AU2009202311A1 - Method and apparatus for grading items - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for grading items Download PDFInfo
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- AU2009202311A1 AU2009202311A1 AU2009202311A AU2009202311A AU2009202311A1 AU 2009202311 A1 AU2009202311 A1 AU 2009202311A1 AU 2009202311 A AU2009202311 A AU 2009202311A AU 2009202311 A AU2009202311 A AU 2009202311A AU 2009202311 A1 AU2009202311 A1 AU 2009202311A1
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- grading
- barrel
- items
- oysters
- apertures
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 26
- 241000237502 Ostreidae Species 0.000 claims description 114
- 235000020636 oyster Nutrition 0.000 claims description 114
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 claims description 33
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 27
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 26
- 230000000979 retarding effect Effects 0.000 claims description 16
- LUTSRLYCMSCGCS-BWOMAWGNSA-N [(3s,8r,9s,10r,13s)-10,13-dimethyl-17-oxo-1,2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,16-decahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-yl] acetate Chemical compound C([C@@H]12)C[C@]3(C)C(=O)CC=C3[C@@H]1CC=C1[C@]2(C)CC[C@H](OC(=O)C)C1 LUTSRLYCMSCGCS-BWOMAWGNSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000000366 juvenile effect Effects 0.000 description 13
- 230000033001 locomotion Effects 0.000 description 12
- 238000007654 immersion Methods 0.000 description 10
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000007792 addition Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 241000272168 Laridae Species 0.000 description 2
- 201000010099 disease Diseases 0.000 description 2
- 208000037265 diseases, disorders, signs and symptoms Diseases 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000009313 farming Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000001050 lubricating effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012856 packing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000007476 Maximum Likelihood Methods 0.000 description 1
- 241000237852 Mollusca Species 0.000 description 1
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000033228 biological regulation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000151 deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000013505 freshwater Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000036541 health Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000314 lubricant Substances 0.000 description 1
- MYWUZJCMWCOHBA-VIFPVBQESA-N methamphetamine Chemical compound CN[C@@H](C)CC1=CC=CC=C1 MYWUZJCMWCOHBA-VIFPVBQESA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000003839 salts Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 235000014102 seafood Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000015170 shellfish Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B1/00—Sieving, screening, sifting, or sorting solid materials using networks, gratings, grids, or the like
- B07B1/18—Drum screens
- B07B1/22—Revolving drums
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K61/00—Culture of aquatic animals
- A01K61/50—Culture of aquatic animals of shellfish
- A01K61/54—Culture of aquatic animals of shellfish of bivalves, e.g. oysters or mussels
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
- A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
- A22C29/00—Processing shellfish or bivalves, e.g. oysters, lobsters; Devices therefor, e.g. claw locks, claw crushers, grading devices; Processing lines
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
- Y02A40/80—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in fisheries management
- Y02A40/81—Aquaculture, e.g. of fish
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
- Animal Husbandry (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Processing Of Meat And Fish (AREA)
- Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)
Description
P/00/0 11 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GRADING ITEMS Applicant: Bolduans Bay Holdings Pty Ltd The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 2 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GRADING ITEMS Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a grading apparatus for grading a plurality of 5 items. The grading apparatus of the invention has been developed principally for the grading of oysters, particularly seed and juvenile oysters and it will therefore be convenient to describe the invention in relation to that application. It should be appreciated however, that the invention is not restricted to the grading of seed and juvenile oysters, but could be applied to adult oysters and 10 to other different items. Background of the Invention There is increasing recognition that improvement of oyster farming husbandry is dependent on greater mechanism of the husbandry process. With the 15 advent of automatic oyster graders, which are able to grade and count oysters of different sizes into bags with speed and accuracy, it is now possible for oyster farmers to have greater control of oyster growth throughout the growth stages. An advantage of that control is that it enables husbandry practice to ensure optimum growth of oysters, as well as uniformity of size during on 20 growing stages. However, at the seed and juvenile oyster stages, as compared to the adult stage, there are special problems which occur due to the small size of seed and juvenile oysters - approximately 4mm to 10mm for seed oysters and 25 approximately 10mm to 50mm for juvenile oysters. Further, in existing grading apparatus, seed oysters tend to attach themselves to surfaces of the apparatus they come in contact with when stationary, so frustrating the movement of oysters through the grading apparatus. 