WO2018081752A1

WO2018081752A1 - Winnowing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2018081752A1
Application number: PCT/US2017/059122
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mannarsamy Balasubramanian
Original assignee: Mannarsamy Balasubramanian
Priority date: 2016-10-28
Filing date: 2017-10-30
Publication date: 2018-05-03
Also published as: CN110113935A

Abstract

An improved winnowing machine with a forced air supply causing chaff and product portions such as kernel materials to flow through a transit tube. The forced air enters near the bottom of the tube. The product portions enter at approximately the middle part of the transit tube. Chaff exits near the top of the transit tube. The chaff and kernels take a circuitous route within the transit tube causing the chaff to remain longer in the tube thereby increasing the ability to separate the chaff from the kernel while at the same time creating a more compact winnowing machine suitable for small scale operations. A preferred embodiment includes the circuitous spinning route member having a plurality of paddles in a ninety degree orientation with respect to the length of the transit tube. The paddles revolve around a central shaft in a spiral stair-step configuration and the central shaft rotated by a motor.

Description

WINNOWING MACHINE

This invention has a priority date based upon U.S. Provisional Application, Serial Number

62/414,644, filed on October 28, 2016.

Background of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of winnowing machines for separating heavy and light items, such as chaff from grain such as wheat, rice, cacao beans, coffee beans, and the like, and more particularly to winnowing machines for use in small scale operations,

Winnowing machines have been in existence for more than one hundred and fifty years. See, for example, U.S. Patent 29,223, issued to John Bean, et al. in July 1860. Typical prior art machines use forced air to blow chaff and kernels into a chamber where the heavier kernel fall into a lower collection chamber under the influence of gravity and the lighter chaff is blown upwardly and into an upper collection chamber.

Prior art machine designs effectively separate lighter materials from heavier materials; however, there is a deficiency in such prior designs in that they tend to be quite large and therefore not suitable for small scale operations with limited space that may require something as small as a table top machine. The prior designs make use of long transit tubes to give the chaff time to separate from the heavier product portions. Therefore, the existing winnowing machines tend to be quite tall. A small scale winnowing machine needs to have a small overall size, needs to be easy to clean and maintain, and be low cost for users that are making relatively small batches of product. The buoyancy difference between the lighter particles and the heavier particles should be significant to produce effective separation. The separation efficiency will be lower when the buoyancy difference is small.

The separation difference is adequate in earlier machines when the mass and size distributions of the heavier components is narrower. For example, when separating kernels of rice from husk, the separation is quite simple because the mass and the size distribution of the rice kernels is narrow. Also, the mass and the size distribution of rice husk is narrow.

When mass and size distribution of heavy particles and light particles are wide the mixture has to be sorted first and then separated by winnowing for efficient separation.

The separation path and therefore the size of the equipment have to be longer/taller for effective separation and become more expensive. Larger machines have too many parts and it becomes difficult to maintain sanitary requirements.

There is increasing need for high efficiency winnowing machines for upcoming craft food industries such as beer, coffee, cocoa and other products originating with kernels, beans and related grains.

Brief Summary of the Invention

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved winnowing machine that extends the period of time it takes for chaff and kernels to travel from a main hopper to a collection container by multiple stage separation along the path thereby increasing the ability of the chaff to fully separate from the remaining kernel, bean or grain.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide adaptive fractionation assembly components design that can be easily modified to optimize the separation column configuration for different materials to be cleaned.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved winnowing machine that is relatively small, but more efficient for use by small batch manufacturers.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved winnowing machine that is easy to clean.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved winnowing machine that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the ability to easily adapt the winnower for handling multiple products.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, two embodiments of the invention are disclosed.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment there is disclosed an improved winnowing machine comprising a forced air supply or vacuum source, a hopper feeder, a chaff collection cyclonic chamber, a kernel collection chamber port, spinning paddles, spacers, stationary slopped paddles, supporting rod, drive system, a chaff and kernel transit tube or column, a transit tube lid member and a transit tube base member. Also, the machine includes an air input orifice, an air and chaff output orifice, a product input orifice port, a chaff and kernel circuitous route member, a plurality of product portions in the form of grains, kernels or beans, the transit tube lid member closing off the top of the transit tube member, the product portions stored in said hopper.

