Title of Invention

ARECANUT DEHUSKING MACHINE

Abstract

After creating number of incisions on the surface of the husk by the process described earlier (Vide patent located in between two cups provided with number of pointed/linear/transverse blades. The cups are then pressed against the nuts held in between them so as to split the husk into several segments and cause loosening the kernel from the grip of the tightly enclosed husk by ballooning the segments of the husk. The kernels are then released from the husk by rotating the cups in the opposite directions, which causes twisting of the husk segments. The blade assembly inside the cup may be fixed, rotating or floating. In between the cups a rocking blade assembly compliments dehusking operation. Ejector pins with reciprocating and rotary motion passing through the centre of the cup finally push the nuts out of the holding cups and separate the kernels from the husk.

Full Text

3 The machine consists of four operational systems :- (i) A hopper with a feeding unit to facilitate orientation of nuts longitudinally in an inclined column. This consists one or more of the following sub systems (a) A hopper with vibratory mechanism with a suitably shaped channel or chute. (b) A roller and belt mechanism to propel the nuts linearly one behind the other. (c) An oscillating flexible channel mechanism to orient the nuts and feed them to the distributor chute system. (d) A distributor chute assembly to feed nuts to more than one dehusking unit. (ii) Giving incision to the husk The process involves giving several longitudinal incisions on the husk surface. This consists one of the following sub-systems :- (a) A stationary blade mechanism having as many blades as the number of incisions required in one system. (b) The above mechanism operating sequentially trough many sub-systems. (c) A rotary blade mechanism having as many blades as the number of incisions required in one system. (d) The above mechanism operating sequentially through many sub-systems. (iii) Breaking the husk for loosening the kernel The process involves giving mild and sudden blow or applying smooth pressure so as to compress the nuts in the direction of proximal - distal axis to facilitate the husk to break open in the incised regions. The mechanism includes one or more of the following sub-systems. (a) A locating/indexing mechanism. (b) A cam and spring actuated hammer mechanism either integral with the locating/indexing mechanism. (c) A pressing mechanism either integral with the locating/indexing mechanism of fixed externally but operating synchronously with the locating/indexing mechanism. (d) Pressing the incised nuts in between two cups provided with number of pointed/linear/transverse blades so as to split the husk into several segments and cause ballooning of the segmented husk. (iv) Removal of the husk The process involves dehusking the nuts and separating the kernel from the husk pieces. The mechanism includes one or more of the following sub systems. (a) A two roll or multiple roll mechanism having suitably shaped peripheral teeth and operating with differential speed. The broken husks are removed from the nuts by the abrasive action of the toothed rooks and the sticking husk pieces are stripped out from the teeth either by bristle brushes or by pneumatic means. (b) A band mechanism consisting of a pair of bands with suitably shaped peripheral teeth, running over two pairs of rolls with a speed differential. (c) Rotating the cups mentioned in III (d) in opposite directions which gives a twisting or scrapping effect to the segments of husk by which the kernel are released from the tightly gripped husk. The cup with the blade assembly is free to rotate over a mandrel which itself has pointed teeth projecting inside the cup and can be made stationary or rotating the blade assembly inside the cup may be fixed or floating. In between the cups there would be rocking blade assemblies, which would reciprocate up and down and compliment dehusking operation. Ejector pins with reciprocating and rotary motion passing through the center of the cups finally push the nut out of the holding cups and separate the kernel from the husk. Arecanut cultivation forms a sustaining profession for thousands of South Indian families with an annual production of nearly 2,5 lakh tonnes of processed nuts. Before consumption the nuts arc dehuskcd and the kernels are variously processed. The husks of arecanuts are thick, tlbrous and tightly adhering to the kernel, I'herefore, the dehusking has to be done individually by manual labor thus making the operation tedious, laborious and time-consuming. To ensure a quality product the kernels have to be recovered in the whole form without damage. This further adds to the complexity of dehusking and makes it a skilled