30 A further difficulty with the current grading apparatus, is the need, particularly in respect of seed and juvenile oysters, to ensure that oysters are processed with minimal stress to the oysters, because stress in any stage of oyster farming increases the vulnerability of the oysters to disease and mortality. W:UJie\Andre Provisionls\Methd and Apparatus for Grading tems.doc 3 Juvenile oysters are particularly susceptible to stress during grading with existing grading apparatus. It would be desirable to provide grading apparatus which increases the 5 efficiency with which items such as oysters are graded. It would further be desirable to provide apparatus in which items, such as oysters, are subject to reduced stress during grading. Summary of the Invention 10 According to the present invention there is provided a method for grading a plurality of items, the method including the use of a grading apparatus which includes a barrel having a grading portion that has a plurality of apertures that are sized so that items up to a predetermined size pass through the apertures and exit the barrel during item grading, the apparatus further including a drive 15 arrangement for driving the barrel to rotate about a generally horizontal axis and to vibrate, and a retarding facility to retard passage of items through the grading portion during item grading, the method including the steps of immersing at least a lower portion of the barrel in a liquid so that the liquid enters the interior of the barrel, feeding items to be graded into the barrel, and 20 driving the barrel to rotate and vibrate so that the items travel into the grading portion for grading. The present invention also extends to a grading apparatus for grading a plurality of items, the grading apparatus including a barrel for receiving items to 25 be graded and a drive arrangement for driving the barrel during item grading to rotate about a generally horizontal axis and to vibrate, the barrel including a grading portion having a plurality of apertures which are configured so that items up to a predetermined size pass through the apertures and exit from the barrel during item grading, the apparatus further including a retarding facility 30 for retarding travel of items through the grading portion during item grading. Various advantages are provided by a method of the kind described above and by grading apparatus used in that method. For example, the jamming or W:JuUe\Anr PvisionalsMethod ad Appats f Gradng ftemsdoc 4 catching of an item within one of the apertures of the grading portion is reduced by the immersion of the barrel at least partially in a liquid. Thus, the liquid provides a lubricating effect tending to prevent jamming or catching occurring. Additionally, if an item does become caught or jammed within an 5 aperture, as the barrel rotates, the item is lifted with the barrel and as such, gravity then tends to act on the item to cause it to fall free from the aperture. Because at least a lower portion of the barrel is immersed within the liquid, the item tends to fall into the liquid, thereby cushioning its fall and thus reducing the likelihood of its suffering stress that could result in disease or mortality. 10 Still further, and with reference to seed oysters, because the grading of seed oysters takes place with the seed oysters generally immersed in water, there is much less likelihood of the seed oysters attaching themselves to surfaces of the grading apparatus. This again is due to the lubricant action of the liquid in 15 reducing the likelihood of adherence between the seed oysters and the surfaces of the grader apparatus. The efficiency of grading is further assisted by the manner in which the barrel is driven to rotate and vibrate. This causes the items to continually change 20 their orientation in the direction of movement relative to the grading portion, and that continual change in orientation increases the likelihood that items will be oriented correctly to exit through the apertures of the grading portion. In respect of oysters, this increases the likelihood that an oyster will correctly exit through an appropriate sized aperture, rather than passing through the grading 25 portion without exiting through an aperture and therefore being incorrectly considered to be a larger oyster than actually is the case. The above advantages provide for significantly greater efficiency in grading apparatus according to the invention. Thus the speed and accuracy of grading 30 is increased, while the stress to which the items are exposed, is minimised. The liquid within which the barrel is immersed can be any suitable liquid, but the preference is that the liquid is water, such as fresh water or salt water. W:UuieAndrewP isionsethod and ApaIraus for Gring hm.doc 5 It is preferable that the barrel is only partially immersed in the liquid and the preferred level of immersion is up to about 50% of the cross-sectional area of the barrel. Thus, if the barrel is cylindrical, then the preferred maximum level of immersion is up to the maximum diameter of the barrel. Nevertheless, 5 greater or lesser levels of barrel immersion are within the scope of the present invention and the level of immersion might be dictated by the type of item being graded. For example, for certain items to be graded, the barrel might be completely immersed in liquid and for other items, the immersion of the barrel may only be slight. The invention contemplates any level of immersion 10 appropriate for the particular items being graded. The barrel typically will be cylindrical, although the invention is intended to cover any other barrel shape, such as square, hexagonal, octagonal, oval etc. The length of the barrel can be of any suitable length, and can include a single 15 grading portion, or a plurality of grading portions. In a preferred arrangement, a pair of grading portions are provided which are separated axially along the barrel, with a first of the grading portions having apertures of one size or range, and the second of the grading portions having apertures of a different size