US2651345A - Method and apparatus for removing pellicle from filbert nut kernels - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 8, 1953 E. H. SCHOOLCRAFT 2,651,345

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING PELLICLE FRQM FILBERT NUT KERNELS Filed Nov. 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l v INVENTOR. EDWIN H SCHOO LCRAFT ATTORNEY Sept. 8, 1953 l E. H. SCHOOLCRAFT 2,651,345 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING PELLICLE FRO Filed Nov. 1, 1949 M FILBERT NUT KERNELS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 INVEN TOR.

EDWIN H S CHOO LC RAFT BY ATTORNEY S p 8. 1953 E. H. SCHOOLCRAFT 2,651,345

METHOD AND APPARATUS O REMOVIN ELLICLE FROM FILBERT T KERNEL Filed NOV. 1, 1949 3 SheetS -SheBt 3 j INVENTO.

EDWINH. scl oou;

ATTORNEY:

Patented Sept. 8, 1953 METHOD AND APPARATUS. FOR REMOVING PELLICLE FROM'FILBERT NUT"KERNEILS Edwin H.. Schoolcrafit, Forest Grove, 0reg., as-

signor. to- Northwest Nut Growers. acorporationof Oregon Oregz,

Portland,

ApplicatibnNovember 1, 1949, Serial No. 124,932

4 Claim.

This invention relates: to the removal of the pel'licle or the skin from nu t meats, and, morespecifically,v to the removal of the pellicle from the kernel of filbert nuts.

As-is-well known, the skin or pellicleoia til"- bert nut is brown in color, resembling color and; somewhat intexture the skin: of an almond" or peanut. Various processes and means have beenemployed for removal of this skin from filbert: nu-t'kernels. While the kernel of the filbertnut is more or less spherical in general shape, itssurface also has irregularities such as valleys and: adjacent rounded high points, which pre--' vent the removal of theskin entirely bymechanical means without'grind ing away the surface of the: kernel. Soaking of the filbert kernel" softens the skin, particularly if an alkaline solution" is used. Accordingly one method which has been employed extensively in the past for removing filbert skins has included immersing the filbert' kernels in a heated" alkaline solution; One objectionable feature of this method, however, is. that the hot solutioncauses some of the brown color fromth'e skin to be transferred to the surface: of the kernel resulting; in a certain amount: of" discoloration of the kernel" and thus detracting from the appearance-ofthe' treated kernel.

Another and somewhat more. satisfactory method of removing filbert skins is the method. described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,273,183; issued February l7, l94'2'to Edward B. Edes, and entitled Process for the Removal of Skins. of; Filbert Nuts? In accordance with the method described in this patent", the filbert. kernel is first subjected to immersion in a cold weak. alkaline solution and then; after rinsing in. water, is immersed in a weak acid solution,,followingwhich the loosened skin is removed by forcible action of water. However, this improved, process issomewhat lengthy and troublesome andthus more or less expensive.

The-object of the present invention is to pro vide' an improved method and means for removing the filbert skin; and, particularly, for removing the skint-ram the'filbert'kernel bythe use of. water: alone, thus eliminating the necessity of subjecting. the kernel to an alkaline bath, or. to an alkaline: bath and subsequent acid bath.

Attempts have been made heretofore to remove filbertskins by bringing the kernels intocontact with jets: of water under pressure; These attempts have proven unsatisfactory chiefly due torthe followingreasons:

1.. J ets. ofwater which were: strong enough: t0-= dislodge. the skin from-the kernelaalsozfnequenta 21 ly removed portions of the outer surface of the kernel producing.- rough: surface spots on: the kernel and consequently giving. an. unsatisfactory appearance to the treated kernel.

2.. Prolonged contact of the kernel with water, particularly if portions of the kernel.surfacehave been broken oil by the action of the water jets, causes. the water toi soak" into; the; kernel surface. Asa result an; increased drying; action is then necessary in order to; rid the. kernel of. the: moisture and prevent mold. or other deterioration taking place. However, the necessary increased drying; action causes the; kernel also to lose some .of its oil andfl'airor,

Accordingly, a. iurther and; Specific object o the; present inventionjsi to provide an improved method and. means forremoving the filbert skin by forcible use, of water alone but insu-chmanner that-nodamageato-th-e surface of thekernel will occur: and with, the.- total period during which the kernel is, contactwit the water reduced to such a limited. time that: no appreciable Dene.- tration' of water: into: the kernel will occur, thusenabling the final dryingofi the. kernel to b accomplished quickly and: without detriment to the: kernel.

