US2106409A - Method and apparatus for the extraction of juices from vegetable pulp and the like - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 25, 1938. c. E. JENKINS 2,106,409

METHOD AND AKPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF JUICES FROM VEGETABLE PUL-P AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 26, 193l 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1938. c. E. JENKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF JUICES FROM VEGETABLE PULP AND THE LIKE Filed Sept 26, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jan. 25, 1938. c. E. JENKINS 2,106,409

, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF JUICES FROM VEGETABLE PULP AND THE um:

Filed Sept. 26, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet s M 45 .9 i 50 53 Z 55 50 27 i I I! I I g 9 t 43 M I 'l '1 49 1 JP T 17 l g I 38 1 12 IN VENTOR Jan. 25, 1938. c. E. JENKINS 2,106,409

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF JUICES FROM VEGETABLE PULP AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 26, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 METHOD m APPARATUS FOR THE-EX- TRACTION OF JUICES FROM VEGETABLE PULP AND THE LIKE Clarence E. Jenkins, Keene, N. 11., asalgnor, by

direct and mesne assignments, to 1300i! Corporation, trustee, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Delaware Application September 26, 1931, No. 565,274

83 Claims.

The present invention pertains to the art of dehydrating, and relates more particularLv to the extraction of juices from vegetable pulp and like materials.

The invention will be particularly described for the extraction of fruit juice from fruits and special reference will be made to the extraction of juice from apples, to which the invention finds particular commercial application, but it will be understood that this is merely by way of illustration.

It has heretofore been proposed to extract water or juice by the use of a travelling filter band and also to dehydrate by subjecting the material to a centrifuging action.

In the practice. of the present invention I contemplate efiecting extraction by simultaneously using a travelling filter band and a centrifuge.

Moreover, the invention contemplates a method and apparatus according to which the pulp or other material is subjected to a number of pressing and centrifuging operations over the same pressing surfaces, but is re-adjusted and agitated following each centrifuging and squeezing operation.

In practicing the invention the more moist particles are thrown against the drier particles and this operation is used largely to assist in effecting the final separation of the fresh and partially dehydrated pulp from the substantially y p p- While the invention is not particularly limited as to its size and capacity, I provide a unit which is sufliciently small to be portable and which can conveniently be used in soda fountains, beverage stands and like places where it is desired to dispense freshly extracted fruit juice as a beverage.

I have found when certain fruits, as for instance, an apple is cut up, the juice can be most freely extracted immediately following the cutting of the fruit cells. If extraction is not effected immediately, the pulp tends to re-absorb the juice, the walls of the ruptured cells either collapse to retain the juice, or the pectin in the fruit tends to form a jelly which seals the cells.

With the present invention the juice is extracted under conditions most favorable for its removal and before the pulp has aged to an extent where the extraction is repeated.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view of an apparatus embodying one principle of my invention;

Figure 3-is a diagram similar to Figs-1 and 2 showing still another modification of the invention;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a machineof portable size embodying my invention;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the interior construction of the machine;

Figure '7 is a transverse horizontal section in the plane of line VII-VIE of Figure 6, with the cover and its attached mechanism removed but with the position of the parts indicated in dotted lines;

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the cover with its attached mechanism, but with the larger pulley omitted and with the belt removed;

Figure 9 is a detail view showing the construction of the belt;

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view through the larger pulley, the view being also in the plane of line VIL-VII of Figure 6, but being on a larger scale;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the juice collecting trough;

Figure 12 is a detail side elevation of the frut holding hopper;

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the part shown in Figure 12; and

Figure 14 is a sectional view through a modified form of device.

Referring first to Figure 1, there is shown more or less diagrammatically an apparatus comprising spaced apart pulleys 2 and 3, one of which may be positively driven from a motor or other source of-power, not shown. The pulleys may be assumed to rotate in the direction of the arrows, and for the purpose of illustration it may be assumed that their axes are vertical and the view therefore a top plan view. Passing around the periphery of the pulleys 2 and 3 is a continuous belt I. This belt, as shown in Figure 9,

preferably comprises a layer of coarsely woven fabric which is fairly coarse and through which air will easily permeate. Inside of this web of coarse fabric, designated 5, is a layer of very finely woven fabric 6.

Enclosing, or partly enclosing this unit, is juice collecting trough I having a vertical side wall and a trough-like bottom 9, and there is a spout at in toward which the bottom trough slopes for the discharge of fluidtherefrom.

