Abstract: A system and method are provided for optimizing the flow of seed along a seed handling path. The system and method include multiple stages at which seeds undergo different processes to prepare the seeds for sale or further handling. The stages may include one or more of Receiving, Husking, Sorting, Drying, Shelling, Bulk Storage, Sizing, Conditioning, Treating, and Packaging. Sensors may be located along the seed handling path for monitoring the seed handling path and the operations and conveyances occurring along the seed handling path at and between different stages. The sensors may provide feedback signals to a controller, which may in turn adjust the operating parameters of various processing devices associated with one or more of the stages in a real-time scenario to optimize the operations and conveyances occurring along the seed handling path.

Abstract: The present invention belongs to the field of mechanics and refers to a device for selective processing of mixtures of green and ripe coffee cherries. Said device is a helical conic apron comprising vibro-elastic inserts which pliability allow them displace proportionally to the size and hardness of different coffee cherries. Additionally, the present invention refers to an integral machine comprising helical conic aprons with vibro-elastic inserts, which does not use water and is designed to receive mixtures of ripe and green coffee cherries, depulp ripe cherries, separate semi-pulped green cherries by a separating machine and remove the pulp from ripe cherries. Finally, the present invention refers to a method for the selective processing of mixtures of green and ripe coffee cherries by the use of the already mentioned integral machine.

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: 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: An apparatus for processing polished cereal to obtain no-bran cereal having a reduced size. The apparatus comprises a polished cereal processing section for removing bran remaining on surfaces of polished cereal by mixing granular material with the polished cereal so that the remaining bran is captured by the granular material, and separating the polished cereal with bran removed and the granular material with bran captured; and a granular material reprocessing section for reprocessing the granular material with bran captured and feeding back the reprocessed granular material to the polished cereal processing section for recycling the granular material. The granular material reprocessing section includes a screen tube for separating the granular material within a predetermined granularity range and a removing roller arranged to rotate in the screen tube for removing the bran captured on surfaces of the granular material fed into the screen tube.

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: An apparatus for separating hulled and unhulled pistachios includes a rotating roller and a conveyor for depositing pistachios onto the roller. Rotation of the drum frictionally separates hulled and unhulled pistachios.

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 pepper seed polishing machine consists of a frame made from welded angle iron bars, a polishing mechanism which is a concave made from iron sieve having holes with diameter of 1.5-2 millimeters, and an agitator set. The agitator set consists of three backward curve vane blades welded onto a rotating shaft and is driven by a two-horsepower electric motor via a two V belt-pulley set. Black pepper seed is loaded into a hopper located on top of the machine. After polishing process, the polished seed is unloaded from the machine, while dust and rubbish can be collected separately. Polishing or rubbing off the outer skin of pepper seed resulted from rubbing action between seed to metal and seed to seed. The revolution of the rotor can be changed by changing pulleys' diameter. This results in changing of time required for each cycle of polishing process and polishing capacity as well. After polishing, the pepper seed has much more favorably odor than those polished by the conventional method.

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: For cleaning foodstuffs in the form of a bulk material, such as cereal grains, rice grains, soybeans, sunflower seeds, coffee beans, and the like, there is provided an optical sorting device (24, 24a, 24a') subsequent to a precleaning system (6), which enables sorting on the basis of color and/or size and/or shape. Each particle of the bulk material is allocated to a particle class determined by parameters and conveyed on a supporting surface transporting the bulk material to a reception area (43, 44, 45) for the respective particle class. To clean the bulk material, impurities and bad particles are sorted out of the product, with the product being partitioned into classes, if required.

Abstract: In a husking apparatus comprising: a husking portion having a pair of husking rolls which are adjustable in clearance between them and rotated in opposite directions with different peripheral speeds to perform husking of paddy grain; and a supply portion disposed above the husking portion for supplying paddy grain to be husked to the husking portion, wherein the supply portion is so constructed as to supply paddy grain from the supply portion to the husking portion in the form of a layer in such a manner that a thickness of the layer of a flow of paddy grain becomes not greater than two grains at the husking portion, and the supply portion is so constructed as to supply paddy grain to the husking portion at a speed not less than a flowing-down speed corresponding to a minimum husking throughput desired of the husking apparatus so that husking is performed with a throughput not less than the minimum husking throughput, it is possible to enhance the husking throughput while minimizing the breakage of paddy grai

Abstract: There is disclosed an abrasive type vertical grain milling machine in which a space formed between any two adjacent ones of abrasive rolls serves as a jet air groove. The space serving as the jet air groove is of such an axial size that grain to be milled can come into and out of the space. Preferably, an axial thickness of the abrasive roll is 1.5.about.4 times larger than an axial magnitude of the space.

