Abstract: A grain grinding system includes a polishing machine for polishing grains, and roll mills and sifters for repeatedly mill and sift the polished grains to provide a flour having a desired mesh size. A moisture adding device is provided for adding moisture to the grains milled in at least one of the roll mills, thereby maintaining the grains in a suitably moistened condition during the milling operation.

Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for humidifying rice grains. Rice grains immediately after polishing and, hence, still maintained at an elevated temperature are supplied with water. The rice grains are further humidified under application of a pressure. This two-staged humidification remarkably shortens the time required for the humidification of rice grains after polishing.

Abstract: A method of producing an abrasive roll comprises the steps of forming a mixture of substances such as abrasive grains, a bond, a temporary caking agent and a pore forming agent, molding the mixture into a body having a predetermined shape, and drying and then burning the body. The pore forming agent is constituted from a rice hull powder sieved to have a predetermined particle size, thereby enabling to produce an abrasive roll of high porosity which has pores having substantially ball-like shape and substantially uniform size and includes a bond having portions of high SiO.sub.2 concentration each adjacent to and surrounding one of the pores.

Abstract: In an apparatus for evaluating raw coffee beans, a near-infrared light beam is applied to sample coffee powder, a detector receives light reflected from and/or transmitted through the sample coffee powder to generate a signal representative of luminous intensity of the received light. A memory device has stored therein at least one of characteristic coefficients and appraisal coefficients for the sample coffee powder. A calculation device calculates at least one of characteristic value and appraisal values of the raw coffee beans, based on the stored coefficients and the signal from the detector.

Abstract: A variable speed controllable induction motor comprises a single rotor formed in one-piece having different sets of rotor conductive members effective respectively at different speed ranges, that is, at least a set of first conductive members specifically effective for a lower speed range and a set of second conductive members specifically effective for a higher speed ranges; a plurality of stators disposed side by side surrounding and facing respective portions of said rotor; and a phase shifting apparatus for producing phase differences on the respective portions of the rotor conductive members. The motor can achieve an overall wide range speed control due to the combined effects of the characteristics obtained respectively from the different set of the rotor conductive members.

Abstract: A color sorting apparatus for granular objects comprises a plurality of sorting units arranged in parallel relation to each other. Detecting positions of the respective sorting units are spaced from each other in a horizontal plane. Each sorting unit includes a substantially vertically extending, elongated tubular guide member for guiding the granular objects so as to be moved along a predetermined path passing through the detecting position, three detectors disposed at the detecting position at angular intervals of substantially 120 degrees around the predetermined path, and a deflector operative in response to a signal from at least one of the detectors representative of undesirable granular objects for deflecting the same out of the predetermined path.

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: A supply line for supplying a sealant from a sealant supply source to a sealing robot has pressure sensors and is coupled to relief valves through branch lines. If the pressure in the supply line excessively rises or drops, then the relief valves are opened to release the pressure from the supply line and the supply pump is inactivated. The pipes, devices, and pump on the supply line are therefore protected from damage. The sealing robot has an sealant applicator gun movable with respect to an article to which the sealant is to be applied by the sealing robot. A pump driving device is controlled to vary the rate at which the sealant is discharged from the pump as a function of the speed of relative movement of the sealant applicator gun with respect to the article.

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.