US2880432A - Egg cleaning machine - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 1959 hi. SCHNIDER ET,AL 2

EGG CLEANING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1956 v s Sheets-Sheet ,1

Lou/5 Sch/glide! Robert .L. Spin/dug INVENTOBS.

BY f7 ATTORNEYS P 19 59 L. M. SCHNIDER ETAL I 2,880,432

EGG CLEANING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1956 INVENTOR5.

ATTORNEYS.

April 7', 1959 L. M. SCHNIDER ET AL- EGG CLEANING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1956 S Sheets-Sheet 3 \ulll I a l ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent EGG CLEANING MACHINE Louis M. Schnider, Petaluma, and Robert L. Splchtig, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Application February 2, 1956, Serial No. 563,079

3 Claims. (Cl. 153.16)

This invention relates to an egg cleaning machine.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine whereby eggs may be cleaned in a continuous operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide an egg cleaning machine including means for rotating the eggs as they are engaged by boiling or cleaning wheels, and also including means whereby the eggs are turned over end for end at an intermediate point in the cleaning operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail rear elevation of an egg cleaning machine constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail front elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale showing one of the buffing wheels.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the egg supporting conveyor lugs.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally a frame structure which includes upright legs 11 and 12 with a firm platform 13 secured between the legs 11 and 12 and supported on horizontal cleats 14 and 15. Upper longitudinal frame bars 16 are secured between the legs 11 and 12 and connecting bars 17 and 18 are secured between the legs 11 and 12. A horizontally disposed buffer shaft 19 is journaled in bearings 20 and 21 and bearings 20 and 21 are carried by upstanding supports 22 and 23 respectively. The buffer shaft 19 has fixedly secured thereon a pair of egg buffer wheels 24 and 25, and each wheel 24 and 25, as shown in Fig. 7, is formed of a plurality of relatively large diameter fabric discs 26 which are mounted on the shaft 19 and the discs 26 have disposed between each pair thereof small diameter fabric discs 27. At the end of each group of discs 26 making up a complete buffer wheel, there is disposed an end washer 28 and a collar 29 is mounted on the shaft 19 and secured in clamping position by means of a stud screw 30. There is a collar 29 at each end of each wheel 24 and 25. The two buffer wheels 24 and 25, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, are spaced apart at their inner ends, thereby forming an egg-turning zone 31, as will be hereinafter described. An endless conveyor belt 32 is trained about wheels or drums 33 and 34 and drum 33 is fixed to a drive shaft 35 on which a grooved pulley 36 is fixedly secured. A motor 37 is mounted on the platform 13 and is connected through a gear reduction means 38 to a pulley 39 about which a belt 40 engages. The belt 40 also engages about pulley 36. The belt or endless conveyor member 32 has secured thereto a plurality of egg supporting lugs, generally indicated at 41. Each lug 41 is formed of a base 42 which is secured to the conveyor member 32 and base 42 has extending rearwardly and upwardly or at right angles thereto a plate 43 having concave cut-out or seat 44 formed in the upper edge thereof. This seat 44 forms a saddle within which a portion of an egg is adapted to engage. A longitudinally disposed horizontal turning shaft 45 is journaled in bearings 46 and 47 carried by the frame 10 in parallel relation to and spaced outwardly from the conveyor 32. The shaft 45 has mounted thereon a spirally wound rubber egg-turning member 48 which is adapted to engage that portion of the egg which projects through the seat or saddle 45 so as to effect a turning of the egg while engaged on the seat or saddle 44. This turning of the egg is effected at the same time that the surface of the egg is being buffed or cleaned by the buffing wheels 24 and 25. A motor '49 is mounted on a bracket or supporting member 50 extending from one end of frame 10 and the motor 49 has a shaft 51 on which a groove pulley 52 is secured. Shaft 19 has a grooved pulley 53 secured thereon and a belt 54 engages the pulleys 52 and 53. A counter shaft 55 is rotatably mounted in bearings carried by a horizontal bracket arm 57 extending from one end of frame 10 and shaft 55 has fixed thereon a relatively large grooved pulley 58 about which the belt 54 engages. The belt 54 thereby provides a driving means for shaft 19 and also for counter shaft 55. The large pulley 58 provides a speed reduction means whereby shaft 55 is rotated at a speed less than the speed of rotation of shaft 19. A relatively small pulley 59 is mounted on shaft 55 and a grooved pulley 60 is mounted on shaft 45 with a belt 61 engaging about pulleys 59 and 60. In this manner egg-turning shaft 45 is rotated from motor 49 at a speed less than the speed of rotation of buffer shaft 19.

At the discharge end of conveyor member 32 there is positioned a tray 62 having a sponge rubber bottom 63 so that the eggs may be discharged from the upper run of the conveyor 32 onto the tray 62 without breaking the eggs.

