Gary Mulder - Grand Rapids MI, US Kevin Young - Byron Center MI, US
International Classification:
A01J001/00
US Classification:
426/518000
Abstract:
An apparatus for continuous perforating of an outer layer of food crop seeds includes a transporter including a seed loading station, a blasting station, a blow-off station, and a seed unloading station. The transporter further includes a plurality of chambers movable between the stations for continuously supplying known quantities of selected food crop seeds to be processed at each station, and a blasting device positioned at the blasting station and configured to continuously perforate an outer layer on the selected food crop seeds. A recycling device is positioned at the blow-off station and is adapted to collect and recycle the perforating agent.
Apparatus With Variable Fixturing Arms For Abrasive Environment
Gary E. Mulder - Grand Rapids MI, US Gary L. Vander Stel - Caledonia MI, US
International Classification:
B24B 1/00 B24B 41/06
US Classification:
451 28, 451402, 451364
Abstract:
An apparatus includes a base, a table rotatable on the base, and a plurality of arms extending above the table's top surface and extending laterally for supporting differently sized cylindrical objects above the top surface. An adjustment mechanism simultaneously adjusts the arms rotationally, such that the ends of the arms can be automatically adjusted to support any one of the differently sized objects without further change. A controller is programmed to automatically control the adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism includes a center gear connected to planetary gears on each of the arms, and a center shaft that extends upwardly through a tubular drive shaft, the center shaft being movable between a lowered position where the arms are locked to the table and a raised position where the center gear is fixed to the base such that the arms adjust position when the table is rotated by its drive mechanism.