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 method of and apparatus for transforming the clumped untextured putty-like and high viscoelastic adhesion physical and chemical properties of hydrated vital wheat gluten into a loose layered minimally adhering serated permanently textured fiber strand structure by mixing vital wheat gluten with grain flour and hydrating the mixture, and then appropriately appropriate shredding, steaming and hot moisture denaturation of the fiber protein, enabling the creation of moisture-absorbed textured wheat gluten analogs for ground meat fiber products, such as hamburger and the like.

Abstract: An imprinting press and cooking apparatus for a dough product includes an imprinting station with respective opposed lower press and upper imprinting plates and rotating plate or endless belt conveyors adjacent the imprinting station for moving the dough product which has been pressed and imprinted through a cooking or baking phase. Heat sources are disposed adjacent the imprinting station and the conveyors for preheating the dough product for release from the printing station and for cooking the dough product, respectively. A pressure air slide is disposed between conveyor stages for transferring the dough product from one conveyor stage to another. Pressure air is supplied to the air slide through a conduit and into a chamber for flow through a perforated plate which supports the dough product for movement along the slide.

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 contact toaster for heating sandwich buns and other food items features a housing containing a toasting chamber with an inlet and an outlet. The toasting chamber contains a pair of conveyor belts with a heated platen positioned between them. Each conveyor belt features a platen-facing portion so that two pathways are defined. Each conveyor belt also features a heat-distributing surface. Two auxiliary heaters are positioned so that one of each heats one of each of the platen-facing portions of the conveyor belts. One of each of a pair of tensioners engages one of each of the platen-facing portions of the conveyor belts so that each pathway tapers inward to a minimum thickness and then expands outward again. As a result, food items moving through the pathways via the conveyor belts are toasted on both surfaces and also absorb heat from both the platen and the conveyor belt surfaces in a sponge-like manner as they are compressed and released.

Abstract: An improved toasting apparatus is disclosed including a variable speed conveyor belt for conveying products through the toaster; a bottom heating element positioned below the conveyor belt, the bottom heating element including variable control for controlling the amount of heat provided by the bottom heating element; a drying zone including a first plurality of upper heating elements positioned above the conveyor; a toasting zone including a second plurality of upper heating elements; and wherein the bottom heating element and the first and second plurality of upper heating elements are controlled individually and independently.

Abstract: A grill plate for grilling food, and in particular, frozen meat patties, is coated with a mixture of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and a far-infrared radiation substance. The PTFE, being an abherent, prevents food from sticking to the grill plates, while the far-infrared radiation substance facilitates heating the inner portion of the food by the far-infrared radiation emitted from the far-infrared radiation substance. The entire piece of food is cooked evenly before the outer portion is overcooked.

Abstract: A food processing system (20) includes a plurality of openable and closeable food product molds (32, 34) carried by a continuous serpentine conveyor (24) through a processing chamber (22) from a loading station (28) to an unloading station (30) and then returned by the conveyor from the unloading station to the loading station. An automatic mold opener (62) opens the mold at the unloading station. An automatic mold closer (64) closes the mold at the loading station, eliminating mold handling and storage by operating personnel.

Abstract: An electric pancake maker having a liquid batter container that is thermally protected; a metering pump system arranged to dispense separate, equal portions of batter simultaneously onto a first cooking surface assembly including a plurality of concave cooking dishes; a heated smooth faced second cooking surface assembly; a mainshaft arrangement connecting both cooking surface assemblies; and means to pivot those surfaces through half circle travel about the mainshaft to flip partially cooked pancakes from one surface to the other, and ultimately discharge fully cooked pancakes in an automated manner.

Abstract: A conveyor toaster has air chambers at opposite sides and at the top of the oven for reducing surface temperatures of the out side housing panels of the oven which a worker might touch. A wire link conveyor belt extending through the oven and carrying food products at a speed which toasts those food product during their dwell time within the oven. The conveyor belt is tensioned by a spring bias so that a force directed against the spring bias creates a slack which enables an installation, removal, and reinstallation of the conveyor belt. A heating element is supported at a height above the belt which may be during manufacturing to accommodate the height of a food product conveyed by the conveyor. A loading rack at the front of the housing has two stable positions for enabling either batch loading or continuous loading.