Abstract: A screen assembly for grain husking, decorticating, polishing and whitening machines, the assembly to be mounted on a frame part of the respective machine. The assembly comprises at least two screen sectors which form a substantially cylindrical shape around a longitudinal axis in assembled condition. A frame is provided for each of the screen sectors for framing and supporting the screen sectors by reinforcing the circumference of the screen sectors. An axle arrangement on at least one of the frames extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and is provided for adjusting the distance between the longitudinal axis and a respective one of the screen sectors and one circumferential side of the screen sectors. The axle arrangement comprises a first and second axle parallel to each other within the range of two adjacent circumferential sides of two adjacent screen sectors. A pitman rod connects the axles.

Abstract: A rotor disc for accelerating and projecting particles radially outwards off the disc toward an encircling impact element includes a rotatable disc base having radial channels for guiding particles radially outwards. The channels are formed of side walls fixed to the disc base with side faces on opposite sides of each channel. The corresponding side faces of each pair of sidewalls are arranged essentially parallel and have, in each pair of opposed faces, at least a first face which a radial chamfer having at least a first and a second chamfer face which are angled to form a groove disposed above the disc base for guiding the particles.

Abstract: This invention provides for an apparatus that will shell and separate the shells from the meat of a cracked nut or legume. The apparatus of the present invention is also provided with an adjustable slide plate that will render the apparatus with the capacity of dehulling any variety nut or legume.

Abstract: An abrasive type vertical grain milling machine comprises a perforated cylindrical body having at least one perforated arcuate plate member which is formed therein with both a first group of elongated bran-removing holes serving to lead grain to be milled in a direction from an inlet side toward an outlet side of a grain milling chamber when the grain is rotated in the direction of rotation of a grain milling roll assembly within the grain milling chamber and a second group of elongated bran-removing holes serving to lead the grain to be milled in a direction from the outlet side toward the inlet side of the grain milling chamber when the grain is rotated in the direction of rotation of the grain milling roll assembly within the grain milling chamber, and therefore, grain can be milled highly efficiently and the progress of breakage of grains caused at the time of grain milling can be suppressed.

Abstract: A grain separator is disclosed comprising a plurality of operatively connected grain separator units and a grain inlet for feeding grain into the separator, wherein the grain is separated . The grain separator also has an outlet for dispensing the grain after the grain is separated and an internal drive for operating the units in separating grain.

Abstract: A rice-cleaning machine has a flowing-down friction type rice-cleaning chamber (18) formed around the lower portion of a main vertical rotary shaft (10) a grain sending chamber (79) formed around an upper portion of the main shaft (10) for forcibly sending grains to the rice-cleaning chamber (18), and a rising-up abrasion type rice-cleaning chamber (44) formed around the grain sending chamber (79). Rice-cleaning rolls (15) and (38) of the rice-cleaning chambers (18) and (44) are independently driven to rotate. A grain overflow port at an upper portion of the abrasion cleaning chamber (44) and a grain flowing-in port at an upper portion of the grain sending chamber (79) are communicated through by a connection passage (61). A rice grain supply apparatus consisting of a vertical cylinder body (46) and a vertical spiral (49) are connected to a side portion of the abrasion chamber (44).

Abstract: A grain decorticating machine is provided with a distributor rotor and an impact band. The impact band further includes impact surfaces shaped in the form of an annular succession of first plates oblique with respect to the radius of the rotor, and by an annular surface, coaxial with the rotor and situated behind the annular succession of first plates. The annular surface faces the outer radius of the rotor. An opening is defined between each pair of adjacent first plates. The openings thus formed provide tunnels for passage of the air blown from the rotor and also for the decorticated materials. The rotor has a roof and a floor which define an annular crown. The annular crown is subdivided internally by a plurality of radial partitions, with each adjacent pair of radial partitions defining a radial crown segment which faces outward toward the impact band.

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.

Abstract: A process for shelling nuts, particularly pistachio nuts, includes the step of slowly and continuously compressing the nuts in the longitudinal direction and not increasing the compression at the moment when the shells break.This compression can preferably be effected in the longitudinal direction with the aid of two rotating disks arranged to be slightly inclined relative to each other.

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: The apparatus includes a hulling section, mounted above and in communication with an air-blow separating section which directs a blast of air onto the processed grain as it is discharged from the hulling section into a vibratory separating section which separates the mixture into hulled and unhulled rice. Unhulled and hulled rice lifters are disposed adjacent opposite sides, respectively, of said sections for supplying unhulled rice to the hulling section, and hulled rice through a valve selectively one of two discharge gutters for feeding grain back to the vibratory separation section or to other hulling apparatus. Means is also provided for vibrating the casing of the air-blow separating section.

