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US 6,422,137 B1Granted
Pistachio huller
OwnerMohammad Nakhei-Nejadinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for separating hulled and unhulled pistachios includes a rotating roller and a conveyor for depositing pistachios onto the roller. Rotation of the drum frictionally separates hulled and unhulled pistachios.
Claims16
An apparatus to hull pistachio nuts comprising:
- a chassis frame;
- a main roller having a textured outer surface rotatably mounted to the chassis;
- at least one satellite roller having a textured outer surface rotatably mounted to the chassis in close proximity to the main roller such that the axis of rotation of the satellite roller is parallel to the axis of rotation of the main roller;
- an elongate rotating separation roller having a outer surface comprising a helical friction strip, wherein said separation roller is mounted below the main and satellite rollers;
- a first and second guide plates mounted spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other and the separation roller, above the separation roller;
- and
- means for rotating the main roller and counter-rotating the at least one satellite roller and means for rotating the separation roller.
4 more elements
An apparatus to hull pistachio nuts comprising:
- a chassis frame;
- a main roller having a textured outer surface rotatably mounted to the chassis;
- at least one satellite roller having a textured outer surface rotatably mounted to the chassis in close proximity to the main roller such that the axis of rotation of the satellite roller is parallel to the axis of rotation of the main roller;
- an elongate rotating separation roller having a outer surface comprising a helical friction strip, wherein said separation roller is mounted below the main and satellite rollers;
- a first and second guide plates mounted spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other and the separation roller, above the separation roller;
- and
- means for rotating the main roller and counter-rotating the at least one satellite roller and means for rotating the separation roller;
- wherein the main roller and satellite roller are counter-rotated at the same rate and wherein the main roller has a larger diameter than the satellite roller.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.