Further, the hopper is located to one side of the chaff and kernel transit tube, the hopper including an open top portion and a lower Y-tube portion leading to the product input orifice, the forced air supply entering through the air entry orifice located near the bottom of the chaff and kernel transit tube, the product portions entering the product input orifice at approximately the midpoint of the chaff and kernel transit tube, the chaff exiting through the air and chaff output orifice coupled with a cyclonic chamber located near the top of the chaff and kernel transit tube, the chaff and kernel circuitous route member located within the chaff and kernel transit tube, and the chaff and kernel circuitous route member causing the kernel and chaff mixture to remain longer in said chaff and kernel transit tube thereby increasing the ability to separate the chaff from the kernel, bean or grain or separating light from heavy components in a mixture.

Multiple stages for separation are created by the multiple spinning paddles separated by spacers arranged along the length of the spinning rod. In another separation concept, multiple, adjustable steps were positioned inside a square transit column to provide variable multiple stages along the path of separation. The position of the adjustable steps is located by magnets attached to the steps and outside the transit column.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of the transit tube and spinning paddle assembly located inside the transit tube of the invention. FIG. 2A is an overall view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a top, plan view of the paddles and shaft assembly.

FIG. 4a is a fragmentary, perspective view of the paddles separated by spacer rings shown in Fig. 4b and the hexagon rod is shown in Fig 4C and hexagon shaft assembled with paddles and spacers is shown in Fig. 4d. FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of an alternate transit tube design that causes multiple micro falls during product transit. The angle of inclination of this set-up can be varied from horizontal to vertical.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, side sectional view of a second alternate transit tube design that causes multiple micro falls during product transit.

FIG. 7 is the perspective view of the rectangular transit column fitted with triangular prisms that are located along the opposite walls of the column.

FIG. 8 is the perspective view of the triangular prism with location of the magnetic discs in the triangular prism.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

It is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in various forms.

Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but, rather, as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure, or manner.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a winnowing machine generally indicated by the numeral 10. Such machines are used for separating lighter materials, such as chaff, from heavier materials, such as kernels or grains or beans and the like. Some standard components of existing winnowing machines have been left out of the following description for simplicity purposes and because these components are well-known in the state of the art. These components include vibrators and crackers for helping to shake the chaff away from the heavier items, and cyclone separators that help further separate light components from heavier components or to contain lighter components. A forced air blower 6 blows air into transit tube 14. A forced air system can be substituted with a vacuum system connected at the exit port through a cyclone separator. A hopper 2 is filled with product such as grains, beans, or kernels or heavy components mixed with light components. 3. A Y-shaped product input port 4 delivers product in a controlled way to the transit tube at the desired location 14. The top portion of the transit tube is fitted with a plastic flow restrictor 36 and a silicone gasket 37 of variable orifice to adjust and balance the airflow from the transit tube. An exit bottom at a collection port 30 delivers product free of chaff to a reservoir 12. Chaff and other lighter debris are delivered to a chaff collection chamber 16. A cyclonic separator 38 can be introduced prior to the collection chamber 16 as shown in FIG 2 A. Motor 8 turns a central shaft 18 within transit tube 14 as is shown in FIG. 2 and 3. Alternatively motor 8 can be located at the top of the transit tube with open end at the bottom for additional air entry from the bottom. The air flow is controlled and balanced by the flow restrictor 36 at the product entry tube, bottom opening of the transit tube, variable air moving capacity of the blower 6 or vacuum source 39 to provide optimum separation of the products. Additional air entry points can be introduced at various strategic locations to provide more controlled air flow pattern.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 2A are vertical cross-sectional views of the machine 10. Shaft 18 includes a plurality of paddles 20 that are in a perpendicular orientation with respect to the shaft 18, and separated by multiple spacer rings forming a circuitous route for product and chaff to travel while within transit tube 14. Product enters the transit tube 14 through input tube 4 and begins to drop down by gravity. Forced air entering from tube 7 causes chaff and other lighter debris to be pushed up and finally out through output tube 34. Alternatively, the air can enter through the specially designed bottom opening of column 10. Motor 8 is attached to shaft 18 through a gear assembly or pulley 28 to which the paddles 20 are attached and spins it. Shaft 18 is guided through bottom closure 22 and terminates within top closure 24. Alternatively, the spinning shaft can be driven by the motor 8 from top of the transit tube 14 and the product collected at the bottom of transit tube 14. The bottom closure member 22 is angled down to facilitate the flow of product into output tube 30. The top closure member 24 is angled up to facilitate the flow of chaff into output tube 34. The paddles 20 create a circuitous route that helps to create multiple stages and slow the flow of product and thereby allow more time for chaff to separate from product such as grains, beans, or kernels or heavy components. The paddles 20 have multiple holes 21 of varying size to fine tune the air flow and turbulence across the transit tube 14. The transit tube 14 can be made fully or partially with transparent materials such as glass or polycarbonate to monitor and control separation parameters during separation.

