US2149156A - Grain puffing machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, 1939. I A 2,149,156

GRAIN PUFFING MACHINE Filed 001:. 2'7, 1936 3 Sheets- Sha er. 1

INVENTOR Feb. 28, 1939. I B E I 2,149,156

I GRAIN PUFFING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1936 s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTCIDR EL.B0LZZee BY @W g,.mm

ATTORNEY Feb; 28, 1939. E. 1.. BATTEE 2,149,156

GRAIN PUFFING MACHINE Filed 0C1.- 27, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR BY Q I a ATTORNEY ELBazzee I Patented Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRAIN PUFFING MACHINE Elvin L. Battee, Oakland, Calif. Application October 2'1, 1936, Serial No. 107,818

8 Claims.

This invention relates to grain pufling machines or ovens, my main objects being to provide a machine which will pufi grains quicker and more evenly than is possible with the ordinary ma- 5 chines so that it is capable of a greater output in a given period of time; one in which the oven door is quickly and easily opened and closed and which is provided with a shock absorbing device to prevent possible damage to the door and mal. chine when suddenly released; one in .which the oven will entirely and quickly discharge the puffed grains; and one which is compact and sturdy, and has no parts liable to give trouble or get out of order. I

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed. v

These objects I accomplish by means of such 20 structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims. I

i In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views: Figure l is a side elevation of the machine, showing the oven. in an upright or loading position but with the door closed and locked.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the oven inverted or in discharge position and with the door 3 1). open.

Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the shock absorbing device for the door. 35- Figure 5 is an inner face view of one of the burner and bearing units detached.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the machine comprises an oven i of substantially cylindrical interior fornr and relatively narrow from side to side, the sides rounding into the circumferential surface of the oven so as to avoid the formation of any sharp corners. The oven has a circular mouth 2 disposed radially thereof; the diameter of the 4; mouth-being substantially the same as the width of the oven so as to merge into the adjacent walls thereof as shown in Fig. 3; the circular interior wall of the oven on opposite sides terminating in substantially tangential surfaces converging to 50 the corresponding sides of the mouth as indicated at l in Fig. 1. By reason of this form of oven, it

will be evident that an entirely unobstructed dischar e from the same will be had when themouth is inverted, insuring a rapid and complete disit. charge of. the. contents and preventing any grain Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of I being left in the oven to mingle with a subsequent charge.

Projecting from the opposite sides of theoven are trunnions l, concentric with the circular portion of the oven. The trunnions project through 5, bearing boxes -mounted on longitudinal supporting frames 6; the boxes having roller bearings I engaging the trunnions. Both trunnions are bored as at 8 to communicate with the interior of the oven; the bore of one trunnion leading to 10 a safety valve 9 and the bore of the other trunnion leading to a spring passage coil ill secured at one end on the outer end of the trunnion and at its other end being connected to a pressure gauge 1 I. This spring or flexible mounting'of the gauge is an important feature since it absorbs the shocks which would otherwise be imparted to the gauge with the sudden release of the pressure from the oven as the door (later described) is thrown open, and which would damage the sensitive gauge mechanism.

A belt pulley I2 is mounted on one trunnion, which is adapted tobe connected to any suitable source of power so that the oven may be rotated at a desired speed.

The oven mouth 2 is provided about the top with a depressed band l3 of lead or the like, which forms a sealing seat or gasket for the rim flange of a circular lid or door 14. This door is centrally and swivelly suspended from a screw stem, I5. This stem projects through and is axially adjustable in one arm l6 of a bell crank lever L. This arm: extends over the lid in a plane at right angles to the axis of the trunnions, and the stem engages the arm intermediate its ends. At one end, the

'arm is pivoted as at l1 between ears l8integral with the oven at the top and beyond mouth 2, and at its opposite endis formed with a catch tongue l9.

