US2454015A

US2454015A - Onion grading rollers

Info

Publication number: US2454015A
Application number: US532329A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard D Sheppard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-04-22
Filing date: 1944-04-22
Publication date: 1948-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 1965-11-16

Description

Nov. 16, 1948.' R. D. sHEPPARD 2,454,015

ONION GRADING ROLLERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1944 wrak/vir Filed April 22, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN1/EN rox. almn She/4jaar!! fi/ffy MW,

R. D. sHEPPARD 2,454,015

ONION GRADING ROLLERS I Nov., l, l`

Filed April 22, 1944 -3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MIU! IN `VEN TOR.

V4/MM Patented Nov. 16, 1948 NiTD STATES PATENT OFFICE ONION GRADING ROLLERS Richard D. Sheppard, Bridgeton, N. J. Application April 22, 1944, Serial No. 532,329

1 claim. l

This invention is a device for cleaning and size grading objects such as onions, potatoes, beets, flower bulbs and like objects which can be advantageously cleaned and size graded to enhance their marketability,

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learnedby practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means. of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claim.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Objects of this invention are to provide a new and useful device for cleaning, and grading objects of the nature aforesaid tothe end that the cleaning, grading and sacking of such objects can be performed in a more rapid and commercially practical manner with great savings in time, labor, and equipment and in operating cost.

y Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in top plan of a presently preferred embodiment of this invention with parts omitted for better understanding;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in plan of the embodiment of Fig. 1:

Fig. 4 is a view in section of the embodiment of Fig. 1 taken along the line B- of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged isometric view of the delivery end of one of the rollers of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

'I'his invention comprises a set of elongated cleaning and grading members mounted for rotation on their lengthwise axis, to which objects, such for example, as onions,to be cleaned, graded and sacked, may be fed at one end and from the other end of which the objects are delivered in a clean state and in separate streams made up of the diiierent sizes of onions, respectively. For example, the onions of a size equal ,to or larger than one and one-half inches, that is', onions of the so-called U. S. No. 1 grade, may be delivered in one stream; and, the smaller onions, that is, onions of the so-called U. S. No, 2 grade, or U. S. seconds, delivered in a separate stream.

Additionally, the invention comprises means for collecting the onions of one of the streams comprised, for example, of the smaller onions and for delivering these onions to one or another or all of a plurality of receiving stations.

The invention further comprises the combination of the set of power driven cleaning and grad` ing members and the collecting and delivering means for one of said streams, with a self-propelled vehicle upon which the foregoing are mounted for convenient transportation and of which the engine may serve as a prime mover for the set of cleaning and grading members.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory but are not restrictive of the invention.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing ends and objects and in accordance with this invention there is provided an elongated frame structure l0, which may be of wood, metal or any other suitable material, and in which a set of parallelly arranged elongated cleaning and grading members Il are mounted for rotation on their lengthwise axes and mechanically coupled for simultaneous rotation in the same direction at the same speed.

The frame structure I il, as embodied, is open at the top and bottom, is of generally rectangular shape and is supported by suitable structural means so as to assume an upwardly inclined position from front to rear, that is, from left to right, as viewed in Fig. 4, and from its feed end to its delivery end, that is from right to left as 35 other by parallel vertical end frame members or headboards I3 at the delivery end and the feed end, respectively of the frame structure.

Each of the rotary cleaning and grading members Il extends substantially the full length of the frame structure Ill between the frame members I3, with the rotational axes of the members in a common plane inclined upwardly from front to rear, as is best seen in Fig. 4, and from the feed end to the delivery end, as is shown in Fig. 2.

A minimum of two of the rotary members H may be used but a larger number is preferred to provide a capacity suiicient to process the onions at commercially practical rates. Accordingly, and as here preferably embodied, three pairs of the rotary cleaning and grading members Il are provided, the members being of identical construction so that a description of one is equally applicable to any and all of the others.

