US 4,597,977 A · Method and apparatus for separating hulls and debris from plant products

Abstract

A machine frame has a foraminous, inclined screen drum mounted for rotation thereon with an opening in one end which receives the peas for engagement by flat paddles attached in spaced relation to a horizontal, internal paddle shaft supported for rotation within the drum. A separating member supported on and rotating with the drum is spaced from the inside of the drum. The peas (kernels) fall through a closed housing to a shaker at the bottom and are collected in a pan. The hulls and trash are directed through the drum past the separating member and out of an opening at one end and into a trash bag. A blower on one end of the machine blows the trash through the housing. A drive means drives the drum and the paddles in opposite directions and also operates an eccentric to reciprocate the shaker.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of separating hulls and debris from a plant product selected from the group consisting of peas, beans and peanuts so as to obtain the kernels from said plant product comprising:

inclining a foraminous container which has an input and an output end so that the container is higher on an input end and feeding product into the input end of said container during movement thereof,
rotating the product in the container and engaging the product with a plurality of spaced striking members to separate hulls and debris from kernels,
delivering the hulls and debris to the output end of the container while the container is rotating,
providing a separating means within said container and causing hulls and debris to be separated from the kernels and to move to the output end,
dropping the kernels beneath the container,
and thereafter collecting some of the hulls and debris through an opening in the container at the output end of the container and collecting the kernels from the bottom of the container after the kernels have dropped from the container during rotation.

3 more elements

An apparatus for separating hulls and debris from a plant product selected from the group consisting of peas, beans and peanuts so as to obtain the kernels from said plant product comprising:

a support frame,
a foraminous, inclined drum rotatably mounted on said frame for receiving the product to be shelled, said drum having a foraminous, substantially cylindrical cover through which the kernels of the product will pass and an input end and an outlet end, said drum having an outlet opening on one end thereof for hulls and debris and said drum being higher above a support surface on the product input end, for delivering continuously during the rotation of said drum the product to said outlet end having the hull and debris opening therein,
separating means within and rotatable with said drum for separating hulls and debris from the kernels,
striking means mounted within said drum in spaced relation thereon and comprising a plurality of striking members arranged in longitudinal and radial separation for striking the product introduced into said drum and for delivering same from the entrance end to the other output end of said drum for exit of the hulls and debris through the output end,
and drive means for said drum and striking members.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for separating hulls and debris from plant products

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for separating hulls and debris from plant products

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18