Particulate removal device

Abstract

A device for removing particulates from plant matter that includes a shelf through which the product is introduced into the device where the plant matter is moved through toward an output wherein the machine includes a lower conveyor belt, an upper conveyor belt, drive assemblies for both conveyor belts with adjustable speed wherein each conveyor belt is supported by a shelf and wherein the upper portion of each conveyor belt is moving in the direction opposing the other one resulting in the conveyor belt portions in contact with the product traveling in the same direction. An air source is provided that forces air through product as it travels between both conveyor belts through a fixed lower conduit and an upper conduit that is movable in an upward direction through a pivoting mount across the top conveyor belt that allows for displacement of the conduit from the lower conveyor belt as the product moves through the device.

Claims

1. A device for feeding plant matter for removing particulate matter therefrom comprising: a lower porous conveyor belt with an air source that can direct air flow past the bottom of plant matter being fed over the top of said lower porous conveyor belt; an upper porous conveyor belt with an air source that can direct air flow past the top of said plant matter being fed beneath a bottom horizontal portion of said upper porous conveyor belt wherein said air source is supporting by a pivoting mount assembly that allows the end of said pivoting mount closest to said plant matter to maintain a constant distance from said plant matter.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said lower and upper porous conveyor belts are sprocket driven connected by a 1 to 1 ratio chain drive that causes both of said conveyor belts to travel at the same linear speed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not′ limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a left side perspective view of the feed conveyor device of the instant invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a right side perspective view of the feed conveyor device of the instant invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is left side perspective view of the feed conveyor device of the instant invention that has the left side frame and drive components removed to reveal the internal components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(5) Turning to the drawings, the preferred embodiment is illustrated and described by reference characters that denote similar elements throughout the several views of the instant invention.

(6) The preferred embodiments of the instant invention are illustrated in detail in FIGS. 1-3. The preferred embodiment of the instant invention provides for a device that includes first and second frames 10 and 11 that provides support for lower conveyor belt drive shaft assembly 12, lower conveyor belt driven shaft assembly 13, upper conveyor drive shaft assembly 14, upper conveyor belt driven shaft assembly 15, conveyor drive motor 16, conveyor drive chain assembly 17, speed control 18, lower belt 19, upper belt 20, product infeed table 21, lower belt support table 22, lower belt discharge guide 23, upper belt support table 24, upper belt pivoting air source mount 25 and upper belt guide rollers 26.

(7) When viewed from the left side of the machine the lower conveyor belt 19 is supported by the lower belt support table 22 and is driven by the lower belt drive shaft assembly 12 rotating in a counter clock wise direction. This enables product to be fed from the product infeed table onto the lower conveyor belt 19 which moves the product past the lower support table with air source 22 and onto the lower belt discharge guide 23.

(8) When viewed from the left side of the machine the upper conveyor belt 20 is supported by the upper belt support table 24 and is driven by the upper belt drive shaft assembly 14 rotating in a clock wise direction. This enables the lower section of the upper belt 33 to travel in the same direction as the upper section of the lower belt 34.

(9) The upper drive shaft assembly 14 is driven by the upper belt drive assembly 28 which maintains a 1 to 1 drive ratio which causes the upper conveyor belt 20 to travel and the same linear travel speed as the lower conveyor belt 19.

(10) The linear speed of the feed conveyor belts 19, 20 is controlled by the conveyor drive speed control 18 can be used to increase or reduce the time taken to move the product past the air source.

(11) The linear speed range of the conveyor belts 19, 20 can also be altered by changing the sprockets in the conveyor drive chain assembly 17 to achieve a lower or higher drive ratio.

(12) As the product travels between the upper and lower conveyor belts 19, 20, the lower horizontal portion of the upper conveyor belt 33 is displaced vertically by the product. The upper belt pivoting air source mount 25, upper air supply nozzle 29 and upper air conduit 30 pivots about the upper air supply pivot rod 27 while gravity causes the distance between the upper air source and the product to remain constant.

(13) The lower air supply nozzle 31 and lower air conduit 32 are attached to the lower belt support table 22 and do not move.

(14) The upper belt guide rollers 26 are used to prevent the upper conveyor belt 20 from coming in contact with the pivoting end of the upper belt pivoting air source 25.

(15) The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.

(16) The discussion included in this patent is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible and alternatives are implicit. Also, this discussion may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. These changes still fall within the scope of this invention.

(17) Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of any apparatus embodiment, a method embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.