CLIAMS:We Claim:
1. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine comprising:
a pre-heater arrangement with container means for heating pre-treated and parboiled rice involving a stirrer ;
a rotatable sand filled container with heating source thereunder for puffing of said pre-treated and parboiled rice ;
said rotatable container having means for ready separation of the puffed rice from the heated sand ;
a motor means for operative connection to said stirrer and said rotatable container for automated stirring action of said pre-treated and parboiled rice and said rotatable container for fast generation of puffed rice.

2. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said motor is operatively connected to a rotary stirrer in said container means for heating pre-treated and parboiled rice and said rotatable sand filled container involving power from the motor being transmitted to a line shaft which in turn imparts the drive to said rotary stirrer and rotatable sand filled container involving belt-pulley arrangement.

3. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in anyone of claims 1 or 2 comprising
said rotatable sand filled container comprising a vessel/handi rotatably mounted on a framed support for intimate mixing of pre-treated and preheated rice with hot sand for puffing involving rotational motion from a motor operatively connected through a shaft;
a support structure to mount said vessel/handi suitably at the desired inclination alongwith a sieving arrangement;
said container means for heating pre-treated and parboiled rice involving a stirrer comprising a pot/karai for preheating therein salt conditioned parboiled prior to feeding into said aluminium vessel/handi for puffing;
said stirrer comprising a wooden stirrer/narai rotatably disposed therein said pot/karai to agitate the rice during preheating;
a first furnace for heating sand in the vessel/handi to desired puffing temperature for puffing rice and a second furnace for preheating of conditioned parboiled rice to desired temperatures;
a pair of bevel gears are used to rotate the stirrer/narai at desired speed;
a line shaft receiving power from said motor for distributing rotary motion to said moving components of the system through appropriate belt-pulley and/or gear arrangement;
a wiremesh sieve disposed in said aluminium vessel/handi in manner to separate the puffed rice from sand within said rotating pot/handi and to collect the processed puffed rice from handi.

4. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein for facilitating smooth rotation, said shafts are mounted on a plurality of bearings.

5. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in anyone of claims 3 to 4, comprising three V-pulleys on the line shaft, one for receiving the power from the motor, second for transmitting it to the rotating handi and third for transmitting to the stirrer/narai through a bevel gear arrangement which is designed to rotate the narai at desired speed.

6. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5, which is insulated with bricks and mud to allow safe operating environment and protection from heat.

7. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein any smoke, generated is guided up and removed from the working premises through a chimney arrangement.

8. A method for producing puffed rice(muri) involving an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in claims 1 to 7, comprising the steps of
(i) preparing rice prior to puffing involving specially prepared rice concocted by sprinkling and thorough mixing of salt solution on parboiled rice, allowing an absorption/condition time of 6-8 hours, followed by preheating with continued agitation on slow heating with low flame for 40-50 minutes in a kadahi (without sand) rendering the grains an elastic texture;
(ii) heating aluminium handi containing sand by an agricultural waste fired furnace and rotating slowly powered by motor drive;
(iii) pouring the prepared parboiled/ dried/ salt-conditioned/ preheated rice obtained in step (i), into the rotating handi wherein sand is maintained at the desired puffing temperature of about 250-270 ºC;
(iv) separating the puffed rice immediately from hot sand by specially designed separating sieve which delivers the puffed rice out of the rotating handi while the sieved out sand falls back into the handi.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein preheated rice poured into the handi expands almost instantaneously and is transformed into puffed-rice within 10-12 seconds.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said sieve arrangement is involved to facilitate quick removal of hot sand from puffed rice, thereby checking its browning which would result from any over exposure of puffed rice with hot sand and at the same time the hot sand remaining inside the handi does not lose any heat during separation, thus making the process fuel efficient.

Dated this the 10th day of June, 2014
Anjan Sen
Of Anjan Sen & Associates
(Applicants Agent)

,TagSPECI:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine with improved productivity. More particularly, the present invention is directed to providing a motor driven machine for producing puffed rice(muri) wherein stirring action during preheating of salt conditioned parboiled rice in ‘kadahi’ and subsequently puffing the same by pouring small batches in sand heated in revolving ‘handi’ , both receiving rotary motion from the motor through a set of mechanisms in a simple, user friendly and reliable manner. The machine is capable of puffing salt conditioned rice in 10-12 seconds and puffed rice is immediately separated from hot sand by specially designed separating sieve which delivers the puffed rice out of the rotating handi while the sieved out sand falls back into the handi. Proper insulation facilitates improved thermal efficiency. The puffed rice(muri) making machine according to the present invention is easy to operate, low cost, compact and improvised machine reducing the drudgery of the user/operator while ensuring manifold increase in productivity compared to conventional machines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Puffed-Rice is a form of rice in which the rice grains are expanded to a volume that is several times larger than their original size. It is a high carbohydrate food, available at cheap price, which is used as staple diet in various areas of the country. Muri making is a revenue earning option for many rural households.

