Manually-powered continuous-flow maize-sheller

Abstract

This sheller uses abrasion between a rotating shelling-disc and stationary concave compartments to achieve the stripping. A manually-operated handle is used to rotate two shafts, one of which translates rotational motion to become linear motion of a slider crank. The slider pushes the maize cobs into the sheller continually one after another. Though manually operated, the sheller can provide a continuous flow; the kernels being collected via a chute. At a speed of 60 rpm, a shelling effectiveness of 67% was achieved, with a low kernel-breakage factor of 0.090 and a throughput of 6.82 kg/h. For the trial runs, the machine was designed to shell a batch of 100 maize cobs, which were introduced into the feed hopper in one batch, without stopping until all the cobs were stripped via the shelling unit. This design is preferred, because of its rapid operation, low human-energy expenditure, low breakage-factor for the kernels as well as relatively little dust being emitted during shelling; hence leading to a relatively-healthier local atmosphere for the operator. Its wider use is therefore recommended.