Abstract:
A foodstuff seed sorting endless belt conveyor apparatus for sorting out premium quality seeds from a seed mixture having both premium and inferior grade seeds on the basis of seed physical characteristics develops an orbital motion that is superimposed upon the normal longitudinal motion of the apparatus endless belt to thereby increase sorting selectivity, efficiency, and rates of product throughput.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES  
       [0001]     None.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to the sorting of food-stuffs, and particularly concerns both endless belt conveyor apparatus and methods of endless belt conveyor apparatus operation that enable the sorting out or removal, by physical characteristics or properties, of food-stuff items of less-than-desirable shape (sometimes referred to as “trash”) from a process flow of a mixture of both acceptable and unacceptable food-stuff shapes with greater selectivity, greater efficiency, and increased product throughput rates.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Increasingly, customers for food-stuff seeds in the United States such as soy beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, etc. especially insist or require that the delivered end-product food-stuff seeds be of a “premium grade”—a grade that is visually, very nearly totally-free of included imperfectly formed (misshapen) seeds such as those seeds having flat surface areas, surface indentations and deformities, etc., and also be totally free of undersized seeds, of plant stems, rocks, stones, pellet-sized clumps of soil, and other matter. The unacceptable end product constituents are considered herein to be in the general category of “trash”.  
         [0004]     Both longitudinally and upwardly-pitched endless belt sorting conveyor apparatus and longitudinally and transversely downwardly-pitched endless belt sorting conveyor apparatus have been used in the United States for food-stuff shape-sorting purposes but such have not achieved adequate efficiency in achieving total removal of misshapen seeds from the delivered “premium grade” end-product to thereby satisfy market quality requirements.  
         [0005]     I have discovered that by superimposing an orbital motion (i.e., circular, elliptical, etc. motion) upon the longitudinal motion of a longitudinally and transversely tilted endless belt seed sorter apparatus both the efficiency of misshapen seed removal from raw food-stock seed and the rate of seed processing may be significantly increased. Also, I have discovered that varying the surface finish of the sorter conveyor endless belt can in some instances further enhance sorting efficiency as in the case of meeting specific minimum seed size requirements  
         [0006]     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during consideration of the detailed drawings, descriptions, and claims which follow.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The seed-sorting apparatus of the present invention is essentially comprised of a freely suspended compound frame, a motor-driven endless sorter belt conveyor assembly that is carried by an upper frame element of the compound frame, a manually-operated mechanism that imparts an adjustable upward longitudinal tilt to the upper frame element and the belt conveyor, a lower compound frame element that pivotally supports the upper frame element and its driven endless sorter belt, a manually-operated mechanism that imparts an adjustable transverse downward tilt to the conveyor assembly and its driven endless belt, and a motor-driven drive that imparts orbital (i.e., circular, elliptical, etc.) motion to the lower compound frame element of the freely suspended compound frame and the components that it carries to thus, from a method standpoint, superimpose an additional and particular lateral motion upon the longitudinal motion of the apparatus conveyor assembly endless sorter belt.  
         [0008]     A seed feed hopper and also discharge chutes are typically included with the apparatus, and is some cases modifications are made to the surface of the conveyor endless sorter belt to further improve seed-sorting efficiency. Also, an alternate form of conveyor apparatus support to permit limited free lateral motion of the conveyor and its compound support frame assembly is contemplated. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the improved endless belt food-stuff seed sorter apparatus assembly of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the apparatus assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view of the apparatus assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a discharge-end elevation view of the apparatus assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a schematic section view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 ; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a schematic perspective view of alternate embodiment of the present invention having a different type of limited free lateral motion suspension for the invention apparatus compound frame. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5  of the drawings, the endless belt seed-sorting apparatus of the present invention is referenced generally as  10  and such is essentially situated within overall welded box-type suspension frame assembly  12 . The assembly endless belt conveyor sub-assembly  14  has an inlet end  16  adjacent to feed hopper  18  and a first discharge chute  20  positioned adjacent to conveyor trash discharge end  22  The apparatus endless belt is designated  24 . Endless belt  24  is supported by end rollers  26  and  28  each mounted in a pair of opposed pillow blocks  30  attached to and carried by conveyor sub-assembly spaced-apart support beams  32 .  
