AU607896B2

AU607896B2 - A device for removing wool and hair from an unprocessed animal pelt

Info

Publication number: AU607896B2
Application number: AU64869/86A
Authority: AU
Inventors: D. Esteban Cots Tana; D. Juan Cots Tana
Original assignee: ESTEBAN COTS TANA D
Current assignee: ESTEBAN COTS TANA D
Priority date: 1985-12-17
Filing date: 1986-11-06
Publication date: 1991-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 2006-11-06
Also published as: AU6486986A; ES550018A0; NZ218141A; PT83953A; ES8700325A1; PT83953B

Description

w COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE~ USE Class Int.

r: Form Class Application Numbe Lodgec Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted, Published: 0C0 a a P riority: 0100 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0"RelatedArt: This do cin onlains 'fie a' Undu r fI. l,&ch IS C( ntitL 0 "'Name of Applicant: oAddress of Applicant: -0646:Ictual Inventor: Address for Servici- TO BE COMPLETED 8Y APPLICANT D. ESTEBAN COTS TANA and D.JUAN COTS TANA POLG. IND. 'MAS GAL11 CART. BARCELONA-PUIGCERDA QM.69,6 VICH (BARCELONA), SPAIN D, ESTEBAN COTS TANA and D. JOAN COTS TANA St-1lDERCOCK, SM~I'l BEADLE W'.7 Riversdale Road, Box 410) Hawthorti, Victoria, 3122 Complete Specification for the Invention entitled: A DEVICE FOR REMOVING WOOL AND HAIR FROM AN UNPROCESSED ANIMAL PELT The following statement is a full description eof this invention, Including the best method of perforning it known to me:1- 1 2 The present invention relates to apparatus for removal of hair or wool from unprocessed animal pelts. The machine is intended to reduce the likelihood of damage to the skin itself, particularly to the protective qualities of the epidermis.

The hairs or wool are removed from the pelt by means of a continuous, or semi-continuous speed-adjustable process.

Complete hides with the requisite degree of dampness may also be treated.

1O The present invention provides apparatus for extracting hair or wool from an animal pelt including an S00 0 0 0 0o° apertured pelt support, freezing means positioned adjacent 0 0000 0o.: said support to freeze at least the skin of the pelt to a 0o 0OI temperature where hair follicles of the skin open, and hair or 0000 wool extraction means actuable to extract hair or wool from the skin whilst said skin is frozen on said support.

0000oooo0 e, Preferably the support is in the form of an apertured 00 conveyor and wherein said freezing means is actuable to apply o0 S a freezing agent at least against a flesh side of the pelt mounted on said conveyor, through apertures in said conveyor.

o 0 Preferably the apparatus includes a tunnel defining pelt treatment areas including at least a pelt freezing area and a hair or wool extraction area.

Preferably the pelt is at least initially held to the support via air suction applied to the pelt through apertures in the support.

Preferably the hair or wool extraction means includes moveable combs, blades or brushes.

V In order that the invention may be more readily psspe.018/cots2 90 l. 6 I i "II~~ 3 understood, various embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a simplified diagram of a representative example of the machine, viewed from the side.

Figure 2 is a diagram of the machine viewed from above.

Figure 3 shows a detailed side view of the hair extraction equipment, comprising three replaceable cylinders, a spraying cylinder, the suction and nitrogen injection 0 e t 16 equipment and the conveyor belt which transports the hair or wool from the machine.

o et Figure 4 shows a similar view to that given in Figure 0000 3. In this case, the extraction equipment consists of a wool o0O0 o .o or hair suction device which transports the wool or hair from the machine.

Figure 5 is again a similar view to Figure 3 and in O S this example the extraction equipment consists of an 00 Spsspe.018/cts2 90 12 6 °oo^ 09

C^

I

4 1 extraction cylinder, expulsion cylinder, suction and 2 nitrogen injection equipment together with the conveyor belt 3 which takes the wool or hair from the machine.

4 Figure 6 shows a similar view to that given in Figure with the addition of a suction inlet on the extraction 6 cylinder which removes the loosened wool or hair and 7 transports it to the outside of the machine.

