GB2420693A

GB2420693A - Roller for produce processing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2420693A
Application number: GB0520913A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ian Haith
Original assignee: Tickhill Engineering Co Ltd
Current assignee: Tickhill Engineering Co Ltd
Priority date: 2004-12-02
Filing date: 2005-10-14
Publication date: 2006-06-07
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-14
Also published as: GB2420693B; GB0520913D0; GB0426402D0

Abstract

A roller 14 for a produce processing machine comprises a first part 33 for removing the skins of the produce and a second part 34 for polishing the produce. The first part may comprise an abrasive surface such as carborundum or a knife peeler such as a ridged metal surface, the ridges being in a spiral formation or a brush having relatively stiff bristles such as wire bristles. The second part may comprise a brush having polypropylene bristles. A produce processing machine may comprise a drum 13 having a plurality of rollers mounted on the drum. The produce may be urged through the drum by means of a screw.

Description

Title: Roller and Produce Processing Machine

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a roller and a produce processing machine having plurality of such rollers, particularly for handling root produce.

It is known to mechanically peel root produce, such as carrots or potatoes by passing the produce through a peeling machine that has a set of rollers which have a rough abrasive surface, such as carborundum. The abrasive surface in effect scrapes off the outer skins of the root produce.

While such a process is very efficient at removing the produce skins, the abrasive surface is extremely aggressive and can remove too much material from the root produce, increasing the amount of waste to dispose of, and scars the outer surface of the produce. The outer scarring is not only unsightly, but provides a surface on which bacteria can flourish, thus shortening the shelf life of the produce.

An aim.of the invention is to reduce or overcome one or more of the above problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention, we provide a roller for a produce processing machine, the roller comprising a first part for removing the skins of the produce and a second part for polishing the produce. Alternatively, the first part may Further alternatively, the first part may comprise brushes, which may comprise wire brushes.

The first part may have an abrasive surface.

The abrasive surface may comprise carborundum.

The second part may comprise brushes.

The brushes may comprise polypropylene bristles.

The first part may have a length of about half that of the second part.

The roller may comprise a body, wherein the first part and second part are removably mountable on the body.

The roller may comprise spindles at either end thereof for releasable engagement with a produce processing machine.

At least one of the spindles may comprise a key formation to engage a roller drive means of the produce processing machine.

According to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a produce processing machine comprising a produce handling part and drive means to operate the produce handling part, wherein the produce handling part comprises a plurality of rollers according to the first aspect of the invention.

The produce handling part may comprise a drum and a plurality of rollers may be mounted on the drum.

The produce processing machine further comprises drive means operable to rotate the drum.

The produce processing machine may comprise roller drive means operable to rotate the rollers relative to the drum.

The drum may comprise opposed end parts wherein the rollers extend between the end parts, the end parts comprising slots to receive spindles of the rollers.

The spindles may be received in bearing collars and the bearing collars may be releasable attached to the end parts.

The roller drive apparatus may comprise a drive wheel engaged with a key formation of at least one spindle and connected by a drive belt to a roller drive motor.

The produce processing machine may comprise a base part wherein the produce handling part is inclineable relative to the base part.

The produce handling part may comprise a body, screw rotatable to urge produce through the body and wherein a plurality of said rollers are disposed at a lower part of the body.

According to a third aspect of the invention, we provide a method of modifying a produce processing machine comprising a peeler or a polisher having a plurality of abrasive or polishing rollers, the method comprising steps of removing said plurality of rollers and providing a plurality of rollers.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein; Figure 1 is a side view, partly broken away, of a produce handling machine embodying the present invention, Figure 2a is a partially excluded view of a roller embodying the present invention, Figure 2b is an end view of the roller of Figure 2a, Figure 3 is an end view of the machine of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a view on a larger scale of part of the machine of Figure 1, Figure 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of a further machine embodying the present invention, and Figure 6 is an end view of the machine of Figure 5.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, a produce processing machine generally shown at 10 provided with a produce handling part shown at 11 supported on and inclineable relative to a base part 12. The produce handling part 11 comprises a drum generally shown at 13 provided with a plurality of rollers 14.

