Immersible peeling container

Abstract

The invention relates to an immersible peeling device (10), which is provided with a container (11), the container (11) has an inner cavity (16) surrounded by an inner wall (18), an inlet (30) near the first end (12) and off-center with respect to the central axis, an outlet (19, 508) near the second end (13), a cross-section of the inner cavity intermediate the first and second ends having a circular cross-section, and a plurality of peeling members (25) supported within the inner cavity and near the inner wall. A fluid flow enters the lumen through the inlet, and a plurality of objects (50A) having an outer skin are introduced into the lumen near the inlet. The fluid flow causes the plurality of objects to move in a helical pattern within the inner cavity of the container, thereby causing the objects to engage with a plurality of peeling members, each of the plurality of peeling members removing a piece of skin when engaged with the object.

Description

[0001] Statement of related application

[0002] This application is based upon and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 389,909, filed on July 17, 2022. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing an outer surface from a plurality of objects having an outer surface, such as, but not limited to, skin, peel, husk, sheath or hide. More particularly, the present invention relates to a floodable peeling container for enabling the removed outer surface to be rinsed from the equipment in which it was removed and, optionally, for enabling the removed outer surface to be conveniently carried in a fluid stream discharged from the container to a downstream collector. Background Art

[0004] Some food products are in the form of objects. Some of these foods are fruits and vegetables, such as potatoes, apples or oranges. Some of these foods can be peeled or peeled, and then the peeled or peeled multiple objects can be used to prepare food, which is then packaged and sold to consumers. Currently, a variety of different methods are used to remove some or all of the outer surfaces from the objects. Some hand-held appliances can be used for this purpose, such as potato peelers or knives. Some of these appliances require the use of a large amount of labor and time. Summary of the invention

[0005] An embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention includes a container and a plurality of peeling members, the container having a first end, a second end having an outlet, an inner cavity between the first end and the second end, an inner wall surrounding the inner cavity and a central axis extending through the inner cavity, at least a portion of the inner cavity having a rounded or circular cross-section, a plurality of peeling members supported in the inner cavity and near the inner wall, an inlet connected to the container to introduce an inlet flow, the inlet flow having an inlet direction directed off-center relative to the central axis of the inner cavity of the container, the inlet being near the first end of the container and the outlet being near the second end of the container, wherein a fluid flow is introduced through the inlet and into the inner cavity of the container, the introduction fills the inner cavity from the inlet to the outlet, and generates a rotating vortex of the fluid around the central axis in at least a portion of the inner cavity; and wherein a plurality of objects having an outer surface are introduced into the inner cavity while the fluid flow continues to be introduced through the inlet, the introduction causing the plurality of objects to be accelerated by the rotating vortex in a spiral path around the central axis, and causing the plurality of objects to engage with the inner wall and at least some of the plurality of peeling members.

[0006] In one embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention, the central axis is vertical. One embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention also includes an object chute fluidly coupled to the container, and a plurality of objects can be introduced into the inner cavity through the object chute. One embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention includes a chute having a discharge end near a first end of the container to introduce a flow of a plurality of objects into the container near the first end. In this embodiment, the residence time is maximized or extended so that as the objects are propelled along the path, the objects encounter a greater number of peeling members before reaching the outlet.

[0007] One embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention includes a plurality of peeling members supported on and positioned on a liner to engage an object as the object is pushed through a path by a fluid flow introduced at an inlet, the liner being removably receivable within the inner cavity. In one embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention, the plurality of peeling members include edges of a plurality of perforations, holes, or perforations in the liner. In another embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention, the plurality of peeling members are connected to and supported on an inner wall of the inner cavity.

[0008] One embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention includes a strategically positioned overflow trough arranged near the outlet of the container and near the second end of the container to receive from the container a plurality of objects, fluids, and a plurality of flakes of the outer surface removed from the objects emerging from the container. In one embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention, the overflow trough has a first portion for receiving the plurality of objects, fluids, and flakes, and a second portion for draining at least one of the objects, fluids, and flakes. For example, but not by way of limitation, the second portion of the overflow trough may include a trough portion having drainage holes to allow the fluid phase and at least some flakes from the overflow trough to reach another location while continuing to move the objects (reduced outer surface).