In. the method andmea-ns. which I. employ in. the carrying out of; thiSl inventiomand by which I have beensuccessful in accomplishing the above obiects: and; also; in attaining other incidental. advantages, the nut kernels are-subjected for a brief. period, in the first; stage: of the; treatment, tot-a: succession-of jets-oflwater but the kerne s are. kept: rapidly moving. in; such manner that while the; jets are.- strongenough; to: lOosen and dislodge the skin.fromnthezkernelino opportunity is givenv the" jets to cut: into; the kernel: surface. lfhenv the kernelsv pass through azsecondstage' of treatment in. which they are also engaged by jets of water: but in. which the force of the jets: is reduced; the purpose: ofi'the jets inthe second stage being merely to: remove any portions of the loosened. skin which: still remain onv thekernelz. Fihaliy,1. after as: much; of? the. Water ha drained offv from the surface of the kernel: as possible, the kernel-is subjected to a quick drying action. The entire operationxtakes. place-in the matter of. minutes; before there has. beenitime for; any" appreciable penetration: of the: Water int othe kernelzto: takapla'ce.

The manner in which andthe preferred means by whichthis treatment is. accomplished. will. novvibexexplaine'dzmore clearly with reference toxthe: accompanying drawingsinwhich:

Fig... 12 issiaimore orrless diagrammatic: sidtselc- 3 vation of part of the entire apparatus; and Fi 1A is a corresponding side elevation of the remaining part of the entire apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, but drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section corresponding in part to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the portion of the apparatus in which final draining of the water from the kernel takes place, the view being taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of the drier portion of the apparatus taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1A.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in vertical section of the intake end of the drier section of my apparatus;

Fig. '7 is a detailed drawing of one of the rolls on which the nut kernels are carried during the skin-removing and draining treatment of the kernels; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line 8-8 of Fig. 1A but drawn to a larger scale.

The means which I have developed for the carrying out of my invention may be considered as divided into four parts or sections representin four stages in the complete skin-removing treatment given the filbert kernel. In Fig. l and Fig. 1A these four sections or portions of the apparatus are indicated by the reference characters A, B, C and D respectively.

Briefly, the action which takes place in each section may be described as follows:

In section A the kernel, while being moved rapidly in a manner hereinafter explained, is subjected to a series of strong jets of water. During this period the skin is loosened and a large amount of the skin is removed.

In section B the kernel, also while being similarly moved rapidly, is subjected to a further series of water jets, which, however, strike the kernel with less force and serve merely for the purpose of removing any remaining portions of the loosened skin which have survived the treatment in the first section.

In section C the water remaining on the kernel is given a chance to drain off while the kernel is rotated and moved forwardly.

Finally, in section D a drying action takes place to remove any remaining moisture from the surface of the kernel.

The different portions or sections of the apparatus and the operation of each will now be described more fully. Section A comprises one or more longitudinally-extending jet chambers 10, depending upon the Volume of nut kernels to be handled. In the apparatus illustrated (see Fig. 2) there are five such chambers in section A. These chambers extend the entire length of this section A and the nut kernels pass from one end to the other. The bottom of each chamvertical side walls I2 and an arched top wall I3 in each chamber. The chambers are identical in size and shape and therefore a description of one such chamber will suflice.

The two rolls I l, which form the bottom of the chamber, rotate in unison in the same direction, thus clockwise as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. The rolls are mounted in suitable bearings (not shown) at each end, and are connected together, and also connected with a driving mechanism, by suitable gears. Each roll H has a spiral ridge [5 extending on its cylindrical surface from one end of the roll to the other. As will be apparent, when the nut kernel is delivered onto the pair of rolls at the intake end of the chamber ID, the rotation of the rolls in the same direction causes the kernel to rotate with the rolls, and the engagement of the kernel with the spiral ridges on the rolls causes the kernel also to be moved forward longitudinally along the rolls from the intake to the outlet end of the chamber.

