US1444570A - Almond-separating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6

A. R. STEPHEN. AL'MOND SEPARATING APPARATUS.

FILED DEC. 13, I921.

INVENTOR. Archibald R awphem/ BY Q S E i ATTORNEY tl ll hi a l S AECHIBALD E. STEPLEN, 0'5 LODI, CALIFQRNIA.

ALE'IOND-SEPAR-ATING APPARATUS.

Application filed December 13, 1921. Serial No. 522,124.

almond separating devices, and is particularly intended as an improvement over that type of apparatus shown in my. copending application, Serial. No. 406,904, filed August hp operating means.

30th, 1920; the subject matter of the present invention having to do especially with the method of and means for separating the hulled almonds from the hulls, leaves, fiutt etc. mixed therewith as they fall from the huller, and prior to the depositing of the nuts themselves on the separating screens.

In carrying out the separation or the almonds from the foreign matter, I employ an air blast, and one of the main objects o1 the invention is to provide means whereby the direction and force of the blast may be varied at will, and while the machine is in operation. v

Another object is to provide a vibratory plate or apron, interposed between the discharge of the hull-er and the separating screens, upon which the nuts tall, and where they are subjected to the cleaning effects of: the air blast. l also provide for changing the angle o: slope of the apron, which may be done will wlile the machine is operating.

A third object is to provide double dis charge for the foreign matter thrown Off or segregated from the nuts by the air blastone discharge taking the light fluff, leaves etc. and leading to the open air, and the other discharge including a settling chamber to receive the heavier material, which is then free from dust, fiufi, etc., and may be car ried away on a conveyor within the shed in which the apparatus is located, without inconvenience to the workers.

A further object of the invention is to proluce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly cii'ective tor the purposes for which it isdesigned.

'lhese objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

in the d "awings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my im proved separating apparatus, showing the corresponding locations ol' the huller and separator.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary swtional plan, showing the movable blast-lip and vibratoryi plate.

Fig. 3 is a detached View of the blast- Fig. l is an end view of a lever and clip member.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes the huller, preferably of that type shown in my United States Patent No. 1,359,766, dated November 28rd, 1920.

Positioned under the discharge chute 1" of the huller to receive at one end the almonds dropping therefrom is the almond separator 2, preierably of the type shown in the aforementioned copending application,

I and which includes horizontal shaker screening means 3 mounted on elastic standards t and arranged to have longitudinal and vertical vibratory or agitating movement impartial thereto.

Positioned between the huller and the separator is a blower 5 having a nozzle h tending the full width of the huller and separat screens, facing toward the adl of the screens, lying in a subhorizontal plane, and interposed lfietween the huller discharge and the uppermost or the screens 3.

The lower side of the nozzle 6 is formed for certain distance as a hinged and vertically movable lip 7. whose vertical position is determined and controlled by a hand actuated toggle-joint mechanism 8, posi tioned on the outside of the huller member 9 of the lever mechanism being adapted to be wedged into frictional engagement with a forked clip 10 when any desired setting or the lip has been attained.

the nozzle 6, and at an upward slope with respect thereto is an apron 11, arranged so that the direct blast from the nozzle will strike the apron at an angle thereto. This apron is hinged transversely and intermediate its ends to a frame member 3 of the ment of the screens, the aprons will be moved vibratory screen structure of the separator, so that with the agitating or shaker movelikewise.

The angle or slope of this apron may be I altered at will by suitable means, as for through the common exit 1 instance by a rod 12 flexibly connected to the lower end of the apron, which projects through a bracket 13 fixed on the frame 3.

A spring 14: surrounds the rod and extends between the bracket and apron, while the end of the rod beyond the bracket is threaded and has a hand or finger nut 15 thereon, bearing against said bracket.

Thespring constantly tends to expand, so thatby loosening the nut, the apron is automatically moved to lie at a lesser slope, while on tightening the nut, the slope is increased.

The upper end of the apron projects into an enclosure 16, at the opposite upper end of which is a discharge flue 17, leading to the atmosphere.