or range. It will be evident to a person skilled in the art, that where two or 20 more grading portions are provided, the size of the apertures of the respective grading portions will increase from upstream of the barrel to downstream. The or each grading portion preferably extends fully about the circumference of the barrel. The apertures in the or each grading portion can be circular, or 25 any other shape suitable for the items being graded. As indicated above, the manner in which the barrel is driven to both rotate and vibrate increases the likelihood of correct orientation of an oyster with an appropriately sized aperture for more correct and therefore more efficient grading, because the motion of the barrel combined with its at least partial immersion in liquid, 30 causes the oysters to tumble, so that the long axis of the oysters is more likely to be positioned towards a vertical disposition rather than to be horizontally disposed. In existing apparatus, without the liquid immersion, the long axis of the oysters can remain horizontal and therefore bridge over an aperture rather W: Uulleindrev\Provisionals\Method and Apparatus for Grading fters.doc 6 than pass through it, so that incorrect grading can result. In the apparatus of the invention, the tumbling motion created by the barrel motion and the water immersion, increases the likelihood of correct grading. 5 The barrel can be an open ended barrel, so that it is open at an end which is downstream of the grading portion, so that items which do not exit through apertures of the grading portion or portions, can exit through the open barrel end for further processing such as for further grading. Alternative to having the end of the barrel open, one or more openings can be provided in the wall of 10 the barrel adjacent the downstream barrel end so that items can exit the barrel through the one or more those openings. Such openings would be significantly larger than the items being graded, so that the items pass through the or each opening completely unfettered. 15 It is preferred that the items be introduced into the barrel at or toward the upstream end thereof and that the drive of the barrel causes the items to move in a direction away from the point of entry and in a direction toward the opposite end of the barrel. An entry chute can be employed at or adjacent the upstream end of the barrel for feed of items into the barrel. Alternatively, a 20 feeding device can extend into the barrel, through the upstream end thereof for depositing the items into the barrel. The retarding facility preferably presents a barrier which is traversable by the items to be graded so that the items being graded can traverse past the barrier 25 as well as being retarded by it. This enables the items to be slowed in their travel through the grading portion to ensure maximum likelihood of an appropriately sized item exiting through an aperture of the grading portion. In one preferred arrangement, the barrier of the retarding facility is formed as a 30 spiral member, preferably a single turn of a spiral member, with opposite ends of the spiral being spaced apart axially of the barrel and preferably being substantially aligned axially. The spiral member preferably is attached to the inside surface of the barrel and rotation of the barrel causes the spiral member W.ulie\AndmvAPnvsmaisWethod and Apparaus for Grading ftes,.doc 7 to rotate also and items which come into contact with the spiral member slowly traverse through it from one end of a spiral passage defined by the spiral member, to the other end. 5 The spiral member of the barrier can be greater than a single turn and any suitable number of turns, or portions of turns, can be employed. It will be appreciated that the greater number of spiral turns or portions of turns, the greater retarding capacity that the barrier presents. 10 The barrier of the above spiral kind can include a first opening which allows items to enter the spiral passage of the barrier and to thereafter traverse the barrier in the manner described above, and it can also include a second opening which allows passage of items past the barrier upon build up of items ahead of the barrier beyond a predetermined limit. The second opening can 15 be a central opening through the barrier whereby as items build up ahead of the barrier, the height of the items fills and eventually reaches the second opening through- which the items can pass. The second opening is intended to allow passage of items past the barrier in the event of build up at the head of the barrier which becomes too great. Accordingly, the second opening 20 provides a safety mechanism whereby the build up ahead of the barrier can reach a maximum and not go beyond that maximum. In a preferred arrangement, the barrel includes a pair of axially spaced grading portions, and a retarding facility is positioned between the first and second 25 grading portions and beyond the second grading portion. Thus, items to be graded are retarded in their progress through each of the two grading portions. As indicated above, the size and shape of the apertures of the grading portions can vary depending on the items to be sorted. In relation to oysters, it is 30 expected that the maximum diameter of the apertures will be up to 60mm. Where seed oysters are being graded, an apparatus according to the invention can include first and second grading portions, with the first grading portion having aperture diameters of between 4mm to 6mm and the second grading W:Uu AndrevAPrviols\Method and Apparatus for Grading tms.doc 8 portion, downstream of the first grading portion can have aperture diameters of between 10mm to 12mm. It is expected that oyster farmers will carry a number of barrels having different 5 aperture sizes in different grading portions. Thus, depending on whether seed, juvenile or adult oysters are being graded, and depending on the size of the seed, juvenile or adult oysters, a different barrel might be employed. Thus, the aperture size of the various grading portions can be selected to have any suitable size as appropriate for the oysters being graded. 