In the traditional process, the paddy is soaked in water preferably over night until saturation, drained and then either steamed or dry roasted in sand for parboiling. The parboiled paddy is milled, salt conditioned, preheated and finally puffed in hot sand.

There are numerous limitations of manufacturing puffed rice conventionally with regard to earning, health, social stigma, working atmosphere of the worker. The limitations are as follows:
(i) Low productivity;
(ii) Long working hours;
(iii) High drudgery of producer/operator;
(iv) Low earning;
(v) Adverse effects on health;
(vi) Environment pollution;

In the pending Indian patent application no. 633/KOL/2011, a manually operated cereal puffing machine has been disclosed wherein an insulated manually operated rotating pot(Handi) with baffles is used for puffing cereal grains and the rotational motion of the pot of the order of upto 15rpm is produced manually by a drive shaft along with a shaft handle fixed with the pot and the drive shaft stand along with universal coupling joint secured with the frame. The manually operated rotating pot and the oven is placed inside an insulated chamber and hot air is passed encompassing the said pot. The machine proposed here is manually operated and it does not integrate the preprocessing operation of the grains prior to puffing. The machine doses not provide any means for separating puffed grains from sand. The improvement in productivity is only marginal over the conventional methods for such cereal puffing operation.

There has been therefore a need in the art to developing a more efficient and power driven machine for puffing cereals like in particular rice for production of muri(puffed rice) which would be simple, cost effective and integrated in nature encompassing the pre and post puffing operations and avoid human interference, reduce the effort of operator while improve the productivity significantly and maintaining required quality of product.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The basic object of the present invention is directed to provide an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine which would perform the functions of preheating of cereals, puffing and screening of puffed grains from the sand in an integrated manner such that productivity would be improved substantially while maintaining desired quality of the puffed grains in a user friendly manner.

A further object of the present invention is directed to an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine which is simple but highly efficient increasing the productivity upto about 15 times as compared to conventional rice puffing artisan.

A still further object of the present invention is directed to an integrated puffed rice(muri) making machine which involves locally available components and resources favouring low cost of production which would be affordable by rural artisans/households.

A still further object of the present invention is directed to an integrated puffed rice(muri) making machine wherein motor power is used to drive revolving handi and stirring of salt conditioned perboiled rice in kadhai during preheating using power from a same motor through line shaft and belt pulley drives, and thus reducing drudgery of the artisan/user.

A still further object of the present invention is directed to an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine wherein a sand sieving mechanism is incorporated for rapid separation of puffed rice grains from sand within the handi itself enabling heat conservation.

A still further object of the present invention is directed to an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine which is highly ergonomic in design ensuring elimination of occupational hazards and complete removal of drudgery avoiding problems relating to gender sensitivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic aspect of the present invention is thus directed to provide an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine comprising:
a pre-heater arrangement with container means for heating pre-treated and parboiled rice involving a stirrer;
a rotatable sand filled container with heating source thereunder for puffing of said pre-treated and parboiled rice ;
said rotatable container having means for ready separation of the puffed rice from the heated sand;
a motor means for operative connection to said stirrer and said rotatable container for automated stirring action of said pre-treated and parboiled rice and said rotatable container for fast generation of puffed rice.

A further aspect of the present invention is directed to provide an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine wherein said motor is operatively connected to a rotary stirrer in said container means for heating pre-treated and parboiled rice and said rotatable sand filled container involving power from the motor being transmitted to a line shaft which in turn imparts the drive to said rotary stirrer and rotatable sand filled container involving belt-pulley arrangement.

