Patent ID: 6205915
Filing Date: 2001-03-27
Classification: A23N

Abstract:
An apparatus for successively delivering nuts in a predetermined orientation to a cracking head of a nutcracker, and comprisinga hopper for storing a relatively large quantity of the nuts to be cracked,an endless conveyor having an upper run extending through said hopper to a delivery point exteriorly thereof, with said conveyor comprising a feed chain and a plurality of nut transport elements mounted in succession on said feed chain, with each element including opposite sides and a generally semicircular, laterally extending receptacle which faces upwardly during movement of the element through said hopper and to said delivery point, and with each receptacle being sized to supportingly receive a single nut to be cracked which is orientated with its end to end direction extending along the receptacle,said upper run of said endless conveyor including an upwardly inclined segment extending through the lower portion of said hopper and a substantially horizontal segment extending from said upwardly inclined segment to said delivery point, and with the upwardly inclined segment and the horizontal segment defining an arcuate transition juncture therebetween,a drive for rotating said endless conveyor such that said nut transport elements move in succession through said hopper and to said delivery point, anda plate positioned so as to continuously overlie the path of the nut transport elements from a point along said upwardly inclined segment, along said transition juncture, and to a point immediately upstream of said delivery point, and with said plate being mounted such that the plate may be lifted upwardly from the elements.