[0009] In one embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention, the inlet is connected to the container to introduce an inlet flow having a direction tangential to the central axis and near the inner wall of the container. In one embodiment of the submersible peeling container of the present invention, the inlet is strategically connected to the container at a certain position and at a certain angle to introduce a fluid flow into the container so as to tangentially impact on the inner wall of the inner cavity of the container. Tangentially impacting as a term used herein means that the fluid flow emerging from the inlet and introduced into the inner cavity of the container is directed to be gradually guided by the inner wall along the inner wall and maintain the flow rate under the condition of gradual change in direction. This introduction of the fluid flow has a great impact on the sustainability of the spiral flow along the path, and as a result, has a great impact on the propulsion of the object along the path to engage with the peeling member supported in the inner cavity of the container. An embodiment of the submersible peeling device of the present invention utilizes a spiral vortex path that moves the object from the first end to an outlet near the second end around the central axis of the inner cavity of the container. This type of embodiment provides optimal utilization of multiple distributed peeling members supported in the inner cavity. Embodiments of the immersible skinning apparatus of the present invention may utilize a spiral vortex path that rotates about a vertical center axis, a horizontal center axis, or an inclined center axis. A strategic choice of the orientation of the center axis should be made based on factors including the density of the object whose outer surface is to be removed. Embodiments of the immersible skinning apparatus of the present invention may include an inclined or vertical center axis in which the first end is arranged lower than the second end, and other embodiments of the immersible skinning apparatus of the present invention may include a downwardly slanted or vertical center axis in which the first end is arranged higher than the second end. Objects having a density greater than the density of the fluid constituting the fluid flow may be introduced into an embodiment of the immersible skinning apparatus having an inclined or vertical center axis (the first end is arranged lower than the second end) to increase the residence time of the object. Alternatively, objects having a density less than the density of the fluid constituting the fluid flow may be introduced into an embodiment of the immersible skinning apparatus having an downwardly slanted or vertical center axis (the first end is arranged higher than the second end) to increase the residence time of the object. Similarly, strategic selection of fluids can be used to influence the residence time of objects of known density.

[0010] Among other factors, embodiments of the immersible peeling device of the present invention can be performed differently depending on the size of the lumen of the container of the device and the speed and volume rate at which the fluid flow is introduced into the lumen through the inlet. The orientation of the central axis, the specific gravity of the fluid, and the density of the object from which the peeling flakes are to be removed also affect the performance of the device. For optimal performance, the volume rate at which the fluid flow is introduced into the lumen of the container of the embodiment of the device having a lumen of a given size can be optimized. The rate of rotation of the spiral vortex generated by the off-center introduction of the fluid flow of a given specific gravity (relative to a plane orthogonal to the central axis) will partially determine the speed at which the objects entrained in the flow will engage with the peeling member supported in the lumen of the container. The volume rate at which the fluid flow is introduced into the lumen of the container of the device, the specific gravity of the fluid, the density of the object, and the size of the lumen will affect the rate at which the entrained object will move from the first end of the container to the second end of the container. These factors will produce a residence time for the object, which reflects the duration of time that the object will generally remain in the spiral vortex path between the first and second ends of the container.

[0011] An insufficient flow velocity component along the central axis about which the spiral vortex path rotates may cause the object to remain in the container for an excessive amount of time, resulting in loss of more than just the skin of the object due to an undesirable duration of engagement with the plurality of peeling members, or may cause the object to sink from the spiral vortex path due to having a density that is excessively greater than the density of the fluid. An excessive flow velocity component along the central axis about which the spiral vortex path rotates may cause the object to remain within the lumen of the container of the apparatus for an insufficient amount of time and be expelled from the second end of the container before a sufficient amount of skin is removed by engagement with the plurality of peeling members supported within the lumen of the container.

[0012] Some embodiments of the submersible skinning apparatus of the present invention may be used to continuously receive and skin a plurality of objects. The objects may be continuously introduced into a first end of an inner cavity of a container of the apparatus, for example, by an object chute, and the skinned objects may be continuously discharged from a second end of the inner cavity of the container of the apparatus. Other embodiments of the submersible skinning apparatus of the present invention may be used to receive and skin a batch including a plurality of objects. Multiple objects or batches of objects may be introduced into the inner cavity of a container of the apparatus, and the skinned objects may be discharged from the second end until all of the plurality of objects are skinned, and then the apparatus may be reset to receive subsequent batches.

