Abstract: In an apparatus for humidifying polished rice, a conveyor has a tubular housing which defines a predetermined transport path for the polished rice. The conveyor conveys the polished rice, while steering the same, along the transport path. A humidifier is arranged in association with the transport path for adding moisture to the polished rice conveyed along the transport path to humidify the polished rice. A blower is arranged in association with the transport path for causing air to flow therealong. A rice milling system comprises a rice polishing machine and the apparatus connected thereto. The rice polishing machine polishes brown rice to form the polished rice. Polishing of the brown rice to the polished rice raises temperature of the polished rice. The polished rice elevated in temperature is supplied to the housing of the apparatus.

Abstract: A grain polishing machine of a vertical shaft and friction type in which a vertical polishing rotor and a bran removing polishing cylinder surrounding the former have each different diameters so as to have step parts dividing a polishing chamber defined between the polishing rotor and the polishing cylinder into a plurality of parts which are communicated with each other through connection passages that are defined between the step parts of the polishing rotor and the polishing cylinder thereby to prevent the weight of grain in the upper part of the polishing chamber from affecting the polishing pressure in the lower part thereof so that the polishing pressure in the polishing chamber is made to be uniform as a whole.

Abstract: Provided is a rice polishing machine of a vertical shaft and frictional type, comprising a vertical tubular member, having a perforated wall; a vertical main shaft rotatably disposed in the tubular member and having one end part and an other end part; a spiral rotor fitted on the one end part of the vertical main shaft; a polishing rotor having an outer peripheral surface on which agitating projection ridges are formed, fitted on the other end part of the main shaft and further having a center axis around which the polishing rotor rotates in a certain rotating direction; and a polishing chamber mainly defined by the tubular member and the polishing rotor and having upper and lower ends one of which is connected with a rice grain feed section and the other of which is connected with a rice grain discharge section, wherein the peripheral surface of the polishing rotor is formed such that the distance between the center axis of the polishing rotor and a part of the peripheral surface of the polishing rotor, whic

Abstract: In an apparatus for humidifying rice grains, a humidifying vessel has defined therewithin a substantially closed space and has a rice supply port and a rice discharge port. Rice grains are supplied into the humidifying vessel through the supply port, while gas is substantially prevented from escaping from the space within the humidifying vessel through the supply port. Rice grains are discharged from the humidifying vessel through the discharge port, while the gas is substantially prevented from escaping from the space within the humidifying vessel through the discharge port. Gas is forcibly delivered into the humidifying vessel to pressurize the space therewithin. Moisture is added to the rice grains within the pressurized space within the humidifying vessel. The moisture is added to the rice grains within the substantially closed space and, simultaneously, the moisture added to each rice grain is penetrated into an interior of the rice grain under pressure.

Abstract: In a cereal-grain polishing apparatus, a perforated tubular member is arranged substantially vertically. A polishing roll fixedly mounted to a rotary shaft is rotatably arranged within the perforated tubular member to define therebetween a polishing chamber. The polishing roll is provided with at least one agitating projection and at least one opening. Cereal grains to be polished are fed to the polishing chamber by a screw feed roll fixedly mounted to the rotary shaft, such that the cereal grains move upwardly through the polishing chamber. When the polishing roll is rotated, the agitating projection brings the cereal grains into friction contact with each other to remove surface layers from the respective cereal grains.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains. The apparatus comprises a near infrared spectrometer having a band-pass filter and detectors for detecting the intensity of reflected light from the sample rice; a control device having a memory for storing various values and a calculator for performing various calculations; indicating device for displaying or printing the various calculated values; and a sample case for being filled with the sample rice and being disposed at the measuring portion within the near infrared spectrometer.The apparatus is capable of measuring the content percentages of pre-selected constituent or constituents, such as, of protein, either amylose or amylopectin and moisture of the rice grains, calculating a quality evaluation value of the sample rice based on the measured and calculated values and powers established for the preselected constituents, and displaying the calculated evaluation value of the sample rice.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring amylose and/or amylopectin content in rice. A near infrared light beam having its wavelength in a range of from about 1900 nm to about 2500 nm is applied to sample rice (5). A detector (26, 27,28) receives light reflected from and/or transmitted through the sample rice (5), to generate signals representative of luminous intensity of the received light. A memory device (122) has stored therein content conversion coefficients set for the amylose and/or amylopectin. A calculation device (123) calculates the amylose and/or amylopectin content in the sample rice (5), based on the detecting signals from the detector (26,27,28) and the content conversion coefficients stored in the memory device (122). The calculated content is displayed by a display device (126,127).

