An oil recovery extraction system includes a feeding and weighing system to weigh fruit and feed the fruit to an oil recovery extractor; extraction rollers that perforate a surface of the fruit to allow oil to flow out from the surface into the emulsion extractor reservoir; and a fruit washing system to spray the fruit with potable water to wash oil remaining on the fruit after the fruit has left the oil emulsion extractor reservoir; wherein an oil-water emulsion from the oil emulsion extractor and an oil-water emulsion from the fruit washing system are combined into an oil-emulsion; and a process control system to measure and control operational parameters of the machine, including calculating a setpoint feed flow of the fruit, then measuring and controlling the feed flow of fruit based on the setpoint, and further calculating a setpoint flow of potable water, heavy phase, then measuring and controlling the flows.

An oil recovery extraction system includes a feeding and weighing system to weigh fruit and feed the fruit to an oil recovery extractor; extraction rollers that perforate a surface of the fruit to allow oil to flow out from the surface into the emulsion extractor reservoir; and a fruit washing system to spray the fruit with potable water to wash oil remaining on the fruit after the fruit has left the oil emulsion extractor reservoir; wherein an oil-water emulsion from the oil emulsion extractor and an oil-water emulsion from the fruit washing system are combined into an oil-emulsion; and a process control system to measure and control operational parameters of the machine, including calculating a setpoint feed flow of the fruit, then measuring and controlling the feed flow of fruit based on the setpoint, and further calculating a setpoint flow of potable water, heavy phase, then measuring and controlling the flows.

Floor-standing equipment and methods that employ them use nylon netting and/or fine mesh to trim off leafy matter, break down leafy matter, and separate various aspects of plants from each other. The netting and/or fine mesh is formed into large cylindrical drum into which plant material is loaded through a door flap in the mesh cylinder. An electric motor or handcrank causes the load to tumble over and over a horizontal axle for 3-5 minutes at about 35 RPM. The plant matter trims, separates, and breaks itself down which then drops through the netting, down through a funnel bag into a basin on the floor. The flowers and/or larger plant material are then dropped out separately through the door flap in the netting and through the funnel bag into a second basin on the floor which replaced the first.

Systems and methods of de-stemming produce are provided. An apparatus can process an item of produce having a first portion and a second portion attached to the first portion. The apparatus can include at least one first conveyor unit that can convey the first portion of the item of produce in a first direction. The apparatus can include at least one second conveyor unit that can convey the second portion of the item of produce in a second direction that differs from the first linear direction by between zero and 90 degrees to generate a separation force between the first portion of the item of produce and the second portion of the item of produce that separates the first portion from the second portion.

A plant stem separating apparatus for separating a stem from plant portions extending from the stem is provided. The plant stem separating apparatus includes a cutter, and first and second rollers. The cutter includes a blocking member and apertures defined therein. The apertures are sized for receiving the stem therethrough and the blocking member is positioned and configured for blocking a passage of the plant portions through one of the apertures. The first and second rollers define an engagement region therebetween downstream of the aperture for receiving the stem, and are drivable to rotate in opposite directions in a forward feeding mode to grab the stem at the engagement region and pull the stem through the aperture, such that the plant portions are retained upstream of the blocking member while the stem is pulled through the aperture, thereby causing disengagement of the plant portions from the stem.

This invention refers to a grain flaking modular system, a grain flaking system, and a method that produces a grain flake within a predetermined specification. The grain flaking modular system comprises: valves (124); a PLC (130) connected to the valves (124); and an external optimization unit (140) connected to the PLC (130), wherein the external optimization unit (140) is configured to define a pressure reference (A). The grain flaking system (100) comprises: flaking rollers (110); and a programmable logic controller, PLC (PLC), configured to: obtain a pressure reference (A), and control a flaking pressure through the pressure reference (A) obtained. The grain flaking method comprises: obtaining (210) the pressure reference; applying (220) a flaking pressure to a flow of grains, wherein the flaking pressure is defined through the pressure reference obtained; and adjusting (230) the pressure reference.

This invention refers to a grain flaking modular system, a grain flaking system, and a method that produces a grain flake within a predetermined specification. The grain flaking modular system comprises: valves (124); a PLC (130) connected to the valves (124); and an external optimization unit (140) connected to the PLC (130), wherein the external optimization unit (140) is configured to define a pressure reference (A). The grain flaking system (100) comprises: flaking rollers (110); and a programmable logic controller, PLC (PLC), configured to: obtain a pressure reference (A), and control a flaking pressure through the pressure reference (A) obtained. The grain flaking method comprises: obtaining (210) the pressure reference; applying (220) a flaking pressure to a flow of grains, wherein the flaking pressure is defined through the pressure reference obtained; and adjusting (230) the pressure reference.

A device and method for removing leaves from a plant includes a downward extending and elongate support surface for supporting the plant and a pair of cutting devices disposed on either side of the support surface. Each cutting device includes a rotatable blade assembly and a grating which is disposed between the blade assembly and the support surface.

The automated trimming of an untrimmed plant stem comprises a device for transporting an untrimmed plant stem to an imaging stage, using a camera to capture at least one image of the plant stem, sending the at least one image to a central processor which creates a trim map which constructs a pattern for moving a cutting armature along the plant stem, and trimming the plant stem by cutting structure of the cutting armature to change the untrimmed plant stem to a trimmed plant stem.

A plant-trimming apparatus comprises two spaced-apart end plates, a rotatable tumbler, a rotatable reel comprising a reel shaft and reel blades, two bearing blocks, each detachably connected to a respective end plate and rotatably supporting a respective end of the reel, a motor arranged to drive the reel and the tumbler, a bed bar assembly comprising a bed bar and a bed knife, the bed knife being in operative engagement with the reel blade for cutting of plant material from the tumbler, and a manually-operated locking mechanism operable to secure the bearing blocks and the bed bar assembly to the end plates. The apparatus can be easily disassembled for cleaning and re-assembled, without using tools.