Abstract: Grain-rich snacks are produced by forming a pasty mixture comprising grain and a minor proportion of egg white, press-forming the pasty mixture to yield formed snacks, and contacting the formed snacks with superheated steam to set the egg white as binder of the snacks. Press-forming can be conducted by press-molding the pasty mixture in mold cavities or by extrusion to form rods or ribbons that are cut into snack-size pieces. Grains such as grits, oatmeal, pasta and rice in a pasty mixture with egg white may include other foods such as ground meat, chopped nuts, maple syrup, etc.

Abstract: Formation of sintered metal fiber porous mats used as burner faces and filters comprises dispersing metal fibers in a viscous aqueous solution of one or more cellulose ethers, vacuum molding the dispersed metal fibers on a foraminous support, eliminating residual aqueous cellulose ether from the vacuum molded metal fiber porous mat, and sintering the mat. Water solutions of methylcellulose and/or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose having a viscosity of at least about 1500 centipoises are often used pursuant to this invention.

Abstract: A segmented radiant gas burner features wide modulation of thermal output simply by the independent control of fuel gas flow to each burner segment. The burner also features a porous fiber burner face, preferably having dual porosities, and a metal liner positioned to provide a compact combustion zone adjacent the burner face. The segmented radiant burner is ideally suited for use with gas turbines not only because of its compactness and broad thermal modulation but also because only the flow of fuel gas to each burner segment requires control while the flow of compressed air into all segments of the burner remains unchanged.

Abstract: A segmented surface-stabilized gas burner features wide modulation of thermal output simply by the independent control of fuel gas flow to each burner segment. The burner also features a porous fiber burner face, preferably having dual porosities, and a metal liner positioned to provide a compact combustion zone adjacent the burner face. The segmented surface-stabilized burner is ideally suited for use with gas turbines not only because of its compactness and broad thermal modulation but also because only the flow of fuel gas to each burner segment requires control while the relative flow of compressed air into the segments of the burner remains unchanged.

Abstract: A porous, low-conductivity material formed of metal or ceramic fibers provides the burner face of a gaseous fuel combustor for gas turbines capable of minimizing nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions in the combustion product gases. A preferred burner face, when fired at atmospheric pressure, yields radiant surface combustion with interspersed areas of blue flame combustion. A rigid but porous mat of sintered metal fibers with interspersed bands of perforations is illustrative of a preferred burner face that can be fired at pressures exceeding 3 atmospheres at the rate of at least about 500,000 BTU/hr/sf/atm. By controlling the excess air admixed with the fuel in the range of about 40% to 150% to maintain an adiabatic flame temperature in the range of about 2600° F. to 3300° F., the NOX emissions are suppressed to 5 ppm and even below 2 ppm. At all times, carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons emissions do not exceed 10 ppm, combined.

Abstract: An aluminum foil mold is placed in a rigid back-up mold with a cavity matching the contour of the foil mold. Fluid food deposited in the foil mold is compressed therein by a mold top that is pressed down against the back-up mold. Heat applied to the back-up mold and mold top flows to the foil mold and fluid food therein to effect baking under pressure. Thus, a unified food product is formed in the foil mold that can protect the food product against handling damage until it is eaten. A foil mold of novel design is used to form a food product shaped like an upside-down pizza shell.

Abstract: An aluminum foil mold is placed in a rigid back-up mold with a cavity matching the contour of the foil mold. Fluid food deposited in the foil mold is compressed therein by a mold top that is pressed down against the back-up mold. Heat applied to the back-up mold and mold top flows to the foil mold and fluid food therein to effect baking under pressure. Thus, a unified food product is formed in the foil mold that can protect the food product against handling damage until it is eaten. A foil mold of novel design is used to form a food product shaped like an upside-down pizza shell.

Abstract: Pieces of cooked pasta are converted into unified masses by the use of edible, water-soluble cellulose derivatives as binding agents. For example, 2-inch pieces of cooked linguini are mixed with a viscous aqueous solution of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose to coat the linguini pieces. The admixed mass is baked to expel moisture and set the binder. Preferably, the admixed mass is compressed and baked under pressure to form a compact composite. By using a heated compression mold designed to form conventional pizza shells, cooked pieces of pasta and binder, any of several cellulose derivatives, are baked into a unified, pleasing alternative to dough-formed pizza shells.

Abstract: A simple apparatus for molding and baking food in particulate or fluid form into edible unified products comprises a heated mold bottom with a cavity or recess, a base member at the bottom of the recess which can be pushed up by a rod that slides through the mold bottom, and a heated mold top that can be alternately brought down on, and lifted off, the mold bottom. By placing a measured quantity of food particles in the mold recess and bringing the mold top down in pressing contact with the mold bottom, the food particles are compressed for a selected baking period. The mold top is then raised away from the mold bottom and the base member is pushed up to eject the resulting unified product from the mold recess. The mold recess may be shaped to provide a snug fit with a preformed aluminum foil mold placed therein to produce unified food in a foil mold.

Abstract: A porous, low-conductivity material formed of metal or ceramic fibers provides the burner face of a gaseous fuel combustor for gas turbines capable of minimizing nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in the combustion product gases. A preferred burner face, when fired at atmospheric pressure, yields radiant surface combustion with interspersed areas of blue flame combustion. A rigid but porous mat of sintered metal fibers with interspersed bands of perforations is illustrative of a preferred burner face that can be fired at pressures exceeding 3 atmospheres at the rate of at least about 500,000 BTU/her/sf/atm. By controlling the excess air admixed with the fuel in the range of about 40% to 150% to maintain an adiabatic flame temperature in the range of about 2600° F. to 3300° F., the NOx emissions are suppressed to 5 ppm and even below 2 ppm. At all times, carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons emissions do not exceed 10 ppm, combined.