Abstract: A vertically disposed unhulled rice lifter is mounted adjacent a stationary frame with its upper end secured against movement relative to and in communication with a hulling section which is secured on the frame above and to one side of a vibratory separating section of the apparatus. Grain from the lifter is hulled between a pair of hulling rolls in the hulling section and is fed downwardly through an air stream on to a vibrating surface on the vibratory separating section. The air stream conveys away hulls and dust from the hulled rice; and the vibrating surface separates the hulled rice grains from any unhulled rice which may have passed through the hulling section. The unhulled portion of grain is then returned to the lifter and the completely hulled grains are conveyed to a storage section.

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: The present invention is a seed dehulling device including mechanism for adjusting the aggressiveness of the device. The adjusting mechanism provides for changing the spacing between an abrading disc and an adjacent plate.

Abstract: A driving device of sorting cylinders for use in a rotary type rice hulling and sorting device, characterized by comprising a hulling part, a pneumatical sorting part and a rotary type sorting part provided with sorting cylinders rotatably installed therein with one end thereof as the feeding side of rice grains to be sorted and the other end thereof as the discharging side of rice hulled and sorted and having a large number of recesses formed on the internal surface thereof and receiving troughs for taking out the rice grains scooped up by said recesses, said hulling part, said pneumatical sorting part and said rotary type sorting part being integrally constructed and interlocked, and the rotational speed of said sorting cylinders being controllable optionally in no connection with the revolution of said hulling part and said pneumatical sorting part.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in blanching edible nuts, particularly peanuts. Two generally vertical plates are disposed in spaced parallel relation to one another and connected to a drive mechanism for producing lengthwise oscillations of the two plates, both of which are covered with abrasive inner surfaces. Unblanched peanuts are fed into a gap at the top of the two plates, which are set apart by a distance generally corresponding to the average thickness of the peanuts being processed. As the peanuts move down between the plates, the oscillating action of the plates blanches the peanuts which drop out through the bottom and are carried away for further processing, packaging, inspection or the like. Vertical grooves are formed in the inner face of each plate near each end thereof to prevent the nuts from falling out of the open ends between the plates.

Abstract: A nut blanching arrangement in which nuts to be blanched are passed between first and second spaced, counter-rotating rollers. Each roller is provided with a plurality of hollow elastic tubular rings extending around its outer circumference. The tubular rings on the first roller are longitudinally aligned with respect to the tubular rings on the second roller such that each four adjacent tubular rings, two on each roller, form an opening through which the nuts pass during the blanching operation. In this arrangement, the nuts passing between the counter-rotating rollers are forced between the grooves of adjacent tubular rings such that the rings encapsulate and compress the nuts as they pass therebetween. The counter-rotating rollers are rotated at slightly different speeds such that during the blanching operation, the slight differential in the roller speeds causes the outer skin of the peanut to peel away from the nut meat.

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.

Abstract: A rice mill comprising grain feed means, grain husking means connected to said grain feed means, paddy removing means connected to said grain husking means, first grain elevating means connected to said paddy removing means, grain polishing and whitening means connected to said first grain elevating means, second grain elevating means connected to said polishing and whitening means, grain classifying means connected to said second grain elevating means, bin means connected to said grain classifying means, and pneumatic cyclonic separating means for removing light materials from said paddy removing means, said grain husking means, said polishing and whitening means, and said grain classifying means, is rendered capable of full pneumatic conveyance of the grain by the provision of first, second and third grain decelerating and abrading sifter means at the entrances of said grain husking means, said grain polishing and whitening means and said grain classifying means, respectively, and sieve means between each s

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).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the husking and drying of cereal and legume kernels comprising separating the kernels from their husks by means of rotating plate bodies and discharging the husks from the kernels/husks mixture by means of air.

Abstract: A milling roll for use in a rice milling machine for removing the bran coating from the exterior surface of the rice kernels, in which the rice kernels are caused to rub or roll against each other rather than between relatively moving surfaces. The milling roll is generally cylindrical in construction with spaced baffles oriented at particular angular positions so that rice kernels will enter the milling roll between certain of the adjacent baffles from the periphery of the rotating roll toward the center thereof where the rice kernels will be caused to rub against each other as they work in and out and are ultimately discharged between adjacent baffles peripherally of the milling roll for discharge from the rice milling machine through the usual rice outlet or discharge spout past the usual pressure plate control mechanism.