Abstract: A system and method for making a frozen confection having a plurality of differently flavored or colored sections are provided. After creating in a mold a frozen outer layer comprising the ingredients for a first flavor or color, a carving means, such as a heated tool or a nozzle ejecting high-pressure gas, removes a portion of the frozen outer layer in accordance with a predetermined pattern. The ingredients for a second flavor or color then are added, and the mold is subjected to freezing to form the final product. Alternatively, a tool having protrusions contacting portions of the inner surface of the mold is inserted into the mold, before or after insertion of the first ingredients, the first ingredients are frozen, the tool is removed, and the second ingredients then are added and frozen. In another embodiment, a first flavor or color is sprayed onto the inner wall of the mold in a pattern and frozen.

Abstract: A wire separator apparatus for a food sheeter includes motor driven feed spools of separator wire, the separator wire being suspended from wire pulleys across the face of a roller. Motor driven take-up spools collect separator wire dispensed from the feed spools as the separator wire is automatically moved across the face of a roller. A fresh section of separator wire is continuously drawn across the roller, substantially eliminating wire breakage.

Abstract: To facilitate baking a frozen dough product in an oven having a rack formed of aligned bars, the dough product is formed over an oven-safe paper sheet which has a plurality of die-cut holes. This sheet serves as a baking substrate and obviates the need for a baking pan. The paper sheet is formed with the dough product, and the dough extends through the holes and locks the sheet to the dough. The end user may thus remove the frozen dough product together with the sheet from a backing preform and place the assembly on an oven rack for baking. As the dough thaws the crust will loose its stiffness. The sheet however, will prevent the more pliable crust from distending through the oven rack before the dough has become baked and rigid. The sheet forms a backing which restrains flow of the dough, while at the same time the holes permit the escape of gases from the bottom of the crust and ensure uniform baking. Furthermore, the holes allow direct radiant heating of the dough product through the paper sheet.

Abstract: A thin, deformable film or web is placed tightly against the surface of a rotary die having molding cavities. Dough is applied onto the film against the surface of the rotary die. Pressure is applied to the dough, deforming the film and forcing the film and dough to conform to the shape of the molding cavities. The film thus forms a barrier between the molding cavities of the rotary die and the dough, but allows any design details of the molding cavities to be transferred to the dough. The molded dough is easily extracted from the die cavities by removing the film and molded dough from the rotary die, and the film is easily removed from the molded dough.

Abstract: Nut butter and jelly food slices are provided They preferably include a first layer of jelly and a second layer of jelly disposed in contacting relationship with the first layer of jelly. The first and second layers of jelly cooperate to define a hollow region therebetween. A volume of nut butter is placed within the hollow region, and is thereby totally encapsulated between the first and second layers of jelly. Finally, a jelly slice dimensioned to fit on a food substrate and jelly suitable for making jelly slices or nut butter and jelly slices are provided. The jelly slices and the nut butter and jelly slices may be individually wrapped in flexible coverings and packaged in a single food container.

Abstract: Articles of ice confectionery are prepared in a cavity formed by a complementary countermould and master mould assembly into which a composition for forming an ice confectionery is introduced. The assembly is cooled for freezing the confectionery composition which then is demoulded in two steps wherein the countermould is heated and removed first and the master mould is heated second for removal of the frozen article.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for connected forming and controlled stacking of material having a form (12). The form (12) includes at least two molds (14) connected to each other by a web (16). The introduction of material into the form (12) results in the material generally assuming the shape of the molds (14) and the web (16). As a result, when the material is pressed out of the molds (14), the material is held together in the preselected position by the resultant web (16). This enables the stacking of material on top of each other in a controlled and certain manner since the forms pressed from the molds (14) will retain their chosen spaced apart distance and fall consistently and uniformally on top of each other until such time as the desired height of stacked material is achieved.

