GB1066040A - Improvements in or relating to the extraction of kernels from nuts - Google Patents

Abstract

1,066,040. Shelling nuts. A. S. BRACK and R. H. S. ROBERTSON. Dec. 12, 1963, No. 49078/63. Heading A2Q. In a process and apparatus for extracting kernels from nuts with hard shells, such as cohune and babassu nuts, and separating the kernels from the broken shells, the nuts are fed, from a hopper 2, Figs. 1 and 2, through a cracking device 1, from which a mixture of kernels and broken shells is discharged through holes in an end-plate 3 on to a vibrating screen 4, which removes some of the broken shells. The remaining mixture passes through the screen, and is winnowed in a stream of air issuing from a blower 5 to remove fibrous husks, as it falls into a bath 6 containing liquid such as brine, in which the kernels 8 float and the remaining broken shells 7 sink. The kernels 8 are skimmed from the liquid and dried, and may then be screened to separate whole kernels from broken kernels. The device 1 comprises a stationary cylindical casing 9, Fig. 2, haviing a plurality of axially spaced anvil blocks 10 secured to its inner wall, and a shaft 11, which passes axially through the casing and is rotatably mounted, in bearings 12 and 13. Axially spaced chisels 14 are keyed to the shaft. Each chisel has a hub 15 and a rectangular blade 16, provided with a sharp leading edge 16A, Fig. 1. The blades are inclined to the shaft, and are helically disposed around it, so that, on rotation of the shaft, they pass between the anvil blocks to crack the nuts and propel kernels and broken shells through the casing, and discharge them through the holes in the plate 3. The inner edge of each hole may have a projecting wall with a chisel-edge. The holes may be substantially triangular or trapezoidal.