Abstract: The present invention discloses a device and method for peeling beans and separating the hulls from the peeled beans. The device for peeling beans comprising a rough disc (3) in a bowl (2), driven by an electric motor (1), to abrasively impact beans in water. A barrier ring (4) enables separation of the hulls from the beans and a special filter (5) gathers the hulls out of the mixture.

Abstract: There exists a demand for providing a method and apparatus capable of sorting articles whose upper and lower attitudes are inverted, in a simple and positive manner, from among different-formed articles such as candies having upper and lower portions different in outside diameter.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are used to separate fines from objects of a feed mixture being processed (e.g., iron bearing pellets, chips and dust). For example, at least a portion of an endless belt defining a channel is movable up an incline relative to horizontal (e.g., an incline that is at an angle relative to horizontal that is greater than an angle of repose associated with the objects, but less than an angle of repose associated with the fines being removed). Further, obstruction elements may be used on the endless belt to impede the flow of the fines down the incline.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are used to separate fines from objects of a feed mixture being processed (e.g., iron bearing pellets, chips and dust). For example, at least a portion of an endless belt defining a channel is movable up an incline relative to horizontal (e.g., an incline that is at an angle relative to horizontal that is greater than an angle of repose associated with the objects, but less than an angle of repose associated with the fines being removed). Further, obstruction elements may be used on the endless belt to impede the flow of the fines down the incline.

Abstract: A cereal grain sorting system includes a wind force sorting device, a rough sorting device and a roll sorting device. The wind force sorting device is operative for selectively sorting light weight foreign materials from feedstock cereal grains. The rough sorting device is operative for selectively removing foreign materials having different diameters from the standard one from the feedstock cereal grains. The roll sorting device is operative for selectively removing foreign materials having different forms from the standard ones from the feedstock cereal grains having been subjected to the wind force sorting step as well as to the rough sorting step.

Abstract: A plurality of parallel chain loops have outwardly extending blades and travel in plastic channels over an inclined deck. The chains extend between shafts which rotate in opposite directions and are mounted to the shafts so that alternating chains move up the incline and the others move down. Refuse bags deposited on the deck are torn open by the blades. Small refuse objects fall between the chains and slide down the deck to be discharged, while larger objects are carried by the upwardly moving chains to the top of the deck. Refuse objects are thereby initially segregated by size.

Abstract: A system for classifying recycled debris comprising ferrous materials, fines, non-ferrous light material and non-ferrous heavy material. The classification system is made of a hopper having an inlet, including a spillway opening defining a lowermost portion of the hopper inlet, and an outlet formed along a lower portion of the hopper and contained in a plane at an angle of about 50 degrees from horizontal. A conveyor covering the outlet includes substantially rigid cleats extending into the hopper for agitating the debris and for transporting heavy material, such as glass bottles, out of the hopper outlet. Agitation of the debris causes the heavy material to drift to the lower portion of the hopper and the light material to rise to the top portion and flow over the spillway. A second conveyor positioned beneath the spillway catches the light material and carries it to another location.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for separating of different plastic products, which plastic products are comminuted, purified, and dried in a conventional way. The dry particles are fed to a heated, movable support base. Plastic particles, having a lower softening point, adhere to the support base, and particles having, a higher softening point, flow freely over the particles adhering to the moving support base and can be separated. After separation of these particles, the adhering particles are scraped from the steel belt.

Abstract: The present invention is addressed to an apparatus and method for carrying out the effective separation or classification of MSW into fractions with improved efficiency. This improved efficiency is achieved inter alia through the use of various separation devices designed to segregate fractions of MSW based on their ultimate usages or physical properties. Through the utilization of devices optimized to categorize by the physical properties of various fractions, a large percentage of the sortation process can be achieved without the use of human sorters.

Abstract: A gravity separator device for field use in separating material comprising spurious matter and harvested products employing airflow through a grid-like conveyor belt moving upward while inclined to the horizontal for reducing the friction between the conveyor belt and the lighter material causing the lighter material to move downward into a collecting receptacle while the heavier material is moved upward by the conveyor belt.

Abstract: An onion peeling machine having a wheel for transporting the onions past a series of stations, where the onions are topped and peeled, the outer skins slit longitudinally of the onion, and the skin removed by water jets. The machine also includes separation means to separate the peeled onions from the skins.

