Patent ID: 7302886

Claim:
A hulling apparatus for substantially removing an outer hull portion of a food product from an inner shell portion of said food product, said hulling apparatus comprising: a main frame assembly having a plurality of upright frame members and a plurality of transverse frame members; a moveable support frame slidably mounted to said main frame for movement of said moveable support frame relative to said main frame; a jack assembly operationally attached to said moveable support frame to move said moveable support frame; a pair of shaped components having a first shaped component rotatably attached to said main frame and a second shaped component attached to said moveable support frame, said first shaped component substantially disposed in said second shaped component so as to define a hulling chamber between said pair of shaped components, said hulling chamber having a product path therebetween for passage of said food products through said hulling apparatus during movement of said first shaped component and/or said second shaped component relative to each other, said first shaped component having a shaped cap member for directing said food products into said hulling chamber; and a contact element attached to said first shaped component, at least a portion of said contact element disposed in said hulling chamber between said first shaped component and said second shaped component and configured to engage said food products so as to remove said outer hull portion of said food products from said inner shell portion while passing said food products through said hulling chamber.