FR2767332A1 - Portable automatic grape marc dunker - Google Patents

Abstract

The dunker has two spring-loaded paddles (4) articulated to the lower end of an endless screw (3) turned by a bronze nut (2) connected by a drive chain to a motor and reduction gear unit (1). The endless screw is 160 cm long and descends or ascends according to the direction in which the motor turns. During the paddles' descent their curved surfaces interact with a guide ring which deploys them, and they are retracted when raised. In the retracted position the paddles can be inserted through a manhole in the top of a vat.

Description

 The present invention makes it possible to immerse in the juice, the floating fruit pulps inside a fermentation tank.

 This machine, easy to transport, is placed on the manhole located above the fermentation tanks of wine cellars.

 It will allow during the fermentation, to immerse the grape marc, by simple pressing, inside the juice on a diameter of about 160 centimeters. Four straps attached on the one hand to the plate (13) and on the other hand to the lifting rings of the tank, take up the vertical thrust exerted by the spades on the machine.

 This operation makes it possible to extract the aromas and nectars from the pulps and better control the color of the wine.

I, the accompanying drawings illustrate the invention
- Figure I shows the entire machine in the rest position. The gear motor (1) using a chain drives a bronze nut (2) contained between two bearings. j, a screw (3) with square pitch of this nut has a length of 16O centimeters, it w go up or down according to the direction of rotation of the engine.

 - The two spades (4) which are articulated at the bottom of the screw are returned to the open position by two springs (5).

 - During the descent these two spades, by their curved teardrop, will slide against the guide ring located on the ceiling of the tank until the total opening and then descend the entire length of the screw.

 - A high (6) and low (7) limit switch stops the motor.

 - Figure 2 shows the work of the two spades on the product. The curved shape of these spades allows them to slide under the ceiling of the tank and without touching the product which is located about 25 centimeters below this ceiling.

 - Figure 3 shows the upper end of the machine, the screw ends with a part equipped with 6 cylindrical pins (8).

 - The guide tube (9) of the screw includes over its entire length a flat iron (10) which will prevent the screw from turning except near the top limit switch, there two pawls go to each pass at the top limit allow the screw to rotate 60 degrees always in the same direction.

 - Figure 4 shows the operation of the pawls. These pawls (11) and (12) have their hinge pins fixed to the top of the guide tube (9). They consist of mild steel blades.

 - I, the pins having exceeded the guide (10) move along the arrow (F) the pawl (12) provided with a counterweight (CP) will allow only one lug to pass.

The next lug will be stopped by the other ratchet lever (12) after which the high limit switch will cut the climb.

 After a delay of 3 seconds the direction of descent will engage, the non-return pawl (11) will prevent the backward movement while waiting for the guide (10) to do its work to guide the screw.

Thus only one hergot will have passed behind the guide (10) and the spades
will have turned a sixth of a turn.

- In this example it is a screw with a gear motor which
maneuvers the spades but this crew could be
replaced either by a hydraulic cylinder or by a cylinder
pneumatic, or again by an electric jack.

Claims (1)

 - Machine to improve winemaking. Two spades animated by a worm immerse the grapes in the juice in the fermentation tanks.  The special feature of this machine is that it can be adapted to the manhole above the tanks and only uses 25 cm of space between the product and the ceiling of the tank.