Patent ID: 8127668

Claim:
A destemmer and vegetative shredder, comprising: a hollow shredding drum having a substantially cylindrical side with a plurality of openings; at least one brush roller disposed proximate said cylindrical side; a motor operatively connected to said shredding drum and said at least one brush roller so as to turn both simultaneously; whereby said apparatus employs centrifugal force to urge portions of a crop of plant material into engagement with said cylindrical side and the openings therethrough so as to allow said brush rollers to mechanically shred and destem the plant material; wherein said motor includes a drive shaft having a drive pulley, and said at least one brush roller includes a brush roller pulley connected to said drive pulley with a brush roller drive belt and having a smaller diameter than said drive pulley so as to produce a faster rotation of said brush roller pulley relative to said drive pulley; and at least two brush rollers, each having a brush roller pulley, and wherein said belt brush roller drive belt is wound through said brush roller pulleys in an over-under pattern, thereby causing said brush rollers to rotate in opposite directions.