By Projecting Grain Against Surface Patents (Class 99/519)
  • Patent number: 5119721
    Abstract: A washed rice producing apparatus includes a frame; a first tubular member, arranged within the frame, for defining a rice-washing chamber therein for washing polished rice introduced therein from one end thereof, the rice-washing chamber having a discharge end portion; an agitating member, arranged in the first tubular member, for agitating the polished rice in the rice-washing chamber; a spiral member supported on the frame to be rotatable about an axis thereof for transporting washed, polished rice discharged from the discharge end portion of the rice-washing chamber while dewatering the washed polished rice; and a second tubular member provided in the frame to be rotatable about the axis and to externally surround the spiral member for defining a dewatering chamber in cooperation with the spiral member, the second tubular member including a circumferential wall having many penetrating holes formed therethrough for draining off water separated from the washed polished rice transported by the spiral member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Satake, Satoru Satake, Katsuyuki Kumamoto, Shigeru Ariji
  • Patent number: 5076156
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Ohike, Mitsuo Hino, Shigeaki Yamahara
  • Patent number: 5076157
    Abstract: A green coffee bean polishing apparatus for removing silver skin from green coffee beans having the silver skins remaining after removal of parchment, comprises: a tubular member communicated at one end portion thereof with a supply port for green coffee beans to be polished and at the other end portion thereof with a discharge port for the polished green coffee beans, the tubular member defining a polishing chamber therein and having a large number of through holes formed in a wall surface thereof; a polishing roll rotatably disposed in the polishing chamber for serving to polish the green coffee beans in the polishing chamber so as to separate the silver skin from the outer surface of each green coffee bean; and an air passing means for passing air from the polishing chamber to the outside of the tubular member so as to discharge the silver skin separated from the green coffee beans through the through holes in the tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Satake
  • Patent number: 5048407
    Abstract: The versatility of a grain husking and polishing machine to treat grains of different types is improved by providing a grain treatment chamber constituted by an abrasive rotor mounted on a fixed axis and a screen assembly surrounding said rotor and mounted on a movable annular plate actuated by a sidewardly movable mechanism capable of changing the eccentrically of said screen assembly with respect to said rotor. A more efficient combined husking and polishing action is accomplished by providing a rotor comprising a plurality of cam-like abrasive discs spaced apart by a corresponding plurality of spacer rings having a diameter smaller than that of the discs so as to form grain expansion chambers therebetween, whereby an energetic husking action followed by a moderate abrading polishing action are effected along the treatment chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Inventor: Felipe Salete-Garces
  • Patent number: 5036757
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a stator (1) and a rotor (3) rotatably supported in a stator housing (2) with a processing space (9) therebetween. The stator housing (2) and rotor (3) are fitted with knobs on their mutually facing sides in the region of the processing space (9) where the corn is processed. Work elements (8, 13, 21) with knobs are positioned in approximation of a circle at the stator housing (2) and at the rotor (3). The inside of the stator housing is divided in the cirucmferential direction into siftings segments (21, 22) with sieve holes provided in an alternating manner with knob segments. The stator housing (2) includes at least two detachable housing wall parts (14, 15) making the processing space (9) easily accessible in the event of operational disturbance therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: Buehler AG
    Inventor: Roman Mueller
  • Patent number: 5033371
    Abstract: A wheat flouring system comprises a polishing machine for polishing wheat grains, a humidifying machine for humidifying the grains, a conditioning machine for subjecting the grains to conditioning and a milling machine for milling the grains to produce a flour. The polishing machine, the humidifying machine, the conditioning machine and the milling machine are successively arranged from an upstream side to a downstream side as viewed in a direction of flow of the wheat grains. There is provided an agitating machine for agitating the grains humidified by the humidifying machine, thereby preventing the humidified grains from sticking together into lumps of the grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Toshihiko Satake, Yukio Hosaka
  • Patent number: 4913045
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Satake
  • Patent number: 4909140
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for splitting closed pistachio nuts in a controlled manner such that the longitudinal sutures of the nuts will be cracked open. The apparatus includes a cylindrical housing with a mandrel mounted for rotation therein to provide an annulus into which nuts can be introduced. According to various features of the apparatus, the pistachio nuts are rotated, oriented and then split along their sutures in the annulus and subsequently discharged through an opening in the housing. There is also provided a continuous process of treating closed shell pistachio nuts which includes the step of removing the denser foreign particles from the closed shell nuts by flotation; and a soaking step so that the shells of the unopened pistachio nuts will be saturated with water to provide a degree of shell flexibility such that when pressure is applied to the suture of the shell to effect splitting, the shell will flex rather than crack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Tenneco West, Inc.
