Title of Invention	"AN APPARATUS DECORTICATION OF OIL FRUITS/SEEDS FOR SEPARATION OF SHELL FROM KERNAL"
Abstract	This invention relates to an apparatus for decortications of oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel comprising an outer casing housing an inner casing disposed with an impeller rotor attached to a plurality of blades for decortications of the fruits/seeds supplied through an inlet hopper provided with the outer casing.

Full Text

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for decortication of oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel. BACKGROUND/PRIOR ART Traditionally, the decortication or dehusking is carried out by hand, using stone, bricks, etc which is expensive due to being labour intensive process. Another method is known in the art in which dried fruits are placed in a thin layer on a hard surface i.e. on a table or on a concrete floor and a small wooden board is moved over them. While pressing down, the fruit shells split and the seeds are obtained. Yet another prior art is available in which the decorticating action takes place between pairs of flat treated pneumatic rollers kept apart during operation by the down ward flow seeds, which force and maintain a flexible gap to suit the species of seeds being decorticated. The seeds get decorticated due to shearing action of the rollers. The decortication is applicable to harvested and cleaned seeds ranging from coffee cherry and tree nuts to small cereals and legume seeds. Still another decorticator is known in the art having a rotor preferably a squirrel-cage rotor, mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis in a generally concentric and cylindrical casing. The casing is provided at the upper portion with an inlet opening and in the lower portion with an outlet opening for the material being processed and graded, substantially horizontally extending ripples are formed on the internal surface of the casing between the inlet and outlet openings (in the direction of .rotor rotation), the ripples being graded in that they are spaced progressively closer together, become progressively sharper, become progressively deeper and/or approach more closely from the inlet toward a central zone between the inlet and outlet openings. However, the disadvantage associated with the above is that, it is suitable only for smaller seeds like groundnut, sunflower, mustard etc and with the use of bigger seeds, its efficiency is reduced. Further, the fruits/seeds get crushed instead of being separated from shell. In the industry producing oil from seeds particularly in oil milling, two high value commercial products are obtained i.e. oil extracted from the kernel and the solid part of the kernel left after extraction of the Oil, which constitute an excellent balanced feed. This solid part usually called meal in the milling industry is used as fertilizer, fuel, food for animals etc. constitutes excellent component, whereas the Hulls show negative qualities, not only from a nutritional standpoint, but also because of their detrimental influence on the milling capacity of an oil factory. The kernel itself produces good quality of oil whereas mix of kernel with shell produces low quality oil. Further, shells occupy great volumes of the oil producing machinery, reducing the amount of kernels which can be milled and thereby production of Oil (Meal is considered as a by-product). Therefore, the presence of hulls is a limiting factor in the production capacity of a given oil mill. Hence, the ideal solution would be to achieve a total elimination of the Hulls to obtain Kernels. So it is necessary to decorticate the fruit/seeds before extraction of oil. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for decorticating oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel which overcomes disadvantages of the prior art. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for decortication oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel which is simple in construction and cost effective. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for decortication oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel which is advantageous over traditional separation, using hammer/ hand to obtain a satisfactory product in a single pass. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for decortication oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel which is efficient. Further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for decortication oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel which consumes less time and energy. STATEMENT OF INVENTION According to this invention there is provided an apparatus for decortication of oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel comprising an outer casing housing an inner casing disposed with an impeller rotor attached to a plurality of blades for decortication of the fruits/seeds supplied through an inlet hopper provided with the outer casing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the ensuing description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and wherein: Fig. 1 shows: front elevation of apparatus of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING; Reference may be made to fig. 1 wherein an outer casing (3) is mounted on a plate (7*) fixedly mounted on a stand (7). The outer casing houses an inner casing (4) with impact band on inner walls consisting of angular projection against which fruits/seeds such as Jatropha, karanja etc strike upon being thrown by spinning impeller rotor (2) with blades (18) rotating about horizontal axis inside the inner casing (4). Striking of the seeds/fruits results in splitting of shell. The rotor (2) comprising of a plurality of blades (18) mounted on a shaft (19) fitted with a pulley (8) wherein there is provided proper gap between the blades so as to propel the materials to be comminuted. The pulley is connected to a DC motor (11) by means of a conveyor belt for actuating the shaft so as to rotate the impeller rotor. The rotor can move with a rpm upto 3000 for some hard seeds. The speed is preferably 1600-2500 rpm. However, it should be at least 1500 rpm. The shaft (19) rotates the impeller rotor with different rpm for required centrifugal force for example (3 - 4KN) to decorticate different varieties of fruits according to the requirement. Speed variation is carried out with the help of an electric motor (11) connected to an electronic controller (12) consisting of a pointer (13) for different speed with respect to electric ampere (14) and voltage (15). There is provided an inlet hopper (5) to feed the fruits/seeds to a seed hopper (1) positioned over the spinning impeller rotor. The seed hopper (1) guides the fruits/seeds towards entrance of the rotor. Further, the apparatus of the present invention is provided with an outlet (6) for discharge of decorticated hull and kernel from the outer casing (3). The principal function of a decorticator is to crack, open up or remove the outer shell from the kernel in such a way that the two components can be readily separated by using aspirated screen, fan, sieve or the like. Excessive breaking is not required as it is not only wastage of energy but it also makes subsequent separation of the husk and kernel more difficult and less efficient. It is to be noted that the present invention is susceptible to modifications, adaptations and changes by those skilled in the art. Such variant embodiments employing the concepts and features of this invention are intended to be within the scope of the present invention, which is further set forth under the following claims:- WE CLAIM: 1. An apparatus for decortication of oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel comprising an outer casing housing an inner casing disposed with an impeller rotor attached to a plurality of blades for decortication of the fruits/seeds supplied through an inlet hopper provided with the outer casing. 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner casing is provided with impact bands i.e. angular projections against which the fruits/seeds strike. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the inlet hopper is attached to a seed hopper at its bottom, which directs the fruits/seeds towards the impeller rotor. 4. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the rotor is mounted on a shaft provided with a pulley, which is connected to an electric motor. 5. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the outer casing is fixed to a plate fixedly mounted on a stand. 6. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims comprising of an outlet for discharge of hull and kernel. 7. An apparatus for decortication of oil fruits/seeds for separation of shell from kernel substantially as herein described with

Documents:

1590-del-2007-Abstract-(12-02-2014).pdf

1590-del-2007-abstract.pdf

1590-del-2007-Claims-(12-02-2014).pdf

1590-del-2007-claims.pdf

1590-del-2007-Correspondence Others-(12-02-2014).pdf

1590-del-2007-correspondence-others.pdf

1590-del-2007-description (complete).pdf

1590-del-2007-drawings.pdf

1590-del-2007-form-1.pdf

1590-del-2007-form-2.pdf

1590-del-2007-Petition-137-(12-02-2014).pdf

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