10 The drive arrangement for driving the barrel to both rotate and vibrate can take any suitable form. Preferably the barrel is arranged to be rotated at between 5 and 20 revolutions per hour, and most preferably, the rotation is about 12 revolutions per hour. Moreover, the barrel is preferably driven to vibrate at 15 between 1 to 50 hertz. The preferred vibration arrangement is to create a movement of the barrel which is forwards and upwards and then return. This movement causes the items to move forward through the barrel and in relation to oyster grading, 20 promotes passage of the oysters into and through the apertures of the grading portion. Items which pass through the grading portion can be collected and conveyed to a remote location for packing or further processing. Items which have 25 passed through a grading portion can be collected in a suitable collection facility and in one arrangement, conveying means can be employed for conveying the collected items to a remote location, such as for bagging or further processing. Preferably the collection facility is fully immersed in the liquid in which the barrel is immersed, so that the items which pass through the 30 grading portion remain immersed in liquid and thus continue to experience minimum stress. W:Uulle\Andre\Provisionas\Wtod and Appartus fo Gradng tRns.oc 9 The graded items can be conveyed by a suitable conveyor system, onto which the graded items fall or collect, although in another embodiment of the invention, a water driven extractor can be employed and this is particularly suitable for seed oysters, in order to prevent those oysters from attaching 5 themselves to surfaces of the collection facility. A water driven extractor can employ a venturi so that the oysters are conveyed in a body of water and while the oysters may engage surfaces of a conduit in which they travel, the engagement is momentary only and is not enough for 10 the seed oysters to attach themselves to a surface. The invention described herein is susceptible to variations, modifications and/or additions other than those specifically described and it is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations, modifications and/or 15 additions which fall within the spirit and scope of the above description. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a grading apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention. 20 Figure 2 is a detailed view of one section of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the barrel and frame components of the apparatus of Figure 1. 25 Figure 4 is an end view of a closure for the barrel of the grading apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a side view taken from a downstream end of the grading apparatus of Figure 1. 30 Figure 6 is a side view of the barrel of the grading apparatus of Figure 1. W:JUuie\Andrew\Prvisionals\Method and Appratus for Grading terns.doc 10 Figure 7 is an end view of a barrier for use in the grading apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 8 is a partial end view of the downstream end of the grading apparatus 5 of Figure 1. Referring to Figure 1, a grading apparatus 10 is illustrated, which includes a barrel 11 into which items to be graded are fed and a feeding apparatus 12. For the purposes of the following discussion, in general, the items to be graded 10 will be oysters, such as seed or juvenile oysters. However it will be appreciated, that the grading apparatus 10 could be employed for other items, such as other shellfish or molluscs, or other items which are not seafood related. 15 The feeding apparatus comprises a conveyor 13 and a hopper 14 from which items to be graded are conveyed upwardly to the feeding chute 15. The conveyor 13 is driven by an electric motor arrangement 16. The chute 15 feeds items into an inlet 17 (see also Figure 3) which extends 20 through a frame member 18 to a barrel end closure arrangement, comprising a feed chute 19 and a barrel end closure flange 20. The flange 20 is shown in more detail in Figure 4 and comprises a central opening 21 about which is disposed a bearing 22. The flange 20 is connected to the feed chute 19 via the bearing 22, so that the barrel 11 and the flange 20 can rotate relative to the 25 feed chute 19 via the bearing 22. The periphery 23 of the flange 20 can be fixed to an end of the barrel 11, or the inside surface of the barrel 11, by any suitable means, such as by welding, riveting, or nut and bolt fasteners. It will be appreciated, that items that are fed into the inlet 17 of the feed chute 19, enter the interior of the barrel 11 through the opening 21 in the flange 20. 30 The opposite or downstream end of the barrel 11 is supported by an arrangement which is illustrated in Figure 5. That arrangement includes a barrel drive wheel 26 which is disposed within the barrel 11 and which drives W:uJue\O re\PIovisWaethod and Apparatus for Grading terns.doc 11 against an inside surface thereof, and three retainer wheels 27 to 29 which rotate against an outside surface of the barrel 11 and which are attached to an arm 30. The drive wheel 26 is driven via a belt 31 which itself is driven through an electric motor and gear box arrangement 32. 