A series of jet nozzles l6 extend through the top of the chamber I0 and are connected to a delivery pipe IT. Water at a constant predetermined and adjustable pressure is delivered from a suitable pump (not shown), and suitable and well known means is employed by which the adjusted desired water pressure is maintained in the delivery pipe [1. Thus the force of the water jets discharged from the nozzles 16 down into the chamber I0 is maintained at a constant predetermined amount. The nozzles l6 are equally spaced along the center top of the chamber. However, the nozzle channels instead of being directed vertically downward and thus against the top of a nut when positioned over the center groove between the two rolls I l at the bottom of the chamber, are directed somewhat to the left as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. Consequently the jets from these nozzles strike the kernel (indicated by K in Fig. 3) off center, with the obvious result of increasing the rotational speed of the kernel and also of causing the kernel to bounce around somewhat during its course through the chamber l0. This off-center direction of the nozzle jets is an important feature of the invention and further reference will be made to this feature later.

The size of the chamber Ill and the size of the rolls H which form the bottom of the chamber are important. In order to prevent bouncing of the kernel too far to one side or the other in the chamber, I have found that the width of the chamber should not exceed a maximum of two and one-half times the approximate diameter of the filbert kernel and preferably should be slightly less. Also the height of the chamber should not be too great so that up and down bouncing of the kernel may be properly restricted and too much fluctuation in the distance between the discharging end of the nozzles and the points of impingement of the nozzle jets on the kernel surface be avoided. I have found that the height of the chamber, from the top line of the rolls H to the center of the arched top wall, should not exceed three and one-half times the approximate diameter of the kernel. The diameter of the rolls l I is limited by the width of the chamber. The space between the rolls should be very narrow in order to prevent any possibility of the kernel being pushed down between the rolls. In the successful carrying out of my invention all of these dimensions are more or less critical.

Since filbert nut kernels generally average from of an inch to of an inch in diameter I have found it most satisfactory to have the rolls ltapproximately 1 /2 inches in diameter and the spiral ridge l5 extending to a height of 1 inch beyond the roll surface. The rolls are positioned so that their respective ridges will be exactly 0pposite each other, and I have found that a clearance between the ridges of approximately .006 of an inch is satisfactory and preferable. Consequently I make the maximum spacing between the surfaces of the adjacent rolls inch plus .006 inch or .131 inch. Since the rolls rotate in unison their ridges will always be opposite each other, thus preventing any possibility of a kernel actress 53 6;

becoming: pinched between he ridgesorthe two; range of the successive jets which act upon the rotating rolls at-the bottomof'thechamben. pellicl'ei In the apparatus which I have illus- Theslope of: the: spiral ridge [.5 on the-rollsmaytrated; with the rol-ls: H one and one-half inches be varied, but apparatus. as; illustrated, I in diameter and=spaced apart a distance f*.131 use. a. 66 spiral (see Fig. 7);. The slope of: the. ofan. inch, I have found it very satisfactory to spiral and the rate at which the rolls are rotated have the chamber tone and three eighths inches will: of course, determine. the length 0.1" time. 142- wide and 1- inches highat the center of the quired for the kernel to. trauel the length of: the; arched top from the topline of the rolls. chamber I The chamhe s. l0 may be of; any When the kernel has reached the outlet end of' desired length. but: I. consider a. length of. air-.- 10 the: chamber to in the-first section A- of my approx mately three fe to be: satisfactory and; paratus; it'is dropped down into the intake endpreferable in my, apparatus-l of a subsequent and similar chamb The. no zl s l6. ar 's ced; a out; one inch apart. B-of the apparatus. Section B isa along the top wall of the chambers. Ejah nozzlei section A; the only difference being, as previously has a discharge opening of .035 of an inch; and 15. indicated, that the Water pressure in the water- I- have found; it. satisfactory to hare wat at; a delivery pipes insection Bis considerably reduced pressure of 1 00.to-4oojpounds-pensg uareinclrdise and consequently the water jets insection' B' Qh I Q C fr mt e n zl li6-. 1n.order:to.=insnre. ntact the kernel with much less force; The. mostsatisfactory results; both. the; amount: 01': purpose of the travel of the kernel through this water pressure to; be; used and: th second section B of my apparatus is; merel amount of time inwhich the; kernel to remain complete the removal? of any'portions of the in transit.throuehthechamher to (and; thus-1 the which may have survived the tre speed of rotation of the rolls, H) sho d; be; do, tion A, and since suchskin portions will at least termined by trial for each grade of iibert; nuts, have become soaked with water and partially reprocessed, inasmuch as there is some variationlin moved in section A, less forcible water action is the hardness of filbert nut kernel-s andpellicleas. required in section B to complete the skin re- Well, as in the size of the kernels for; diflierent. movingoperation. Again in section B' the speed. grades of filbertnuts, Generally it.will.be:1iound. with which the rolls are rotated, and thus the that, the. size and spacing or. the nozzles and the period of time for the travel of-the kernel through Water pressure previously mentioned together this section B, can best be. determined" by trial; with a, transit period oi twenty seconds; required and it is preferable that the. kernel should not. for therkernel to travel ironr the intake endto the. berequired to remain in section B an j v outlet endof the chamber III will be. suflicient; necessary in order that the entire skinremovlng andat during thispe od 0 Z VQIi FL l QfIthe t atmentmay be acco j pelll'ole or Ski-IL Will b rem ved from. he. kernel. to amount of'time and also in order that: the. contact Breferably although not; necessarily; I; makev of the kernel with water will not, extend over a; the spiral ridge I5 on each; roll H, in the form o ed'period. which I have illustrated in Fig, 7) and, thuswith With some grades of'filbert nuts the passage, of the forward or leading ed e. [8 substantially vers the kernels through section B f my apparatus m th rear edge. [9; hayinga. slope of, 49 may be found'unnecessary- Thus the. treatment tor example, This rear.- sloping: edge. on; the in section A may be adjusted'so that all the skin ridge prevents. any possibility; of particles; from Will disappear from the kernelin that section. In. the; kernel surface being broken oil; if the impact; such case section 3' could be removed from the of a. waterjet against the kernel should mo, apparatusrand the. kernellcaused to pass directly mentarjly Cause a forward th t: tQ b gjyen, 4-5 from section A to section 0. However, I consider kernel it preferable, even when the filbert nuts are of,