Abstract: A harvesting device for separating round root crops, such as potatoes, from soil and other unwanted material. The crop and the soil in which it is growing is uplifted into the harvesting device by the forward movement of the device. The uplifted material is delivered into two conveyors, one positioned above the other and one running at a different speed from the other. The upper conveyor has a series of transverse members, such as fingers and flaps, which break up the uplifted material into discrete portions and these transverse members form with the lower conveyor a series of pockets so that each discrete portion of uplifted material lies in a pocket. The conveyors are inclined and this combined with the differential speed causes the material to be tumbled and the round root crops to roll free of unwanted material.

Abstract: A conveyor-separator apparatus having a separator unit slave driven from the conveyor unit by a gear train which employs an idler gear rotatably supported on the separator unit. The idler gear projects from the housing of the separator unit so as to be disposed in meshing engagement with a drive gear associated with the conveyor unit when the two units are joined together. This gear train also employs a drive gear which is in meshing engagement with the idler gear and is coaxially secured relative to the separator belt roller disposed adjacent the lower end of the separation gap. This driven gear is supported on an arm swingable about the axis of the idler gear, which arm can be selectively secured in a desired location. This swinging of the arm causes the axis of the drive gear, and hence the axis of the separator belt roller, to be selectively moved toward or away from the conveyor unit so as to selectively vary the width of the separation gap.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting textile bobbins into groups of empty bobbins and bobbins with residual yarn thereon, utilizing an inclined upwardly moving conveyor belt covered with card clothing for conveying upwardly and discharging therefrom bobbins having residual yarn thereon by engagement of the yarn by the card clothing and for downward sliding discharge therefrom of empty bobbins, and utilizing another inclined conveyor belt to transport and feed bobbins onto the card conveyor. By utilizing a wall extending between the two conveyor belts and providing an opening therein of a predetermined size and shape at the location at which bobbins are fed onto the card belt such that only empty bobbins or bobbins having less than a predetermined amount of yarn thereon can pass therethrough onto the card belt, bobbins can be additionally sorted according to the amount of yarn thereon.

Abstract: A harvesting device for separating round root crops, such as potatoes, from soil and other unwanted material. The crop and the soil in which it is growing is uplifted into the harvesting device by the forward movement of the device. The uplifted material is delivered into two conveyors, one positioned above the other and one running at a different speed from the other. The upper conveyor has a series of transverse members, such as fingers and flaps, which break up the uplifted material into discrete portions and these transverse members form with the lower conveyor a series of pockets so that each discrete portion of uplifted material lies in a pocket. The conveyors are inclined and this combined with the differential speed causes the material to be tumbled and the round root crops to roll free of unwanted material.

Abstract: Shelling apparatus for shelling beans, peas, or other legumes, comprises a shelling bin for shelling legumes comprising a wire mesh basket having a cylindrically shaped wire mesh wall with a closed side at one end and an open side at the other end, wherein the open side is adapted to receive the legumes to be shelled from the receiving chute. One wall segment of the cylindrically shaped wire mesh basket comprises a bin door having a length substantially equal to the length of the basket and is hinged to the wall of the cylindrical basket. Longitudinally extending within the basket is a beater comprising a longitudinal shaft rotatable within the basket with a plurality of beaters extending radially from the longitudinal bar along the length of the bar. Situated underneath the basket is transverse conveyor which is designed to remove the trash and shells to a trash removal conveyor.

Abstract: The sorting method includes moving materials at a certain horizontal speed such that on falling their points of impact are disbursed over a moving sorting belt in such a manner that the materials become located at points which are sufficiently different to enable effective sorting to be obtained by small adhesion differences so that the adhering materials are carried by the sorting belt to a discharge region and the non-adhering or weakly adhering materials are rejected by the belt. The apparatus includes a feed device located above a moving adhesion belt having an adjustable speed control and an arrangement for adjusting the position of the feed device relative to the adhesion sorting belt.

Abstract: A conveyor belt is inclined from horizontal along its longitudinal axis at a preselected angle and is used to separate spherically-shaped rolling solids from irregularly-shaped nonrolling solids. The spherically-shaped solids roll down the inclined upper surface of the conveyor belt until they are removed from the belt. At a preselected area on the belt, the downward movement of the rolling solids is controlled by jets of gas blown up the belt. The force of the jets of gas may be quickly varied to hold the proper amount of spherically-shaped solids on the belt and also prevent the belt from being flooded by a mixture of unseparated solids. This responsive gas control facilitates separation and upward movement of the nonrolling solids. Most of the nonrolling solids eventually move to an upper point on the belt where they are removed.