This invention relates to hullers or hulling machines for oats or similar grain, more particularly to continuously operable hulling machines for removing the hulls from oats or similar grain without injury to the kernel or meat of the grain, and the invention has for an object the provision of a compact and highly efficient and reliable machine of this character.

Oat hullers have heretofore been provided wherein a rotatable impeller element, which is driven at a relatively high speed, causes the oats or similar grain to impinge on a surrounding member so that the hulls are removed by the impact. Where abrasive nonresilient materials are used to form the surrounding impact member, injury to the kernel or meat of the grain often results and it has been found that resilient, rubberlike materials may be utilized and will provide an efficient hulling action. Such resilient rubber-like materials as heretofore used require fre- O0 quent replacement due to the fact that the impact of the grain thereon will cut into the material, and in a relatively short time render the apparatus useless for further operation.

It is, accordingly, a further object of the invention to provide a hulling machine wherein a resilient or rubber-like impact member is interposed in the path of the impelled grain, together with means for continuously adjusting the position of the impact member so as to vary the point of impact of the grain thereon.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a hulling machine wherein means are provided for imparting to a resilient or rubberlike impact member, a rotating undulating move- 33 ment so as continuously to vary the position of the rubber-like member relative to a stream of grain which is caused to impinge thereon at variable high velocities.

In carrying out the invention in one form, rotatable impeller means are provided for peripherally impelling the grain at a high velocity, and a ring-shaped impact member surrounding the impeller means is mounted in spaced relation thereto for receiving the impelled grain, together with means for imparting to the impact member undulatory rotation so as continuously to present to the impinging grain different portions of the inner surface of the ring-shaped member. More specifically, the impeller means constitutes a pair 5( of spaced-apart discs having guide vanes secured therebetween for guiding the grain in endwise relation, the vanes having grooves along the leading surfaces thereof to facilitate proper positioning of the grain as it is impelled from the 5 space between the discs, and one of the discs is provided with a central grain-receiving surface.

Positioned closely adjacent to but in spaced relation to this grain-receiving surface is a feed spout, and means are provided for adjusting the spacing of the feed spout so as to control the rate at which the grain is fed thereto. The ringshlaped member upon which the impelled grain impinges is preferably provided with a rubber insert which is annular in form and constitutes the inner surface of the impact member for receiving the impelled grain. This ring-shaped member has its lower edge shaped to provide an undulating rack and is supported on a plurality of gears which engage the rack in driving relation so as to impart the desired rotation and undulatory movement to the ring-shaped impact member.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be had to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an oat huller embodying the present invention, certain parts being broken away more clearly to illustrate the constructional details: Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the section line being taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the oat huller shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the impeller taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5-is_a detail elevational view of the ringshaped impact member; Fig. 6 is a detail view of a split-retaining ring utilized in accordance with this invention to retain the rubber insert in the ring-shaped impact member; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken substanStially along the line 7-1 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of one of the guide vanes utilized in the impeller member.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is Sshown as embodied in a huller or hulling machine particularly adapted for the hulling of oats, although of course it may be employed in connection with various other similar grains. The hulling machine, as illustrated in the drawings, com0 prises a base 10 having a plurality of supporting legs II and a horizontally extending supporting flange portion 12 on which is mounted a housing 13 having generally cylindrical side walls, an open top and a sloping bottom wall 14 which terminates at its lowermost point in an outlet opening 15. Disposed centrally of the housing 13 and preferably formed integrally with the bottom wall 14, is a hollow post 16 the upper end of which is supported by suitable angularly extending braces 17.

At its respective upper and lower ends, the hollow post 16 carries suitable anti-friction ballbearing members 18 and 19 in which an impeller shaft 20 is journaled. Mounted on the upper end of the shaft 20, so as to rest on a collar portion 1( 21 of the ball-bearing structure 18, is an impeller 22, which impeller is secured to the end of the shaft by a suitable retaining washer 23 and a cap screw 24 threaded into the end of the shaft 20.