Assuming that the machine operates to rotatethe pulleys in the direction of the arrows, the belt of course serves to transmit motion from one pulley to the other. The fruit, such as an apple, can be fed into the space where the belt 4 engages the pulley 2. I have indicated the fruit at this point by the circle at A. The fruit is gripped and carried under the belt around the periphery of the pulley 2. This serves to crush the fruit and the juice which is extracted from this crushing of the fruit is thrown off centrifugally against the vertical flange I of the trough member, gravitating down into the trough 9. The juice is forced through the belt, which serves to filter the juice. It may be assumed that as soon as one apple is crushed another is fed into the machine, so that the apples are crushed as fast as they are delivered to the machine. At the point where the belt 4 leaves the pulley 2 the wettest pulp will cling to the belt 4 because of the greater capillary attraction, while the dry pulp tends to adhere more closely to the metal surface of the pulley 2. This results in a large mass of pulp being thrown tangentially from the surface of the pulley 2 into the space between the two pulleys. The pulp which clings to the belt 4 in that reach of the belt travelling from the pulley 2 to the pulley 3 is carried around the periphery of the pulley 3 and again squeezed and centrifuged. The pulp which goes around the surface of the pulley 3 will either cling to the belt or be thrown off tangentially into the space between the two pulleys. I have indicated in dotted lines how the pulp is thrown into this space in two directions.

The opposed streams. of pulp, in traversing the space between the two pulleys, collide with other particles coming from the opposite direction, as plainly indicated by the dotted lines, and the heavier, more moist particles deflect the lighter more completely dehydrated particles. The pulp which traverses its course impinges against the surrounding moving parts, i. e., both the belt and the peripheries of the pulleys, where they tend to adhere and are carried around the periphery of one or the other pulleys again. This cycle repeats itself. many times in a minute and the space between the two pulleys is filled with the rapidly flying particles of pulp colliding with each other and the surrounding moving structures. The effect of this is to gradually work the driest particles toward the edge of the belt from which they are eventually discharged below the bottom of the trough element 1. It will be recalled that fresh pulp is fed into the machine all the time so that the same belt is carrying a mass of pulp which has been crushed to different degrees, some of it of course being freshly crushed pulp, while the other has been crushed two or more times. The flying off of the particles through the space between the two pulleys produces a condition where the pulp, instead of stratifying on the belt, is continuously stirred up and re-arranged, with the drier pulp always working toward the edge of the belt, usually working down because of the influence of gravity.

By reason of the fact that the pulp is centrifuged as soon as the fruit is crushed, and by reason of the fact that the pulp is subjected to a large number of centrifuging operations in the course of a minute, with the agitation and re-arrangement of the pulp on the belt constantly taking place, the machine extracts a very high percentage of liquid from the original mass and the pulp which is gradually worked of! the belt is well dehydrated.

It is desirable, in order to get the collision of the particles in the space between the pulleys 2 and 2, that the spacing of the pulleys be properly proportioned to their size and to the speed at which the pulleys are operated.

With the arrangement shown in Figure 1 practicaiiy all of the dry pulp is thrown ofl centrifugally from the peripheries of the wheels 2 and 3, but if the belt is operated at a lower speed some of the pulp tends to cling to the periphery of the pulleys 2 and 3, and if this occurs a scraper may be used for keeping the surface of the pulleys free.

The arrangement shown in Figure 1 is best adapted for large installations, but for smaller installations where it is not possible or convenient to crush the whole apple between the pulley and the belt, some arangement such as that shown in Figure 2 is preferred. In Figure 2 there are shown two pulleys l2 and IS, the pullzy i3 representing the driving pulley and being considerably less in diameter than the other pul ley i2. The interior of the pulley I2 is hollow and is provided with a,horizontal plate i4 having grating teeth for disintegrating the fruit. This pulley has slots IS in its periphery. Passing around the two pulleys is a belt l6 similar to the one hereinbefore described and as shown in Fig. 9.

