Abstract: A downward-flow trough angle adjusting device for a color discriminating machine having a downward-flow trough mounting device for detachably mounting the trough, the device being secured to the upper surface of a frame defining a photoelectric discriminating chamber to provide a unitary structure. The photoelectric discriminating chamber frame is connected at one side to a machine frame for pivotal movement while being movably supported at the other side by the machine frame through a threaded shaft-nut assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for polishing rice grains for generating super luster on rice grain surfaces which comprises means for grind-polishing rice grains from unpolished rice grains into intermediately polished rice grains whereby the yield of said intermediately polished rice grains from said unpolished rice grains is maintained equal to or not less than approximately 94%. The present invention also includes structure for feeding 2-50 kg of water per hour and 12-90 m.sup.3 air per hour to intermediately polished rice grains that are flowing at a rate of one ton per hour whereby moisture of 0.1-2.0 weight percent to the rice grains, weight is absorbed and stuck onto surfaces of the rice grains during friction-polishing. The disclosed rice polishing apparatus includes a grinding-type polishing machine provided with grinding type polishing rolls and a humidified friction-type polishing machine provided with friction type polishing rolls and humidifying device.

Abstract: Disclosed is the improvements in whitening apparatus for producing strongly glossy white rice without using any gloss additive. The improved apparatus wherein: friction between half-finished white rice grains which have been moistened while being supplied to a whitening chamber of the apparatus is caused by the rotation of a whitening roll axially disposed in a perforated bran-removing and whitening cylinder, said roll and said cylinder are defining therebetween said whitening chamber, whereby the surfaces of grains are fully cleaned of bran which is constantly discharged through the perforated wall of said cylinder, thereby enabling to expose hard portions of white rice grains devoid of bran. The ratio between the length and diameter of said cylinder experimentally substantiated for best results may be between 2:1 to 20:1.

Abstract: An automatic control apparatus of a grain separator for precisely separating a mixture of soil particles and grain having different hue and specific gravity, wherein the grain separator includes a soil discharge opening disposed at the front end of a separating plate which is inclined with a forward elevation in order to perform oscillations back and forth at a larger angle than said inclined angle, and a grain discharge opening disposed at the rear end thereof.The automatic control apparatus is equipped with a light source and a light receiving element at the front end of said separating plate to detect the intensity of the ray reflected from the mixture of soil and grain, at which said light receiving element produces a signal which actuates an electromagnetic driving means to allow or block the discharge of materials from the soil discharge opening, thus discharging only soil particles from the discharge opening.

Abstract: An oscillating grain separator comprised a grain separating plate provided with a rugged surface which oscillates in the angle direction of elevation for shaking up grain and mixed grain is separated at one at front side and/or rear side of the separating plate and flow out sideways from the plate, an oscillating grain separator having photoelectric means consisting of a light source and a light receiving element for detecting the flow conditions of the grain on the grain separating plate and automatically controlling the angle of elevation, mean oscillating angle, frequency or amplitude of the grain separating plate for normal control of the grain flow.

Abstract: A grain sorter including a machine frame, at least one grain sorting board and a device for moving the grain sorting board in swinging movement including a mounting mechanism for mounting the grain sorting board on the machine frame in such a manner that the grain sorting board is inclined in one direction at a certain angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal, a swinging mechanism for moving the grain sorting board in swinging movement at an angle larger than the angle of inclination of the grain sorting board, and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the angle of inclination of the grain sorting board. The mechanism for adjusting the angle of inclination of the grain sorting board is incorporated in the device for moving the grain sorting board in swinging movement within the limit set by the heights of the mounting mechanism and the swinging mechanism, so as to lower the center of gravity of the grain sorting board and avoid production of irregular vibration of the grain sorting board.

Abstract: An automatic control system for a hulling machine including a fixed rotary hulling roll, a movable rotary hulling roll, means for moving the movable rotary hulling roll toward and away from the fixed rotary hulling roll to adjust the gap between the two hulling rolls and a main electric motor for driving the two hulling rolls. The system includes load detecting means for detecting the load applied to the main electric motor, and control means for connecting the load detecting means to the means for controlling the movement of the auxiliary shaft whereby the gap between the two hulling rolls can be automatically adjusted in accordance with the load applied to the main electric motor.

