United States Patent (11) 3,561,515

72) inventor Lee J. Nahm, Jr.

St. Louis, Mo. FOREIGN PATENTS
505,898 9/1954 Canada
21) Appl. No. 775,275
22 Filed Nov. 13, 1968 Primary Examiner-Willie G. Abercrombie
45 Patented Feb. 9, 1971 Attorneys-R. W. Brukardt and L. J. Hurst
73) Assignee The Ralston Purina Company
St. Louis, Mo.
a corporation of Missouri ABSTRACT: The hulls of soybeans are separated from the
cotyledons by thrusting the soybeans into a perforated plate
which serves to rupture the hulls and permit the separation of
(54) SOYBEAN DEHULLER the cotyledons therefrom. This thrusting action is imparted to
1 Claim, 1 Drawing Fig. the soybeans by means of compressed-air flow through a noz
(52) U.S. Cl......................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1467253, zle to create a partial vacuum carrying the soybeans to the ori
461221.7 fice of the nozzle and thereafter the compressed-air flow
(51 int. Cl......................................................... B02b3/00 serves to expel the soybeans into a perforated plate rupturing
(50 Field of Search............................................ 1461221.5, the soybean hull and permitting the cotyledons to be
221.7, 221.8, 223, 253 separated from the hulls. The apparatus which may be used in
carrying out this method of dehulling soybeans consists of a
56) References Cited chamber having a restricted orifice through which compressed
UNITED STATES PATENTS air is permitted to flow thereby creating a partial vacuum in
2,620,841 2/1952 Jacobson I................. 1461221.7 the chamber which is effective to permit soybeans introduced
2,759.51 1 8/1956 Jacobson II..... ... 1461221.7X thereto to be expelled through the restricted orifice and into a
3,220,451 1 1/1965 Bollens et al................. 1461221.7X perforated plate for the subsequent separation of the hulls
from the cotyledons.
PATENTED FEB 997 3,561,515