[0013] In some embodiments of the spiral vortex path of the immersible peeling device of the present invention around a vertical central axis, the first end of the inner cavity of the container of the device having an inlet can be vertically below the second end, at which the peeled object and the fluid flow entrained therein with the outer skin flakes removed from the object can be discharged from the inner cavity of the container. In other embodiments of the spiral vortex path of the immersible peeling device of the present invention around a vertical central axis, the first end of the inner cavity of the container of the device having an inlet can be vertically above the second end, at which the fluid flow entrained therein with the outer skin flakes removed from the object can be discharged from the inner cavity of the container. These embodiments can be optimized to adjust the relative density of multiple objects compared to the specific gravity of the fluid flow. For example, but not by way of limitation, a floating body as a body having a density less than the density of the fluid flow will require a larger downward velocity component of the spiral vortex path to move the floating body downward along the central axis about which the spiral vortex path rotates rather than the non-floating body. The denser the plurality of objects, the smaller the downward velocity component of the spiral vortex path may be used because a denser plurality of objects may take advantage of the natural sinking action of the plurality of objects to move the objects from the first end of the lumen of the container of the apparatus to the second end. Returning to the example where the lumen has a vertical central axis and an inlet at the first end of the lumen of the container below an outlet disposed near the second end of the lumen of the container, objects denser than the fluid flow will require an upward component of the velocity of the fluid flow sufficient to overcome the density of the objects and move the objects upward toward the second end of the lumen of the container. The greater the density of the objects, the greater the upward component of the velocity of the fluid flow required to move the objects upward to overcome the tendency of the objects to sink within the lumen of the container.

[0014] In some embodiments of the submersible peeling apparatus of the present invention, a weighting agent may be added to the fluid stream to adjust the specific gravity of the fluid, thereby optimizing performance and adjusting the residence time of an object within the apparatus. For example, but not by way of limitation, adding salt to a fluid stream of water will result in an increase in the specific gravity of the water. Similarly, in some embodiments of the submersible peeling apparatus of the present invention, a viscosity agent may be added to the fluid stream to adjust the viscosity of the fluid, thereby optimizing performance and adjusting the residence time of an object within the apparatus.

[0015] In some embodiments of the submersible peeling apparatus of the present invention, one or more blades, fins, or deflection members may be disposed within the lumen of a container of the apparatus to impart an enhanced swirl or rotational effect to a fluid flow having a plurality of objects entrained therein, thereby optimizing performance and regulating the residence time of the objects within the apparatus. In this manner, the spiral flow path may be manipulated to, for example, increase or decrease the residence time, thereby increasing or decreasing the number of times an object may encounter a peeling member supported within the lumen of the container.

[0016] In some embodiments of the immersible skinning apparatus of the present invention, the plurality of skinning members may include, for example but not by way of limitation, brush elements, wires, fins, or other flexible members as an alternative to or in addition to rigid skinning members, such as but not by way of limitation, blades or other structures having rigid edges. For example, but not by way of limitation, in some embodiments, the plurality of skinning members may be a plurality of flexible wires supported near an inner wall of a container of the immersible skinning apparatus, the plurality of wires extending radially inward toward a central axis. It will be understood that the diameter, distribution, density, length, and / or flexibility of the plurality of wires may be optimized for the type of object from which the skin or skin is to be removed. The texture and thickness of the skin of the object to be removed should be considered when optimizing the treatment to be achieved using embodiments of the immersible skinning apparatus of the present invention.

[0017] Embodiments of the submersible skinning apparatus of the present invention are suitable for receiving and skinning or peeling objects in batches, and may include a channel through or in the inner wall of the container for passing fluid and solid pieces removed from the skinned or peeled objects while maintaining the objects within the container of the submersible skinning container. In other embodiments of the submersible skinning container of the present invention, unpeeled or unpeeled objects may be continuously fed into the submersible skinning apparatus, a fluid stream may be continuously fed into the submersible skinning apparatus, a fluid stream having solid pieces removed from the objects is continuously removed, replaced or drained from the submersible skinning apparatus, and skinned or peeled objects are continuously removed from the container of the submersible skinning apparatus. In the latter embodiments, the fluid stream may be directed to a settling tank or through a filter or screen to remove solid pieces entrained therein, thereby regulating the discharged fluid stream for recirculation to the submersible skinning apparatus. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of an embodiment of the immersible skinning equipment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cutaway elevation view of an immersible stripping device.

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an immersible skinning device showing an inlet that is off-center relative to the central axis of the inner cavity of the container, the inlet being near the bottom plate of the immersible skinning device.

