Decorticator

A decorticator (from Latin: cortex, bark) is a machine for stripping the skin, bark, or rind off nuts, wood, plant stalks, grain, etc., in preparation for further processing.

Non-stop operation for one shift can be considered as full-automatic
Fully-automatic decorticator
No difference from the appearance between two types but with different rotation direction design
Robitzsche vs. Corona

History

In 1933, a farmer named Bernagozzi from Bologna manufactured a machine called a "scavezzatrice", a decorticator for hemp.[1] A working hemp decorticator from 1890, manufactured in Germany, is preserved in a museum in Bologna.[2]

In Italy, the"scavezzatrice" faded in the 1950s because of monopolisation from fossil fuel, paper interests, synthetic materials and from other less profitable crops.

Many types of decorticators have been developed since 1890.[3]

In 1919, George Schlichten received a U.S. patent on his improvements of the decorticator for treating fiber bearing plants.[4] Schlichten failed to find investors for production of his decorticator and died in 1923, a broken man. His business was revived a decade after death in 1933.[5][6]

Newer, high-speed kinematic decorticators, use a different mechanism, enabling separation into three streams; bast fibre, hurd, and green microfiber.[7]

Current usage

In some decorticators, the operation is "semi-automatic", featuring several stops during operation, while more modern systems, such as high-speed kinematic decorticators, are fully automatic.

There are companies who produce and sell decorticators for different crops.[8][9]

References
  1. Paolo Ranalli and Gianpietro Venturi: Hemp as a raw material for industrial applications, Euphytica, Euphytica 140: 1–6, 2004.
  2. Picture of an 1890 GERMAN DECORTICATOR at Museo Della Civilta Contadina, San Marino Di Bentivoglio, Bologna, Italy.
  3. Pictures of many decorticators in Internet
  4. George W Schlichten, 1919
  5. History of hemp prohibition
  6. US 2463278, V, Johansen John & C, Westergaard Carl, "Control mechanism for decorticating machines", published Mar 1, 1949
  7. Canadian Greenfield Technologies Inc.; HempTrain
  8. Canadian Greenfield Technologies Inc.; Decorticators
  9. GOYUM; Decorticators


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