Abstract: In a hinge for pivotally connecting the tongs of a pair of baking tongs, the hinge pin is rotatably mounted by means of at least one sliding surface bearing, which comprises sliding surfaces, which are in sliding contact with each other and are respectively provided on the hinge pin and on one of two members which are pivotally connected. One of said sliding surfaces comprises a sliding surface segment and is formed with openings adjoining said sliding surface segment on opposite sides thereof and with scraping edges, which are in sliding contact with the other of said sliding surfaces and define said openings and said sliding surface segment on opposite sides thereof.

Abstract: A belt grill is described herein for continuously cooking fast food products on a conveyor formed of counter-rotating heat conductive belts. The belts are heated by platens disposed above and below whereby a run of the belts passes in heat conductive relationship between the platens, and the food to be cooked is placed in the nip between the rotating belts. The device further includes means for tensioning the belts which can be automatically released by increasing the distance between the platens whereby when the distance exceeds a predetermined maximum, all tension on both belts will be released so that the belts can be quickly removed for cleaning or replacement. The belts are preferably Teflon coated fiberglass and may be disposed at an angle to the horizontal to facilitate grease removal from the cooking process.

Abstract: A multiple baker for confectionery items such as waffles and pancakes having multiple baking irons vertically mounted between vertical heating partitions of a base and pivotally hinged to the base for rotation in a vertical plane, between a baking position and an offset position. Each baking iron has separatable shell members for receiving the food items and a flanged mouth positioned atop each baking iron when in the baking position. The position of the flange mouth allows steam to escape vertically during the baking process and distance the user from the steam.

Abstract: A method of making a waffle in a press having closable top and bottom halves comprises first spraying a relatively thin pattern batter in a pattern on one of the halves of the press and then heating the pattern batter sufficiently to at least partially cook it but insufficiently to make it peel off the one press half. A thick body batter of a color different from that of the pattern batter is then poured onto the bottom half and the halves of the press are closed together. Then the press halves and batters are heated so as to thoroughly cook the batters together into a waffle.

Abstract: Baking tongs for producing edible wafers from wafer dough in a wafer baking oven or an automatic wafer baking machine consist of a wafer baking mold comprising baking mold parts in respective tong parts which are moved toward each other and away from each other in order to open and close the wafer baking mold. For a rigid interlocking of the two tong parts when the wafer baking mold is closed, the tong parts are provided with cooperating closure sections. The closure section of one tong part is provided with a rigid locking pin, which protrudes from the inside surface of that closure section. The closure section of the other tong part is formed with a through opening, which constitutes a passage for the locking pin, and is provided with a hook which is engageable with the locking pin. The hook is pivoted on the outside of the closure section and has an engaging surface for engaging an engaging surface of the locking pin. The hook is provided with an actuating element for pivotally moving the hook.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming and/or cooking food products upon an imperforate thermally conductive belt has a food dispenser above the belt, a heat plate under the belt, an upper heating structure, novel structure to maintain conductive thermal contact between the belt and the heat plate, a food stripper to remove the heated food and invert it for placement upon a second belt, a filling dispenser, and food rolling structure to roll the cooked food up into a tubular shape. The method has the steps of conductively cooking the food on the belt, stripping the food off of a first section of belt, and rolling the food on a second section of belt. The method and apparatus are particularly useful for crepes, pancakes, pasta, and pastry type foods. A single embodiment of the apparatus is capable of producing several entirely different types of cooked and formed food products. The apparatus is relatively small and is suited particularly well for on-site use by a retailer or concessionaire.

