GB807625A - Means for separating hop leaves from hop flowers and/or stems - Google Patents

Abstract

807,625. Separating apparatus. BROOKES, A E. May 30; 1957 [June 28, 1956], No. 20016/56. Class 117 Apparatus for separating hop leaves from a mixture of detached hop flowers, petals, stems and leaves comprises an elevator 1 feeding the mixture to a conveyer 2 from which it falls past the open side of a suction chamber 3 containing or connected to an adjustably driven fan 4. Supported on rollers 5 and surrounding the chamber is a perforated conveyer 6 having a run 6a extending across the said open side of the chamber so that hop leaves and petals are drawn on to it whilst the flowers and stems are directed by plates 7 and 8 into an adjustable shoot 9. The petals are drawn through the run 6a and pass into a duct 10 leading to an expansion chamber 11 from which the air escanes and the petals settle on a discharge conveyer 12. The conveyer run 6a moves upwardly and carries the leaves upwardly and horizontally and discharges them on to a waste conveyer 13. The latter has a rough surface and the flowers and stems are discharged from shoot 9 on to the inclined conveyer section 13a whereby the flowers roll downwardly on to the conveyer 12 and the stems are carried upwardly to join the leaves dischargel from the conveyer. 6. a baffle 14 cause the main portion of the air drawn into the chamber 3 to pass between the plates 7 and 8 to provide an upward air current which retards the falling rate of the flowers and stems.