GB2086207A - Machine for treating seed- containing fruit - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for treating seed- containing fruit comprises a drive unit (2) which drives a first pair of drums (4) in opposite directions, at the same speed, and a second pair of drums (5) in opposite directions at different speeds, through a gear box (3), the drums being mounted in a box (8) which is open at its upper end for the introduction of fruit which is broken open by passage between the drums (4) and shelled by passage between the drums (5) before passing through the open lower end of the box (8) onto rollers (6) which may be driven by or independently of the drive unit (2) and gear box (3). Of the processed material dropping onto the rollers (6), the shredded matter passes between the rollers onto the ground while the seeds and rinds slide over the rollers into a cylinder (7) which is rotatable by or independently of the drive unit (2) and gear box (3) and is perforated around its circumference for the passage of the seeds into a hopper (10) while the rinds are discharged from the other end of the cylinder. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Machine for treating seed-containing fruit This invention relates to a machine for the treatment of seed-containing fruit and, more specifically, to a machine for carrying out, at the plantation or elsewhere, the mechanical process necessary to break open the fruit and take out its seeds. This machine can be used with any type of seed-containing fruit but it should be noted that it is particularly intended for the treatment and processing of the fruit of the cacao plant, in connection with which it satisfactorily obviates the need for the difficult, dangerous and expensive manual operations which have hitherto been necessary in order to break the sheath or pod of the fruit and take out the cacao beans contained inside it.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a machine constituting a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a machine constituting a second embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the machine shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the machine includes a chassis or support frame 1, which may be placed directly on the ground and secured thereto, when the machine is to be installed in an industrial building, or provided with appropriate wheels to allow movement of the machine to the site where the fruit to be processed is harvested.

A suitable drive unit 2 (consisting of an electric motor in the embodiment shown) is conveniently secured to the chassis or frame 1 and provides the necessary drive for the operation of the machine, said drive unit being connected to a gear box 3 provided with an oil bath, through which the drive generated by the aforementioned drive unit 2 is transmitted to a number of shafts which rotate at different speeds and whose ends, projecting from the aforementioned gear box, carry the elements to be described.

Two shafts at the top of the box carry two drums 4, slightly spaced from each other in the same horizontal plane and rotated at the same speed in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. One of said drums is provided with four fins or peripheral projections 41 equally spaced from each other, and the other drum has four peripheral notches or grooves 42, likewise equally spaced from each other, intended to match with the fins or projections on the former.

Just beneath the aforementioned drums 4 are two other drums 5, arranged in a common horizontal plane and having the same diameter as said drums 4, although closer to each other than the latter, which drums 5 are also rotated in opposite directions, as indicated by the corresponding arrows in Fig. 2 but at different speeds. These drums 5 (which may be optionally constructed of rubber or equipped with a covering of rubber) are each provided with a numer of peripheral notches or grooves 41, equally spaced from each other.

Beneath said drums 5 and at a predetermined distance therefrom are four rollers 6 located in a common horizontal plane and arranged in pairs.

The rollers of each pair are in contact with each other and are rotated in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

Finally, a cylindrical body 7, of larger diameter and covered around its periphery by a perforated metal sheet or wire mesh, is mounted for rotation on a shaft located between the drums 5 and the rollers 6. This cylindrical body is positioned horizontally in front of the aforementioned drums 5, receives, through one of its ends, the forward ends of the aforementioned rollers 6 and is capable of being adjustably inclined.

Drums 4 and 5 are enclosed within a box 8, rectangular in longitudinal section, which is open at the top and bottom, with the lower ends of its side walls convergent so that they terminate just above the end ones of the rollers 6, while the lower edges of a plate 9, of inverted V-shaped section, which is affixed at one end to box 3, terminate above the intermediate ones of the rollers 6.

The machine is completed by a hopper 10 which is attached to the chassis or frame 1, in such a way that the cylindrical body 7 is housed within said hopper.

The embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 is a machine for fixed installation, and differs from the embodiment above described and shown in Figures 1 and 2 in the following respects: 1) Drums 4 and 5 are driven independently of the rollers 6 and the cylindrical body 7, through the gearbox 3 which controls the speed of rotation of said drums.

2) The rollers 6 (increased in number as are the plates 9) are provided with their own independent drive means, are mounted in pairs on independent frames and are designed to aliow of adjustable inclination, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

3) The cylindrical body 7 is likewise driven by means independent of the means for driving drums 4 and 5 and rollers 6.

4) Finally, the assembly may be mounted on a single chassis or on separate chassis.

The operation of the machine, according to the invention, is as follows: The fruit is introduced into the machine through the top of the box 8 and falls directly onto the drums 4 which, by virtue of their rotation in opposite directions and by means of their projections or fins 41 and notches or grooves 42, break open said fruit.

The broken fruit is then projected onto the pair of drums 5 which, be rotating in opposite directions and at different speeds, produce relative sliding movement between the rind of the fruit and the seeds attached thereto, thus bringing about shelling of the fruit.

From these drums 5, the processed material drops onto the pairs of rollers 6 which, by virtue of their rotation in opposite directions and their arrangement, carry out a roller operation on the material. The seeds and the rinds of the fruit slide over the surface of said rollers and drop into the cylindrical body 7, while fibres and small residues of rind which may be contained in the shredded material pass between the rollers, are rolled by them and finally drop to the ground.

From the cylindrical body 7, the seeds pass through the perforations in the sheet metal or wire mesh enclosing said body and are deposited in the hopper 10. The rinds which, due to their size, cannot pass through these perforations, advance along said body and finally fall out of the machine through the open front of said body, aided, if required, by the adjustable inclination of said body.

Claims (6)

1. A machine for treating seed-containing fruit, comprising a drive unit, a gear box having an input shaft connected to said drive unit and a plurality of output shafts, two first drums arranged in a single horizontal plane for rotation at the same speed and in opposite directions by two of said output shafts, one of said drums being provided with peripheral fins or projections and the other with peripheral notches or grooves, said fins or projections and notches or grooves cooperating to break open fruit falling directly onto said drums after introduction into the machine, two second drums arranged in a single horizontal plane beneath said first drums for rotation at different speeds by two more of said output shafts and provided with notches or grooves formed therein, said first and second drums being mounted in a box, open at the top and bottom, in such a manner that said second drums, upon receiving the fruit broken open by the first drums, cause relative sliding movement to occur between the rind and the seeds attached thereto to bring about shelling of the fruit, a plurality of rollers located in a single horizontal plane below the second drums and arranged in pairs, the rollers of each pair being in contact with each other and being rotatable in opposite directions, so that when the material processed by the first and second drums drops onto said rollers the seeds and rinds of the fruit slide over the surface of said rollers while the fibres and small residues of rind which may form part of the shredded product pass between the pairs of rollers and are pressed by them before finally dropping to the ground, and a hollow cylindrical body of larger diameter, closed at its periphery by perforated sheet metal or wire mesh, which body is mounted for rotation and adjustable inclination in front of said second drums and receives the forward ends of said rollers so that the seeds and rinds of the fruit may drop from said rollers into said cylindrical body with the seeds passing through the openings in the sheet metal or wire mesh periphery of said cylindrical body and dropping into a hopper which completes the machine, while the rinds that, due to their size, cannot pass through said openings, advance along the cylindrical body until they are expelled from the machine through a front opening in the body.

2. A machine according to Claim 1, wherein said rollers and cylindrical body are rotatable from said gear box through two more of said output shafts.

3. A machine according to Claim 1, wherein said rollers and cylindrical body are driven independently of one another and of said first and second drums by individual driving means separate from and independent of said drive unit.

4. A machine according to Claim 3, wherein said drums, said rollers and said cylindrical body are independently mounted on separate frames or chassis.

5. A machine according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein said rollers are capable of adjustable inclination.

6. A machine for treating seed-containing fruit, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.