[0021] Figure 4 is an elevation view of a removably insertable liner that may be used to support a plurality of skinning members within the interior cavity of a vessel of an embodiment of the submersible skinning apparatus of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 is an elevational view of an embodiment of an immersible skinning apparatus of the present invention having a centralized body chute for introducing a plurality of objects into an inner cavity of a container of the immersible skinning apparatus for skinning, the object chute terminating before engagement with a floor of the container and centered on a central axis. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an immersible debarking apparatus 10 of the present invention. Figure 1 The submersible peeling apparatus 10 includes an submersible peeling container 11. The container 11 has a first end 12 and a second end 13 spaced apart from the first end 12. The container 11 has an inlet 30 near the first end 12, through which a fluid flows into an interior cavity 16 of the container 11 in the direction of arrow 32. The container 11 also includes an inner wall 18 surrounding the interior cavity 16. A plurality of peeling members 25 are supported within the interior cavity 16 and near the inner wall 18. Figure 1 In the embodiment of the submersible debarking device 10 shown, the first end 12 of the container 11 is located at the lowest point on the container 11, and the second end is located at the highest point on the container 11. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment of the submersible debarking apparatus 10 , the vessel 11 has a vertical height 24 and a horizontal diameter 22 . Figure 1 The embodiment of the submersible skinning apparatus 10 further includes an object chute 38 through which a plurality of objects 50 can be introduced into the inner cavity 16 of the container 11 to be skinned. Figure 1 In the embodiment of the submersible skinning apparatus 11 shown, the object slide 38 passes through the bottom plate 17 ( Figure 1 The object 50A is fed into the inner cavity 16 of the immersible peeling device 10 through an inlet 51 in the immersion device 10 (not shown). Figure 1 The embodiment of the submersible peeling apparatus 10 also includes a spill basin 40 having a trough portion 42 disposed about and below the second end 13 of the container 11 and positioned to receive the fluid flow (not shown) as it is discharged from the outlet 19 at the second end 13 of the container 11. Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment of the submersible peeling apparatus 10, the overflow trough 40 is inclined downwardly so that the fluid stream and / or object 50A (not shown in the trough portion 42) received in the overflow trough 40 will move in the direction of arrow 44 to carry the discharged fluid and / or object 50A and / or peeling material (not shown) from the object 50A to the trough discharge portion (not shown) in the direction of arrow 45. In some embodiments of the submersible peeling apparatus 10 of the present invention, the object 50A may be discharged from the inner cavity 16 of the container 11 through an opening other than the opening through which the discharged fluid stream passes. A similar situation is also present in some embodiments of the submersible peeling apparatus 10.

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a cutaway elevational view of an immersible peeling container 11 of an apparatus 10 . Figure 2 The cross-sectional view of illustrative embodiment shows an inlet port 34 through which a fluid flow (not shown) flowing through the inlet 30 enters the interior cavity 16 of the container 11 at a location near the first end 12 of the container 11. Figure 2 The inlet 30 and the inlet port 34 are shown positioned so that a fluid flow (not shown) entering the inner cavity 16 through the inlet 30 and the inlet port 34 will be directed in an inlet direction that is off-center relative to the central axis 55, as indicated by arrow 33. This configuration causes the fluid flow to generate a rotating vortex within the inner cavity 16, as indicated by arrow 36. At the same time, the fluid flow entering the container 11 at the inlet port 34 causes the inner cavity 16 of the container 11 to be filled until the level of the fluid reaches the outlet 19 at the second end 13 of the container 11, and the direction of fluid movement within the inner cavity 16 at any position within the container 11 is a combination of the rotating vortex about the central axis 55 and the movement of the fluid from the first end 12 to the second end 13. This combination of the rotating vortex and the movement of the fluid from the first end 12 toward the second end 13 results in a flow of fluid through, for example, the object slide 38 (at the Figure 1 But from Figure 2 Any object introduced into the lumen 16 of the container 11 (omitted in the figure) is propelled by the fluid along a path where the object will engage, contact and / or impact with a plurality of peeling members 25 supported within the lumen 16 and adjacent to the inner wall 18 of the container 11 surrounding the lumen 16. Figure 2 As shown in an enlarged view of one of the multiple peeling members 25, each peeling member 25 is suitable for peeling an object 50A having a skin (see Figure 1) removes a small piece of skin (not shown). Objects that engage, contact and / or strike a large number of the plurality of peeling members 25 will emerge from the outlet 19 of the container 11 with the skin removed. Small pieces of removed skin (not shown) will be entrained in the fluid flow discharged from the inner cavity 16 through the outlet 19 and carried by the fluid flow to, for example, the overflow trough 40 (if any), or small pieces of removed skin may be stuck in or on some of the plurality of peeling members 25 of the apparatus 10. Pieces of skin received in the overflow trough 40 can be filtered out of the fluid flow in downstream processing, and any pieces of skin remaining in the container 11 can be removed during cleaning.