Abstract: A baking or roasting oven is provided with a transfer apparatus by which the pieces of edible material which is to be roasted, such as slices of white bread, soft wafers, etc., are fed into the oven and the roasted toasts are removed from the oven. The oven comprises an endless chain of hinged tongs, which can be opened and closed and are adapted to hold the pieces of edible material which are to be roasted. The chain of tongs moves in the oven in two superimposed planes. A transfer station is provided adjacent to the upper plane in which the upper course of the chain of tongs extends. The tongs move in an open position through that transfer station, which contains two sets of drums, which are closely spaced one behind the other in the direction of travel of the upper course of the chain of tongs and are disposed above the bottom plates of the open tongs of said upper course.

Abstract: A baking apparatus includes cover molds and pan molds having recesses adapted to be engaged to define baking chamber as the cover and pan molds engage, a device for feeding dough into the recesses of the molds and a device for shaping the doughs in the recesses of the molds into desired shape. The engaged cover and pan molds containing shaped doughs are fed into an oven for baking treatment and discharged therefrom for air cooling and separating the cover mold from the pan mold for unloading baked confections.

Abstract: An improved method of cooking and an improved broiler/oven that provides different levels of heat to cook meats or the like at a relatively high heat condition and toast buns or the like, at a relatively lower heat condition. Trays are moved from the front of the oven to the rear at an upper level within the oven and are then lowered and re-directed back toward the front at a lower level while retaining their face-up condition. Heaters are positioned between the two levels such that objects on the trays are heated on one side while being transported toward the rear of the oven and are heated on the other side while being returned to the front.

Abstract: An apparatus for operating the locks of wafer baking tongs, which revolve in a wafer baking oven and move past the stationary operating apparatus, which is mounted in the wafer baking oven, comprises a movable closing element, which is engageable with the actuating member of the lock to lock the latter. It is proposed to provide an unlocking element, which is engageable with the actuating member to unlock a lock which has not entirely been locked. An actuator is provided for moving the unlocking element into engagement with the actuating member when the closing element has been pushed back a predetermined distance from its operative position by the actuating member when the lock has not entirely been locked.

Abstract: An automatic egg product cooking apparatus that fills three-piece molds with a uniform amount of egg material. The molds undergo slow, low temperature cooking and the cooked egg product is thereafter dumped and the mold cleaned. The apparatus and method is used to produce a cooked egg product having a uniform volume, and which may vary the cholesterol level while maintaining the size of the product.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to apparatus and method for the production of fish-paste food products having the appearance of shelled shrimp, crab claws, lobster, abalone, etc. The apparatus comprises a two-piece mold with a mold cavity conforming to the shape of the product, means for spraying a coloring agent into the cavity, filling means for pressing a paste of ground fish meat into the mold cavity, a heating unit for heating and solidifying the fish paste, and means for removing the heated and solidified fish-paste food products from the mold. The invention further comprises the method of providing a split mold having a cavity generally conforming to the shape of a shellfish, spraying the inside wall of the cavity with an aqueous food coloring, filling the cavity with a meat paste under pressure, heating the mold and the paste to a sufficient temperature to cook and color the meat paste, and removing the product from the mold.

Abstract: A pre-cooking operation pre-cooks a pasta product for a time substantially less than required to bring it to serving consistency. Pre-cooking is quenched with cold water and a measured weight of the drained product is sealed in a single-serving container with a measured amount of excess water. The pasta absorbs the excess water to achieve a water content approximating that of a freshly cooked pasta. Heating, dispensing a sauce on the pasta and delivering the product to a purchaser are performed in a rapid automatic sequence. Heating is accelerated by jets of hot water entering a strainer containing the pasta. Walls of a heating pot are double-walled with hot water continuously circulating therethrough to further accelerate the heating. The strainer is raised, drained and the pasta is released into a serving container. A serving of sauce, heated in a sealed heat exchanger is dispensed over the pasta. A water jet, optionally followed by an air jet cleans the sauce nozzle after each use.

