Abstract: A method for processing food product includes detecting non-metallic equipment fragments or pieces in the food product during processing by employing processing equipment or components fabricated of a material which comprises a non-metallic primary constituent and a detectable particulate metal constituent interspersed substantially throughout the primary constituent such that no substantial adverse effect on the formability, during manufacture, or structural integrity, during use, of the piece part results, and such that a fragment or piece of the composite material is detectable by use of means for detecting the particulate metal constituent

Abstract: A system for recovery of dairy product from a milk storage tank includes a recovery tank disposed to receive raw milk product from the storage tank, a fluid treatment section disposed to apply treated fluid to the storage tank to loosen residual milk solids from the storage tank and to provide a diluted milk fluid when the storage tank is emptied, and a filtering system disposed to receive the diluted milk fluid from the storage tank, filter the diluted milk fluid, and pass a treated fluid to the recovery tank.

Abstract: An ingredient feeder meters a selected amount of ingredient into a flowable food product including an enrobing chamber subtended by a blending tube. The blending tube houses an agitator assembly that moves the continuous flow of ingredient in both axial and radial directions as it mixes the ingredient with the flowable food product.

Abstract: A two-piece blade for use in a scraped surface heat exchanger comprising a larger plastic frame constructed of a plastic material component mixed with a metal component whose presence within a food product is detectable with conventional metal detecting equipment and a smaller metal edge that is substantially self-sharpening and replaceable.

Abstract: A freezing system for processing frozen edible product includes a freezing section, an inlet section, a product discharge section, and a recirculation section that selectively recycles processed product through at least a portion of the outlet section back to the freezing section.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing of ice cream confections, having constant-velocity confection pick-up function which is uninterrupted by pausing confection-drop function. A confection conveyor system having two cooperating conveyor sections has a constant-velocity confection-receiving station on the first conveyor section and a pausing confection-drop station on the second conveyor section. A serial stream of confections is obtained from a constant-velocity serial stream of confections on the first conveyor section at an intermediate transfer station between the two conveyor sections. At the confection-drop station located in the second conveyor section one confection is dropped on each lane of several parallel lanes on an off-line confection wrapper. The confections are dropped substantially without horizontal motion as received by the wrapper.

Abstract: A continuous motion machine for metering and loading groups of articles onto flat pads. The machine includes endless type infeed conveyors for advancing articles in a downstream direction to a dead plate and a row metering device intermediate the ends of the upper run of the infeed conveyor for retarding advance of the articles on the infeed conveyor and for releasing the articles one row at a time. An endless type overhead conveyor has flight bars pitched therealong and an inlet run extending downwardly toward the upper end of the infeed conveyor at a location downstream of the metering device and a lower run extending in the downstream direction above the infeed conveyor and above the dead plate. A pad conveyor is disposed below the dead plate and is operated to advance pads to a pad transfer passage intermediate the ends of the dead plate.

Abstract: Apparatus for assembling articles in succession into horizontal groups of sidewise adjacent articles and for transferring the article groups to an unloading station. The apparatus includes a feed conveyor for feeding articles in succession to an article loading station, an endless pusher conveyor having an upper run extending forwardly along a generally horizontal path from the article loading station to a group unloading station, and first and second endless type control conveyors each having an upper run extending forwardly along the generally horizontal path from the loading station past the unloading station.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for filling cases with a plurality of articles while arranged in a predetermined pattern. The apparatus includes a pair of staging areas disposed on opposite sides of a first station. Each staging area accommodates a predetermined number of articles. Disposed in vertical alignment with and beneath the first station is a second station wherein a predetermined number of cases are disposed. Adjustably mounted above each staging area is a carrier having a plurality of article gripper members. When the predetermined number of articles are accommodated at the staging areas, the gripper members engage the articles and raise same to preliminary stations above the staging areas. While at each preliminary station the gripped articles are arranged in a row and a selected article is segregated from the row and moved relative thereto in a direction towards the other row of gripped articles.

Abstract: An apparatus for wrapping articles of the type wherein articles are advanced along an article path into a curtain of heat sealable wrapping material, and upper and lower jaw assemblies are sequentially moved laterally of the article path into positions at the trail side of the article and then forwardly along the article path in a sealing run. The lower jaw assemblies each include a pair of spaced clamping jaw members having a jaw opening therebetween and a rotary heat sealing and cutting member is mounted for movement into and out of the jaw opening as the lower jaw assemblies move past a zone intermediate the ends of the sealing run. The upper jaw assemblies include upper jaw carriers that are guided for movement in a fixed path along the sealing run and upper jaw members that are shiftable relative to the upper jaw carriers.