Below the apron the" enclosure forms a settling chamber 18, provided adjacent its lower end with a slidable gate member 19.

The operation is as follows:

The nuts, after passing throughthe huller, pass therefrom; nuts, hulls, leaves, fluff and various other foreign matter discharging The blower is of course operating, and the blast therefrom at once acts on the light twigs, leaves, fluff, etc., and throws the same past the deflecting apron into the discharge flue 17 which as stated, leads to the atmosphere. A certain percentage of foreign matter however is inclined to adhere to the hulled nuts. These fall onto the apron, being too heavy to be swept away by the blast.

Owing to the continuous vibratory movement of this apron, the nuts are bounced up. and down for a considerable distance and time before dropping onto the screens,

tending to dislodge any foreign matter clinging thereto, and. giving the blast a chance to act on the nuts for a considerable period. of time, and so cleaning every particle of. foreign matter therefrom.

A. very high. efliciency in cleaning operations is' therefore attained. v

By reason of the angleof the apron with respect to the direction of the blast being alter-able at will, the apparatus may be regulated as may be required to suit different conditions with regard to the lightness or heaviness of the materials being separated.

All the foreign matter with the nuts, after being separated therefrom, passes beyond the apron. The lightest of this passes through the outlet 17, while the hulls etc., being heavier and the force of the blast beyond the apron being diminished, drop into the settling chamber 18, where the force or effect of the blast is almost nil, and from which they may be withdrawn at the bot tom through the gate 19 and carried away by any suitable means, without any inconvenience or discomfort being had by the attendants or operators due to any fluff, etc., rising therefrom.

The adjustability of the nozzle hp 7 further aids in the eflicient operation of the apparatus, since not only may the intensity of the blast be altered, but the angle at which the blast is directed, relative to the apron, is also alterable, and by suitably adjusting both the lip and apron to meet various conditions of operation, a great efficiency in separation is attained.

From the foregoing description it will be readilyseen that I; have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

WVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form. a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An almond separating apparatus including a chute to receive the nuts to be separated and a separator screen structure positioned to receive the discharge fromthe chute, a blast nozzle positioned intermediate the chute and the screens an apron disposed at an angle to the direction of the blast under the chute and interposed between the blast nozzle and the separator screen and means for imparting a vertical and horizontal vibratory movement to said apron.

2. A.1l almond separating apparatus including a chute to receive the nuts to be separated and a separator s'creen'structure positionedintermediate the chute andthe screens and an apron disposed at an angle to the direction of the'blast'under the chute and interposedbetween the blast nozzle and the separator screen, and fixed to the latter, said screen structure being arranged for vertical and horizontal vibratory niove ment.

3, An almond separating apparatus including a chute to receive the nuts to be separated and a separator screen structure positioned to receive the discharge from the chute, a blast nozzle positioned intermediate the chute and the screens, an apron disposed at an angle to the direction of the blast under the chute and interposed between the blast nozzle and the separator screen, and an enclosure provided with an outlet flue beyond the apron into which the latter projects.

4. An almond separating apparatus including a chute to receive the nuts to be separated and a separator screen structure positioned to receive the discharge from the chute, a blast nozzle positioned intermediate the chute and the screens, an apron disposed at an angle to the direction of the blast under the chute and interposed between the blast nozzle and the separator screen, an enclosure into which the upper end of the apron projects, an outlet flue from the enclosure opposite said apron, and a settling chamber formed with the enclosure and extending below the apron.

5. An almond separating apparatus in cluding a chute to receive the nuts to be separated and a separator screen structure positioned to receive the discharge from the chute, a blast nozzle positioned intermediate the chute and the screens, an apron disposed at an angle to the direction of the blast under the chute and interposed between the blast nozzle and the separator screen, an enclosure into which the upper end of the apron projects, anoutlet fine from the enclosure opposite said apron, a settling chamber formed with the enclosure and extending below the apron, and a movable gate member at the lower end of the chamber.

In testimony whereof I 'afiix my signaturev ARCHIBALD R. STEPHEN.

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