The nut cracking mechanism of this invention is particularly designed to shell walnuts and other similar nuts having a brittle outer shell and a complex kernel that is easily damaged. With minor modification, the nut cracking mechanism can be adapted to shell other nuts that are amenable to cracking under applied pressure.
The nut cracking mechanism of this invention is also designed to shell nuts in a continuous shelling operation and can accommodate nuts of different sizes. The shelling mechanism can be modified by expanding its width or by ganging multiple units, where increased capacity is required. Where multiple units are ganged, the nuts can be presorted as to size and each unit adjusted to improve the percent of undamaged shelled meat. However, the nut cracking mechanism has a wedge-shape cracking zone that is configured to engage and crack nuts in a range of varying sizes.
The nut cracking mechanism of this invention includes a structural housing for rotatably mounting a horizontally positioned feed roller or drum, having a nonskid surface that rotates in proximity to a compression plate. The compression plate is preferably curved with a radius of curvature greater than the radius of the cylindrical feed roller.