US 4,223,688 AGranted

Bean sprout harvester

AssigneeKenneth G. Nylund

InventorsKenneth G. Nylund, Kai Y. Lee

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Abstract

Apparatus for treating bean sprouts to remove hulls, cut-off roots from the sprouts, and to wash them. The apparatus comprises essentially an open-top tank having a chute at one end for receiving sprouts to be cleaned, and a plurality of jets adjacent to the chute which delivers water thereto to agitate the sprouts. A source of water under pressure includes spray nozzles for filling the tank and further agitation. A conduit extends to a low pressure screen drum. From the latter, another conduit extends to a pump. A discharge chute communicates with the screen drum. Between the screen drum and the feed chute is a cylindrical screen which rotates in unison with the screen drum. A motor-driven drive belt rotates the screen drum and the cylindrical screen in unison. The cylindrical screen enhances the agitation and partially removes foreign material from the cylindrical member. The screen drum also has a plurality of radially extending blades which not only further the agitation, but also pick up foreign matter. A jet manifold is mounted on the screen drum and cleans materials collected on the drum.

A bean sprout harvester for washing bean sprouts and for separating hulls and unsprouted seeds from the bean sprouts, said bean sprout harvester comprising in combination:

a. an open-top tank including first and second side walls, front and back end walls, and a bottom wall for containing a cleaning fluid;
b. a feed chute mounted adjacent said front end wall for receiving the bean sprouts to be washed;
c. a discharge chute mounted adjacent said back end wall for discharging the washed bean sprouts;
d. a plurality of jet nozzles positioned adjacent said feed chute for directing cleaning fluid under pressure at the bean sprouts received by said feed chute;
e. a first tubular screen member rotatably mounted between said first and second side walls adjacent said back end wall and having a plurality of blades on its outer surface for transferring washed bean sprouts into said discharge chute;
f. a second tubular screen member rotatably mounted between said first and second side walls intermediate said front and back end walls and having a plurality of blades on its outer surface, said plurality of blades pressing bean sprouts and foreign matter below the surface of the cleaning fluid and moving the bean sprouts toward said back end wall, said second tubular screen member having a mesh which allows foreign matter to pass through said second tubular screen member and into the interior thereof, said second tubular screen member including conveying means attached to its interior surface for conveying foreign matter within the interior of said second tubular screen member;
g. disposal means positioned within the interior of said second tubular screen member above the surface of the cleaning fluid for receiving the foreign matter conveyed by said conveying means and for removing the received foreign matter to a disposal site;
and
h. drive means coupled to said first and second tubular screen members for rotating said first and second tubular screen members in a direction for moving the bean sprouts toward said back end wall and into said discharge chute.

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Abstract

Claims9