5 The arm 30 can be lifted to remove the retainer wheels 27 to 29 from engagement with the outside surface of the barrel 11 by pivoting rotation of the arm 30 about the pivot 33. This facilitates replacement of the barrel 11 with a different barrel where different grading characteristics are required. For 10 example, an oyster farmer may use the grading apparatus firstly for grading seed oysters, and they may change the barrel 11 for a different barrel for grading juvenile or adult oysters. Thus, the barrel 11 is rotatable by the drive wheel 26 and is supported at 15 opposite ends thereof by the bearing 22 at one end and the retainer wheels 27 to 29 at the opposite end. The barrel 11 is also subject to vibration generated by a vibrating arrangement that transmits vibration through the rectangular frame 25 (which includes the frame member 18) to the barrel 11. Referring to Figure 3, the frame 25 includes four flexible connectors 35 to 38, which extend 20 to a stationary frame 40 shown in each of Figures 1, 2 and 5. The connectors 35 to 38 extend downwardly at an inclination of about 35* to vertical and lean towards the upstream end of the barrel 11 to which the feed chute 19 is connected. This inclination is apparent from Figures 1 and 2. 25 The arrangement of the flexible connectors 35 to 38 is such as to allow the barrel 11 to be vibrated in a cycle that moves forward and upwards and then returns downwards and backwards. The forward direction is in the direction A from the upstream end of the barrel 11 at which the feed chute 19 is disposed, towards the opposite downstream end at which the drive wheel 26 is disposed. 30 This vibrating movement which is applied to the barrel 11 causes oysters which have been fed into the barrel 11 through the inlet 17, to move in the forward direction A. W:Uulie\Andre Provisionats\Meth and Apparatus for Grading terms doc 12 Referring to Figure 3, the barrel 11 includes a plurality of circular apertures 45 in each of first and second grading sections 46 and 47 thereof, which are separated by a non-apertured section 48. A side view of the barrel 11 is illustrated in Figure 6 which shows the first and second grading sections 46 5 and 47 and the non-apertured section 48. The apertures 45 of the section 46 are of smaller diameter than the apertures 45 of the section 47. Oysters are fed into the first grading section 46 and smaller oysters which are of a size which can pass through the apertures 45 of 10 that section, pass through the apertures and those oysters that are larger than the apertures of the grading section 46 continue into the second grading section 47. Thus, the barrel 11 is operable to grade two sizes or ranges of oysters and any oysters that remain too large to pass through the apertures 45 of either of the first and second grading section 46 and 47, continue through 15 the barrel for exit through the downstream barrel end 49. In order to slow the passage of oysters through the barrel 11, retarding means in the form of traversable barriers 51 and 52 are provided, the barrier 51 being disposed between the first and second grading sections 46 and 47 at the non 20 apertured section 48 of the barrel 11, while the barrier 52 is positioned just inboard of the downstream barrel end 49. Each of the barriers 51 and 52 comprises a spiral member, with Figure 6 illustrating the barriers 51 and 52 in side view, while Figure 7 illustrates those barriers in front view. The barriers 51 and 52 therefore comprise a forward spiral portion 53 and a rearward spiral 25 portion 54. The portions 53 and 54 are spaced apart axially to create an entry space 55 for entry of oysters that travel through the barrel 11. Thus, as the barrel is rotated in the direction of rotation R shown in Figure 7, oysters enter the space 55 and travel through the spiral member for exit past the spiral portion 54. 30 The barriers 51 and 52 therefore retard, but do not prevent, the flow of oysters through the barrel in the direction A (Figure 6) to ensure that the oysters are exposed to the respective grading section 46 and 47 for sufficient time for W utie\AndreAProvisionats\Methd and Apparatus for Grading ftems.doc 13 them to pass through the apertures 45 if possible. By slowing the passage of oysters through the barrel 11 by use of the barriers 51 and 52, the oysters spend more time in each of the grading section 46 and 47 and therefore the likelihood of oysters passing through a correctly sized aperture is increased 5 and thus the efficiency of the grading operation is likewise increased. The slowing of the passage of oysters through the barrel 11 also assists to bunch the oysters and to promote tumbling of the oysters in the water, which has the desirable effect discussed above, of orienting the long axis of the oysters towards a vertical disposition rather than a horizontal disposition. 10 It will be appreciated that the speed of travel of oysters through the barrel 11 could be controlled by controlling the speed of rotation and vibration of the barrel 11. However, controlling the barrel in this manner can be difficult and could require skilled operation. In addition, it is likely that selection of an 15 appropriate speed of rotation and vibration will occur only after observing the flow of oysters through the barrel and therefore the initial oysters upon which this observation is based, could be incorrectly graded, and therefore decrease the efficiency of grading. Accordingly, the adoption of suitable retarding means is considered to provide a simple and effective solution to ensure that 20 the oysters spend sufficient time in one or more grading portions. Vibration is imparted to the barrel 11 via an electric motor drive 60 that is connected via a connecting rod 61 to the frame member 18 of the frame 25 (see Figure 2). The motor arrangement 60 itself is connected to the frame 40, 25 so that motion imparted to the frame 25 through the connecting rod 61 causes relative vibrating movement between the frame 25 and the frame 40. As indicated earlier, the movement of the frame 25 is forwards and upwards and then return. 