Abstract: Proofed dough is formed into pizza crusts which am formed and frozen without baking. The dough is positioned on corrugated paperboard preforms within a tray having multiple circular openings. The preforms have sidewardly opening corrugations. The trays are conveyed through the forming apparatus in a continuous process, with formed crusts being removed and fresh preforms being inserted. The preforms are positioned in a rectangular array within the openings in the conveyed tray. A quantity of raw dough is positioned on each preform within the tray. The dough is conveyed on the preforms beneath a bank of high pressure forming dies. The dies are pressed into the openings within the tray and over the dough to form the dough into the desired pizza crust shape. Each die extends between the preform and the tray within the opening to force portions of the dough into the preform corrugations to thereby secure the formed dough to the preform.

Abstract: The apparatus and method relates to an automatic dispenser for dispensing portions of a product such as ice cream from a supply comprising a coiled tubular casing in which the ice cream is encased. The end of the casing is fed into the apparatus and, as the apparatus operates, moves through to the exit. The casing with its encased ice cream is pulled through the apparatus and pinched at uniform intervals by a first pinching mechanism following which utilizing a second pinching mechanism, the casing with its encased ice cream is further pinched to a thickness of only the casing at the same uniform intervals. The casing with the encased ice cream is then drawn past a cutting device which opens the casing so that a portion defined by sequential pinched segments is dispensed and the casing removed by a scrap spool mechanism.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically dispensing food product such as hard food product, having a refrigerated container for holding a supply of food product, a chamber adjacent the container for receiving food product and for delivery therefrom of a serving portion of food product, and a mechanism in the container for removing food product from the supply for delivery to the chamber thereby to pack the chamber with food product. A method of dispensing food product such as hard ice cream is also disclosed.

Abstract: A marshmallow-based, edible, sheet-like, decorative overlay is formed in situ on a release film mounted on a rigid carrier sheet. After peeling the release film and the overlay together from the carrier sheet, the release film is subsequently peeled from the overlay to enable the overlay to be transferred by itself to a pastry to decorate the same.

Abstract: A composite cheese product having a first colored outer form and an inner plug having a desired decorative shape of a second, variegated color extending continuously through the outer form. The composite cheese product is manufactured by cutting first and second cheese products of variegated colors to a desired thickness so as to create preforms having the exterior contour of the outer form. A plug cutter having the shape of the inner plug is inserted into the preforms and plugs are withdrawn from the preforms with the plug cutter. The plugs are then removed from the plug cutter, interchanged and reinserted into the preforms of variegated color.

Abstract: A container for food or the like comprises a cylindrical wall enclosed by a top and a bottom lid. The cylindrical wall has a slight angle, thereby being wider at the top lid than at the bottom lid. The bottom lid contains a round vent hole having its lip drawn over in the direction of the interior of the container. An air-tight vent seal tab covers the vent hole. With the top lid removed, the container is inverted so that the bottom lid is facing upward, and then the vent seal tab is removed. A common drinking straw is inserted into the vent hole and is sealed therein by the vent hole lip. Mouth pressure is applied to the drinking straw. This pressure and the force due to gravity, together, force the contents of the container to start to move downward toward the open top lid. As initial motion occurs the contents looses contact with the sidewall of the container because of the slight angle and thereby is easily removed.

Abstract: A stripper wire adjuster for sheeting heads having dough into sheet form between a pair of driven rollers and separated from one roller by the stripper wire held engaged under tension by guides positioned to align the stripper wire with opposite end peripheries of the roller and characterized by infinitely variable positioning of the stripper wire.

Abstract: A device for sipping and consuming pasta products such as spaghetti is made possible by the inclusion of a pawl on the pathway of the pasta from the container to the consumer of the pasta.