Each cleaning and grading member Il as -em- -bodied is in the nature of a screw having arelation I4 as by means of screws I3".

. 3 tively large diameter portion extending throughout a major portion of its length forming a cleaning section, and having a smaller diameter portion over the rest of its length forming a sorting or grading section. As here preferably embodied each member I I comprises a wooden body portion I4 of cylindrical contour having a cleaning section I l ofl one diameter and a sorting section I1 of lesser diameter. vA rope I3 is wound in helical fashion about the body portion I4 of the member from end to end over the sections I3 and I1, each turn of the rope being fastened to the body portion I4 by staples I a and being equally spaced from the next by a determin'ed equal amount over the length of the cleaning section I8 and by a lesser equal amount over the length of the sorting section I1. A shoe I3' preferably of metal covers the delivery end of each rope to prevent fraying of the rope end and is anchored to the body porpreferably forms a continuation. of the rope helix over the sorting section I1 of the members I I and has an inclined top surface from adjacent the rope end to the surface of the body portion I4. Axles 2l and 2I project from the opposite ends of the body portion I4 for rotatably mounting the members I I between the frame members I3.. 'The axles 2l are journalled in suitable bearing members 23 carried by the left-hand frame member I3 and the axles 2| are journalled in the righthand frame member I3.

The bearing members 22, one for each of the axles 2l, are bolted or otherwise suitably anchored Each shoe Il' The rotary members II and the roller 23 are suitably interconnected at their feed end so as to be driven simultaneously at the same speed in a clockwise direction, looking from the feed end to the delivery end of the device. The rope I3 on each body portion I4 is wound in the opposite direction, however, so as to effect a movement of the onions from the feed end to the delivery end of the members II. The front rotary member Il carries on its axle 2U a sprocket 28, Fig. 8, having Aa single row of teeth and the axle 2l of the baille roller 23 carries a sprocket 23 of the same diameter having the same number of teeth. Each of the other members II carries on its axle 2| a sprocket 36 of the same diameter, but with adouble row of teeth, the several sprockets being suitably interconnected by means of heavy duty roller chains 3I so as to be driven together in the same direction at the same speed when power is applied ence between adjacent turns of the ropes.

to the left-hand frame member I3 along its upper edge which slants upwardly from front to rear at an angle corresponding to the desired common plane of the axes of the members II. Similarly, the right-hand frame member I3 is apertured to receive the axles 2I in accordano with the same tion I3 to the surface below and yet is not of such magnitude that the onions of the smallest desired size may fall therebetween throughout the length of the cleaning section.

A baffle roller 23 is revolvably mounted between y the frame members I3 in a position generally above and to the rear of the rearmost rotary member II in axially parallel relation thereto.

The baille roller 23 is of cylindrical or substantially cylindrical contour and of uniform diameter and is provided with axles 24 and 25 at its opposite ends. The axle 24 journalled in a bearing member 24 carried by the left-hand frame member I3 and the axle 25 is journalled in the righthand frame member I3 through which it passes and is connected to driving mechanism by which it is rotated, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

A baule board 21 is carried by the rear wall I2 of the frame structure I0 in a. position generally above and to the rear ofthe baille roller 23 and in paralleling relation thereto. The baffle board 21 slants upwardly from front to rear from a position closely adjacent to the bame roller 23 to the rear wall member I3 and in conjunction .with the baille roller 23 ,serves to return to the cleaning and grading members II, those onions which may be thrown upwardly thereagainst by the members I I.

A housing wall 32 parallels the right-hand headboard I3. The axle 2| of one of the center pairs of the rollers II is extended across thesprocket housing thus formed and is journalled in the wall 32. A sprocket 33 of larger diameter than the sprockets 23. 23 and 30 is secured to this extended axle. A roller chain 34 connects the sprocket 33 with a driving sprocket 3l of smaller diameter secured to a pulley shaft 34 also carrying a pulley 31.

