the faceplate can also be adjusted using one or two side gates. The narrower the width of the opening, the longer it will take for the nuts to travel from the sides to the center, causing multiple impacts as this occurs. Consequently, if time is not a factor, more complete processing can be achieved by using a narrower central opening along with protrusion criteria that push nuts towards the center. This will result in additional impact and more complete processing of the nuts. However, if time is a factor, in the embodiments of the present invention, additional impacts can be achieved by using a steeper back plate that causes the nuts to fall more quickly on the drum and / or by using front and rear plates that They are mounted relatively close to each other and / or bolt shapes and / or patterns that facilitate multiple impacts thus compensating for any additional processing time caused by the presence of the lower gate.
[0087]
[0088] It is often desirable to remove the drum for replacement with another drum having a different diameter, a different bolt shape and / or a different bolt pattern, or for maintenance, inspection or cleaning. On existing shelling machines, this often involves significant machine disassembly, including removal of the front plate, back plate, or both, to gain access to the drum. This can result in significant downtime that could be crucial during the short period of the harvest season. In the embodiments of the present invention, the back plate is located directly above the drum (at 12:00 clock face), or in the same quadrant as the front plate; the back plate is not located in a different quadrant than the front plate. This allows the drum to be removed from the side without having to remove the faceplate or backplate, making it easy to quickly and easily remove and replace the drum.
[0089] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for quickly and efficiently peeling or peeling high percentages of nuts or vegetables, particularly pistachios.
[0090]
[0091] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled nuts or vegetables within a given time frame by increasing the number of impacts between the nuts or vegetables and the bumps on a rotating drum.
[0092]
[0093] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled dried fruit or vegetables within a given time frame by increasing the tightness and / or counter rotation speed of the dried fruit or vegetables as that are processed.
[0094]
[0095] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled nuts or vegetables within a given time frame by allowing the start positions and the tilt angles of the front and rear plates to be adjusted for optimal performance.
[0096]
[0097] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled nuts or vegetables within a given time frame by providing a high start position for the back plate in embodiments of the invention.
[0098]
[0099] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled nuts or vegetables within a given time frame by providing a vertical or very steep angle for the back plate in the embodiments of the invention.
[0100]
[0101] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled nuts or vegetables within a given time frame by providing a vertical or very steep angle for the faceplate in embodiments of the invention.
[0102] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled nuts or vegetables within a given time frame by providing front and rear plates relatively close together in embodiments of the invention where the two are in a quadrant only.
[0103]
[0104] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled nuts or vegetables within a given time frame by providing an adjustable center opening in the faceplate in embodiments of the invention.
[0105]
[0106] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled nuts or vegetables within a given time frame by providing a pattern of bumps on the drum that gently push the nuts towards a central opening in the faceplate in embodiments of the invention.
[0107]
[0108] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing the percentage of shelled or peeled nuts or vegetables and reducing breakage within a given time frame by providing specially formed protrusions on the drum in embodiments of the invention.
[0109]
[0110] It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for shelling or peeling nuts or vegetables where the drum can be easily removed and replaced because the front and rear plates are located in the same quadrant.
[0111]
[0112] Additional objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed descriptions and claims in this invention.
[0113]
[0114] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0115]
[0116] Figure 1 is a partial side schematic view of a prior art shelling apparatus.
[0117] Fig. 2 is a schematic top view of counter-rotation patterns of the prior art shelling apparatus.
[0118]
[0119] Fig. 2A is a schematic side view of a counter-rotating pattern of the prior art shelling apparatus.
[0120]
[0121] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a counter-rotating pattern of embodiments of the present invention.
[0122]
[0123] Figure 3A is a schematic side view of a counter-rotation pattern of embodiments of the present invention.
[0124]
[0125] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing exemplary angles a, p, and T with respect to the front plate and back plate of one embodiment of the invention.
[0126]
[0127] Figure 5 is a schematic view showing exemplary angles a, p, and T with respect to the front plate and back plate of an embodiment of the invention.
[0128]
[0129] FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a faceplate in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0130]