Abstract: A synchronized press and method for forming bakery products. A press plate presses a portion of bakery product ingredients against a rotatable disc in a continuous motion. A conveyor belt deposits portions of the bakery product ingredients on the disc at timed intervals. A gearing mechanism synchronizes the movement of the press plate and disc so that the horizontal speed of the press plate is substantially equivalent to the angular speed of the disc. The gearing mechanism also synchronizes the deposit of bakery product ingredients on the disc.

Abstract: In a wafer baking automatic machine, a baking chamber is subdivided by separating wall into an inwardly located heating zone containing a heating burner and baking clamps of an endless chain, and a flushing zone containing guiding rails and guiding rollers of the baking clamps movable on the guiding rails, an air supply conduit opens into the heating zone and the flushing zone, and air passages are provided between baking plates of the clamps and side parts of the clamps. Flushing air is supplied into the baking chamber and discharge gas is withdrawn from the latter, wherein the flushing air is admixed prior to its supply into the baking chamber with at least a part of the discharge gas.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooking food includes two solid plates which subject an initial food material to high heat and pressure, and the pressure is adjusted in dependence upon the nature of the initial food material by an adjusting device.

Abstract: A front loading and unloading grill apparatus for two-sided grilling of hamburger patties. The grill apparatus includes upper and lower cooking platens, a patty support panel at the front of the lower cooking platen and an endless conveyor for advancing uncooked patties from the patty support panel onto the lower cooking platen. The patty support panel is retracted away from the front of the lower cooking platen and, when the patties are cooked, the conveyor is operated in the reverse direction to move the cooked patties off the front lower cooking platen and discharge the same to a cooked patty receiver at the front side of the grill apparatus.

Abstract: A baking machine for cooking batter to form ice cream cones and the like comprises a plurality of griddles which are driven along a path of movement through heating zones for the purpose of cooking the batter. Principal features of the invention include: an automated and responsive gear-type control mechanism for starting and stopping griddle movement, include provision of means for ensuring proper meshing of the gears; and an efficient top-bottom burner system which ensures efficient and uniform cooking of the batter by provision of separate supply lines to the top and bottom burners, respectively, as well as a master-equalizer valve arrangement in which the master valve regulates flow to all burners and the equalizer valve provides for equal heating at top and bottom burners.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of mixing a comminuted food material and a liquid to form a solid food article includes a rotary measuring wheel for dispensing the food material from a storage bin in discrete measured quantities and a rotary peristaltic pump for dispensing the liquid from a storage tank in respective discrete measured quantities. The wheel and pump are coaxially joined for unitary dispensing rotation and a micro-processor controlled arrangement actuates and deactuates a predetermined number of revolutions thereof to effect simultaneous dispensing respectively sequentially of respective predetermined pluralities of the discrete measured quantities of food material and liquid. A chute arrangement receives the dispensed quantities and directs the food material gravitationally downwardly through a central passageway while directing the liquid through apertures arranged to sprayingly emit the liquid convergingly toward the gravitational path of the food material.

Abstract: A wafer baking oven for making baked wafers from batter includes an elongated baking chamber with heating elements therein. A thermally insulated enclosure surrounds at least part of the baking chamber. The oven includes a front port adjoining the baking chamber. There are a plurality of baking tongs in the baking chamber, which baking tongs move through the baking chamber and into and out of the front port in a running direction. The baking prongs are openable when in the front port for the removal of baked wafers from the tongs and for charging the baking tongs with batter. The baking tongs are then closed and are moved through the baking chamber in the closed state. The front port includes a charging station for charging the baking tongs with batter and a discharge station for discharging baked wafers along a path.

Abstract: A fortune cookie making machine includes a first rotatable assembly having a number of griddles in which the cookie blanks are passed through an oven where they are baked. Thereafter a transfer mechanism strips the cookie blanks one at a time from the griddles and deposits them in a second assembly for stuffing and forming the cookies. In certain embodiments of the invention the second assembly is also rotatable. In the second assembly, a paper slip bearing the fortune message is deposited on the blank, and then the cookie blank is folded and allowed to cool to form the final desired shape. After the cookie is fully formed, it is removed from the second assembly.