Abstract: A variable speed controlled induction motor has a rotor (8) formed in one piece and a plurality of stators (24,25), the rotor having a plurality of rotor cores (2,3) and a plurality of conductive members (5) interconnected and the stators having respective stator windings (22,23). The stator windings (22,23) are connected in series, the rotor conductive members (5) are short-circuited by connecting members (r) at an air space or a non-magnetic core portion disposed between the rotor cores (2,3), and at least one of the plurality of stators (24,25) is associated with a phase shifter (38;47;50;51) providing the voltage of a given phase to the stator windings, whereby the rotational speed can be controlled easily over a wide range with excellent torque characteristics and efficiency.

Abstract: The invention relates to a separation wall movement control device for grain sorting machines designed to separate mixed grain of different kinds which give different responses to light by the rough surface grain sorting plate, the separation wall being designed to move or stop along one side of a rough surface grain sorting plate. A detector consisting of many LED light sources and light receiving elements is provided facing one or both sides of a grain exit passage of the rough surface grain sorting plate. The mixing ratio of grain flowing out through the grain exit passage of the rough surface grain sorting plate is detected, the detector sends a signal through the control circuit to the motor communicating with the separation wall provided at a distance in the direction of movement of the detector, and the separation wall is moved to the boundary between pure grains and mixed grains and is stopped there.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains. The apparatus comprises a near infrared spectrometer having a band-pass filter and detectors for detecting the intensity of reflected light from the sample rice; a control device having a memory for storing various values and a calculator for performing various calculations; indicating device for displaying or printing the various calculated values; and a sample case for being filled with the sample rice and being disposed at the measuring portion within the near infrared spectrometer. The apparatus is capable of measuring the content percentages of pre-selected constituent or constituents, such as, of protein, either amylose or amylopectin and moisture of the rice grains, calculating a quality evaluation value of the sample rice based on the measured and calculated values and powers established for the preselected constituents, and displaying the calculated evaluation value of the sample rice.

Abstract: A pretreatment system for wheat to be floured comprises a plurality of friction type wheat polishing machines disposed in series relation to form a continuous wheat polishing process line. Each polishing machine includes a perforated tubular polishing member mounted on a frame and a frictionally polishing roll rotatably mounted on the frame. The polishing roll is disposed with the polishing member and cooperates therewith to define therebetween a polishing chamber. Upon the rotation of the polishing roll, it causes wheat grains supplied into the polishing chamber to be agitated and brought into frictional contact with each other to strip a pericarp from each wheat grain, to thereby polish the same. A moisture supplying device supplies moisture to the polishing chamber of at least one of the polishing machines, to add the moisture to the wheat grains flowing within the polishing chamber, to thereby increase a frictional contact force between the wheat grains.

Abstract: An automatic control device for a boundary plate of a grain separator for separating a grain mixture into different grains. The grain separator has a separator plate provided with a roughened surface and mounted at inclinations in both of longitudinal and lateral directions with respect to the horizontal plane. A lateral movement is imparted to the different grains on the separator plate by a lateral oscillation given to the separator plate or by a lateral jet of air jetted from a numerous small aperture formed in the separator plate, so that the flow fluxes of different grains are deflected away from each other due to the difference in the physical properties such as specific weight and/or friction coefficient, so that the mixture of different grains are separated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vibratory grain sorting machine which comprises an assembly to be vibrated at least including a frame and at least one stack of sorting plate members. The assembly to be vibrated is pivotally supported on a base structure by a plurality of strut units. At least one of the strut units has a top end pivotally connected to a side wall of the frame and a bottom end pivotally connected to the base structure. Each of the remaining strut units has a top end pivotally connected to a bottom wall of the frame and a bottom end pivotally connected to the base structure. A vibrating device is connected to the frame to apply a force substantially toward and away from the center of gravity of the assembly to be vibrated, thereby angularly reciprocating the assembly to be vibrated, around the bottom ends of the respective strut units.

