AU2018413431B2 - Efficient automatic production system for breaking shell of walnut to take kernel of walnut and separating shell from kernel - Google Patents

Abstract

A high-efficiency automated production system for walnut shell-breaking, kernel-taking and shell-kernel separation, comprising a shell breaking device (Ⅱ) which provides a squeezing member for squeezing the walnut to break shells; a kernel oscillation grading device (Ⅶ), which receives and oscillatorily grades the mixture of shells and kernels after breaking the shells, and respectively conveys to each negative-pressure vibration sorting device (Ⅵ). The negative-pressure vibration sorting device (Ⅵ) is connected to a negative-pressure separating device (Ⅳ) which absorbs and stores the shells by the negative-pressure suction force, and the kernels are classified by the negative-pressure vibration sorting device (Ⅵ) to store.

Description

EFFICIENT AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION SYSTEM FOR BREAKING SHELL OF WALNUT TO TAKE KERNEL OF WALNUT AND SEPARATING SHELL FROM KERNEL BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the technical field of breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut, and in particular, to an efficient automatic production system for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut and separating the shell from the kernel.

Related Art

Walnuts also known as juglans, almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts are known as the world-famous "four nuts". Walnuts belong to the Juglandaceae. Walnuts belong to a perennial deciduous tree, and originate from Central Asia. After continuous exploration and practice, our country has a walnut cultivation area more than 1.3 million kilometers. The area and a yield rank first in the world.

The walnut is full of treasures. Walnut kernels are rich in nutrients and various trace elements needed by the human body, not only having a good health care effect on the human body, but also preventing various diseases. The walnut shell is an inner peel of a ripe fruit of the Juglandaceae plant and is a very good Chinese medicinal material. The walnut shell has a bitter, astringent, and flat taste, and enters the spleen, the lung, and the kidney channel. The walnut shell has effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, converging, and hemostasis, and is suitable for blood collapse, breast carbuncle, and scabies. In addition, the walnut shell has good hydrophilicity and resistance to oil immersion. Due to good durability and elasticity, the walnut shell can be mixed with other abrasives, and therefore is also an ideal polishing and grinding material. In the metal cleaning industry, walnut shells can be used as metal cleaning and polishing materials after treatment. For example, aircraft engines, circuit boards, and gear apparatuses for ships and automobiles may be cleaned with treated walnut shells. After being crushed into very fine particles, the walnut shell has a specific elasticity, recovery force, and huge bearing capacity, and therefore is suitable as an abrasive for polishing and grinding tools and finishing various hardware, jewelry, operating parts, etc. Distracted wood, also known as walnut clothes, nutcrackers, and walnut septa, is a wooden septum in a walnut kernel of the Juglandaceae plant. In the traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that the distracted wood has a bitter, astringent, and flat taste, and can enter the spleen and the kidney channel, and therefore has effects of fixing kidney and arresting seminal emission and can also prevent many diseases. The various benefits of the walnut attract increasing pursuit and affection from people. Therefore, an increasing amount of walnuts are produced.

As a walnut output and a market demand continuously increase, further processing of walnuts becomes an increasingly prominent issue in scientific research and production. Breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut is a primary prerequisite for further processing. Because walnut shells are mainly composed of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, walnut shells are hard, thick, and irregular in shape, and have a plurality of divisions. A gap between shell and kernels is small, resulting in great difficulty in shelling and kernel obtaining. Due to a backward processing technology and lack of a mature machine for breaking a shell of a walnut, in order to guarantee a shell breaking rate and a perfect kernel rate, many walnut processing manufacturers still adopt a manner of manually breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut, for example, "walnut shelling with hands", that is, manually striking a walnut in a mold with a hammer made of flexible materials. Moreover, an existing shell breaking device unsuitable for home use, and main disadvantages are that the shell breaking device is bulky and expensive.

Economic benefits of walnut products are closely related to efficiency of breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut. Higher efficiency of breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut brings higher economic benefits. High adaptability and high efficiency are competition focuses of contemporary machines for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut. With deepened research on mechanized walnut shell breaking apparatuses by scholars at home and abroad, many new types of walnut shelling machines appeared. Overall disadvantages of the shell breaking machines are missing shelling or incomplete shell breaking, a low shell breaking rate, a high loss rate, low efficiency, poor adaptability to different varieties of walnuts. For example, some machines for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut have a low walnut shell breaking rate but a high perfect walnut kernel rate. Some machines for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut have an excessively high shell breaking rate, but cause damage to a walnut kernel, resulting in a relatively high walnut kernel crushing rate. In addition, the apparatuses for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut have poor adaptability to different varieties of walnuts. In case of a walnut with a changed size, a shell breaking effect of the apparatus decreases.

In the prior art, breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut is currently mainly implemented in a physical corrosion manner and a chemical corrosion manner. Due to poor control of chemical corrosion in actual operations, walnut kernels are likely to be corroded. In addition, pretreatment and post-treatment procedures for walnuts are added. Poor treatment also causes environmental pollution. Therefore, people are reluctant to accept the method. Currently, breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut is mostly performed by using physical characteristics of a walnut. The method includes: kneading, striking, shearing, squeezing, and ultrasonic crushing. The first four methods all use a specific gap between the walnut shell and the kernel. Pressure applied through the mechanical apparatus causes the shell to crush. As long as a stroke of the applied force is less than the gap between the shell and the kernel, the walnut kernel can be protected from hurts. However, sizes and shapes of walnuts and hardness of walnut shells vary according to walnut types. As a result, strokes of forces on walnut shells are notfixed. Therefore, during shell breaking by using the first four methods, positioning, or size classification of walnuts need to be considered. In afifth physical ultrasonic shattering method, walnut shells are shattered by using ultrasonic waves to separate shells from kernels. In this method, sizes, shapes, classification, and positioning of walnuts do not need to be considered. However, since the method is immature, it is difficult to ensure that the walnut kernels are not damaged during shattering of the walnut shells.

Xinjiang Agricultural University invented a pneumatic walnut shell breaking machine. The invention consists of a rack, a transmission control apparatus, a feeding mechanism, and a shell breaking apparatus. The rack is provided with a shell breaking apparatus consisting of an impact cylinder and a clamping cylinder connected between separating plates of a workbench. A transmission control apparatus is provided at a lower front part of the rack. The transmission control apparatus consists of a motor, a thumbwheel and a control cam coaxially sleeved with a shaft of motor, a drive sprocket and a groove wheel sleeved on a lower shaft, side-by-side front sprockets and a driven sprocket sleeved on an upper shaft, side-by-side rear sprockets mounted at a rear of the rack, and three switches for clamping, holding, and hitting mounted at a lower part of the rack at intervals. The drive sprocket, the driven sprocket, the front sprocket, and the rear sprocket are linked by a chain. A material box is mounted at a rear of the workbench, a slot is provided at a wall of the box, and a feeding mechanism is mounted immediately below the slot. The slot consists of side-by-side chains, rotating rollers connected on the chain at intervals, a rolling plate supporting the rotating rollers, and a tension sprocket.

The apparatus has the following disadvantages: a perfect kernel rate is not high, walnut needs to be positioned before processing, great damage is caused to the walnut kernel, many processing procedures are required, efficiency of breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut is low, and secondary damage is likely to be caused to the walnut kernel, and manufacturing costs are high.

Dang Cailiang from Shangluo City in Shaanxi Province invented a machine for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut. A shell breaking portion of the machine includes a piston sleeve having a piston inside, the piston being connected to one end of a shell breaking spring, the other end of the shell breaking spring being connected to a shell breaking spring positioning pillar. The shell breaking spring positioning pillar passes through a positioning hole on the piston sleeve. The shell breaking portion further includes a piston pin perpendicular to an axis of the piston sleeve and connected to the piston, and further includes a rotating shaft mounted on the piston sleeve and perpendicular to the axis of the piston sleeve. A cam knife is mounted at one end of the rotating shaft, and the other end is a handle. A running curve of the cam knife rotating around the rotating shaft can push the piston pin to move back and forth in a limiting hole on the piston sleeve and enable the piston to be in contact with a baffle. The baffle is on an extension line of a central axis of the piston, and the baffle is fixedly mounted on the piston sleeve. During working, the piston moves to strike the walnut and the baffle to breaking the shell.

The apparatus has the following disadvantages: continuous and reciprocating strike imposes high requirements on the spring, walnut kernels are likely to be damaged under high-speed strike, a perfect kernel rate greatly decreases, and adaptability to walnuts of different sizes is poor.

