Abstract: A product dispenser, preferably for frozen food product, having a storage hopper, a rotatable drum having paddles on a periphery thereof located at a bottom of the storage hopper, and a drive motor connected to the rotatable drum. Rotation of the drum causes the product to be delivered to a weighing/dispensing assembly having a load cell and one or more dump doors on which product to be dispensed is adapted to accumulate. A controller receives a signal from the load cell and determine a weight of the product accumulating on the one or more dump doors, and upon a product weight target preset value being reached, starts a pulsing algorithm to achieve the desired weight of the accumulated product prior to dispensing.

Abstract: A product dispenser having a storage hopper, a rotatable drum with paddles on a periphery thereof located at a bottom of the storage hopper, and a drive motor connected to the rotatable drum. Rotation of the drum causes product, preferably frozen food product, to dispense from the open bottom of the hopper to a weighing/dispensing assembly which includes dump doors on which product to be dispensed is accumulated. The dump doors are connected to a support assembly that is movable into and out of contact with a load cell. A single weighing/dispensing motor drives a gearbox that includes an actuator shaft moves the support assembly into and out of contact with the load cell and also activates the dump doors to dispense accumulated product when a desired amount accumulates. A controller is provided and is configured to actuate the drive motor and control a dispensing cycle.

Abstract: A product dispenser, preferably for frozen food product, having a storage hopper, a rotatable drum having paddles on a periphery thereof located at a bottom of the storage hopper, and a drive motor connected to the rotatable drum. Rotation of the drum causes the product to be delivered to a weighing/dispensing assembly having a load cell and one or more dump doors on which product to be dispensed accumulates. A controller is configured to actuate the drive motor to rotate the rotatable drum in a first rotational direction at a start of a dispensing cycle, and to then actuate the drive motor to rotate the rotatable drum in a second rotational direction, opposite to the first rotational direction in a next dispensing cycle. Within a dispensing cycle, the controller can also monitor a drive motor current draw, and reverse the drive motor if a current limit is exceeded.

Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: A modified product dispenser unit and a batch product lift or elevator unit adjacent to an automatic fryer. Fries (or other forms of batch product) are dispensed into an angled chute, and thence into the lift or elevator batch product holder at the bottom or loading position in a batch product elevator in the batch product elevator unit. The holder is raised by motorized chains, cables, or the like to a top or release position in the batch product lift or elevator, where the fries are then delivered to an exit chute which drops the fries into the automatic fryer. The batch product lift or elevator unit may comprise a pair of holders and corresponding lifting mechanism and exit chutes, corresponding to the pair of hoppers.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automated preparation of cooked food products has a food container for holding the food product during preparation, a dispensing station. for controllably dispensing the food product to the food container, a cooking device designed for at least partially accommodating the food container and for heating the food product held by the container; a dumping station, to which the cooked food product is dropped from the food container and a conveyor mechanism for controllably conveying the food container between the dispensing station, the cooking device, and the dumping station.

Abstract: A fat or grease filter for a ventilator or exhaust hood is provided, and includes a cartridge assembly that is removably attached to a tube assembly. The cartridge assembly includes at least one helix assembly that is received in an associated tube of the tube assembly. The at least one helix assembly located inside the associated tube defines a first helical air path between an inlet located at an upper front side of the tube assembly and a bottom equalizer manifold connected to the associated tube, and a second helical air path between the equalizer manifold and an outlet located at an upper back side of the tube assembly. The equalizer manifold directs the air flow from the first to the second helical air path. Centrifugal force created within the first and second helical air paths causes fatty particles to separate from the airstream and stick inside the tube.

Abstract: A fat or grease filter for a ventilator or exhaust hood is provided, and includes a cartridge assembly that is removably attached to a tube assembly. The cartridge assembly includes at least one helix assembly that is received in an associated tube of the tube assembly. The at least one helix assembly located inside the associated tube defines a first helical air path between an inlet located at an upper front side of the tube assembly and a bottom equalizer manifold connected to the associated tube, and a second helical air path between the equalizer manifold and an outlet located at an upper back side of the tube assembly. The equalizer manifold directs the air flow from the first to the second helical air path. Centrifugal force created within the first and second helical air paths causes fatty particles to separate from the airstream and stick inside the tube.