RU2083144C1 - Delicate fruit washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: food-processing industry. SUBSTANCE: washing machine has bath 1 filled with water, fruit inlet, washing, discharge and waste water discharge zones, conveyance-washing perforated device 2 with movable sealing screen 3. Plane-parallel movement of device 2 along endless path is effectuated by drive having crank mechanism 4 connected with electric engine 8 by chain transmission 5 through reducer 6 and coupling 7. Fruits are charged into bath 1 by hopper 9 and discharged by conveyor 10. Sprayers 11 and 12 are adapted for rinsing fruits. Waste water is discharged through drain branch pipe 13 in bath bottom. EFFECT: improved quality of washing, reduced loss of fruit by elimination of damage to fruits. 2 cl, 2 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to the food industry, and in particular to equipment for washing fruits and vegetables, mainly juice-saturated fruits with a mechanically fragile structure, for example, strawberries, currants, grapes, etc.

 A known machine for washing fruits containing a container filled with water, in which a horizontal perforated partition is installed, dividing the container into upper and lower parts. A pump is installed in the lower part of the tank to create water circulation (1).

 However, this machine does not ensure the preservation of the fruit during washing due to intense interaction with each other.

 The closest technical solution to the proposed invention is a vibratory washing machine containing a bath with loading, washing, unloading and discharge of waste water, and a vibrating transport-washing perforated device installed therein, configured to perform plane-parallel movement along a closed path, and shower devices for direct washing of fruits (2).

 However, with continuous loading of the machine, the fruits hit the hard surface of the working body of the vibratory transport-washing device, which leads to significant damage to the fruits and does not allow washing delicate fruits, such as strawberries.

 The basis of the invention is the task of creating a machine that provides high quality washing and preserving the integrity of the fruit by eliminating the collision of the fruit with the surface of the washing device when loading the machine.

 The problem is solved in such a way that the machine for washing delicate fruits, having a bath with zones of loading, washing, unloading and discharge of waste water, is equipped with a transport-washing perforated device made with the possibility of plane-parallel movement along a closed path. In this case, the transport and washing device is made with a variable cross-sectional profile, and its part buried in the loading zone is constantly below the water level.

 This design allows for continuous loading of the machine to exclude shock contact of the fruit with the working surface of the transport-washing device, because the fruits always fall into the water layer. At the same time, when moving, a part of the working surface located in the washing zone periodically rises above the water level.

 Also, to avoid damage to the fruit, it is advisable that the end of the transport and washing device be made in the form of a movable sealing curtain separating the loading zone from the waste water discharge zone, closing the gap between the bath and the device, and at the same time creating a hydrodynamic effect on the fruits.

 In FIG. 1 schematically shows a machine for washing delicate fruits, general view; in FIG. 2, section AA in FIG. one.

 The patented machine comprises a bathtub 1 filled with water, with loading, washing, unloading fruit and waste water zones, a transport-washing perforated device 2 with a movable sealing shutter 3 installed therein. For carrying out plane-parallel movement of the transport-washing device 2 in a closed the path, for example, around the circumference, is a drive consisting of a crank mechanism 4, which is connected through a chain gear 5, a gearbox 6 and a coupling 7 with an electric motor 8. For feeding fruits into the bath 1 is intended started hopper 9. In the unloading area of the fruit is located an inclined conveyor 10. Shower devices 11 and 12 for rinsing the fruit are installed respectively in the washing zone and unloading area above the inclined conveyor 10. In the bottom of the bath 1 there is a drain pipe 13 for removing waste water.

 In the example according to the invention, the machine for washing delicate fruits works as follows.

 Fruits through the hopper 9 of the bath 1 enter the water layer above the part of the perforated transport and washing device 2 located in the loading zone. At the same time, the working surface of the transport and washing device 2, which has a recess in this zone, is constantly below the water level, which ensures shock-free loading of fruits. The rotation from the electric motor 8 is transmitted by the coupling 7 and the gearbox 6 to the chain gear 5 and the crank mechanism 4. As a result, the transport and washing device 2 performs a circular plane-parallel motion, which allows you to move the fruits into the unloading zone, placing them on the working surface in one layer . The shutter 3 of the transport-washing device 2 during movement creates a hydrodynamic effect in the form of a horizontal wave directed to the unloading zone, improving the conditions for transportation and washing of fruits. At the same time, the shutter 3 closes the gap between the wall of the bath 1 and the end of the transport and washing device 2, which eliminates the ingress of fruit into the waste water discharge zone or injuring them. Due to the fact that the working surface of the transport-washing device 2 in the washing zone periodically drops and rises from the water, the fruits are subjected to soaking and separation of contaminants, and when moving above the surface of the water, they are additionally rinsed from the shower device 11. Pollution through the perforation of the transport-washing device 2 flow into the waste water zone and are removed through the nozzle 13. Next, the fruits enter the discharge zone on an inclined conveyor 10, where they are rinsed with clean water from the shower unit 12. For thereby washed fruits are unloaded from the machine.

 The machine for washing delicate fruits, according to the invention, is designed in such a way that improves the quality of washing fruits and reduce product losses by eliminating injury.

Claims (2)

 1. Machine for washing delicate fruits, containing a bath with zones of loading, washing, unloading and discharge of waste water, and a perforated transport-washing device installed therein, made with the possibility of plane-parallel movement along a closed path, characterized in that the transport-washing device made with a cross-sectional profile, and with a recessed part in the loading zone, constantly located below the water level.  2. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the end face of the transport-washing device is equipped with a movable sealing shutter for separating the loading zone from the discharge zone of waste water and hydrodynamic effects on the fruits.

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