Abstract:
A cup and cone feed distributor enables a finer grind of the foodstuffs ground within a grinding chamber, and more efficiently distributes the foodstuffs for engagement with grinding members, preventing accumulation of the foodstuffs at the bottom of the grinding members.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to devices for grinding foodstuffs such as grains, nuts, and the like, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for distributing foodstuffs between grinding members and thereby grinding foodstuffs into a finer grind with minimal loss of raw material and minimal equipment down time.  
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Throughout human history, foodstuffs such as grains, nuts, and the like have been ground into meal and flour by means of grinding stones. Traditional systems for grinding foodstuffs comprise a grinding chamber having two grinding plates positioned relative to one another, with the foodstuff to be ground propelled into the grinding chamber by an auger. Once the foodstuff enters the grinding chamber, it must be distributed radially outward between the grinding plates.  
         [0003]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4  of the drawings, there is shown the grinding chamber  28  of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,322,013, 6,209,813, and 5,927,628. Within the chamber  28  is a fixed grinding member  50  and a driven grinding member  40 . The foodstuffs to be ground are propelled into the grinding chamber  28  by an auger  164 . A distributing blade  184 , secured to the driven grinding member, distributes the foodstuffs radially outward to be ground between the fixed grinding member  50  and the driven grinding member  40 . The foodstuffs are distributed outward between the grinding members  40  and  50  at an angle substantially perpendicular to the rotation of the driven grinding member  40 .  
         [0004]     Foodstuffs are successfully ground using the distributing blade  184  configuration of the prior art, but only to a course grind. If a finer grind is an additional grinding process has been required. Also, the distributing blade  184  does not distribute the foodstuffs outwardly in the most efficient manner. Instead, the foodstuffs accumulate at the center of the driven grinding member  40  on the distributing blade  184  and become gelatinous lumps. When this occurs, the grinding chamber  28  must be opened and cleaned, slowing down production and necessitating the service of an operator and/or a repair technician.  
         [0005]     The present invention comprises a food grinding apparatus and method which overcomes the foregoing and other difficulties which have long since characterized the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention a grinding apparatus which improves upon and may be used in conjunction with the cited prior art comprises a cup and cone feed distribution apparatus and method which achieves a finer grind than has heretofore been possible by pre-grinding the foodstuffs and which radially distributes the foodstuffs in a manner that minimizes raw material loss and equipment downtime.  
         [0006]     In accordance with the more specific aspects of the invention a cone mounted onto a driven grinding member distributes foodstuffs radially outward for engagement between driven and fixed grinding members in a direction substantially parallel to vanes of the driven grinding member. A cup mounted onto the fixed grinding member facilitates even better foodstuff. Spiral blades comprising the cup and spiral blades comprising the cone facilitate distribution of the foodstuffs in a direction substantially similar to the rotation of the driven grinding member, preventing accumulations of foodstuff at the center of the grinding members, thereby reducing equipment downtime needed for cleaning and maintenance required, and facilitating better yield from the raw foodstuffs.  
         [0007]     In addition to improved distribution of the foodstuffs within the grinding chamber, the cup and cone are proximally positioned relative to one another in a manner that provides a pre-grind of foodstuffs. Pre-grinding enables the grinding members to grind the foodstuffs more finely. In addition to facilitating a finer grind, the pre-grinding performed by the cup and cone relieve some of the workload of the grinding members and thus prolongs the useful life of the grinding members.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a prior art grinding chamber;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a portion of the grinding chamber shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a view of a grinding apparatus used in the grinding chamber shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a portion of the grinding apparatus shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a view of a grinding apparatus for grinding foodstuffs comprising the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of a portion of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged perspective view illustrating an alternate embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a view of a grinding apparatus for grinding foodstuffs comprising the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     Referring specifically to  FIGS. 5 through 8 , there is shown the grinding chamber  28  comprising a first embodiment of the present invention which improves upon and may be used in conjunction with the grinding apparatus  20  shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,322,013, 6,209,813, and 5,927,628 and described in detail therein.  
         [0020]     Referring specifically to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the grinding chamber  28  comprises a driven grinding member  40  and a fixed grinding member  50 , as described in the aforementioned patents. A cone  202  for distributing foodstuff radially outward for engagement between the grinding members  40  and  50  is secured in the center of the driven grinding member  40  by fasteners  204  such that the cone  202  rotates with the driven grinding member  40 . The cone  202  may be formed from a metal having a Rockwell C hardness of 30 or greater, or may be formed from other rigid materials known to those skilled in the art and suitable for use in the food processing industry. The cone  202  has spiral fins  206  that extend from the top of the cone  202  to the base of the cone  202 , where the cone  202  mates with the driven grinding member  40 . As the foodstuff is propelled in the grinding chamber  28  onto the cone  202  by the auger  164 , the spiral fins  206  propel the received foodstuff radially outward for engagement between the grinding members  40  and  50  in a direction substantially parallel to the vanes  180  of the driven grinding member  40 .  
         [0021]     A concave cup  210  is mounted on the fixed grinding member  50  and is secured with fasteners  212 . The cup  210  is equipped with spiral fins  214  that extend from the top of the cup  210  to the bottom of the cup  210 . The cup  210  and cone  202  are proximally located to each other. The close spatial relationship between the cup  210  and cone  202  facilitates pre-grinding of received foodstuff by the fins  214  of the cup  210  and the fins  206  of the cone  202  as the foodstuff is propelled radially outward. In addition to the cup  210  and cone  202  providing a pre-grind of the foodstuff, other components of the grinding apparatus  20  such as the auger  164  may be configured for pre-grinding of the foodstuff.  
         [0022]      FIGS. 7 and 8  further illustrate the construction and orientation of the grinding chamber  28  as is it is mounted in a grinding apparatus  20 .  
         [0023]     Referring specifically to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , there is shown a grinding chamber  220  comprising a second embodiment of the invention. Many of the component parts are substantially identical in construction and function to component parts of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS.  5  through  8  and described hereinabove in conjunction therewith. Such identical component parts are designated in  FIGS. 9 and 10  with the same reference numerals utilized above in the description of the first embodiment, but are differentiated therefrom by means of a prime (′) designation.  
         [0024]     The second embodiment is more suited for applications utilizing a smaller size grinding apparatus  20 ′. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that there is no concave cup mounted on the fixed grinding member  50 ′. Rather, the fixed grinding member  50 ′ is equipped with radial fins  230  which protrude from the fixed grinding member  50 ′ near the center thereof. The cone  202 ′ protrudes toward the fixed grinding member  50 ′ in a manner such that the cone  202 ′ is proximally positioned relative to the radial fins  230  in a manner that facilitates improved distribution of the foodstuffs and enables a pre-grind of the foodstuffs.  
         [0025]     Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.