Alternatively arrangement of the winnowing machine is shown in FIG 2A. In this example, the blower 6 is replaced with a vacuum blower 39 that creates vacuum by turbine blower mechanism. The exhaust air from the vacuum blower is vented outside the building eliminating dust accumulation inside the production area, especially in food product preparation situations where clean room conditions and microbial control is critical.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the transit tube 14 looking directly down on the paddles 20. The paddles 20 are sequenced in a spiral staircase fashion separated by circular ring-shaped spacers 23 as shown in FIG. 4 that allows product to drop from paddle to paddle thereby increasing the amount of time that the product resides at each stage in the transit tube 14 thereby efficiently increasing the ability of chaff to separate from product. The primary benefit of this configuration is that the transit tube 14 can be significantly shorter in this configuration than if there were no spinning or stationary paddles 20. A shorter transit tube 14 allows the overall winnowing machine to be relatively small and having a short profile and therefore be more appropriate for users that are involved in small batch operations. The rotating paddle

configuration with variable spacers provides more control parameters to effectively separate lighter components from heavier components of wider distribution. The machine 10 is also easier to disassemble, clean, assemble, and less expensive to manufacture in comparison to larger winnowing machines that do not have the same features as the present machine 10. The location of the spinning paddles along the length of the column can be easily optimized by the number of spacer rings between each paddle to easily adapt the column for various component mixers to be separated. Apertures 21 within each paddle 20 allow air to continue to travel with controlled turbulence through the transit tube 14 to facilitate the air's ability to lift chaff material up to exit port 34. The multiple apertures 21 of different sizes provide more control parameters to effectively separate lighter components from heavier components of wider distribution.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, generally indicated by the numeral 200, a rotating auger 248 is supported by a rotating shaft 238 which forces chaff to exit tube 234 and heavy component product to exit tube

230. These exit tubes 230 and 234 can be repositioned at their respective end plates. In atypical example, the transit tube 216 is positioned horizontally. The clearance between the auger and the transit tube is kept to a minimum to sweep the product mixture in either direction in a controlled manner. Embodiment 200 is unique by its ability to control the movement of the product mixture inside the transit tube 216. Closely fit auger 248 inside the transit tube 216 sweeps the heavier particles in one direction, opposite to the air flow direction, while the forced air transports the lighter particles in a direction which is the same direction as the air flow. The position of the feed mixture entry port 204 can be designed either close to the air entry port 208 or close to the chaff exit port 234 or anywhere in between depending upon the nature of the material mixture to be separated. Typically, the heavy component exit port 230 and the air entry port 208 are close to each other. The transit tube 216 can also be positioned at variable angles which provide additional controls for the heavier product flow, by gravity, to exit tube 234. Forced air enters through tube