With this type of machine the fruit is fed to the interior of the pulley l2 where it is grated or rasped on the rotating plate or disc l4. Since the juice flows most readily from an apple or similar fruit immediately following the cutting, it will be apparent that the centrifuging action of the rotating disc l4 will serve to throw the freshly cut pulp and the juice which runs out of the fruit through the peripheral openings ii in the pulley i2. Most of this juice and pulp will pass through the slots l5 directly onto the surface of the travelling belt. At I1 is a juice collecting trough similar to the juice collector I mentioned in connection with Figure 1. The juice which is thrown from the interior of the pulley l2 through the slots in the periphery thereof against the belt I6 is thrown by centrifugal action into the juice receiver I'I. Some of the juice of course will be thrown out of that portion of the periphery of i2 which is not covered by the belt, but it impinges against the belt and pulley i3. Likewise, the pulp is thrown violently by centrifugal action through the slots against the belt and the impact of the pulp toward the belt tends toward breaking up the pulp and the extraction of juice therefrom, the pulp of course being centrifuged. The fresh pulp thrown out through the slots in the periphery of the pulley i2 adheres for the most part to the belt and is carried around the pulley l3 where it is further squeezed and simultaneously centrifuged.

The pulley l3 in the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is preferably the driving pulley. The presence of the pulp between the pulley i3 and the belt i6 tends to produce a certain amount of slip and this tends to prevent pulp from adhering to the pulley l3 at all. Some of the pulp clings to the belt i6 while some of it is thrown at a high velocity into the space between the two pulleys, as indicated by the dotted lines, and it meets with the pulp thrown oil. and out of the larger pulley l2, as described in connection with Fig. 1, and the collision of the particles with one another and the surrounding moving parts, tending to deflect the lighter particles more than the heavier particles, together with gravity, tends eventually to cause the light dry particles to be worked ofi the belt. r

' As previously stated, the more moist pulp tends to cling to the belt while the drier pulp tends to adhere to the periphery of the pulley t2. If the machine is operated at a sufllciently high speed practically all of the pulp which tends to adhere to the pulley l2 will be thrown off into the space between the two pulleys and separation will be effected in the manner previously described, but in order that the machine need not be run at such a high speed, I may use a scraper in the form of a pin l8 adjacent to but preferably spaced slightly from the periphery of the pulley l2 for scraping ofl the dry particles; The dry particles thus scraped 011 the periphery drop down by gravity. I have found that the pin acts most effectively to remove the smooth pieces of fruit skin from the periphery of the pulley when it is spaced a slight distance from the periphery because of the fact that very small pulp particles are retained on the surface of the pulley and these small particles adhere to those pieces of skin which otherwise cling to the belt with the smooth surface toward the pulley, thus pulling such skin particles off the belt and carrying them around with the pulley to the scraping pin.

Under some circumstances it is desirable to facilitate the release of fibrous material from the belt. For instance, if the machine is used for extracting juice from pineapple pulp and the pineapples are not first peeled, the hard hull tends to adhere to the belt. In this case the arrangement shown in Figure 3 is employed. This arrangement is substantially the same as that described in connection with Figures 1 and 2, but a third idler pulley 20 is interposed between the two main pulleys 2i and 22 so that the belt 23 is givena reverse curve and the passage of the belt around the idler pulley serves to dislodge substances that cling to the belt.

With this explanation of the general method, the adaptation of the commercial embodiment in a specific form of apparatus may now be described. Such a commercial embodiment is illustrated in Figures 4 to 15, inclusive, and follows the general scheme described in connection with Figure 2.

The machine, when constructed as a portable unit for use at soda fountains, refreshment stands and the like, preferably comprises a hollow base member or casing 25 having a rubber pad 26 on its base, both to hold the machine against slipping and to reduce the noise from the operation of the machine. Fitted onto the top of the casing is a removable cover member 21 on which is mounted a small electric motor 28. This motor is secured to the top of the cover by means of a screw or bolt 29 which provides a pivot about which the motor has a limited movement. As shown in Figure 8, the cover 21 has an arcuate slot 3 therein, and a pin or bolt 3| carried on the motor base projects through this slot for limiting the arcuate movement of the motor. Between the base of the motor and the top of the cover is a spring 32 which tends to move the motor about its pivot in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 8.

