Pascal Walter Pitts

US Patent:

6584890, Jul 1, 2003

Filed:

Nov 19, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/299221

Inventors:

James B. Quantz - Lexington SC
Pascal W. Pitts - Cayce SC
John L. Feaster - Columbia SC

Assignee:

Machine Design Incorporated - West Columbia SC

International Classification:

A23N 500

US Classification:

99571, 99574, 99581

Abstract:

A high production nutcracking apparatus wherein the nuts are fed from a hopper on a feed conveyor which has an upwardly inclined segment which passes through the hopper, a horizontal segment which leads to the cracking apparatus, and an arcuate transition juncture which is between the two segments. The feed conveyor includes a plurality of nut transport elements mounted in succession on a feed chain, and each transport element includes an upwardly facing receptacle for receiving a single nut which is then advanced to the cracking apparatus. To permit the apparatus to process relatively small nuts, such as pecan seedlings, the elements each include a longitudinal notch in an upper corner, and a spacer bar is fixedly mounted so as to occupy the notches of the elements as they move through the hopper. The nuts are singularized and oriented in the receptacles of the elements while being advanced on the feed conveyor.

US Patent:

6588328, Jul 8, 2003

Filed:

Nov 19, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/299416

Inventors:

James B. Quantz - Lexington SC
Pascal W. Pitts - Cayce SC
John L. Feaster - Columbia SC

Assignee:

Machine Design Incorporated - West Columbia SC

International Classification:

A23N 500

US Classification:

99571, 99574, 99581

Abstract:

A nutcracking unit which is adapted for use in a high production nutcracking apparatus of the type wherein a nut is held between an anvil and cracking die, and a shuttle then impacts against the rear end surface of the cracking die to sharply advance the cracking die and thereby crack the shell of the nut. The cracking die and the anvil have opposing concave cracking surfaces for supporting a nut therebetween, and each of the concave cracking surfaces is defined by an outwardly bowed convoluted curve made with circle arcs when viewed in cross section. This configuration allows a relatively small nut, such as a pecan seedling, to be engaged and cracked at a point spaced from the pointed end of the nut, which in turn results in fewer uncracked or insufficiently cracked nuts.

US Patent:

D490445, May 25, 2004

Filed:

Nov 19, 2002

Appl. No.:

29/171215

Inventors:

James B. Quantz - Lexington SC
Pascal W. Pitts - Cayce SC
John L. Feaster - Columbia SC

Assignee:

Machine Design Incorporated - West Columbia SC

International Classification:

1509

US Classification:

D15123

US Patent:

6766732, Jul 27, 2004

Filed:

Sep 10, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/659417

Inventors:

James B. Quantz - Lexington SC
Pascal W. Pitts - Cayce SC
John L. Feaster - Columbia SC

Assignee:

Machine Design Incorporated - West Columbia SC

International Classification:

A23N 500

US Classification:

99571, 99574, 99581

Abstract:

A cracking die assembly which is adapted for use in a high production nutcracking apparatus of the type wherein a nut is held between an anvil and a cracking die, and a shuttle then impacts against the rearward end face of the cracking die to sharply advance the cracking die and thereby crack the shell of the nut. The cracking die assembly includes a mounting sleeve having a bore with an internal shoulder, and a tubular retainer mounted within a portion of the sleeve bore so as to engage the shoulder of the sleeve. An annular gasket is fixedly mounted in the bore of the retainer, and the cracking die has a radial flange which is positioned to lie between the shoulder in the bore of the sleeve, and the gasket. Also, the gasket and radial flange have conforming surfaces which engage when the cracking die is impacted by the shuttle, and the gasket is free to radially expand to absorb a portion of the impacting force of the shuttle.

US Patent:

6772680, Aug 10, 2004

Filed:

Nov 17, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/715194

Inventors:

James B. Quantz - Lexington SC
Pascal W. Pitts - Cayce SC
John L. Feaster - Columbia SC

Assignee:

Machine Design Incorporated - West Columbia SC

International Classification:

A23N 500

US Classification:

99571, 99574, 99581

Abstract:

A sealed lubrication system for a high production nutcracking apparatus of the type comprising a plurality of cracking units mounted on a rotatable turret. The cracking units are operated by pressurized air during rotation of the turret, and the pressurized air includes an oil mist component to reduce friction and wear. The oil is recovered by a system which includes an essentially closed annular collection chamber which surrounds the turret and which leads to a drain and an oil tank, and the oil tank is divided by a porous baffle plate which serves to remove and collect the entrained oil before the air is released to the atmosphere.

US Patent:

6851353, Feb 8, 2005

Filed:

Sep 10, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/659135

Inventors:

James B. Quantz - Lexington SC, US
Pascal W. Pitts - Cayce SC, US
John L. Feaster - Columbia SC, US

Assignee:

Machine Design Incorporated - West Columbia SC

International Classification:

A23N005/00

US Classification:

99571, 99574, 99581

Abstract:

A lightweight feed chain for a high speed nutcracking apparatus and which is composed of a plurality of individual nut transport elements mounted in succession. The nut transport elements are block-like in configuration, and each element includes a nut receptacle extending laterally across the upper face which is sized to accommodate a single nut of a given size. The elements are formed of a high impact plastic material which has been found to reduce wear and breakage from contact with the nutcracking components of the apparatus, and to reduce the weight of the chain. Also the elements may be color coded, with each color indicating a particular size of the receptacle.

US Patent:

D509517, Sep 13, 2005

Filed:

Apr 22, 2004

Appl. No.:

29/204001

Inventors:

James B. Quantz - Lexington SC, US
Pascal W. Pitts - Cayce SC, US
John L. Feaster - Columbia SC, US

Assignee:

Machine Design Incorporated - West Columbia SC

International Classification:

1509

US Classification:

D15123

US Patent:

7028608, Apr 18, 2006

Filed:

Jun 6, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/145586

Inventors:

James B. Quantz - Lexington SC, US
Pascal W. Pitts - Cayce SC, US
John L. Feaster - Columbia SC, US

Assignee:

Machine Design Incorporated - West Columbia SC

International Classification:

A23N 5/00
A23N 5/02

US Classification:

99571, 99574, 99581

Abstract:

A high production nutcracking apparatus wherein any whole nuts which are mis-fed or fail to be cracked, are automatically returned to the feed hopper without being exposed to possible contamination. To separate the shell fragments from the uncracked whole nuts, there is provided an inclined openwork grate, which is sized and configured to permit the shell fragments to pass directly therethrough while the whole nuts slide down and drop off a lower end of the grate. The grate is formed of a plurality of parallel rods which are supported so that they vibrate during operation of the cracking apparatus, to facilitate the sliding movement of the whole nuts.