Apparatus and methods for transferring fragile hems

1. An apparatus for vertical transfer of whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation, the apparatus comprising:

a run extending between an entrance and an exit, and including a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels;

each conveying panel inclined at approximately 30 degrees to horizontal and having a predefined width;

at least one arcuate turn-around disposed between respective conveying panels;

the predefined width selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer;

wherein the predefined width is determined from:

W

=

Q

ρ

*

S

*

H

wherein:

W is the width of the conveying panels;

Q is the desired mass flow of nuts;

ρ is the density of the nuts being transferred;

S is the optimum speed for the nuts being transferred; and

H is the height of nuts in the continuous stream.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the continuous stream comprises between one and about five layers of whole nuts.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising first and second oppositely disposed sidewalls adjacent lateral sides of the conveying panels.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the sidewalls are formed by bending the lateral sides of the conveying panels.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:

a plurality of slots formed in the first and second sidewalls; and

a plurality of laterally outwardly extending tabs on the conveying panels;

the slots and tabs positioned and arranged such that the first and second sidewalls support the conveying panels when the tabs are received in corresponding slots in the first and second sidewalls.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising at least one aperture through at least one of the first or second sidewalls, the at least one aperture sized and arranged such that nuts moving along the run spill through the at least one aperture when the apparatus is used in a manner that nuts increasingly accumulate from a point adjacent the exit of the run.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor engaging the run and supporting at least part of the weight of the apparatus whereby the sensor is configured to detect a force related to product moving along the run.

8. A method of vertically transferring whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation, the method comprising:

providing whole nuts to a transfer apparatus having a run extending between an entrance and an exit, and including a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels between the entrance and exit, each conveying panel inclined at approximately 30 degrees to horizontal and having a predefined width;

wherein the predefined width of the conveying panels is selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

sensing a force related to the weight of nuts moving along the run; and

determining a mass flow rate of nuts transferred by the apparatus based on the sensed force.

10. A method of making an apparatus for vertically transferring whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation, the method comprising:

forming a run comprising an entrance, an exit, and a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels between the entrance and exit, each conveying panel inclined at approximately 30 degrees to horizontal and having a predefined width;

wherein the predefined width of the conveying panels is selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts through the run such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer; and

determining the predefined width according to:

W

=

Q

ρ

*

S

*

H

wherein:

W is the width of the conveying panel;

Q is the desired mass flow of nuts;

ρ is the density of the nuts being transferred;

S is the optimum speed for the nuts being transferred; and

H is the height of nuts in the continuous stream.