As shown best in Figs. 2 and 4, the impeller 1 22 comprises a lower disc 25 and an upper disc 26, the discs being secured together in spacedapart relation by suitable bolts 21 and spacer elements or vanes 28. The vanes 28, as shown best in Mgs. 4 and 8, are arcuate in form and 2 are arranged at spaced intervals about the circumference of the impeller 22 to provide peripheral spaces 29 (Fig. 4). The impeller is intended to be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 29a in Fig. 4, and it will be observed that ~, the leading edges of the vanes 28 extend in a nonradial direction relative to the impeller discs.

The central portion of the lower disc 25 is shaped, as shown best in Fig. 2, to provide a substantially flat grain- or oat-receiving surface 30 which is 3( surrounded by a peripheral bead 31, and the corresponding portion of the upper disc 26 is shaped to provide an open throat 32 into which extends the lower end of a feed spout 33.

This feed spout 33 extends through a centrally 3; located aperture in a cover member 34 which is mounted on the upper end of the housing 13 and sealed thereto in any suitable manner, as for example by a sealing ring 35, and the upper end of the feed spout 33 terminates Ir a funnelshaped hopper 36. At its lower end the feed spout 33 is slightly spaced from the grain-receiving surface 30 on the lower disc 25, and it will be apparent that when the hopper 36 is filled with grain, the grain will be fed downwardly through this spout and radially outward through the small space between the lower end of the feed spout and the surface 30. The rate of feed, of course, depends upon the spacing between the lower end of the feed spout and the surface 30, and in order to provide for adjustment of the rate of feed, the feed spout is externally threaded, as shown in Fig. 2, for engagement with an adjusting member 37 having peripherally extending flanges which rest on the cover member 34. In addition, a locking wheel or nut 38 is provided, and it will be apparent that by proper adjustment of the member 37, the spacing of the feed spout 33 from the disc 25 may be varied as desired and the feed spout locked in its final position by tightening of the adjusting wheel 38.

Surrounding the impeller 22 in spaced relation to the peripheral edges thereof, is a ring-shaped, substantially cylindrical impact member 40, the upper portion of which is provided with an internal annular groove in which is disposed an annular insert 41 formed of rubber or similar resilient and substantially nonabrasive material. In order that the rubber insert 41 may be fixedly secured in position and at the same time be readily removable for replacement, the ring-shaped member 40 is provided with a plurality of headed studs 42 which, as shown best in Fig. 5, are circumferentially spaced around the upper edge of the member 40.

Co-operating with the headed studs 42 is a split-retaining ring 43 which, as shown in Fig. 6, is split along the line 44 and provided with a plurality of notches 45 for receiving the shanks of the headed studs 42. When the ends of the ring 43 adjacent the line of split are moved out of alignment with each other, the ring 43 0 may be compressed to a smaller-than-normal diameter and inserted within the circle formed by the studs 42. The split ring 43 may then be expanded to bring its ends into alignment, and it will be observed that in this position the ring overlies the upper edges of the members 40 and 41, with the heads of the studs 42 engaging the upper surface of the retaining ring 43 so as to prevent axial displacement of the rubber insert 41.

0 The lower edge of the ring-shaped impact member 40 is shaped, as shown best in Figs. 2 and 5, to provide an undulating edge having gear teeth formed thereon so as to constitute an undulating rack 46. Although any desired number Sof undulations may be provided, the member 40 is shown as having three complete undulations, corresponding points of which are spaced apart 120 degrees.

In order properly to support the ring-shaped Simpact member 40 and to drive it in the desired manner during operation of the hulling machine, a plurality of geirs 47 and 50 are provided within the housing 13, which gears are spaced 120 degrees apart about the periphery of the housSing and are adapted to engage the undulating rack 46 at corresponding points thereof. Two idler gears 47 are employed, only one of which is shown in Fig. 2, and these gears 47 are mounted on svitable studs 48 which are journaled in Shousing members 49 threadedly mounted in the side wall of the housing 13. The third gear It constitutes the driving gear and is mounted on a shaft 51 which is journalled in a similarly supported housing member 52 and extends beyond the outer end of the housing member so as to support on its extending end a suitable drive sprocket 53 (Fig. 1).