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 1 , showing an inlet 30 terminating at an inlet port 34 arranged to direct a fluid flow to emerge from the inlet port 34 in an off-center inlet direction 33 relative to a central axis 55 of the container 11 . Figure 3 The inlet 34 in the container 11 is near the bottom 17 of the container 11. The spiral path 36 shows the path that the object 50A may follow after being introduced into the container 11 near the first end 12. To simplify the illustration of the path 36, Figure 3 The peeling member 25 is not shown.

[0026] Figure 4 is an elevation view of a removably insertable liner 37 that may be used to support a plurality of peeling members 25 within the interior cavity 16 of the container 11 of an embodiment of the apparatus 10 of the present invention. Figure 4 The container 11 of the device 10 is transparent to show the liner 37 which can be removably inserted. Figure 4 In an embodiment of the device 10, the insertable liner 37 includes a plurality of holes 25 evenly distributed throughout the liner 37, and the edges of the holes 25 are arranged along the Figure 3 The helical path shown will engage the object and remove small pieces of its outer skin when it impacts the object. Figure 4 Also included is an inlet 30 through which a fluid flow is introduced into the interior cavity 16 of the container 11 of the apparatus 10. Figure 4 The overflow trough 40 is shown in FIG.

[0027] Figure 51 is an elevational view of an embodiment of an apparatus 10 of the present invention having a centralized object chute 60 for introducing a plurality of objects into the interior cavity 16 of a container 11 of the apparatus 10 for peeling, the object chute 60 terminating prior to engaging the floor 17 of the container 11 of the apparatus 10 and centered about a central axis 55. The centralized object chute 60 includes a top end 62, a bottom end 64, and a bore 65 between the top end 62 and the bottom end 64. Objects 50A introduced into the bore 65 at the top end 62 of the object chute 60 descend downwardly along the central axis 55 until the objects 50A exit the object chute 60 near the floor 17 of the interior cavity 16 of the container 11 of the apparatus 10. Once the objects are discharged from the object chute 60 at the bottom end 64, the objects 50A are entrained in the fluid flow ( Figure 5 (not shown) and begins to flow along Figure 3 The helical path 36 is shown moving, which causes the object 50A to engage the peeling member 25 .

[0028] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a container 11 of an embodiment of the apparatus 10 of the present invention, showing a plurality of inlets 30A, 30B, and 30C, each of which supplies a fluid stream flowing in the direction of arrows 32A, 32B, and 32C, respectively, to the container 11 through inlet ports 34A, 34B, and 34C, respectively. The inlet ports 34A, 34B, and 34C shown in FIG. 6 are separated from each other by an angle of 120 degrees (2.094 radians). In one method of using the apparatus 10 of the present invention having a plurality of inlet ports 34A, 34B, and 34C, the inlet stream to the container 11 is equally divided between the three inlet ports 34A, 34B, and 34C. This evenly distributed inlet stream promotes uniform rotation of the fluid in the inner cavity 16 of the container 11, and promotes uniform rotational movement of the object (not shown in FIG. 6) when it rotates within the container 11 and engages with the peeling member (not shown in FIG. 6). For simplicity and to better illustrate the distributed inlet ports 34A, 34B and 34C, the object 50A, the peeling member 25 and the object chute 38 are not shown in FIG. 6 .

[0029] FIG7 is a cutaway perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a container 11 of the apparatus 10 of the present invention having an inner wall 18 surrounding an interior cavity 16 of the container 11. The inner wall 18 includes an abrasive material consisting of a large number of small protruding peeling members 25. In one embodiment, this type of abrasive material can be applied as a sheet with the peeling members 25 arranged thereon, or alternatively, can be applied as a fluid material having sand or small hard flakes therein that can be sprayed onto the inner wall 18 and allowed to dry to fix the peeling members 25. An advantage of the embodiment of the container 11 of the apparatus 10 shown in FIG7 is that the container 11 can be taken out of service and the abrasive material and peeling members 25 therein can be peeled off the inner wall 18 and a replacement sheet or coating can be applied or sprayed onto the inner wall 18.