The motor has a spindle 33 that projects through a slot in the cover 21 and to whichv is secured a flange belt pulley 34. Mounted 'on the vertical flange 42 and the flange has a number of peripheral slots 43 therein, the width of which is relatively narrow as compared to the total width of the flange 42 and the bottoms of the slots 43 are flush with the top of the web 4|. On the top of the horizontal web 4| are a plurality of rasps or teeth 44, the preferred arrangement of which is shown in Figure 10, these rasps or teeth being arranged in spirals so that each succeeding tooth 44 in a spiral will begin to out where the preceding one left off, so that the apple or other fruit being reduced is sliced or cut by the rasps from the outside toward the center in a regular manner. Projecting through the cover 21 is a fruit hopper 45. I have shown this hopper as being semi-circular when viewed from the top in order to receive half of an apple at a-time. The bottom of the hopper 45 terminates above the teeth or rasps 44 on the web 4|. The hopper has a horizontal plate-like extension 46 on the bottom thereof, as clearly shown in Figs. 12 and 13, which has the double function of serving to hold detached fruit particles from flying'up inside the pulley and which also serves to catch any particles which are thrown from pulley 34 and/or the belt, back through the slots 43 and for this purpose it has a very slight curvature as shown in Figure 12.

Passing around the peripheries of the pulleys 34 and 38 is a belt 41 which is of the two-ply construction .hereinbefore described and which is shown in detail in Fig. 9. This belt is under tension, and the purpose of having the motor with its pulley 34 movable in a slight arc through the action of the spring 32 is to keep this belt under tension, but allow it to yield slightly under excessive strain, as whena considerable mass of pulp is confined between the surface of the belt and the pulleys.

Set into the top of the receptacle or shell 25 in such manner as itcan be readily removed therefrom is a juice collecting trough 48 com prising a single piece of sheet metal bent to the contour of a portion of the periphery of the pulleys 34 and 38 and having an intermediate portion extending along one reach of the belt. This member comprises a main side plate 49 having an inwardly turned top flange 50 and a troughlike portion at the bottom. The bottom of the trough 5| is sloped from each end toward a discharge spout 52 projecting through a slot 53 in the side of the shell 25. This juice collector has a minimum clearance on the belt, and is removably retained on the inside of the shell 25 by means of the clips 54.

There is a vertically depending pin 55 secured to the inside of the cover 21 in the space between the 'two pulleys 34 and-38 and so positioned as to approximate the periphery of the flange 42 of the pulley 38. This pin is located near the point where the belt leaves the pulley, and provides the scraper element heretofore described in connection with Figure 2.

In the operation of the particular machine shown, the apple from which the juice is to be extracted is first cut in half and a half of the apple put in the hopper 45. The machine should be operating when the apple is put into the hopper, andfor holding the apple down against the grating disc 4| a wooden plug 56 may be embelt travels around the pulley 18 the juice is thrown off centrifugally into the receiver 48. The pulp, of course, cannot go through the belt, but tends to form in a central ridge on the belt by reason of the fact that the slots 43 are at about the' center of the belt. The fresh pulp, being full or juice, adheres to the belt and is carried around the pulley u where it is pressed and more juice centrifuged into the other end of the trough As previously explained, when the belt leaves the pulley 3|, the pulleys and belt travelling in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 7, much of the pulp will be dislodged due to the fact that there is a slippage between the driving pulley and the belt caused by the presence of pulp and this pulp will spray out into the space between the pulleys and encounter other pulp thrown off the periphery of the larger pulleys and also the enclosing moving parts, as described in connection with Fig. 2, thus causing a continuous agitation and stirring up of the pulp by reason of which the drier pulp is worked toward the edges, particularly the lower edge of the belt, and all of the pulp is subjected to many pressing and centrifuging operations around the peripheries oi the two pulleys. The dry pulp which tends to accumulate on the surface of the pulley on the periphery of the flange 42 is removed by the scraper pin II. The shell 2| provides a collector into which the dehydrated pulp eventually falls, and this collector is of suiflcient capacity to hold the pulp of a great many apples.

While a detailed description of the operation of the machine requires considerable space for its explanation, the machine actually functions at high speed and the half of an apple is disintegrated and dehydrated in but a few seconds. Just as soon as one piece of apple has been dehydrated, another piece may be fed into the hopper, and the machine run continuously. Since the extraction is effected very rapidly and in a confined atmosphere, the extracted juice will retain the bouquet and flavor of the original apple whereby the juice makes a pleasing and desirable beverage, lighter in color than the familiar cider where considerable oxidation of the juice has taken place, and where the bouquet and distinctive flavor of the original apple is entirely lost.

