Abstract:
A roller press suited for pressing matter between rollers. Parallel shafts each have a roller fitted over the shaft. At an end of each shaft is a slot with an underlying pocket. Across an inside end of the roller is a pin. When a roller is installed over a shaft, the pin engages into the slot and then into the pocket. When the shaft is rotated under torque the pin seats inside the pocket and cannot be axially removed from the shaft. When the torque is removed the pin and slot can re-align allowing removal of the roller from the shaft for easy maintenance and cleaning.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to food processing, and more particularly, to a roller press that can, for example, compress sugarcane to extract the natural juice. Other applications will become apparent throughout the drawings and description. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Several designs for roller presses have been designed in the past. None of them, however, includes a way to easily remove the rollers to clean the device for the most sanitary treatment of the machine and its constituent parts. 
     Other roller presses have been known for many years. Typical designs have two or more stiff rollers spaced apart so that there is a constant gap between the rollers. The material to be pressed is passed between the rollers. The gap is smaller than the material being passed through the press resulting in great pressure applied during the pressing procedure. 
     As the material to be pressed is squeezed between the rollers the juices, oils, sap and other components are freed from the base material. The removed matter, often a gel or liquid, drips down by force of gravity into a collection vessel. 
     For example, a traditional manual cane press may have three rollers, each closely spaced. At least one of the rollers is powered by a hand crank, motor or animal motion. A stalk of sugarcane (or other plant material) is fed between the rollers and is summarily crushed and squeezed to separate the solids from the liquids. 
     Other types of presses have been used and are not suitable to the disclosed technology. For example, centrifugal spin presses and simple plate pressure presses are used in other applications and for specific plant matter. 
     Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,035 issued to Sanchez. However, it differs from the present invention because the Sanchez patent fails to solve the problem of how to effectively remove the rollers for maintenance and cleaning procedures. 
     Sanchez notes in dictum that the rollers can be attached to the roller shafts with a spline or key on the roller that mates with a corresponding slot on the shaft. Admittedly, this method has had some success. However, it is far from fully satisfactory. 
     Roller presses can be used to extract viscous and sticky liquids. For example, raw sugar extract poses specific hazards and complications when applied to precise machinery. When fresh or dried it can gum up the mechanisms of the machine. The spline and key type roller attachment means is particularly susceptible to the deleterious effects of repeated and constant contact with plant juices. 
     In short, the type of press taught by Sanchez will require frequent, often daily, cleaning. The spline and keyway combination can become gummed up and essentially bonded thereby making removal of the rollers from the machine difficult. Often this results in the need for use of tools to remove the roller. Far too often tools are misplaced or broken making the job of removal of the rollers exceedingly difficult for many users of a roller press. 
     It is human nature to avoid issues that are difficult. The harder it is to remove the rollers from a roller press, the less frequently they are removed. The less frequently rollers are removed the greater the likelihood of foodborne contamination, insect infestation and damage to the machine from corrosion and general neglect. 
     Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a roller press machine that allows easy and tool-less removal of the rollers for maintenance and cleaning. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a food processor machine that is more sanitary to promote the health and welfare of operators of the machine and the end consumer of the products produced with the press. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device to effectively separate liquids and juices from a variety of natural plant materials. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness. 
     Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  represents a perspective view of an example of a roller press. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a version of a roller that may be part of a roller press. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an iteration of a roller press with the rollers removed. 
         FIG. 4  is a representation of a partial perspective view demonstrating a shaft without roller in more detail. 
         FIG. 5  is an elevation view of an end of a shaft without a roller installed. 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of a side of shaft similar to that shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is an elevation view of an end of a roller part way through installation on a shaft. 
         FIG. 8  is an elevation view of an end of a roller partly installed onto to a shaft. 
         FIG. 9  is a partial perspective end view of a version of a roller. 
         FIG. 10  is a partial perspective end view of a version of a roller. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The subject device and method of use is sometimes referred to as the device, the invention, the press, roller press, machine or other similar terms. These terms may be used interchangeably as context requires and from use the intent becomes apparent. The masculine can sometimes refer to the feminine and neuter and vice versa. The plural may include the singular and singular the plural as appropriate from a fair and reasonable interpretation in the situation. 
     Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to with numeral  10 , it can be observed that it basically includes a case  12 , a roller  14 , a roller  16 , a roller  18 , a vessel  22 , a shaft  24 , a pin  26 , a pin  28 , a shaft  30 , a pin  32 , a shaft  34 , a bore  36 , an aperture  38 , an aperture  40 , a surface  42 , a seal  44 , a slot  46 , a pocket  48 , a seat  50 , a bearing  52 , a face  54 , a roller  56 , a face  58 , posts  60 , an aperture  62  and a bore  64 . Sugarcane  20  is provided for context and is not a claimed component of the device. 
     Generally, a drive mechanism is provided inside the case  12  to power one or more of the shafts  24 ,  30  and  34 . The drive mechanism can be powered by an electric motor, fossil fuel engine, by a hand operated crank or other available sources of motive energy. There may be gears included between the power source and shafts  24 ,  30  and  34  to create a mechanical advantage to ensure sufficient energy is available to draw material through the rollers  14 ,  16  and  18  and appropriately squeeze the material for extraction. 
     In normal operations the shafts  24 ,  30  and  34  are integral with the rest of the machine as seen in  FIG. 3 . The roller  14  is fit axially over shaft  24 . The roller  18  is fit axially over shaft  30 . The roller  16  is fit axially over shaft  34 . During normal use of the machine the shafts  24 ,  30  and  34  are not removable from the machine but may be removed during major maintenance. The rollers,  14 ,  16  and  18  are attached to the machine and are easily removed for daily maintenance and cleaning. 
     The spacing between the rollers  14 ,  16  and  18  is important to the performance of the machine as a whole. The spacing should be sufficient to allow passage of the solid material passed between the rollers and simultaneously exert sufficient pressure to separate any liquids from the solids that carry those liquids. 
     For a given machine, the locations of the shafts  24 ,  30  and  34  are generally fixed. The diameters of the rollers  14 ,  16  and  18  can be selected to adjust the spacing between the rollers  14 ,  16  and  18 . For example, if the diameters of selected rollers are smaller, then the gaps between the rollers increase. The size of the materials introduced between the rollers, the relative moisture content, the viscosity of the liquid to be extracted and hardness of the solid material, among other things, may all be considered when selecting the appropriate roller diameter. 
     The diameter of the rollers  14 ,  16  and  18  need not all be identical. In some applications it may be beneficial to employ rollers of differing sizes. For example, if the lower rollers  16  and  18  are smaller than the upper roller  14  then the material passed through the machine may be forced to bend more because it is pressed further from the top roller  14 . This bending action can be beneficial to the most efficient extraction of liquids from the solid parts. 
     An example of a roller  14  configuration is seen in  FIG. 2 . Each of the several rollers  14 ,  16  and  18  are similar in dimension and materials. Although it may be possible for the device to use two, four or more rollers, the three roller configuration as seen in  FIG. 1  is particularly effective at extracting cane juice from sugarcane in an energy efficient and sugarcane efficient manner. 
     To extract natural juice from the fibers of a stalk of sugarcane  20  the machine is activated so that the rollers  14 ,  16  and  18  rotate along with their respective shafts  24 ,  34  and  30  in the directions indicated by the arced arrows in  FIG. 1 . The three rollers act in concert to both draw the sugarcane  20  through the device and to also press the sugarcane  20  sufficiently to squeeze the juice contained in the fibers of the sugarcane  20  and separate it from the fibrous solids. 
     It should be appreciated that materials other than sugarcane could be juiced by the device. There are other plant juices, oils and extracts that can be separated from their natural host flora by means of high pressure pressing. In some uses other materials could also be effectively pressed including pasta, fish or other products. 
       FIG. 4  shows a close up view of an example of a shaft  24 . Each of the several shafts on a device could be similar in design and function to that shown in  FIG. 4 . At the point on the shaft  24  where the shaft  24  enters the case  12  a seal  44  is provided to prevent any unwanted juice or plant material from entering the case  12 . 
     The shaft  24  also, in an important version of the device, includes a bearing  52  about which the shaft  24  rotates axially. The force imparted onto the shaft  24  during the juicing procedure can be significant so the bearing  52  should be resilient. The seal  44  can protect the mechanism of the bearings  52 . The bearing  52  could be manifest as a roller bearing, ball bearing, ring bearing or other bearing available in the mechanical arts sufficiently sturdy to support the rollers during the pressing and extraction procedure. 