Abstract: A vertically extending heat exchanger is provided in which an elongated dasher is rotatably mounted within an upright cylindrical chamber. The exterior surface of the dasher coacts with the interior surface of the chamber to form a product flow passage. The opposite side of the chamber interior surface is in contact with a heat exchange medium. The dasher is selectively movable longitudinally of the chamber between operative and inoperative modes. When in the operative mode, the dasher is fully assembled within the chamber and is supported at opposite ends by upper and lower endwall assemblies, the latter being mounted, respectively, on the upper and lower exterior end portions of the chamber. The dasher is movable to the inoperative mode when the lower endwall assembly is disassembled from the chamber and the dasher is lowered through the lower end portion of the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for blending and emulsifying a dry product with a viscous product, the latter being disposed to a predetermined level within a tank. The tank is provided with a dry product inlet disposed above the level of the viscous product. The apparatus includes a power actuated rotary agitator immersed within the viscous product and, when rotating at a predetermined speed, causes the viscous product to form a vortex into which the dry product is fed through the tank inlet. The agitator is provided with first and second disc members arranged in spaced, substantially parallel relation. One of the disc members is provided with an enlarged central opening. The disc members are interconnected to one another by a plurality of symmetrically arranged baffles. The periphery of at least one of the disc members is provided with a plurality of symmetrically arranged shear blades.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger is provided which includes a plurality of plates mounted in abutting face-to-face relation. Interposed adjacent plates is a sealing gasket. The plates are held in assembled relation by an adjustable press. Each plate is provided with an extruded first section having second sections secured to opposite peripheral segments thereof. Each section is provided with broad opposed exterior surfaces. The first section has a plurality of internal passages formed therein defining first flow-paths for a first heat exchange medium. The opposed broad exterior surfaces of adjacent plates coact with the sealing gasket to define second flow-paths for a second heat exchange medium. The pressure exerted on the plates by the press to maintain same in abutting relation is determined by the maximum pressure generated by the second heat exchange medium within the second flow-paths during operation of the plate heat exchanger.

Abstract: A refrigerant transfer system is provided embodying a pump for controlling the level of liquid refrigerant within a suction header of an evaporator unit. The pump includes a pair of elongated chambers in endwise relation. One chamber has a substantially greater cross-sectional area than the second chamber. Opposite ends of each chamber have port means. A first set of inlet and outlet valve means is connected to the port means at each end of said one chamber. Each inlet valve means is alternately connected to a source of pressurized fluid. A second set of inlet and outlet valve means is connected to the port means at each end of the second chamber. Each inlet valve means of the second set communicates with a lower portion of the evaporator suction header. The heads of a double-headed piston are disposed within the chambers. Control means are operatively connected to the first set of inlet valve means for controlling the direction of movement of the piston heads within the chambers.

Abstract: A positive displacement rotary pump is provided for use in circulating a viscous product at high pressures. The pump includes a housing having a product inlet and a product outlet communicating with an interior cavity. One wall of the cavity is defined by a removable cover. A pair of spaced substantially parallel shafts extends through a wall of the cavity opposite the cover wall. One end of each shaft is supported by the cover. A pair of meshing rotors is locked on the shafts and disposed uniformly within the cavity. The endface of each rotor adjacent the removable cover has a substantial countersunk portion. Bearing means, substantially isolated from the product, is disposed within each rotor endface countersunk portion and supportingly engages a segment of the rotor shaft one end. At least a portion of each bearing means is located between planes defined by the surfaces of the cover and the wall opposite thereto which coacts to form the cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus of high capacity is provided for simultaneously filling a plurality of individual containers into a predetermined number of empty cases. The containers are conveyed to two staging areas disposed in adjacent relation to a first station and then are simultaneously moved from each staging area to the first station. When the containers are disposed at the first station, they are arranged in a predetermined pattern which is compatible with the interior configuration of the cases into which they are to be loaded. A second station is provided which is disposed beneath the first station and is adapted to receive a predetermined number of empty cases to be filled by the container positioned at the first station. A means is provided which releasably engages the containers at the first station, lowers said containers into the empty cases at the second station, and then releases the containers in the cases and returns to its initial position.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for use in combination with a supporting surface for handling a plurality of articles segregated into separate groups with each group having the articles thereof arranged in a predetermined pattern. The apparatus includes an upright framework having an infeed section and a discharge section. The sections are adapted to be disposed adjacent spaced peripheral segments of the surface. Each group is successively positioned initially at a station disposed at the infeed section. A plurality of frame elements are movably carried on the framework and are actuated by a first means in a timed sequence so that a frame element is moved into an encompassing relation with a group of articles disposed at the station. The group and encompassing frame element are moved as a unit by a second means from the station across the surface to the discharge section.

Abstract: A material handling system is provided for preventing direct contact between products as they are successively fed through a contact plate freezer. Each successively fed product is encompassed by a framelike member prior to entering the freezer. Each framelike member is of substantially rigid construction and has sidewalls having a height substantially equal to the height of the encompassed product. As the encompassed products are fed through the freezer, the framelike members of successive products abut one another. Upon being discharged from the freezer, the framelike member is removed from the frozen product.

Abstract: A dasher assembly is provided for use within the cylindrical freezer chamber of a continuous ice cream freezer or the like. The dasher assembly includes an elongated imperforate first section which coacts with a portion of the chamber interior surface to form an elongated annular narrow passage through which a product entering the chamber is caused to initially flow at a predetermined rate so that the product upon leaving the passage has attained a predetermined temperature and viscosity whereby air, or similar fluid, mixed with the product will not migrate through the chamber and cause the product dispensed from the chamber to have uneven overrun. Affixed to and extending longitudinally from the first section is an elongated skeletal second section. The first and second sections are power driven to rotate as a unit.

Abstract: An ultrahigh temperature heating system is provided for use in obtaining controlled heating of a liquid product. The system includes an upright chamber into which a controlled amount of liquid product flows and then descends through the chamber in a curtain-like pattern. The descending product passes a steam inlet provided in the chamber wall and is intermixed with and heated by a controlled amount of entering steam whereby the temperature of the descending product is increased to a predetermined amount. A pump is connected to an outlet formed in the lower portion of the chamber and removes therefrom the mixture of product, condensate, noncondensable gas, and steam so as to prevent an accumulation therein of said mixture while at the same time maintaining a predetermined pressure within the chamber. The discharge side of the pump is connected to an intermixing means causing all of the steam entrained in the product to condense.