NZ331137A - Peeling apparatus for chestnuts comprising a peeling means which is movable relative to a conveying means - Google Patents

Abstract

The specification describes a nut dehulling and shucking machine. The machine has : (i) input and output ports for putting in the raw nuts and processed nuts, (ii) a peeling means for dehulling and/or shucking, and (iii) a conveyor having 9 vanes. The vanes are moveable relative to the peeler and control the rate of passage of the nuts between the input and output ports. This allows for a continuous process.

Description

0 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No: 331137 Date: 28 July 1998 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PEELING APPARATUS We, The Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand Ltd, a New Zealand company and Crown Research Institute (under the Crown Research Institutes Act 1992), having a place of business at Corporate Office, Tennent Drive, Private Bag 11030, Palmerston North, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by wmcff4?^lHjUi to be particularly described in and by the following statemej Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a peeling apparatus. In particular, although not exclusively, the invention relates to an apparatus for peeling husks/shells from chestnuts which enables the chestnuts to be continuously fed into the apparatus. However, the invention is not limited in its application to chestnuts and may have application to other food products for which it is desirable to remove the outer layer as part of the process for preparing the food for human consumption. For example, the invention may have application in the husking of grains and legumes or for the peeling of vegetables.

Background to the Invention The manual preparation of food products having an outer skin or fibrous husk has long been a time consuming process. There have been various attempts at devising labour-saving apparatus which at least to some extent, automate the process of peeling the skins or removing the husks. For example, US Patent No. 3,677,314 discloses a vegetable peeler having a peeling bowl and a flat turntable. Both the inside of the peeling bowl and the turntable have an abrasive inner surface to effect peeling of the vegetables. The peeling bowl and the turntable are driven in opposite directions to one another. The relative movement between the peeling bowl and the turntable thus creates agitation and assists in the peeling action. However, it can be seen that the vegetable peeler can only be used in a batchwise fashion, it being necessary to first load the vegetable peeler prior to operation, then discontinue the operation of the vegetable peeler while the peeler is being unloaded. The peeler will therefore be inefficient in its operation. Moreover, the design of the peeler does not lend itself to easy removal of the peeled vegetables.

US Patent No. 4,998, 467 discloses a potato peeler having a container for receiving the potatoes to be peeled. The abrasive element is in the form of a stationary plate fixed to the side wall of the container. The peeler also includes an upstanding flange provided on a turntable so that the potatoes will be moved passed the stationary abrasive plate. This apparatus suffers from a similar disadvantage to the vegetable peeler described above in that it only lends itself to batchwise operation, it being necessary to turn off the peeler while the peeled potatoes are removed. A further disadvantage of this combination is that when a substantial quantity of vegetables are placed in the peeler, there may not be enough disturbance or agitation to avoid the problem that potatoes sitting on the outside of the container will grind themselves excessively on the stationary abrasive plate. r r- ,, v.~n US Patent No. 4,196,224 discloses an apparatus for husking of cereal and legume kernels which has two opposed relatively rotating plate bodies which, due to their different rates of revolution removes the outer layer of the grain or kernels by a rolling-off action. The apparatus is therefore limited in its application to food products such as kernels, all having substantially the same diameter. A further disadvantage with this apparatus is that it relies on air pressure and gravity to control the time which the kernels spend between the relatively rotating plates. Therefore, this apparatus does not provide any positive means for controlling the time spent between the rotating plates and there is the possibility that excessive removal of the outer layer of the food product could occur.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for peeling a food product which overcomes or at least ameliorates some of the above mentioned disadvantages or provides the public with a useful choice.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for removing the outer layer from a food product, the apparatus including: a receptacle for receiving the food product having an input means for introducing the food product into the receptacle and an output means to enable the food product to exit the receptacle; a peeling means to remove the outer layer from the food product received in the receptacle; and a conveying means in the form of one or more vanes which are moveable relative to the peeling means to convey the food product from the location where the food product is introduced into the receptacle by the input means, to the output means, the arrangement of the one or more vanes being effective to control the rate of passage of the food product between the input means and the output means.

The peeling means may be in the form of an abrasive surface or a fine cutting element which effects a grating or chipping action to remove the outer layer from the food product. The peeling means may be provided in the construction of the receptacle itself. For example, peeling means may be provided in the side wall of the receptacle, merely a portion of the side wall of the receptacle or an insert in the side wall of the receptacle. Alternatively, the peeling means may be provided on the bottom wall of the receptacle.

In a most preferred form of the invention, the peeling means compri&es a rotatable peeling 331137 /l disc. In this form of the invention the conveying means (ie the vane(s) may be arranged above the rotatable peeling disc to move the product across the plane of the disc from the location where the food product is introduced into the container, to the output means. Advantageously, the rotatable peeling disc is in the form of a fine cutting element.