Since the ring-shaped member 41 is supported solely by the gears 47 and 50, there would be a tendency for the ring-shaped member 40 to wobble or move radially, and in order properly to guide this member 40, a plurality of anti-friction guide means 54 are disposed about the periphery of the housing 13 for engaging the guide ring so as to maintain it in centered relation while permitting it to reciprocate axially of the housing and at the same time rotate in the housing.

Any desired number of these anti-friction guide means may of course be employed, but for purposes of illustration four of the guide means 54 are shown in the drawings (Fig. 3), spaced 90 degrees from each other about the periphery of the housing 13. The detailed construction of one of the guide means 54 is illustrated in Fig. 7, and since each of these guide mjrs is identical with the others, only one will be described.

As shown best in Fig. 7, each of the guide means 54 comprises a suitable housing 55 which extends through an aperture in the side wall of the housing 13, and which is externally threaded to receive a cap or closure member 56. Adjacent one end thereof the interior of the housing B5 is provided with an annular bearing shoulder 57 for receiving a single, large ball bearing 51, the outermost periphery of which extends slightly beyond the inner open end of the housing 55 so as to engage the peripheral side wall of the ringshaped member 40. The ball bearing 58 is retained in its proper position within the housing 55 by means of a suitable ball race 59 carried by a plug 60 which is inserted and secured in the outer end of the housing 65. Preferably, the interior of the housing 55 is filled with grease or other suitable lubricant, and in order to retain th. lubricant therein, the open inner end of the housing 55 is provided with a suitable sealing washer 61 formed of leather or other suitable material.

Mounted adjacent the supporting base 10 and carried on any suitable support (not shown) is a variable speed driving motor 63 having a drive shaft 64 extending vertically from the lower end thereof, and a suitable pulley member 65 carried by the drive shaft 64 is connected, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by a plurality of V-belts 66 to a co-operating pulley member 67 which is carried by the lower end of the impeller shaft 20. Thus the motor 63 is adapted directly to drive the impeller 22 of the hulling machine through the belt and pulleys at a high speed, which may of course 23 be varied and in some cases may be on the order of 1900 revolutions per minute. It has been found desirable in some cases to adjust the speed of the motor 65 during the hulling operation in order to maintain the proper velocity of impact which will effectively dehull the grain. Wearing away of the rubber impact member 41 may also necessitate adjustment of the motor speed from time to time to maintain such desired impact velocities. Also carried by the shaft 64 of the motor 63 is a second pulley member 68 which is connected by a suitable belt 69 to the drive pulley 70 of a speed reducing mechanism 71. Associated with the speed reducing mechanism 71 is a suitable belt tightening mechanism comprising a pivoted arm 72 which carries at its outer end a tightening pulley or wheel 73 adapted to engage the belt 69, as shown best in Fig. 3.

The speed reducing mechanism 71, which is of a type well known in the art and commonly available on the market, is supported as shown on a suitable guard member 74, which guard member is secured at its lower end to the housing 13 by suitable supporting pins 75. At its upper end the housing 74 is apertured at 76 to receive the hub of the sprocket 53, and is secured to a guard flange 77 carried by the housing member 52.

The low speed or output shaft 78 of the gear reducing mechanism 71 extends, as shown in Fig. 1, through the lower portion of the guard 14 and carries a suitable sprocket (not shown) which is connected by means of a chain 79 to the drive sprocket 53 so as to drive the gear or pinion 50 which, as previously described, is in supporting engagement with the undulating rack 46 on the 0o ring-shaped impact member 40. While various speeds may of course be employed, the pulleys 68 and 78, the gear reducing mechanism 71 and the chain and sprocket connection between the gear reducing mechanism and the shaft 51, are so correlated that the ring-shaped impact member 40 is rotated at a relatively low speed compared to the speed of the impeller, preferably on the magnitude of one revolution per minute.