The produce handling part 11 further has an inlet 15 to supply produce to the produce handling part 11 and an outlet 16 where peeled produce leaves the produce handling part 11.

The drum 13 comprises a pair of end parts 17 which are interconnected by struts 18. The end parts 17 are provided with a plurality of opposed slots 19 to receive and support the rollers 14. Each roller 14 has a spindles 20 and each end which is received in a respective slot 19 and are held in a bearing housing 21. The bearing housings 21 are connected to the end part 17 by bolts 22. To permit drive to be supplied to the rollers 14, at least one end of each roller 14 is provided with a drive wheel 23 which engages a key formation 24 on the end of the spindle 20.

To cause the drum 13 to rotate, a drum device means comprising a drum motor 25 is provided. The drum motor 25 drives the drum 13 via a drum drive belt 26 which is engaged with a track 27 on the drum end part 17. To rotate the rollers 14 independently of the drum 13, roller drive means comprising roller motors 28 are provided located either side of the drum 13. A roller drive belt 29 extends from each roller motor 28 and around the drive wheels 23 mounted on the end part 17. Each of the drive wheels 23 has two tracks 30, 31 where each track 30, 31 receives one of the drive belts 29. This ensures that each drive wheel 23 is in driving contact with a belt 29 whatever the rotational position. of the drum 13. This provision of separate motors 25, 28 allows the rollers 14 to be rotated at a speed independent of the speed of rotation of the drum 13.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 2k, the roller 14 comprises a body 32 supporting a first part 33 and a second part 34. The first part is operable to remove the skins of the produce and the second part 34 is for polishing the produce. In the present example, the first part 33 comprises an abrasive surface, in particular carborundum, such that produce which comes into contact with the first part 33 is abraded to remove the skins. As shown in Figure 2b, the first part 33 comprises a pair of shells 35 which are releaseably mountable on a larger diameter part of the body 32. The shells 35 can hence be removed and replaced when the abrasive surface has been worn down or otherwise become ineffective.

The second part 34 comprises a brush having polypropylene bristles which are operable to polish the produce after the skin has been removed by the first part 33. The second part 34 comprises a plurality of brush sections 36 which are slid onto the body 32 in an axial direction and have formations 36, such that adjacent brush sections 36 interengage. An end stop 37 is provided on the body 32 to hold the brush sections 36 in place on the body 32. Again, the brush sections 36 may be removed and replaced when those mounted on the shaft 14 become effectively worn or when it is desired to put another grade of bristle on the second part 34. In the present example, the brushes comprise polypropylene bristles which have an appropriate grade to provide the desired stiffness, in the present example 0.42 mm, although the bristles may be of any other material as desired, such as nylon. The brush segments 36 have a diameter of about 200 mm and are about 100 mm long. In this example, the roller 14 is about 2 metres long, and the second part 34 is about twice the length of the first part 33.

The first part may alternatively comprise any appropriate surface as desired. For example as shown in Figure 7, the first part 33 of the roller 14 comprises a knife peeler. The knife peeler comprises a ridged metal surface, where the ridges 70 are arranged in a spiral formation, such that when produce comes into contact with the first part 33, the ridges 70 act to pare the outer surface of the produce.

Further alternatively, the first part 33 of the roller 14 could comprise a brush having relatively stiff bristles, for example wire brushes such that when produce comes into contact with the first part 33 the skins are scrubbed off by the bristles. Where the first part 33 of the roller comprises a brush, the brush may be provided in segments in similar manner to the brush sections 36 of the second part 34.

In operation, root produce is introduced into the machine through the inlet 15. The produce first engages the first part 33 of the rollers 14, where rotation of the drum 13 and rollers 14 agitates the produce sufficiently to ensure that the outer surface including the skin is removed by the abrasive surface the first parts 33. The diameter of the rollers 14 and their relative spacing is selected such that produce is received in the space defined by two adjacent rollers and is rotated by the rollers to remove the skin. The produce moves out of contact with the first part 33 and into contact with the second part 34, for example as a result of inclining the produce handling part 11 or otherwise. The brushes of the second part 34 act to polish the produce, that is they remove scarring and loose material from the surface of the produce. The produce is then discharged through the outlet 16. The effect of the tufted brushes of the second part 34 is thus to improve the appearance of the peeled produce and, by providing a smoother surface, provides fewer places for bacteria to colonise and so helps extend the shelf life of the produce. The two-part rollers 14 thus permit the produce to be peeled and polished in a single process step.

