US2705560A - Shrimp grading machine - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1955 P. A. BRAEDESHAW 2,705,560

SHRIMP GRADING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Pink A Brads/law IN V EN TOR.

April 5, 1955 P. A. BRADSHAW 2,705,560

SHRIMP GRADING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 2 Fig .9

Fi 8 Pink A. Bradshaw IN VEN TOR.

April 5, 1955 P. A. BRADSHAW 2,705,560

SHRIMP GRADING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig 4 5 f1 1 i M 42 22 Fig 5 50 34 Fig /0 O '7 F "3 2 2 r" i J k I \l 74 Pmk A. Brads/70w IN V EN TOR.

My Mm? United States Patent SHRIMP GRADING MACHINE Pink A. Bradshaw, Aransas Pass, Tex. Application October 13, 1952, Serial No. 314,446

Claims. (Cl. 209-293) This invention relates to a grading machine and is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application, geriali No. 232,891, filed June 22, 1951 and now abanone A primary object of the present invention is to provide a shrimp grading machine of the rotating drum type which will align the shrimp with the elongated openings in the drum as the latter rotates and which contains a novel means for preventing the shrimp from becoming lodged in the drum openings.

Another important object of the present invention, ancillary to the preceding object, is to provide a shrimp grading machine having an improved means for guiding the shrimp to suitable containers as the same are discharged by the grading machine.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a shrimp grading machine having a novel and efficient means for receiving the shrimp therein as the grading drum is being rotated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a shrimp grading drum being formed from a plurality of elements forming substantially helical members, which members have a progressively increasing lead from the upper end of the drum to the lower end thereof and define discharge openings therebetween, each of said elements being specially constructed for ease and simplicity of repair or replacement.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this invention, a preferred embodiment of which is shown by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein: hFigure 1 is a side elevational view of the grading mac me;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the grading machine taken along section line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an end view of the grading drum of the machine;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal, medial sectional view of the grading drum and the inner deflector drum;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View of the grading drum taken substantially along section line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the helical forming elements;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal view of the inner deflector drum and its mounting on the drum shaft;

Figure 8 is a front view of the means for deflecting the shrimp into a proper container after the same have been graded in the grading drum;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along section line 9--9 of Figure 8 disclosing the hinged mounting of the deflector blades for guiding the graded shrimp; and

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along section line 10--10 of Figure 8 disclosing the means whereby the deflecting blades may be held in selected positions.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, it is to be noted that like reference characters are utilized to designate similar parts throughout the various views.

In accordance with my co-pending application, Serial No. 232,891, the shrimp grading machine indicated generally by the numeral 10 includes a support frame composed of standards 12 which are connected and braced by a plurality of side and end rails 14 and 16 respectively. The intermediate end rails 18, on the opposite sides of the frame, are relatively vertically offset, and a pair of axially aligned journals 20 are carried thereby and support the horizontally inclined axle 22. A concavoconvex spider 24 has its hub 26 non-rotatably secured to the shaft or axle 22 adjacent the upper end thereof, and an annular strip supporting member 28 is secured to the ends of the spider for movement therewith. A second strip supporting member 30 is non-rotatably attached to the lower end of the axle 22 as by a spider 32 and a plurality of circumferentially spaced angle iron or other shaped, strips 34 are secured to the members 28 and 30.

A plurality of bars 36, having a triangular cross-section, are secured by suitable fasteners to the inner faces of the strips 34. These bars are mounted in end to end relation as is best shown in Figures 1 and 4 and inclined relative to the strips to form a coil-like member, such as 38, which will hereinafter be referred to in the specification as a helical member.

Although in the embodiment of the invention shown, straight bars 36 are utilized, it is contemplated that longitudinally curved bars which are concentric with the shaft or axle 22 may be used, or, alternatively, a single substantially helical member may be utilized in lieu of the separate bars 36. As illustrated, the helical members 38, formed by the bars 36 are interdigitated and arranged coaxially. In this manner, the interstices between the helical members are maintained at the desired dimensions, while the lead of the helical members, and consequently the rate of feeding of the shrimp thereby is increased. Lead of the members 38 increases from the upper to the lower end of the drum 40 formed by the helical members to thereby effect progressive grading of the shrimp as the drum is rotated.

As thus far described, the shrimp grading machine is identical to that disclosed in my aforementioned copending application.

However, in the form of the present invention, a deflector drum 42, is disposed within and concentrically spaced from the wall of the outer drum 40 and is fixedly mounted at its ends on the shaft or axle 22 for rotation therewith. As is most clearly seen in Figure 4, the forward end of the deflector drum or inner drum 42 is coneshaped as at 44 and joins the hub 26 of the spider 24. The lower end of the inner drum 42 is closed by means of the flat bottom 46 to which is secured the hub or bushing 48 mounting this end of the member on the shaft 22. The side wall and end walls of the inner drum 42 are solid and the size of the drum 42 is such that an annular space is provided between the helical members 38 and the side wall of the drum 42. Thus, as the outer drum is rotating, the inner drum will be simultaneously rotated and by virtue of its deflecting action will break the fall of the shrimp being graded within the drum and thereby most effectively prevent them lodging in the interstices between the helical members 38 whereby a most efficient grading operation may take place.