FromtheillustrationFig. sit willheunder-i c yp h he skins are easily and safely stood that the various. angles of impineementorremoved" entirely in section A nevertheless to he wat r j ts from 2116 1922165 "5. Withthfi. sur-. continue the use of both section A and section faces of t kernels will; t u aways b 5 B in my apparatus since only a. brief additional acute angles- Furthermo si. he impact or, these tim need be taken for the passage of the kernel e s th the. surfaceot the kerne to ether with hrou h s cti n and a greater margin of safety the two directional motions. imparted; to thekerinthe jet force in section A can be maintained to nel. by the rotating rollsandtheir spiral-g ridges, guard against. any possibility of injury to the. will keepthekernel continually and: rapidly surface of the kernel by the water jets in, sec-. changing its position inthe. chamber 1,0,... As-a. tion A.

result; the m a ow deliveredbythe-water; om s ction B the; nut w jets. a ainst he k n will. b lancin blows.- of; section C of my apparatus. In sections A and B the type best s i eda xe tan e naact o and; t e pieces-of skin, as they arev removed from. the. s n th p nts f mpa t f the. jets n; the. 60. kernel, are Washed down; through the slot beksrnel surfa are. constantly and. ranid1y:shiit ween. thetwo rollsat the bottom. of each treat-- ing, the possibilitythat any jet; will cutintoor: ing chamber with thewaterfrom the-nozzle jets. dig out a portion of the kernel. surface beneath, However some; of the water clings tov the surface thepellicleis reduced-to-aminimum. Infact, as;. of the kernel and the purpose of a result of the manner in which the kernel; is; kernel pass through section; 0 of moved; about and. 'is free to move about during; is. to have as; much as; possible, 0

its. travel through the; chamber I.0, the; water water drained oif from the;k pressure and jet: force can; be; considerably: in;v the final drying of, the kernel. creased beyond that whichlihave foundnecesa Section C comprises a sary for: theremoval of theskinfrom thekerneland 8). having": sloping side walls 2.0 and 2|. with little or no damage to the kernelsurface; with the-bottom of the trough forme resulting. As indicated previously;the width -and rality of rolls 22-: (thu fo such rolls being height, of. the, chamber l0,= limit. any.- b unc n wniin th -apparatusil1ustrated.).. 'llhel'engthmovement. on the part of the kernel. and; thus: f the. trou h preferably is. approximatel the pr ven th rkcme a rQmstar-ineo toi: he-p op r; amezas the. lengtnof thepreyiousxsecti n A. amt

B and thus I make this trough approximately three feet in length. The rolls 22 are similar to the rolls H in sections A and B, have similar spiral ridges on their cylindrical surfaces and are rotated in the same direction, causing the kernel to be rotated as well as moved forwardly along the trough. The rotation of the kernel of course aids in causing the water to leave the kernel surface. The rolls 22 in this section C can, if desired, be made larger in size and the trough can be of any convenient width and depth depending upon the desired capacity of the apparatus. It will be found that a surprising amount of water is drained off from the kernel as it passes through this section of the apparatus with the result that the final drying of the kernel in the last section of the apparatus is able to be accomplished more quickly and with the use of less drying heat.

