Patent ID: 6454098
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: B07B

Abstract:
An apparatus for conditioning or classifying seed or both comprising a pre-conditioning unit and a seed conditioning/classifying unit, said pre-conditioning unit comprising:a. an outer collection housing; b. a scalping chamber comprising a perforated wall disposed within said housing, said scalping chamber having a diameter smaller than the interior of said housing to provide an interstitial space which is effective to allow flow of seeds therebetween, said perforated wall of said scalping chamber comprising perforations effective for allowing the passage of individual, whole seeds therethrough while substantially preventing the passage of clumps containing a plurality of seeds; c. an inlet to said scalping chamber for delivering raw seed material for treatment into the interior of said scalping chamber; d. an agitator within said scalping chamber effective for forcefully directing said raw seed material against the interior of said perforated wall of said scalping chamber thereby breaking up seed clumps and dislodging hairs, awns, and extraneous appendages from whole seed in said raw seed material; e. an outlet from said interstitial space of said housing for removing a crude particulate feed stream comprising whole seed and one or more of lint, dust, fuzz, and chaff which have passed through said perforated wall into said interstitial space; and said seed conditioning/classifying unit comprising:f. a conduit defined by an upper surface and lower surface and having an outlet at one end, wherein the central axis of said conduit at said outlet therefrom is generally horizontal; g. an inlet to said conduit spaced from said outlet of said conduit for providing said crude particulate feed stream entrained in a pressurized gas stream, said inlet to said conduit being in communication with said outlet from said interstitial space of said housing; h. a convexly curved Coanda surface adjacent to said upper surface of said conduit at said outlet therefrom and curving upwardly from said upper surface, wherein said Coanda surface is effective for separating said crude particulate feed stream as it is discharged from said outlet of said conduit into a first outlet stream channeled approximately along said Coanda surface, and a second outlet stream expelled approximately parallel to said central axis of said conduit at said outlet therefrom, wherein said first outlet stream comprises said gas and one or more of said lint, dust, fuzz, and chaff, and said second outlet stream comprises whole seed.