Hand-operated appliance for shucking black-eyed pea seed coverings from their kernels

A hand-held, manually operated seed shucking appliance enables a food preparer to remove the seed coverings of black-eyed peas from their kernels. A spring and piston inside a chamber are arranged to compress a load of pre-soaked black-eyed peas against a shuttle rasp threaded between side slots. As a user manipulates the shuttle rasp, the shucks are scraped off the seeds by a scraping surface and both pass through the side slots. The piston is configured to be cocked back such that the chamber can be loaded through one end with a fresh charge of black-eyed peas.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for shucking the skins from the seeds of pre-soaked black-eyed peas. In particular, the present invention relates to hand-held, manually operated devices that compress a load of pre-soaked black-eyed peas inside a chamber against a shuttle rasp threaded between side slots. The seeds and the shucks scraped off are then small enough to pass out through the slots.

2. Description of Related Art

According to the Congo Cookbook, Moyin-Moyin (also called Moin-Moin, Moi-Moi, Moimoi), prepared from black-eyed peas or other beans, is a unique and delicious savory bean pudding. (See, www.congocookbook.com/snack_recipes/moyin_moyin.html) The traditional way to cook Moyin-Moyin is to make a paste ground from the shucked seeds. The paste is wrapped in banana leaves, and then steamed until cooked. In modern Africa, Moyin-Moyin is cooked in tin cans, or muffin pans or tins.

To start, about two cups of whole black-eyed peas are soaked or boiled in water until the skins are soft enough to be shucked by pinching or rubbing them off. The traditional way has been for each cook to manually rub the softened beans together to remove the skins. A rinse is used to wash away the skins and any other debris. The remaining bare seeds are drained in a colander and ground into a paste for the pudding.

Removing the skins, or shucks, from whole black-eyed peas this way is very tedious, labor intensive, and time consuming. Many different food uses of legumes, grains, drupes, silques, achenes, and other seeds call for removing the skins or hulls. The prior art has developed a wide variety of separation and grating methods, only a few of which are affordable and practical for home use.

Many prior art food graters grind the food into shavings without removing any peel, as in cheese graters. Others grind off peels that cannot be removed as skins, as in raw potato peelings. The foods of interest here are, e.g., seeds, peas, or beans where the skins can be removed whole, even if soaking or boiling is needed to soften the skins or seed coverings for complete removal and separation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, a seed shucking embodiment of the present invention for separating the seed coverings of black-eyed peas from their kernels comprises a hand-held, manually operated device with a spring and piston to compress a load of pre-soaked black-eyed peas inside a chamber up against a shuttle rasp threaded between side slots. As a cook or other user manipulates the shuttle rasp, the shucks are scraped off the seeds and both are reduced in size enough to pass out and through the side slots. The piston is configured to be cocked back such that the chamber can be loaded through one end with a fresh charge of black-eyed peas.

The above and still further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1A-1Drepresent a seed-shucking appliance embodiment of the present invention for separating the seed coverings of black eyed peas from their kernels, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral100. The seed-shucking appliance100is intended to be handheld, manually operated, and useful in a typical kitchen. Seed-shucking appliance100comprises a hollow, tubular body102or chamber inside of which a load of black eyed peas104can be introduced and pressed by a piston106against a shuttle rasp108. The tubular body102can be made of clear plastic and have a round or rectangular cross section with open ends. Piston106is configured to slide easily inside tubular body102and contain the load of black eyed peas104and any debris resulting from use.

InFIG. 1B, the shuttle rasp108can be seen to be fully inserted through matching lateral slots110and112after the black eyed peas104are poured in by a user. The lateral slots110and112disposed in opposite walls of a chamber and are dimensioned to permit the expulsion of individual black-eyed pea seed kernels and their coverings only after separation.

A spring114is configured to released by a cocking or holding mechanism (FIG. 2) to allow the piston to move up and bear on the load of black eyed peas104. At any time, the user may choose to flip seed-shucking appliance100over to allow a first end116to rest on a table for better leverage and to allow gravity to assist.

The end of spring114opposite to piston106is anchored to either a closed end of tubular body102or fastened to it with a cap. SeeFIG. 2. It is desirable for all the pieces to be easily disassembled for cleaning, and it would help in both the operation and cleaning if tubular body102was made of a clear glass or plastic material.

The side of shuttle rasp108that faces the load of black eyed peas104is roughened such that when the user moves it back and forth the shucks of the black eyed peas104will be torn off their kernels. The lateral slots110and112are configured and critically sized to prevent whole ones of black eyed peas104from escaping, but nevertheless allow shucks and kernels to escape, as illustrated inFIGS. 1C and 1D.