It will be understood that the conveying means which moves the food product from the input means to the output means can control the amount of time the food product is in the receptacle and hence the exposure of the food product to the peeling means. As a consequence, the conveying means can control the amount of material removed from the exterior of the food product to ensure that an excessive amount of material is not removed so that wastage does not occur. Preferably, the one or more vanes which constitute the conveying means are rotatable about a vertical axis. In this form of the invention, the input means and the output means may be radially spaced so that the time taken to move the product from the input means to the output means is sufficient for the peeling action to be effective.

Preferably, the peeling means is moveable at a higher rate than the conveying means. One way in which this can be implemented is in an embodiment whereby the peeling means is in the form of a rotatable peeling disc and the conveying means is in the form of one or more rotatable vanes arranged above the rotatable peeling disc. Preferably, the rotatable peeling disc rotates faster than the rotatable vane(s) to the extent that less than one full revolution of the vane(s) enables the food product to be within the receptacle for a time which is sufficient to enable effective removal of the outer layer of the food product. It will be understood that this will enable the input means to be appropriately spaced from the output means less than one complete revolution for effective continuous operation of the apparatus. Suitably, the rotatable peeling disc rotates about the same axis as the rotatable vane(s).

Furthermore, a drive means may be provided for the peeling means and a drive means may be provided for the conveying means. These drive means may be one and the same with appropriate gearing to ensure that the peeling means and the conveying means rotate at different rates. However, in a preferred form of the invention the peeling means and the conveying means each have a separate drive means.

The receptacle for receiving the food product may be of any shape. Preferably, the internal dimensions of the receptacle are commensurate with the path travelled by the moveable vane(s)), to avoid product from falling outside the path of the vane(s). For example, where one or more rotatable vanes are provided, preferably the internal shape of the receptacle is circular, substantially corresponding to the outer periphery of the path of the rotatable vane(s) and the size of the rotatable peeling disc.

Advantageously, the receptacle also provides mounting for the drive means. The input means and the output means may be integrally formed in the receptacle.

One form of the input means allows a feed of the food product by gravity. For example, the input means may comprise a chute.

The output means may extend from a gap provided in the side wall of the receptacle so that in the form of the invention having rotatable vanes, the food product is expelled from the receptacle under centripetal force. In this form of the invention, the receptacle may be inclined with the location of the output means being provided at the lowermost point to facilitate evacuation of the food product from the receptacle. In one preferred form of the invention, the entire apparatus is oriented so that the axis of rotation of the rotatable vanes and the peeling disc lies at an acute angle to true vertical.

The output means may also be provided with separation means to separate the outer layer and other unwanted material from the food product. This may be in the form of air ducting to draw the unwanted material away from the food product.

The output means may also be provided with a damping means to decelerate and/or change the direction of the food product being output from the receptacle. For example, the output means may include a flap. Preferably, the flap absorbs impact from the outputted food product to maintain control of the food product flow.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one embodiment will now be described in connection with the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a peeling apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the peeling apparatus through A-A as indicated in figure 1; and Figure 3 is a side view of the peeling apparatus shown in figure 1 as oriented in the normal working position.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention The peeling apparatus 10 shown in figure 1 comprises a receptacle 12 of cylindrical internal dimensions which houses a rotatable abrasive peeling disc 14 and a rotating vane assembly 16. The rotating vane assembly 16 can be seen more clearly in figure 2 and as shown comprises nine vanes rotatable about a central vertical axis 20. The rotatable peeling disc 14 also rotates about the same axis 20. The direction of rotation is indicated by the arrows shown in figure 2.

Figure 2 also indicates the location of the input port 24 and the output port 26. The input port 24 is defined by an opening in the upper part of the receptacle 12. The output port 26 is located at the external periphery of the receptacle 12. The output port 26 is box-shaped in form and communicates with an opening provided in the receptacle 12. The box-shaped output port 26 also has an open lower end 28 through which the contents of the receptacle 12 are outputted.

