Cracking die assembly for high production nut cracking apparatus

A cracking die assembly adapted for use in a nutcracking apparatus, and comprising

• a mounting sleeve defining a forward end and a rearward end and having an internal bore which includes a forwardly facing radial shoulder intermediate said ends to define a forward end portion on one side of said shoulder and a rearward end portion on the other side of said shoulder,
• a tubular retainer coaxially mounted in the forward end portion of said sleeve bore, said retainer including an internal bore which includes a rearwardly facing radial shoulder intermediate its ends and which is spaced oppositely from said sleeve shoulder, and so as to define a forward cylindrical bore portion on the forward side of said retainer shoulder and a rearward cylindrical bore portion on the rearward side of said retainer shoulder,
• a cracking die including a cylindrical forward end portion closely received within the forward bore portion of said retainer, and a radial flange disposed within said rearward bore portion of said retainer and between said retainer shoulder and said sleeve shoulder, with said flange having an axial dimension less than the distance between said shoulders for permitting limited axial movement of said die, and with said die having a generally flat rearward end surface and a forward end surface having an axial depression formed therein which is adapted to receive a portion of a nut to be cracked,
• resilient annular gasket means encircling said cylindrical forward end portion of said die and disposed between said radial shoulder of said die and said retainer shoulder,
• whereby said cracking die is adapted to be impacted on said rearward end surface and be thrust forwardly a limited distance so as to impart a cracking force to a nut received in said axial depression at the forward end surface of the die, and with the annular gasket means adapted to absorb at least a portion of the impacting force.

In a nut cracking apparatus comprising a cracking die having a forward end surface and a rearward end surface, an anvil mounted opposite said forward end surface of said die to define an opening therebetween which is adapted to receive a nut, means mounting said cracking die for limited movement toward and away from said opening, means mounting said anvil for limited movement toward and away from said opening and for biasing said anvil in a direction toward said opening so that a nut may be retained between said anvil and said cracking die, a free floating shuttle mounted rearwardly of said cracking die, and means for periodically thrusting said shuttle forwardly into impacting engagement with said rearward end surface of said cracking die such that a nut retained between said anvil and said cracking die will be cracked by the resulting forward movement of the cracking die, the improvement wherein said cracking die is included in a cracking die assembly which comprises

• a mounting sleeve having an internal bore which includes a radial shoulder intermediate its ends,
• a tubular retainer coaxially mounted in said sleeve bore, said retainer including an internal bore and a radial shoulder which is spaced oppositely from said sleeve shoulder,
• said cracking die being disposed coaxially within said bore of said sleeve and including a radial flange disposed between said retainer shoulder and said sleeve shoulder, with said flange having an axial dimension less than the distance between said shoulders for permitting limited axial movement of said die, and with said die having a forward end surface which is adapted to engage the end of a nut to be cracked, and an opposite rearward end surface, and
• resilient annular gasket means disposed between said radial flange of said die and one of either said sleeve shoulder or said retainer shoulder, and so as to be disposed on the side of said flange toward said forward end surface of said die,
• whereby said cracking die is adapted to be impacted on said rearward end surface and be thrust forwardly a limited distance so as to impart a cracking force to a nut received between said anvil and forward end surface of said die, and with the annular gasket means adapted to absorb at least a portion of the impacting force.