摘要:
Improvements are described in methods and apparatus for preparing a trash-containing mass of randomly oriented slender cane stalks for subsequent processing. The overall method and apparatus described includes the steps of, and means for, conveying the trash-containing mass of randomly oriented cane stalks; raking the mass of stalks at some point during conveyed travel thereof; and aligning substantially all of the stalks longitudinally in the direction of travel so that they may be choppped into shorter lengths. At selected points, trash is removed from the mass of stalks. The improvements described include the steps of, and means for, conveying the stalks over a transfer drum which has a plurality of arms arranged to engage the mass of stalks to assist in raking and thinning the stalks as they pass over the drum, and to drop the stalks into a gap, or vertical discontinuity, in the conveyor means. As the stalks drop downwardly through the gap, a fluid stream preferably a gas such as air, is directed downwardly and laterally through the stalks to disengage trash from the mass of stalks. The directed fluid stream conveys trash entrained therein out of the discontinuity and against a series of vertically hanging free-swinging rod members which serve to screen trash from the directed fluid, with the trash dropping downwardly out of the directed fluid stream. The trash may then be conveyed away from the stalk conveying means for further disposal. The stalks which have dropped downwardly through the fluid stream are picked up again by a stalk conveying means and delivered to another detrashing station downstream of the transfer drum and upstream of the chopping apparatus. Here, the mass of stalks is conveyed between superposed rollers to a junction point. At this junction point the mass of stalks is deflected upwardly into an additional pair of superposed rollers. The additional pair of rollers is operable to move the mass of stalks along an upwardly inclined path of travel, while trash such as rocks engage the lower one of the additional pair of rollers at the junction and drop downwardly out of the mass of stalks. The aligned and detrashed mass of stalk material is suitable for being chopped into shorter, substantially uniform, lengths and subsequently being realigned, longitudinally split, and depithed.
摘要:
A process for sustaining livestock, e.g., ruminants such as cattle, is described which involves providing the livestock with a feed comprising sugarcane pith which contains a substantial amount of the naturally present sugar juice and which is substantially free from the highly lignified outer rind fibers of the sugarcane. This feed may also contain nitrogenous protein substituents such as urea, a leguminous meal, and various minerals. The sugarcane pith may be obtained by longitudinally opening sugarcane without expressing a significant amount of the sugar juice from the pith, and then separating the pith from the outer rind fibers while retaining substantially all of the sugar juice in the pith.
摘要:
A method for preparing a mass of randomly oriented, slender cane stalks for subsequent processing at a selected location. The method is intended to deliver the stalks in cleaned condition, chopped into uniform, relatively shorter lengths and aligned longitudinally in their direction of motion. The method includes delivering the mass of stalks to a series of successively, more rapidly moving, conveyor means and subjecting the stalks to sudden vertical deflections at some of various junctions between adjacent ones of the conveyor means. At some of the junctions heavy debris (such as rocks) mixed with the stalks is caused to gravitate rearwardly and downwardly between adjacent ones of the conveyor means. At least one junction, leading portions of the stalks in the mass are also subjected to a force in a downstream direction aligned with their direction of travel upstream of the one junction. At another junction concurrently with vertical motion the canes are also subjected to a force in a direction downstream of the other junction, inclined transversely to direction of travel of the canes upstream of the other junction to exert a disentangling effect on the canes. The canes are progressively thinned out and aligned in the direction of travel and, at a point where substantially all the stalks are aligned in the direction of travel, they are chopped into shorter lengths while moving longitudinally. The chopped lengths are then realigned. At some point in their travel, the stalks are projected at high velocity across a vertical discontinuity in the conveyor means to cause the stalks to become partially airborne, at which time fluid is directed through the stalks to remove trash. Apparatus for preparing a mass of randomly oriented, slender cane stalks for subsequent processing which includes a series of separate conveyors successively receiving the stalks. Some of the conveyors in the series are arranged with their downstream ends spaced vertically above and overlapping the upstream ends of the next succeeding conveyors to define cascading junctions, between adjacent conveyors at which a vertical deflection is imparted to the stalks. At least one pair of successively related, cascading conveyors have their respective directions of travel aligned and another pair of successively related, cascading conveyors have their respective directions of travel transversely inclined. With this arrangement, the stalks are subjected to simultaneous vertical and accelerating forces, the latter being at separate times in different perpendicularly related directions, thereby facilitating disentangling and alignment of the canes. A chopping means is positioned adjacent one of the conveyor means positioned sufficiently downstream, at a point where almost all of the canes are travelling longitudinally. The chopping means cuts the stalks transversely thereof into uniform shorter lengths, while they are moving longitudinally. Realigning means positioned adjacent the chopping means realign the chopped lengths of stalk in parallel relation. At some point in their travel, the conveyor means project the stalks at sufficiently high velocity across a transversely extending, vertical discontinuity in the series of conveyor means to cause thE stalks to become at least partially airborne during which time fluid-directing means directs fluid through the stalks to remove trash.