    Inventors: Charleton D. Burlock, Gerald E. Lemmons, David W. Williams
  • Patent number: 4896592
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Satake
  • Patent number: 4843957
    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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Satake
  • Patent number: 4829893
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Satake
  • Patent number: 4805527
    Abstract: Disclosed is a shell-cracking apparatus for hard-shell coated seeds including a hopper in which the seeds of pine nuts are put. When a seed-receiving plate is vibrated by driving a motor in this state, the seeds enter the grooves of that plate. Thereafter, the seeds are guided downwards into an outer cylindrical member via a cylindrical seed-discharging member into which they have dropped from said plate. At, or at around, this time, a cock of an air injection pipe is opened. A compressed air is injected from a small air injection bore of an air injection pipe supporting plug member into the outer cylindrical member. The seeds are thereby quickly forced into a funnel portion of a seed ejection pipe supporting plug member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Inventor: Masazumi Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 4800810
    Abstract: A vertical type impact rice huller which is free from the occurrence of collision of the grain is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Yamamoto & Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Toyojiro Masumoto
  • Patent number: 4597977
    Abstract: A machine frame has a foraminous, inclined screen drum mounted for rotation thereon with an opening in one end which receives the peas for engagement by flat paddles attached in spaced relation to a horizontal, internal paddle shaft supported for rotation within the drum. A separating member supported on and rotating with the drum is spaced from the inside of the drum. The peas (kernels) fall through a closed housing to a shaker at the bottom and are collected in a pan. The hulls and trash are directed through the drum past the separating member and out of an opening at one end and into a trash bag. A blower on one end of the machine blows the trash through the housing. A drive means drives the drum and the paddles in opposite directions and also operates an eccentric to reciprocate the shaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1986
    Inventor: Ben S. Brown
  • Patent number: 4583455
    Abstract: A screen and rotor assembly for a grain husking, decorticating, polishing and whitening machine, and including an abrading screen supported by a screen holder, and an abrading rotor concentrically arranged within the abrading screen. The spacing between working surfaces of the abrading screen and the abrading rotor is maintained at a constant value, despite wear of the abrading surfaces thereof, by a plurality of axially extending channels in the screen holder for housing a corresponding plurality of abrading members such that the abrading members in turn support the edges of a plurality of alternate screen members located between each pair of consecutive channels, the channels being provided with a plurality of adjustable fasteners for holding the abrading members and for adjusting the radial position thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1986
    Inventor: Felipe Salete-Garces
  • Patent number: 4515075
    Abstract: A rice polishing machine comprises a rotatable shaft, a polishing roll mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, and a perforated cylindrical polishing assembly disposed in substantially concentric relation to the shaft. The cylindrical polishing assembly has its inner circumferential surface which cooperates with an outer circumferential surface of the polishing roll to define therebetween a polishing chamber. Partition wall members engage with an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical polishing assembly at a location below an axis of the shaft for dividing the outer circumferential surface into an arcuate bottom surface section and the remaining arcuate surface section and for defining an upper space to which the bottom surface section is exposed and a lower space to which the remaining surface section is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1985
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Satake
  • Patent number: 4505196
    Abstract: A batch seed dehuller for seed testing purposes is provided and includes an upright cylindrical chamber merging downwardly into the upper major diameter end of an inverted frusto-conical chamber which in turn merges downwardly into a downwardly opening generally cylindrical passage of smaller diameter than the cylindrical chamber. An annular top wall closes the outer peripheral portion of the upper end of the cylindrical chamber and includes an inner periphery downwardly from which a tubular vortex finder extends to a level spaced above the frusto-conical chamber. The cylindrical passage includes a small diameter generally radially inwardly opening compressed air inlet intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof and a lateral airflow outlet of greater cross-sectional area than the inlet opening generally radially outwardly of the cylindrical passage substantially diametrically opposite the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1985
    Inventor: Victor A. Beisel
  • Patent number: 4463665
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Satake, Kiyoto Kagawa, Shigeru Ariji
  • Patent number: 4459903
    Abstract: An abrasive roll rice polishing machine which comprises a vertical framework assembly, a vertical rotary shaft extending in the vertical axis of the framework assembly and journalled therein, an abrasive roll mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, a vertically movable polishing cylinder provided within the framework assembly surrounding the abrasive roll in peripherally spaced relationship to the latter to define a polishing chamber therebetween, a hopper at the top of the framework assembly and a discharge port at the bottom of the polishing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Inventor: Soichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4426921
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing bran from cereal grains, particularly rice, wherein dehusked cereal grains to be debranned are fed under controlled pressure through a chamber wherein they are laterally confined by an apertured screen while being worked by a special bladed rotor providing pockets of grain which rotate with the rotor within and relative to the confined grain body so that the debranning action is effected mainly by grains rubbing together whereby to produce high grade unbroken polished grains efficiently and economically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1984
    Assignee: Riviana Foods, Inc.