Abstract: A process for the production of meat products, especially cooked ham, which is cooked in a compact form in a net, wherein the raw or pre-processed meat product is wrapped in a casing of edible collagen and a netting of optional mesh design is applied thereover and, in a subsequent step, the product is subjected to the final cooking process. Procedure for the simultaneous enveloping of compact meat products with an edible collagen film and an elastic netting includes employment of a feed sheet for the meat products, which fits into an inner guide tube, and an outer tube upon which a supply of the elastic netting is provided, and a guide channel situated therebetween for the collagen film(s). The procedure is complemented by elements for maintaining a supply of the collagen film and the unrolling and fold-free guidance of the collagen film, as well as a conventional clipping device.

Abstract: A method of making stick-supported products, particularly ice creams, having undercut or recessed zones formed thereon, the method utilizing a mold (1) which has at least one internal raised thread (2) and one recessed thread (3) and which enables the product to be drawn out of the mold by merely exerting an axially directed pull upon the product-supporting stick (5) followed by a natural rotational movement of the stick in a direction of said threads.

Abstract: A process of preparing a frozen rolled cod tail wherein a cod tail is rolled around a spindle, then frozen partially or completely, afterwards removed from the spindle and, if necessary, frozen completely. The frozen rolled cod tails may be filled later when desired.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stripping a meat net from a process meat product. The apparatus includes a base which is adapted to support at least one inner tube and one outer tube, with the inner tube including a container for secondarily processed meat goods. The outer tube is attached to the base body and is provided with a device for engaging an open end portion of the meat net. The inner tube is movably (and slideably) mounted within the outer tube so that it can be moved forwardly to the exterior of the base and the outer tube, and rearwardly back into a position within the outer tube.

Abstract: A coagulating box for use in making bean curd. This coagulating box is open at its top side and is openable at one of its shorter sides. The openable side comprises a detachable side plate whose height is slightly above the level of soybean milk to be put in a coagulating box at a time and a reinforcing plate. The detachable side plate can be detached or fixed by unlatching or latching. After soybean milk coagulates and a block of coagulated bean curd is cut into pieces of bean curd, the detachable side plate is detached and the coagulating box is put in a water tank and is placed on a conveyor to transfer cut pieces of bean curd in the box onto a conveyor by pulling the box up diagonally.

Abstract: A machine for making ice creams, in particular ice creams of the stick-supported type, comprising a freezing tank through which parallel arranged rows of molds are made to progress intermittently under control of a pull chain, dosing, stick-inserting and product-lifting-up units. The pull chain is designed to be moved by an at least double step. The freezing tank is conveniently elongated in shaped, and the different units have double elements whereby a double productivity of the machine can be obtained, with the number of advances per minute being equal.

Abstract: A method of making a bun or like edible product produced from dough includes placing dough in a mold having an outer peripheral wall defining the outer periphery of a bun to be baked, a flat bottom wall extending inwardly from the outer peripheral wall, and an upstanding recess-forming member surrounded by the bottom wall. The recess-forming member has an inner peripheral wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and a top extending across the top of the inner peripheral wall. The dough is baked in the mold to form a bun having a flat bottom surface with a recess, and the bun is then cut across a horizontal plane above the recess to provide an upper part and a lower part, the lower part is turned upside-down to position the recessed surface uppermost, edible filling material is placed in the recess, and the upper part is placed on the upside-down lower part to form a filled bun.

Abstract: Ice lollies are frozen in two-parted moulds which are inserted in rows of freezing pockets in an ice lolly freezing machine. The moulds are thawed loose from the freezing pockets in which freezing has been carried out, are lifted out of the freezing pockets, separated for releasing the frozen ice lollies, assembled and inserted again into a row of freezing pockets. Before the moulds are lifted, a moderate heating of the freezing pockets is carried out sufficient for thawing loose the moulds with respect to the pockets. Then the moulds are lifted and moved to a position outside the area of such freezing pockets of such freezing machine. At the position the moulds are heated for thawing loose the ice lollies. Then the moulds are separated and the ice lollies removed while the moulds are positioned outside the area of the freezing pockets. Now the moulds are moved back to the area of the freezing pockets and are inserted into an empty row of freezing pockets.

