GB1511549A - Grading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1511549 Roller separators ST NICHOLAS COURT FARMS Ltd 22 Dec 1976 [1 Oct 1975] 40208/75 Heading B2H An apparatus for grading objects, e.g. fruits and vegetables, into two sizes comprises at least two parallel rows 1, 4 of rotatable roller elements 2, 5, the outer peripheries of the roller elements being so shaped and the rows being so spaced apart that a gap 9 of predetermined cross-sectional area is defined between two adjacent rollers in one row and two adjacent rollers in the other row, and one row of roller elements carrying a number of projections 7 which revolve with the elements and project into the gaps as they do so. Thus the revolving projections tend to lift larger objects from the grading gaps 9 and keep the latter clear. The roller elements 2, 5 are in the form of plastics or rubber mouldings octagonal in shape and are carried on rotatable spindles 3, 6. The projections 7 are finger-like with a curved upper surface 8 and are secured to the rotatable spindle 6 so that they revolve with the roller elements 5. The apparatus includes a number of rows of roller elements with the projections 7 provided on alternate rows. The shapes of the roller elements 2 and 5 and the spacing apart of the spindles 3 and 6 can be varied so that gaps of increasingly larger cross-sectional area are obtained in the direction of travel of the objects to be graded. Alternatively gaps of the same area could be arranged between a number of rows and increase in subsequent rows. In a modification Figs. 3 and 4 (not shown), moulded ear-shaped projections (11) are provided on one or each side of each roller element 5.