Abstract: A separator for separating plant stalks into components includes a feeder in the form of opposite endless conveyors which propel stalks against a splitter. The splitter comprises two oppositely traveling, notched bands which are in contact to define a cutting edge. Stalk sections have at least their pith removed by a milling roll disposed opposite a slower traveling hold-back belt, the latter controlling the speed of the stalk sections. The milling roll includes removable blades which are held in place by wedges and pairs of blades are adjusted by tiltable members at each blade end. The tiltable members move the blades into contact with reference surfaces on the milling roll to define a proper blade location. Stalks are fed to the separator by being dropped onto a chute which guides the stalks into separate feed passages, the latter being maintained throughout stalk travel through the separator.

Abstract: A sugarcane pith and rind separation unit comprising a power driven rind gripping roll, a power driven pith milling roll in close spaced relation, said rolls having surface indentation and being driven at such rotational speeds so as to accept incoming longitudinally split sugarcane stalk halves, flatten them, and mill out the pith away from the rind, and a pith deflecting plate or shroud positioned at the output of the two rolls, said plate having shaped surfaces for causing the rind and pith to travel further on separate paths and having, adjacent the leading edge and closely positioned in the output side of the pinch between the rolls, an elongated cylindrical roller of relatively small diameter and adapted to be driven at a rotational speed such as to effectively move any fibrous material that might cause clogging and binding out of the confined region between the rolls and the deflecting plate and pass to the output.