208. Product enters the transit tube 216 through tube 204. A plurality of flexible wiper blades 236,

238, 240 cause the product and chaff to fall in micro waterfall fashion as auger 248 and attached W wiper blades 236, 238, 240 rotate against the inside surface of the transit tube 216 for efficient separation. The auger 248 and blade assembly can be removed from transit tube 216 for easy cleaning. The spiral edge of the auger 248 can be fitted with soft material such as silicone or brush to provide close fitting. One version of the invention has the transit tube 216 being made of transparent material such as glass or polycarbonate plastic so that the user can view the winnowing action as it takes place within transit tube 216.

FIG. 6 shows a second alternate embodiment of the invention, generally indicated by the arrow 300 where auger 340 and shaft 344 are stationary within the inside of transit tube 316. In this embodiment, the auger 340 is segmented at various intervals and touches the inside wall of the transit tube 316 forcing a spiral channel inside the transit tube 316. The auger 340 is segmented at various intervals causing the product and chaff to fall in micro waterfall fashion as the product mixture travels through the transit tube 316. The shaft 344 can be designed to have multiple augers with varying flight lengths and flight angles for optimum product mixture fall and air flow. The transit tube 316 is placed in a vertical position with respect to the ground plane. Forced air enters tube 330. Product flows into input tube 304 similar to machine 10. Product free of chaff exits through tube 308 and the lighter chaff exits through exit tube 334. This

embodiment 300 is a simple version of the invention yet still acts to slow the speed of product and thereby increases the residence time of the product inside the transit tube to effectively separate chaff from product.

FIG. 7 shows another alternate embodiment of the invention 400, generally indicated by the rectangular cross sectioned vertical column 410 where top opening of the column is fitted with a cover plate with variable air entry orifice 401 and front face of the column is open and covered by hermetically sealed polycarbonate window 402 that can be fitted to the main column by small multiple magnets or screws 404. Along both right and left side of the walls inside vertical transit column, several triangular prism deflectors 406 are positioned by pair of magnets. One of magnets 408 is embedded along the face of each triangular prism. When the column is assembled, the position of the prism along the wall is fixed by another magnet 412 located along the outside of the transit tube.

The triangular prisms arranged on both side walls at various intervals by magnets causing the product and chaff to enter into multiple small cyclone turbulences as the product mixture travels through the transit tube 410. The number, shape and location of multiple triangular prisms are W

designed for optimum product mixture fall and air flow and turbulence. The transit tube 410 is placed in a vertical position with respect to the horizontal support plate 424 and stand 425.