The tongue is adapted to be engaged on the 40 face thereof opposite the oven by a cooperating catch element 20 formed on the adjacent end of an arm 2|. This arm is pivoted as at 22 intermediate its ends but relatively close to the catch element between cars 23 integral with the oven on the opposite side of the mouth from cars i8. At its outer end, the arm is pivotally connected to one end of links 24, normally disposed substantially at right angles to the arm. At their oppo-' site end, the links are connected to the adjacent end of an operaing lever 25, which is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 26 between ears 21 integral with the oven adjacent the bottom.

The catch arm, links and lever are arranged so that when the catch arm is engaged with the tongue it, the end lever ore in longitudinal dead center alinement and the links are or course under compression. Upon moving the outer end of lever 25 in the direction oi the bottom of the oven, the dead center elinem'ent of the lever and links is of course broken. This movement of the lever, it carried out to the extent shown in Fig. 2, swings the catch orm 2i so that the catch element 2t) thereon is moved cleer oi the tongue it], allowing the latter to swing away from the oven and the lid to open. in sctuol operation, due to the pressure generated within the oven by the pufing and expansion oi the grains, it is only necessary i'or the operator to merely move the lever sufilcient to force-ls its deed center olinenient with the links. The oven pressure, acting on the arm it through the lid to swing said orni outwordly, is sumcient to then further turn the catch arm iii to c release position.

The door when thus suddenly released and opened then of course tends to rebound violently. l have therefore provided means to absorb this shock. Such means is in the form of e. hydraulic cylinder ill-pivoted adjacent the bottom as at it on the oven adjacent the bottom thereof in opposed relation to the operating lever.

A piston 3i) having a bleed passage 3!] there= through (see Fig. 4) is connected to a. piston rod 32 which projects from the opposite or top end of the cylinder through a. poclziiig'glond to a. connection with the outer end oi the other arm its on? the bell cronls lever L. Grooves Elli are provided along the interior wolh of the cylinder which decrease in depth from the upper or packing gland end down, to e. tection some distance from the bottom of the cylinder as shown in Fig, i. This unit is arranged so that when the oven lid is closed, the piston is adjacent the top of the cylinder, where the grooves are deepest; the cylinder heing filled with oil or similar liquid. When the lid opens and the bell crank lever turns, the piston rod is moved toward the bottom or" the cylinder without much resistance at first, since the oil can freely by-pass the piston through the grooves. By the time the lid reaches the fully open position where it is entirely clear of the path of matter discharging from the oven mouth, and as shown in Fig. 2, the piston is adjacent the bottom of the cylinder beyond the grooves 3 3. Return movement of the lid is thus retarded, since the oil can then only by-pass through the bleed passage 38, and as a result the lid tends to remain in its fully open position.

In order to enable the lid to be closed when desired without having to force the oil through the relatively small bleed passage and grooves, i provide a. relatively large volve controlled bypass conduit 35, connected tothe cylinder adjacent the top and bottom and located on the outside of the same.

in order to substantially balance the weight of the lid and associated parts, counterbalance weights to are provided about the bottom of the oven; these weights being transversely spaced as shown in Fig.3 in order to allow the operating lever 25 to project therebetween when the door is fully open.

To insure even heating of all the grains in the oven as the latter rotates, I mount gas burners on both sides of the some. Each burner includes a cylindrical hood 31 formed with the adjacent bearing box 5, the inner open edge of the hood flange cooperating with a circular flange 38 on the oven to form a. substantially gastlght outlet vent ill leads from thehcod adjacent the top. it may here he noted that i conteinplcte using the heat from the spent irons the vent as e. moons for preheating the to be prided, thereby cutting down the time grains must he left in the oven.

In operation, when it is deemed to fill the oven, it is disposed in an upright position, the

lid is opened and the groin to the requisite amount is poured in. The lid is then closed and locked, and the oven is rotated. Thisrotstion of course continuously tbles the shout, and as it tumbles, it is subjected to the hes-st opplied by the burners to the oven on both sides thereof and over substantially its entire ores.