8 Figure 7 represents equipment used in conjunction with 9 a fixed, non-rotational extraction element. Such an element may move from side to side or back and forth or 11 combine both movements. Provision is made for pneumatic O: 12 suction equipment which removes the wool or hair from the D 00 o..oo 13 machine.

0 o00 o° 14 Figure 8 shows a comb cylinder as used in the 000o 15 extraction equipment.

0 0 0 16 Figure 9 is a cross-section of the comb shown in 17 Figure 8 (original text says Figure 9) taken through the S. 18 axis marked by the Figures VI-VI.

oo, 19 Figure 10 shows a portion of a blade from a comb cylinder.

00 oo o0 21 Figure 11 shows a part of a comb cylinder blade fitted 000000 0 0 00 22 with a pincer guide.

0 0o 0o,°o 23 Figure 12 shows an example of blade cylinder 24 extraction equipment.

Figure 13 is a cross-section of the cylinder shown in 26 Figure 12 taken through an axis of the line X-X.

27 Figure 14 is a detailed illustration of a blade from 28 the cylinder extraction equipment, viewed from the front.

29 Figure 15 shows brush cylinder extraction equipment.

861205,lpsspe.003,cotsl.spe, 4 i 1 Figure 16 is a cross-section of the cylinder shown in 2 Figure 15 taken through the axis marked by the letters XIII- 3 XIII.

4 As shown in figures 1 and 2 the present invention consists of a frame supporting .a perforated conveyor 6 belt driven by a rotating cylinder running over 7 support rollers and a tension pulley The 8 apparatus includes a perforation tunnel a hair or wool 9 extraction area a cooling area suction equipment freezing equipment and cooling equipment (11).

11 Unprocessed animal pelts (12) are placed on the S, 12 conveyor belt at the entrance of the tunnel and exit f 0 0 .00 13 through another tunnel Both tunnels are provided with

P

o 00 14 isolation curtains (13) and the conveyor belt is driven by a 15 motor (14).

16 The area including the extraction equipment as 17 shown in Figure 3, has thrce replaceable or inter-changeable 18 cylinders (16) and (17) which are fitted with combs, S 19 blades and brushes respectively. The cylinders are mounted 20 on a support (18) which rotates on an axle There is 0e 21 also an ejection roller a conveyor belt (21) which 22 collects wool or hair from a tube (24) and a cold air inlet 23 nozzle (25) and a mouth (26) for entry of recycled air rom Q. SCt A-\e t M 24 Hair or wool extraction equipment as shown in Figure 6 is Flso provided and includes a single comb, blade 26 or brush roller (15, 16 or 17) depending on the requirements 27 for the particular operation. Pneumatic equipment is also 28 provided for removing and transporting the hairs or wool.

9 There is also a cyclone extractor (41) which sucks the hair 861205,1psspe.003,cotsl.spe,

_I

6 1 or wool through a pipeline (42) and returns air to the 2 interior of the machine through another pipeline Yet 3 another pipeline (44) is used to transport the wool or hair 4 to a suitable container The suction equiment comprises a ventilation fan 6 (27) with two associated suction pipes (28) which are 7 connected to the suction tables (29) and The suction 8 tables are located under the perforated conveyor belt 9 Provision is also made for a further pipe to carry the recycled air to the inlet (26).

11 The freezing equipment (10) includes of a tank4normally oao 12 containing liquid nitrogen (although other gases may be o° 13 used) with outlet pipes (33, 34 and 35) which release fluid 0 0 o 14 through outlet valves (36, 37 and 38). Pipes numbers 37 0o0 15 and 38 are fitted with primary (39) and principal o 00 S0 o 00 ~16 nozzles directed against the underside of the pelts (12) as 17 they are carried along by the perforated conveyor belt 18 Figure 4 shows a different view of the area comprising 4 0 6 000Q 0. 19 the extraction equipment containing the cyclone (41) 0 0 which sucks up the hair or wool through pipeline Air 21 enters the equipment through another pipeline (43) and the o 0 S 22 fleece or hair travels through yet another pipeline to a aoo 0 23 container 24 The cooling equipment (11) as shown in Figure 2 is composed of a refrigeration or cooling unit (46) which is 26 connected by means of pipelines (47) to a thermal exchange 27 unitAwhich is in turn linked by means of pipeline (49) to 28 nozzle (25) and the ventilator fan The same diagram N2 a9 also shows the motor (51) driving the outward conveyor belt 1205,tpsspe.003,cotsl.spe, 7 1 (23) for the fleece or hair (22) through the pipeline (24) 2 and another motor (52) which drives the roller (53) for belt 3 There is another motor (54) for the extraction 4 roller support system (18) and yet another motor powering the expulson roller 6 Figure 8 shows the comb roller (15) mounted on its axle 7 (55) and also shows the comb unit (56) as detailed in 8 Figures 9, 10, and 11. The latter Figure shows the comb 9 cylinder fitted with a guide (57).