In the use and operation of this machine the eggs are initially placed onto the lugs 41 at the right end of the machine shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The spirally ribbed eggturning member 48 will engage that portion of each egg projecting through the saddle or seat 44 so that the egg will be rotated as the egg comes into contact with the first bufling wheel 24. After the egg is moved to the left past the inner end of wheel 24 into the egg-turning or upending zone 31 the egg will slip downwardly onto the base 42 of the lug 41 and when the egg comes into contact with Wheel 25 this wheel turning clockwise, and as viewed in Fig. 8 will upend the egg as shown in full lines in Fig. 8 so that the opposite end of the egg will be uppermost as the egg is moved by the conveyor along the length of the butting wheel 25. The width of base 42 is sufficient to accommodate the full length of the egg and the slippage from seat 44 is so slight that the egg will normally remain on the lug. However any suitable conventional stop means may be provided adjacent the gap formed by the zone 31. The eggs are normally initially placed on the conveyor with the small end down. In the upending process with the egg lying flat the large portion of the egg will serve as the fulcrum, so that the eggs pass to the second buffer roller with the small end up. After the egg passes the forward end of wheel 25 the egg is carried forward and dropped into the tray 62.

By driving a buffing wheel wherein the fabric discs are spaced apart by a small diameter disc the buffer discs 26 will not cake. up withv material. as is. the. case where El e buffer wheels are made up entirely of large diameter iscs.

The interposing. of: the small diameter discs 27 provides for relative. movement between the large diameter discs 26 as thebuflier wheels are turned. so that any foreign. material clinging thereto will. be knocked off as the buffer wheel rotates.

What is-claimed is:

1. An egg cleaning; machine comprising a frame, a horizontal buffer shaft. rotatably" carried by said frame, a-pair of buffer wheels fixed on said shaft with the confronting ends of. said wheels spaced apart to form an egg turning zone, an endless conveyor having upper and lower runs disposed parallel with said wheels, means carried by said conveyor. for holding eggs in a position for contact with. said Wheels, said holding means comprising; an. L-shaped. memberv having one side thereof fixedto said conveyor and the: other side extending rightangularly from. said conveyor, said other side of said L-shaped member having a: concave saddle in the outer edge thereof constituting a seat. in which a portion of an egg is adapted to loosely engage, holding said egg in substantially upright position, means for: rotating said shaft, means for moving said. conveyor, and means for rotating the eggs on said egg holding means.

2. An. egg cleaning machine comprising a frame, a horizontal. buffer shaft rotatably carried by said frame, apair of buffer wheels fixed on said shaft with the confronting'ends of saidwheels spaced apart to form anegg turning zone, an endless conveyor. having upper and lower runs disposed parallel with said wheels, means carried by said conveyor for holding eggs in a position for contact with said wheels, said holding means comprising an L-shaped member having one side thereof fixed to said conveyor and the other side extending'rightangularly from said conveyor, said other side of said L-shaped member having a concave saddle in the outer edge thereof constituting a seat in which a portion of an egg is adapted to loosely engage, holding said egg in substantially upright. position, means. for rotating said shaft, means for moving said conveyor, a second shaft rotatably carried by said frame parallel with the upper run of said conveyor, means for rotating said second shaft, and a yieldable covering on said second shaft engageable with the eggs on said holding means for rotating the eggs on said holding means.

3. An egg cleaning machine comprising. a frame, a horizontal buffer shaft rotatably carried by said frame, a pair of buifer wheels. fixed on said shaft with the confronting ends of said wheels spaced apart to form an egg turning zone, an endless conveyor having upper and lower runs disposed parallel with said wheels, means carried by said conveyor for holding eggs in a position for contact with said wheels, said holding means comprising an L-shaped member having one side thereof fixed to said conveyor and the other side extending rightangularly from said conveyor, said: other side of said L-shaped member having aconcave'saddle in the outer edge thereof constituting a seat in which a' portion of an egg isadapted. to loosely engage, holding said egg in substantially upright position, means for rotating said shaft, means for. moving: said conveyor, a second shaft rotatably carried by said frame parallel. with. the upper run of. said conveyor, means: for rotating said second shaft, and a yieldable covering on said second shaft engageablewith the eggs on said holding means for rotating the eggs on said. holding means, said covering being spirally disposed on said second shaft to form a spiral rib.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,976,380. Wilkinson Oct. 9, 1934 2,178,185 Nicholson Oct. 31, 1939 2,384,599 Case Sept. 11, 1945 2,566,475 Wright Sept. 4, 1951 2,603,039 Slocum July 15, 1952 2,640,210 Zauner June 2, 1953

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