摘要:
A process is provided which transforms randomly oriented sugarcane stalks into their pith, rind and epidermis components which are then treated to obtain sugar juice, pith floc, cane fibers and other sugarcane commodities. In delivering the sugarcane stalk material to the separating zone, the stalks are aligned longitudinally in their direction of travel and are chopped transversely thereof into shorter lengths. If the cane contains trash such as leaves and rocks, a fluid is directed through it to remove the trash. At the separating zone the chopped stalks are separated into their pith, rind and epidermis components. This is done by opening up longitudinally each chopped stalk into separate portions which are then flattened. As the flattened stalk material is fed through the zone, pith is milled away from one side and epidermis material is milled away from the opposite side. The components are then recovered and can be further treated. The treatment of the pith comprises a washing and pressing operation to extract the juice from the pith. The rind is reduced into smaller portions such as chips or shreds which are then contacted with water to extract water solubles from the rind. The epidermis can also be treated to separate wax bearing material from certain other epidermis material.
摘要:
A PROCESS WHICH TRANSFORMS RANDOMLY ORIENTED SUGARCANE STALKS INTO THEIR PITH, RND AND EPIDERMIS COMPONENTS WHICH ARE THEN TREATED TO OBTAIN SUAR JUIE, PITH FLOC, CANE FIBERS AND OTHER SUGARCANE COMMODITIES. IN DELIVERING THE SUGARCANE STALK MATERIAL TO THE SEPARATING ZONE, THE STALKS ARE ALIGNED LONGITUDINALLY IN THEIR DIRECTION OF TRAVEL AND ARE CHOPPED TRANSVERSELY THEREOF INTO SHORTED LENGTHS. IF THE CANE CONTAINS TRASH SUCH AS LEAVES AND ROCKS, A FLUID IS DIRECTED THROUGH IT TO REMOVE THE TRASH. AT THE SEPARATING ZONE THE COPPED STALKS ARE SEPARATED INTO THEIR PITH, RIND AND EPIDERMIS COMPONENTS BY OPENING UP LONGITUDINALLY EACH CHOPPED STALK INTO SEPARATE PORTIONS WHICH ARE THEN FLATTTENED. AS THE FLATTENED STALK MATERIAL IS FED THROUGH THE ZON, PITH IS MILLED AWAY FROM ONE SIDE AND EPIDERMIS MATERIAL IS MILLED AWAY FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE. THE COMPONENTS ARE THEN RECOVERED AND CAN BE FURTHER TREATED. THE TREATMENT OF THE PITH COMPRISES A WASHING AND PRESING OPERATION TO EXTRACT THE JUICE FROM THE PITH. THE RIND IS REDUCED INTO SMALLER PORTIONS SUCH AS CHIPS OR SHREDS WHICH ARE THEN CONTACTED WITH WATER
TO EXTRACT ATER SOLUBLES FROM THE RIND. THE EPIDERMIS CAN ALSO BE TREATED TO SEPARATE WAX BEARING MATERIAL FROM CERTAIN OTHER EPIDERMIS MATERIAL.
摘要:
A method for preparing a mass of randomly oriented, slender cane stalks for subsequent processing at a selected location. The method is intended to deliver the stalks in cleaned condition, chopped into uniform, relatively shorter lengths and aligned longitudinally in their direction of motion. The method includes delivering the mass of stalks to a series of successively, more rapidly moving, conveyor means and subjecting the stalks to sudden vertical deflections at some of various junctions between adjacent ones of the conveyor means. At some of the junctions heavy debris (such as rocks) mixed with the stalks is caused to gravitate rearwardly and downwardly between adjacent ones of the conveyor means. At least one junction, leading portions of the stalks in the mass are also subjected to a force in a downstream direction aligned with their direction of travel upstream of the one junction. At another junction concurrently with vertical motion the canes are also subjected to a force in a direction downstream of the other junction, inclined transversely to direction of travel of the canes upstream of the other junction to exert a disentangling effect on the canes. The canes are progressively thinned out and aligned in the direction of travel and, at a point where substantially all the stalks are aligned in the direction of travel, they are chopped into shorter lengths while moving longitudinally. The chopped lengths are then realigned. At some point in their travel, the stalks are projected at high velocity across a vertical discontinuity in the conveyor means to cause the stalks to become partially airborne, at which time fluid is directed through the stalks to remove trash. Apparatus for preparing a mass of randomly oriented, slender cane stalks for subsequent processing includes a series of separate conveyors successively receiving the stalks. Some of the conveyors in the series are arranged with their downstream ends spaced vertically above and overlapping the upstream ends of the next succeeding conveyors to define cascading junctions, between adjacent conveyors at which a vertical deflection is imparted to the stalks. At least one pair of successively related, cascading conveyors have their respective directions of travel aligned and another pair of successively related, cascading conveyors have their respective directions of travel transversely inclined. With this arrangement, the stalks are subjected to simultaneous vertical and accelerating forces, the latter being at separate times in different perpendicularly related directions, thereby facilitating disentangling and alignment of the canes. A chopping means is positioned adjacent one of the conveyor means positioned sufficiently downstream, at a point where almost all of the canes are travelling longitudinally. The chopping means cuts the stalks transversely thereof into uniform shorter lengths, while they are moving longitudinally. Realigning means positioned adjacent the chopping means realign the chopped lengths of stalk in parallel relation. At some point in their travel, the conveyor means project the stalks at sufficiently high velocity across a transversely extending, vertical discontinuity in the series of conveyor means to cause the stalks to become at least partially airborne durIng which time fluid-directing means directs fluid through the stalks to remove trash.