30 With oysters being fed into the inlet 17 of the feed chute 19, and with the barrel 11 being rotated and vibrated as discussed above, oysters will travel through the first and second grading section 46 and 47, being retarded in their travel at each of the barriers 51 and 52 and graded oysters will pass through the W:QUe\AndrewPovsnals\Meho and Apparatus for Grading tems.doc 14 apertures 45 of the grading sections 46 and 47, with non-graded oysters passing out of the barrel end 49. The grading apparatus 10 further includes collection tanks associated with each of the grading sections 46 and 47 and with the barrel end 49. The tanks 65 and 66 are associated respectively with 5 the first and second grading sections 46 and 47 while a further collection tank 67 is associated with the barrel end 49. Each of the tanks illustrated in the drawings has a tapered bottom end to promote passage of graded oysters to an outlet of the tank. Each tank outlet 10 feeds to a conveyor and in accordance with the invention, the conveyor can be of any suitable type, but as illustrated, the conveyor is of a belt type or of a water driven type. While the invention does not preclude other types of conveying systems, the conveying systems which will be described herein are unique and highly advantageous. 15 With reference to Figure 5, the conveying system associated with the tank 67 includes an elevator sleeve 70 which extends from adjacent the outlet 71 of the tank and extends upwardly as shown. Disposed within the sleeve 70 is a conveyor belt 72 (shown in broken outline), onto which oysters fall within the 20 tank 67 for conveying away from the tank 67. A drive motor 73 drives the belt 72. The conveyor belt arrangement shown in Figure 5 is employed when juvenile oysters are graded. A different arrangement can be employed when seed 25 oysters are graded and conveniently in the grading apparatus 10, a simple change to the conveyor arrangement can be made to cater either for seed or juvenile oysters. Referring to Figures 5 and 8, the conveying arrangement for seed oysters 30 employs a venturi system which is accessible once the conveyor belt 72 is shifted within the sleeve 70 to a position out of the path of the tank outlet 71. Thus, with reference to Figure 5, the conveyor belt 72 is shifted within the sleeve 70 so that it no longer presents a conveying surface to oysters which W:ui\Andr Prvisionals\Method and Apparatus for Grading tens.doc 15 accumulate within the collection tank 67. This arrangement is shown in Figure 8. Referring to Figure 8, which is taken from the opposite side of the sleeve 70 to 5 that shown in Figure 5, the conveyor belt 72 has been shifted axially of the sleeve 70 away from the tank outlet 71 so that oysters that accumulate within the tank 67 are exposed to a bottom outlet 74 of the sleeve 70 to which is connected a venturi arrangement 75. 10 The venturi arrangement 75 includes a pump 76 which draws water from within the tank 67 through the conduit 77 in the direction shown by the arrows. A filter 78 can be positioned over the inlet of the conduit 77 so that seed oysters within the tank 67 are not extracted from the tank into the conduit 77. The pump 76 pumps water into the conduit 78 and then through a junction 79 into a 15 conduit 80 thereby creating a venturi effect through the narrowing outlet section 81. Thus, oysters which enter the sleeve 70 through the tank outlet 71 are drawn through the sleeve outlet 74 and into the outlet section 81. A take off conduit 82 feeds some of the water flowing through the conduit 78 into the outlet section 81 to cause a turbulence in the flow through the outlet section 20 81, so that the tendency for seed oysters to settle within and clog the outlet section 81 is reduced or eliminated. The benefit of the venturi arrangement 75 in relation to seed oysters, is that the oysters are conveyed in a body of water and therefore do not tend to 25 accumulate next to surfaces against which they can settle and attach. This distinguishes the venturi arrangement from the conveyor belt arrangement shown in Figure 5, because seed oysters could tend to attach to the conveyor belt 72. 30 The free end of the conduit 80 can end at any suitable position and typically will end at a bagging or packing station in which the seed oysters are packed. W:Uuge\AndreAPOvisionaiSWethod ad App tus Wo Grading hemsdcC 16 It is to be noted that when the conveyor belt 72 is in the position shown in Figure 5, then the outlet 74 which leads to the venturi arrangement 75, is closed. Accordingly, there is no access for oysters to enter the outlet section 81 when the conveyor belt 72 is in the Figure 5 position. However, upon 5 movement of the conveyor belt 72 away from the position shown in Figure 5, the outlet 74 is exposed and the pump 76 can be operated to commence venturi based extraction of seed oysters. The conveyor arrangement disclosed in Figure 5 advantageously allows for 10 simple selection of either the conveyor belt arrangement or the venturi arrangement. All that is required, is to appropriately position the conveyor belt 72 either in the position as shown in Figure 5 whereby it will convey oysters from within the tank 67, or to displace it away from the tank outlet 71, so that the venturi arrangement operates to convey the oysters. 15 While only one conveying arrangement has been described in relation to Figures 5 and 8, the same conveying systems can be employed for each of the collection tanks 65 to 67. Alternatively, other conveying systems or arrangements can be employed as desired. 20 It will be appreciated that in accordance with the previous discussion, the barrel 11 is at least partially immersed in a liquid, preferably water, during the grading operation. In the grading apparatus 10, the liquid fills each of the collection tanks 65 to 67, while the water level extends to about the half way 25 point through the height of the barrel, as indicated by the centre line WL (see Figures 5 and 6). At that water level, oysters to be graded are generally immersed within the water during the grading operation and while the water assists to prevent oysters from being caught within an aperture, any oysters that do become caught are more likely to fall out of the aperture because of the 30 lubricating effect of the water, as the barrel rotates the oyster to a position above the water level. In addition, when the oyster has rotated out of the water and falls out of the aperture within which it is caught, the oyster is W:UutiendrevAPovisiOnais\ethod and Apparatus fo Gradng ftems.doc 17 cushioned in its fall back into the water. Thus, stress and other damage to the oyster is minimised. Additionally, the rotation and vibration assists to properly align oysters within 5 the grading sections of the barrel 11, so that the likelihood of an oyster being correctly graded is improved. Still further, the use of the barriers 51 and 52 ensures that the oysters spend sufficient time within each grading section to be properly graded. 