A tensioning shaft 33 parallels the axles 2I and is journalled at its ends in the housing wail 32 and in the right-hand headboard I3 and carries therebetween an eccentric journal member 33 fixed to the shaft. A pair of pulley arms 40 extend rerearwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relation to each other. The arms 4l are journalled on the journal member 39 at their front end and support the shaft 33 at their opposite end with the sprocket 35 situated between the arms. The shaft 33 preferably extends through the housing wall 32 for convenience in turning the shaft to effect a back or forth movement of the arms 43 and a consequent tightening or loosening of the chain 34 through the cam action of the eccentric journal member 33.

The driven pulley 31 is preferably readily removably secured to the pulley shaft 33 so that pulleys of different diameters may be utilized for driving the members II at selected differing speeds. Power is supplied to the pulley 31 by means of a belt 4I connecting the pulley 31 to a driving pulley 42 of a suitable prime mover such, for example, as the engine 43 of an automobile upon whose chassis 44 the frame structure I0 is preferably mounted in suitable fashion.

Means are provided for tensioning the belt 4I so as to control the flow of power from the prime mover 43 to the members II at will. As here preferably embodied, a link 45 is hingedly connected at its lower end to the arms 40 lintermediate their ends and also at its upper end to a lever 43 fulcrumed on a shaft 41 extending between the headboard I3 and the housing wall 32. Any suitable means may be provided for locking the lever 44 in the desired position.

Means r-areprovided beneath the sorting section' il of the members II for collecting the onions which drop between the members. I l over this sec tion and for delivering these onions to one or vanother of a plurality of receiving stations. The

collecting and delivering means as embodied is in the nature of a bin situated immediately beneath the sorting section I1 of the members II, the bin having valved discharge openings at the front and an inclined floor of openwork construction along which the onions travel to the openings and through which oor onion oleanings may drop to the ground below. As here preferably embodied, front and rear wall members 50 and 5I, respectively, are held in spaced parallel relation to each other by parallel left and right side walls 52 and 53 respectively to form a. rectangular enclosure open at its top and bottom and extending from front to rear beneath the sorting sections I 1. vertical posts 55 at the sides of the enclosure are secured to the side walls 52 and 53 and to the front' and rear wall members f2 for supporting the enclosure from thel frame structure I0. A partition member 5B extends between the lwall members 50 and 5I parallel to the side walls 52 and 53 and divides the enclosure into right and left hand compartments as seen in Fig.' 3. Baffie members 51 at the front of the left-hand and right-hand compartments, respectively, are provided to control the discharge of onions from each compartment, as will be described more fully hereinafter. Grating members 59 extend in spaced parallel relation to each other between the partition -member 56 and the side walls 52 and 53 from adjacent the front wall 50 substantially the length of each compartment. These members are supported on edge at their ends in slots in parallel front and rear footings G and 6i, respectively positioned at different levels so as to form an open-work oor or grating substantially parallelling the plane of the roller axes. The'opening formed between the grating members 59 and the front wall member 50 in each compartment is normally closed by the baille member 51 which may be withdrawn or tilted to permit the flow of onions through the opening into a. basket which may be carried beneath the opening on a. shelf B2 vertically adjustably supported from the side wall members 52 and 53.

The unit as a whole is preferably mounted on the auto chassis N to which it may be secured in any suitable andI convenient fashion so as to position the frame structure at the desired angle and enable its transport with convenience. `For convenience in depositing the onions on the members II at the feed end of the members, an inclined platform los may be secured to the frame structure i0 at the feed end ofthe rollers.

In operation the onions yare dumped .onto the rapidly rotating cleaning and grading members i I at the feed end of the machine and are transported by .the rope I8 to the delivery end. By reason of `the close spacing of the :body portions i4 of the members Ii throughout the cleaning sections I-S only the skin and dirt from the onions will fall therebetween as the onions are transported along the cleaning sections IB. The greater spacing between the body portions I4 over the sorting section I1 and the lesser pitch of the rope I8 enables the smaller No. 2 onions to drop ibetween lthe rollers iover this section onto the grat- ,ing formed by the slats 59 positioned beneath the other or lboth `of the closure members 51 so as to' allow the onions to pass through 'the opening between the front ends of the slat members 58 and the front wall member 50, into baskets which may be positioned therebelow on the platform structure 52.