INVENTOR
LEE
BY
J, NAHM, JR,
af2.
 3,561515
1 2
soYBEAN DEHULLER orifice 3. A perforated plate 9, provided with suitable mount
ing means, is positioned at an acute angle to the orifice 3 and
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
is spaced a predetermined distance therefrom such that as
soybeans are ejected from the chamber 2, they will strike the
in the past the hulls of soybeans have been separated from 5 plate 9 with the impact serving to separate the parts of the
the cotyledons by initially subjecting the soybeans to a beans. Any suitable means, such as air currents, vibrators, etc.
mechanically rotated blade arrangement such that centrifugal which are well known in the art may be utilized for dividing
force was effective to propel the soybeans into a plate which theInseparated hulls from the cotyledons.
the operation of the bean dehuller 1, compressed air is
ruptured the hulls and permitted the separation of the hulls O
from the cotyledons. Thereafter the separated particles were forced through the supply pipe 7 and nozzle 8 and through the
subjected to air currents or to a mechanical separator which orifice 3 whereby a partial vacuum in chamber 2 is
was effective in separating the hulls from the cotyledons due established, as previously described. Soybeans are then sup
to the relative weights of the particles. plied to the inlet 5 with the vacuum in the chamber 2 being ef
It is the object of the present invention to provide a means 15 fective to carry the soybeans to the nozzle area 3 and
for separating the hulls from the cotyledons of soybeans which thereafter the compressed air is effective to propel the
utilizes only air currents to effect the rupturing and separation soybeans from the nozzle area 3 to impact the plate 9. The
of the hulls from the cotyledon portion. Accordingly, this is beans are impinged against or strike the plate 9 with a high
accomplished by providing a tubelike chamber having an inlet velocity and force and since the plate 9 is perforated, the air
and a restricted outlet orifice and providing a compressed-air 20 does not serve as a cushion for the beans, thereby permitting
nozzle in substantial alignment with the restricted orifice such the collision of the bean with the perforated plate to rupture
that as compressed air is forced from the nozzle through the the soybean hull and permit the separation of the cotyledon
restricted orifice a vacuum is created in the tubular chamber portion of the soybean from the hulls. The hulls and
which permits soybeans introduced into the inlet of the cotyledons are then collected in the bin 10 and are thereafter
chamber to be expelled through the restricted orifice with 25 removed for subsequent separation and processing.
such a velocity that when they strike a perforated plate in soybeans It should be understood that the velocity with which the
alignment with such orifice the hulls are ruptured and the that whenstrike the perforated plate 9 should be adjusted so
the beans strike this plate, a rupturing of the hulls
cotyledons may be separated therefrom.
will occur permitting the subsequent separation of the
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 30 cotyledon portion therefrom. This may be accomplished
A general object of the present invention is to provide a sim either
plied
by controlling the pressure of the compressed air sup
to the pipe 7 or by adjusting the distance between the
plified method of effecting the separation of hulls from the nozzle 3 and the perforated plate 9. It has not been established
cotyledons of soybeans. exactly what force is necessary for the hulls to be separated
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ap 35 from
paratus which utilizes solely compressed air to expel soybeans readilythedetermined
cotyledon portion of the beans; however, this can be
by making the aforementioned adjust
therefrom into means for effecting the rupturing and separa ments as too little force will not separate the bean com
tion of the hulls from the cotyledons of soybeans, ponents, while too much force will result in the destruction of .
Briefly, the present invention comprises a method of
separating the hulls from the cotyledon portion of soybeans by 40 the components. The operator, by making a few minor adjust
utilizing compressed air to propel soybeans into a perforated ments,strike
can control the proper velocity with which the beans
the perforated plate 9.
plate. Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an It has been found that by giving the soybeans a heat treat
apparatus having a tubelike chamber with an inlet and a
restricted orifice and having compressed-air flow in registry ment prior to their introduction into the dehulling apparatus
1, the hulls of the soybeans break apart more readily and im
with the restricted orifice whereby soybeans introduced to the 45 proved dehulling characteristics are obtained. The heat treat
inlet of said chamber are expelled therefrom by the com
pressed air into a plate member for effecting the separation of ment should be carried out in a dry heat such as heated air or
combustion gases. The hot air or combustion gas atmosphere
the hulls and cotyledon portions of soybeans. into which the soybeans should be introduced may vary from
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 175 F. to about 500 F. for about 60 minutes to about 10
50 seconds, respectively. Preferably, the temperature range will
The drawing is a cross-sectional view of the dehuller ap be between 250 F. -450 F., with the time range being
paratus embodying the present invention. between 10 minutes -25 seconds, respectively. This use of
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT the controlled dry heating of the soybean is effective to cause
55 the hull of the soybean to split, resulting in better dehulling
Referring now to the drawing, the bean dehuller 1 is pro characteristics when the soybeans strike the perforated plate
vided with a cylindrical housing 2 having a restricted orifice or 9.
nozzle opening 3 at the leftward end thereof and being closed From the foregoing, it is now apparent that a novel ap
by a wall portion 4 at the rightward end thereof. An inlet 5 is paratus and method for dehulling soybeans meeting the ob
provided in the housing 2 adjacent to the rightward end wall 4 60 jects and advantages set out hereinbefore, as well as other ob
and is connected to a source of soybeans having the hulls jects and advantages apparent in the disclosure, are provided
thereon for subsequent removal. An aperture 6 is provided in and that changes or modifications as to precise configurations,
the end wall 4 and has inserted therethrough an axially extend shapes and details as set forth in the disclosure by way of illus
ing supply pipe 7. The rightward end of the pipe 7 is con tration may be made by those skilled in the art without depart
nected to a suitable source of compressed air (not shown) and 65 ing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the claims
the leftward end thereof is provided with a restricted outlet or which follow.
orifice 8. It should be noted that the restricted orifice 8 of the 1 claim:
supply pipe 7 is in registry with the orifice 3 of the chamber 2 1. Apparatus for separating the cotyledons from the hulls of
such that compressed air flowing through the pipe 7 may be soybeans comprising a housing having an inlet, a tapered
emitted in a straight line through the orifice 3. As is obvious, 70 restricted outlet orifice in said housing, supply means in said
by properly positioning the orifice 8 with respect to the orifice housing extending coaxially into said housing and including
3, compressed air forced from the orifice 8 through the orifice other restricted orifice means in registry with and closely as
3 will be effective to create a partial vacuum in the chamber 2 sociated to said first-named orifice means, said supply means
which will serve to pull air and particles contained therein being connected to a compressed-air source whereby com
through the inlet 5 and the chamber 2 to be emitted from the 75 pressed air supplied thereto and expelled through said other
 3,561,515
3 4
and first-named orifice means is effective to create a partial
vacuum in said housing permitting soybeans introduced into.
said inlet to be carried by the partial vacuum to said first
named orifice and thereafter the compressed air being effec
tive to propel the soybeans from said housing, the close as
sociation of said first named and other orifice means being suf.
ficient to permit the soybeans to be exhausted from said hous
ing without substantially contacting said housing between said
10
first-named and other orifice means, and a perforated plate
member positioned a predetermined distance from said first
named orifice means such that when the soybeans are expelled
from said housing they impinge against said perforated plate
member and the hull portion is ruptured permitting the
separation of the cotyledon portion of the soybeans from the
hull.

20

25

30

35

40,

45

50

55

60

65

70