[0131] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention illustrating exemplary drum removal.
[0132]
[0133] Figures 8A-8C are views of different embodiments of the front plate showing different positions for the opening and the gates thereon.
[0134]
[0135] Figure 9A-9C are schematic side views of different examples of possible positions and angles of the front and rear plates of embodiments of the present invention.
[0136]
[0137] Figure 10 is a view of an exemplary pattern of protrusions provided on the surface of a drum according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0138]
[0139] DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0140] With reference to the drawings where like reference characters designate similar or corresponding parts throughout the various views, and with particular reference to Figures 3A, 4 and 5, it is seen that the embodiments of the invention shown in these illustrations include a rotating drum 11 having a central axis 12, the drum being located at the bottom of a hopper area 10 of a shelling apparatus for receiving harvested crops 17 such as nuts or vegetables from which the bark must be removed, outer skins or shells 18, resulting in processed crops 19 that have been shelled, peeled and / or skinned. The drums of the embodiments of the present invention are provided with upwardly extending protrusions, impact structures or bolts 14 on the drum surface. The bumps 14 are normally provided in a pattern 15. The bumps 14 are designed to impact against the incoming crops 17 that come into contact with the drum in order to friction remove the skins, shells or outer bark 18 of the crops.
[0141]
[0142] Embodiments of the present invention are provided with an adjustable back plate 6 and an adjustable front plate 7 mounted in proximity to drum 11. The area between the front and rear plates generally defines a hopper 10 of the apparatus. In the embodiments illustrated in this invention, the direction of rotation of the drum is shown to be clockwise; however, it should be appreciated that the drums of embodiments of the present invention can alternately rotate counterclockwise, and if so, the positioning of the other elements of the embodiments of the invention would be provided at positions of mirror image relating to such rotating drums counterclockwise.
[0143]
[0144] Placing the cultures 17 in the area of the hopper 10 of embodiments of the invention brings the cultures into contact with the bumps 14 of the drum; and the rotation of the drum 11 brings the crops into contact with the back plate 6. The position of the back plate 6 together with the protrusions on the drum cause friction impacts (knocks or contacts) that contribute to the elimination of the skins , outer shells or bark 18 of the crops without increasing breakage and with little or no increase in processing times.
[0145]
[0146] In embodiments of the invention, the use of particular locations and angles for the front and rear plates causes a greater impact of the crops and results in extraction more efficient of the outer crusts 18. Embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatus where the lower or start position of the adjustable back plate 6 in relation to the drum 11 is in a position directly above the drum at or near the point top dead (12:00 on a watch face), with the edge of the back plate on the surface of the drum, and parallel to axis 12 of the drum. In some embodiments, the bottom of the back plate can be located up to about 3 degrees down from the top dead center in the upstream direction of drum rotation, and in the same quadrant as the front plate. (See, for example, Figure 9A). For a drum that rotates clockwise, the bottom of an exemplary backplate located 3 degrees below top dead center would be located around 11:59:30 on a clock face. In all embodiments, the adjustable faceplate 7 is located in the upstream quadrant below top dead center (for example, between 9:00 and 12:00 on a clock face if the drum rotates clockwise. clockwise).
[0147]
[0148] In embodiments of the invention, the top of the back plate 6 may be angled or tilted from the bottom of the back plate (pivoted) in a direction away from the front plate 7 at an angle 31 of approximately zero (0 = vertical) and approximately 15 degrees. It has been observed that some cultures tend to accumulate on the back plate 6 if it is tilted at an angle of 20 degrees or more, resulting in a preferred range for angle 31 of between about 0 and about 15 degrees. With reference to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, it is seen that the bottom of the back plate 6 in this example is located at the top dead center (12:00), and that the back plate 6 is tilted at an angle 31 about 10 degrees away from the front plate 7.
[0149]
[0150] In embodiments of the invention, the distance between the bottom of the back plate 6 and the surface of the drum 11 can be adjustable so that a gap 8 can be formed between the back plate 6 and the drum 11. It should be appreciated that the shells and the removed bark fragments 18 that are dislodged during the impact procedure exit through this gap 8. For embodiments shelling pistachios, this gap may be between about 3mm and about 5mm in height. Although the gap 8 does not necessarily depend on the height of the bumps 14 in the drum, in some embodiments it may be approximately 1mm above the top of these bumps. This allows the crusts 18 to come out, but not the nuts themselves 19. In other embodiments, the size of the gap 8 may be between about 2 mm and approximately 5mm to allow the removed husks and bark fragments 18 to come out, while preventing shellless cultures 19 from also coming out through gap 8. In some embodiments, gap 8 may be larger to accommodate larger products , like walnuts.