The machine can be easily cleaned at the end of a day's run by squirting water into the hopper 45 while the machine is running, the water flushing out the machine and dislodging accumulated particles. It is usually desirable to remove the belt entirely. and replace it with a fresh one. An important advantage of the belt is that because the fine layer is over a coarse layer of fabric, air can readily permeate between the two layers of fabric. This tends to break up and relieve suction which tends to hold the particles to the belt if the pulp is thrown against a smooth surface fabric.

The modification disclosed in Fig. 14 represents a simplified unit. In this figure 51 designates a hollow shell or container having a removable cover II. The cover It supports a fruit hopper ll similar to the member ll shown in Fig. 12. Also carried on the top Cl is a motor I having a shaft Oi passing down through the cover and having a disc I at the lower end thereof. This disc has an upstanding flange 63 which preferably slopes upwardly and inwardly and there are passages 04 through the disc immediately inside this flange. The area of the disc within the flange is roughened or rasped for disintegrating fruit.

The disc 62 is provided with a depending flange 65, the middle portion of which is perforated with very small holes. Surrounding the flange 85 and suitably supported within the receptacle 5! is an annular juice receiving trough i6 and a discharge pipe 61. The cover 58 carries an inverted bracket arm 68, the inner end of which is turned up inside the flange 65 and carries a roller 69 which bears against the inner surface of the flange 65; or is spaced only a very slight distance away from the In operation, the fruit is put into the hopper 59 and is disintegrated by the rasps on the disc 82 and thrown out centrifugally against the flange 63, and the slope of the flange directs the juice and pulp through the openings 84 against the downwardlyturned flange 85. The pulp adheres to the revolving flange 85 and is centrifuged. As the flange revolves, the pulp is also squeezed by the roller 9 so that the squeezing and centrifuging occurs simultaneously. The roller 69 is of course driven frictionally. Some of the pulp is picked up by the roller 69 and thrown off into the space inside the revolving member, where some of it redeposits for further centrifuging, and other pulp, because it is dry, does not adhere but drops down into the receptacle 51. The juice of course is thrown'into the collector 66, from whence it is discharged through the spout 61.

With either type of machine, the pulp is formed into an endless procession on a travelling fllter member and is simultaneously squeezed and centrifuged during a portion of its travel and in each the drier pulp is discharged by reason of its lower adhesion to the surrounding moving parts.

As previously mentioned, the machine shown represents a practical embodiment of an apparatus for practicing my invention in small units suitable for soda fountains, beverage stands and the like, but it will be understood that this is merely by way of illustration and that various other embodiments of the invention are contemplated within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from pulp or the like comprising a pair of pulleys having their axes vertical, 9, single belt passing around the pulleys, said single belt and pulleys constituting the entire pulp pressing and conveying means, means for introducing pulp from which juice is to be extracted to the inner surface of the belt by impact, and a juice collector extending along the belt in a position to receive the juice thrown off the belt, and driving means for the belt.

2. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from pulp or the like comprising a pair of pulleys, a belt passing around the pulleys, means for introducing pulp from which juice is to be extracted to the inner surface of the belt, a juice collector extending along the belt in a position to receive the juice thrown off the belt, and driving means for the belt, the axes of the pulleys being in a substantially vertical plane and the belt being substantially edgewise to a horizontal plane, said juice collector comprisinga vertical plate extending along the belt and having a trough portion thereon adjacent the lower edge of the belt.

3. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from pulp or the like comprising a pair of pulleys, a belt passing around the pulleys, means for introducing pulp from which juice is to be extracted to the inner surface of the belt, a juice collector extending along the belt in a position to receive the juice thrown off the belt, and driving means for the belt, the axes of the pulleys being in a substantially vertical plane and the belt being substantially edgewise to a horizontal plane, said juice collector comprising a vertical plate having a trough portion thereonadjacent the lower edge of the belt, the top of the trough being above the lower edge of the belt whereby the dry pulp discharged from the lower edge of the belt will not be thrown into the trough.

4. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from pulp or the like comprising at least two spaced apart pulleys, one of said pulleys being hollow and having a web portion therein and having openings through the side walls thereof above the web portion, a belt passing around the pulleys and enclosing the space between them, means for introducing material from which juice is to be ex tracted into the hollow pulley, means for driving one of the pulleys, and a juice collector extending along the belt in one reach between the pulleys and extending at least part way around the pe ripheries of the pulleys.

5. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from pulp or the like comprising at least two spaced apart pulleys, one of which is hollow and has peripheral openings through the side walls thereof, a, belt passing over the peripheries of the pulleys and enclosing the space between them, means for introducing material from which juice is to be extracted to the interior of the hollow pulley, and a juice collector outside the belt and curved part way around the pulleys and so positioned as to receive juice which is thrown ofi centrifugally through the belt.

6. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from pulp or the like comprising at least two spaced apart pulleys, one of which is hollow and has peripheral openings through the side walls thereof, a belt passing over the peripheries of the pulleys and enclosing the space between them, means for introducing material from which juice is to be extracted to the interior of the hollow pulley, and a juice collector outside the belt and curved part way around the pulleys and so positioned as to receive juice which is thrown ofi centrifugally through the belt, said pulleys having vertical axes and the belt being substantially edgewise to a horizontal plane, the hollow pulley having a horizontal web therein, the top of which is in the plane of the openings through the periphery of said hollow pulley, the openings and the web being in a plane intermediate the top and bottom edges of the belt whereby material is thrown through the openings centrifugally against the belt between its upper and lower edges.

7. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from pulp or the like comprising at least two pulleys,

one of which is hollow and has peripheral openings through the side walls thereof, a belt passing over the peripheries of the pulleys, means for introducing material from which juice is to be extracted to the interior of the hollow pulley, and a juice collector outside the belt and curved part way around the pulleys and so positioned as to receive juice which is thrown off centriiugally through the belt, said pulleys having vertical axes and the belt being substantially edgewise to a horizontal plane, the hollow pulley having a horizontal web therein, the top of which is in the plane of the openings through the periphery of said hollow pulley, the openings and the web being in a plane intermediate the top and bottom edges of the belt whereby material is thrown through the openings centrifugally against the belt between its upper and lower edges, said web having rasping elements thereon for disintegrating material from which the juice is to be extracted. I

8. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from fruitor the like comprising a pair of pulleys, one of which is hollow and has peripheral openings through the side walls thereof, said openings being intermediate the edges of the pulley, a belt passing around the pulleys, said hollow pulley having a web therein located in substantially the plane of the openings through the periphery of the pulley, rasping elements on the web, and a fruit holding hopper projecting into the hollow pulley and terminating in proximity to the web.

9. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from fruit or the like comprising a pair of pulleys, one of which is hollow and has peripheral openings through the side walls thereof, said openings being intermediate the edges of the pulley, a belt passing around the pulleys, said hollow pulley having a web therein located in substantially the plane of the openings through the periphery of the pulley, rasping elements on the web, and a fruit holding hopper projecting into the hollow pulley and terminating in proximity to the web, said hopper having a plate thereon extending over a portion of the web at one side of the hopper, said plate being spaced a slight distance away from the web.

10. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from fruit or the like comprising a pair of pulleys, one of which is hollow and has peripheral openings through the side walls thereof, said openings being intermediate the edges of the pulley, a belt passing around the pulleys, said hollow pulley having a web therein located in substantially the plane of the openings through the periphery of the pulley, rasping elements on the web, a fruit holding hopper projecting into the hollow pulley and terminating in proximity to the web, said hopper having a plate thereon extending over a portion of the web at one side of the hopper, said plate being spaced a slight distance away from the web, means for driving-the other pulley, and a juice collector extending along the belt and at least partially encircling the peripheries of the pulleys, the juice collector being spaced from the belt.

11. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from fruit or the like comprising a pair of pulleys, one of which is hollow and has peripheral openings through the side walls thereof, said openings being intermediate the edges of the pulley, a belt passing around the pulleys, said hollow pulley having a web therein located in substantially the plane of the openings through the periphery of the pulley, rasping elements on the Web, a fruit holding hopper projecting into the hollow pulley and terminating in proximity to the web, said a juice collector extending along the belt and at least partially encircling the peripheries of the pulleys, the juice collector being spaced from the belt, the driving pulley being of considerably smaller diameter than the hollow pulley.

12. A machine of the class described comprising two pulleys, a pressing and filter belt passing around the pulleys, the space between the pulleys and the opposite reaches of the belt being open and unobstructed, means for introducing pulp to the inner surface of the belt, and a juice collector at the exterior of the belt at least partially encircling the pulleys and extending along one reach of the belt intermediate .zhe pulleys.