The hair extraction area is shown in Figure 5 and 11 comprises a cylinder fitted with combs, blades or brushes r, 12 (15/16/17) which rotates on an axle (19) operating in 13 conjunction with an expulsion roller a conveyor belt 14 (21) which conveys the wool or hair through a pipeline (24) 4 15 and a fresh air inlet nozzle (25) and recycled air inlet 16 nozzle (26).

17 Figure 7 shows a different view of the extraction area o 18 consisting of a fixed, non-rotational extraction element 19 This element may however be free moving either S. 20 longitudinally or using an action comprising both movements.

oo a e* o, 21 Fleece extraction is completed by means of a suction pipe o 4 22 (42) which carries the wool or hair to the exterior of the 0 4 4 4 4 O 4 23 machine.

24 Figure 7 illustrates an alternative hair or wool extraction method comprising a fixed extractor element (66) 26 whi:h may also be arranged to move from side to side, 27 backwards and forwards or both laterally or longitudinally.

28 The extraction element is equippped with a terminal (67) 29 which facilitates the wool extraction and is assisted by a 861208,Ipsspe.003,cotsl.spe, i 8 1 pneumatic suction device which carries the wool outside the 2 machine.

3 Figure 12 shows a blade cylinder (16) mounted on an 4 axle (59) equipped with blades (60) arranged around a central cylinder A cross-section of the blade 6 cylinder unit is shown in Figure 13 and Figure 14 shows an 7 example of one of the blades 8 Figure 15 depicts a brush cylinder (17) mounted on an 9 axle (62) fitted with brushes (63) attached to a central cylinder A cross-section of this cylinder is shown 11 in Figure 16.

12 The wool or hair (22) extraction process commences with 13 the placement of the unprocessed pelts (12) at the entrance I 0 14 to the perforation tunnel The pelts are spread out 15 and dampened with the wool or hair side facing upwards.

16 The suction equipment operates through tables (29) and 17 (30) as shown in Figures 3 and 4 thereby holding the pelts 18 securely by means of suction to the perforated conveyor 19 belt. A speed control is provided for the conveyor belt Between tables (29) and (30) are disposed a set of 21 nitrogen spray nozzles arranged at 90 degrees to the 22 direction of travel of the conveyor belt. It is also 23 possible to use two or more individual rowv of nozzles (39) 24 and (40) as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The nozzles (39) and (40) are known as the primary and principal nozzles 26 respectively and provision has even been made for further 27 sets of nozzles which arranged so as to produce a gradual 28 lowering of the freezing temperature from minus 20 degrees 29 to minus 220 degrees celsius. The spraying action covers 861A208 tpsspe. 003, cotsl spe, 9 1 the entire surface of each pelt It is anticipated 2 that some economies may be made by the provision of a spray 3 regulator system which directs sprays only at such areas of 4 the conveyor belt as are covered by the pelt.

The pelts (12) reach the extraction area in a 6 frozen state and the pores of the skin are contracted in 7 such a way as to loosen the wool or hair (22) by the time 8 the pelt reaches the extraction cylinder (15, 16 and 17) or 9 the suction nozzle (42) as shown in Figures 3 and 4 respectively (depending on which of the mixed or 11 conventional 'eans of extraction has been selected in the 2 12 particular circumstance).

