Patent GB-1220259-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for shelling cashew-nuts
IPC: A23N5/00
Filed: 1968-06-06
Abstract: 1,220,259. Shelling cashew-nuts. COMPANHIA INDUSTRIAL DO MONAPO S.A.R.L. 6 June, 1968 [16 June, 1967], No. 27052/68. Heading A2Q. In a machine for shelling cashew nuts the nuts 1 are presented in turn to a cutting unit (Fig. 13) which, by means of a pair of initially juxtaposed blades 2, 3, presenting a cutting edge 4, and blades 5, 6 movable towards each other in a plane perpendicular to that of the blades 2, 3, produces three incisions in the nut, the cutting edges 4 and 7 of the blades being shaped to conform with the recessed front edge and sides of the nut, respectively, so that only the shell is pierced, the blades 2, 3 then being separated laterally, whereby the shell is distintegrated without compressive force being applied to the kernel. Two embodiments are disclosed; in that shown in Figs. 5 and 13 a number of cutting units are disposed in recesses 11 of a wheel 9 which is caused to rotate in the direction F at a speed corresponding to that of a wheel E having recesses 10 in which nut holders 14 are disposed; in the second embodiment, Fig. 17, a single stationary cutting unit is used. Both embodiments are adjustable for handling pre-sorted nuts in a range of sizes. In the case of the first embodiment, adjustment is effected by replacing both the cutting units and the nut holders by similar units designed for the new size, and for this purpose the sides of the recesses 10, 11 are of double chamfered form to provide guides enabling the cutting units and nut holders to be slid in and out of the recesses, the cutting units and nut holders being releasably retained by bolts, passed through lugs 35 and links 17, respectively. Standard cutting units may be used by making the mountings of the blades 2, 3 and 5, 6 adjustable in their respective cutting directions and by the provision of brackets 51 adjustably mounted on operating arms 45, 46 to enable variation of the spacing between the blades 2, 3 and the blades 5, 6. In order to operate the blades in the correct sequence and automatically, as the wheels 8, 9 are rotated to pick up the nuts one at a time from a pivoted cannula 18, 19 of adjustable width, blades 2, 3 are carried by arms 58, 60 of a pair of two-armed levers pivoted at 55, 56, the other arms 57, 59 of which carry rollers 61, 62 which engage cam tracks 75 disposed at opposite sides of the wheel 9, while the operating arms 45, 46 carrying the blades 5, 6 are pivoted at 38, 39 and carry rollers 48 engaging cam tracks 71. A compression spring 44 normally maintain the blades 5, 6 spread apart, and leaf springs (73, Fig. 6, not shown) act on the arms 57, 59 to normally maintain the blades 2, 3 juxtaposed. The cam tracks 71, 75 are so formed that, as each nut 1 is picked up by a holder 14 and at the same time pierced by the juxtaposed blades 2, 3, the blades 5, 6 commence to move towards each other and pierce the sides of the shell of the nut, so that the nut is firmly impaled on the blades 2, 3, 5 and 6 as the rotation of the wheels carries the cutting unit away from the corresponding nut holder. The blades 2, 3 then commence to move apart so that the shell disintegrates as the cutting unit approaches a bottom position corresponding to 90 degrees of rotation of the wheel. The blades 5, 6 are then allowed to move apart again, so releasing the kernel, the shell fragments dropping off the blades subsequently. In the embodiment of Fig. 17, a fixed cannula 18<SP>1</SP>, 19<SP>1</SP> is used, from which the nuts are in turn moved forward, whilst being retained by spring fingers 91, by a head 14<SP>1</SP> shaped to accommodate the nut and, by a portion 93 of reduced thickness, support it while the three incisions are being made. These operations, and the subsequent separating of the blades 2, 3 to split the nut, are effected in the desired sequence by imparting reciprocatory movement, through an eye 84, to a hollow rod 81 carrying fork arms 79, 80 which provide cam portions 95, 96 co-operating with rollers 48<SP>1</SP> carried by the arms 45, 46 of the cutting unit, and end portions 97, 98 engageable with arms 57<SP>1</SP>, 59<SP>1</SP> of the unit, a further rod 85 carrying the head 14<SP>1</SP> being slidable within the rod 81 and having its forward movement restricted by a peg 86 which is adapted to engage a fixed fork arm 83, whilst allowing further forward movement of the rod 81 through the provision in rod 81 of a slot 87, a spring 89 normally maintaining the peg against the forward end of the slot 87.