[0030] FIG8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a container 11 of the apparatus 10 of the present invention, the container 11 comprising an upper container segment 11A and a lower container segment 11B. The upper container segment 11A comprises an upper flange 21 sized and positioned on the upper container segment 11A to engage with a matching lower flange 11B disposed on the lower container segment 11B. The upper flange 21 of the upper container segment 11A and the lower flange 11B of the lower container segment 11B may be coupled to each other in an abutting relationship as shown in FIG8 using a plurality of screws 26 equipped with nuts 27. In other embodiments, the upper container segment 11A and the lower container segment 11B may be secured to each other using a clamp, a latch, or the like. Some embodiments of the alternative embodiment of the container 11 may include two, three, or more segments.

[0031] The term "fluid" as used herein includes liquids or gases. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the specific density of the object is higher than the density of the fluid. In most applications, the piece removed from the object comprises a solid material and the fluid will be a liquid.

[0032] The terms "peeling" and "peeling" used herein include peeling, peeling, grinding, rubbing and polishing, as well as all other terms that represent the removal of small pieces or pieces of material as a result of peeling or peeling. For example, the grinding surface can be a grinding surface that includes a large number of very small peeling components thereon, while the peeling components can also be larger and separated from each other, as depicted in some of the figures attached hereto. Although the figures attached hereto show larger separated peeling components for visual representation, this should not be regarded as a limitation of the size or shape of the peeling components.

[0033] The specialized terms used herein are only used for the purpose of illustrating specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are also intended to be plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that when used in this specification, the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" specify the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups thereof. The terms "preferably", "preferred", "prefer", "optionally", "may" and similar terms are used to indicate that the items, conditions or steps mentioned are optional (non-essential) features of the present invention.

[0034] All means or steps in the claims below plus the corresponding structures, materials, actions and equivalents of the functional elements are intended to include any structure, material or action for performing a function in combination with other claimed elements specifically claimed. The description of the present invention is presented for the purpose of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention in the disclosed form. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The embodiments selected and described are to best explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention, and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the various embodiments of the present invention, which have various modifications suitable for the intended specific use.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing skin from a plurality of objects, comprising: a container having a first end, a second end having an outlet, an interior cavity intermediate the first end and the second end, and an interior wall surrounding the interior cavity, wherein at least a portion of the interior cavity has a circular cross-section and a central axis passing therethrough; a plurality of peeling members supported within the inner cavity and adjacent the inner wall; and an inlet coupled to the container for introducing an inlet flow of fluid into the interior cavity of the container at an inlet direction that is off-center relative to a central axis of the at least a portion of the container, the inlet being proximate the first end of the container; wherein a fluid flow is introduced into the inner cavity of the container through the inlet and in the direction of the inlet, the introduction filling the inner cavity from the inlet to the outlet and generating a rotating vortex of the fluid within the at least a portion of the inner cavity and around the central axis; and Wherein, while continuing to introduce the fluid flow, the plurality of objects having the outer skin are introduced into the inner cavity, which introduction causes the plurality of objects to be accelerated by the rotating vortex in a spiral path around the central axis, and causes the plurality of objects to engage with the inner wall and at least some of the plurality of peeling members.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The central axis is vertical.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: An object chute is fluidly coupled to the container and through which the plurality of objects can be introduced into the interior cavity.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein: The object chute is coupled proximate the container to introduce the plurality of objects into the interior cavity of the container proximate the first end.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of skinning members are supported on an insert sized to be removably received within the inner cavity.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein: Each of the plurality of peeling members includes an edge of a hole in the liner.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of skinning members are connected to the inner wall of the inner cavity.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: An overflow trough is disposed proximate the outlet proximate the second end of the container to receive the plurality of objects, the fluid, and a plurality of peeled skins from the container.

9. The device according to claim 6, further comprising: The trough portion of the isopipe has a first end for receiving the plurality of objects from the isopipe and a second end for discharging the plurality of objects.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The inlet is coupled to the vessel to introduce an inlet flow having a direction tangential to the central axis.

11. An apparatus for removing a portion of a skin from each of a plurality of objects, comprising: A container having an interior cavity, an inlet near a first end through which a fluid flow can be introduced into the container and an outlet at a second end through which the fluid flow can be discharged from the container, and the plurality of peeling members are supported near an inner wall of the interior cavity surrounding the container.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein: The plurality of peeling members are connected to the inner wall.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: The plurality of skinning members are supported within the interior cavity adjacent the interior wall by a removable insert.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an object chute through which the plurality of objects can be introduced into the inner cavity near the first end.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an isopipe positioned to receive the fluid flow as it is discharged from the outlet.

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