From the draining trough or section C of the apparatus the kernel is delivered into the final drying section D. This drying section comprises a rotating drying tube 23 (Figs. and 6) of any adequate size, for example having an interior diameter of twenty inches or more. This drying tube 23 has a spiral flange 24 along its inside wall extending from the inlet to the outer end of the tube. The tube 23 is rotated slowly and as the kernel is delivered from the trough into the inlet end of the tube 23 the rotation of the drying tube 23 causes the kernel to roll along the spiral flange 24 until it finally reaches the outlet end of the drying tube.

A forced draft of air is delivered into the tube 23 by means of a, suitable blower, the end of the pipe from the blower being indicated by the reference character 25 in Fig. 1. This forced draft of air through the tube 23 speeds up the final drying of moisture from the kernel surface as the kernel is rolled along in its contact with the inside of the tube and with the spiral flange 24.

In order to aid further in the complete and rapid drying of moisture from the kernel surface, I provide a row of heating elements, preferably infra-red lamps 26, mounted on a stationary supporting member 21 extending longitudinally through the interior of the tube 23 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. While other heating means might be used in the tube, I have found that the infrared lamps, in combination with the forced draft of air through the tube, are most satisfactory in producing the desired complete drying of the kernel surface in a minimum period of time and without causing any excessive heating of the kernel. As is well known, an application of too much drying heat would impair the quality of the kernel and would greatly reduce the length of time the kernel could be kept in storage without becoming stale or rancid. From the outlet or delivery end of the drying tube 23 the kernel passes on to an endless conveyor 28 (Fig. l) and thence to a suitable receptacle (not shown) for shipment or temporary storage.

The entire process of removing the filbert skin and drying the water from the kernel surface takes place in my apparatus within a total of a few minutes, and since the length of time during which the kernel is exposed to the forcible water action is so limited, the amount of water penetration into the kernel surface is kept at a minimum, and this of course in turn reduces the extent of the final drying action required.

Also, the entire operation, with the apparatus properly adjusted for the particular grade of nuts being processed, can take place automatically without danger of waste or damage and with a 75 1y minimum amount of skill and care required on the part of the operator; and the further fact that water alone is used, in place of the heretofore customary alkaline bath, rinsing water, etc, reduces the cost of the entire skin removing process.

Obviously various modifications could be made in the construction of the different parts of my apparatus within the scope of my invention, but the apparatus as illustrated and described, after extensive testing, I have found to be highly satisfactory and accordingly I regard the same as a preferred instrumentality for the carrying out of my invention.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for removing pellicle from filbert nut kernels including an elongated high pressure jet chamber approximately three feet in length, said chamber having side walls and a top wall, the bottom of said chamber formed by a pair of identical rotating rolls rotated in the same direction at the same peripheral speed, an identical spiral ridge on each roll extending forwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of said rolls, whereby the nut kernels, when delivered at the intake end of said chamber will be kept rotating and will be moved along by said rolls'to the discharge end of the chamber, said pair of rolls at the bottom of said chamber spaced a slight distance apart along the bottom center line of the chamber, a series of identical high pressure jet nozzles spaced along the top wall in said chamber and delivering jets of water at a pressure of from to 400 pounds per square inch downwardly into said chamber, the axes of the channels in said nozzles being identically inclined slightly against the direction of rotation of said rolls, whereby the jets from said nozzles will strike the nut kernels off center and in the direction of rotation of the kernels and will strike the kernels with glancin blows suited to exert a peeling action without cutting the kernel surface beneath the pellicle, the width of said high pressure jet chamber being not greater than 2% time the approximate average diameter of the nut kernels, a second jet chamber following said first mentioned high pressure jet chamber and substantially identical in size and shape to said first mentioned chamber, said second chamber having a bottom formed by a similar pair of spirally-ridged rotating rolls and a series of similarly inclined jet nozzles along the top wall, but said latter mentioned nozzles delivering jets of water at much lower pressure than said first mentioned nozzles for the purpose merely of removin pieces of pellicle still remaining on the kernels, and means for transferring the nut kernels immediately from the discharge end of said high pressure jet chamber to the intake end of said second jet chamber.