A still further aspect of the present invention is directed to provide an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine comprising
said rotatable sand filled container comprising a vessel/handi rotatably mounted on a framed support for intimate mixing of pre-treated and preheated rice with hot sand for puffing involving rotational motion from a motor operatively connected through a shaft;
a support structure to mount said vessel/handi suitably at the desired inclination alongwith a sieving arrangement;
said container means for heating pre-treated and parboiled rice involving a stirrer comprising a pot/karai for preheating therein salt conditioned parboiled prior to feeding into said aluminium vessel/handi for puffing;
said stirrer comprising a wooden stirrer/narai rotatably disposed therein said pot/karai to agitate the rice during preheating;
a first furnace for heating sand in the vessel/handi to desired puffing temperature for puffing rice and a second furnace for preheating of conditioned parboiled rice to desired temperatures;
a pair of bevel gears are used to rotate the stirrer/narai at desired speed;
a line shaft receiving power from said motor for distributing rotary motion to said moving components of the system through appropriate belt-pulley and/or gear arrangement;
a wiremesh sieve disposed in said aluminium vessel/handi in manner to separate the puffed rice from sand within said rotating pot/handi and to collect the processed puffed rice from handi.

A still further aspect of the present invention is directed to said integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine wherein for facilitating smooth rotation, said shafts are mounted on a plurality of bearings.

A still further aspect of the present invention is directed to said integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine, comprising three V-pulleys on the line shaft, one for receiving the power from the motor, second for transmitting it to the rotating handi and third for transmitting to the stirrer/narai through a bevel gear arrangement which is designed to rotate the narai at desired speed.

According to a further aspect of the present invention directed to said integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine , the same is insulated with bricks and mud to allow safe operating environment and protection from heat.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine wherein any smoke, generated is guided up and removed from the working premises through a chimney arrangement.

A further aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for producing puffed rice(muri) involving an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as described herein before comprising the steps of
(i) preparing rice prior to puffing involving specially prepared rice concocted by sprinkling and thorough mixing of salt solution on parboiled rice, allowing an absorption/condition time of 6-8 hours, followed by preheating with continued agitation on slow heating with low flame for 40-50 minutes in a kadahi (without sand) rendering the grains an elastic texture;
(ii) heating aluminium handi containing sand by an agricultural waste fired furnace and rotating slowly powered by motor drive;
(iii) pouring the prepared parboiled/ dried/ salt-conditioned/ preheated rice obtained in step (i), into the rotating handi wherein sand is maintained at the desired puffing temperature of about 250-270 ºC;
(iv) separating the puffed rice immediately from hot sand by specially designed separating sieve which delivers the puffed rice out of the rotating handi while the sieved out sand falls back into the handi.

A still further aspect of the present invention is directed to said method wherein preheated rice poured into the handi expands almost instantaneously and is transformed into puffed-rice within 10-12 seconds.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to said method wherein said sieve arrangement is involved to facilitate quick removal of hot sand from puffed rice, thereby checking its browning which would result from any over exposure of puffed rice with hot sand and at the same time the hot sand remaining inside the handi does not lose any heat during separation, thus making the process fuel efficient.

The objects and advantages of the present invention are described hereunder in greater details with reference to the following accompanying non limiting illustrative drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Figure 1: is the schematic line diagram showing the front view of the integrated rice puffing machine according to the present invention.

Figure 2: is the schematic line diagram showing the side view of the integrated Muri(puffed rice ) making machine according to the present invention.

Figure 3: is the schematic line diagram showing the isometric view of the integrated Muri(puffed rice) making machine according to the present invention.

Figure 4: is the schematic perspective view of the integrated Muri(puffed rice) making machine according to the present invention showing the arrangement of the different components used in the machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The present invention is directed to provide an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine for production of puffed rice(Muri) with enhanced productivity and minimized human effort /drudgery.

The developed muri-making machine basically comprises a cast iron pan and an aluminium vessel locally known as ‘kadahi’ and ‘handi’ respectively, both driven by a 1 hp motor and heated on individual furnaces using firewood/agricultural wastes. Salt conditioned parboiled rice is preheated slowly for 40-50 minutes in kadahi and subsequently puffed by pouring small batches in sand heated in revolving handi. Rice puffs in 10-12 seconds and is quickly separated from hot sand by a specially designed sieve. Proper insulation facilitates improved thermal efficiency. It’s an easy to operate, low cost, compact and improvised machine reducing the drudgery of the user.

Reference is now invited to the accompanying Figures 1 to 3 which are schematic line diagrams showing the front, side and isometric view to illustrate the structural configuration of the integrated puffed rice(muri) making machine according to the present invention.