     In a version of the device, the seal  44  can act both as a seal and as a bearing. For example, a seal  44  made of acetal, HDPE or other similar material could be sufficient to act as a bearing and a seal without another separate bearing element. A seal and a bearing could, however, be effectively used in concert to effectively seal and provide a bearing surface for a shaft. 
     A vessel  22  is optionally positioned below the rollers to catch any extracted juices (or other effluence) that drop by gravity. The vessel  22  could take the form a tray similar to that seen clearly in  FIG. 3 . Alternatively, a funnel or other catchment means could be effective at capturing released fluids as they are pressed by the machine in normal operation. 
     An important aspect of the roller press can be seen when reading the figures in combination.  FIGS. 4, 5 and 6  show a similar configuration of an end of a shaft  24  that includes a slot  46 , a pocket  48  and a seat  50 . The slot  46  separates the tip of the shaft  24  slightly wider than the diameter of the pin  26 . The pin  26  should readily pass through the slot  46  when installing or removing a roller  14  from the shaft  24 . 
     As a roller  14  is inserted over the shaft  24  the pin  26  inside the end of the roller  14  aligns and fits into the pocket  48 . The roller  14  and integral pin  26  are rotated and the pin  26  aligns askew from the slot  46  and is held against the seat  50 . Energy from the shaft  24  is transferred to the seat  50  into the pin  26  and ultimately causes the roller  14  to rotate. 
     Looking at  FIG. 5 , the seats  50  are positioned to both sides of the slot  46  to allow the pin to rotate in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction and to firmly lock the pin  26  and therefore the roller  14  relative to the shaft  24 . When the pin  26  is askew from the slot  46 , the roller  14  is essentially locked onto the shaft  24  because the pin  26  is not aligned over the slot  46 . The roller  14  can then be easily removed by aligning the pin  26  with the slot  46  when the machine is not in operation and no force is imparted on to the shaft  24 . With no force on the shaft the roller  14  can be gripped by the operator and rotated slightly so that the pin  26  is aligned with the slot  46  and then the roller  14  can be pulled off of the shaft  24  and be separated from the machine. 
     The seats  50  as shown in broken lines in  FIG. 5 , are adapted so that when the pin  26  is rotated inside the pocket  48 , both ends of the pin  26  inside the roller  14  seat firmly to opposite sides of the seat  50 . In this fashion, rotational force is applied to both ends of the pin  26  assuring even application of force from the shaft  24  to the roller  14 . 
     The seat  50  is positioned away from the end of the shaft  24  approximately the same distance as the pin  26  is from face  54 . The diameter of the pin  26  is, in an ideal embodiment, slightly smaller than the width of the slot  46  so that when aligned with the slot  46 , the pin  26 , and therefore the roller  14 , can be installed or removed. 
     In an important version of the device, seat  50  has a radius similar to the radius of pin  26 , such that pin  26  nests firmly into seat  50  at both ends of the pin  26 . This aids in preventing any slop in the fit between the pin  26  and seat  50  while torque is applied to the pin  26  through the shaft  24  assures smooth operation of the device. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  show a similar embodiment to that in  FIGS. 4, 5 and 6  from an elevation view towards the face  54  at the end of the roller  14 . In  FIG. 7 , the pin  26  is aligned with the slot  46  as it would be as the roller  14  is slid onto the shaft  24  during installation of the roller  14 . The pin  26  can be fully inserted through the slot  46  so that when rotated, as in  FIG. 8 , the pin  26  rests firmly against the seat  50 .  FIG. 8  is an example of how the device might appear while in use pressing cane. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 9  where an alternate version of a roller  56  is shown to have posts  60  inside the aperture  62  nearest the outside face  58  of the roller  56 . Posts  60  are an alternate structure to the pin  26  shown in inter alia  FIG. 2 . The posts  60  engage into a slot  46  and a pocket  48  and rest against a seat  50  similar to other versions described above. The posts  60  are generally coaxially oriented so that they both act in unison against opposing seats when torque is applied. An advantage of the posts  60  embodiment may be that the posts  60  are easier to affix to the interior of the aperture  62 , by means such as welding, as contrasted to a pin  26  as shown and described in  FIG. 10 . 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  show partial perspective views, respectively, of important versions of the device. In either the posts  60  configuration or the pin  26  configuration, the posts  60  and pin  26  may be inset into the bore  64  or bore  36 , respectively. The depth to which the post  60  or pin  26  is inset can affect the overall length of the roller  56  or roller  14  because the roller can extend further away from the case  12  yet remain engaged into the seat  50 . 
