14 BULLETIN 399, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE MACHINE. 



The machine consists of four essential parts, as follows : 



(1) A rapidly revolving drum which removes the peel by a grating action on the 

 fruit. 



(2) A spiral feed screw which carries the fruit along the drum, at the same time 

 rotating it in a forward direction so that the peel is removed in the form of spirals. 



(3) A feed table of special construction which serves as a support for the fruit while 

 passing through the machine. 



(4) An adjustment mechanism to vary the relation of the drum, feed screw, and 

 table in accordance with the character of the fruit to be handled and the degree of its 

 ripeness. 



The details of the machine as they appear in both perspective and 

 cross section are shown in figures 6 to 10. Figure 6 is a perspective 

 view of the machine; figure 7, a side view of the machine with the 

 cover removed; figure 8, a top view of the feed table; figure 9, a 

 cross section through the machine; and figure 10, a cross section of 

 the conveyer. The lettering of the various parts of the machine is 

 the same in all of the figures. 



TTie drum (figs. 6, 7, and 9, J.). — The drum is 11 feet in length and 

 is made in two parts, each 5 feet 6 inches long, since it is found that 

 if it is built in one piece there is a tendency to sag in the middle, 

 thus causing great vibration when run at the necessary speed. Each 

 part is built of narrow staves 2 inches wide and IJ inches thick, 

 bolted to cast-iron pulleys 10 inches in diameter and 3 inches face. 

 It was found advisable to cast the pulleys with the spokes set at 

 one side of the rim and with the hub projecting about 2 inches 

 beyond the rim on that side, since this permits easy access to the 

 stave bolts. Each part of the drum requires three pulleys. The 

 end pulleys are set on the shaft, with the hubs inside, and the middle 

 pulley is equidistant from the ends. The shaft is about 1^ inches 

 in diameter, and each pulley is fastened to it with a half-inch set 

 screw. 



The staves are secured to the pulleys by a quarter-inch bolt through 

 the middle of the stave at each pulley, and the bolt heads are counter- 

 sunk in the staves to at least a quarter of an inch below the surface. 

 All the staves except three are secured by bolts through holes drilled 

 in the rim of the pulleys, the nuts being secured on the under side of 

 the rim. In the last three staves placed in position, the holes in the 

 middle pulley are threaded the proper size and the cap screws turned 

 in from the outside. The two parts of the drum are set on the shaft 

 6 inches apart, to permit a middle bearing to be placed in position on 

 the frame. After the staves have been secured in place the drum is 

 turned true, either by placing it on a lathe or by setting it in its frame 

 and turning it by power. 