Currently, in addition to a manual kernel obtaining method, methods for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut are as follows: shell breaking through centrifugal collision, chemical corrosion, vacuum shell breaking, ultrasonic shell breaking, and mechanical shell breaking. In the first method, a centrifuged walnut hits the wall at a high speed to deform the shell until the shell breaks, but there are many crushing kernels after the shell is broken. Therefore, the method is not ideal. In the second method, a medicament dosage cannot be controlled in actual operations, walnut kernels are likely to be corroded, and poor treatment also causes pollution to the environment. Therefore, the method is rarely used. In the third and fourth methods, devices are expensive, shell breaking costs are excessively high, and a shell breaking effect is not ideal. In the fifth method, devices are simple, costs are low, and a shell breaking effect can be enhanced by improving component structures. Therefore, the method is frequently explored and applied.

A large number of experiments are carried out on nuts such as apricot kernels and pine nuts at home and abroad, to explore mechanical properties of nuts and factors affecting a shell breaking effect. Factors such as moisture content and a loading direction are shown to affect a shell breaking force, a deformation amount, a shell breaking trend, and a perfect kernel rate, etc. of nuts to some extent. Shi Jianxin, Wu Ziyue, et al. studied shell breaking principles and mechanical properties of walnut shells through a large number of experiments by using a finite element analysis method, and found best force application positions and manners for shell breaking. Through experimental studies on a roller-plate ginkgo shelling apparatus, Yuan Qiaoxia et al. found that neither an excessively large gap nor an excessively small gap facilitates shelling. If the gap is excessively large, a squeezing amount cannot reach a critical compression amount required for shell breaking, decreasing a shelling rate decreases. If the gap is excessively small, the squeezing amount is excessively large, increasing a broken kernel rate. Inspired by experiments of fixed-gap squeezing (transverse squeezing and longitudinal squeezing), Li Zhongxin et al. established a "cone-basket shell breaking model". They studied most effective force application direction and position for breaking a shell of a walnut, and proposed influence of structural factors, such as a shell breaking gap, hardness of a shell breaking plate, and a feeding speed of a shell breaking machine on the shell breaking effect. Song Lvzhan from Hefei University of Technology analyzed internal forces and displacement by using a thin shell theory and a fracture theory, and showed that two normal forces more facilitate shell breaking and that for breaking a shell of a gorgon fruit through kneading, a washboard needs to be designed to have a shape consistent with a nut shape after deformation, that is, the washboard needs to have specific flexibility and hardness, and a friction coefficient between the washboard and gorgon fruit needs to be appropriately large to meet shelling requirements.

Currently, domestic common mechanical shelling processing devices are divided into four categories according to a shelling method: squeezing, striking, shearing, and kneading. Cotton walnut shelling machines studied by Wu Ziyue adopt a principle of double gear-tooth plate shelling. After a cotton walnut is fed into the shelling apparatus, a circular gear drives the cotton walnut to rotate and squeeze into a gap, and tooth tips at a specific distance continuously squeeze a surface of the walnut shell, so that breaks continuously expand, and finally the walnut shell is almost completely broken, and crushing shells and walnut kernels fall down through a smallest gap. A dual-roller indented walnut opening machine researched and developed by Zhang Zhongxin mainly includes a cone-roller classifying apparatus and a dual-roller indented opening apparatus. The classifying apparatus consists of a pair of large-end to large-end and small-end to small-end cone rollers, and a gap between the two rollers gradually increases from the large end to the small end. The dual-roller indented opening apparatus is a pair of cylindrical squeezing rollers with the same diameter. The rollers have indents thereon, and sizes of the indents gradually increase from the large end to the small end. The two supporting rollers roll relative to each other, and classified walnuts fall into corresponding indents and crush under a squeezing action of the two rollers, and then collected by a discharge sliding plate. A centrifugal machine for performing secondary breaking of a shell of a walnut developed by Wang XiaoxuanE 21 et al. breaks a walnut through striking. Under friction of a supporting plate and driving of a pulling plate, walnuts falling on a centrifugal plate rotate with the centrifugal plate. When the centrifugal plate reaches a specific speed, the walnuts fly out at a specific speed and collide with a striking barrel to complete shell breaking. Adjusting a rotating speed of the centrifugal plate can adjust a striking force of the walnuts, thereby obtaining an ideal shell breaking effect. The machine for walnut shelling for perfect kernels developed by Zhang Yong consists of a base and a top cover. An upper half of the base is a round platform, and the top surface of the round platform has a concave shelling cavity, and an inner edge of the shelling cavity has a circle of sawteeth. During working, walnuts are placed on the sawteeth of the shelling cavity, are pressed by using the top cover with a rubber pad, and a motor is enabled to saw a gap in walnut shells. After four to six gaps are sawn, the walnut shell can be stripped. A walnut shelling machine developed by Chai Jinwang by using a principle of friction and kneading breaks a shell of a walnut by using internal and external mills with tooth slots. The external mill is fixed on the rack, and the internal mill rotates under driving of the motor. A walnut breaks and unshells in a gap between internal and external mills. When crushing to a suitable particle size, the walnut falls on a blanking plate through a gap between the baffle and the bottom of the internal mill. The machine can not automatically adapt to a walnut size. In addition, because of different varieties and sizes of current walnuts, there are specific disadvantages in actual applications. Breaking walnuts of different sizes requires replacement of inner and outer diameters of different sizes.

However, main problems in most shelling machines are as follows: A shelling rate is low, many shelling machines have leaking or incomplete shelling, a shelling rate is 80% or even lower, a loss rate is high, and a kernel-exposing rate is low. Due to incomplete shell breaking, some crushing walnut kernels entrained in the broken shells cannot be extracted.

Some shelling machines have a kernel loss rate up to 20% but a kernel-exposing rate of about 60%. Kernel integrity is poor. Many shelling machines are blindly developed in pursuit of shelling rate improvement, resulting in a high broken walnut kernel rate. Adaptability is poor. Shelling performance of the shelling machine degrades in a case of a change of factors such as a walnut type, a size, and a shell shape, etc. Most mechanical shell breaking devices have a fixed shell breaking gap. In addition, because of irregular shapes and sizes of walnuts, during placement of walnuts in batches, shells of walnuts that do not meet the gap size usually cannot be effectively broken. If a size of a walnut is excessively large, a shell is excessively broken, and a walnut kernel is damaged. If a size of a walnut is excessively small, a shell cannot be broken. Therefore, walnuts need to be sized before shell breaking. Current three main types of devices for mechanically sizing walnuts are as follows: (1) Roller classifier, all rollers of which are parallel to each other in a horizontal plane, a spacing between the rollers gradually increasing. When a spacing between the rollers exceeds a diameter of the walnut, a walnut rolling on the roller falls into a corresponding nut trough located below. (2) Dual-roller classifier, which is inclined at a specific angle to the horizontal plane, and the two rollers rotate relative to each other by a specific angle. Due to the angle between the two rollers, a classification spacing between the two rollers gradually increases. Under the action of gravity, the walnut rolls down along a seam. When the spacing between the two rollers is greater than a diameter of the nut, the walnut between the two rollers falls into the nut trough. (3) Drum-type classifier, whose drum has several drum units, each of the drum units being evenly covered with small holes, holes in the same drum having the same diameters, holes in different drums having different diameters, and hole diameters of each drum gradually increasing from inside to outside. The drum rolls at a constant speed. Walnuts are fed from the top of the drum and transported along a surface of the drum. The walnuts successively pass through the drums with different hole diameters and are classified in ascending order of size.

Separating a shell from a kernel is one of difficulty points in breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut. There are rare domestic ideal separating methods and separating devices. Although existing methods and devices can achieve separation of a shell from a kernel, device costs are high, a process is complex, and a separation rate is low.

A current apparatus for separating a shell of a walnut from a kernel of the walnut by using a mechanical method is a felt-covered roller apparatus for separating a shell from a kernel. The apparatus consists of a pair of rollers with full lengths in contact with each other. An outer surface of the roller is covered with flannel. The rollers rotate relative to each other and are inclined relative to the horizontal plane. When walnut shell-kernel mixtures are fed from a high end, walnut kernels with a smooth surface are unlikely to be adhered by fluff and fall into a groove between the two rollers and slide downward to be discharged from a bottom end. Walnut shells with a rough surface are adhered by the fluff and finally climb over the felt-covered roller to fall into a discharge hopper. In order to achieve a specific separation effect, generally, the apparatus has a plurality of felt-covered rollers for repeated separation. Because cracked ports of the walnut shells and kernels have burrs and can be adhered by the fluff, the apparatus has a poor separation effect. The walnut shell and kernel air separator developed by Dong Yuande et al separates a shell of a walnut from a kernel by using an air separation principle. Experiment results show that an air volume and a length of an air cavity have a significant effect on a rate of kernel in shell, the length of the air cavity has an extremely significant effect on a rate of shell in kernel, and a feeding amount has an extremely significant effect on a high kernel-exposing loss rate.

