PEELER DEVICE

Abstract: A peeling machine (1) for peeling preferably vegetables. The machine comprises a drum (2) which is rotatably supported and operable about a first axis (A1). On the internal face of the drum (2) grating means, e.g., teeth, are provided for removing peel. The drum (2) is substantially spherical and rotatably supported and operable about at least a second axis (A2), which is substantially at right angles to the first axis (A1).

Description: PEELER DEVICE The present invention relates to a peeling machine for peeling preferably vegetables, comprising a substantially spherical drum which is rotatably supported and operable about a first axis, and wherein on the internal face of the drum grating means, for example, teeth, are provided for removing peel. Peeling machines known hitherto for peeling, for example, vegetables, especially potatoes, have been rotatably supported and operable about only one axis. In the majority of cases, this axis has been arranged vertically. In some cases, however, a drum supported about a horizontal axis has been used. DE 1284590 makes known a peeling machine for peeling potatoes. An approximately spherical peeler drum is pivotally supported in an axis in an outer housing which can be turned about an axis that is at right angles to the peeling-rotating axis of the drum. This allows the housing and peeler drum to be turned for filling and emptying. When, for example, peeling potatoes, this causes the potatoes to roll mainly about one axis, and then invariably the longitudinal axis. Most potatoes have one dimension that is larger than the other dimensions of the potato, and will therefore have a tendency to rotate about an axis which extends through this largest dimension. This means that the potato is primarily peeled across a circumference which is approximately at right angles to the longitudinal axis. The ends of the potato will often be extremely ill-peeled, and remains of peel will be left in these areas. In order to better peel the potatoes it is therefore usual to run the peeler for a fairly long period of time so that also the ends of the potato will be adequately peeled. However, this results in a substantial reduction in the size of the potato, as this additional peeling causes the potato to lose further mass where the peel has already been removed, i.e., about its small circumference. This increased supply of starch to the mass of peelings means that very large amounts of water must be introduced to prevent this mass from becoming lumpy, and so causing the peeler to operate inefficiently. By means of the present invention it is sought to provide a peeling machine which, apart from peeling potatoes and other vegetables evenly over their entire surface, also has as an object to be careful with the vegetables, where especially in the case of potatoes the aim is to avoid so-called bruising, i.e., blue marks on the peeled potatoes as a result of impact during peeling. It is also an object of the present invention to shorten the peeling time and reduce the use of water considerably. Another object of the present invention is to allow peeling of quite large amounts of vegetables in each load. The aforementioned objects are obtained by means of a peeling machine wherein the drum is rotatably supported and operable about at least a second axis, which is substantially at right angles to the first axis, the rotations about the two axes being interconnected, so that the two rotations take place simultaneously during the peeling process. By making the drum rotate about two axes simultaneously, the movement of the internal surface of the drum relative to the vegetables will constantly change direction, which means that, for example, the potatoes will not be allowed to roll about only one axis. The potatoes will therefore roll alternately about the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis, or any axis. The even peeling of vegetables obtained also causes the mass of peelings to contain less starch, which means that the mass has a porridge-like consistency and does not require a substantial addition of water. In practical tests, it has been found that the water consumption can be reduced to one tenth of normal water consumption, i.e., 10 litres of water per 100 kg of potatoes. The drum has been given a relatively large diameter, in the order of 1 metre, which means that the drum speed can be kept low. An appropriate speed of rotation is in the range of 25 to 50 rotations per minute. This causes the vegetables to roll over the internal surface of the drum whilst in almost constant contact therewith, thereby avoiding impact stresses on the vegetables The more even peeling of the vegetables also results in a considerable reduction in weight loss of the vegetables, as there is no longer any need to peel away valuable nutritious matter in order to ensure all the peel is removed from the ends of the vegetable. Furthermore, the peeling time is considerably more predictable, as the peeling time will no longer be dependent upon the shape of the vegetables, but can be expected to be about the same for the same type of vegetable. Lastly, with the peeling machine according to the invention it is also possible to peel vegetables which have a relatively thick and hard peel, such as, e.g., swedes. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a peeling machine according to the present invention; and Figure 2 shows a detail of a drive gear for the peeling machine according to the present invention. The peeling machine 1 according to Figure 1 consists of a spherical drum 2, which about its equator comprises a toothed bar 3 and at its poles is equipped with shaft journals 4 and 5. The shaft journals 4 and 5 are rotatably supported in a frame 6 about a first axis Al . The frame is in turn equipped with shaft journals 7 and 8, which are oriented at right angles to the shaft journals 4 and 5 along a second axis A2. The shaft journals 7 and 8 are rotatably supported in a machine frame 9 and a respective pulley 10 and 11 is fixedly connected to the shaft journal 7 and 8 respectively. Moreover, the shaft journal 8 is fixedly connected to the frame 6 as is described in more detail below. Via a respective belt 12 and 13, a respective motor 14 and 15 causes the pulleys 10 and 11 respectively, and thus the shaft journals 7 and 8 respectively, to rotate. A receptacle 16 may be placed beneath the drum 2 for collecting the peelings and water. The drum 2 is equipped with an openable hatch 27, the inside of which, when the hatch 27 is closed, forms a continuation of the internal spherical surface of the drum 2. The internal spherical surface of the drum 2 is equipped with non-illustrated grating means, for example, teeth, which are adapted to grate the peel off the vegetables. The shaft journal 8 is fixedly connected to the frame 6, whilst the shaft journal 7 extends with clearance through the frame 6 and into a drive gear 17 mounted on the frame 6. The drive gear 17 is shown in more detail in Figure 2. In this figure the shaft 7 can be seen extending through a hole 18 in the frame 6. At its end, the shaft journal 7 is equipped with a herringbone wheel 19, which is in engagement with a herringbone wheel 20 that is fixedly connected to an intermediate shaft 21. On the shaft 21 there is arranged a toothed wheel 22 which is fixedly connected to the intermediate shaft 21 by means of a cotter 23. The toothed wheel 22 is in engagement with the toothed bar 3 on the drum 2. Bearings 24, 25 and 26 support the shafts 7 and 21, the bearing 24 being fixed on the frame 6, whilst the bearings 25 and 26 are fixed to a yoke 28 which extends at right angles out from the frame 6. The mode of operation of the peeling machine will now be described in more detail. Firstly, the hatch 27 is opened to enable the drum 2 to be filled with a suitable quantity of the vegetables that are to be peeled. Some water is also poured into the drum 2 according to need. The hatch 27 is then closed. The motors 14 and 15 are then made to rotate at the same speed of rotation. Here, it should be pointed out that it is of course possible to use just one motor which is in driving connection with both pulleys 10 and 11. The pulley 11 has a diameter that is twice that of the pulley 10 and the pulley 11 will therefore rotate at half the speed of rotation of the pulley 10. Alternatively, the difference in the speed of rotation can of course be provided by the motors rotating at different speeds. Since the pulley 11 is fixedly connected to the frame 6 via the shaft journal 8, rotation of the motor 15 will cause the frame 6 to rotate about the second axis A2. The shaft journal 7 will act as a counter-bearing and ensure stable rotation of the frame 6. The rotation of the pulley 10 is transmitted via the shaft journal 7, the herringbone wheels 19 and 20, the intermediate shaft 21 and the toothed wheel 22 to the toothed bar 3. This causes the drum to rotate also about the first axis Al, which extends through the shaft journals 4 and 5. The speed of this rotation will be about twice as great as the speed of rotation of the frame 6. 5 In this way the drum 2 will rotate in turn about virtually all the axes in space. If a different rotation pattern is desired, this can be provided either by changing the pulleys 10 and 11 or by altering the speed of rotation of the motors 14 and 15. o When the peeling has been completed, the motors 14 and 15 are stopped in a position in which the hatch 27 faces upwards. The hatch 27 is then opened, and the drum is turned so that the hatch 27 faces downwards to allow the vegetables to be emptied into a receptacle. After the peeled vegetables have been emptied out, the waste can be emptied into the receptacle 16 and optionally be drained of water. This waste may very 5 well be used for animal feed or as compost. Although the description above describes a specific embodiment of the present invention, it is obvious to a person versed in the art that rotation about several axes can also be provided in any other manner which may be within the area of expertise of a person versed in the art. The invention is therefore only limited by that set forth in the independent claim below.