2. An apparatus for removing pellicle from filbert nut kernels including a plurality of elongated high pressure jet chambers, each of said chambers having side walls and a top wall, the bottom of each chamber formed by a pair of rotating rolls of identical size rotated in the same direction at the same speed, an identical spiral ridge on each roll extending forwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of said rolls, whereby the nut kernels, when delivered at the intake end of each chamber will be kept rotating and will be moved along by said rolls to the discharge end of the chamber, the pair of rolls at the bottom of each chamber spaced approximate- V inch apart along the bottom center line of the chamber, a series of jet nozzles spaced at equal distances along the top wall in each chamber and delivering jets of water at pressure of from 100 to 400 pounds per square inch downwardly into each chamber, the axes of the channels in said nozzles being inclined slightly against the direction of rotation of said rolls, whereby the jets from said nozzles will strike the nut kernels off center and in the direction of rotation of the kernels, the width of each of said high pressure jet chambers being not greater than 2 /2 times the approximate average diameter of the nut kernels, the height of each of said chambers from the top line of said rolls being not greater than 3 /2 times said approximate average diameter of the nut kernels, a lower pressure jet chamber following each of said high pressure jet chambers and substantially identical to said first mentioned chambers with the exception that the jets from the nozzles in said second chambers are delivered at considerably lower pressure, and means for transferring the nut kernels from the discharge end of each of said high pressure jet chambers to the intake end of a low pressure jet chamber respectively.

3. The method of removing the pellicle from unsoaked filbert nut kernels, said method comprising subjecting the kernels to a succession of identical jets of water under predetermined pressure in excess of 100 pounds per square inch, each of said jets being strong enough to injure a kernel surface if impinged for more than an instant at a point on the surface in a direction in alignment with the radius to said surface point, keeping the kernels constantly in rotation and in motion while subjected to said jets, having said jets directed at a slight angle of inclination against the kernels in the main direction of rotation of the kernels, whereby each of said jets will strike the kernels successively with a glancing blow suited to exert a peeling action on the pellicle without cutting the kernel surface beneath the pellicle, subjecting the kernels to said jets only long enough to remove the pellicle from the kernels and not longer than one minute, and then quickly draining and drying the water from the surface of the kernels before any appreciable amount of Water has had time to penetrate into the surface of the kernels.

4. The method of removing the pellicle from unsoaked filbert nut kernels, said method comprising subjecting the kernels to a succession of identical jets of water under predetermined pressure of from to 400 pounds per square inch, each of said jets being strong enough to injure a kernel surface if impinged for more than an instant at a point on the surface in a direction in alignment with the radius to said surface point, keeping the kernels constantly in rotation and in motion while subjected to said jets, having said jets directed at a slight angle of inclination against the kernels in the main direction of rotation of the kernels, whereby each of said jets will strike the kernels successively with a, glancing blow suited to exert a peeling action on the pellicle Without cutting the kernel surface beneath the pellicle, subjecting the kernels to said jets for considerably less than one minute and only long enough to remove substantially all of the pellicle from the kernels, then subjecting the kernels for an equally short period to a second set of jets similarly directed but under considerably less pressure while similarly keeping the kernels continually rotating, until any remaining portions of pellicle have been removed by said second jets, and then quickly draining and drying the water from the surface of the kernels before any appreciable amount of Water has had time to penetrate into the surface of the kernels.

EDWIN H. SCHOOLCRAF'I.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,206,258 Salomon Nov. 28, 1916 1,277,808 Witham, Jr. Sept. 3, 1918 1,280,879 Shannon Oct. 8, 1918 1,300,748 Lombard Apr. 15, 1919 1,312,332 Kirino Aug. 5, 1919 1,530,415 Roussel Mar. 17, 1925 2,039,280 Brogden May 5, 1936 2,153,572 Kennedy et a1. Apr. 11, 1939 2,219,809 Davis Oct. 29, 1940 2,261,560 Pellas et al. Nov. 4, 1941 2,273,183 Edes Feb. 17, 1942 2,288,085 Gea June 30, 1942 2,419,876 Birdseye Apr. 29, 1947 2,445,881 Hemmeter July 27, 1948 2,477,006 Pierson July 26, 1949 2,498,949 Forrest Feb. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,553 Netherlands Dec. 15, 1925

Images