[0151]
[0152] Embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatus where the lower or start position of the adjustable front plate 7 in relation to the drum 11 is located in a position upstream of the rear plate 6 with respect to the rotation of the drum. In preferred embodiments for husking pistachios, this starting position of the bottom of the face plate 7 is about 37 degrees below top dead center, or just below 11:00 on a clock face if the drum rotates clockwise. However, depending on the application of the formula described below, the initial position of the lower part of the front plate 7 may be between 25 and 50 degrees down from the top dead center, but preferably between 27 degrees and 42 degrees down from top dead center.
[0153]
[0154] In embodiments of the invention, the top of the front plate 7 may be angled or inclined from the bottom of the front plate (pivoted) in a direction away from the back plate 6 at an angle 37 (T) of between about zero (0 = vertical) and approximately 15 degrees. Cultures have been found to tend to accumulate on faceplate 7 if tilted at an angle of 20 degrees or more, resulting in a preferred range for angle T of between about 0 and about 15 degrees. With reference to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, it is seen that the bottom of the face plate 7 is located 37 degrees down from the top dead center in an upstream direction, and that the face plate 7 is tilted in an angle T of approximately 10 degrees from the vertical with the top tilted outwards back plate 6.
[0155]
[0156] In embodiments of the present invention, three different angles have been determined to be important in improving performance and reducing breakage in nuts such as pistachios. (See Figures 4 and 5). The first angle 35 (alpha oa) is the location of the bottom of the front plate 7 relative to the bottom of the back plate 6 taken from the center of the drum 12 in a cross-sectional view. As an example, and without limitation, for an embodiment with a 20 "drum that has a radius of 10" (ten inches) where r = 10, and a back plate 6 that has its lower part located at the top dead center , It has been determined that, to shell the pistachios, the preferred alpha angle (a) should be approximately 37 °.
[0157]
[0158] The next major angle 36 (beta or P) is the angle of the front plate 7 itself towards the rear plate 6, depending on the position of the bottom of the front plate along the drum. It has been determined that this angle should almost always be approximately 27 ° in a direction towards the back plate when pistachios are shelled. The final angle 37 (tilt or T) is the angle between the front plate 7 and a vertical line at that point on the drum. The relationship between the three angles is described in the following formula: Alpha - beta = T (a-p = T). However, T must not be greater than 20 ° because any greater inclination could accumulate (dead zones) of nuts against the front plate 7, and any T less than zero could cause the nut to break.
[0159]
[0160] With reference to the exemplary embodiment of Figure 5, the bottom of the face plate 7 is 37 ° down from the top dead center (a = 37), whereby its initial position would extend radially at 37 °. This is a preferred starting place for shelling pistachios. The faceplate 7 is then tilted 27 ° toward the backplate (P = 27), resulting in the faceplate having a 10 ° tilt (T = 10) away from the vertical. Since beta is almost always 27 degrees when pistachios are shelled, and T must not be greater than 20 and less than zero, then a - 27 = T or a = T 27. According to this formula, the possible range for a would be 27 (when T = 0) at 47 degrees (when T = 20). Thus, by way of example, if selected at 40 degrees, then the angle T would be 13 degrees (40-27 = 13). (See figure 9C). When embodiments of the invention are used to shell nuts, particularly pistachios, it should be appreciated that a faceplate located 42 ° or below the top dead center or located 27 ° or less from the top dead center could lead to further breakage of the dried fruit and / or dead zones on the plates. However, these limitations do not necessarily apply to vegetables (carrots, potatoes, etc.) or nuts other than pistachios.
[0161]
[0162] With reference to the exemplary embodiment of Figure 9B, the bottom of the face plate 7 is 27 degrees down from the top dead center, whereby the angle 35 (a) is 27 degrees, and the initial position for faceplate 7 it would extend radially at 27 degrees. In Figure 9B, the plate
[0163] Front 7 has been tilted 27 degrees toward back plate 6, so angle 36 (P) is also 27 degrees. This results in bringing the front plate 7 to vertical (T = 0).
[0164]
[0165] Referring to the exemplary embodiment of Figure 9C, the bottom of the face plate 7 is 40 degrees down from the top dead center, whereby the angle 35 (a) is 40 degrees, and the initial position for faceplate 7 it would extend radially at 40 degrees. In Figure 9C, the front plate 7 has been tilted 27 degrees towards the rear plate 6, so the angle 36 (P) is 27 degrees. This gives the faceplate 7 an inclination of 13 degrees from the vertical (T = 13).
[0166]
[0167] Embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatus where a central opening 21 is provided in the front plate 7 through which processed cultures 19 can exit. In these embodiments, cultures are introduced through one or more feed inlets. located at or near opposite ends 9a, 9b of drum 11 and pushed into the center of the drum by various patterns 15 including, without limitation, chevron and dowel patterns. These patterns alone or in conjunction with the placement of the front plate 7 and the back plate 6, cause the cultures to move in tight counter-rotation patterns 28 as shown in Figures 3 and 3A. Depending on the height and position of opening 21, crops in these patterns 28 may encounter a high or low number of impacts before reaching central opening 21 where they exit in a processed condition 19.