Claims: P a t e n t c l a i m s 1. A peeling machine (1) for peeling preferably vegetables, comprising a substantially spherical drum (2) which is rotatably supported and operable about a first axis (Al), and wherein on the internal surface of the drum (2) grating means, e.g., teeth, are provided for removing peel, characterised in that the drum (2) is rotatably supported and operable about at least a second axis (A2), which is substantially at right angles to the first axis (Al), the rotations about the two axes (Al, A2) being interconnected so that the two rotations take place simultaneously during the peeling process. 2. A peeling machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the drum (2) rotates at different speeds of rotation about the first axis (Al) and the second axis (A2). 3. A peeling machine according to claim 2, characterised in that the drum (2) rotates about the second axis (A2) at a speed of rotation which is about twice the speed of rotation about the first axis (Al). 4. A peeling machine according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the drum (2) is supported rotatably about the second axis (A2) in a frame (6), which frame (6) in turn is supported rotatably about the first axis (Al) in a machine frame (9). 5. A peeling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the drum (2) is equipped with a hatch (27), the inside of which when the hatch is closed substantially forms a part of the internal surface of the drum (2). 6. A peeling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that beneath the drum (6) there is provided a draining receptacle (16) for draining water off the peel. A peeling machine according to any one of claims 4-6, characterised in that it is equipped with a drive gear (17), comprising a shaft (7), which extends with clearance through the frame (6), which shaft (7) is in operative engagement with a toothed bar (3), which extends around the circumference of the drum (2). 8. A peeling machine according to claim 7, characterised in that the shaft (7) is in operative engagement with the toothed bar (3) via an intermediate shaft (21) which is supported rotatably on the frame (6). 9. A peeling machine according to claim 8, characterised in that the intermediate shaft (21) is rotatably supported in a yoke (28) on the inside of the frame (6).

Inventors: JENSEN EGIL, JENSEN, EGIL
Applicants: JENSEN EGIL, JENSEN, EGIL
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A23N7
IPC codes: A23N7, A47J17