The research team of Professor Li Changhe from Qingdao University of Technology conducted in-depth systematic researches on processes and equipment breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut, walnut classification, and separating a shell of a walnut from a kernel of the walnut. The designed and developed apparatus for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut is overall automated, and greatly improves a shell breaking rate. Liu Mingzheng and Zhang Yanbin improved the apparatus for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut. Experiments showed that a walnut shell breaking rate was 98%, a walnut kernel cracking rate was 2.9%, and a walnut kernel-exposing rate was 70%. The walnut shell breaking rate is further increased and the walnut kernel breaking rate is further reduced. A rate of separating a shell from a kernel is up to 97%, and a separation effect is ideal. Liu Mingzheng et al. designed and researched rotary cage walnut classifying screens and swing walnut classifying screens, not only preventing walnuts from getting stuck, but also enabling walnuts with a size matching a gap to fully fall down, thereby improving classification efficiency and classification accuracy. Liu Mingzheng et al. improved a working belt in the apparatus for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut, reducing a walnut cracking rate, improving walnut kernel integrity, reducing walnut kernel losses, effectively increasing friction between an inner side of the belt and the supporting roller, and avoiding slippage between the belt and the supporting roller, thereby achieving smooth operation of synchronous belts. Ma Zhengcheng, Xing Xudong, et al. invented a walnut shell breaking apparatus and a use method thereof. The apparatus includes at least one walnut fixing mechanism and at least two striking rods provided on a rack. A walnut shell breaking mold is provided with a walnut positioning hole and a sidewall of the walnut shell breaking mold is provided with at least two apertures in communication with the walnut positioning holes. A plurality of striking rods are driven by a moving mechanism to pass through an aperture corresponding to each of the striking rods to strike walnuts disposed in the walnut positioning hole. The apparatus further includes a slider for positioned and quantitative feeding provided on two sides of the walnut positioning hole to cover the walnut positioning hole. Based on strike of the striking rod on the walnuts in the walnut positioning hole or walnuts in a walnut positioning groove and the disposed slider, a striking speed is fast, and kernel integrity is high. In the present invention, fast and stable feeding of walnuts are achieved through fixed-period reciprocating movement of the slider for positioned and quantitative feeding, and walnut processing efficiency of a machine is fully utilized, implementing automation and controllability of walnut feeding, reducing labor costs, and improving processing efficiency.

A device for shearing and squeezing a walnut to break a shell and performing flexible beating to take a kernel invented by Liu Mingzheng et al. consists of three parts: a system for performing shearing and squeezing to break a shell, a flexible blade system for taking a kernel through beating, and a pneumatic helical blade drum separating system. Under the action of a metal bracket and two working belts with a speed difference, shearing and squeezing forces are exerted on walnuts, so that shells of the walnuts are broken and kernels of the walnuts are exposed. Because the belt is flexible, less damage is caused to the walnut kernels. In addition, under the action of the flexible blade beating system, walnut kernels embedded in the walnut shells can be further separated out. Because a blade is a helical curved surface made of flexible materials, not only less damage is caused to the walnut kernels during beating but also mixtures can be conveyed, avoiding crushing of walnut kernels as a result of directly falling down. The separating system can automatically separate a shell from a kernel. A height adjustment apparatus is adopted, so that the apparatus is adapted to process walnuts of different sizes, and therefore can be used in large-scale production operations, shortening labor time, saving labor, and reducing processing costs. Difficulty in breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut and relying on manual work are well relieved, and a shell breaking rate and a kernel-exposing rate are improved.

Zhang Yanbin et al. invented a pneumatic drum device for bidirectionally separating a shell of a walnut from a kernel of the walnut and coupled to a flexible helical blade. Walnut shell and kernel materials are conveyed from the feed hopper. The walnut shell and kernel materials are accelerated in the feed hopper and then conveyed to a helical blade drum at a specific speed. The walnut shell and kernel materials enter a region for separating a shell of a walnut from a kernel of the walnut through wind conveying. Most of the walnut shell and kernel materials enter a walnut shell conveying region, and few enter the region for separating a shell of a walnut from a kernel of the walnut. A variable-pitch helical conveying blade mechanism fixedly connected to an inner wall of a helical blade drum. A helical direction is rightward. When the helical blade drum rotates clockwise, the helical blade conveys the walnut shell and kernel materials. The materials are conveyed from an outlet direction toward an inlet direction. In the region for separating a shell of a walnut from a kernel of the walnut, the walnut shell and kernel materials are conveyed to a higher place along a circumference by a helical blade II, and the helical blade II conveys the walnut shell and kernel materials toward the inlet direction. After reaching a specific height, the walnut shell and kernel materials are thrown down from the air and have an initial velocity toward the inlet direction. Through wind conveying, walnut kernels fall in a walnut kernel conveying region under a relatively small wind force, and walnut shells are conveyed to the walnut shell conveying region under a relatively large wind force. In the walnut kernel conveying region, the walnut kernel is conveyed by a helical blade III with a small pitch toward an outlet direction of the helical blade drum for output. Due to the small pitch and a small friction coefficient of the helical blade III, a typical helical conveying effect is formed in the region. The walnut kernel is not affected by wind, and is conveyed by the helical blade III with a small pitch toward the outlet direction of the helical blade drum for output, and falls into a walnut kernel collector.

In summary, many existing technologies for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut have both advantages and severe disadvantages. Some apparatuses are developed in pursuit of only one function, resulting in unideal effects in other aspects. As a result, adaptability of the shell breaking devices to walnuts of different sizes, a shell breaking rate, and shell breaking efficiency cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, such an apparatus cannot meet requirements and development of the market.

SUMMARY

In order to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, the present invention provides an efficient automatic production system for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut and separating the shell from the kernel, which can efficiently break a shell and separate a shell from a kernel for walnuts of different types. A production speed is fast and an automation degree is high. In addition, a perfect kernel rate and a kernel rate are increased, a damage rate of walnut kernels is reduced, and high shell breaking efficiency and complete separation of a shell from a kernel are guaranteed.

Further, the following technical solutions are used in the present invention:

an efficient automatic production system for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut and separating the shell from the kernel, including a shell breaking apparatus, a squeezing member being disposed to squeeze the walnut to break the shell; and

a kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus configured to receive shell-kernel mixtures after shell breaking to classify the mixture through vibration, and convey the shell-kernel mixtures to each negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus.

The negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus is connected to a negative pressure separating apparatus, the negative pressure separating apparatus sucking and storing shells through negative pressure suction, and kernels being sorted and stored by the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus.

Further, the shell breaking apparatus includes a conveying portion and a squeezing potion, the conveying portion conveying walnuts to the squeezing potion, and the squeezing potion including a squeezing roller, a lower side of the squeezing roller fitting a rotatable shell breaking baffle, and a specified gap existing between the lower side of the squeezing roller and the rotatable shell breaking baffle.

Further, the shell breaking baffle is arc-shaped and is bent toward the squeezing roller, and a groove is disposed on opposite sides of both the shell breaking baffle and the squeezing roller.

Further, one end of the shell breaking baffle is fixed to a rack through a rotating shaft, the other end is connected to the rack through a spring, and a rotation axis of the shell breaking baffle is parallel to an axis of the squeezing roller.

Further, a direction of the groove is parallel to a rotation axis of the shell breaking baffle.

Further, an outer side of the shell breaking baffle is supported by a worm, the worm fitting a worm wheel, the worm wheel being connected to an adjusting hand wheel.

Further, a guide baffle is disposed above the squeezing roller, the guide baffle fitting an end of the conveying portion.

Further, a grid plate is disposed above the conveying portion, where a gap between adjacent ones of the grid plates is larger than a diameter of the walnut.

Further, the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus includes a vibration base, a plurality of vibration screens being fixedly disposed on the vibration base, screen holes of all of the vibration screens having different sizes, and the vibration base being fixedly connected to a vibration motor.

Further, the screening holes of the plurality of vibration screens sequentially decrease in sizes from top to bottom.

Further, the vibration motor is inclined by a specific angle to enable the plurality of vibration screens to incline and vibrate.

Further, the vibration screen includes a screen mesh, a discharge outlet being disposed at one side of the screen mesh, and a steel structure frame being fixed on each of other three sides, and a plurality of staggered screen holes being disposed on the screen mesh.

Further, the bottom of the vibration base is disposed on a support frame, a spring being disposed between the support frame and the vibration base.

Further, a discharge outlet of the uppermost vibration screen is connected to an extension plate, the extension plate extending to a position above a secondary shell breaking conveying platform, the secondary shell breaking conveying platform conveying received materials to the shell breaking apparatus, and discharge outlets of other vibration screens each being connected to the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus.

Further, the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus includes a vibration platform, a secondary negative pressure separating assembly being disposed above one side of the vibration platform, a conveying platform being further disposed at an end of the side of the vibration platform.

Further, the vibration platform includes a vibration screen, a vibration motor being disposed at the bottom of the vibration screen, mesh holes being disposed on the vibration screen at a position corresponding to the secondary negative pressure separating assembly.