To drive the drums 40 and 42, a motor 50 is mounted in any suitable manner upon the top of the grading machine frame. A drive shaft 52 extends from the motor 50 and a pulley 54 is mounted on the drive shaft 52. Laterally offset from the drive shaft 52 is a driven shaft 56 which is downwardly inclined from the horizontal axis of the machine frame and is parallel to the axle or shaft 22. A pulley 58 is interconnected to the pulley 54 by means of a belt 60 whereby upon rotation of the drive shaft 52, a corresponding rotation will take place in the driven shaft 56. Adjacent one end of the shaft 56 is mounted a sprocket which is above and in alignment with a corresponding sprocket on the lower end of the axle 22. A chain 62 connects the sprockets whereby motion imparted to the driven shaft 56 is likewise imparted to the axle 22. Obviously, any desired size of pulleys and sprockets may be utilized to give the desired driving ratio.

In order to clean the drum and thereby even more effectively prevent shrimp from lodging between the interstices of the helical members, a shaft 64 is journaled at its ends by journals 66 on a pair of end frame members 12. The shaft 64 extends parallel to the side frame members 14 and has a brush spirally secured thereto throughout the length of the drum 40. The brush is indicated by the numeral 68.

Mounted at one end of the frame on a bracket 70 is a dispensing chute 72 which is inclined downwardly and extends within the confines of the drum by virtue of the concavo-convex spider 24. By this means, the depositing of shrimp within the drum 40 is greatly facilitated without any loss of the shrimp between the dispensing chute and the grading drum and in a manner whereby the grading drum 40 may be utilized to its full capacity.

To urge the shrimp dumped into the grading drum 40 between the spaces between the helical members 38, these members are formed triangular in cross-section so that the inwardly converging sides 74 thereof will tend to align the shrimp within the spaces between the bars 36. To facilitate attaching the ends of the bars 36 to the strips 34, the ends of the bars 36 are extended beyond the triangular shaped portions 74 as at 76 and apertures 78 are formed in these extending ends for the reception of fasteners 80 attaching the bars to the strips 34.

An inclined discharge chute or plate 82 is mounted on the frame beneath the drum 40 whereby shrimp graded in the grading drum 40 may be guided to suitable containers. Naturally, the shrimp during the grading operation fall through different portions of the drum 40 onto the discharge chute 82. Thus, the discharge chute or plate 82 is separated into compartments by the separating plates 84. To guide the shrimp onto the chute 82 a deflecting plate 86 is mounted on the frame below the drum 40 at an angle complementary to the inclination of the chute 82, thus, those shrimp which do not immediately fall upon the chute 82 into the compartments formed therebetween by the plate 84 must first strike the deflecting plate 86 from which they are guided to the chute 82. It is to be noted that the separating plates 84 do not extend to the bottom of the chute 82 but terminate rearwardly of the lower edge thereof. As will be noted particularly in Figure 8, the members 84 are arranged in a V-shaped pattern diverging toward the lower end of the chute 82. Between each of the Vs formed by a pair of the separating plates 84 are hingedly mounted deflecting blades 88 by means of hinge pins 90 secured to the lower edge of the deflector plate 86 and extending through apertures in the chute 82. Below the diverging ends of the separating plates 84 are formed arc-shaped patterns of apertures 92. Latch bars 94 slidably mounted upon the deflecting blades 88 are adapted to be inserted in a selected one of these apertures when the corresponding deflecting blade has been swung to a selected position. The swinging movement of the deflector blades 88 is such that the angle these blades may assume may be greatly accentuated with respect to the angle of an associated separating plate 84. Thus, by this arrangement, when the shrimp pass through the grading drum 40, and thence onto the discharge chute 82, they are initially guided by the deflecting plates 84 and when it is further desired to deflect their course to other containers, the angle of this deflection may be further increased by swinging the deflecting blades 88 about their hinge pins 90. In this manner, the removal or shifting of containers is not necessitated and the shrimp may be deflected to any desired container simply by manipulation of the deflecting blades 88.

In operation, the shrimp are fed by way of the dispensing chute 72 into the upper end of the drum 40 which is rotated by the motor 50 in a direction to cause the helical members 38 to feed the shrimp downwardly into the drum. As the drum 40 rotates, the fall of the shrimp as they are churned through the drum in the grading operation is deflected by the inner deflecting drum 42.