         [0016]     A shield or guard  34  extends along the rear longitudinal edge of conveyor sub-assembly  14  to prevent seed and other materials from falling off the rear side of the conveyor. A second discharge chute  36  is mounted adjacent the front edge of conveyor  14  to receive seed that have been sorted out for subsequent delivery to a customer or customers. A plurality of separator or cut-out blocks  38  divide second discharge chute  36  into sections to enable the sorted seeds to be graded according to different degrees of quality, if desired. Receiving containers (not shown) are positioned beneath second discharge chute  36 .  
         [0017]     Referring particularly to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , conveyor sub-assembly  14  is driven by an electric motor  42  connected to a drive pulley  44  by belt  46 . A small pulley  48  is mounted on the same shaft as pulley  44  which acts as a speed reducer. Pulley  48  drives a pulley  50  that is driven by belt  52 . Pulley  50  is affixed to the shaft of conveyor discharge-end roller  26 .  
         [0018]     During normal operation of apparatus  10  the back longitudinal edge of conveyor assembly  12  adjacent to shield  34  is elevated with respect to the front longitudinal edge of endless belt  24  adjacent to second discharge chute  36 . A manually-operated transverse (lateral) tilt adjustment mechanism  60  is provided for operation to accomplish changing the elevation of the conveyor sub-assembly back edge relative to the uppermost edge of second discharge chute  36 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , conveyor beam members  32  are joined to transverse frame element  62 ,  64 , and a pair of parallel bars  66 . Bars  66  extend between the bottom surfaces of conveyor frame beams  32  to just above the transverse frame members  62 ,  64 . Transverse frame members  62 ,  64  are pivotally attached to an upper longitudinal frame member  70  by pivot connections  72  and  74 , respectively. Upper longitudinal frame member  70  is pivotally connected to bottom longitudinal frame member  76  through a pivot connection  78  to enable the discharge end  22  of conveyor sub-assembly  14  to be adjustably elevated with respect to the inlet end  16  as will be described in detail below.  
         [0020]     Transverse tilt adjustment mechanism  60  incorporates an adjustment wheel  82  which when rotated drives threaded shaft  84  by means of a chain and sprocket assembly  86 . Threaded shaft  84  is mounted within a threaded bore of a cross member  88  which extends beneath and engages the parallel bars  66  which extend between conveyor frame members  30 ,  32  as stated above. A pair of transverse elevation links  90 ,  92  are pivotally attached at one end to cross member  88  and are pivotally attached at the other end to the upper longitudinal frame member  70 . Rotation of manually-operated adjustment wheel  82  and threaded shaft  84  cause cross member  88  to slide along the bottom of bars  66  to thereby elevate or lower the back longitudinal edge of conveyor sub-assembly  14  with respect to the opposite front longitudinal edge. As mentioned previously, in normal operation of seed sorting apparatus assembly  10  the back longitudinal edge of conveyor sub-assembly  14  is elevated with respect to the front longitudinal edge. It may be observed that the load carried by cross member  88  is primarily transferred to transverse elevation links  90 ,  92  which in turn carry the load to upper longitudinal frame member  70 . The degree of elevation inputted to the rear longitudinal edge of conveyor sub-assembly  14  relative to the front longitudinal edge is determined by the nature of the food-stuff seed material to be sorted.  