[0168]
[0169] In these embodiments, opening 21 is located near the center of faceplate 7 above drum 11. In most embodiments, the length and width of opening 21 can be varied using one or more adjustable gates. The size of the opening 21 can be adjusted in advance or in real time during processing. In these embodiments, adjustment of the height of opening 21 can be accomplished using one or two adjustable gates. In many embodiments, a first adjustable gate 22 (top gate) is provided over opening 21 that can be raised to increase the size of the opening, or lowered to decrease the size of the opening. In most embodiments, a second gate 23 may also be provided below the opening (bottom gate) that prevents crops at or near the surface of the drum from escaping through opening 21. It should be appreciated that by coordinating the positions of these two gates, the opening 21 between them can be raised or lowered relative to the drum.
[0170] It should be appreciated that as the heights of the first 22 and second 23 gate are increased, the opening 21 can be moved higher so that the crops near the top of the counter-rotation 28 can come out, while the crops in the or near the drum surface receive additional impacts that may be desirable for more complete processing (shelling / peeling) of these crops as they advance to the top of the counter-rotation. Similarly, by lowering the heights of the first and second gates, opening 21 moves downward, so that crops at lower levels of counter-rotation 28 can exit the machine, which may be desirable if crops require less stripping impacts.
[0171]
[0172] In some embodiments, a single adjustable bottom gate 23 may be provided below a large opening 21 that can be raised to cause additional impacts from the dried fruit to achieve additional processing, or lowered to reduce impacts if additional processing is not required.
[0173]
[0174] In some embodiments, a bottom gate cannot be provided, and a single adjustable top gate 23 can be provided that can be raised to increase the size of opening 21, resulting in fewer impacts before crops can come out, or lowered to reduce opening size and increase impact if additional processing is needed.
[0175]
[0176] By way of example and without limitation, an opening 21 can be as large as 6 "by 6" when fully open, and the bottom gate 22 embodiments can be up to 3 "high, leaving an opening up to 3" above lower gate 22, depending on whether upper gate 23 is also being used. It should be appreciated that the size and location of opening 21 can be adjusted depending on how full the machine is operating, and that upper and lower gates 22, 23 can be used to adjust opening 21 upward to allow only crops to come out near the top of the stack. In some embodiments, the adjustable left and right side gates 25, 26 can also be provided to widen or narrow the width of the opening 21, or to move the lateral position of the opening 21 to the left or to the right.
[0177]
[0178] It should be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, two similarly adjustable openings can be provided on each side of the face plate 7, cultures can be introduced above the center of the drum 11, and the bulging patterns 15 on the drum push the crops away from the center and towards the two side openings.
[0179]
[0180] By way of example and without limitation, if the incoming product from the field is shelling substantially before reaching the central opening of the drum, it may not be necessary to have the bottom hatch, as additional impacts are not necessary. In such cases, a 3 "by 6" opening 21 can be placed at the bottom of the face plate above the drum without any bottom hatch, as shown in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 8A.
[0181]
[0182] By way of example and without limitation, if the operator decides to use aggressive peeling because the crusts are more stiff, the opening 21 of the front plate can be placed in a very high location (for example, the bottom plate 23 can have up to approximately 3 "high), so that the crops experience considerable impacts before leaving, as shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 8C.
[0183]
[0184] However, in another example and without limitation, if most of the incoming nut products are ripe, but there is still a small immature sub-population, the operator can choose less aggressive peeling and faster procedure time for the product, and you can establish that the height of the bottom gate 23 should be only about 1 "or perhaps about 2" high as shown in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 8B.
[0185]
[0186] With reference to the embodiment of figure 7, it is seen that the drum 11 can be inserted or removed in a lateral direction along the grooves 13a and 13b of the machine, without the need to disassemble them from the machine or the removal of any rear plate 6 or front plate 7. This is possible because in embodiments of the invention, both the rear plate 6 and the front plate 7 can be located in the same quadrant, which is on the opposite side of the machine from the extraction slots drum 13.
[0187]
[0188] It should be understood that variations and modifications of the present invention can be made without departing from the scope thereof. It should also be understood that the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described in this invention, but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of the foregoing specification.