Further, the bottom of the vibration screen is disposed on a support frame, a spring being disposed between the support frame and the vibration screen.

Further, a height of the support frame corresponding to the secondary negative pressure separating assembly is less than heights of other positions.

Further, the secondary negative pressure separating assembly includes two negative pressure shell sucking platforms disposed side by side, the negative pressure shell sucking platform including a vertically disposed cylinder body whose bottom corresponds to a position above the vibration platform, the top of the cylinder body being connected to a negative pressure separating apparatus.

Further, the negative pressure separating apparatus includes a plurality of negative pressure separators disposed side by side, the negative pressure separators communicating with a slag discharge fan through a channel, and further communicating with the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus through a pipe, and a conveying platform being disposed below the negative pressure separator.

Further, the negative pressure separator includes a negative pressure cavity, an opening being disposed at the top of the negative pressure cavity for communication with the channel, an interface being disposed at a side of the negative pressure cavity for communication with the pipe, and an opening being disposed at the bottom of the negative pressure cavity for communication with a drum, a rotatable blade being disposed in the drum, and an outlet being disposed at the bottom of the drum.

Further, a filter plate is disposed at the top opening of the negative pressure cavity.

Further, two conveying platforms are disposed side by side below the negative pressure separating apparatus, conveying directions of the two conveying platforms being opposite. One of the conveying platforms is correspondingly disposed below a part of the negative pressure separator, and the other of the conveying platforms is correspondingly disposed below a rest of the negative pressure separator.

Further, the system further includes a feeding apparatus configured to feed materials to the shell breaking apparatus and including a storage hopper, an inclined conveyor belt being disposed at a side of the storage hopper, a conveying baffle being disposed on two sides of the conveyor belt.

Further, the system further includes a negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus disposed between the shell breaking apparatus and the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus, connected to the negative pressure separating apparatus, and including a vibration screen, a negative pressure suction port being correspondingly disposed above the vibration screen.

Further, a vibration motor is disposed at the bottom of the vibration screen, and the vibration screen being supported on a base, a spring being disposed between the base and the vibration screen, and a plurality of screen holes being disposed on the vibration screen at a position corresponding to the negative pressure suction port.

Further, the system further includes a lifting feeding apparatus disposed between a negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus and the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus and including an inclined conveyor belt, a conveyor baffle perpendicular to the conveyor belt being disposed on the conveyor belt.

Compared to the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

The invention is integrated by a plurality of systems and has perfect functions, not only reducing manufacturing costs of a machine, but also reducing an area occupied by the machine, facilitating miniaturization and high efficiency of the machine. In terms of a structural design, a variety of connection and fitting works such as splicing and combination can be implemented, so that requirements of various production scales and various production sites can be satisfied, and application is wider.

The feeding apparatus of the present invention may be configured to feed materials to subsequent apparatuses in batches. The shell breaking apparatus is connected to the feeding apparatus and is mounted at a front end of the feeding apparatus to achieve matching of a shell breaking procedure and a batch material feeding process. In addition, walnut shells that are broken are conveyed to the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus under the action of the negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus and the lifting feeding apparatus, and are classified through vibration. It can effectively adopt different negative pressure sizes for different whole kernel types of walnut shell kernel mixture, so as to better pass through the line separation. Different negative pressure may be effectively used for walnut shell and kernels mixtures with different kernel types to achieve better separation. The negative pressure separating apparatus is located on one side of the entire system, and sucks walnut kernels through the pipe. A small number of walnut shells not completely separated out are to be completely separated out by human power by using the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus.

The shell breaking apparatus of the present invention includes a conveying portion and a squeezing portion. Walnuts conveyed by the conveying portion can be evenly arranged under the action of the grid plate fixed above the conveying portion and a rotating shaft of the conveying portion, and are continuously conveyed to the squeezing portion, improving shell breaking efficiency of the entire apparatus.

The squeezing portion of the shell breaking apparatus is mainly designed as a squeezing roller and a squeezing baffle. The squeezing roller rolls to squeeze walnuts falling into a gap and continually rolls to avoid damage to kernels of large walnuts as a result of crushing of the walnuts or a breaking failure of small walnuts, improving walnut pre-shell-breaking efficiency and a kernel integrity rate. In addition, a lower end of the squeezing baffle is connected to the rack by using a spring, ensuring that the squeezing baffle can be restored to an original state after shell breaking is completed and ensuring stability of the apparatus. A rear end of the squeezing baffle is supported by a plurality of pairs of worm wheels and worms. An initial gap between the squeezing roller and the squeezing baffle may be adjusted by rotating the worms in case of different types of walnuts, improving adaptability of the apparatus.

The present invention adopts a negative pressure separating apparatus designed based on shells and kernels of different quality. The system is simple and reliable and improves the efficiency of separation of a shell from a kernel. The slag discharge fan is connected to the negative pressure separator through a pipe, and the other end of the negative pressure separator is connected to the negative pressure suction port through the pipe. When shell-kernel mixtures fall from the shell breaking apparatus onto the conveyor belt of the separation apparatus, under negative pressure generated by the slag discharge fan, shells and debris are sucked into the negative pressure separator through the negative pressure suction port. A filter screen is mounted in a connecting pipe between the negative pressure separator and the slag discharge fan, to prevent the shells and debris from being sucked into the slag discharge fan. When filtered shells accumulate to a specific amount, the shells fall vertically into the lower end of the negative pressure separator under the action of gravity. An eccentric baffle plate is mounted at the lower end of the negative pressure separator.

The baffle plate slowly rotates under driving of the motor, so that the shells and debris falling into a gap of the baffle plate is taken out of the negative pressure separator with rotation of the shells and falls into a manual sorting and conveying apparatus. The conveying apparatus conveys the materials to a corresponding place for packaging and storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings constituting a part of this application are used for providing further understanding for this application. Exemplary embodiments of this application and descriptions thereof are used for explaining this application and do not constitute an improper limitation to this application.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an automatic production line for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut and separating the shell from the kernel.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a feeding apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a shell breaking apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exterior of a shell breaking apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the lifting feeding apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a vibration principle diagram of a kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a schematic exploded view of a single vibration screen.

FIG. 11 is a schematic exploded view of a kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus.

FIG. 13 is a structural diagram of a vibration platform.

FIG. 14 is a schematic vibration diagram of the vibration platform.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a conveying platform II.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a support frame II.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of a negative pressure separating apparatus.

FIG. 18 is an exploded view of a negative pressure separator.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of the secondary shell breaking conveying platform.

In the figures: I-Feeding apparatus, II-Shell breaking apparatus, III-Lifting feeding apparatus, IV-Negative pressure separating apparatus, V-Slag discharge fan, VI-Negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus, VII-Kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus, VIII-Secondary shell breaking conveying platform, IX-Negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus;

I-1 base III, 1-2 Front baffle, 1-3 Storage hopper, 1-4 Conveying baffle, I-5 Rack II, 1-6 Conveyor belt II, 1-7 Support frame VII, 1-8 Sprocket III, 1-9 Shaft II, 1-10 Chain II, I-11

Sprocket IV, 1-12 Motor III;

11-1 Nut IV, 11-2 Worm, 11-3 Grid plate, 11-4 Bolt, 11-5 Rotating shaft, 11-6 Motor II, 11-7 Rack I, 11-8 Sprocket III, 11-9 Guide baffle, 11-10 Squeezing roller, 11-11 Shell breaking baffle, 11-12 Spring III, 11-13 Support frame VI, 11-14 Worm wheel, 11-15 Adjusting hand wheel, 11-16 Chain II, 11-17 Base;

111-1 Conveying baffle, 111-2 Conveyor belt III, 111-3 Rack III,111-4 Sprocket V,111-5 Chain III, 111-6 Sprocket VI, 111-7 Gear roller, 111-8 Bearing seat IV, 111-9 Support frame VIII;

IV-1 Conveying platform I, IV-2 Worm reducer motor, IV-3 Large negative pressure separator, IV-4 Conveying platform II, IV-5 Support frame II, IV-6 Bearing I, IV-7 Bearing

seat I, IV-8 Bolt IV, IV-9 Drum end cover, IV-10 Blade shaft, IV-11 Drum, IV-12 Interface II, IV-13 Interface I, IV-14 Bolt V, IV-15 Negative pressure cavity, IV -16 Bolt VI, IV-17 L-shaped interface, IV-18 base I, IV-19 Shaft I, IV-20 Gear roller I, IV-21 Bearing seat II,

IV-22 Conveyor belt I, IV-23 Sprocket I, IV-24 Chain I, IV-25 Motor I, IV-26 Sprocket II, IV-27 Support frame III, IV-28 Filter plate, IV-29 Small negative pressure separator;

VI-1 Vibration platform, VI-2 Negative pressure shell sucking platform, VI-3 Conveying platform III, VI-4 Support frame IV, VI-5 Negative pressure suction port I, VI-6