         [0021]     As previously noted, normal operation of seed sorting apparatus  10  also involves elevating discharge end  22  of conveyor sub-assembly  14  relative to inlet end  16 . Elevation adjustment of discharge end  22  is accomplished by a horizontal adjustment mechanism  100 . Longitudinal tilt adjustment mechanism  100  utilizes a manually-operated longitudinal tilt adjustment wheel  102  to drive a longitudinally extending threaded screw  104  through a chain and sprocket mechanism  106 . Threaded screw  104  is connected to a transverse cross member  108  having guide pins  110 ,  112  mounted at opposite ends thereof. Guide pins  110 ,  112  are captured in guide rails  114 ,  116  mounted on opposite sides at the discharge end of lower longitudinal elevation frame member  76 . A pair of longitudinal elevation links  118 ,  119  are pivotally connected at one end to transverse cross member  108 , and are pivotally connected at the other end to opposite sides of upper longitudinal frame member  70  adjacent discharge end  22 .  
         [0022]     Thus, as longitudinal tilt adjustment wheel  102  and screw  104  are rotated, transverse cross member  108  is reciprocated within guide rails  114 ,  116  to thereby extend or retract longitudinal elevation links  118 ,  119 . Movement of longitudinal elevation links  118 ,  119  causes the discharge end of upper longitudinal frame member  70  to be raised or lowered as the case may be. As mentioned above, during conventional operation of sorting machine  10  the discharge end  22  of conveyor sub-assembly  14  must be elevated relative to inlet end  16 . The degree of elevation inputted to the discharge end of conveyor sub-assembly  14  relative to the inlet end is determined by the nature of the seed material to be sorted.  
         [0023]     Lower longitudinal frame member  76  rests upon a pair of spaced-apart parallel lateral suspension frame elements  120 ,  122 . Each end of the transverse suspension frame element  120 ,  122  is connected to one end of a pair of upper transverse suspension frame members  124 ,  126  by cable elements  128  through  134  attached to a U-bolt at one end thereof and to an S-hook mounted in a U-bolt at the opposite end thereof. In this manner, upper and lower longitudinal frame members  70 ,  76  which support conveyor sub-assembly  14  including transverse tilt adjustment mechanism  60  and longitudinal adjustment mechanism  100  are freely suspended to allow limited, generally lateral planar movement of those components.  
         [0024]     An orbital platform drive mechanism  140  is attached to the lower extreme of box frame  12  to cause limited orbital (i.e., circular, elliptical, etc.) movement of lower longitudinal frame member  76  and the many apparatus component parts that it supports. Orbital drive mechanism  140  utilizes an electric gear reduction motor assembly  142  which drives a beveled gear assembly  144 . Beveled gear assembly  144  has a vertical output shaft  146  which is rigidly connected to a weighted plate element  148 . (See  FIG. 5 ). A slidable orbit adjustment mechanism  150  movable within a slot  152  formed in weighted plate  148  and another slot  154  within plate element  156  rigidly affixed to the lower surface of lower longitudinal frame member  76  serves to connect the two elements. Sliding adjustment mechanism  150  with the slot elements  152  and  154  changes the radial distance from vertical output shaft  146  of beveled gear assembly  144  and the connection to longitudinal frame member  76 . By changing this distance, movement in a desired orbital path may be imposed to upper and lower longitudinal frame members  70 ,  76  and to conveyor sub-assembly  14  and its longitudinally moving endless belt  24  when electric gear reduction motor  142  is operated.  