权利要求:
Claims (44)
[1]
1. An apparatus for shelling or peeling harvested crops, comprising:
to. a rotating drum having a generally horizontal orientation, a central axis of rotation and a plurality of protuberances located on an outer surface thereof, said drum being placed under at least one feeding inlet through which incoming crops are introduced to be peeled or peeled;
b. an adjustable back plate provided adjacent said drum surface and positioned parallel to said axis of rotation; and
c. an adjustable front plate provided adjacent said drum surface and positioned parallel to said axis of rotation, said front plate having an adjustable central opening located thereon through which processed crops may exit.
[2]
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protuberances on said drum are provided in a pattern that pushes the crops toward the center of the drum when the drum is rotated.
[3]
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said at least one feed inlet comprises a pair of crop feed inlets provided near opposite ends of said drum.
[4]
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first adjustable gate is provided on said central opening to adjust the position of the top of said opening.
[5]
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a second adjustable gate is provided below said center opening to adjust the position of the bottom of said opening.
[6]
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said front plate and said back plate are located in the same quadrant.
[7]
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said back plate has a bottom and a top, and where the bottom of said back plate is provided at a location between approximately the top dead center of said drum and approximately three degrees. down from the top dead center of said drum.
[8]
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said faceplate has a bottom and a top, and where the underside of said faceplate is provided at a location between about 25 degrees and about 50 degrees down from the point upper dead of said drum, upstream of the direction of rotation of said drum.
[9]
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said faceplate has a bottom and a top, and where the underside of said faceplate is provided at a location between about 27 degrees and about 42 degrees down from the point upper dead of said drum, upstream of the direction of rotation of said drum.
[10]
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the top of said back plate is tilted away from said front plate at an angle of between about zero degrees and about fifteen degrees.
[11]
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the top of said front plate is tilted away from said back plate at an angle of between about zero degrees and about fifteen degrees.
[12]
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bottom of said rear plate is located around the top dead center, and the bottom of said front plate is located approximately 27 degrees down from the top dead center.
[13]
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein both said back plate and said front plate have a vertical orientation.
[14]
14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bottom of said rear plate is located around the top dead center, and the bottom of said front plate is located approximately 37 degrees down from the top dead center.
[15]
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the top of said back plate is tilted away from said front plate at an angle of about ten degrees, and said front plate is tilted away from said back plate at an angle of about ten degrees.
[16]
16. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said opening has a total height of approximately six inches, said first gate is positioned to cover approximately two inches at the top of said opening, and said second gate is positioned to cover approximately one inch from the bottom of the opening.
[17]
17. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the distance between said face plate and said drum is adjustable.
[18]
18. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the distance between said back plate and said drum is adjustable.
[19]
19. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the distance between said back plate and the surface of said drum is between about 1mm and about 5mm.
[20]
20. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the distance between said back plate and the tops of the protrusions on said drum is approximately 1mm.
[21]
21. Procedure to peel or peel crops that includes the steps of:
to. introducing said crops into a hopper on top of a horizontally oriented rotating drum, said drum having a plurality of protuberances located thereon;
b. contacting said cultures with a posterior plate located adjacent to said drum so that the cultures are impacted by friction by the protuberances in said drum causing the husks or barks of said cultures to be removed and protruding below said posterior plate ;
c. said crops moving in a counter-rotation direction with respect to the rotation of said drum so that said crops contact a front plate located upstream of said rear plate and adjacent to said drum; and d. said impacted cultures exit through an adjustable central opening in said front plate.
[22]
22. The method of claim 21, comprising the additional step of adjusting the position of said front plate that opens upwards to cause additional impacts of said crops before leaving.
