FR2982126A1 - Device for treating bulb portion of e.g. leeks to automatically pull small surface sheets surrounding roots, has pair of rollers placed with nip line located in vertical plane and below median plane to pull sheets in lower zone of bulb - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (5) has two pairs (8, 9) of rollers (81, 82, 91, 92), where each pair includes two rollers. The rollers are rotated in opposite directions. One of the pairs of rollers is placed with a nip line (83) located in/approximately in a vertical plane (C) and above a median plane (A) to perform pulling action of small surface sheets located in an upper zone of a bulb portion (B). The other pair of the rollers is placed with another nip line (93) located in/approximately in the vertical plane and below median plane to perform pulling action of sheets located in a lower zone of bulb portion. An independent claim is also included for a cleaning/peeling installation of bulb plants or bulb vegetables.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for the treatment of the bulbous part of bulbous plants or vegetables, such as leeks, shallots, onions, spring onions, etc., in order to perform an automated action of tearing small surface leaves. surrounding the root plate, and possibly roots and rootlets. It also relates to the cleaning / peeling installation of this kind of bulbous plant or vegetable, comprising such a device for treating the bulb. Document FR-2 706 256 discloses facilities which ensure the cleaning and preparation by peeling of bulb vegetables (leeks or onions for example), following their harvest, to remove soil residues and to get rid of faded or damaged leaves, especially for their presentation for sale. But these facilities are not completely effective at the level of the bulbous part of plants or vegetables, and they require the presence of many operators in their output carpet, to ensure manual finishing of the treatment of bulbs, especially to treat their part called sock, by tearing off the last leaves still hanging on the root plate.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of known installations, and to propose a device ensuring the automated treatment of the bulbous part of such bulbous plants or vegetables, in order to obtain in a simple way their optimal presentation. For this, the corresponding device, for the treatment of the bulbous part of bulbous plants or vegetables having a longitudinal axis, in order to perform a tearing action including leaves remaining attached to the root plate, comprises means for conveying said plants or vegetables on a transport plane, in a determined direction of travel, with their longitudinal axes extending perpendicularly or approximately perpendicular to said direction of advance, in a median plane parallel to said transport plane, and with their oriented bulbs on the same side of said conveying means, in the same vertical plane or approximately in the same vertical plane.

And according to the present invention, this device comprises two pairs of rollers, each of said pairs comprising two rollers having axes parallel to each other, and parallel or approximately parallel to said direction of advance, which rollers comprise peripheral surfaces contiguous or virtually contiguous at a pinch line and are rotated in opposite directions from each other, each towards said pinch line. In addition, one of these pairs of rollers is arranged with its pinch line located in or approximately in said vertical plane, and above said median plane, to achieve a tearing action including small surface sheets located in the upper zone of the bulb; and the other one of said pairs of rollers is disposed with its pinch line situated in or approximately in said vertical plane, and below said median plane, for effecting a tearing action of said small surface sheets in the lower zone of this bulb. The action of the two pairs of rollers, on the upper and lower parts of the bulb, during the forward movement of the plants or vegetables, ensures a good finish of the stripping of their bulb, this in a simple, reliable way and economic.

Operators at the finishing station can be provided in limited numbers, or even deleted, without reducing the processing rates. The two pairs of rollers may be arranged one above the other, but they are preferably arranged after each other along the conveying means.

According to a preferred embodiment, the pinch line of the pair of rollers which acts above the median plane of the bulbs is slightly inclined from top to bottom, taking into account the direction of advance, to seek to constrain said plants or vegetables from top to bottom.

For its part, the pinch line of the pair of rollers acting below the median plane of the bulbs is advantageously slightly inclined from bottom to top, taking account of the direction of advance, to seek to constrain said plants or vegetables from bottom up.

According to another advantageous characteristic, at least one of the rollers of each pair of rollers has a rough peripheral surface of the knurled type. Still according to another particularity, the pairs of rollers are each associated with means for projecting water towards or approximately towards their nip, so as to project a jet of water on the bulb of the plants or vegetables in course of treatment. Again according to an advantageous characteristic, the two rollers of each pair are driven by a set of gears, from a single engine. The invention also relates to the plant for cleaning / peeling plants or vegetables bulb, comprising a treatment device as defined above, disposed downstream of a peeling device.

