Nut shelling machine and method

摘要

A nut shelling apparatus and method for the shelling of nuts such as chinquapins and chestnuts without substantially damaging the meat of the nuts. The nut shelling machine utilizes a combination of the inertia of the nut and a planar rotating cutting disc, such as one with a layer of aluminum oxide abrasive material, to cut the shell of the nut in a series of small cuts. The rotating abrasive disc utilizes the resistive inertia of the nuts to launch the nut in an upward direction and causing the nuts to fall onto the abrasive surface to repeatedly cut the shells. The repeated cutting action results in removal of a substantial amount of the shell in a short period of time while at the same time minimizing damage to the meat of the nut.

主权项

1. A nut shelling machine comprising:
a base; a housing for said machine mounted on said base, said housing having a bottom surface and an upright side; a cover for said housing; a hopper inside said housing; a bottom opening on said housing; a rotary disc under said bottom opening, said rotary disc having a top surface and a bottom surface; a cutting surface on said top surface of said rotary disc, said cutting surface carried by and rotated by said rotary disc; launchers on said cutting surface to launch nuts in an upward direction; and a motor for rotating said rotary disc.