[23]
23. The method of claim 21, comprising the additional step of adjusting the position of said downward opening front plate to cause fewer impacts from said crops before exiting.
[24]
24. The method of claim 21, comprising the additional step of tilting said back plate away from said front plate at an angle of not more than fifteen degrees.
[25]
25. The method of claim 24, comprising the additional step of tilting said face plate away from said back plate at an angle of not more than fifteen degrees.
[26]
26. The method of claim 21, wherein the bumps on said drum are provided in a pattern that pushes the crops toward the center of the drum when the drum is rotated.
[27]
27. The method of claim 21, wherein the cultures are introduced at opposite ends of the drum.
[28]
28. An apparatus for shelling or peeling harvested crops, comprising:
to. a rotating drum having a generally horizontal orientation, a central axis of rotation and a plurality of protuberances located on an outer surface thereof, said drum being placed under at least one feeding inlet through which incoming crops are introduced to be peeled or peeled;
b. an adjustable back plate provided adjacent said drum surface and positioned parallel to said axis of rotation, where said back plate has a bottom and an upper part, and the bottom of said back plate is provided at a location between approximately the point top dead of said drum and approximately three degrees down from the top dead center of said drum in the upstream direction of drum rotation; and
c. an adjustable faceplate provided adjacent said drum surface and positioned parallel to said axis of rotation, where said faceplate has a portion bottom and top, and bottom of said faceplate is provided at a location between about 25 degrees and about 50 degrees down from the top dead center of said drum, upstream of the direction of rotation of said drum.
[29]
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the bottom of said front plate and the bottom of said back plate are located in the same quadrant on the same side of a vertical axis of the drum.
[30]
30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the top of said back plate is tilted away from said front plate at an angle of between about zero degrees and about 15 degrees.
[31]
31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the top of said front plate is tilted away from said back plate at an angle of between about zero degrees and about 15 degrees.
[32]
32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the bottom of said rear plate is located around the top dead center, and the bottom of said front plate is located approximately 27 degrees down from the top dead center.
[33]
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein both said back plate and said front plate have a vertical orientation.
[34]
34. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the bottom of said rear plate is located around the top dead center, and the bottom of said front plate is located approximately 37 degrees down from the top dead center.
[35]
35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the top of said back plate is tilted away from said front plate at an angle of about ten degrees, and said front plate is tilted away from said back plate at an angle of about 10 degrees. degrees.
[36]
36. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the bottom of said front plate is located on one side of a vertical axis of said drum, and the bottom of said rear plate is located on or below said vertical axis on the same side of the drum as the front plate.
[37]
37. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first adjustable side gate is provided on one side of said central opening to adjust the size of said opening.
[38]
38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein a second adjustable side gate is provided on an opposite side of said central opening to adjust the size of said opening.
[39]
39. An apparatus for shelling or peeling harvested crops, comprising:
to. a rotating drum having a generally horizontal orientation, a central axis of rotation and a plurality of protuberances located on an outer surface thereof, said drum being placed under at least one feeding inlet through which incoming crops are introduced to be peeled or peeled;
b. an adjustable back plate provided adjacent said drum surface and positioned parallel to said axis of rotation; and
c. an adjustable front plate provided adjacent to said drum surface and positioned parallel to said axis of rotation, said front plate having a central opening located thereon through which processed crops may exit; and d. at least one adjustable gate associated with said central opening to adjust the size of said central opening.
[40]
40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said at least one adjustable gate comprises a top door.
[41]
41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said at least one adjustable gate comprises a lower door.
[42]
42. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said at least one adjustable gate comprises an upper door and a lower door.
[43]
43. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said at least one adjustable gate it comprises a side door.
[44]
44. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said at least one adjustable gate comprises a left side door and a right side door.

