Abrading – Abrading process – Utilizing nonrigid tool
Patent
1996-10-21
1998-11-03
Eley, Timothy V.
Abrading
Abrading process
Utilizing nonrigid tool
241 7, 241 9, 451299, 451182, B02B 500, B24B 100
Patent
active
058300422
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to apparatus and method for use in the surface abrasive treatment of small objects, for example, seeds, including cereals, legumes, nuts and the like; cleaning aggregate and objects of wood, plastics, mineral or metal.
Apparatus for this general purpose is known see, e.g. GB-A-2101871 where the apparatus is used to polish rice. Usually such apparatus comprises a vertically disposed chamber having a top inlet and a bottom outlet, the chamber containing an abrasive stone with an annular clearance in between the stone and the wall of the chamber. A portion of the wall is perforated. In use, small objects to be abraded are fed into the inlet and urged through the chamber, the stone being rotated to abrade material off the surface of the small objects. The process is not efficient and much energy is required to generate the pressure to abrade off the surface material. This generates heat which can damage the small objects, especially rice. It is necessary to force air into the chamber to drive the abraded off surface material out through the perforated wall portion (which has the advantage of cooling the small objects).
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the invention to provide apparatus for the purpose specified in which there is little or no need to apply forced air to separate the material abraded from the small objects. This object of the invention is achieved by substituting a moving abrasive belt for the stone, and locating one or more chambers about the belt, each having at one side an inlet for the abraded material which exits from the apparatus via a second outlet generally alongside the main outlet through which the abraded small objects exit from the apparatus.
According to the invention in one aspect there is provided apparatus for use in the surface abrasion treatment of small objects to remove surface material therefrom, the apparatus comprising: a drum member having an abrasive surface, and means for rotating the drum about a substantially vertical axis; at least one treatment chamber adjacent the periphery of the drum, each chamber comprising an outer surface and side walls and having an inlet adjacent the top of the drum and a main outlet adjacent the bottom of the drum; the outer surface being opposite the abrasive surface of the drum; and at least one side wall spaced from the abrasive surface so that a clearance is present therebetween; a subsidiary outlet being present adjacent the main outlet; whereby, in use, small objects supplied to the inlet of the chamber(s) are treated by passage through the chambers by the abrasive surface of the rotating drum to remove surface material therefrom and the abraded small objects leave via the main outlet and the surface material leaves via the subsidiary outlet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention in another aspect there is provided a method of abrading small objects to remove surface material therefrom, the method comprising passing the small objects via an inlet at the top of a chamber towards the bottom thereof, the chamber having a floor defined by a rotating drum having an abrasive surface, the chamber having an outer surface opposite the floor, the chamber having side walls at least one of which is spaced from the floor so that a small clearance is present therefrom, the chamber having a main outlet and a subsidiary outlet, the inlet being located above the outlets, and allowing the abraded material to leave via the subsidiary outlet and the abraded objects to leave the main outlet.
We have proposed in a number of patent publications apparatus for the purpose specified and which comprises in combination a chamber; means for providing an abrasive moving bottom which passes under a transverse wall of the chamber; an inlet for objects to be abraded; and an outlet for abraded objects, the apparatus being arranged so that in use objects recirculate in the chamber and material removed from the objects passes under the transverse wall. The chamber has a top, opposed to the bottom, this to
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Eley Timothy V.
Koolmill Systems Limited
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