Eggshell processing methods and apparatus

Abstract

A method of processing eggshells to separate outer eggshell portions and the membrane portions. The eggshells are dried to remove moisture content and cause at least some separation of the membrane portions from the outer eggshell portions. A first amount of the membrane portions is separated by sieving from the eggshells. The remaining eggshell component is directed to a processing chamber with an impacting zone, where the remaining eggshell component is impacted to reduce the particle size of at least the outer eggshell material to form smaller particles. The outer eggshell particles are collected to a valve, and the membrane portion is pneumatically removed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus particularly adapted for processing eggshells which comprise outer portions and membrane portions, said apparatus comprising: a) a housing which comprises a section and positioned sections, which define a processing chamber; b) an portion to direct the into the chamber; c) an impacting portion positioned in an impacting zone of said chamber and comprising at one impacting member which is mounted in said chamber to a circumferential path to impact said eggshells, to break up the eggshells and to reduce particle size of at the outer eggshell portions to form smaller outer particles that are separated from said membrane portions; d) said apparatus having an eggshell particle collecting area positioned below said impact zone to said outer particles at in part by gravity; e) a pneumatic portion to pneumatically remove membrane portion particles from said chamber.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein there is a plurality of impacting members which are rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation in said chamber.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the impacting members move in a generally circumferential path, said apparatus further comprising a screen member extending at least partially around said circumferential path, so that smaller outer eggshell particles pass through said screen member to descend to a collection location at a portion of the processing apparatus.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein there is a discharge valve at said collecting location for selectively removing said smaller outer eggshell particles.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein there is a pneumatic apparatus to create a pressure differential between said chamber and said pneumatic portion.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said pneumatic removal apparatus creates said pressure by creating a pressure reduction at said pneumatic outer portion.