operation. Frequently it is observed that during peak period, due to scarcity of skilled laborers, progress of dehusking does not go hand-in-hand with the harvesting schedule. This, in addition to prolonged storage and bad dehusking, sometimes accompanied with spoilage and breakage contributes to quality losses. Therefore, the arecanut dehusking machine is considered not only as a labor saving device but a device of high economic importance. There is a great demand for this machine. As to my knowledge there is no such mechanical device practically available in the market. The arecanut dehusking machine which I have invented works on the principle of loosening the kernel from the grip of the husk by pressing the nut on its two ends to cause ballooning of the husk followed by its splitting into segments by twisting so as to release the kernels out of the husk enclosure. The operation involves the following steps. 1. ORIENTATION: (All the references to drawings in this section pertain to sheet 1 of 2, Fig. 1) The system comprises of an inclined oscillating apron mechanism ( 1) receiving its oscillatory motion from a pair of crank mechanisms (2) The amplitude of each crank's motion is independently adjustable. The nuts are fed to the apron through a hopper (3) provided with a sliding gate valve. The hopper is located over the apron, which is made of any flexible sheet material and suspended from its holders on either side to form a converging channel. The cross-sectional geometry of the channel is variable along its longitudinal axis to facilitate roll and flow of nuts down the channel so that the nuts orient along their longitudinal axis in a single line and are fed to a conveyor. 2. CONVEYING: {All the references to drawings in this section pertain to sheet 1 of 2, Fig. 1) The conveyor comprises of an endless chain (4) made of series of links and provided with specially shaped clip mechanisms (5) at equal intervals to hold nuts of any size and shape in a longitudinal position operated by a set of cams, the chain being run over two or three pairs of sprockets (6) one at each end deriving their intermittent motion by a ratchet (7) and pawl (8) and crank (9) mechanism so that the clips pick up the nuts from the orientation mechanism and deliver them to the incision mechanism at equal intervals of time. 3. INCISION: (All the references to drawings in this section pertain to sheet 1 of 2, Fig. 1) The incision mechanism consists of series of spring loaded blades (10) each blade swiveling over a pin on a pivot (11) located on the periphery of a tube (12) at equal intervals, the sharp end of the blade being inside the tube and the other outside attached to a spring and the blade itself passing through a slit parallel to the axis of the tube. The blade assembly is capable of aligning itself to incise husk surface of the nuts longitudinally irrespective of their size and shape to a required depth without causing injury to the kernel and delivering to the compression mechanism by an oscillating arm mechanism (13). 4. COMPRESSION: (All the references to drawings in this section pertain to sheet 2 of 2, Fig. 2) The compression mechanism consists of an inner pair of cups (14) with or without blades at the working ends. The said cups are mounted at the facing ends of a pair of co-axial, horizontal shafts (15) separated by a distance so as to accommodate all sizes of nuts and can hold the nut on its proximal-distal axis causing ballooning or bulging of the husk segments when the shafts are moved against each other so as to press the nuts between these cups and thus prepare the nuts for dehusking operation. 5. DEHUSKING: (All the references to drawings in this section pertain to sheet 2 of 2, Fig. 2) The dehusking mechanism consists of two assemblies (16) of pairs of concentric pivoted swiveling jaws acting themselves as sharp blades (16A), the assemblies being located over and around the compression mechanism. Each pair of jaws lightly grips a segment of husk between them after which the two assemblies of jaws arc rotated in opposite directions so as to twist the husk segments and break and split them into pieces. Thus the kernels are finally released from the grip of the segmented husk. A single set of jaws with separate blade assembly can also do the function. 