In operation, the food products such as chestnuts are fed continuously into the receptacle 12 through the input port 24. The chestnuts are then conveyed by the rotating vanes 16 in an anticlockwise direction around the central axis 20 of the receptacle. In the meantime, the abrasive peeling disc 14 is rotating at a far greater speed than the rotating vane assembly 16 so that the abrasive disc 14 will remove the outer shell of the chestnuts while they are being conveyed in a circular path around the receptacle. The rotating vane assembly will capture and retain the chestnuts between consecutive vanes to ensure that the chestnuts come fully into contact with the abrasive peeling disc 14 to effect adequate removal of the shell. The circular movement of the chestnuts will also result in the chestnuts gravitating towards the outer cy lindrical wall of the receptacle 12 so that once the chestnuts reach the location of the output port 26 the chestnuts are urged easily out of the receptacle 12. It will be understood that the apparatus 10 can operate continuously with chestnuts being continuously fed into the input port 24 for processing within the receptacle and subsequently urged out of the receptacle 12 through output port 26. ~ 7 - The output port 26 also includes an air suction duct 30 which draws away shell waste from the chestnut kernels. The air suction duct 30 is connected via flexible plastic tubing to a fan. The output port 26 also includes resilient flap 32 to absorb the impact of the chestnut kernels as they are outputted from the receptacle 12 and to assist with the direction change the chestnut kernels must undergo as they pass out through the opening 28 of the output port 26.

It will be understood that the vane assembly 16 controls the amount of time that the chestnuts spend within the receptacle between the input port 24 and the output port 26. The speed at which the vane assembly 16 rotates should be such that the chestnuts spend sufficient time within the receptacle to ensure that the shells are removed to an adequate degree and this is in turn dependent upon the speed of the rotatable peeling disc 14. Therefore, the speed of rotation of the vane assembly 16 relative to the rotatable peeling disc 14 should be selected so as to allow adequate removal of the chestnut shells between the input and output ports 24, 26. A geared motor 38 is provided above the receptacle 12 to drive the rotatable vane assembly 16 at approximately 22 rpm. A drive motor 40 is provided below the receptacle 12 to drive the abrasive peeling disc 14 at approximately 1440 rpm.

Part of the function of receptacle 12, is to provide a protective cover over the rotatable vane assembly 16, and the abrasive peeling disc 14.

Receptacle 12 also supports a U-shaped upright support 42, providing a mounting for geared motor 38.

The peeling apparatus 10 also includes a pair of base frame members 46 supporting a U-shaped upright support 48. The upright support 48 provides a mounting for the abrasive peeling disc 14 and the drive motor 40.

Base frame 46, and upright support 48 also supports mounting plate 44, through which drive motor 20 extends. Receptacle 12 and attachments rest and locate on mounting plate 44, Receptacle 12 is also firmly clamped to mounting plate 44, but can be released, so as to separate receptacle 12, rotating vane assembly 16, geared motor 38 and other attachments, from mounting plate 44, upright support 48, drive motor 20 and abrasive peeling disc 14.

This separation allows for inspection maintenance and cleaning of rotating vane assembly 16 and abrasive peeling disc 14.

Figure 3 illustrates the orientation of the peeling apparatus 10 in use. From figure 3 it can be seen that the base frame members 46 extend in a substantially horizontal manner such that the central axis 20 is oriented at approximately 150 to the vertical. Consequently, the general plane of the abrasive peeling disc 14 extends at approximately 15° to horizontal. The sloped orientation of the apparatus 10 assists with the removal of the chestnuts from the receptacle 12 through the output port 26.

The foregoing illustrates only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications may be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (14)

What We Claim is: -9- 1 137

1. An apparatus for removing the outer layer from a food product, the apparatus including: a receptacle for receiving the food product having an input means for introducing the food product into the receptacle and an output means to enable the food product to exit the receptacle; a peeling means to remove the outer layer from the food product received in the receptacle; and a conveying means in the form of one or more vanes which are moveable relative to the peeling means to convey the food product from the location where the food product is introduced into the receptacle by the input means, to the output means, the arrangement of the one or more vanes being effective to control the rate of passage of the food product between the input means and the output means.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the peeling means is in the form of a rotatable disc and the conveying means is disposed above the disc.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 which is normally operable to drive the peeling means at a faster speed than the conveying means.

4. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein there are two or more movable vanes, the vanes being effective, in combination with the receptacle to capture food product therebetween during the passage from the input means and the output means.

5. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the one or more vanes are rotatably mounted.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the receptacle is cylindrical and the one or more vanes are rotatably mounted about an axis in substantial alignment with the central axis of the cylindrical receptacle, the receptacle being commensurate in its internal size with the path travelled by the outer periphery of the or each vane.

7. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the input means comprises a chute.

8. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the output means comprises a gap provided in the side wall of the receptacle.

9. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface internally of the receptacle on which the food product lies, is incline^ $gw|iwanjly towards the output means. - 10-

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 further including a base for supporting the apparatus during normal operation and wherein the receptacle is arranged during normal operation with its central axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical.

11. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the output means includes separation means to separate the outer layer and other unwanted material from the food product.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the separation means includes an air duct to carry away the unwanted material.

13. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including damping means to decelerate and/or change the direction of the food product exiting from the receptacle.

14. An apparatus for removing the outer layer from a food product substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures. By the authorised agents A J PARK & SON