Abstract: The invention is related to an apparatus and method for controlling a steam flaking operation. In an embodiment, the invention is a steam flaking system including at least one sensor to measure the flow of material in the steam flaking system, a steam chest, a peg feeder, disposed at the bottom of the steam chest, and an automatic control unit, wherein the automatic control unit receives data from the at least one sensor and controls the peg feeder. In an embodiment, the invention is a steam flaking system including a steam chest, at least one sensor to measure the flow of material in the steam chest, a peg feeder, and an automatic control unit, wherein the automatic control unit receives data from the at least one sensor and controls the peg feeder.

Abstract: There are provided a first belt-clutch mechanism switching power transmission to a first large-diameter pulley, and, at the same time, a second belt clutch mechanism switching power transmission to a second large-diameter pulley, and a first and a second belt clutch mechanism are provided with a first and a second arm members, tension clutch pulleys installed at point portions of these arm members, and actuators which rotate a first and a second arm members in such a way that a position at which a first no-end belt is wound on the first large-diameter pulley is switched to a position at which winding is avoided, and, at the same time, a position at which a second no-end belt is wound on a second large-diameter pulley is switched to a position at which winding is avoided.

Abstract: A system providing for on-site reclamation and re-use of reclaimed antimicrobial solution includes a dispenser, at least one receptacle, piping, and at least one pump. The dispenser sprays antimicrobial solution toward moving raw food products. Unspent antimicrobial solution that did not contact the moving raw food products and rebound antimicrobial solution that did contact the raw food products combine to form a reclaimed antimicrobial solution. The reclaimed antimicrobial solution is collected in the receptacle and is pumped through the piping to a location for reuse.

Abstract: A hulled rice distribution device (30) is disposed between a hulling section (10) and a wind sorting section (60) of a rice huller (1). This distribution device (30) comprises an distribution gutter (35) for receiving hulled rice falling from the hulling section, and a screw (32) for conveying the hulled rice having flowed into the distribution gutter (35) in the lengthwise direction of the distribution gutter. A plurality of holes (41, 42 and 43) for the hulled rice to fall through are formed in the distribution gutter (35), and some of them may be blocked or opened by a falling rice control plate (34).

Abstract: A double blade peeling device for vegetable and fruit comprises a handle attached to a vegetable and fruit retaining member and a body of screw, the handle can drive internal gears to rotate, so as to make the retaining member and the body of screw to rotate as well. The body of screw, which is provided with two screw threads, drives upper and lower blade carriers to move upward and downward oppositely, such that the blades mounted on the upper and lower blade carriers move downward and upward respectively, contact the rotating food frictionally, and peel vegetable or fruit from upside and underside simultaneously. When two blade carriers move to the intermediate position to complete the peeling action, the two blade carriers open through wedge in blade carrier devices, two blades leave the surface of food, the lower blade carrier devices disengage with the body of screw. The body of screw drives upper blade carrier device to press the lower blade carrier device to move downward unceasingly.

Abstract: In a rice huller, a first small-diameter pulley and a second large-diameter pulley are attached to a first roll shaft. A first large-diameter pulley and a second small-diameter pulley are attached to a second roll shaft. This configuration makes it possible to switch between a first driving state in which a rice hulling operation is performed by passing and driving a belt between the first small-diameter pulley on the first roll shaft and the first large-diameter pulley on the second roll shaft and a second driving state in which a rice hulling operation is performed by passing and driving a belt between the second large-diameter pulley on the first roll shaft and the second small-diameter pulley on the second roll shaft.

Abstract: A peeling apparatus includes a set of abrasive rollers, at least one roller drive motor, a feeder for controllably feeding fruit or vegetables adjacent the abrasive rollers, at least one sensor associated with at least one roller drive motor for sensing a load thereon, and a controller for controlling the feeder based upon a sensed load. The controller may increase the feed rate based upon an increase in sensed load, and decrease the feed rate of the auger based upon a decrease in sensed load. The at least one roller drive motor may be a hydraulic or electric motor.

Abstract: A husking apparatus supplies cereal grains between a pair of rotating rubber rolls through a guiding chute, rubs and husks them. A roll diameter marker for indicating an abrasion degree of the diameter of one of the rubber rolls is provided near the minimum gap between the rubber rolls. An incline angle changing marker previously marked with a changing degree of a position or an angle of incline of the guiding chute in correspondence to the roll diameter marker is provided near the lower end of the guiding chute. An operator can readily detect the diameter of the rubber roll by means of the roll diameter marker and accurately set the position or the angle of incline of the guiding chute in accordance with the incline angle changing marker.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the drying or kilning of malt in a substantially continuous operation. The malt is transported through one or more separate drying zones by means of fluid bed dryer units at which time tempered or conditioned air at a predetermined temperature and moisture content is passed through the malt to effect a drying of the malt. The rate of malt movement through the drying zones is varied according to the moisture content of the malt at predetermined points in its travel whereby to achieve a desired drying rate and moisture content in the malt as it travels through the various drying zones. Sulfur dioxide gas is selectively infused with the air in the drying zones to minimize carcinogens within the malt. Optional treatments are provided for the malt as it passes through the drying zones, including subjecting the malt to a vacuum to facilitate moisture removal and to effect a sanitizing of the malt.

