A tensioning apparatus including first and second take-up devices configured to engage opposing ends of a roller of the belt conveyor, wherein each take-up device, a linear guide including a rod and a bearing which slidably supports the rod for linear movement of the rod relative to the bearing, wherein the rod includes a mounting bracket at or towards its distal end for connecting to a shaft of the roller; and a linear actuator comprising: a stationary part coupled to and stationary with respect to the bearing of the linear guide, a moving part coupled to the mounting bracket of the linear guide, and drive means for moving the moving part relative to the stationary part such that the rod of the linear guide slides relative to the bearing.

A screw filter press comprising a screw shaft, having at least one coil turn and two screw shaft ends. The shaft axis is parallel to the gravity vector and is supported by screw shaft upper end connected to a rotary drive. The screw shaft is enclosed a filter area by a cylindrical filter tube, with openings and which is adjacent radially to a filtrate space, to which underpressure is applied. The sliding tube radially surrounding the screw shaft is the same inner diameter as the filter tube. Radial play occurs between at last one coil turn adjoining the filter tube proximate to the filter tube inner wall.

A raw-material supply device for supplying a biomass raw material under pressure, wherein the device is provided with: a screw body, provided inside a screw feeder and adapted for compressing, rotating, and transporting the powdered biomass raw material using a motor from a normal-pressure feed section for the fed biomass raw material to a high-pressure discharge section; and a pressing plug provided on the tip section side of the screw body, the pressing plug having a plug tip for maintaining a high-temperature/high-pressure field against the discharge force of compressed consolidated biomass. The interior of the screw feeder comprises a raw-material feed region for feeding the biomass raw material in the raw-material transport direction, a raw-material compression region for compressing the biomass raw material, a raw-material consolidation region for consolidating the biomass raw material in the form of a cork, and a material seal section for maintaining the high-pressure field using the consolidated biomass.

A method for pressing a liquid extract out of a material to be pressed. The material to be pressed is supplied to a screw press and is transported along a pressing path in the screw press, and a pressing pressure is applied to the material to be pressed. The screw press is supplied with an extraction agent (e.g., carbon dioxide) which is discharged from the material to be pressed together with the extract. The carbon dioxide is supplied to the screw press in the form of dry ice pellets. The dry ice is mixed with and transported together with the material to be pressed through the screw press along the pressing path. The dry ice is converted into liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide, which dissolves in the extract and reduces the viscosity thereof and which effectively cools the material to be pressed in the screw press.

A juicer includes a housing being open to top and including an annular first flange on a top and at least one lower juice spout on a peripheral surface, and a support on a bottom; a filtering mechanism in the housing and including longitudinal ridges on an inner surface, screens each disposed between two adjacent ones of the ridges, annular second flanges on an outer surface, a first rim extending downward from the lowest second flange, and at least one port through the first rim; a rotating mechanism in the filtering mechanism and including an annular element on a bottom edge, a helical screw blade on an outer surface, and an electric motor for rotating the screw blade; and a feed chute on the housing and including an annular member on a bottom edge and a second rim extending downward from the annular member.

A method for treating a food product of vegetable origin, including the steps of pushing, by means of a pushing device, the food product within a treatment cavity. This is defined between an internal surface of a fixed hollow body, or stator, and an external surface having conical shape of a rotor, and has an inlet mouth through which the food product of vegetable origin is introduced within the same and an outlet mouth through which the treated vegetable food product exits the cavity. The treatment cavity has a size which decreases going from the inlet mouth to the outlet mouth. It is provided a rotation of the rotor within the stator about a rotation axis. The combination of the rotation and of the pushing that are carried out by the machines produce a partial crushing of the food product of vegetable origin within the treatment cavity.

A juicer includes a housing having a top and including a juice spout on a periphery surface, and a support on a bottom. A filtering mechanism is disposed in the housing and includes a cylindrical wall having a meshed screen portion, and at least one annular flange on an outer surface. A rotating mechanism is disposed in the filtering mechanism, the rotating mechanism including a screw comprising a bolt portion and a spiral portion formed on a peripheral of the bolt portion and extending spirally upward to form a top free end. A bottom of the rotating mechanism is coupled to an electric motor and rotatable about a rotating axis of the electric motor. The top free end of the screw is located at an eccentric position relative to the rotating axis. A feed chute is disposed on and engaging the top of the housing. A bottom surface of the rotating mechanism is rested upon the support of the housing.

A device according to various embodiments for preparing wet grain can include at least a first screw configured to receive wet grain. A second screw receives the wet grain from the first screw. At least one of a compressing element and a dehydrating element is included with at least one of the first screw and the second screw to cause a physical property change to the wet grain.

A device according to various embodiments for drying wet grain can include a first screw configured to receive wet grain. A second screw receives the wet grain from the first screw. At least one mechanism is included within at least one of the first screw and the second screw to vaporize water content in the wet grain.

A device according to various embodiments for preparing wet grain can include at least a first screw configured to receive wet grain. A second screw receives the wet grain from the first screw. At least one of a compressing element and a dehydrating element is included with at least one of the first screw and the second screw to cause a physical property change to the wet grain.