It will now be apparent that rotation of the motor 63 effects a relatively high speed rotation of the impeller 22 and at the same time drives the ring-shaped impact member 40 through the gear 50 so as to cause a relatively low speed rotation and undulation or vertical reciprocation during this low speed rotation. When oats or similar grain are supplied to the hopper 36 and fed through the feed spout 33 to the space between discs 25 and 26 of the impeller 22, the grain will be impelled outwardly through the spaces 29 between the discs and directed by the guide vanes 28 into substantially end-on relation so as to impinge at a high velocity on the rubber insert member 41 of the impact member 40. Inasmuch as the member 40 is rotating at a slow speed and is constantly undulating, different portions of the inner surface of the rubber insert 41 will be subjected to the impingement of the grain impelled from the impeller 22.

It has been found that if the rubber impact ring is held stationary, the high velocity stream of grain impinging thereon will in a short time cut a groove entirely through the rubber impact ring so as to render it substantially useless for further hulling operations. By means of the slow speed rotating and undulatory movement imparted to the rubber impact member, the life thereof is greatly increased and at the same time a uniform hulling actio is obtained. It will of course be understood that impingement of the grain on the surroundiirg rubber surface causes the hulls to be separated'from the kernel or meat of the grain without injury to the kernels, and the separated kernels and hulls then drop downwardly in the casing 13 and over the sloping bottom wall 14 to the outlet opening 15.

As shown best in Fig. 18, each of the vanes 28 is provided along its lea ing edge with a plurality of substantially V-shaped grooves 80 which materially assist in arranging the grain in endon relation as it is impelled outwardly by rotation of the impeller 22, and accordingly a more even hulling action is obtained.

While a single embodiment of the invention has been shown, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and it is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable impeller, means for feeding grain thereto, a ring-shaped member surrounding said impeller with the inner surface thereof in spaced relation to the periphery of said impeller, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause the grain to impinge on said inner surface, and means for imparting an undulatory rotation to said ring-shaped member, the direction of undulation being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said ringshaped member.

2. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable impeller, means for feeding grain thereto, a ring-shaped member surrounding said impeller with the inner surface thereof in spaced relation to the periphery of said impeller, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause the grain to impinge on said inner surface, said ring-shaped member having an edge thereof shaped to provide an undulating rack extending therearound, and gear means engaging said rack and journaled for rotation on fixed axes to impart to said member a low speed undulating rotary movement.

3. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable impeller, means for feeding grain thereto, a ring-shaped member surrounding said impeller with the inner surface thereof in spaced relation to the periphery of said impeller, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause the grain to impinge on said inner surface, said ring-shaped member having the lower edge thereof shaped to provide an undulating rack extending therearound, gear means fixedly journaled beneath said member engaging said rack to support said member, and means for rotating said gear means to drive said ring-shaped member and impart thereto an undulating rotary movement.

4. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable impeller, means for feeding grain thereto, a ring-shaped member surrounding said impeller with the inner surface thereof in spaced relation to the periphery of said impeller, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause the grain to impinge on said inner surface, said inner surface being formed of resilient substantially nonabrasive material to dehull said grain without injury to the kernels thereof, and means for imparting an undulatory rotation to said ring-shaped member, ., the direction of undulation being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said ring-shaped member.

5. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable impeller, means for feeding grain thereto, a , ring-shaped member surrounding said impeller with the inner surface thereof in spaced relation to the periphery of said impeller, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause the grain to impinge :. on said inner surface, an annular rubber element mounted in said ring-shaped member to form said inner surface thereof and receive said impinging grain, and means for imparting to said ringshaped member an undulating rotary movement, the direction of undulation being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said ring-shaped member.

6. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable seed impeller, means for feeding grain to said impeller, a ring of resilient nonabrasive material surrounding said impeller in spaced relation to the periphery thereof, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause said grain to impinge on said ring at a high velocity, and means for rotating said ring at a low speed relative to said impeller speed and for axially reciprocating said ring during said rotation thereof.

7. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable impeller, means for feeding grain to said impeller, a ring of resilient nonabrasive material surrounding said impeller in spaced relation to the periphery thereof, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause said grain to impinge on said o0 ring at a high velocity, and means for imparting a low speed undulatory rotation to said ring during impingement of said grain thereon, the direction of undulation being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said ring-shaped member.