    Inventor: Elmond F. Meinardus
  • Patent number: 4426922
    Abstract: A vertical frictionally abrasive roll rice polishing machine in which a vertical rotary shaft extended in the vertically axial direction of a framework assembly, a vertical frictionally abrasive roll is mounted at the upper end of the shaft, a polishing cylinder surrounds the abrasive roll in coaxial and peripherally spaced relationship to the roll to define an annular polishing chamber therebetween, the polishing cylinder rotates and moves depending upon load applied thereto, the abrasive roll rotates but does not move vertically, a material supply passage is formed above the polishing chamber and a polished rice discharge passage is formed below the polishing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1984
    Inventor: Soichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4393762
    Abstract: A machine for dehulling flat disc-like seeds having a relatively heavy kernel inside the hull comprising a spinning rotor for throwing the seeds against an annular impact band to crack the hull. The rotor consists of a disc with radial blades on the surface thereof which define channels for orienting the seeds so that they are ejected like spinning saucers and strike the impact ring at their fault lines. The radial blades may also include a sweeping fin to clear the path of seed portions which might interfere with the impacting of the seeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1983
    Inventor: Wilson E. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 4341152
    Abstract: A contrivance for shelling a granular product, in particular soy beans, sunflower seeds and the like, is provided with a distribution head that is rotatable about its longitudinal axis. This latter displays in its wall axis-symmetrical arranged passthrough openings to which radially oriented guideways (11) connect. In order to impart a uniform acceleration to all grains, passthrough openings (20) are structured slot-fashion and extend, at least partially, in the direction of the longitudinal axis in such fashion that the product, with the distribution head (10) rotating, moves veil-fashion along the guideways (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1982
    Assignee: Gebrueder Buehler AG
    Inventor: Karl Solenthaler
  • Patent number: 4324175
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1982
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Satake
  • Patent number: 4323006
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1982
    Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Satake
  • Patent number: 4229486
    Abstract: A method for degerming maize is disclosed. The maize is introduced into a cylindrical, perforated working housing in which is mounted a rapidly rotating rotor which drives the maize along an annular working chamber between the rotor and housing. The rotor carries a large number of blades having edges which detach the germ from the endosperm. A collecting chamber surrounds the working housing, and the working housing is provided with an outlet aperture for oversize particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1980
    Assignee: Gebrueder Buehler AG
    Inventor: Roman Muller
  • Patent number: 4148251
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1979
    Inventor: Toshihiko Satake
  • Patent number: 4055673
    Abstract: Whole grain kernels are admitted through an inlet at one end of a closed tubular vessel, and are entrained by a blade-type rotor in the presence of metered quantities of liquid, being accelerated so that they form in the vessel a whirling tubular veil which continuously travels lengthwise of the vessel towards an outlet thereof and wherein each kernel becomes uniformly wetted over its entire surface and moistened to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1977
    Assignee: Gebrueder Buehler AG
    Inventors: Roman Mueller, Josef Kalapos