Preferably, the corresponding installation comprises means for positioning the end of the bulbs in or approximately in the same vertical plane, this positioning means being disposed upstream of said treatment device. In addition, this plant advantageously further comprises, downstream of said treatment device, means for cutting the roots and means for cutting the leaves of the plants or vegetables, possibly associated, just upstream, with a means for positioning the end correctly. of their bulb. The invention will be further illustrated, without being limited in any way, by the following description of a particular embodiment, given solely by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a general and schematic view; in perspective, a plant for cleaning / peeling vegetables bulb (here leeks) incorporating a bulbs treatment device according to the invention; - Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the detail of the bulb treatment device according to the invention; - Figure 3 schematically shows the processing device of Figure 2, seen from the side; FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the same processing device, viewed from above; - Figure 5 shows the action on the bulb of a leek of one of the pairs of rollers of the treatment device according to the invention; - Figure 6 shows the action of the other pair of rollers on the bulb of the leek. The installation 1 illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 1 is intended for cleaning and peeling leeks P. This installation 1 comprises for this purpose conveyor means 2 which transport the leeks P on a transport plane T and in a direction of advancement D, in order to pass them successively at the level of: - a device 3 for the elongation of the leaves F of the leeks P, - a device 4 for peeling the leeks P, - a treatment device 5 of the bulb B of the leeks P, - of a device 6 for cutting the roots of the bulbous part of the leek B, and - a device 7 for cutting the length of their leaves F. The conveyor means 2 are in the form endless motorized belts (for example two parallel strips) on which the leeks P are positioned - with their longitudinal axis L extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicular to the direction of advance D, and - with their bulbs B all arranged on the same side, in the same vertical plane or approximately in the same vertical plane C (FIG. 4). It will be noted that the longitudinal axes L of the leeks P extend in a median plane A parallel to the transport plane T and which is situated just above this transport plane T, as can be seen in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6. On certain parts of the installation 1, if necessary, a complementary motorized endless belt 2 'can be pressed over the leeks P (as illustrated in particular in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6) to ensure their correct retention in position on the transport plane T. The sheet stretching device 3 is a conventional device, well known in the technical field concerned, for example consisting of two superposed endless belts animated by a displacement movement transverse to the direction of travel. advancement B, and equipped with flexible fingers or bristles, between which pass the P leeks.

The peeling device 4 corresponds to a material also all-in conventional fit, for example consisting of two rollers equipped with flexible fingers, rotated along an axis parallel to the direction D, and between which the leeks P.

For their part, the devices 6 and 7 for cutting roots and leaves consist of circular saws, again quite conventional and known in the field. On the other hand, this installation 1 is characterized by the presence of the device 5 for treating the bulb of the leeks, as detailed in FIGS. 2 to 6, ensuring the finishing of the tearing off of the small leaves of the sock of the bulb B, in particular small leaves partially detached from bulb B, which remain attached to the periphery of the root plate. This treatment device 5 consists of two pairs of rollers 8, 9 arranged here one after the other along the conveying means 2. Each pair 8, 9 comprises two motorized rollers 81, 82 and 82 respectively. 91, 92. Within each of these two pairs 8 and 9, the two rollers 81, 82 on the one hand, and 91, 92 on the other hand, have axes 81 ', 82', 91 ', 92' , parallel to each other and parallel or approximately parallel to the direction of advance D. In addition, these two rollers, 81, 82 on the one hand, and 91, 92 on the other hand, comprise peripheral surfaces contiguous or substantially contiguous to the at a nip, respectively 83, 93, and are rotated in opposite directions to each other, each in the direction of this nip 83, 93 (as illustrated by the orientation arrows Figures 2, 5 and 6). Preferably, the two rollers of each pair are in slight contact with each other; they can also be very slightly separated, in any case by a distance of less than one millimeter. On the other hand, and to allow their effective action on the bulb B leeks P: - one of the pairs of rollers (in this case the pair marked 8) is arranged with its pinch line 83 located in or approximately in the vertical plane C and above the median plane A above, so as to perform a tearing action of the surface sheets (and possibly roots and rootlets) located in the upper zone of the bulb B, and - the other of pairs of rollers (in this case the pair marked 9) is arranged with its nip 93 located in or approximately in the vertical plane C and below the median plane A above, so as to perform a pulling action of surface sheets (and possibly roots and rootlets) located in the lower zone of the bulb B. The two rollers 81 and 82 of the pair of rollers 8 are made of steel; their diameter is of the order of 50 mm, and their peripheral surface is preferably rough (knurled type), but it can also be smooth. Optionally, the peripheral surface of one of these rollers may be smooth and the other rough. These two rollers 81 and 82 are rotated by a single motor 85 (for example a hydraulic motor), in association with a gear cascade 86 (Figure 3). Their rotational speed, advantageously identical, can be of the order of 50 to 80 revolutions per minute. To optimize the efficiency of the pulling treatment, the nip 83 of the pair of rollers 8 is slightly inclined from top to bottom, taking account of the forward direction D, so as to seek to constrain the leeks P of top down, and ensure proper support of their bulb B against the rollers 81, 82, at said nip 83 (as shown in Figure 3). The angle of inclination corresponding to may be between 0 and 10 °, and is preferably of the order of 5 °. The two rollers 91 and 92 of the pair of rollers 9 are very similar to the rollers 81 and 82 mentioned above. These two rollers 91, 92 are made of steel. Their diameter is of the order of 50 mm and their peripheral surface is preferably rough (knurled type), but it can also be smooth. Optionally, the peripheral surface of one of these rollers 91, 92 may be smooth, and the other rough. These two rollers 91 and 92 are rotated by a single motor 95 (for example a hydraulic motor), in association with a gear cascade 96 (Figure 3). Their rotation speed can be of the order of 50 to 80 revolutions per minute.