Abstract: A wafer baking oven has a set of baking tongs which move through the oven to effect baking of the wafers. The oven is particularly for wafer products such as flat wafers, low hollow wafers, sugar cones, wafer cups and wafer figures. There is a baking chamber through which the baking tongs move and a front end at which baked wafers are discharged from the baking tongs and fresh batter is poured into the tongs for baking. The region in which this takes place is referred to as a front port. The front port includes a batter pouring station and a discharge station with a chute and at least one discharge spider. To reduce loss of heat and to reduce the noise level of the wafer oven, the front port is surrounded by a housing which comprises, at least in part, an enclosure attached to a frame. The housing has two passage openings at the side which face the baking chamber, and the baking tongs pass through these passage openings as they move in a circuit between the baking oven and the front port.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the production of irregularly trimmed waffle, mainly cheese waffle from batter which has preferably been made as follows: eggs are mixed with milk, melted cheese and flavoring additives to a homogeneous mixture. Then flour and melted fats are added to the mixture with continuous mixing and finally liquid is added until it is diluted to the required consistency. Portions are taken from the resulting batter to be baked between baking plates which form only the sides of the waffle and leave the edges free. The apparatus has baking irons consisting of heatable and closable pairs of baking plates. The baking plates (2a, 2b) of the baking irons (2) have a functional surface forming the sides of the waffle but leaving its edges free. A device (50, 51) for forwarding the baking irons (2) on an endless path, to which device the lower baking plates (2b) of the baking irons (2) are fixed.

Abstract: A fortune cookie making machine includes a first rotatable assembly having a number of griddles in which the cookie blanks are passed through an oven where they are baked. Thereafter a transfer mechanism strips the cookie blanks one at a time from the griddles and deposits them in a second assembly for stuffing and forming the cookies. In certain embodiments of the invention the second assembly is also rotatable. In the second assembly, a paper slip bearing the fortune message is deposited on the blank, and then the cookie blank is folded and allowed to cool to form the final desired shape. After the cookie is fully formed, it is removed from the second assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out a method of producing a cracker from a raw material such as rice or the like comprises steps of compressing and heating for a predetermined time the raw material contained within a hermetically closed chamber defind in upper and lower baking molds, expanding instantaneously the compressed and heated raw material by opening the baking molds and concurrently discharging steam produced within the chamber during the compression under heating, and compressing again the expanded material by means of the baking molds thereby shaping the material in a cracker of a desired form in a self-sustaining structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a restructured food product from small forms thereof, by comminuting such small forms to provide a fluent paste, injecting the paste under high pressure into mold cavities where the paste is rapidly heated while it is confined within the mold cavity and maintained at an elevated pressure, whereby a restructured food product is formed which has generally the same characteristics and qualities of the original food product and which retains the organoleptic properties of the original products that are frequently lost in conventional food processing methods.

Abstract: A machine for baking thin wafers of the type which are foldable to form fortune cookies includes an oven, a parallel chain conveyor that moves continuously in a plurality of horizontal runs through the oven, and a plurality of baking units carried by the conveyor. Each baking unit consists of two associated platens mounted in movable face-to-face parallelism. The wafers are baked in cupped containers which are carried by one of the platens and which are sealed by the other platen during baking. Following a baking period, the platens are inverted. A mechanism is provided to remove baked wafers from the inverted platens. Finally, a mechanism is provided to carry the removed wafers to discharge from the machine.

Abstract: A portable device for cooking slabs of meat at an arbitrary position on the grill in a reduced time period. The device comprises a flat heat conductive weighted member overlying slabs of meat to be cooked and having a plurality of spikes adapted to extend through the meat and contact the grill. A heat conductive apertured plate engages the spikes and is free to slide along the spikes while being prevented from moving out of engagement with the spikes. A peripheral skirt extends about the weighted member to protect the spikes. In operation the device is placed on the grill which directly conductively heats the apertured plate and the spikes. Subsequent placement over the slabs causes the weighted member to urge the spikes through the slabs, thereby cooking the slabs partially from within. The apertured plate sits atop the slabs of meat to promote intimate contact between the slabs and the grill and to cook the slabs partially from above. The apertured plate and the peripheral skirt prevent moisture loss.