8. In a grain huller, a rotatable impeller comprising a pair of disc-like members secured together in spaced apart relation, means for feeding grain into the space between said discs at a central portion thereof, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to peripherally impel said grain from said space, an annular resilient member surrounding said impeller for impingement of said grain on the inner surface thereof, and means for imparting a low-speed axially undulating rotation to said annular member.

9. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable impeller, means for feeding grain thereto, a ring-shaped member surrounding said impeller with the inner surface thereof in spaced relation to the periphery of said impeller, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause the grain to impinge on said inner surface, said ring-shaped member having the lower edge thereof shaped to provide an undulating rack extending therearound, gear means fixedly journaled beneath said member engaging said rack to support said member, means for rotating said gear means to drive said ringshaped member and impart thereto an axially undulating and rotary movement, and anti-friction means peripherally engaging said ring-shaped member to guide said member during said movement.

10. A hulling machine comprising a housing, an axially extending shaft journaled therein, an impeller mounted on said shaft, a plurality of radially extending shafts journaled in the side walls of said housing, gears on each of said radially extending shafts within said housing, a ringshaped member having its lower edge shaped to provide an undulating rack extending therearound, said rack engaging said gears to support said ring-shaped member in concentric relation to said impeller, means extending through an end wall of said housing for feeding grain to said impeller, means for rotating said axially extending shaft to impel said grain from said impeller and cause said grain to impinge on said ring-shaped member, and means for rotating one of said radially extending shafts to impart a rotating undulating movement thereto.

11. A hulling machine comprising a housing, an axially extending shaft journaled therein, an impeller mounted on said shaft, a plurality of radially extending shafts journaled in the side walls of said housing, gears on each of said radially extending shafts within said housing, a ring-shaped member having its lower edge shaped to provide an undulating rack extending therearound, said rack engaging said gears to support said ring-shaped member in concentric relation to said impeller, means extending through an end wall of said housing for feeding grain to said impeller, means for rotating said axially extending shaft to impel said grain from said impeller and cause said grain to impinge on said ring-shaped member, means for rotating one of said radially extending shafts to impart a rotating axially igdulating movement to said ringshaped member and anti-friction means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced elements carried by said housing for engaging the periphery of said ring-shaped member to guide said member during said rotating axially undulating movement.

12. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable impeller, means for feeding grain thereto, a ring-shaped member surrounding said impeller with the inner surface thereof in spaced relation to the periphery of said impeller, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause the grain to impinge on said inner surface, said ring-shaped member having an undulating lower edge, and driving means engaging said lower edge and fixed against movement longitudinally of the axis of said ring-shaped member for rotating said member to impart an undulating rotation thereto.

13. In a grain huller, the combination of a rotatable impeller, means for feeding grain thereto, a ring-shaped member surrounding said impeller with the inner surface thereof in spaced relation to the periphery of said impeller, means for rotating said impeller at a high speed to impel said grain therefrom and cause the grain to impinge on said inner surface, an annular rubber element, means for removably mounting said rubber element in said ring-shaped member to form said inner surface thereof, said ring-shaped member having the lower edge thereof shaped to provide an undulating circular rack, gear means engaging said rack to support said ring-shaped member with said rubber element in grain-receiving relation to said impeller, and means for driving said gear means to impart to said ring-shaped member a rotating movement and an undulatory movement longitudinally of the axis of rotation.

14. An impact member for a grain huller, comprising a ring-shaped member having an internal 'annular groove communicating with the upper edge thereof, a rubber-like annular insert positioned in said groove to form an impact surface for grains impelled thereagainst, a split retaining ring adapted to overlie the respective upper edges of said insert and said member, said ring having a plurality of notches in the outer periphery thereof, and means on said upper surface of said member comprising a plurality of headed pins circumferentially disposed about said member for engaging said notches in said retaining ring with the heads of said pins overlying said ring in locking relation to retain said insert in said groove, said split ring being radially compressible for insertion within the circumference defined by said pins and being expansible from its compressed position into said locking relation.

HOWARD CLARENCE KIRN.