Patent ID: 6382427
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: B07B,B07C

Abstract:
An apparatus for separating unhulled pistachios and hulled pistachios comprising:(a) a support frame; (b) a substantially cylindrical, horizontal drum rotatably mounted to the frame and having an ascending portion and a descending portion and an outer surface which frictionally engages unhulled pistachios preferentially to hulled pistachios; (c) means for rotating the drum; (d) a conveyor supported by the frame and having a first end and a second end, wherein said second end is adjacent to the ascending portion of the drum, wherein pistachios are deposited on the first end, transported to the second end and deposited onto the rotating drum therefrom, wherein the first end of the conveyor is mounted to a track on the frame permitting lateral movement of the first end of the conveyor; (e) means for moving the lateral position of the first end of the conveyor; and (f) means for collecting unhulled pistachios from the descending portion.