     In use for extracting juice from sugarcane stalks, a shaft diameter of about an inch and a half has been found to be effective. However, depending on the application a larger or smaller diameter shaft could also be effective. A range of about a quarter inch to about four inches could be used for varying applications. It would be readily apparent with minimal use whether the shaft size should be increased or decreased based on a visual inspection and the performance of the machine. 
     In the example above with an inch and a half shaft diameter, the gap of the slot  46  could be effective when about 0.393 inches plus or minus about a quarter of the diameter of the shaft. Obviously, depending on the application and diameter of the shaft the dimensions would be adjusted accordingly to be effective within the scope of this disclosure and common sense use. 
     The gap between the narrowest points of the seats  50  is in one embodiment slightly greater than the gap of the slot  46  as shown well in  FIG. 6 . Continuing the exemplary dimensions as in the paragraph above, the gap between the narrowest points of the seats  50  could effectively be about 0.530 inches. The pin  26  could be about 0.375 inches in diameter and the aperture  40  could have a diameter of about 1.5135 inches. Again, as the device is scaled up or down for different applications then these dimensions would also vary accordingly to remain effective. 
     In an effective variation of the device the pin  26  rests against the seats  50  when the pin  26  is at about fifteen degrees rotated from the direction of the slot  46 . The degree difference between the pin  26  and slot  46  when the roller  14  is locked onto a shaft  24  can be from about five degrees to about fifty degrees and remain effective. 
     Again looking at  FIG. 9 , an advantage of the posts  60  over other versions of analogous elements is that less material is used, less work is required to make the shaft  24  and the end of the shaft  24  where the seats  50  are may withstand more torque. Also, both the roller  56  and the shaft  24  will be easier to clean. Less material is used because the amount of round bar required to make the posts  60  is less than that to make the pin  26 , which has to span the whole diameter of the bore  36  of the roller  14 . There is less cutting or machining work required to make the shaft  24 . This is in part because although the slot  46 , the pocket  48 , and the seat  50  of a shaft  24  would engage with the posts  60  of a roller  56 , it is not necessary to cut or machine a slot  46 , a pocket  48 , and a seat  50  that span the whole diameter of a shaft  24 . In order for the posts  60  of a roller  56  to engage and have the torque from the shaft  24  transferred to the roller  56 . Each of slots  46 , pockets  48  and seats  50  of a shaft  24  would only need to be cut or machined on the same end at opposing walls of a shaft  24  in order to fit the posts  60  of a roller  56 . Since less material would be cut from the end of the shaft  24  where the seats  50  would be, the shaft  24  may withstand more torque. The roller  56  and the shaft  24  will be easier to clean because there will be less surface area to get dirty. Furthermore, it is easier to clean behind the posts  60  than it is to clean behind the pin  26 . Also, in order for each of slots  46 , pockets  48  and seats  50  of a shaft  24  for a roller  56  to be easily cleaned, the exposed ends of the posts  60  of a roller  56  could be round so that the depths of each of the slots  46 , the pockets  48  and the seats  50  of the shaft  24  could be made round to fit the round ends of the posts  60  of a roller  56 , therefore there being no corners for dirtiness to get trapped into. 
     In yet another version of the device and to further increase the advantages of less material used, less work required to make the shaft  24 , the end of the shaft  24  and the seats  50 , in addition to allowing these elements to withstand more torque and be easier to clean, both the roller  56  and the shaft  24  can be constructed so that the roller  56  has only one post  60 , the corresponding shaft  24  with only one slot  46 , one pocket  48  and one seat  50 . 
     In another version, the posts  60  have rounded exposed ends and the depths of the slots  46 , the pockets  48  and the seats  50  is correspondingly round to complement each other for a good fit together. 
     In another version, the posts  60 , pins  26  or other analogous elements can have a round, oval, rectangular, square or other polygonal cross section. The corresponding slots  46 , pockets  48  and seats  50  could be effective with a complimentary geometry to ensure a good mating fit and are easy to clean yet can also disengage for roller removal or installation. 
     It should be noted that the terms pins, posts, pockets and seats have analogous elements in the several variations described herein that may be substituted for other similarly named parts in other versions. In other words a pin (or other named element) in one embodiment can be substituted for a version shown in another embodiment having a similar verbal definition. 