Due to this heating oi practically the entire oven arcs. and to the relative nsrrowness oi the oven, all the grain is quickly end thoroughly hosted end puffed. As a. result, not only is the groin more rapidly pulled than is ordinarily we case,

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giving m machine a large potentinl output in a. given time, but oil the grs ore subjected to practically the some degree oi hoot, gl 9. product oi very uniform uality.

When the pumng operation is completed, the oven is halted in an inverted position. Tins places the operating lever in on upwerdly projecting position, where it is convenient for the operator to import the initial locls reiensing movement thereto in the direction oi the oven.

The door then suddenly files open due to pressure within the oven es previously described,

and is held in on open position by the shock ebsorber unit;

The grain then completely dischorges it the oven, due to the absence of any s oor-= ners or obstructing ledges therein as previously explained. The oven is then turned to on up right positionwith the door still open r ior reloading.

The pressure gauge Ii, by means of web the operator can determine the conditions within oven, being mounted axially of the oven and entirely clear of the some and its WM 8, is always exposed where it may be rec. observed.

Ztrom the foregoing description it will be reed= ily seen that l have produced such o device as substantially fulfills the objects or the inventi as set forth herein.

While 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 odeparture from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and useful and desire to secure by 99. FOODS AND BEVERAGES games-mounted in fixed relation with the bearings I element on the last named arm being then outconcentric with the trunnions and applied to said wardly of the other catch element, and manually opposed walls.

2. A grain pufllng machine comprising an enclosed oven forming a pressure-tight pufflng chamber, trunnions rigid with and projecting from opposed walls of the oven, bearings in which said trunnions are turnably supported, means applied to one trunnion to rotate the same, circular fixed hoods concentric with the trunnions disposed on opposite sides of the oven, circular flanges projecting from the opposed walls of the oven and cooperating with the adjacent edge of the hoods to form, with said oven walls and hoods, enclosed heating chambers, and heating means disposed in said chambers.

3. A structure as in claim 2, in which said heating means comprises gas burners provided with a plurality of jet openings disposed in facing relation to the enclosed oven walls and surrounding the trunnions.

4. A structure as in claim 2, in which the peripheral wall of the oven is mainly concentric with the oven and the flanges are disposed outwardly of said concentric wall portion whereby to include said peripheral wall as a part of the heating chamber.

5. Holding means for the pivoted lid of a grain puffing oven comprising an arm extending over the lid and from which the latter depends, means pivoting the arm at one end on the oven to one side of the mouth, a catch arm pivoted intermediate its ends on the oven on the opposite side of the mouth; the adjacent ends of the arms forming catch elements adapted to overlap in cooperating relationship when the lid is closed and the catch operable means to turn the catch arm sumciently.

to move the catch element thereon clear of thepath of rotation of the catch element on the first named arm and normally functioning to prevent pressure in the oven acting on the lid and first named arm and tending to swing the latter outwardly, from turning the catch arm to such clear position.

6. A structure as in claim 5, in which said manually operable means comprises a link pivoted at one end on the outer end of the catch arm, and a hand lever pivoted intermediate its ends on the opposite end of the link and pivoted intermediate its ends on the oven; said lever and link being longitudinally alined when the catch elements are engaged.

'7. A grain pumng machine comprising an enclosed pufiing oven having opposed end walls, means mounting the oven for rotation about its axis, and gas burners mounted in fixed position beyond said end walls and disposed concentric with the oven, said burners being provided with a plurality of jet openings disposed in facing relation to said walls.

8. In a grain pufling oven having a mouth, a hinged lid for the mouth and releasable catch means to hold the lid closed, shock absorbing means applied to the lid and including a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the oven and a piston therein connected to the lid, there being a fluid bleed passage bypassing the piston, a relatively large conduit tapping the cylinder adjacent its ends, and a manual control valve in said conduit.

ELVIN L. BA'I'IEE.

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