Patent GB-703848-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to nut-husking machines
Inventor: POREM ANTONIO MANUEL
IPC: A23N5/00
Filed: 1950-11-14
Abstract: 703,848. Husking nuts., GIL & CIA Ltda., P. S. Sept. 21, 1951 [Nov. 14, 1950], No. 27836/50. Class 58. [Also in Group XXX] In a nut-husking machine in which the nuts, e.g. cashew nuts, are carried by nut holders 44 on endless conveyer chains 45 past a husk-cutting arrangement, the latter comprises two pairs of cutter discs 81, 81<SP>1</SP> and 82, 82<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 3, the discs of each pair rotating in opposite directions, followed by a pair of cutter discs 99, 99<SP>1</SP> the direction of rotation of which is reversed during the cutting of each husk. One profile of the teeth of each disc 81 . . . 82<SP>1</SP> is designed for driving and the other for cutting. The teeth of the discs 99, 99<SP>1</SP> have thin cutting tips located centrally of thicker roots which enter the incisions made by the discs 81 ... 82<SP>1</SP> whilst the tips make a fine further cut. The discs 99, 99<SP>1</SP> are driven from the main shaft 43 through cone clutches 108, 108', Fig. 13, which are acted upon by spring-loaded rocker'arms 115 which are displaced alternately to the disengaging position by means of a pivotally-mounted common oscillating lever 121. actuated by a cam-operated linkage so as to reverse the direction of rotation of the discs as each nut holder passes the discs and again as an intermediate point between successive nut-holding devices passes the discs. The cutter discs 81, 81<SP>1</SP> are carried by brackets which have rounded portions engageable with each husk for limiting the depth of cut. The discs 99, 99<SP>1</SP> are followed by guides 130, Fig. 3, having blades 131 which enter the cuts and are locked by shoulders 132, Fig. 2, which ride over the husks. The husks are opened by means of blades 136 pivotally mounted upon pivotally-supported arms 139, the blades and arms being spring-loaded. The nuts are then fed past means which break the half husk on the longer concaveside of the nut. The breaking means includes a three- ,toothed fork 145; the centre tooth 144, Fig. 15, of which enters the cut produced in each nut by the cutter discs, and a side tooth 146 of which engages the concave side of the nut and presses it towards the rear -partof the nut holder. The fork is pivotally mounted upon a slidable member 148, a cam slot 155 in an extension 153 of the fork permitting the fork initially to yield axially and thereafter to rock to one side or the other under eccentric force produced by engagement of the tooth 146 with the concave side of the nut. The husk-breaking means comprises blade-like members 164 which are moved automatically into the path of a husk half engaged between a side tooth 146 and the rear part of the nut holder whereby the husk half is broken across one. of the members 164 as it continues to be advanced by the nut holder. Each member is allowed some lateral play and has a sloping operative edge so that it may adapt itself to variations between the concavities in the concave halves of individual cashew nuts. The member 148 is retracted automatically after the husk-breaking operation. Nuts are released singly from the bottom of a receptacle 1, Fig. 4, by means of an escapement, through an oval throat 4 formed between adjacent upwardly-moving parts of the concave rims of two rotating wheels 2, 3, a tube 9 extending from the throat opening into a tube 10 which runs into a slotted nut guide 11 and the nuts being presented singly lengthwise to the nut holders by means of upstanding pushers 35 on a conveyer chain 36 driven in synchronism with the operation of the nut holders. The escapement comprises two stops 14, 15 which are projected alternately across the tube 9. The eoncave rim of the wheel 2 is smooth and the concave rim of the wheel 3 is provided with transverse ribs 5. Each conveyer chain 45 is backed in its operative flight by means of a single spring-loaded backing member 53, Fig. 2, having pivoted throats at 60 a single presser member 61 engageable by the passing nut holders. Each backing member is mounted on upstanding arms 54 pivotally mounted on a spindle 56, Fig. 3, and has is front edge spring-pressed against the back of the chain. The arms 54 are connected on opposite sides by a balancing linkage, Fig. 6 (not shown), so that the backing pressures on the two chains are equalized. Spring-loaded tensioning arms 63, Fig 2, act upon the backs of the return flights of the chains to maintain the chains under tension. The nut holders 44 each comprise a concave body part 66 connected to one of the conveyer chains 45 and leading and trailing clips 67, 68 provided with wings 72 and pivotally connected to the body part and to the chain and adapted to grip the ends of a nut whose sides are engaged by the body part. Each leading clip 67 is provided with a roller 75 and with a tail 76 engageable with the hubs of sprocket wheels 48 around which the chains 45 pass at the entry ends of their operative flights. Each trailing clip 68 is provided with a roller and with unstanding stop means 79 engageable with the end of a respective half of the husk after it has been cut. Specification 610,059, [Group XXX], is referred to.