Abstract: An apparatus for compressing and heating a material to be treated, i.e., fibrous materials of plants such as true grasses or the like, changing the quality of the material, and solidifying the same. The material to be treated is delivered by a rotatable screw into and through a quality-changing chamber. During the passage of the material through the quality-changing chamber, the material is heated by a heating device. During the passage of the material through the quality-changing chamber, the material has its tissues destroyed, is softened, is compacted, and is solidified due to the compression by the screw and the heating by the heating device. A sensor senses a load applied to a motor and/or the temperature of the material being treated within the quality-changing chamber. A control system responds to a signal or signals from the sensor to control the load and/or the temperature.

Abstract: A vertical type screening machine for granular material comprises a housing. A rotary drum assembly is rotatably mounted within the housing and comprises a drum having a substantially vertical rotary axis and a helical blade helically wound around a circumferential surface of the drum. A cylindrical screen member disposed between the drum assembly and the housing cooperates with a peripheral wall of the housing to define therebetween a first chamber and cooperates with the circumferential surface of the drum to define therebetween a second chamber. The granular material to be screened is introduced into the top of the second chamber. Upon the rotation of the drum assemby, the granular material introduced into the top of the second chamber is moved toward the bottom of the second chamber by the helical blade and due to gravity.

Abstract: A belt connector device for connecting opposite end portions of a belt to each other to form an endless belt assembly for use in belt type delivery apparatus comprises a mounting assembly which includes a pair of opposed, but spaced side wall members. First and second rollers are rotatably supported by the side wall members and cooperate with each other to define therebetween a gap in substantially parallel to respective axes of the first and second rollers. A drive device is operative to drivingly rotate the first roller to forcibly move, through the gap, the belt opposite end portions received in the gap with the belt opposite end portions being contact with each other in face to face relation, while clamping the belt opposite end portions between the first and second rollers, until the tension applied to the belt reaches a desired value.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic background brightness control device for color sorting apparatus having a plurality of sorting channels (Q1-Qn), each including a sensor (S1-Sn) to detect the amount of reflected and/or transmitted light from objects to be sorted and the amount of reflected and/or transmitted light from a background provided at the sorting channel. A scanner circuit (12, 14, 16) selects from the sorting channels one sorting channel of which the background brightness is to be controlled. A process control circuit (11) is provided to compare the output from the sensor against predetermined reference voltages and to produce a signal for controlling the background brightness only when the output from the sensor deviates from the reference voltages. A light control circuit (P1-Pn) controls the background brightness within the selected sorting channel according to the signal for controlling the background brightness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a color sorting apparatus for granular objects in which detecting members (11, 11') for detecting acceptable objects and unacceptable objects respectively include light emitting members (9, 9; 9', 9') to send light to a sorting path (A), background light members (10; 10') to provide a reference amount of light, and light receiving members (8; 8') for receiving light coming from the objects in the sorting path and from the background light members; a valve actuating member (40) is responsive to the light receiving members for producing an ejection signal for unacceptable objects; ejection members (12, 13) are responsive to the valve actuating members for ejecting unacceptable objects; and adjusting members (19, 19) are responsive to the light receiving members for automatically adjusting the amount of light emitted from the background light members.

Abstract: A system for mixing different kinds of grains comprises a plurality of tanks respectively containing different kinds of grains therein. Each of the tanks has a discharge port. A volumetric weight measuring device measures volumetric weights of the respective grains delivered to the tanks to input the volumetric weight signals to a computer. The computer supplies control signals based on the volumetric weight signals to drive devices for valve devices each of which controls a flow rate of the associated grain discharged from the discharge port of the associated tank. The drive devices are respectively operative in response to the control signals respectively supplied thereto from the computer to respectively drive the valve devices so as to allow the respective grains discharged by the valve devices to be controlled in terms of weight unit. The respective grains discharged by the valve devices are mixed at a mixing station.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting cracked rice grains. The apparatus has conveyor means by which the rice grains to be examined are moved in at least one row extending in the direction of movement, a light-transmitting window formed in the conveyor means and adapted to pass a coherent light beam of a width smaller than the diameter of the rice grain, a light source means adapted to apply the coherent light, light-receiving means including light-receiving elements adapted to detect the quantities of lights transmitted through the leading half part and trailing half part of the rice grain when the latter passes over the light-transmitting window, and a circuit means adapted to measure and compare the quantities of light received by the light-receiving means in comparison with predetermined reference threshold values.