To optimize the efficiency of the tearing treatment, the pinch line 93 of this pair of rollers 9 is slightly inclined from the bottom upwards, taking account of the forward direction D, so as to seek to constrain the leeks P from the bottom upwards and ensure correct support of their bulb B against the rollers 91, 92, at said nip 93 (as illustrated in Figure 3). The corresponding angle of inclination b may be between 0 and 10 °, and is advantageously of the order of 5 °. Optionally, the pinch lines 83 and 93 may also be provided slightly inclined in the median plane A, towards the conveying means 2, taking account of the direction of advance D. At the level of the treatment device 5, it is noted that the leeks P are held by the aforementioned complementary strip 2 '(FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6). This band 2 'does not appear in FIGS. 1 and 3 for simplification of representation. In FIGS. 2 to 6, it will also be noted that the two pairs of rollers 8 and 9 are each associated with means 10 designed to project water towards the niping lines 83 and 93 so as to reach the bulb B leeks P when they are treated by each of the two pairs of rollers 8 and 9. These water projection means 10 make it possible to finish the cleaning of the bulbs. In addition, they are oriented in a F-bulb B leaves direction, so as to tend to peel off the small sheets of bulbs B to optimize their pulling by the pairs of rollers 8, 9 at the nips 83 and 93. the appended figures, note the lower ramp 10a (formed of four water spray nozzles) disposed under the transport plane T, which provides the projection of water towards the two pairs of rollers 8, 9 (this ramp 10a does not appear in Figures 1 and 4 for simplification of representation). Note also the ramp 10b (formed of two water spray nozzles) disposed above the transport plane T, which provides the projection of water towards the pair of rollers 9 (this ramp 10b does not appear on Figures 1 and 2 for simplification of representation).

The pair of rollers 8 is not associated with the upper water projection means, because of the downward orientation of its nip 83. The presence of water jets is adapted to obtain a good cleaning B bulbs, associated with effective takeoff of the small leaves of ends, without damaging the treated plants. The pairs of rollers 8, 9, their motors 85, 95 and the water projection means 10 are advantageously fixed on the frame of the installation 1 by any appropriate means.

Just upstream of this device 5 for treating the bulbs B, the installation 1 advantageously comprises a positioning device 11 (FIG. 1) arranged to push the leeks P too far apart, conveying means 2, in order to ensure a correct positioning of the end of their bulb B in the vertical plane C.

These positioning means 11 are conventional in the field concerned and they advantageously consist of a motorized wheel with a vertical axis, one of the tangents of the serrated edge is placed in the plane C. Downstream of this processing device 5, it is possible to provide a similar positioner device 12, placed just before the cutting means 6 and 7.

After having been correctly positioned on the conveying means 2, the leeks P pass between the two finger conveyors of the sheet elongation device 3, then between the two finger rollers of the peeling device 4. Then, the positioners means 11 align the ends of the bulbs B on the vertical plane C before the action of the processing means 5. In a first step, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the pair 8 of rollers 81, 82 ensures a finishing of the peeling of the upper part of the bulbs B (located above the median plane A). This finishing action is effected by tearing off the small end sheets of the sock of the bulb, because of the action of the two rollers 81, 82 rotating in opposite directions towards each other in the direction of the line of pinching 83. During this action, some roots or rootlets of the bulbs B are also torn off, which makes it possible to prepare and promote the subsequent cutting action by the cutting device 6.

The inclination has axes 81 ', 82' of the two rollers 81, 82 makes it possible to slightly constrain the bulbs from top to bottom to favor the desired pulling action. The projection of water by the ramp 10a towards the bulbs B completes their washing and further promotes the desired action of tearing leaves; and the rough surface of the knurled rollers also helps to optimize this action. In a second step, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the pair 9 of rollers 91, 92 ensures the finishing of the peeling of the lower part of the bulbs B (situated below the median plane A).