The larger onions, of say U. S. No. 1 grade, are

' delivered in a steady stream from the delivery end of the sorting section Il.

By way of example in a commercial size apparatus for cleaning and grading onions in aocordance with this invention, the members I I may be 9 feet 51A inches long and of 31/2 inches diameter from the feed end to the grading section Il where the diameter may be reduced to 2% inches throughout the 2 foot length of this section. The members II are preferably spaced 41A inches on their axes so as to provide a 3A inch space between the rollers over the cleaning section I6 through which the dirt and dead skin falls.

The rope I8 around each body portion Il may, under these circumstances, be inch in diameter and is wound around the portion I4 from end to end in such fashion that the turns are uniformly spaced 31/2 inches from each other over the cleaning section IB and 1 1/2 inches fromeach other over the sorting section I l.

l 'I'he roller sprockets 28, 29. 30 and the driving pulley 37 are selected so as to drive all the rollers in the same direction, clockwise. as viewed from the feeding end of the rollers, and in the same directions at the desired speed. A lspeed of approximately 55 R. P. M. has been found to be satisfactory for a unit of these dimensions although a higher or lower speed imay obviously bevemployed. At this speed, the rope friction spins the onions over and over to rub on' the dead skin and dirt. It also distributes the onions all over the rollers. and' at the same time conveys them to the delivery end of the rollers and thus to the chute.

The roller frame structure I0 is suitably dimensioned to lprovide the necessary inclination of the rollers I I from end to end and from front to rear. Assuming the roller frame structure Ill to be 101/2 feet outside dimension between the frame members I3 and 2 feet 10 inches outside dimension between lthe vfront and rear frame members I2, then .the frame structure may be provided with a 10 inch rise from front to rear and a 10 inch rise from the feed end to the delivery end to establish the desired inclination of the plane of axes ofthe members I I.4

Illustrative of the advantages obtainable through the use of lthis invention, a commercial unit of the foregoing dimensions is capable .with a crew of seven men of cleaning, grading land sacking an average of 330 fifty-one pound sacks of U. S. No. 1 grade onions an hour, thus replacing the' man hours of fifty men. Such a unit has cleaned, graded and sacked 33,000 such sacks in working hours, with a crew of seven men.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claim without departing from the principles of .the invention and without s-acricing'its chief advantages.

What I claim is: Onion cleaning and grading apparatus comprising in combination; a set of elongated cleaning and grading rollers for receiving onions to be cleaned, graded and sacked at one end and for delivering said onions in a clean state and in separate streams according to size at the other end, said rollers being supported for rotation on their v 7 respective lengthwise axes. the respective rotational axes of said rollers paralleling each otherin .a common plane which .plane is inclined upwardly both from the receiving. end to the delivery end of said set and transversely of the rotational axes of said rollers, each said roller comprising a body member of cylindrical contour having a rope wound spirally thereon from end to end for rubbing, tumbling and abrading the onions. each body member being spaced from the adjacent body member throughout the maior portion oi' its length by substantially o nly the diameter of said rope thereby to form a cleaning section, each said body member additionally being of reduced diameter over the rest of itslength' thereby to form a sorting or grading section and the ropes on said body members being wound in the same direction with each rope having each turn equally spaced from the next 'by a determined amount over the. entire length or the cleaning section and by a lesser equal amount over the length of the grading section: 4 and, means for mechanically couplingv said rollers for-simultaneous rotation in the same direction at the same speed.

- RICHARD D. BHEPPARD. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record-in the nie of this patent:l

UNITED STATE-s Plvrxtu'rxav