13 The second suction table (30) secures the pelts (12) to S 14 the conveyor belt during the hair or wool extraction phase. The hair or wool (22) is directed out the 16 extraction area to be stored or washed, while the skins 17 (12a) now stripped of hair or wool pass through to the I o" 18 cooling tunnel where they will regain their former 19 flexibility thereby enabling them to be handled or subjected to further chemical treatment. This process is carried out

I

21 by raising the temperature of the skin (12a) as the product 22 passes through successive temperature controlled 23 compartments in tunnel 24 The essential basis of this invention may be used in forms which differ from those described above. The 26 machinery may also be set up in any desired layout or size 27 using the materials which are considered to be most 28 appropriate within the scope of the appended claims.

861208,tpsspe.003,cotsl.spe,

Claims

1. Apparatus for extracting hair or wool from an animal pelt including an apertured pelt support, freezing means positioned adjacent said support to freeze at least the skin of the pelt to a temperature where hair follicles of the skin open, and hair or wool extraction means actuable to extract hair or wool from the skin whilst said skin is frozen on said support. o,000

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the 0 0 support is in the form of an apertured conveyor and wherein 0 0 said freezing means is actuable to apply a freezing agent at Q o 0 least against a flesh side of the pelt mounted on said o00o ooo conveyor, through apertures in said conveyor. 00 0 0 0 0 oo0

3. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus includes a tunnel defining pelt treatment areas including at least a pelt freezing area and a 000 oo«. hair or wool extraction area. 0 0

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding o0 I claims wherein the pelt is at least initially held to the 900 04 26 support via air suction applied to the pelt through apertures 00 in the support.

Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the hair or wool extraction means includes moveable combs, blades or brushes.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the combs, blades or brushes rotate in conjunction with an expulsion means which expels the extracted wool or hair to an outlet means. r

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein psspe.018/cots2 90 12 6 1 11 1 the combs, blades or brush means are removable from their 2 mountings. 3

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4 wherein the hair or wool extraction means includes a pneumatic extriction device. 6

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pneumatic 7 extraction device includes a suction nozzle connected to a 8 recycling cyclone extractor for separation of extracted wool 9 or hair into a container.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 11 wherein the freezing means operates in conjunction with a S 12 freezing agent in the form of a liquified gas, 13

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 when dependent on S 14 claim 2 (conveyor) wherein the freezing means incorporates S 15 at least one row of transversely mounted nozzles which 16 administer the liquified gas to the pelt. 17

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein multiple rows 18 of transversley mounted nozzles are provided to administer 19 liquified gas at progressively lower temperatures between j 20 the ranges of minus 20 degrees celsius to minus 200 degrees 21 celsius, 22

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 23 when dependent on claim 4 wherein recycled air from the 24 suction process is utilised to push the pelt against the support. 26

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 27 wherein the warming area permits the processed skins to 28 regain their elasticity on a gradual basis effected by 29 moving the skins progressively through a series of 861208, psspe.003,cotsl.spe, L, i i ii 12 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 Q i 13 S4 14 9o t 15 a A 0 0 16 17 S 18 19 a y 21 22 23 24 temperature graded areas.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the hair or wool extraction means includes a fixed non-rotational extraction element which is free to move laterally or longitudinally relative to said pelt.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the extraction element is provided adjacent suction nozzle which removes wool or hair extracted or loosened from the skin by the extraction element.

17. Apparatus for extracting hair or wool from an animal pelt characteriseO by a frame portion supporting an apertured conveyor belt which is adapted to carry animal pelts through an inlet tunnel into a skin freezing area and through a hair or wool extraction means to an outlet tunnel which lead to a warming area, suction means provided to securely hold the pelt to the conveyor balt, freezing means provided for applying freezing agent to said pelt,

18. Apparatus as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. features, methods, processes, compounds and compositions referred to or indicated int-hespecification and/or claimm of the appllc t4ro Individually or collectively, and any and a^ *Ot Vi "I ka-tiV 1 14 0 V A;o j L )r t wv? uC 861208,tpsspe.003,cotsl.spe, 13- 2 DATED TIS 8th December, 1986 ~13 SANDERCOCK, SMITH BEADLE 4 Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. 6 Patent Attorneys for he Applicant 7D. ESTEBAN COTS TANA AND D. JUAN COTS TANA Wb,208,1!psspe.OO3,coi1s1.spe,