Abstract: Improved tray, suitable for packaging croissants.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for opening molds by automatically unlocking a pair of locking mechanisms which cooperate to lock a pair of mold sections together. There are also disclosed herein a method and apparatus for handling a removed mold section and an article ejected from another mold section.

Abstract: A baking and cooking tray sheet comprises a base stock of neutral paper or cardboard weighing 150 to 500 g/m.sup.2 on the dry basis , and a barrier layer provided thereon and composed mainly of a polyvinyl alcohol and/or starch and a water-resisting agent. A coating layer of silicone resin is further applied on the barrier layer. The tray sheet should have a water vapor permeability of greater than 100 g/m.sup.2 for 24 hours and an air permeability of greater than 5,000 seconds. The tray sheet is prepared by the steps of coating one or both sides of the base stock with a coating liquid composed mainly of a polyvinyl alcohol and/or starch and a water-resisting agnet, followed by drying, and of applying one side of the resultant sheet with a coating liquid of silicone resin, followed by drying.

Abstract: A masa sheeter having a sheeting roller provided with a plurality of hoops set in spaced circumferential grooves to carry scrap back into the sheeter infeed zone, a cutter acting against the roller to cut product pieces from the masa sheet between the hoops, and a tensioned flat rectangular wire band passing through said hoops and extending along the surface of the roller for peeling the product pieces from the roller.

Abstract: A reusable tubular casing is made of porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane for the production of caseless (skinless) parboil or raw sausages. The membrane has a microstructure comprising PTFE nodes connected by PTFE fibrils with a porosity of about 70-80%, a Gurley No. less than about 28 seconds, a Bubble Point Pressure greater than about 13, and a Water Entry Pressure greater than about 40 psig. The casing is contacted on at least a part of its circumferential area by a porous support such as a cylindrical lattice. A new process for production of parboil or raw sausage involves heating the sausage in casing formed by a reusable non-adherent, vapor permeable membrane to drive off moisture and other volatile materials, and removing the sausage from the casing. The sausage can subsequently be smoked and the casing reused.

Abstract: An improved method for extracting frozen stick confections from several mold cups of a mold strip of a stick confection freezing apparatus is disclosed. At a pre-extraction station, the sticks of the frozen confections are individually grasped and individually pulled with separate spring forces while the mold cups are heated from below by hot water sprays. Each confection is lifted from the mold cup as soon as the surface layer thereof sufficiently thaws, and before each confection is completely removed from the cup, it is released and dropped back into the cup. At a second extraction station, all of the confections are simultaneously removed and thereafter conveyed to apparatus for wrapping the frozen confections.

Abstract: A milk, water, and honey composition, a water and honey composition, a process for preparing the former, and an apparatus for performing said process.A square in configuration, flexible blank of sheet material is inserted into the cavity of a flower-trumpet shaped mold and made to conform to the shape of the internal walls of the mold. The former composition is poured into the mold, a handle means is inserted into the composition, and the composition is frozen. The product is removed from the mold, and the blank of sheet material is unwrapped therefrom and used to collect melting portions of the product, if the same should commence melting prior to consumption thereof.

Abstract: A process for forming a moulded confection, such as an ice confection, which has a protruding or re-entrant shape (i.e. with a surface portion having a negative draft angle with respect to a desired direction of mould release), characterized by:(a) filling a mouldable confection mix into a thin-walled flexible elastic mould having a cavity corresponding to said protruding or re-entrant shape, and also having in its wall at least one thin-walled flexible elastic cleft or pleat; and(b) solidifying the mouldable mix within the mould, and withdrawing the solidified confection mix from the mould so as to cause the mould to distort and the cleft or pleat to open or unfold and release a confection of said protruding or re-entrant shape from the mould.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of formed edible products from moist edible pieces. Pneumatic suction draws the pieces into a mold or die cavity. A binder such as a gel solution is applied to the pieces in the cavity to cause adherence between the pieces. Thereafter contact with a chilled surface serves to attach the formed mass to the surface. The die is then withdrawn, leaving the form attached to the chilled surface. The preferred source material is onion pieces, with the method being carried out to produce onion rings. Also apparatus for carrying out the method and products resulting therefrom.