Negative pressure suction port II, VI-7 Support frame V, VI-8 Spring II, VI-9 Vibration screen I, VI-10 Vibration motor II, VI-11 Base II;

VII-1 Discharge outlet, VII-2 Nut I, VII-3 Bolt I, VII-4 Bolt II, VII-5 Steel structure frame, VII-6 Angle iron joint, VII-7 Screen mesh, VII-8 Nut II, VII-9 Spring I, VII-10 Nut III, VII-11 Single vibration screen V, VII-12 Single vibration screen IV, VII-13 Single vibration screen I, VII-14 Bolt III, VII-15 Single vibration screen II, VII-16 Single vibration screen III, VII-17 Vibration base, VII-18 Support frame I, VII-19 Vibration motor I;

VIII-1 Rack IV, VIII-2 Conveyor belt IV, VIII-3 Motor IV, VIII-4 Bearing seat IV, VIII-5 Support frame VIII, VIII-6 Base III, VIII-7 Sprocket VII, VIII-8 Chain IV, VIII-9

Sprocket VIII;

IX-1 Base IV, IX-2 Spring IV, IX-3 Vibration screen II, IX-4 Bolt VII, IX-5 Negative pressure suction port III, IX-6 Support frame IX, IX-7 Outlet, IX-8 Bolt VIII, IX-9 Vibration motor III.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be noted that, the following detailed descriptions are exemplary, and are intended to provide further understanding for this application. Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used herein should have general meanings understood by a person of ordinary skill in the field of this application.

It should be noted that, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of exemplary embodiments. As used herein, the singular terms are intended to include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, it should be further understood that, the terms "include" and/or "comprise" when used in this specification, indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, components and/or a combination thereof

As described in the background, the prior art cannot adapt to walnuts of different sizes and cannot guarantee a shell breaking rate and shell breaking efficiency. In order to resolve the technical problems, this application proposes an efficient automatic production system for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut and separating the shell from the kernel. The system of the present invention feeds materials by using a conveyor belt instead of manpower to achieve precise feeding and improve efficiency. Walnuts of different sizes fall into gaps so that springs are inconsistent in tension to achieve an adjustment function, thereby reducing walnut classification procedures and improving machine adaptability. In full utilization of characteristics of different shapes and sizes of walnuts, a plurality of vibration screens with different gaps are designed. The kernels can be stably and efficiently classified through vibration screening of the plurality of vibration screens, and each vibration screen can be easily disassembled and replaced, and can adapt to different types and sizes of materials. In utilization of different specific gravity of kernels and shells, a negative pressure separating device is designed. Shells in a shell-kernel mixture are efficiently sucked through negative pressure suction provided by a slag discharge fan. Moreover, a plurality of negative pressure suction ports are designed, which can perform negative pressure shell suction on materials for a plurality of times, so that a shell is completely separated from a kernel.

In a typical implementation of this application, as shown in FIG. 1, an efficient automatic production system for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut and separating the shell from the kernel is provided. FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of the present invention. It may be learned from FIG. 1 that the system has the following eight apparatuses: a feeding apparatus I, a shell breaking apparatus II, a lifting feeding apparatus III, a negative pressure separating apparatus IV, a negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus VI, a kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus VII, a secondary shell breaking conveying platform VIII, a negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus IX. The feeding device I feeds materials to the shell breaking apparatus II in batches. The shell breaking apparatus II includes a squeezing portion and a conveying portion fitting each other. The conveying portion conveys walnuts into the squeezing portion through a rolling conveyor belt driven by a chain. The squeezing portion breaks shells of the fallen walnuts through cooperation between a roller continuously rolling and a baffle with an adjustable angle. The negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus IX screens out tiny particles after the shells are broken, and then delivers the broken walnuts to the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus VII through the lifting feeding apparatus III. The kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus VII includes four layers according to a hole size. The classified walnuts first pass through the negative pressure separating apparatus IV so that the walnut shells are sucked, and then enter the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus VI. Remaining walnut shells are manually picked out. Walnuts with the highest class are conveyed to the shell breaking apparatus II again through the secondary shell breaking conveying platform VIII for secondary breaking.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a feeding apparatus according to the present invention. The feeding apparatus I includes a conveyor belt 111-6, a conveying baffle 1-4 being fixed on the conveyor belt 111-6, a storage hopper 1-3 closely fitting a rear end of the conveyor belt 111-6, and a front end of the conveyor belt111-6 fitting the shell breaking apparatus II. A motor III drives a sprocket so that the conveyor belt111-6 circulates, so that walnuts in the storage hopper 1-3 are driven upward by the conveying baffle 1-4 to achieve continuous feeding.

It may be learned from FIG. 2 that a support frame VII 1-7, a base IIII-1, and a rack II 1-5 are connected through a bolt to form an overall frame of the apparatus. A motor IIII-12 is fixed on the support frame VII 1-7 through a bolt, a sprocket IV I-11 is connected to an output shaft of the motor III1 -12 through a button, a sprocket III1 -8 is connected to a sprocket IV I- Ithrough a chain 11 1-10, and a sprocket III1 -8 is fixed on a shaft11 1-9 through a button, so that the motor IIII-12 can transmit power to the shaft 111-9. A front baffle 1-2 and the storage hopper 1-3 are fixed on the support frame VII -7 through a bolt to form a storage hopper of the apparatus. The conveying baffle 1-4 is fixed on the conveyor belt 111-6 through small screws, and the conveyor belt 111-6 is driven by the shaft 111-9. A function of conveying walnuts upward to a next apparatus is eventually completed.

FIG. 3 to FIG. 4 are schematic diagrams of a shell breaking apparatus of the apparatus. The shell breaking apparatus II includes a conveying portion and a squeezing portion. The conveying portion is a rotating shaft 11-5 fixed on the chain. A grid plate 11-3 is fixed on an upper end of the conveying portion. A gap between the grid plates 11-3 is larger than a walnut maximum diameter, and there is a specific distance between the grid plate and a rotating shaft 11-5. The rotating shaft 11-5 can freely rotate. Walnuts can be regularly distributed under the action of the rotating shaft 11-5 and the grid plate 11-3 after falling into the conveying portion. The squeezing portion is a squeeze roller 11-10 fitting a shell breaking baffle II-11. A guide baffle 11-9 is fixed on an upper end of the squeezing roller 11-10, which can guide walnuts conveyed from the conveying portion to a gap between the squeezing roller 11-10 and shell breaking baffle II-11. The squeezing roller 11-10 is made of hard rubber, and the squeezing roller 11-10 has a groove thereon. The groove has an axial length greater than a length diameter of the walnut, and a radial length matching a mounting gap between the squeezing roller 11-10 and the shell breaking baffle II-11. A rotation axis of the shell breaking baffle II-11 is parallel to the squeezing roller11-10, and two ends of the rotating shaft of the shell breaking baffle I-11 are fixed to corresponding bearing seats through bearings. The two bearing seats are fixed on the rack. A lower end of the shell breaking baffle II-11 is connected to the rack through a spring to ensure that the gap between the squeezing roller and the squeezing baffle can vary for shell breaking of walnuts of different sizes and can be restored after becoming larger. A rear of the shell breaking baffle II-11 is supported by a worm 11-2. The worm 11-2 is connected to a worm wheel 11-14. The worm wheel 11-14 is coaxially connected to an adjusting hand wheel11-15 outside the rack. An unfolding helical angle B of the worm is less than a friction angle * of contact between the worm wheel and the worm, so that a self-locking condition is met. The shell breaking baffle II-11 has a groove. A direction of the groove is parallel to the rotation axis of the shell breaking baffle TI-11, so that there is larger friction during shell breaking of walnuts.

The squeezing roller 11-10 is directly connected to a driving mechanism through a chain. A rear sprocket of the conveying portion is reversed through engagement between a coaxial gear with another gear. The another gear is connected to the driving mechanism through a chain through a coaxial sprocket. The shafts are fixed on the support frame through the bearing seat, and the support frame is fixed on a rack I11-7. The bottom of the rack 111-7 is fixed on a base11-17.

It may be learned from FIG. 3 to FIG. 4 that the grid plate 11-3 is fixed on the rack I 11-7 through a bolt 11-4 and a nut IV II-1. The rotating shaft 11-5 is connected to the chain through a thin shaft fixed between the two chains, and can rotate around the thin shaft. The chain is driven by the sprocket III1I-8. Since the sprocket 11-8 turns in a direction opposite to a direction of the motor 1111-6, a pair of engaged gears are used for reversing. The guide baffle 11-9 is connected to the rack I11-7 through a bolt to guide the walnut to the squeezing portion. The squeezing roller 11-10 rotates through the bearing seat III fixed on the rack I 11-7, and forms a squeezing portion with the shell breaking baffle11-11. The shell breaking baffle 11-11 is supported by a support frame VI II-13. The lower end of the shell breaking baffle 11-11 is connected to the rack 111-7 through a spring III1-12, the rear end of the shell breaking baffle 11-11 is hinged with the worm 11-2 through the bearing. The worm 11-2 is connected to the worm wheel 11-14 Connection, and the worm wheel 11-14 is coaxially connected to the adjusting hand wheel 11-15. Opening and closing angles of the shell breaking baffle 11-11 can be adjusted by using the adjusting hand wheel 11-15. Power of the squeezing roller 11-10 is transmitted from the sprocket fixed on the squeezing roller through a connection between the chain 1111-16 and the motor 1111-6. It is eventually ensured that the shell breaking baffle can be automatically adjusted to different opening and closing angles for walnuts of different diameters to meet requirements, so that production efficiency is high.