Forced air enters from the bottom of the column 410. Product is added to the hopper 407 and flows into the transit column input tube 414 and through a glow restrictor 403 and silicone gasket support 405. Product free of chaff exits through bottom of the transit tube 410 and collected at the collection vessel 413, and the lighter chaff exits through exit tube 416. The lighter components exiting through exit tube 416 is collected through a cyclone separator 418 connected to the exit tube 416. An air leak valve 408 is introduced between the exit port of the cyclone separator 418 and the vacuum source 420. The direction of and amount of air flow through the main transit tube is controlled and balanced by a vacuum pump 420 attached to the cyclone separator 418, flow restrictor 403, air leak valve 418 and air entry orifice 401 located at the top of the transit column. This embodiment 400 is a simple version of the invention yet still acts to slow the speed of product and thereby increases the residence time of the product inside the transit tube and create multiple separation stages to effectively separate chaff from product. The inside of the transit column can be illuminated by light sources such as LED light stripes to observe, monitor and control the air flow and product flow inside the transit column. LED lights with strobe light effect can be added to visually observe the separation inside the transit column. The design of this embodiment is optimized of easy manufacturing. The parts inside the transit column can be easily disassembled for routine cleaning and maintenance which are important for food preparation and pharmaceutical applications. More importantly, the exhaust from the vacuum can be effectively vented to outside of the food preparation area providing more microbiological control associated with husk of grains. This configuration keeps the food preparation cleaner than typical winnowers.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A winnowing machine comprising a forced air supply or a vacuum source, a hopper, a chaff collection chamber, a kernel collection chamber, a chaff and kernel transit tube, a transit tube lid members, a transit tube base member, an air entry orifice, a product input orifice, a chaff and kernel circuitous route member, a plurality of product portions in the form of grains, kernels or beans, or any solid materials, said transit tube top member closing off one end of said transit tube member, said product feed mixture fed from said hopper, said hopper located to one side of and substantially away from said chaff and kernel transit tubes, said hopper including an open end top portion fitted with a silicone gasket and a plastic air flow restrictor and a lower Y tube portion leading to said product input orifice, said air supply entering through said air input orifice located near or at the bottom of said chaff and kernel transit tube, said product portions entering said product input orifice at approximately the middle portion of said chaff and kernel transit tube, said chaff and kernel circuitous route member located within said chaff and kernel transit tube, said chaff and kernel circuitous route member causing said chaff to reside longer in said chaff and kernel transit tube thereby increasing the probability to separate said chaff from said kernels and effectively reducing the overall height of said transit tube in comparison to winnowing machines that do not have said circuitous route member.

2. A winnowing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said chaff and kernel circuitous route member is comprised of a vertical rod fitted with plurality of paddles and rotated by external drive unit such as variable speed electrical motor, said paddles being in a ninety- degree orientation with respect to the length of said chaff and kernel transit tube, said paddles attached to a central rigid shaft, said paddle orientation revolving around said central shaft in a spiral stairstep configuration separated by several circular spacers, said paddles horizontally positioned or twisted at desired angles depending upon the product to be separated, said paddles each having a plurality of apertures of various sizes for allowing air and chaff to pass through but also allowing heavier said product portions to drop to the bottom of said chaff and kernel transit tube, said central shaft centrally held in place by said transit tube lid member at the top portion of the chaff and kernel transit tube and held centrally in place at the bottom within said transit tube base member, said transit tube base member being downwardly slanted to allow smooth flow of said kernel portions down and out of said product output orifice or through the bottom of suitably designed transit tube, said transit tube lid member being upwardly slanted to allow smooth flow of chaff portions up and out of said air and chaff output orifice.

3. A winnowing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein a first alternate embodiment of said chaff and kernel circuitous route member includes an auger shaped member, said auger member supported on one side by said transit tube lid member and on the other side by said transit tube base member, said transit tube being set in a horizontal orientation, said auger perimeter being smaller than the inside diameter of said transit tube, said auger including a plurality of flexible wiper blades longitudinally attached to the perimeter of said auger creating a micro waterfall effect of kernel and chaff mixture partials as they are moved from the entry portion of said transit tube to the exit portion of said transit tube.

4. A winnowing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein a second alternate embodiment of said chaff and kernel circuitous route member includes a stationary auger shaped member fixedly attached within said transit tube creating a micro waterfall effect of kernel and chaff mixture partials as they are moved from the entry portion of said transit tube to the exit portion of said transit tube.

5. A winnowing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein a third alternate embodiment of said chaff and kernel circuitous route member includes a stationary square or rectangular cross sectioned transit column member magnetically fixed with detachable transparent window at the front face, and square top cover plate with a variable air entry orifice, attached within both two opposite insides of said transit tube several triangular prisms that can be conveniently positioned by a pair of magnets creating a multiple micro air turbulence effect of kernel and chaff mixture partials as they are moved from the entry portion of said transit tube to the exit portion of said transit tube by a vacuum source connected through a cyclone separator in the middle.

6. A winnowing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein feed entry point is located approximately l/3^rd the length of said transit tube from said chaff exit port.