10 Results of testing of grading apparatus according to the invention show that efficiency of grading is improved because less oysters are misgraded, while the speed of grading is maintained or actually increased. Moreover, the oysters which are graded arrive at bagging stations in significantly better health, so that the overall quality of oysters graded according to the invention 15 is also improved. The invention described herein is susceptible to variations, modifications and/or additions other than those specifically described and it is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations, modifications and/or 20 additions which fall within the spirit and scope of the above description. For example, the grading apparatus 10 could be modified to include a pair of barrels 11 side by side and to include further collection tanks for the collection of oysters from each of the grading portions and from the open end of the barrel. 25 Future patent applications may be filed in Australia or overseas on the basis of or claiming priority from the present application. It is to be understood that the following provisional claims are provided by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of what may be claimed in any such future 30 applications. Features may be added to or omitted from the provisional claims at a later date so as to further define or re-define the invention or inventions. W:Uube\AnreW Ptvisionals\Method ard Appmatus for Grading herns doc
Claims (27)
1. A grading apparatus for grading a plurality of items, the grading apparatus including a barrel for receiving items to be graded and a drive 5 arrangement for driving the barrel during item grading to rotate about a generally horizontal axis and to vibrate, the barrel including a grading portion having a plurality of apertures which are configured so that items up to a predetermined size pass through the apertures and exit from the barrel during item grading, the apparatus further including a retarding facility for retarding 10 travel of items through the grading portion during item grading.
2. A grading apparatus according to claim 1, including a reservoir for containing a liquid within which the barrel is at least partly immersed during item grading, to allow the liquid enter the interior of the barrel. 15
3. A grading apparatus for grading a plurality of items, the grading apparatus including a barrel for receiving items to be graded and a drive arrangement for driving the barrel during item grading to rotate about a generally horizontal axis and to vibrate, the barrel is at least partly immersed in 20 a liquid during item grading, so that the liquid enters the interior of the barrel, and including a grading portion having a plurality of apertures which are configured so that items up to a predetermined size pass through the apertures and exit from the barrel during item grading, the apparatus further including a retarding facility for retarding travel of items through the grading 25 portion during item grading.
4. A grading apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the liquid is water. 30
5. A grading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the barrel includes an opening at one end through which items that do not pass through the apertures of the grading portion, exit the barrel during item grading. W:ULie\Anr Provsonals\Metod and Apparatus for Grading Items doc 19
6. A grading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the retarding facility presents a traversable barrier.
7. A grading apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the barrier is formed 5 as a spiral member.
8. A grading apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the barrier includes a first opening for allowing items to traverse past the barrier and a second opening to allow passage of items past the barrier upon build-up of 10 items ahead of the barrier beyond a predetermined limit.
9. A grading apparatus according to any one of claims I to 8, wherein the apertures have a diameter of up to 60mm. 15
10. A grading apparatus according to claim any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the barrel includes two or more consecutive grading portions and a retarding portion associated with each grading portion, the aperture size being substantially constant throughout each grading portion and increasing with each consecutive grading portion. 20
11. A grading apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apertures in a first grading portion having a diameter of between 4 to 6mm.
12. A grading apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the apertures 25 in a second grading portion, downstream of the first grading portion, have a diameter of between 10 to 12mm.
13. A grading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the barrel to rotate at between 5 to 20 30 revolutions per hour. W:Uuie\Andre\Povisionals\Method and Apparatus for Grading tems doc 20
14. A grading apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the barrel to rotate at about 12 revolutions per hour. 5
15. A grading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the barrel to vibrate at between 1 to 50 Hertz.
16. A grading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the 10 apparatus includes a conveyor system that is arranged to convey graded items that exit from the barrel to one or more remote locations.