In the machine of Figures 1 to 4, the rollers 14 may be easily removed, either for replacement or to change parts of the first part 33 or second part 34, for example due to wear or to provide a different abrasiveness or bristle length where required, or for cleaning as appropriate. By providing a relatively short abrasive length and a relatively long polishing length, the amount of material removed from the produce is reduced, thus reducing the amount of waste vegetable matter which must be disposed of.

The rollers can be used with any appropriate machine as desired, and not merely that shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4. For example, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, a further produce processiiig machine is generally shown at 40. In this example, the produce handling part 41 comprises a plurality of rollers 14 arranged in part circular manner to define the bottom of a channel 44. An archimedes screw 42 is rotatable about an axis 43 to urge produce along the channel 44 in contact with the rollers 14. The rollers 14 may again be driven by a roller driving means to rotate produce as it comes into contact with the rollers 14. As in the machine of Figure 1, the produce is supplied to an inlet 45, where it engages the first part 33 of the rollers 14 to remove the skin and then it comes into contact with the second part 34 of the rollers 14 to polish the produce. The produce is then expelled via an outlet 46.

It will be apparent that the rollers 14 may be used in any other machine as desired. It is also advantageous that pre-existing peeling or polishing machines may be adapted by being fitted with rollers as shown in Figures 2 and 2b.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A roller for a produce processing machine, the roller comprising a first part for removing the skins of the produce and a second part for polishing the produce.

2. A roller according to claim 1 wherein the first part has an abrasive surface.

3. A roller according to claim 2 wherein the abrasive surface comprises carborundum.

4. A roller according to claim 1 wherein the first part comprises a knife peeler.

5. A roller according to claim 1 wherein the first part comprises brushes.

6. A roller according to claim 5 wherein the brushes comprise wire bristles.

7. A roller according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second part comprises brushes.

8. A roller according to claim 7 wherein the brushes comprise polypropylene bristles.

9. A roller according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first part has a length of about half that of the second part.

10. A roller according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a body, wherein the first part and second part are removably mountable on the body.

11. A roller according to any one of the preceding claims comprising spindles at either end thereof for releasable engagement with a produce processing machine.

12. A roller according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the spindles comprises a key formation to engage a roller drive means of the produce processing machine.

13. A roller substantially described herein and/or shown in as shown in the accompanying drawings.

14. A produce processing machine comprising a produce handling part and drive means to operate the produce handling part, wherein the produce handling part comprises a plurality of rollers according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A produce processing machine according to claim 14 wherein the produce handling part comprises a drum and a plurality of rollers are mounted on the drum.

16. A produce processing machine according to claim 15 further comprises drive means operable to rotate the drum.

17. A produce processing machine according to any one of claims 14 to 16 comprising roller drive means operable to rotate the rollers relative to the drum.

18. A produce processing machine according to any one of claims 15 to 17 wherein the drum comprises opposed end parts wherein the rollers extend between the end parts, the end parts comprising slots to receive spindles of the rollers.

19. A produce processing machine according to claim 18 wherein the spindles are received in bearing collars and the bearing collars are releasably attached to the end parts.

20. A produce processing machine according to claim 18 or claim 19 where dependent on claim 14, wherein the roller drive apparatus comprising a drive wheel engaged with a key formation of at least one spindle and connected by a drive belt to a roller drive motor.

21. A produce processing machine according to claim 20 comprising a base part wherein the produce handling part is inclineable relative to the base part.

22. A produce processing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the produce handling part comprising a body having a screw rotatable to urge produce through the body and wherein a plurality of said rollers are disposed at a lower part of the body.

23. A produce processing machine substantially as described herein and/or in accompanying drawings.

24. A method of modifying a produce processing machine comprising a peeler or a polisher having a plurality of abrasive or polishing rollers, comprising the steps of removing said plurality of rollers and providing a plurality of rollers according to any one of claims ito 13.

25. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.