InFIG. 1C, the shuttle rasp108is pushed in toward lateral slot112causing shuck120A and seed kernels120B to be abraded and separated from one another. These are then small enough to be ejected out through lateral slot110that can fall into a bowl121. A typical family would prepare about two cups of black eyed peas for a single meal.

InFIG. 1D, the shuttle rasp108is pulled out away from lateral slot112causing the shuck122A and seed kernels122B to be torn and separated from one another. These bits too are then small enough to be ejected out through lateral slot112.FIGS. 1C and 1Dshow the separated seed kernels as simple black dots, and the shucks as rounded, blank ovals.

FIG. 2represents an alternative seed shucking appliance embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral200. An appliance200has a tubular body202in which two lateral slots204and206have been cut, and two longitudinal slots208an210are provided. A top end212is fitted with a removable funnel214, and a bottom end216has a snap or screw-on cap218.

A holding or cocking mechanism can be included to facilitate loading a quantity of black eyed peas through funnel214and top end212. For example, longitudinal slots208and210can be formed as elongated J-channels to allow a locking action to keep a spring compressed. A pair of handles220and222are threaded out through longitudinal slots208and210to allow a user to move an internal piston224. A hook223can be seen inFIG. 2that prides a locking mechanism with handles220and222that together can keep spring230compressed for loading a chamber above piston224.

A handle or knob226on one end of a reciprocating shuttle rasp228provides the user a more comfortable way for a user to manipulate and reciprocate the shuttle rasp228. Lateral slots204and206can be fitted with glides232and234or otherwise constructed to provide for a smooth, wobble-free action with respect to reciprocating shuttle rasp228.

A compression spring230attaches to piston224and to the inside bottom of cap218. A secure way needs to be incorporated to allow a typical user to remove and to fix cap218to end216. For example, by including plastic molded screw threads. In general, the majority of parts can be constructed of plastic, but parts like spring230, handles220and222, and shuttle rasp228would probably best be constructed of metal like stainless steel.

The roughened, abrasive surface of shuttle rasp228that faces piston224must not be allowed to snag on the adjacent edges of lateral slots204and206. A pair of guides232and234are included to control shuttle rasp228to provide smooth operation. The placement and configuration of guides232and234are also such that a constant, proper gap of about one half diameter of an averaged sized black eye pea is maintained between the roughened, abrasive surface of shuttle rasp228and the opposing edges of the respective lateral slots204and206. Lips (FIG. 4) may also be provided on the shuttle rasp228for the same purposes. Many different types of configurations have been developed by others and marketed commercially that would be useful in alternative embodiments.

FIG. 3represents a seed shucking appliance embodiment of the present invention with an alternative spring cocking mechanism, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral300. An appliance300has a tubular body302in which two lateral slots304and306have been cut. A top end312is fitted with a removable funnel314, and a bottom end316has a snap or screw-on cap318.

An alternative holding or cocking mechanism is provided to facilitate loading a quantity of black eyed peas through top end312. A rod320is attached to piston324and passes out through cap318allow a user to pull it down. A distal end of rod320has a knob325attached.

A handle326on one end of a reciprocating shuttle rasp328provides the user a more comfortable way for a user to manipulate and reciprocate the shuttle rasp328. Lateral slots304and306can be fitted with glides or otherwise constructed to provide for a smooth, wobble-free action with respect to reciprocating shuttle rasp328.

A compression spring330attaches to piston324and to the inside bottom of cap318. A secure way needs to be incorporated to allow a typical user to remove and to fix cap318to end316. For example, by including plastic molded screw threads. In general, the majority of parts can be constructed of plastic, but parts like spring330, handles320and322, and shuttle rasp328would probably best be constructed of metal like stainless steel.

FIG. 4represents a shuttle rasp400useful in seed shucking appliance embodiments of the present invention. Here, shuttle rasp400has a roughened, scraping surface402on one side that is sheltered on its outside edges between protruding longitudinal lips404and406. The roughened, scraping surface402is used to rub and/or tear coverings and shucks from the seed kernels of black eyed peas when the shuttle rasp400is reciprocated by a user. The longitudinal lips404and406keep the roughened, scraping surface402from snagging anything but the black eyed peas during operation and provide a smoother action. The placement and configuration of longitudinal lips404and406are such that they maintain a constant, proper gap of about one half diameter of an averaged sized black eye pea between the roughened, scraping surface402and the opposing edge of the respective lateral slots. A handle408is provided for a user to grip.

An earlier appliance by the present Inventor was described and published in United States Patent Application publication, 2009-0068332, on Mar. 12, 2009, now abandoned. The present Invention represents an advancement and improvement over the earlier designs in that it is simpler, less expensive, easier to clean, easier to use, and is more portable.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, such was not intended to limit the invention. Modifications and changes will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art, and it was intended that the invention only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.