Here again, this finishing action is effected by tearing off the small end sheets of the sock of the bulb B, because of the action of the two rollers 91, 92 rotating in opposite directions towards each other in the direction of the pinch line 93. During this action, some roots or rootlets of the bulbs B are also torn off, which makes it possible to prepare and promote the subsequent cutting action by the cutting device 6. The inclination b of the axes 91 ', 92' of the two rollers 91 and 92 makes it possible to constrain the bulbs slightly from the bottom upwards in order to favor the desired pulling action. The projection of water by the ramps 10a, 10b towards the bulbs B completes their washing and further promotes the desired action of tearing leaves; and the rough surface of the knurled rollers also helps to optimize this action. Of course, the pairs of rollers 8 and 9 can be reversed in the direction of advance D, to first treat the lower part of the bulbs and then their upper part. In an alternative embodiment, the two pairs of rollers can be superimposed to act simultaneously on the lower and upper parts of the bulbs. Downstream of the bulbs treatment device 5, after correct repositioning (if necessary) by the positioner means 12, the treatment of the leeks P is finalized by cutting the roots by means of the cutting device 6, on the root plate, then, at the other end, by cutting the length of the sheets F, by means of the cutting device 7. Optionally, the finish can be checked and completed by operators posted at the end of the conveying means 2.

The device 5 according to the invention consisting of pairs of rollers 8 and 9 can be implemented in a similar manner for the treatment of other plants or bulb vegetables, such as onions, spring onions or shallots.

It makes it possible to optimize the finishing of the bulbs, this by mechanically simple means, inexpensive and integrating without any problem into the kinematics of conventional washing / peeling machines, without limiting the rates.

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. Device for treating the bulbous part (B) of bulbous plants or vegetables (P) having a longitudinal axis (L), with a view to effecting a pulling action, in particular of small leaves remaining attached to the root plate, which device ( 5) comprises means (2) for conveying said plants or vegetables (P) on a transport plane (T), in a direction of advance (D), with their longitudinal axes (L) extending perpendicularly or approximately perpendicular to said direction of advance (D), in a median plane (A) parallel to said transport plane (T), and with their bulbs (B) oriented on the same side of said conveying means (2), in the same plane vertical or approximately in the same vertical plane (C), characterized in that it comprises two pairs of rollers (8, 9), each of said pairs (8, 9) comprising two rollers (81, 82, 91, 92) having axes (81 ', 82'; 91 ', 92') parallel to each other and parallel or approximately parallel to said direction of travel (D), which rollers (81, 82; 91, 92) have peripheral surfaces contiguous or substantially contiguous at a nip (83, 93) and are rotated in opposite directions to each other, each towards said nip ( 83, 93), one of said pairs of rollers (8) being disposed with its nip (83) located in or approximately in said vertical plane (C) and above said median plane (A), to provide a pulling action including small surface sheets located in the upper zone of said bulb (B), and the other of said pairs of rollers (9) being disposed with its pinch line (93) located in or approximately in said vertical plane (C) and below said median plane (A), to perform a tearing action including small surface sheets located in the lower zone of said bulb (B). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the two pairs of rollers (8, 9) are arranged one after the other, along the conveying means (2). 3. Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the nip (83) of the pair of rollers (8) which acts above said median plane (A) is slightly inclined from the top to the bottom, taking into account the advancement direction (D), to seek to constrain said plants or vegetables (P) from top to bottom. 4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the nip (93) of the pair of rollers (9) acting below said median plane (A) is slightly inclined from the bottom to the high, taking into account the direction of advance (D), to seek to constrain said plants or vegetables (P) from bottom to top. 5.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one of the rollers (81, 82; 91, 92) of each pair (8, 9) has a rough peripheral surface, knurled type. 6.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the pairs of rollers (8, 9) are each associated with water projection means (10a, 10b) in the direction or approximately in direction of their nip (83, 93), so as to project a jet of water on the bulb (B) of plants or vegetables (P) being processed. 7.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the two rollers (81, 82; 91, 92) of each pair (8, 9) are driven by a set of gears (86, 96) from a single motor (85, 95). 8.- Apparatus for cleaning / peeling plants or vegetables bulb (P), characterized in that it comprises a treatment device (5) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, disposed downstream of a device Peeling (4). 9.- Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises means (11) for positioning the end of the bulbs (B) of said plants or bulbous vegetables (P) in or approximately in said vertical plane (C) , which positioning means (11) is arranged upstream of said treatment device (5). 10.- Installation according to any one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises cutting means (6) of the roots and cutting means (7) of the leaves of the plants or vegetables (P), in downstream of said treatment device (5), possibly associated, just upstream, with means (12) for correctly positioning the end of the bulbs (B) of said bulbous plants or vegetables (P).