摘要:
A PROCESS FOR SUSTAINING LIVESTOCK, E.G., RUMINANTS SUCH AS CATTLE, IS DESCRIBED WHICH INVOLVES PROVIDING THE LIVESTOCK WITH A FEED COMPRISING SUGARCANE PITH WHICH CONTAINS SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF ITS NATURALLY PRESENT SUGAR JUICE AND THE FINE INNER FIBERS OF THE SUGARCANE STALK INTERIOR, BUT WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM THE HIGHLY LIGNIFIED OUTER RIND FIBERS OF THE SUGARCANE. THIS FEED MAY ALSO CONTAIN CHOPPED SUGARCANE PLANTT TOPS, NOVEGETABLE PROTEIN SOURCES SUCH AS FISH MEAL OR NITROGENEOUS PROTEIN SUBSTITUENTS SUCH AS UREA, VEGETABLE PROTEIN SOURCES SUCH AS LEGEMINOUS MEAL, AND VARIOUS MINERALS. THE SUGARCANE PITH MAY BE OBTAINED BY LONGITUDINALLY OPENING SUGARCANE WITHOUT EXPRESSING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE SUGAR JUICE FROM THE PITH, AND THEN SEPARATING THE PITH FROM THE OUTER RIND FIBERS WHILE RETAINING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE SUGAR JUICE IN THE PITH. THIS SUGARCANE PITH FEED MAY BE STORED BY DRYING TO A MOISTURE-FREE CONDITION AND PLACING IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER, OR BY AN ENSILING PROCESS INVOLVING PLACING THE FEED IN A SILO AND IN CONTACT WITH LOWER ALKYL CARBOXYLIC ACID-PRODUCING MICROORGANISMS SUCH AS LACTOBACILLUS.
摘要:
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE PITH, RIND AND EPIDERMIS COMPONENTS OF SPLIT SURGARCANE STALK. EACH SPLIT STALK PROTION IS FLATTENED AND MILLED ON THE PITH SIDE TO SEPARATE PITH FROM RIND AND MILLED ON AN OPPOSITE SIDE TO REMOVE EPIDERMIS. WHILE THE MILLING AWAY OF PITH AND EPIDERMIS IS BEING EFFECTED THE RIND IS MAINTAINED INA FLATTENED CONDITION AND IS POSITIVELY ENGAGED BY RIND, VELOCITY-CONTROLLING, GRIPPING MEANS WHICH PARTIALLY PENETRATE THE RING PERIPHRY. THE RIND MILLING APPARATUS IS CHARACTERIZED BY A MILLING ROLL HAVING A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY RADIALLY EXTENDING MILLIN RIDGES. EACH MILLING RIDGE HAS A PLANAR ILLING SIDE PARALLEL TO A RADIAL PLANE OF THE ROLL AND A PERIPHERAL, ARCUATE, RINDCONTACTING WHICH INTERSECTS THE PLANAR MILLING SIDE. THE SEPARATOR APPARATUS IS CONSTRUCTED SUCH THAT COOPERATING COMPONENTS OF STALK FEEDING AND MILLING UNITS MAY BE SIMULTANEOUSLY SEPARATED. THE SEPARATOR APPARATUS IS INCORPORATED WITH COMPONENT CONVEYING AND HANDILNG SYSTEMS TO FACILITATE THE MODULAR STACKING OF SEPARATOR UNITS. THIS MODULATOR STACKING INCREASES PLANT CAPACITY AND FACILITATES A SECONDARY SEPARATION OF RESIDUAL PITH FROM RIND, AFTER THE PRIMARY RIND AND PITH SEPARATION HAS TAKEN PLACE.