A Working principle of the shell breaking apparatus is as follows:

Walnuts enter the shell breaking apparatus through the feeding apparatus and are regularly distributed under the action of the rotating shaft of the conveying portion and the grid plate. Then, under the action of the guide baffle fixed on the upper end of the squeezing roller, the walnuts enter into the gap between the squeezing roller and the shell breaking baffle in columns. The lower end of the shell breaking baffle is connected to the rack through a spring to ensure that the gap between the squeezing roller and the squeezing baffle can vary for shell breaking of walnuts of different sizes and can be restored after becoming larger. In addition, the rear of the shell breaking baffle is supported by the worm. The worm is connected to the worm wheel, and the worm wheel is coaxially connected to the adjusting hand wheel outside the rack. The initial gap may be adjusted by using the adjusting hand wheel. Finally, the walnuts falling into the gap are squeezed by the squeezing roller and roll on the shell breaking baffle to generate cracks, and the shell is finally broken.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus according to the present invention. The negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus mainly includes a vibration screen II IX-3, a support frame IX IX-6, a base IV IX-1, a negative pressure suction port III IX-5, a spring IV IX-2, a vibration motor III IX-9, and an outlet IX-7. A main function of the negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus is to suck, through vibration and negative pressure shell suction, shells in a shell-kernel mixture after shell breaking to achieve the first separation of a shell from a kernel.

The negative pressure suction port III IX-5 is fixed on the support frame IX IX-6 by bolts, and the support frame IX IX-6 supports the negative pressure suction port III IX-5. In addition, the negative pressure suction port III IX-5 is mounted above materials. When the materials pass through a lower end of the negative pressure suction port, shells in the materials can be sucked out.

FIG. 6 is an exploded diagram of a negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus according to the present invention. The base IV IX-1 has supporting and fixing functions, and is a rectangular bracket. The spring IV IX-2 is mounted on four support feet projecting from an upper end of the base IV IX-1. The other end of the spring IV IX-2 is mounted on the bottom of the vibration screen II IX-3 through the bolt VII IX-4. The four springs together support the vibration screen and can support vibration of the vibration screen II IX-3. The vibration motor III IX-9 is mounted at the bottom of vibration screen II IX-3, and is fixed through a bolt, so that the vibration screen II IX-3 can be driven to vibrate up and down to shaking materials. A side of the vibration screen II IX-3 is connected to the outlet IX-7 through a bolt VIII IX-8, and the materials enter a next processing procedure through the outlet IX-7.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a lifting feeding apparatus according to the present invention. It may be learned from FIG. 7 that the conveying baffle III- Iis fixed on the conveyor belt I111-2 through small screws, and the conveyor belt I111I-2 is disposed on the rack I111I-3. The conveyor belt I111-2 is driven by a sprocket V 111-4 and a sprocket VI 111-6. The sprockets are fixed on a gear roller 111-7. The gear roller 111-7 is fixed on the support frame VIII 111-9 through a bearing seat IV 111-8. A front end of the conveyor belt III 111-2 fits the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus. Transmission power is generated by the motor in the following manner: the sprocket V 111-4 fixed on a shaft of the motor drives a chain I111I-5 and then drives the sprocket VI111-6 to rotate, the sprocket VI111-6 being connected to a transmission shaft through a button, so that power is transmitted to the transmission shaft to drive the conveyor belt to circularly rotate, thereby driving walnuts in the storage hopper after shell breaking to move upward through pushing of the conveying baffle, thereby achieving continuous feeding to transport the walnuts to a next device.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are schematic diagrams of a kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus VII according to the present invention. The kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus includes five screens, a vibration base VII-17, and a vibration motor I VII-19. The vibration screens each have a different hole gap. The vibration screens with mesh gaps in descending order can respectively achieve separation of incomplete shelled kernels, half kernels, quarter kernels, and crushing kernels. The vibration screens are sequentially mounted on the vibration base from top to bottom according to sizes of the mesh gaps. A mounting order is: a screen with a larger gap is at the top, and the sizes of the gaps of the screens sequentially decrease. The five vibration screens mounted in this way screen walnuts layer by layer, so that kernels of a corresponding size are retained in corresponding layers, thereby implementing separation of different kernels.

It may be learned from FIG. 11 that the fives screens: the single vibration screen I

VII-13, the single vibration screen II VII-15, the single vibration screen III VII-16, the single vibration screen IV VII-12, and the single vibration screen V VII-11 are sequentially fixed on the vibration base VII-17 through the bolt III VII-14 and the nut III VII-10. Two sides of the vibration base are symmetrically mounted on the two vibration motors VII-19 through a bolt. The two motors can simultaneously work to drive the five vibration screens to vibrate back and forth. In addition, the bottom four comers of the vibration base VII-17 are connected to a square support frame I VII-18 through a spring I VII-9, and a support frame I VII-18 is placed at the bottom surface to support the entire device. There are two through bolt holes on two sides and a rear of each vibration screen. The bolt holes are in one-to-one correspondences with bolt holes at corresponding positions on the vibration base. An extended bolt III VII-14 sequentially passes through the five vibration screens and the vibration base, and is connected through locking through a self-locking nut III VII-10. In order to prevent relative displacement between the vibration screens, four corners on each contact surface are connected and reinforced through bolts after the five vibration screens are positioned and clamped.

There is a height difference L between front and rear legs of the support frame I VII-18, so that the vibration base and the five vibration screens can be inclined by a specific angle. Therefore, during vibration, kernels separated out from each vibration screen can be discharged from a front discharge outlet VII-1 of each vibration screen and enter a kernel sorting device for corresponding sizes for sorting. The two vibration motors I VII-19 are mounted at an angle P with the horizontal ground. As the two motors are symmetrically mounted, when the vibration motors on the two sides simultaneously work, vibration in a horizontal plane cancel each other, so that the motors move back and forth along a normal of an angle P angle in a vertical plane, which is shown in FIG. 9. Under the vibration action, different kernels pass through the five vibration screens layer by layer, and are stored in a single vibration screen with a proper size, and are discharged from a corresponding discharge outlet with the vibration of the vibration screen, thereby implementing classification through vibration. The bottom four corners of vibration base VII-17 are fixed with four identical springs VII-9 through bolts. A lower end of spring VII-9 is fixed on the support frame VII-18 to support the entire device. Heights of the two pairs of front and rear support pillars of the support frame I VII-18 are slightly different. The rear support pillar is slightly higher than the front support pillar, so that the entire device is inclined backward to a specific angle a to facilitate stacking and unloading of materials at a rear of the device.

A specific structure and a mounting manner of a single vibration screen II VII-15 are shown in FIG. 10. The single vibration screen II VII-15 consists of steel structure frame VII-5, a screen VII-7, and a discharge outlet VII-1. The steel structure frame VII-5 is a rectangular frame with one opened side, and has a height of about 16 centimeters. Bolt holes are reserved on two sides and a rear to connect the vibration screens through the bolt II VII-4 and the nut II VII-8. In addition, a square pipe is welded around each bolt hole for support. An angle iron joint VII-6 is welded inside the steel structure frame VII-5 to connect the screen VII-7. The screen VII-7 is a sheet steel plate. Staggered gaps with the same size are punched out thereon, and bolt holes are punched out on four side edges for connection to the steel structure frame VII-5. A bolt hole is reserved on the opened side of the steel structure frame VII-5 to be connected to the discharge outlet VII-1 through the nut I VII-2 and the bolt VII-3. The discharge outlet VII-1 is a trapezoidal box with two ends open and formed by iron sheets. Materials enter from a larger end and slide out from a smaller end to provide a guiding function. A bolt hole is reserved at the larger end of the discharge outlet VII-1 for connection to the steel structure frame VII-5.

A discharge outlet VII-1 of the uppermost vibration screen is connected to an extension plate, the extension plate extending to a position above a secondary shell breaking conveying platform VIII. The secondary shell breaking conveying platform VIII conveys received materials to the shell breaking apparatus II to perform secondary shell breaking on walnuts whose shells are not completely broken. Discharge outlets VII-1 of others of the vibration screens are all connected to the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus VI. Negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatuses VI connected to different vibration screens are independent of each other to store classified walnuts separately.