         [0025]     Preparation of seed sorting apparatus assembly  10  for operation commences with operating transverse tilt adjustment mechanism  60  by manually rotating adjustment wheel  82  and threaded shaft  84  to thereby properly set the height of rear longitudinal edge of conveyor sub-assembly  14  relative to the conveyor front longitudinal edge. For the purpose of sorting out “premium” soy beans from a conventional food-stuff supply of harvested soy beans I prefer utilization of a conveyor belt transverse angle of downward tilt of approximately 3½°. Thereafter, longitudinal tilt adjustment mechanism  100  is manually operated by rotating adjustment wheel  102  and screw element  104  to thereby properly adjust the height of the discharge end  22  of conveyor sub-assembly  14  relative to inlet end  16 . Again, and for the purpose of sorting out “premium” soy beans from a conventional food-stuff supply of harvested soy beans, I prefer utilization of a conveyor belt longitudinal argle of upward tilt of approximately 4¼°. Referring to  FIG. 1 , after making the desired transverse and longitudinal tilt adjustments, the rear longitudinal edge of conveyor sub-assembly  14  will be at a higher level than the conveyor front longitudinal edge adjacent second discharge ramp  36 . Additionally, the discharge end of conveyor sub-assembly  14  will be raised relative to inlet end  16  and feed hopper  18 . Also, and with respect to the sorting out of “premium” soy beans from a conventional supply of harvested soy bean feed-stuff, I prefer a sorting apparatus orbital movement diameter of approximately 3% inches, an orbital speed of rotation of approximately 70 to 80 revolutions per minute, and an endless belt longitudinal velocity of approximately 85 feet per minute. Under these operating conditions, and utilizing an endless conveyor belt that is approximately 7.5 feet end to end, the rate of product throughput for apparatus  10  was approximately 3,000 pounds of dry soy bean food-stuff per hour. With respect to sorting out other types of beans of larger size than soy beans, I prefer to utilize smaller angles of endless belt transverse tilt, larger orbital movement diameters, and lower orbital speeds of rotation.  
         [0026]     In  FIG. 6I  schematically illustrate an alternate embodiment of the invention seed sorting endless belt conveyor apparatus. The alternate embodiment is identified generally by reference number  200 . Elements corresponding to those of the preferred embodiment are identified by the previously utilized reference numerals. The principal difference between apparatus assembly  10  and apparatus assembly  200  resides in the design of the suspension which facilitates orbital movement of upper and lower longitudinal frame members  70 ,  76  as a result of operating platform drive mechanism  140 . Sorting apparatus  200  utilizes a plurality (i.e., 3 or more) of extended coil springs  202  that are mounted on a weldment-type base frame  204  and that support resiliently mounted, co-operating cross members  206  and  208 . Such coil springs have sufficient stiffness in toto to adequately support the apparatus structure carried by cross member  206  and  208 , yet are not so rigid as to as to be lacking columnar flexibility that facilitates orbital displacement of the uppermost ends of the coil springs. Operation of the transverse tilt adjustment mechanism  60  and longitudinal tilt adjustment mechanism  100  is identical to the operation of those elements in machine preferred embodiment  10 . Similarly, the connection of orbital drive mechanism  140  to the lower longitudinal frame member  76  is the same as in apparatus embodiment  10 . Additionally, when orbital drive mechanism  140  is operated both longitudinal frame members  70  and  76  as well as conveyor sub-assembly  14  orbit laterally in the same manner as the like elements of the seed sorting endless belt conveyor apparatus  10  of  FIGS. 1 through 5 .  
         [0027]     Overall, during operation of the invention apparatus “visually” truly spherical soy beans of the preferred premium grade when dumped from feed hopper  18  onto endless conveyor belt  24  quickly roll to the front longitudinal edge of conveyor sub-assembly  14  and onto discharge ramp  36  at the discharge ramp first cut-out zone. Soy beans with less sphericity roll less rapidly toward the conveyor sub-assembly front longitudinal edge and as a result roll into one of the ramp element subsequent cut-out zones thus indicating that they are of less than a “premium” grade. The majority of separate bean elements which do not roll onto second discharge ramp  36  will be carried by endless belt  24  along with other trash to conveyor discharge end  22  and onto first discharge chute  20 .  
         [0028]     The purpose of superimposing an orbital movement upon the longitudinal movement of endless belt  24  is to quickly insure that all surfaces of the beans or other materials being sorted are more thoroughly examined both for sphericity and for the lack of it as by the presence of flat spots, indentations, etc. Imparting an additional orbital movement too the examined items in addition to the conveyor endless belt longitudinal movement ensures that virtually all surfaces of the items being sorted will be checked. Also, I have discovered that the imposition of orbital motion upon the conveyor endless belt longitudinal motion significantly facilitates the efficient operation of equipment  10  at higher rates of product throughput.  
         [0029]     Various changes may be made to the size, shape, and relative proportions of the invention elements described herein without departing from the meaning, scope, or intent of the claims which follow.