13. A machine of the class dscribed comprising two pulleys having vertical axes, a pressin and filter belt passing around the pulleys, means for introducing pulp to the inner surface of the belt, and a juice collector at the exterior of the belt at least partially encircling the pulleys, the pulleys being spaced and the reaches of the belt being spaced, there being an open space between the pulleys and the opposite reaches of the belt, and means for driving the pulleys and belt at such speed that pulp is thrown into the space between the pulleys in opposite directions across the space and the pulp particles caused to collide.

14. A machine of the class described comprising at least two pulleys having vertical axes, a pressing and fllter belt passing around the pulleys and disposed edgewise to a horizontal plane, means for introducing the pulp to the inner surface of the belt, a juice collector at the exterior of the belt extending along one reach of the belt and at least partially around the pulleys, and a member adjacent the periphery of one of the pulleys at a point where the periphery-of such pulley is clear of the belt for removing particles adhering to the periphery of said pulley.

15. A machine of the class described comprising at least two pulleys having vertical axes, a pressing and filter belt passing around the pulleys and disposed edgewise to a horizontal plane, means for introducing the pulp to the inner surface of the belt, a juice collector at the exterior of the belt extending along one reach of the belt and at least partially around the pulleys, and a member adjacent the periphery of one of the pulleys at a point where the periphery of such pulley is clear of the belt for removing particles adhering to the periphery of said pulley, said member being spaced a slight distance away from said pulley.

16. Apparatus of the class described comprising a drum-like member having its axis vertical, means for rotating the drum-like member about its vertical axis, said member being open at its lower end to permit the free discharge of pulp therefrom, said member having a perforate peripheral side portion through which juice may pass, a roller inside the drum closely adjacent the peripheral side portion thereof and of less diameter than the interior of the drum, and a juice collector surrounding the drum-like member, said drum-like member also having a disc portion, the disc portion having openings therethrough through which pulp may pass and means for deflecting the pulp through said openings under centrifugal force from the outside of the disc member to the interior of the drum-like member.

17. Apparatus of the class described comprising a drum-like member having its axis vertical, means for rotating the drum-like member about its vertical axis, said member being open at its lower end to permit the free discharge of pulp therefrom, said member having a perforate peripheral side portion through which juice may pass, a roller inside the drum closely adjacent the peripheral side portion thereof and of less diameter than the interior of the drum, and a juice collector surrounding the drum-like member, said drum-like member also having a disc portion. the disc portion having openings therethrough through which pulp may pass under centrifugal force from the outside of the disc member to the interior of the drum-like member, said disc member having means thereon for disintegrating fruit or the like, stationary means for retaining fruit in position to be disintegrated, and a flange on the disc-like member for directing pulp under action of centrifugal force to the openings in said disc-like member.

18. The method of extracting juice from fruit which comprises reducing fruit to pulp, taking the pulp immediately as it is formed and instantaneously discharging it into an endless procession of pulp in various stages of dehydration and simultaneously centrifuging and pressing the pulp in said procession, removing part of said pulp from said procession and returning it to the procession at a different position while the squeezing and centrifuging operation continues.

19. The method of extracting juice from pulp which comprises forming and continuously supplying pulp to an endless strip or procession positioned edgewise to a horizontal plane, simultaneously centrifuging and pressing said strip or procession, and permanently removing part of said pulp from said strip or processionby the diiference in adhesion between the wet pulp and the dry pulp.

20. A machine of the class described comprising two pulleys, a pressing and filtering belt passing around the two pulleys, means for introducing pulp to the inner surface of said belt, and means engaging one reach of the belt between the two pulleys for deflecting it from a line tangential to said two pulleys to thereby cause pulp adhering to the belt to be thrown clear of the belt at such point of deflection, one of said two pulleys being larger than the other, said means being so positioned that the pulp which is thrown clear moves in a direction toward the larger pulley, and means for driving the belt and pulleys at high speed.

21. The method of extracting juice from pulp or the like, which comprises continuously throwing and rethrowing the pulp against a moving foraminous member, and subjecting the pulp and foraminous member to a centrifuging step after the pulp has been thrown against said member and while it is adhering thereto, and withdrawing pulp particles which fail to reach or adhere to the moving foraminous member when they are thrown toward said member.

