Patent GB-1361701-A (GB)
Title: Abrasive peeling apparatus
IPC: A23N7/02
Filed: 1972-10-06
Abstract: 1361701 Abrasive peeling apparatus J E WALLACE 6 Oct 1972 [27 Oct 1971] 46252/72 Heading A4C [Also in Division B3] Abrading chamber: An abrasive peeling apparatus 1, Fig. 1, comprises a chamber 60 having an inlet and an outlet adjacent opposite ends of a plurality of elongated rollers 2 whose surfaces have a helical configuration and which are mounted side-by-side within the chamber 60, and means for rotating the rollers 2 which are mounted in closely spaced relationship, e.g. 1 inch apart, with each other and so that their axes are disposed along an arc. An inlet 61 connected to a plurality of nozzles 10 dispenses steam or water to wash and lubricate the contents of the chamber 60. A handle 20, Fig. 4, adapted to be set in one of a plurality of holes 21 in a member 22 is mounted adjacent the discharge end of the chamber 60 and controls a gate 18 for regulating the height of material to be peeled and the discharge of the peeled material. In a preferred embodiment an arcuate base member 16 is adapted to receive bearings 15 supporting shafts 6 of the rollers 2. Mating sections 17, each adapted to fit over two bearings 15, allow removal of the rollers 2 for servicing. Rollers: At least one of the roller surfaces has a right-handed helical configuration and at least one of the others has a left handed helical configuration. The outermost roller (41), Fig. 10, (not shown), is positioned above the rest of the rollers and at least the outermost rollers (41, 42) are adapted to urge the contents of the chamber 60 toward the inlet (67) and the inner rollers (45, 46, 47) urge the contents toward the outlet (40). The rollers 2 are all rotated in the same direction so as to urge the material to be peeled toward the highest roller (41). Each of the rollers 2 includes an outer shaft (30), Fig. 8, (not shown) of square cross-section welded to a central shaft 6. The rollers 2 may be formed by wrapping a belt helically around a cylinder and covering the belt with fibreglass impregnated expoxy and may include a layer of a fine wire mesh and coated with silicon carbide or aluminium oxide particles to form an abrading surface. Alternatively, an inert material (27) may be moulded about the shaft (30) and a bonding material (28) applied to its surface to contain the abrasive particles. The roller body (27) may be formed from a plurality, e.g. five, abutting sections each having a length, e.g. 14 inches, equal to the pitch of the helical surface and a diameter of about five inches. Drive Mechanism: The rotating means includes a motor 3, a gear reducer 4 connected by a flexible coupling 70 to pulleys (39), Fig. 11, (not shown) and non metallic belts 38. The rotating speed of the rollers 2 can be varied by controlling the speed of the motor 3, by altering the gear ratios and the size of the pulleys and by using a variable speed gear motor. Peeling Apparatus: The peeling apparatus 1 includes a cover (31), Fig. 9, (not shown) over the drive mechanism, a sidewall (23) with a double hinge at (33) and (34) and handles (35). A feed shoot 11 is provided at the inlet end of the chamber 60 and a discharge spout (36) is provided at the outlet end. In processing potatoes, the peeler 1 will handle typically about 15, 000 lbs/hr and remove 65 to 85% of the peels which amounts to less than about 6% of the total weight. The peelings are collected in a drain pan 12.