The inwardly converging sides 74 of the bars 36 serve to guide the shrimp and align them with the interstices between the helical members. According to the difference in the spaces between the helical members, the shrimp will be discharged into the various compartments of the discharge chutes from whence they may be allowed to freely fall into any suitable containers or may be deflected in their course to another angle direction and other containers by means of the deflecting blades 88. If, even with the deflecting drum 42, any shrimp should become lodged between the helical members, the action of the brush 68 will remove them from their lodged position.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanatron is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur 1. A shrimp grading machine including an elongated, horizontally inclined grading drum having upper and lower ends, a shaft extending axially through said drum and spiders fixed to said shaft and forming ends for said drum, a deflecting drum mounted on said shaft and being disposed concentrically within said grading drum, said grading drum including a peripheral, substantially helical member defining openings between adjacent portions of progressively increasing width from said upper to said lower end, the spider forming the upper end of said grading drum being concavo-convex, said concavo-convex spider constituting a recessed mouth for said grading drum, a downwardly inclined dispensing chute terminating within said recessed mouth, the upper end of said deflecting drum being conically tapered and joining the hub of said concavo-convex spider facilitating the initial deflection of shrimp discharged into the grading drum toward the periphery of the drum.

2. A shrimp grading machine including an elongated, horizontally inclined grading drum having upper and lower ends, a shaft extending axially through said drum and spiders fixed to said shaft and forming ends for said drum, a deflecting drum mounted on said shaft and being disposed concentrically within said grading drum, said grading drum including a peripheral, substantially helical member defining openings between adjacent portions of progressively increasing width from said upper to said lower end, and guide means disposed beneath said grading drum for channeling graded shrimp into containers, the upper end of said deflecting drum being cone-shaped and terminally connected to the hub of said concavo-convex spider.

3. A shrimp grading machine comprising a frame, a downwardly inclined shaft journaled at its ends on said frame, spiders adjacent the upper and lower ends of said shaft, hubs on said spiders being fixedly secured to said shaft, a grading drum concentrically surrounding said shaft, said spiders forming ends for said grading drum, said grading drum including a peripheral substantially helical member defining openings between adjacent portions of progressively increasing width from said upper to said lower end, a deflecting drum mounted on said shaft and disposed concentrically within said grading drum and being fixedly secured to said shaft, means on said frame for rotating said shaft, and guide means on said frame beneath said grading drum for guiding shrimp from said grading drum, the upper end of said deflecting drum being conically tapered and joining the hub of said concave-convex spider facilitating the initial deflection of shrimp discharged into the grading drum toward the periphery of the drum.

4. A shrimp grading machine comprising a frame, a. downwardly inclined shaft journaled at its ends on said frame, spiders adjacent the upper and lower ends of said shaft, hubs on said spiders being fixedly secured to said shaft, a grading drum concentrically surrounding said shaft, said spiders forming ends for said grading drum, said grading drum including a peripheral substantially helical member defining openings between adjacent portions of progressively increasing width from said upper to said lower end, a deflecting drum mounted on said shaft and disposed concentrically within said grading drum and being fixedly secured to said shaft, means on said frame for rotating said shaft, and guide means on said frame beneath said grading drum for guiding shrimp from said grading drum, said spider constituting the upper end of said grading drum being concavo-convex and forming a recessed mouth for feeding shrimp into the grading drum as the same is rotated, the upper end of said deflecting drum being conically tapered and joined at its tip to the hub of said concave-convex spider.

5. A shrimp grading machine comprising a frame, a downwardly inclined shaft journaled at its ends on said frame, spiders adjacent the upper and lower ends of said shaft, hubs on said spiders being fixedly secured to said shaft, a grading drum concentrically surrounding said shaft, said spiders forming ends for said grading drum, said grading drum including a peripheral substantially helical member defining opening between adjacent portions of progressively increasing width from said upper to said lower end, a deflecting drum mounted onsaid shaft and disposed concentrically within said grading drum and being fixedly secured to said shaft, means on said frame for rotating said shaft, and guide means on said frame beneath said grading drum for guiding shrimp from said grading drum, said spider constituting the upper end of said grading drum being concave-convex and forming a recessed mouth for feeding shrimp into the grading drum as the same is rotated, said deflecting drum having a cone-shaped upper end joined to the hub of said eoncavo-convex spider to prevent shrimp from lodging between the deflecting drum end and the spider and to initially direct the shrimp toward the wall of the grading drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 9,522 Peckham Jan. 4, 1853 34,694 Rohmer Mar. 18, 1862 462,810 Detar Nov. 10, 1891 515,812 Barr Mar. 6, 1894 645,450 Bohannan Mar. 13, 1900 1,450,145 Ellenwood Mar. 27, 1923 1,484,025 Hofer Feb. 19, 1924 1,875,232 Fowler Aug. 30, 1932 1,875,562 Clute Sept. 6, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,493 Denmark Jan. 26, 1920

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