FIG. 19 shows a secondary shell breaking conveying platform VIII, including a rack IV VIII-1, a conveyor belt IV VIII-2, a motor IV VIII-3, a bearing seat IV VIII-4, a support frame VIII VIII-5, a base III VIII -6, a sprocket VII VIII-7, a chain IV VIII-8, and a sprocket VIII VIII-9. The conveyor belt IV VIII-2 is mounted on the rack IV VIII-1. The support frame VIII VIII-5 is mounted on the base III VIII-6, the two ends of the support frame VIII VIII-5 are respectively fixed with two pairs of bearing seats with a bearing IV VIII-4. Front and rear ends of the support frame VIII VIII-5 have the identical structure. A sprocket VII VIII-7 is mounted on the rear bearing seat IV VIII-4 of the support frame, and is connected to the sprocket VIII VIII-9 through the chain IV VIII-8. The sprocket VIII VIII-9 rotates slowly under driving of motor IV VIII-3, thereby driving the conveyor belt IV VIII-2 to move to transport materials.

FIG. 12, FIG. 13, and FIG. 14 are schematic diagrams of a negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus VI according to the present invention. It may be learned from FIG. 12 that the apparatus mainly includes a vibration platform VI-1, a negative pressure suction platform VI-2, and a conveying platform III VI-3. The conveying platform III VI-3 and a conveying platform II IV-4 have the identical mechanisms. FIG. 12 shows a structure of negative pressure suction platform VI-2, mainly including a support frame IV VI-4, a negative pressure suction port I VI-5, and a negative pressure suction port II VI-6. The negative pressure suction port I VI-5 and the negative pressure suction port II VI-6 are mounted side by side at an upper part of a front end of the vibration screen VI-9. The support frame IV VI-4 is a welded steel structure bracket, and provides a support function. The negative pressure suction port I VI-5 and the negative pressure suction port II VI-6 are fixed on the support frame IV VI-4 through a bolt connection. Functions of the negative pressure suction port I VI-5 and the negative pressure suction port II VI-6 are to suck residual shells and debris in classified kernels to obtain cleaner and more complete kernels. The negative pressure suction port I VI-5 and the negative pressure suction port II VI-6 respectively perform negative pressure shell suction on kernels twice to separate shells and debris more completely.

FIG. 13 shows a structure of the vibration platform VI-1, mainly including a support frame V VI-7, a spring II VI-8, a vibration screen VI-9, a vibration motor II VI-10, and a base II VI-11. Classified kernels are transported to the bottoms of the negative pressure suction port I VI-5 and the negative pressure suction port II VI-6 through vibration, and shells and debris in the classified kernels can be effectively removed through vibration of the kernels and negative pressure suction of the negative pressure suction port I VI-5 and the negative pressure suction port II VI-6. The support frame V VI-7 provides a fixed support function. The base IIVI-11 is mounted at four bottom corners of the support frame. The base IIVI-11 is placed on the ground. Four springs II VI-8 are fixed on four support legs on the top of the base. The base is rectangular, and the two pairs of front and rear legs have different lengths. Heights of the two rear support legs are lower than heights of the two front support legs by L. In this way, the vibration screen VI-9 mounted on the spring II VI-8 can be inclined backward by an angle, facilitating shaking of materials. The other end of the spring II VI-8 is fixed to the four bottom comers of the vibration screen VI-9 through a bolt connection. FIG. 13 shows a specific structure of the vibration screen VI-9, which is a rectangular box with opened two ends and top and is formed by iron plates. A small hole is punched out at a rear end of the vibration screen at a position corresponding to the negative pressure suction port I VI-5, to filter out slag and perform negative pressure air suction. The vibration motor II VI-10 is mounted at the bottom of the vibration screen VI-9 and is fixed through a bolt. After the motor is enabled, the entire vibration screen VI-9 is driven to vibrate back and forth in a direction shown in FIG. 14. Driven by the vibration motor, kernels continuously gather at a middle part of the vibration screen. The middle part of the vibration screen has a tiny mesh hole. Under the vibration action, tiny kernels, shells, and debris can be shaken out of a gap of the mesh hole, to discharge slag.

The conveying platform III VI-3 consists of a conveyor belt, a roller, a motor, and a support frame. The conveyor belt with rollers on two ends is fixed to two ends of the support frame through a bearing seat on the support frame. The motor drives the roller to rotate through the sprocket to drive the conveyor belt to move materials forward.

A working principle of the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus is as follows:

First, walnut kernels processed by the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus first fall into the vibration platform, and the vibration platform vibrates back and forth under driving of the vibration motor. In addition, there is a tiny mesh hole under the vibration screen, through which crushing kernels and crushing shells in the kernels can be screened out during vibration of walnut kernels. Remaining walnut kernels slide into the inclined lower end of the vibration screen under the vibration action. Two negative pressure suction ports with different suction powers are mounted above the vibration screen, which are intended to perform secondary negative pressure separation on filtered kernels to suck residual shell mixtures in the kernels. The two negative pressure suction ports are mounted side by side from front to rear on an upper part of the vibration screen. A suction power of the second suction port is slightly less than a suction power of the first suction port. This design can effectively suck tiny shells in the kernel mixtures. The effect is good and the structure is simple. Separated kernels fall into the conveying platform. During conveying, workers at two ends may manually sort and package the kernels, and may further deliver the kernels to a designated storage unit through the conveying platform for storage.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of a negative pressure separating apparatus IV according to the present invention. It may be learned from FIG. 17 that the apparatus mainly includes a large negative pressure separator IV-3, a small negative pressure separator IV-29, a conveying platform I IV-1, a conveying platform II IV-4, a worm wheel and worm reducer motor IV-2, a support frame II IV-5, and a slag discharge fan V. The slag discharge fan V is an independent whole, and is placed next to a production line to provide negative pressure power to the entire production line. The slag discharge fan V is connected to the large negative pressure separator IV-3 and the small negative pressure separator IV-29 through a pipe. All pipe connection openings are sealed and fixed by through a bolt connection. The large negative pressure separator IV-3 and the small negative pressure separator IV-29 are core parts of the entire negative pressure separating apparatus, and are mounted on the support frame IV-5 side by side. One large negative pressure separator IV-3 and six small negative pressure separators IV-29 are mounted on the negative pressure separating apparatus, which are identical in structures except for slightly different lateral dimensions. The one large negative pressure separator IV-3 is mainly responsible for sucking and separating shells in a mixture immediately after shell breaking. The one large negative pressure separator has a large lateral dimension because there is a large quantity of shells. The six small negative pressure separators IV-29 are mainly responsible for sucking and separating residual shells in kernels after vibration classification. The small negative pressure separator has a small lateral dimension because there is a small quantity of shells. The seven negative pressure separators are directly driven by the worm wheel and worm reducer motor IV-2 and work simultaneously. In addition, the seven negative pressure separators are all fixed on the support frame II IV-5 through a bolt set. A structure of the support frame II IV-5 is shown in FIG. 16. Moreover, the conveying platform I IV-1 and the conveying platform II IV-4 are placed at lower ends of the seven negative pressure separators. Shells separated by the seven negative pressure separators fall on conveyor belts of the conveying platform I IV-1 and the conveying platform II IV-4. Five front negative pressure separators separate out shells with a relatively large shape, which fall on the conveying platform I IV-1, and two rear negative pressure separators separate out shells with a relatively small shape, which fall on the conveying platform II IV-4. Running directions of the two conveyor belts are opposite, facilitating collection and packaging of shells of different sizes. During operation of the device, shell and debris are sucked into the negative pressure separator through the negative pressure suction port. A filter screen is mounted in a connecting pipe between the negative pressure separator and the slag discharge fan, to prevent the shells and debris from being sucked into the slag discharge fan. When filtered shells accumulate to a specific amount, the shells fall vertically into the lower end of the negative pressure separator under the action of gravity. An eccentric blade is mounted at the lower end of the negative pressure separator. The blade slowly rotates under driving of the motor, so that the shells and debris falling into a gap of the blade are taken out of the negative pressure separator with rotation of the shells and falls into a manual sorting and conveying platform. The conveying platform conveys the materials to a corresponding place for packaging and storage.

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of a large negative pressure separator IV-3 according to the present invention. It may be learned from FIG. 18 that the apparatus mainly includes a drum IV-11, a drum end cover IV-9, a blade shaft IV-10, an interface II IV-12, an interface I IV-13, a negative pressure cavity IV-15, an L-shaped interface IV -17, and a filter plate IV-28. The drum IV-11 is a cylinder with two bottoms opened, and is formed by iron sheet.