类似技术:

公开号 | 公开日 | 专利标题

JP5135327B2|2013-02-06|Food cutting equipment

ES2327453T3|2009-10-29|ROLLER FOR CORN SIZES, HEAD FOR CORN SIZES AND MACHINE FOR RELATED CORN SIZES.

US20150282518A1|2015-10-08|Apparatus and method for hulling for harvested pistachios

US20130193247A1|2013-08-01|Bale Processor for Bales of All Shapes

KR101418531B1|2014-07-14|Method of peeling off seed and apparatus of peeling off seed

RU2594516C1|2016-08-20|Corncobs cleaning from grain

ES2753698A2|2020-04-13|Improved methods and apparatus for hulling crops

KR101832391B1|2018-02-26|Device for Peeling White Radish

ES2753673B2|2021-03-29|PROCEDURES AND DEHELLING APPARATUS OF CROPS

JP2016106574A|2016-06-20|Shell peeling device

EP2685805B1|2017-08-23|Device for reducing vegetable products, as well as methods for operating such a device

CN107048447A|2017-08-18|A kind of green soy bean peeling apparatus

CN102885380A|2013-01-23|Single-channel fruit orientation enucleating machine

US2880734A|1959-04-07|Centrifugal grain thresher and separator

US2337394A|1943-12-21|Fruit orienting device

US20190374952A1|2019-12-12|Methods and Apparatus for Hulling Crops

US10568353B1|2020-02-25|Hard-shelled nut meat extractor

CN111034944A|2020-04-21|Integral type quail egg separator that shells

RU2004113307A|2005-03-10|JUICER FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

US3258045A|1966-06-28|Fruit pitting apparatus

CN110250534A|2019-09-20|A kind of gradual green walnut peeling equipment with auxiliary material feeding function

US1683004A|1928-09-04|Machiite for husking nuts

AU673008B2|1996-10-24|Machine for removing the coatings from produce

ES2826698A1|2021-05-18|Integrated machine for processing hard or soft nuts |

US11273568B2|2022-03-15|Impeller, centrifugal cutting apparatus comprising same, and method of operating same

同族专利:

公开号 | 公开日

WO2019040341A1|2019-02-28|

US10653174B2|2020-05-19|

ES2753673B2|2021-03-29|

AU2018322439A1|2020-02-13|

US20190053530A1|2019-02-21|

引用文献:

公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题

US20150223514A1|2014-02-07|2015-08-13|Mohammad Nakhei-Nejad|Apparatus and method for removing hulls from nuts|

US20150282518A1|2014-04-07|2015-10-08|James W. Tjerrild|Apparatus and method for hulling for harvested pistachios|

US1318003A|1919-10-07|Laubbn j |

US684088A|1900-09-13|1901-10-08|Benjamin Bates Newman|Separator.|

US822105A|1905-02-28|1906-05-29|John August Eklund|Device for separating cockle from grain.|

US867276A|1906-07-05|1907-10-01|Jay Jenkins|Machine for separating and grading coffee grains or beans.|

US951653A|1909-03-18|1910-03-08|Thomas Mcdonald|Differential-speed-roller cotton-seed huller.|

GB191501504A|1915-01-30|1915-10-14|William Henry Tonks|Improvements in Operating Mechanism for Sliding Bolts for Doors and the like.|

US1294852A|1917-02-21|1919-02-18|Louis K Vaughn|Nut hulling and cracking machine.|

US1808744A|1928-05-24|1931-06-09|James G Baudino|Pinon nut sheller|

US1757762A|1928-11-01|1930-05-06|Williams Samuel|Machine for extracting hulls of cotton bolls from seed cotton|

US1963260A|1930-03-10|1934-06-19|Continental Gin Co|Seed cotton cleaning and hulling machine|

US1823135A|1930-03-31|1931-09-15|Continental Gin Co|Huller gin|

US1880934A|1930-04-08|1932-10-04|Continental Gin Co|Hull extractor|

US1946783A|1930-11-03|1934-02-13|Continental Gin Co|Hull extractor for cotton|

US1976382A|1930-12-17|1934-10-09|Murray Co|Machine for cleaning seed cotton and for extracting the seed cotton from burrs and hulls|

US1950061A|1931-02-04|1934-03-06|Cen Tennial Cotton Gin Co|Hull extractor|

US2011838A|1932-02-02|1935-08-20|Lufkin Gin Company|Huller type cotton gin|

US1981575A|1933-03-27|1934-11-20|Gullett Gin Co|Cleaner drum for cotton ginning machinery|

US2087390A|1936-04-07|1937-07-20|Hardwicke Etter Co|Huller feeder for cotton|

US2100301A|1936-05-18|1937-11-23|John E Mitchell|Self-contained boll cotton extracting machine|

US2189690A|1938-11-09|1940-02-06|Lummus Cotton Gin Co|Cotton gin|

US2362366A|1943-07-24|1944-11-07|Jeffrey Mfg Co|Pulverizer rotor|

US2428852A|1943-12-18|1947-10-14|Muir|Sand blender|

US2493533A|1946-02-20|1950-01-03|Funderburk Frank|Cylinder and concave means for shelling peanuts|