6. EJECTION: (All the references to drawings in this section pertain to sheet 2 of 2, Fig. 2) The husk segments and kernel are pushed out of the jaw assemblies by the ejectors, which consist of a pair of pins (17), operating either through the centers of the inner cups or from behind the shaft. The entire Arecanut Dehusking Machine derives its motion by a combination of motors , gears and penumatic mechanisms based on conventional principles known to the persons skilled in the art. I CLAIM, 1. An Arecanut Dehusking Machine comprising an orientation member (1,2, 3) a conveyor member (4 to 9) an incision member (10 to 13) a compression or ballooning member ( 14,15) coaxial with a dehusking member (16) possessing to two assemblies of several pairs of concentric pivoted swiveling jaws(16A)acting themselves as sharp blades or a single assembly of jaws with separate blades capable of piercing, gripping and twisting the nuts held by the said ballooning member and an ejector member (17); for orientation of the nuts in a single line in a longitudinal fashion, for transporting the nuts to the incision member retaining their orientation, for creating longitudinal incision on the husk, to compress the incised husk so that it gets bulged towards the center and splitting at the points of incision causing ballooning of the segments of husk formed by splitting, freeing the kernel from the grip of the husk, an assembly of several pairs of pivoted swiveling sharpened jaws or an independent assembly of blades piercing into the husk and gripping a segment between each pairs of jaws or holding by a blade and twisting the husk segments in opposite directions to release the kernel out of the husk and the ejector member finally pushing the husk and the kernel out of the blade assembly. 2. The Arecanut Dehusking Machine as claimed in clam I, in which the said orientation member means comprises of an inclined oscillating apron mechanism (1) receiving its oscillatory motion from a pair of crank mechanisms ( 2) whose amplitudes are independently adjustable to which nuts are fed through a hopper (3) provided with a sliding gate valve and located over a flexible apron which is suspended from its holders on either side to form a converging channel from where the nuts are fed to a conveyor. 3. The Arecanut Dehusking Machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the conveyor member means comprises of an endless chain (4 ) made of series of links and provided with specially shaped clip mechanisms ( 5) at equal intervals to hold nuts of any size and shape p a longitudinal position operated by a set of cams, the said chain being run over two or three pairs of sprockets ( 6) one at each end deriving their intermittent motion by a ratchet (7), pawl ( 8) and crank ( 9) mechanism, so that the clips pick up the nuts from the orientation mechanism described in claim 2 and deliver them to the incision mechanism. 4. The Arecanut Dehusking Machine as claimed in claim 3, in which the said incision member means comprises series of spring loaded blades ( 10) each blade swiveling over a pin on a pivot ( 11) located on the periphery of a tube ( 12) at equal intervals, the sharp end of the blade being inside the tube and the other outside attached to a spring, and the blade itself passing through a slit parallel to the axis of the tube, the blade assembly being capable of aligning itself to incise husk surface of the nuts longitudinally and delivering to the compression member by an oscillating arm mechanism (13). 5. The Arecanut Dehusking Machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the said compression or ballooning member means comprises a mechanism of ballooning or compression with a device possessing a pair of cups (14) with or without blades, the said cups mounted at the facing ends of a pair of co-axial, horizontal shafts ( 15) separated by a distance so as to accommodate all sizes of nuts and can hold the nut on its proximal-distal axis causing ballooning or bulging of the husk segments when the shafts are moved against each other. 6. The Arecanut Dehusking Machine as claimed in claim 5, in which the husk segments loosened from the kernel by ballooning are dehusked by the dehusking member means comprises a mechanism of splitting the husk into segments with a device possessing two assemblies of pairs of pivoted swiveling jaws (16) acting themselves as sharp blades (16A) or a single assembly of concentric pivoted jaws with separate blades as claimed in claim 1, the assemblies being located over and around the compression members so that each pair of jaws tightly grips a segment of husk between them or a single blade holds the segment and separate them from the kernel by twisting. 7. The Arecanut Dehusking Machine as claimed in claim 6, in which the husk segments separated from the kernel are pushed out of the blade assemblies by the ejector members means comprises of a pair of pins (17) operating through the centers of the inner cups or from behind the shaft pushing the segmented husk and kernel out of the blade points. *•

Documents:

834-mas-95-abstract.pdf

834-mas-95-assignment.pdf

834-mas-95-claims.pdf

834-mas-95-correspondence-others.pdf

834-mas-95-correspondence-po.pdf

834-mas-95-description-complete.pdf

834-mas-95-drawings.pdf

834-mas-95-form-1.pdf

834-mas-95-form-13.pdf

834-mas-95-others.pdf