Abstract: A cup and cover turnover mechanism for muffin grilling griddles having a cup flight which straddle mounts spaced roller chains of a cover and hearth flight, wherein the conveying chains of each of said flights engage identical sprockets which mount for rotation about the turnover axis of the griddle and coordinate each cup thereon in fixed relation with a cover as the muffin is bottom-grilled and turned over on the pitch circles of said sprockets for top-grilling on the hearth flight of the griddle.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with an apparatus and process for cooking slabs of meat on a grill in reduced time. Briefly the apparatus comprises a generally flat linearly extending weighted generally rectangular member having a grill facing side which has a plurality of generally equal length heat conductive spikes extending therefrom towards the grill, the spikes being of a length to pierce a slab of meat being cooked on the grill and contact the grill. In one preferred embodiment, the apparatus further includes a hinge mechanism adjacent the first end of the member providing pivotal attachment thereof about a horizontal axis adjacent the grill.

Abstract: A method of forming a soft plate-like baked piece into a three-dimensional cracker and an apparatus therefor. A plate-like cracker is placed immediately after baking onto two spaced, substantially parallel to each other plates and formed into a three-dimensional shape by two claws movable along a specified path.

Abstract: A continuous griddle comprising a cover/hearth plate chain web which transports muffin covers in the forward direction and doubles as hearth plates when inverted and moved in the backward direction, and a cup chain web which transports cup flights in coordinate over/under relation with said cover flights and said hearth flights in both forward and backward directions. Lift tracks under said cover flight cooperate with said cup plate web to lift the cups against the covers to flatten the muffin tops during grilling of the muffin. Cover and cup flight turnover means invert said cups and said covers in coordinate relation one to the other with the muffin contained therein during reversal of direction. Hearth plate lowering and cup flight lift tracks over and under said hearth flights and cup flights cooperate with said cover/hearth plate web and said cup plate web, respectively, to withdraw the muffins from said cups without damage thereto.

Abstract: A method and machine adapted to removed baked waffles from a succession of waffle irons on a feed conveyor, trim the waffles so removed into a regular peripheral configuration, and transfer those waffles in succession onto a transfer conveyor. The feed conveyor is adapted to convey a series of successive waffle irons, with baked waffles thereon, from an oven to a transfer location. A vacuum head of novel structure is provided at the transfer location to move cyclically in a machine direction of the feed conveyor between an upstream and a downstream location, the vacuum head being raised and lowered during that limited motion path to pick up waffles by vacuum from successive waffle irons without stopping the conveyor. The vacuum head is also movable in the cross machine direction of the feed conveyor between the feed conveyor and a transfer conveyor.

Abstract: A device for forming rolled sheet articles, such as cookies, which are rolled after heating, comprises an endless conveyor which has a surface on which the article is placed and which is continuously advanced at a predetermined speed. The article is moved substantially tangent to a periphery of a roll-up roller which is rotatably mounted alongside a portion of the conveyor and is spaced less than the width of the sheet article thickness from the conveyor. The roll-up roller is rotated at a slower speed than the movement advance of the surface and it engages the sheet article or cookie and causes the bending thereof around its surface. A roller board is arranged adjacent the roll-up roller and it includes a stopper which prevents complete rolling of the article around the roll-up roller and instead deflects it forwardly in the feed advance direction of the conveyor.

Abstract: The oven includes a baking compartment and a lower compartment located beneath the baking compartment for receiving baked articles therefrom; a horizontal shelf separates the baking compartment from the lower compartment and is formed of a series of pivotable plates; means are provided for pivoting the plates at predetermined time to cause the baked articles in the baking compartment to fall under the action of gravity in the lower compartment.