GB612358A - Improved means for recovering or separating valuable nutrients in flour milling - Google Patents

Abstract

612,358. Separating and sorting solid materials. JONES, C. R., THOMLINSON, J., KENT, N. L.. and RESEARCH ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH FLOUR-MILLERS. May 20, 1946, No. 15254. [Class 117] Separation of the constituents of a mixture of pulverulent or finely divided materials such as particles of germ (" choice ") and bran (" reject") in flour milling is carried out stage by stage on multiple apparatus having a plurality of components in each of which the material for separation is brought into contact with a lightly moistened surface and the adherent particles are selectively removed therefrom, the constituents of the starting material being selectively separated by one component of the multiple apparatus and mixed respectively with constituents as nearly as possible of similar character selectively separated by at least two other components and the resulting mixtures being transfered to at least two further components. In the embodiment described a series of endless bands a<1>-a<9> are driven side by side and moistened for example by means of a spray (not shown) located near the lower end of the downwardly travelling portions of the bands. These bands have respective feed hoppers c<1>-c<9>, rotating soft brushes e<1>-e<3> located near the upper ends of the downwardly-travelling portions of the bands and rotating shift brushes g<1>-g<9> at a lower location than the soft brushes. The brushes contact the bands and are contained in housings to collect the materials removed by the respective brushes to deliver said materials to conduits m<1>-m<9> and n<1>-n<9>. The starting material is fed to hopper c from which falls by way of hopper c' on to the lower end of the rising portion of band a<1>, the reiect being removed from band a<1> by brush e<1> and led to hopper e<3> where it is mixed with the choice from band a<5> to fall on the lower end of rising portion of band a<3>, while the choice removed from band a<1> by stiff brush g<1> is fed to hopper c<2> where it is mixed with the reject from band a<4> to fall on the lower end of rising portion of band a<2>. In like manner the rejects and choice portions from one band are transferred to the two adjacent bands at opposite sides of this band, the reject moving stage by stage to the right until the finished reject is delivered at m<9> and the choice moving stage by stage to the left until the finished choice is delivered at n<8>. A heater such as an electric radiator, steam heater, or chamber through which hot air is circulated may be provided between brushes e<1>-e<9> and g<1>-g<9> by which particles adhering to the bands may be dried. Instead of the endless bands each component of the multiple apparatus may comprise a horizontal revolving hollow cylinder or a vertical rotating disc.