17. A grading apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the conveyor system includes a water driven extractor, which conveys items within a body of 15 water.
18. A grading apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the water driven extractor includes a venturi. 20
19. A grading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the items graded by the grading apparatus are oysters.
20. A method for grading a plurality of items, the method including the use of a grading apparatus which includes a barrel having a grading portion that 25 has a plurality of apertures that are sized so that items up to a predetermined size pass through the apertures and exit the barrel during item grading, the apparatus further including a drive arrangement for driving the barrel to rotate about a generally horizontal axis and to vibrate, and a retarding facility to retard passage of items through the grading portion during item grading, the 30 method including the steps of immersing at least a lower portion of the barrel in a liquid so that the liquid enters the interior of the barrel, feeding items to be graded into the barrel, and driving the barrel to rotate and vibrate so that the items travel into the grading portion for grading. W:JUlle\Andrew Prvisionals\emo~d and Appatus for Grading Items doc 21
21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the liquid is water.
22. A method according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the barrel is driven to rotate at between 5 to 20 revolutions per hour. 5
23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the barrel is driven to rotate at about 12 revolutions per hour.
24. A method according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the barrel is 10 driven to vibrate at between 1 to 50 Hertz.
25. A method according to any one of claims 20 to 24, the method further including the step of conveying the graded items that exit from the barrel to one or more remote locations. 15
26. A grading apparatus according to any one of the embodiments substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 20
27. A method for grading a plurality of items according to any one of the embodiments substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. W:Uule\AnmvAPrvisionaethod and Apparatus for Grading Items doc
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2009202311A AU2009202311B2 (en) | 2008-06-10 | 2009-06-10 | Method and apparatus for grading items |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2008902939 | 2008-06-10 | ||
| AU2008902939A AU2008902939A0 (en) | 2008-06-10 | Method and apparatus for grading items | |
| AU2009202311A AU2009202311B2 (en) | 2008-06-10 | 2009-06-10 | Method and apparatus for grading items |
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| AU2009202311A1 true AU2009202311A1 (en) | 2009-12-24 |
| AU2009202311B2 AU2009202311B2 (en) | 2015-03-19 |
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| AU2009202311A Active AU2009202311B2 (en) | 2008-06-10 | 2009-06-10 | Method and apparatus for grading items |
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| AU (1) | AU2009202311B2 (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR3024819A1 (en) * | 2014-08-14 | 2016-02-19 | Baptiste Monroux | NAISSAIN'S SHEET |
| EP3042560A1 (en) * | 2015-01-06 | 2016-07-13 | Naissains, Thau | Process for the preparation of mussel spats (Bivalves) |
| CN110226543A (en) * | 2019-05-31 | 2019-09-13 | 都兴水 | A kind of scallop knocks cage assembly |
| CN114377965A (en) * | 2021-12-07 | 2022-04-22 | 刘贤创 | Vibration separation device for powder metallurgy products |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BE1026037B1 (en) * | 2018-08-24 | 2019-09-18 | Beyers Koffie Nv | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING GRANULAR MATERIAL |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE19628437C2 (en) * | 1996-07-15 | 1999-05-12 | Wiegand Thomas | Device and method for classifying and reducing the particle size of a granulate mixture |
| JP2007143486A (en) * | 2005-11-28 | 2007-06-14 | Mutsu Kaden Tokki:Kk | Method and apparatus for sorting shellfishes |
-
2009
- 2009-06-10 AU AU2009202311A patent/AU2009202311B2/en active Active
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR3024819A1 (en) * | 2014-08-14 | 2016-02-19 | Baptiste Monroux | NAISSAIN'S SHEET |
| EP3042560A1 (en) * | 2015-01-06 | 2016-07-13 | Naissains, Thau | Process for the preparation of mussel spats (Bivalves) |
| CN110226543A (en) * | 2019-05-31 | 2019-09-13 | 都兴水 | A kind of scallop knocks cage assembly |
| CN114377965A (en) * | 2021-12-07 | 2022-04-22 | 刘贤创 | Vibration separation device for powder metallurgy products |
| CN114377965B (en) * | 2021-12-07 | 2023-12-26 | 株洲鸿达实业有限公司 | Vibration separation device for powder metallurgy products |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU2009202311B2 (en) | 2015-03-19 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FGA | Letters patent sealed or granted (standard patent) | ||
| PC | Assignment registered |
Owner name: SHELLFISH CULTURE LIMITED Free format text: FORMER OWNER(S): BOLDUANS BAY HOLDINGS PTY LTD |
|
| HB | Alteration of name in register |
Owner name: TASMANIAN OYSTER COMPANY LIMITED Free format text: FORMER NAME(S): SHELLFISH CULTURE LTD |