US 6,508,699 B1Granted

Apparatus for rinsing and scraping bi-valve mollusks

OwnerFrank J Santoriello, Richard Santorielloinventors

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Abstract

An apparatus for mechanically rinsing and scraping bi-valve mollusks and the like. The mollusks are placed into a perforated drum that is rotated by a motor, the drum having a plurality of agitation protrusions for churning, lifting and dropping the mollusks so they become frictionally engaged with one another and the plurality of abrasive elements contained therein thereby effectively scraping off any barnacles or other like debris. Jet streams of water are emitted to shower the mollusks during operation and a housing assembly that maintains the perforated drum therein also forms a basin that retains the effluence and creates an agitating, churning bath to facilitate cleaning. The front panel of the housing assembly is hinged to a bottom plate thereof and has two perpendicular side panels extending therefrom to form a chute for unloading the mollusks in an orderly manner into a bucket or other like container.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An apparatus for rinsing and scraping mollusks comprising:

a) a housing assembly including:
i) a baseplate;
ii) a first sidewall;
iii) a second sidewall;
iv) a rear wall;
and
v) a chute door pivotably connected to said baseplate by a hinge, said chute door acts as dump chute for controlling the removal of mollusks therefrom when in the open position and when closed forms a watertight seal and conjunctively with said baseplate, said first sidewall, said second sidewall, and said rear wall defines a basin
b) a perforated drum horizontally mounted within said housing for maintaining and abrasively churning and tossing the material therein during operation;
c) means for axially rotating said drum within said housing;
d) means for introducing a pressurized fluid into said drum and onto its respective contents;
e) abrasive elements within said drum;
and
f) a plurality of agitation protrusions extending longitudinally and projecting medially from the inner peripheral wall of said drum to abrasively lift, drop and churn material placed therein;
g) a top plate extending angularly and centrally from the top of said rear wall and connected on one side by said first sidewall and on the other side by said second sidewall;
and
h) a flexible sheet fastened to the top edge of said top plate for retaining the overspray and splashback from said fluid introduction means.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.