Abstract: An automatic safety device for a hulling machine comprising a housing, a fixed hulling roll and a movable hulling roll forming a pair rotatably mounted parallel to each other in the housing, means for driving the two hulling rolls and means for forcing the movable hulling roll to move toward the fixed hulling roll. Each hulling roll has fitted thereover a metallic annular member and a resilient annular member in the indicated order. The automatic safety device includes detecting means for detecting that at least one of the resilient annular members of the hulling rolls has reached a predetermined wear limit radius, and a safety control electric circuit connected to said detecting means and including warning means and/or means for interrupting the operation of the means for driving the hulling rolls.

Abstract: A particle color discriminating apparatus including a vibration feeder for feeding particles to be discriminated, a shooter for causing the particles from the feeder to flow downwardly, photoelectric detecting means located in the vicinity of a path of flow of the particles in a predetermined locus, an air ejector arranged beneath the photoelectric detecting means and control means for controlling the actuation of the air ejector in accordance with an output signal of the photosensitive detector is provided with an automatic control device operative to control the amount of particles supplied by the vibration feeder in accordance with changes in the proportion of particles distinct in color from the particles of interest in the particles supplied.

Abstract: A rotary cylinder type separator comprises a slightly tiltable, horizontally installed rotary cylinder, a plurality of combs secured to the inside of the cylinder, in parallel and substantially axially of the cylinder, a feeder for introducing a mixture of grainy material and impurities into the cylinder at one end, an outlet formed at the other end of the cylinder for discharging the grainy material out of the cylinder, and a device for discharging the impurities larger in size than the grainy material and that have been scooped by the combs to a high level and have then fallen within the cylinder. The last-mentioned device is a fan for producing an air blast within the cylinder, or a combination of a stationary collection trough inserted axially through the cylinder for receiving the impurities that fall from the high level, and a screw conveyor mounted inside the trough.

Abstract: A rice pearling apparatus of the type including a pearling chamber formed by a pearling roll and a multiple-holed debranning-pearling cylinder surrounding the roll, and a device for feeding rice to the pealing cylinder, further comprises a device for supplying water to the pearling chamber, flow meters for measuring and indicating the rates of rice and water flow into the chamber, and a device for regulating the respective flow rates of rice and water.

Abstract: A rice pearling machine with a humidifier in which a humidifying-pearling chamber consisting of a perforated wall debranning-pearling cylinder and a friction pearling roll and incorporating a humidifying arrangement is communicated with an airing-pearling chamber consisting of a perforated wall debranning-pearling cylinder and a friction pearling roll and incorporating an airing arrangement to form an integral pearling space. The humidifying-pearling chamber includes a rice hopper inlet and the airing-pearling chamber includes a rice outlet. The shaft on which the both friction pearling rolls are mounted is hollow to serve also as an air duct with air holes formed along its length, the duct being partitioned in the vicinity of the border between the two pearling chambers.

Abstract: A rice pearling apparatus with a humidifier includes a humidifying section comprising a humidifying line open into an essential part of one of pearling chambers in a series of pearling units, and perforated walls for debranning-pearling cylinders provided in the pearling units before and after the humidifying section. The quotient of the total perforated wall surface area of the frictional pearling chambers after the humidifying section divided by the product of the pearling ratio multiplied by the rise flow rate is not less than one time as much as the quotient of the total perforated wall surface area of the frictional pearling chambers before the humidifying section divided by the same product as above.

Abstract: A roll type huller including a housing, a pair of hulling rolls parallelly spaced apart within the housing, a main shaft carrying one of the rolls and supported by the housing rotatably about a fixed axis, and a counter shaft carrying the other roll and supported near the free end of an arm mounted at the base by a pivot which is spaced from, and parallel with, the fixed axis, so that the counter shaft can move toward and away from the main shaft while maintaining the parallelism. The pivot is supported by the housing in a relative position opposite to the roll-carrying portion of the counter shaft. The location of the pivot may be inside the housing beneath the counter shaft or outside of the housing above the shaft or elsewhere provided the aforesaid relationship with the shaft is maintained.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising hulling means, winnowing means, sorting means, and conveyor means. Said hulling and winnowing means are housed in a platform-like box having longer longitudinal sides and shorter transverse sides. The sorting means is operated to move along the longitudinal sides of box, and the path of circulation of grain through the hulling means, conveyor means and sorting means is made short by locating them adjacently to each other.