GB1254255A - Improvements in cashew-nut husking machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,254,255. Cashew-nut husking machines. MOCAMBIQUE INDUSTRIAL S.A.R.L. 6 May, 1970 [10 May, 1969], No. 21905/70. Heading A2Q. In a cashew-nut husking machine, a paring assembly, for paring the pedicle from each nut prior to cutting of the burr, comprises a mounting plate 4 carrying a paring wheel 2 driven by a driving wheel 3, and a detent 1 which is arranged initially to contact the underside of a nut 8 approaching the paring wheel, the plate 4 being pivoted at 5 to an arm 6 in turn pivoted at 7, whereby as the nut 8 advances the paring wheel is able to follow the contour of the forward end of the nut, guided by the detent which engages the burr behind the operating point of the paring wheel throughout the paring operation. After paring has been completed, the burr of the nut is cut around its longitudinal periphery by known means (not shown), following which the nut passes to a guide plate 18, shown in plan view in Fig. 3, which is of arcuate form as seen in side elevation (Fig. 8, not shown), being lowered gradually down the slope presented by this guide as a push rod 17, initially disposed under the nut, is moved forward to the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position a pair of arms 9, each carrying a burr-gripping jaw 10, a guide roller 11 and a burr stripper 13, are disposed with the jaws apart. The arms 9 are swingable about vertical pivots 12 by operation of an axially slidable rod 16, causing corresponding movement of a pair of guideways 15 presenting guide channels 14 in which the rollers 11 engage. As a result of movement of rod 16 towards the guide plate 18, the arms 9 swing rapidly inwards. At the same time, push rod 17 is withdrawn and the nut drops into a vertical position, the push rod then being again advanced behind the nut to clamp it against the now juxtaposed jaws 10 (Fig. 4, not shown). A curved guide plate 19 carried by an arm 20 and previously resting on the nut is raised during this operation and afterwards lowered again. During the end portion of the movement of rod 16 towards the guide plate 18, a positioning plate 28 is advanced towards the nut under cam and spring control (Fig. 12, not shown), passing between the jaws 10 and into the cut in the burr where it engages the kernel of the nut. The rod is now moved away from the guide plate 18, causing the arms 9 to swing apart and, since the jaws 10 are gripping the two halves of the burr separated by the cut, separate the burr halves from the kernel, whereby the burr halves are thrown out laterally and the kernel falls on to an inclined shoot in the form of a perforated trap 36 carried by a balance beam 37 having a counterweight 39. The beam 37 is pivoted about a horizontal pin carried by a boss which is mounted on a vertical pivot and cam mechanism is provided for oscillating an arm 42 carrying the vertical pivot about the axis of the pivot in timed relationship with the fall of each kernel. The arm 42 is provided with a projection 47 supporting a catching hook 45 pivoted on a depending pivoted separator member 46 and a pin 43', secured to an armature 40 depending from the balance arm 37, is engageable with the catching hook in the position shown, which corresponds to the tray being empty, whereas when a kernel is received by the tray, the armature 40 is swung against a magnet 41 carried by the arm 42, so withdrawing the pin 43' from the path of the hook 45. As a result, should a kernel remain adhering to one of the burr halves, the fall of the kernel is mistimed, the pin 43' engages the catching hook 45 and separator member 46 swings to deflect the kernel to a collecting point separate from that to which the kernels are normally delivered.