Reference is next invited to the accompanying Figure 4 which is the schematic perspective view of the integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine according to the present invention showing the arrangement of the different components used in the machine. It can be seen in Figure 5 that an aluminium handi(a) is used for intimate mixing of salt conditioned preheated rice with hot sand for puffing. This handi is the main component of the machine, receiving drive from a 1 HP motor(f) through a shaft(c). The 1 HP, 1440 rpm electric motor(f) is used to drive the moving components in the system. An angle iron frame(b) is provided to mount the aluminium handi(a) suitably at the desired inclination with the sieving arrangement. A shaft(c) connected to a line shaft(i) through belt-pulley, is used to transmit rotary motion to the handi. The line shaft(i) receives power from motor and distributes to respective moving components through appropriate belt-pulley or gear arrangement. Six bearings(e) are used for facilitating smooth rotation of the shafts. Three pairs of V-pulleys(g) (with matching belts) and Two V-belts(h) of appropriate sizes are provided for power transmission and required rotary motion from line shaft(i) to the respective drive shafts for the handi(a) and a narai/stirrer(l) during preheating rice. An iron kadhai(k) is used to preheat the salt conditioned parboiled rice. The wooden narai/stirrer(l) is used to agitate the rice during preheating. One pair of bevel gears(j) is used to rotate the narai at proper speed. A wire mesh sieve (d) is used to quickly separate from sand and collect the processed puffed rice from handi.

Thus the following items/components of the puffed rice (muri) making machine can be identified in the accompanying Figure 4:
a. Aluminium Handi
b. Angle frame
c. Shaft
d. Wire mesh sieve
e. Bearing
f. 1 HP motor
g. V-pulleys
h. V-Belt
i. Line shaft
j. Bevel gears
k. Cast Iron pan (Kadahi)
l. Wooden narai
m. Wood/agricultural waste fired furnaces (2 nos.)

Operation of Muri-making machine according to the present invention is simple and does not require any special technical knowledge or skill and can be operated by any ordinary rural artisan/houshold. An aluminium handi is heated by an agricultural waste fired furnace(m). This handi contains sand and is slowly rotated. Specially prepared parboiled/ dried/ salt-conditioned/ preheated rice is poured into this rotating handi wherein sand in maintained at the desired puffing temperature of about 250-270 ºC. The rice expands almost instantaneously and yields puffed-rice within 10-12 seconds. Specially prepared rice is concocted by sprinkling and thorough mixing of salt solution on parboiled rice, allowing an absorption/condition time of 6-8 hours, followed by preheating (with continuation agitation) on slow heat for 40-50 minutes in a kadahi (without sand) rendering the grains an elastic texture. A 1 HP motor is used to power both the rotating handi as well as the stirring narai used during preheating of rice. The whole machine is effectively insulated with bricks and mud to allow safe operating environment and protection from heat. The power from the motor is transmitted to a line shaft which, in turn, imparts the drive to handi and the agitating narai to suitable belt-pulley arrangement. There are three V-pulleys on the line shaft. One takes the power from the motor, second transmits it to the rotating handi and third transmits to the narai through a bevel gear arrangement which is designed to rotate the narai at desired speed.

During field trial run of the machine produced according to the invention, an average artisan manually producing about 20 kg puffed rice per day by conventional method, could produce about 300 kg or even more per day. Drudgery was reduced appreciably. Working premise was rendered free from harmful smoke coming. Overall performance of this machine had significant beneficial impacts on the rural livelihood.

The machine configuration inclusive of the motor which provides the power and line shaft which drives both the revolving handi and stirring narai using power from the same motor as well as incorporation of a sand sieving mechanism for rapid sand separation effecting heat conservation together with devising a combination of all these features for application at the level of rural artisan, subject to his varied resource limitations, is clearly a technical advancement over the hitherto known systems and machines in the related filed.

It is thus possible by way of the present invention to provide an integrated puffed rice(muri) making machine which is capable to produce puffed rice in a complete mechanized process raising the productivity to about 15 times as compared to the manual process done by conventional means. It is cheap, compact and constructed by readily available resources. The machine configuration is having novel combination of features which offers substantial improvement in productivity and economy in operation. While the provision of motor has increased the yield substantially over the manual method, introduction of revolving handi coupled with sieving mechanism and insulation on all sides has made it fuel efficient and almost smokeless machine. Smoke, whatever, can be guided up and removed from the working premises through optional provision of a chimney arrangement. The muri making machine according to the present invention thus provides a low cost, user friendly means for rural artisan/household as lively hood with increased earning potential favouring wide scale application and use.

We Claim:
1. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine comprising:
a pre-heater arrangement with container means for heating pre-treated and parboiled rice involving a stirrer ;
a rotatable sand filled container with heating source thereunder for puffing of said pre-treated and parboiled rice ;
said rotatable container having means for ready separation of the puffed rice from the heated sand ;
a motor means for operative connection to said stirrer and said rotatable container for automated stirring action of said pre-treated and parboiled rice and said rotatable container for fast generation of puffed rice.

2. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said motor is operatively connected to a rotary stirrer in said container means for heating pre-treated and parboiled rice and said rotatable sand filled container involving power from the motor being transmitted to a line shaft which in turn imparts the drive to said rotary stirrer and rotatable sand filled container involving belt-pulley arrangement.

3. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in anyone of claims 1 or 2 comprising
said rotatable sand filled container comprising a vessel/handi rotatably mounted on a framed support for intimate mixing of pre-treated and preheated rice with hot sand for puffing involving rotational motion from a motor operatively connected through a shaft;
a support structure to mount said vessel/handi suitably at the desired inclination alongwith a sieving arrangement;
said container means for heating pre-treated and parboiled rice involving a stirrer comprising a pot/karai for preheating therein salt conditioned parboiled prior to feeding into said aluminium vessel/handi for puffing;
said stirrer comprising a wooden stirrer/narai rotatably disposed therein said pot/karai to agitate the rice during preheating;
a first furnace for heating sand in the vessel/handi to desired puffing temperature for puffing rice and a second furnace for preheating of conditioned parboiled rice to desired temperatures;
a pair of bevel gears are used to rotate the stirrer/narai at desired speed;
a line shaft receiving power from said motor for distributing rotary motion to said moving components of the system through appropriate belt-pulley and/or gear arrangement;
a wiremesh sieve disposed in said aluminium vessel/handi in manner to separate the puffed rice from sand within said rotating pot/handi and to collect the processed puffed rice from handi.

4. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein for facilitating smooth rotation, said shafts are mounted on a plurality of bearings.

5. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in anyone of claims 3 to 4, comprising three V-pulleys on the line shaft, one for receiving the power from the motor, second for transmitting it to the rotating handi and third for transmitting to the stirrer/narai through a bevel gear arrangement which is designed to rotate the narai at desired speed.

6. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5, which is insulated with bricks and mud to allow safe operating environment and protection from heat.

7. An integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein any smoke, generated is guided up and removed from the working premises through a chimney arrangement.

8. A method for producing puffed rice(muri) involving an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine as claimed in claims 1 to 7, comprising the steps of
(i) preparing rice prior to puffing involving specially prepared rice concocted by sprinkling and thorough mixing of salt solution on parboiled rice, allowing an absorption/condition time of 6-8 hours, followed by preheating with continued agitation on slow heating with low flame for 40-50 minutes in a kadahi (without sand) rendering the grains an elastic texture;
(ii) heating aluminium handi containing sand by an agricultural waste fired furnace and rotating slowly powered by motor drive;
(iii) pouring the prepared parboiled/ dried/ salt-conditioned/ preheated rice obtained in step (i), into the rotating handi wherein sand is maintained at the desired puffing temperature of about 250-270 ºC;
(iv) separating the puffed rice immediately from hot sand by specially designed separating sieve which delivers the puffed rice out of the rotating handi while the sieved out sand falls back into the handi.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein preheated rice poured into the handi expands almost instantaneously and is transformed into puffed-rice within 10-12 seconds.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said sieve arrangement is involved to facilitate quick removal of hot sand from puffed rice, thereby checking its browning which would result from any over exposure of puffed rice with hot sand and at the same time the hot sand remaining inside the handi does not lose any heat during separation, thus making the process fuel efficient.

Dated this the 10th day of June, 2014
Anjan Sen
Of Anjan Sen & Associates
(Applicants Agent)

ABSTRACT

TITLE: AN INTEGRATED PUFFED RICE (MURI) MAKING MACHINE.

The present invention relates to an integrated puffed rice (muri) making machine with improved productivity. This machine for producing puffed rice(muri) according to the present invention is motor driven wherein stirring action during preheating of salt conditioned parboiled rice in ‘kadahi’ and subsequently puffing the same by pouring small batches in sand heated in revolving ‘handi’ , both receiving rotary motion from the motor through line shaft and belt-pulley mechanisms in a simple, user friendly and reliable manner. The machine is capable of puffing rice in 10-12 seconds and puffed rice is immediately separated from hot sand by specially designed separating sieve which delivers the puffed rice out of the rotating handi while the sieved out sand falls back into the handi. Proper insulation facilitates improved thermal efficiency. The puffed rice(muri) making machine is easy to operate, low cost, and reducing the drudgery of the user/operator while ensuring manifold increase in productivity compared to conventional machines.
(Figure 4)