Solid material comminution or disintegration – Apparatus – Including means applying fluid to material
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-13
2003-05-13
Husar, John M. (Department: 3725)
Solid material comminution or disintegration
Apparatus
Including means applying fluid to material
C241S065000, C241S079100, C241SDIG014
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561445
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hulling apparatus that husks paddy rice supplied thereto at a hulling section to be discharged as milling-processed grain, and that sorts specific grains from the milling-processed grain by winnowing the milling-processed grain at a winnowing section.
2. Description of the Invention
A hulling apparatus that husks paddy rice supplied from a paddy rice storage tank and removes brown rice is conventionally known. This type of hulling apparatus is provided with a hulling section that husks paddy rice supplied from a paddy rice storage tank, and a winnowing section for respectively sorting and removing brown rice, partially hulled paddy rice, immature grains and husks, from milling-processed grains that have passed through the hulling section.
A pair of opposing hulling rolls separated by a fine gap is disposed in the hulling section. Rotational speeds for the hulling rolls are set to be somewhat different. Paddy rice passes through the gap between the hulling rolls to be milled and husked (so-called hulling).
A whole grain conveyor for removing paddy rice and brown rice, an immature grain conveyor for removing small grains and empty grains, and a hull conveyor for removing hulls are sequentially aligned at the winnowing section. These conveyors are mutually linked by a winnowing path. By operating a blower, air is circulated along a predetermined circulation passage including the winnowing path. Differences in specific gravities of the respective grains are utilized in the process, and sorting of brown rice and the like is conducted in sequential order.
However, in the case of the conventional hulling apparatus described above, because the hulling section is disposed at an inclined position with respect to a wide winnowing section, milling-processed grain subjected to husking processing at the hulling section fall locally with respect to the winnowing section. For this reason, there has been the problem that disparities arise in the dropping density of milling-processed grains with respect to the air current (sorting wind) circulated along the predetermined circulation passage, so that a sufficient winnowing effect cannot be obtained. Moreover, since there is not much space between the hulling section and the winnowing section, it has been difficult to create a large-scale apparatus to solve this problem.
In addition, in the case of the conventional hulling apparatus described above, sorting of brown rice and paddy rice in the whole grain conveyor, sorting of immature grains (small grains and empty grains) in the immature grain conveyor, and collection of husks in the hull conveyor are all invariably carried out. However, depending on the geographical region, there are also places in which the sorting of immature grains in the immature grain conveyor is unnecessary. In America, for example, sorting of immature grains has always been deemed unnecessary, and it is acceptable to mill immature grains together with whole grains. If the above conventional hulling apparatus is exported to such a region and used as it is, so that brown rice and paddy rice are sorted from milling-processed grain husked at the hulling section, immature grains are sorted thereafter, and then immature grains are placed together again with brown rice and paddy rice and sent to the next process, the procedure becomes exceedingly irrational. Furthermore, there has also been the problem that accessory parts disposed in the immature grain conveyor, such as immature grain screw conveyors and pulleys and bearings relating thereto, become useless when the conventional hulling apparatus is exported to such a region.
Still further, in the case of the conventional hulling apparatus described above, when the hulling rolls are used over a long period of time, a rubber layer at the outer periphery of the hulling rolls becomes heated and the hardness of the rubber is lowered (i.e., the rubber becomes soft). When the hardness of the rubber is lowered, hulling efficiency drops and the lifespan of the hulling rolls is shortened.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, a hulling apparatus pertaining to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: (A) a hulling section to husk paddy rice supplied thereto and discharge the paddy rice as milling-processed grains; (B) a winnowing section disposed beneath the hulling section, the winnowing section selecting specific grains from the milling-processed grains by winnowing the milling-processed grains discharged from the hulling section and having a winnowing width wider than a milling-processed grain discharge width of the hulling section; and (C) a uniform disperser disposed between the hulling section and the winnowing section, the uniform disperser structured by a lengthy uniform disperser trough having a longitudinal direction dimension substantially the same as the winnowing width of the winnowing section and a uniform disperser screw axially rotatable within a lower interior of the uniform disperser trough and that, by rotating around an axis, conveys in an axial direction milling-processed grains that are discharged from the hulling section to flow into the uniform disperser trough.
According to the present invention, paddy rice supplied to the hulling section is husked at the hulling section and discharged as milling-processed grain. The winnowing section is disposed below the hulling section. Milling-processed grain discharged from the hulling section is winnowed at the winnowing section. Using differences in specific gravity, specific grains are sorted from the milling-processed grain.
In the hulling apparatus to which the present invention is directed, the winnowing width of the winnowing section is wider in comparison to the width of milling-processed grain discharged from the hulling section. Therefore, milling-processed grain discharged from the hulling section falls locally toward the winnowing section, as has been the case conventionally.
However, in the present invention, because a milling-processed grain uniform dispersing means is provided between the hulling section and the winnowing section, milling-processed grains that have flowed locally into the uniform disperser trough from the hulling section are conveyed by the uniform disperser screw in a width direction (i.e., an axial direction) of the winnowing section. In this conveyance process, milling-processed grains are uniformly dispersed and drop across a substantially entire region of the winnowing section so that the milling-processed grains spill over from a uniform disperser trough. Hence, the dropping density of the milling-processed grain with respect to the sorting wind blown at the winnowing section is equalized.
A hulling apparatus pertaining to a second aspect of the present invention comprises: (A) a hulling section to husk paddy rice supplied thereto and discharge the paddy rice as milling-processed grains; (B) a winnowing section disposed beneath the hulling section, the winnowing section having a whole grain conveyor to select whole grains from the milling-processed grains by winnowing the milling-processed grains discharged from the hulling section and an immature grain conveyor to select immature grains from the milling-processed grains; (C) an opening of a whole grain conveyor trough in the whole grain conveyor and an opening of an immature grain conveyor trough in the immature grain conveyor being connected to one another by a winnowing path having an ascending pitch such that a position of the opening of the immature grain conveyor trough is higher than a position of the opening of the whole grain conveyor trough; and (D) an open/close device to open up and close off the opening provided at the opening of the immature grain conveyor trough.
According to the present invention, paddy rice supplied to the hulling section is husked at the hulling section and discharged as milling-processed grain. The winnowing section is disposed below the hulling section. Milling-processe
Kobayashi Toshi-aki
Matsuda Waichiro
Ohta Futoshi
Yamamoto Soichi
Husar John M.
Kabushiki Kaisha Yamamoto-Seisakusho
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
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