     An important version of the device can be fairly described as a roller press comprised of at least a first shaft  24  and a second shaft  30 . The first and the second shaft each at a first end is rotatably affixed to a case  12  so that the shafts can rotate when powered during normal operation of the machine. The first shaft is parallel to the second shaft. Other shafts, if present, are also parallel. Each shaft is cylindrical with a first diameter that is the diameter of the body of the shaft. Each shaft has at a second end, away from the case, a rectangular slot  46  completely bisecting the second end of the shaft along the first diameter. Each slot has first dimension measured perpendicular to the first diameter that is essentially the gap of the slot at the end of the shaft. A pocket  48 , inside the shaft at the slot end completely bisects each shaft  24  along the entire length of the first diameter of the second end of each shaft and is in spacial communication with the slot so that the pin  26  can enter the pocket  48  through the slot  46 . The pocket at a midpoint along the first diameter has a second dimension that is narrower than a third dimension at a first circumferential edge and a fourth dimension at a second circumferential edge of the shaft. In other words the pocket is narrower at the middle of the shaft and wider around the edge of the shaft so that the pin  26  can rotate relative to the shaft and lock inside the pocket. The pocket at the second dimension is equal to or greater than the first dimension. The first diameter has a fifth dimension. A cylindrical roller having a first end and a second is provided for each shaft. Each roller has a cylindrical bore  36  completely through and coaxial to a centerline of the roller. The bore has a second diameter with a sixth dimension. The sixth dimension is greater than the fifth dimension so that the roller is adapted to coaxially fit over the shaft with the first end of the roller towards the case and the second of the roller towards the second end of the shaft. At the second end of the roller is a pin  26  along a second diameter of the bore. The pin has a third diameter with a seventh dimension that can pass through the slot  26  and enter into the pocket  48 . The seventh dimension is less than the first dimension so that the pin  26  can pass through the slot  46  and enter the pocket  48 . When the first diameter is parallel with the second diameter so that the pin can pass through the slot to enter or exit the pocket the sleeve is in an unlocked mode and the roller can be pulled off of or pushed onto the shaft. When pin is in the pocket and the first diameter is not parallel with the second diameter then the roller is in a locked mode that is biased in locked mode when the machine is on and torque is applied to the shafts and rollers. 
     An optional feature is found in that the pin spans the entire second diameter. Alternatively the pin can be on one side of the bore or can be attached to both sides of the bore with a gap between shorter posts in the middle as seen in  FIG. 9 . That pin has a centered gap of a predetermined eighth dimension, possibly about a third of the length of the pin. In another variation the pin spans only a portion of the second diameter. The pin can have any of a round, an oval or a polygonal cross section. It is preferred but not required that the seat  50  would match the cross section of the pin for a slop free fit. 
     Another varietal if the device can be fairly described as being a roller press comprised of a first shaft and a second shaft. This version is similar in some aspects to that shown in  FIGS. 1, 6 and 9 . The first and the second shaft each at a first end is rotatably affixed to a case. The first shaft is parallel to the second shaft. Each shaft is generally cylindrical with a first diameter. Each shaft has at a second end a slot at least partially bisecting the second end of the shaft along a portion of the first diameter. Each slot has first dimension measured perpendicular to the first diameter. A pocket partially bisects each shaft along the entire length of the slot at the second end of each shaft and is in spacial communication with the slot. The pocket at a predetermined point along the first diameter has a second dimension that is narrower than a third dimension at a first circumferential edge and a fourth dimension at a second circumferential edge of the shaft. The pocket at the second dimension is equal to or greater than the first dimension. The first diameter has a fifth dimension. A cylindrical roller having a first end and a second is provided for each shaft. Each roller has a cylindrical bore completely through and coaxial to a centerline of the roller. The bore has a second diameter with a sixth dimension. The sixth dimension is greater than the fifth dimension so that the roller is adapted to coaxially fit over the shaft with the first end of the roller towards the case and the second of the roller towards the second end of the shaft. At the second end of the roller is a pin along a second diameter of the bore. The pin has a third diameter with a seventh dimension. The seventh dimension is less than the first dimension so that the pin can pass through the slot and enter the pocket. When the first diameter is parallel with the second diameter so that the pin can pass through the slot to enter or exit the pocket the sleeve is in an unlocked mode. When pin is in the pocket and the first diameter is not parallel with the second diameter then the roller is in a locked mode. The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.