Abstract: A process for molding a cheese piece of a desired shape comprises filling a mold having a hollow interior of the desired shape with softened, uncured cheese, cooling the mold to harden and partially cure the cheese, and then opening the mold to release the cheese piece under the surface of a cold brine so that the fluid pressure of the brine prevents the shape of the partially cured cheese piece from being distorted. An apparatus for automatically performing the described method is disclosed.

Abstract: In the demolding of confectionery products (especially high-amylose candy recipes) steam pressure, which is applied between the surface of the mold and molded confectionery product, can be effectively employed to expel the product from a fixed or permanent mold. The steam pressure effectively functions as a self-lubricating and self-dissipating agent which cleanly separates the molded confection from the mold. Temporary chemical release or permanent release coating agents are not needed.

Abstract: A cellulosic food casing includes an internal coating comprising a water soluble cellulose ether and a cationic thermosetting resin.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for applying a cooking mix to the rotary cooking drum of an automatic machine for making pancakes or the like by means of a continuously rotating paste-entraining roller partly immersed to a substantially constant depth in a mix tank, the film of mix being entrained by adhesion on the surface of the roller and contacting movable means for partly retaining this film, resulting in the formation of a bead of mix which touches lightly upon the surface of the cooking drum and thus coats it.

Abstract: A method of adjusting temperature of semifluid food and successively suppng the same is disclosed. Semifluid food is contained in a number of retort-treated packs arranged along a lengthwise direction of an elongate belt and spaced apart from each other by a given distance. The belt is preserved in a constant temperature casing at a temperature suitable for giving relish to the semifluid food and delivered from the casing at the downwardly directed generally vertical pitch every time the semifluid food is demanded. Then, while the belt is held the retort pack is cut open to permit the semifluid food to flow downwardly therefrom into a dish which is served to customers. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed, which is applicable to an automatic vending machine.

Abstract: A product knockout and receiving means for removing a loaf meat from a mechanism of loaf molds including a gang of knockout bars, one each in alignment with each mold for engaging and pushing a plug within the mold to drive the loaf meat product from the mold, and a gang of receiving means (such as trays) for receiving the loaf meat product as it is removed from the molds.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process of packaging an edible product having an exposed bone by applying hot melt material to the exposed bone, encasing the product in a package, and closing the package which preferably is a bag which is heat shrunk and due to the heat shrinking operation or by the application of heat in the absence of heat shrinking the hot melt material is adhered to the bag with a bond strength greater than that between the hot melt material and the bone such that upon the removal of the bag the hot melt is removed from the bone to permit subsequent processing of the product.

Abstract: A package of butter or margarine which is molded with multi-cubic dimensioned embossments permits the contents of the package to be demolded within the temperature range of 38.degree. to 48.degree. F without damaging the embossments. The package comprises a film-sheet within the thickness range of 0.005 to 0.20 inch which is thermoformed into a single-walled, unlined cup-like cavity, and butter or margarine is flow filled into the cavity. The side wall of the cavity has an inward taper of an angle no less than 5.degree. in non-embossed portions of the wall and an angle of no less than 10.degree. in embossed portions of the side wall. Peaks of the embossed surface have radii of no less than 1/32 inch and angles of no less than 20.degree..

Abstract: Mechanism for applying a squeezing force to a food product in a mold, including a fluid motor driving a reciprocal rod for engaging and applying a force to a plug movably positionable within the mold. The reciprocal rod is driven by the fluid motor to move the plug into the mold until the resisting force of the food produce within the mold balances the force exerted by the fluid motor. The squeezing force is applied a plurality of times to obtain a uniform cross-sectionally dimensioned food product.