22. The method of extracting juice from pulp or the like, which comprises continuously throwing and rethrowing the pulp against a moving foraminous member, subjecting the pulp and foraminous member to a centrifuging step after the pulp has been thrown against said member and while it is adhering thereto, withdrawing the pulp particles which fail to reach or adhere to the moving foraminous member when they are thrown toward said member, and continuously mingling fresh pulp with pulp that has been thrown and centrifuged one or more times.

23. The method of extracting juice from pulp or the like, which comprises throwing and rethrowing pulp against a foraminous surface, pressing the pulp against the surface and centrifugally removing the juice which is pressed of said pulleys being adapted to introduce mate-- rial against the inner surface of the belt," and means to deflect one reach of the belt from a straight path between the two pulleys whereby the material on the belt is thrown clear thereof, means for driving the belt and the pulleys at high speed, the space between the opposite reaches of the belt being open.

25. The method of extracting juice from pulp, which comprises continuously throwing pulp particles through space against a foraminous member, subjecting the particles to pressure while they are held against the member and then rethrowing the particles against the member, and removing material which does not adhere to the foraminous member or which after being thrown fails to again lodge on the member.

26. Apparatus of the class described, comprising two pulleys and a belt passing about the pulleys, the space between the pulleys and the two reaches of the belt being open, and means for driving the pulleys and belt at such high speed as to cause material to be thrown from the belt across the open space. 1

27. Apparatus of the class described, comprising two pulleys and a belt passing about the pulleys, the space between the pulleys and the two reaches of the belt being open, and means for driving the pulleys and belt at such high speed as to cause material to be thrown from the belt across the open space, one of said pulleys being arranged to discharge fresh material through its periphery and against the inner surface of the belt.

28. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a pair of pulleys and a belt passing there about, and means for driving the same, said pulleys and belt being so disposed with relation to each other that material is thrown from a region on one part of the belt against another portion of the belt moving in an opposite direction.

29. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a pair of pulleys and a belt passing thereabout, means for driving the same, said pulleys and belt being so disposed with relation to each other that material is thrown from a region on one part of the belt against another portion of the belt moving in an opposite direction, and means for deflecting one reach of the belt from a line of contact between the two pulleys to more effectually produce a discharge of material from the deflected portion of the belt into the space between the reaches of the belt.

30. In the art of extracting juice from pulp, the steps which comprise subjecting the pulp to a rapid succession of pressing and centrifuging operations and between such operations throwing the pulp as a dispersion through space to a position for re-pressing and centrifuging, permitting the particles which'fall out of the dispersion to be removed from the mass, and continuously mingling fresh pulp with that which has been pressed one or more times.

31. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from pulp or the like, comprising a continuous movable filter band disposed edgewise to a horizontal plane and movable through a curved path and being open at its lower end, means for driving said band, means for delivering comminuted fruit pulp or the like against the inner face of said band, said driving means being arranged to move the band at a speed sufficient to normally hold the pulp delivered to the hand against the inner face of the band, a roller eccentrically positioned inside the band and being arranged to press pulp carried around on the inner face of the band, a

fixed support for said roller, said roller'constitut- 32. Apparatus for the extraction of juice from pulp or the like, comprising a continuous move able filter band disposed edgewise to a horizontal plane and movable through a curved path, means for driving said band, means for delivering comminuted fruit pulp or the like against the inner face of said band, said means comprising a grating disc movable in the same direction as the filter band and having means at its edge for directing pulp downwardly and outwardly by centrifugal force against the inner face of the band to thereby distribute pulp over the inner face of the band and with a motion that causes it to remain on the band at the point of impingement with the band until it is subsequently rearranged, a roller eccentrically positioned inside the band and being arranged to press against pulp carried by the inner face of the band, said roller constituting the principal mechanical means for effecting rearrangement of particles on the filter band and for effecting separation of the dry and moist pulp, and a juice collector outside the band arranged to collect juice discharged therethrough, the dry pulp when discharged from the band having a path of discharge downwardly from the space confined by the band.

33. Apparatus for removing juice from pulp by a combined pressing and centrifuging, comprising a continuous foraminous member set edgewise to a horizontal plane and being substantially completely open at its bottom, means for driving the member at relatively high speed, means for supplying fresh pulp to the inner surface of the said member, roller means positioned within the said member to press against pulp on the inner face of said member to squeeze it, said roller means constituting the only means for cooperation with the inner surface of said member for engaging pulp on said inner surface, said member and roller means cooperating to remove the CLARENCE E. JENKINS.

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