Abstract: A husking apparatus for cereals comprises a pair of rolls provided parallel to each other with a clearance therebetween, and an inclined guide chute situated above the rolls. The guide chute slides down cereal grains between the rolls, and the rolls rotate in opposite directions, respectively, to nip and shell the cereal grains therebetween. The guide chute and the rolls are located so that a guide surface of the guide chute is substantially perpendicular to a line connecting the centers of rotational shafts, and that an extension line from the guide surface passes within a range of .+-.10 mm on both sides of a middle point of the clearance between the first and second rolls. The guide surface of the guide chute has such an inclination that the cereal grains spread all over a width of the guide surface in the substantially single layer of a band-like shape and are accelerated up to a speed less than peripheral speeds of the rolls while they slide down along the guide surface.

Abstract: A process for splitting pistachios including a bin dumper, a sizer, moisturizers, blowers and splitting units arranged in seriatim. The blower removes excess water and particles from the nut surfaces after moisturizing and before splitting. The splitter includes a controlled surge bin having a brush gate associated with a sensor to control flow to a singulator. A vibrated singulator operates to release nuts to a splitting mechanism having opposed elements with cavities aligned to receive the ends of the nuts. Cradles retain the nuts in alignment for compression. Lateral vibration is induced in the cradles to ensure placement of the retained nuts.

Abstract: An apparatus and system is disclosed for extruding commodities such as rice bran and which includes symmetrically disposed beater bar segments on the extruder rotor that will simultaneously impact symmetrically positioned knives mounted within the extruder housing. The apparatus preferably includes a sufficient number of knives and beater bars that impacts occur more than once each ninety degrees of rotation and at substantially equal degrees of rotation from each other. The device includes a widened and lengthened extrusion gap with variable width, a generally solid extrusion rotor, and a control system for adjusting the cooking temperature by varying the width of the extrusion gap. The extruder is fed using a drag conveyor with angled blades which push the rice bran into the extruder housing.

Abstract: A grain cleaning machine comprising a cleaning chamber including a cleaning roll for cleaning uncleaned grain white, a screw conveyor for feeding the uncleaned grain into the cleaning chamber, a discharge adjusting device disposed in a grain outflow region of the cleaning chamber, and a torque sensor for detecting an internal load of the cleaning chamber. The discharge adjusting device is spring-loaded in a direction to stop outflow of white grain from the cleaning chamber, and is movable against the spring load in a direction to enhance outflow of the white grain. The discharge adjusting device is controllable on the basis of torque detection by the torque sensor to maintain the internal load of the cleaning chamber in a predetermined value.

Abstract: A device for the wet treating of seed material includes a rotation-symmetrical treating chamber assembled of a conically shaped, downwardly sloping upper wall and of a frustoconical downwardly sloping bottom wall defining a central discharge opening. A circumferential annular gap connects the upper surface of the upper wall with the inner surface of the lower wall. A spraying device for a treating liquid is arranged in the treating chamber. Seed material is fed from a storage container through a gravity pipe arranged concentrically above the upper wall of the treating chamber. A dosing pipe surrounding a lower part of the gravity pipe is provided near its lower end with an internal expansion having an annular bottom surface and a discharge opening, the diameter of which at most slightly exceeds the inner diameter of the gravity pipe. The dosing pipe is guided for limited coaxial displacement relative to the gravity pipe.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously measuring the degree of milling of rice grains wherein there is provided a grain passage unit, one wall of which is positioned angularly so that the grains in contact therewith slide down with their lengthwise axes generally parallel to this wall and another wall of which is positioned so that the grains introduced in the grain passage unit flow without a gap between this wall and the grains, and wherein there are provided integrated data take-up units, the inputs of which are connected to amplifiers and the outputs of which are coupled to a degree of milling meter through an arithmetic unit so that the integrated data obtained in a given period divided into a number of divisions is averaged to calculate the degree of milling sought.

Abstract: Machine for peeling cereal grains, especially rice, by means of rubber rolls. Above the rolls (1,3) there is a bin (7) for the supply of material. An arrangement (13-18) is present, which cuts off the supply of material and/or separates the rubber peeling rolls, when a minimum loading (10) in the bin has been passed in the downward direction. The bin is mounted on springs (9) so as to be movable up and down, so that its position in the vertical direction is dependent on the degree of loading. The bin cooperates with a control (15) which is arranged fixed on the frame and which is changed over when the container reaches a high level because of its minimum loading, for separating the rolls (1,3) or for turning off the material supply. The control is again changed over when the bin has moved downwards again because of attaining a higher loading (11).

Abstract: Disclosed is a rice whitening apparatus which is capable of indicating a degree of milling. The rice whitening apparatus comprises a first sensor means (1), a second sensor means (1'), a calculating means (20a) and an indicating means (23). The first sensor means (1) includes a first reflected light receiving sensor (6) for measuring a degree of reflected light from the brown rice, while the second sensor means (1') includes a second reflected light receiving sensor (6') for measuring a degree of reflected light from the milled rice. The first sensor means (1) may include a first transmitted light receiving sensor (5) for measuring a degree of transmitted light from the brown rice, while the second sensor means (1') a second transmitted light receiving sensor (5') for measuring a degree of transmitted light from the milled rice.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement in a pressure plate adjusting device for grain whitening apparatus which is capable of automatically and precisely adjusting the pressure of a pressure plate disposed at a rice outlet of a whitening chamber. The automatic adjustment has been made possible by the provision of reversible electric motor mounted on one end wall of a casing enclosing a pressure control screw shaft, a weight mounted on said screw shaft and a guide rod for guiding the movement of said weight, and a control unit producing a control signal having relation to the conditions of whitening action of grains within the whitening chamber and controlling the direction and the amount of rotation of said motor.