The cylinder is opened on two sides for feeding and blanking respectively. The drum end cover IV-9 is fixed to the openings at the two ends of the drum IV- IIthrough a bolt IV IV-8. A bearing seat I IV-7 is fixed to outer sides of the two drum end covers IV-9 respectively through a bolt connection. A bearing I IV-6 is stuck inside the bearing seat I IV-7 to support the blade shaft IV-10. The blade shaft IV-10 extends into the drum IV-11. A plurality of blades are mounted on the blade shaft IV-10. The blade shaft IV-10 can rotate slowly under driving of the worm wheel and worm reducer motor IV-2, to separate shells. The interface II IV-12 is welded to an upper end of the drum IV-11, and is connected to the interface I IV-13 through a bolt V IV-14. The interface I IV-13 is welded to a lower end of the negative pressure cavity IV-15. The L-shaped interface IV-17 is connected to a side of the negative pressure cavity IV-15 through a bolt VI IV-16. The top of the L-shaped interface IV-17 of the large negative pressure separator IV-3 is in communication with the negative pressure suction port III IX-5 of the negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus through a pipe. The top of the L-shaped interface IV-17 of the small negative pressure separator IV-29 is in communication with the negative pressure suction port I VI-5 and the negative pressure suction port II VI-6 of each negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus through a pipe. An upper end of the negative pressure chamber IV-15 is connected to a pipe interface of a slag discharge fan V. A filter plate IV-28 is disposed between the upper end of the negative pressure chamber IV-15 and the pipe interface to filter out shells. A front end of the negative pressure cavity IV-15 is connected to a corresponding negative pressure suction port through a pipe to suck shells.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a conveying platform II IV-4 according to the present invention. It may be learned from FIG. 15 that the apparatus mainly includes a support frame III IV-27, a motor I IV-25, a gear I IV-23, a gear II IV-26, a chain I IV-24, a conveyor belt I IV-22, a gear roller I IV-20, and a base I IV-18. The support frame III IV-27 is mounted on the base I IV-18, and two ends of the support frame III IV-27 are respectively fixed with two pairs of bearing seats with a bearing II IV-21. A shaft I IV-19 is placed on the two pairs of front and rear bearing seats II IV-21, and the gear roller I IV-20 is sleeved on the shaft I IV-19. In addition, synchronous gears on the gear roller can drive the conveyor belt I IV-22 to move. Front and rear ends of the support frame III IV-27 have the identical structure. The gear I IV-23 is mounted on a shaft at a rear end of the support frame corresponding to the shaft II V-19, and is connected to the gear II IV-26 through the chain I IV-24. The gear II IV-26 rotates slowly under driving of the motor I IV-25, thereby driving the conveyor belt I IV-22 to move to transport materials.

A Working principle of the negative separating apparatus is as follows:

Shell-kernel mixtures after shell breaking fall onto a position below the negative pressure suction port. Due to continuous rotation of the slag discharge fan, negative pressure is generated in the pipe, so that the negative pressure suction port have suction power. In addition, due to different quality of shells and kernels of walnut, through setting, shells and debris below the negative pressure suction port are sucked into the negative pressure separator through the negative pressure suction port. A filter screen is mounted in a connecting pipe between the negative pressure separator and the slag discharge fan, to prevent the shells and debris from being sucked into the slag discharge fan. When filtered shells accumulate to a specific amount, the shells fall vertically into the lower end of the negative pressure separator under the action of gravity. In addition, an eccentric blade is mounted at the lower end of the negative pressure separator. The blade slowly rotates under driving of the motor, so that shells and debris falling into a gap of the blade is taken out of the negative pressure separator with rotation of the shells and falls into a manual sorting and conveying platform. The conveying platform conveys the materials to a corresponding place for packaging and storage.

The foregoing descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of this application, but are not intended to limit this application. A person skilled in the art may make various alterations and variations to this application. Any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made within the spirit and principle of this application shall fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An efficient automatic production system for breaking a shell of a walnut to take a kernel of the walnut and separating the shell from the kernel, comprising a shell breaking apparatus, a squeezing portion being disposed to squeeze the walnut to break the shell;

the shell breaking apparatus comprises a conveying portion and a squeezing portion, the conveying portion conveying walnuts to the squeezing portion to squeeze the walnut to break the shell, and the squeezing portion comprising a squeezing roller, a lower side of the squeezing roller fitting a rotatable shell breaking baffle, and a specified gap existing between the lower side of the squeezing roller and the rotatable shell breaking baffle;

the shell breaking baffle is arc-shaped and is bent toward the squeezing roller, and a groove is disposed on opposite sides of both the shell breaking baffle and the squeezing roller, a direction of the groove being parallel to a rotation axis of the shell breaking baffle;

one end of the shell breaking baffle is fixed to a rack through a rotating shaft, other end is connected to the rack through a spring, a rotation axis of the shell breaking baffle is parallel to an axis of the squeezing roller, and an outer side of the shell breaking baffle is supported by a worm, the worm fitting a worm wheel, the worm wheel being connected to an adjusting hand wheel; and a guide baffle is disposed above the squeezing roller, the guide baffle fitting an end of the conveying portion, a grid plate being disposed above the conveying portion, wherein a gap between adjacent ones of the grid plates is larger than a diameter of the walnut; and

a kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus configured to receive shell-kernel mixtures after shell breaking to classify the mixture through vibration, and convey the shell-kernel mixtures to each negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus, wherein

a negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus is connected to a negative pressure separating apparatus, the negative pressure separating apparatus sucking and storing shells through negative pressure suction, and kernels being sorted and stored by the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus.

2. The automatic production system according to claim 1, wherein the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus comprises a vibration base, five-layer vibration screens being fixedly disposed on the vibration base; a size of staggered mesh holes on each layer of the five-layer vibration screen is different and decreases from top to bottom; the vibration base being fixedly connected to a vibration motor, the vibration motor being inclined by a specific angle to enable the five-layer vibration screens to vibrate at an incline.

3. The automatic production system according to claim 2, wherein a discharge outlet being disposed at front side of the each layer of the five-layer vibration screen, and a steel structure frame being fixed to other three sides of the each layer;

the bottom of the vibration base is disposed on a support frame, a spring being disposed between the support frame and the vibration base;

a discharge outlet of the uppermost vibration screen being connected to an extension plate, the extension plate extending to a position above a secondary shell breaking conveying platform, the secondary shell breaking conveying platform conveying received materials to the shell breaking apparatus, and discharge outlets of other vibration screens each being connected to the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus.

4. The automatic production system according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus comprises a vibration platform, a secondary negative pressure separating assembly being disposed above an inclined lower end of the vibration platform, a conveying platform being further disposed at the lower end of the vibration platform, the vibration platform comprising a vibration screen, a vibration motor being disposed at the bottom of the vibration screen, mesh holes being disposed on the vibration screen at a position corresponding to the secondary negative pressure separating assembly; and

the bottom of the vibration screen being disposed on a support frame, a spring being disposed between the support frame and the vibration screen, a height of the support frame corresponding to the secondary negative pressure separating assembly being less than heights of other positions; and the secondary negative pressure separating assembly comprises two negative pressure shell sucking platforms disposed side by side, the negative pressure shell sucking platform comprising a vertically disposed cylinder body whose bottom corresponds to a position above the vibration platform, the top of the cylinder body being connected to the negative pressure separating apparatus.

5. The automatic production system according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure separating apparatus comprises one large negative pressure separator and six small negative pressure separators disposed side by side, the seven negative pressure separators communicating with a slag discharge fan through a channel, and further communicating with the negative pressure material shaking and sorting apparatus through a pipe, and a conveying platform being disposed below the negative pressure separator; and

the negative pressure separator comprising a negative pressure cavity, an opening being disposed at the top of the negative pressure cavity for communication with the channel, an interface being disposed at a side of the negative pressure cavity for communication with the pipe, and an opening being disposed at the bottom of the negative pressure cavity for communication with a drum, a rotatable blade being disposed in the drum, and an outlet being disposed at the bottom of the drum; a filter plate being disposed at the top opening of the negative pressure cavity; and two conveying platforms being disposed side by side below the negative pressure separating apparatus, conveying directions of the two conveying platforms being opposite.

6. The automatic production system according to claim 1, further comprising: a feeding apparatus configured to feed materials to the shell breaking apparatus and comprising an inclined conveyor belt, a storage hopper being disposed at a rear end of the inclined conveyor, conveying baffles being fixed on the conveyor belt; and

a lifting feeding apparatus disposed between a negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus and the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus and comprising an inclined conveyor belt, conveying baffles perpendicular to the conveyor belt being disposed on the conveyor belt.

7. The automatic production system according to claim 1, further comprising a negative pressure material shaking and shell removing apparatus disposed between the shell breaking apparatus and the kernel vibrating and classifying apparatus, connected to the negative pressure separating apparatus, and comprising a vibration screen, a negative pressure suction port being correspondingly disposed above the vibration screen, a vibration motor being disposed at the bottom of the vibration screen, and the vibration screen being supported on a base, a spring being disposed on each of four support feet between the base and the vibration screen, and a plurality of screen holes being disposed on the vibration screen at a position corresponding to the negative pressure suction port.