Abstract: The adsorption of at least one component of a gas mixture is improved by passing the gas through an adsorption zone wherein the adsorbent is distributed in rectilinear channels that stepwise both diminish in transverse size and hold a diminished weight of adsorbent. An adsorption zone with only two steps or stages of reduced channel size and reduced adsorbent weight in the flow direction of a gas passed therethrough permits much greater capture of the adsorbate component with an equivalent total weight of adsorbent when compared with the same adsorption zone with a single channel size and a uniform weight of adsorbent. Three or more stages of diminishing channel size and adsorbent weight in the flow direction of the gas passed therethrough may be chosen for separating some gas mixtures.

Abstract: A device for filling a high-pressure CO.sub.2 cylinder with liquid CO.sub.2 while venting gaseous CO.sub.2 comprises a two-compartment chamber that is installed in the top opening of the cylinder. A first dip tube connected to one compartment extends to the bottom portion of the cylinder and a second dip tube connected to the other compartment extends to the upper portion of the cylinder. Each compartment has a port for flow into or out of the compartment. Liquid CO.sub.2 introduced into the compartment with the first dip tube will flow into the cylinder and cause gaseous CO.sub.2 to exit through the second dip tube and the other compartment. When liquid CO.sub.2 appears in the exiting stream, the introduction of liquid CO.sub.2 is stopped. In a common embodiment, a conventional CO.sub.2 valve has the first dip tube connected to the bottom thereof. A street tee with one end connected to the second dip tube is screwed into the top opening of the cylinder. The CO.sub.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming and baking food particles into a unified, shaped product, e.g., shaped like pizza, has heated top and bottom plates, the mating faces of which have recesses and protrusions for molding the desired shaped product. The bottom plate is in two parts that are abutted together when food particles are deposited thereon and during a baking period with the top plate placed thereon. After raising the top plate, the two bottom parts are moved apart to release the baked, shaped product. Cooked pasta, such as spaghetti, can be formed into a pizza-like shell.

Abstract: An apparatus for compressing and baking fluid food under pressure to form unified shaped products has a heated metal mold bottom with a cavity and a heated metal mold top connected to the piston rod of a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder positioned for alternately pressing the mold top down against the mold bottom and lifting it away from the mold bottom. A hinge-like connection attached along a side of the mold bottom and a reversible drive mechanism associated with the hinge-like connection serve to swing the mold bottom over to an inverted position and then back to the molding position. The simple apparatus automatically ejects the molded food product from the inverted mold bottom. A siamese pair of mold bottoms united back-to-back are preferred for large-scale production of molded food shapes. Every inversion of a siamese pair of mold bottoms can discharge a molded product and form another molded product.

Abstract: A simple apparatus for molding and baking food particles into edible unified products comprises a heated stationary ring sandwiched by a heated bottom plate and a heated top plate. Both plates can alternately be brought against, and removed from, the ring. By placing a measured quantity of food particles on the bottom plate while against the ring and by bringing the top plate down on the ring, the food particles are compressed for a selected baking period. The top plate is then raised from the ring and the bottom plate is lowered from the ring so that the resulting unified product is released.

Abstract: An apparatus for repetitively conveying a measured volume of loose material from a supply hopper and discharging the material at a selected site has a shuttle with a cavity for holding the material. The bottom of the cavity is a slide plate or a pair of slide plates that are retracted to discharge the contents of the cavity. Rapid retraction of the plate or plates is effected by mechanical means such as pneumatic pistons which are reversible to close the bottom of the cavity. The shuttle is moved reciprocatingly on a track extending between the supply and discharge sites by mechanical means such as pneumatic pistons. The shuttling apparatus is preferably combined with a supply hopper having a discharge gate in the form of slide plates like those at the bottom of the cavity.

Abstract: A method for forming and baking food particles into a unified, shaped product, e.g., shaped like pizza, has heated top and bottom plates, the mating faces of which have recesses and protrusions for molding the desired shaped product. The bottom plate is in two parts that are abutted together when food particles are deposited thereon and during a baking period with the top plate placed thereon. After raising the top plate, the two bottom parts are moved apart to release the baked, shaped product. Cooked pasta, such as spaghetti, can be formed into a pizza-like shell.

Abstract: A simple apparatus for molding and baking food particles into edible unified products comprises a heated stationary ring, a heated bottom plate, fitted in the ring and movable up and down therein, and a heated top plate that can be alternately brought down on, and lifted off, the ring. By placing a measured quantity of food particles on the bottom plate and bringing the top plate down in pressing contact with the ring, the food particles are compressed for a selected baking period. The top plate is then raised away from the ring, the bottom plate is pushed up so that its top face is flush with, or above, the top of the ring, and the resulting unified product is readily removed from the bottom plate.

Abstract: An improved end fitting for push-pull blade controls is formed of two tubes connected together by a swivel joint. One tube of the compound fitting is attachable to an end of the tubular sheath of the control and anchors the ends of ball races of the control. The other tube of the compound fitting houses a reciprocative end rod connectable to an end of the push-pull blade that extends fully through the tube attached to the sheath and through the swivel joint. A simple but effective swivel joint is formed by an outwardly flared end of one tube movably captured in an inwardly flared end of the other tube. Thus, while the tube attached to the sheath of the control is installed in a fixed position, the other tube with the end-rod is deflectable.