US2599892A|1946-10-15|1952-06-10|W E Moulsdale And Company Ltd|Apparatus for removing the outer layers from hard kerneled grains|

US2672901A|1948-11-05|1954-03-23|Pearman Lawrence|Peanut sheller having a partial shelling cylinder|

US2865415A|1957-04-23|1958-12-23|Pearman Lawrence|Peanut shelling machine|

US3266101A|1962-06-26|1966-08-16|Hardwicke Etter Co|High capacity gin stand|

US4034665A|1975-06-18|1977-07-12|California Almond Orchards|Pistachio huller|

US4448115A|1981-06-19|1984-05-15|Benjamin Volk|Apparatus for hulling pistachio nuts|

US4353931A|1981-06-19|1982-10-12|Benjamin Volk|Method of hulling pistachio nuts|

US4515076A|1983-06-22|1985-05-07|David Reznik|Apparatus for cracking and separating nuts|

GR870447B|1987-03-19|1987-03-30|Arguriadis Nikos|Mechanism for separating closed from open pistachio and bad legumes|

US5245918A|1992-09-15|1993-09-21|Benjamin Volk|Pistachio nut hulling apparatus|

US5329845A|1993-07-26|1994-07-19|Bichel Ronald A|Apparatus for waterless hulling of nuts and the like|

US5415085A|1994-09-01|1995-05-16|Thomson; Kirk|Apparatus for shelling and separating any type of nut or legume|

US5720395A|1995-11-20|1998-02-24|Schock; Harold J.|Method and apparatus for removing hulls from a nut mixture|

US5879734A|1997-11-04|1999-03-09|Broyles; David J.|Nut sheller bypass method|

DE19801104C2|1998-01-15|2000-04-13|Bormet Maschinenbau Gmbh|They break|

US6098530A|2000-01-31|2000-08-08|Hemry; Larry H.|Mechanical nut cracker|

US6209448B1|2000-02-23|2001-04-03|William G. Hagen|Nut cracking machine|

US6382427B1|2001-04-06|2002-05-07|Mohammad Nakhei-Nejad|Pistachio separator|

US6516714B2|2001-05-12|2003-02-11|Clarence Lloyd Warmack|Nut cracking apparatus|

US6422137B1|2001-06-14|2002-07-23|Mohammad Nakhei-Nejad|Pistachio huller|

US6397737B1|2001-11-15|2002-06-04|Joseph D. Eisel|Nutcracking apparatus|

US7302886B2|2003-07-11|2007-12-04|Hamilton James C|Hulling apparatus and method|

US7717033B1|2004-09-22|2010-05-18|Kim Sun Y|Nut cracking mechanism for variable-sized nuts|

US7357952B2|2005-02-16|2008-04-15|Ahmad Foroutanaliabad|Methods for splitting pistachio nuts|

US7493852B2|2005-06-17|2009-02-24|George Taylor|Sheller and method of use thereof|

EP2274104A2|2008-03-31|2011-01-19|MBA Polymers, Inc.|Methods, systems, and devices for separating materials using magnetic and frictional properties|

US20100062129A1|2008-09-05|2010-03-11|George Taylor|Legume sheller and method of use thereof|

CN203748607U|2014-02-20|2014-08-06|宁洱富德核桃科技开发有限责任公司|Walnut green seedcase huller|

CN204351023U|2014-12-19|2015-05-27|陕西科技大学|A kind of walnut green husk peeling machine|

CN204888672U|2015-08-07|2015-12-23|丹东先科液压设备有限公司|Chinese chestnut, dual -purpose peeling machine of fibert|

CN105029650B|2015-08-07|2017-11-10|丹东先科液压设备有限公司|The dual-purpose peeling machine of a kind of Chinese chestnut, fibert|

法律状态:
2020-04-13| BA2A| Patent application published|Ref document number: 2753673 Country of ref document: ES Kind code of ref document: A1 Effective date: 20200413 |

2021-03-29| FG2A| Definitive protection|Ref document number: 2753673 Country of ref document: ES Kind code of ref document: B2 Effective date: 20210329 |

优先权:

申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

US15/681,404|US10653174B2|2017-08-20|2017-08-20|Methods and apparatus for hulling crops|

PCT/US2018/046996|WO2019040341A1|2017-08-20|2018-08-17|Methods and apparatus for hulling crops|

[返回顶部]