Abstract: To practice the method of this invention, a large stainless steel tank having a conical bottom is utilized for the mass cooking of corn to produce masa. Connected to the conical bottom of the tank is a multiplicity of steam rings interconnected by a manifold to an external source of steam. A conical screen is positioned closely adjacent the conical bottom to facilitate the injection of steam for heating the contents and selective injection of air for stirring the corn in the cooking or steeping process. Interspersed closely adjacent to the steam rings are air injection rings receiving compressed air from the surge tank connected to a compressor. Selective injection of compressed air sequentially from the inner air ring followed by injection through the intermediate air ring and the outer air ring stirs the liquid and corn content of the tank in the process of cooking or steeping.

Abstract: Batch method and apparatus for treating foodstuffs, especially dried proteinaceous products such as shrimp, with a liquid, especially with an aqueous rehydration medium under automatically controlled conditions of temperature, pressure and time.

Abstract: An automatic control system for a hulling machine including a fixed rotary hulling roll, a movable rotary hulling roll, means for moving the movable rotary hulling roll toward and away from the fixed rotary hulling roll to adjust the gap between the two hulling rolls and a main electric motor for driving the two hulling rolls. The system includes load detecting means for detecting the load applied to the main electric motor, and control means for connecting the load detecting means to the means for controlling the movement of the auxiliary shaft whereby the gap between the two hulling rolls can be automatically adjusted in accordance with the load applied to the main electric motor.

Abstract: A milk containing liquid is fed at a controlled rate into a tank having rotatable blades defining scoops at an upper portion thereof. In one process, the milk containing liquid precipitates to form ricotta cheese. The precipitation rises in the tank and is scooped into a funnel by the rotating blades. The scooped precipitation flows through the funnel to an exit port in the vessel sidewall. In another process, the milk containing liquid coagulates to form curd and whey which is severed into cubes by the rotating blades and is scooped into the funnel.

Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus for automatically removing fat from a meat carcass. A sensing station includes a row of needle probes which can be inserted into the carcass and which produce an electric signal at a fat/lean interface. The position of this interface relative to a support is recorded for each probe in a memory unit, and the carcass is then passed to a cutting section where it is drawn over a knife blade. The height of the knife blade is adjustable by a servo-motor controlled from the memory unit, and as the carcass is pulled over the knife, information from the memory unit is progressively released to adjust the knife so that the cut through the carcass follows the previously-sensed fat line.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for pitting fruit of the drupe type, in which fruit having sound pits are torque pitted and fruit having split pits are spoon pitted. A coring spoon is spaced from the pit gripping portion of the fruit bisecting blades with spoon pitting being accomplished by moving the blades and coring spoon through the fruit and betwen the halves of the split pit to move the fruit gripping portions of the blade away from the split pit and bring the coring spoon adjacent the pit for cutting a core, including the split pit, from the fruit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for formulating meat blends to a desired fat percentage by continuously measuring in a non-destructive manner the percentage of fat in meat streams while they are flowing, and thereafter blending the streams into the desired formulation. Although the meat streams are of non-uniform consistency and density, accurate blending is accomplished by including a sensor that automatically and continuously monitors the meat streams to enable corrections for such non-uniformity. Percentage fat measurements are made by passing a beam of polychromatic X-rays through the streams and measuring both the incident and attenuated beams.

Abstract: A torque-type pitter for pitting drupes such as cling-stone peaches and the like, having coplanar, body-bisecting and pit-holding blades, and coaxial elements for gripping the peach body at opposite sides of the plane of said blades for twisting the peach halves from the blade-held pit. One of said blades has pitting knives or a pitting spoon in the plane of said blade that are normally inoperative where the pit in the peach between the blades is sound, or momentarily appears to be sound, but upon said blade passing between the halves of a split pit without hesitation, said knives or spoon will automatically be projected into the gripped halves to positions in which the rotation of said halves by said elements will spoon-pit the halves.

Abstract: Temperature variable resistor or thermocouples measure the temperature of the goods. The so-measured values are converted to digital temperature signals under control of a clock pulse generator at predetermined time intervals. The digital temperature signals are stored and the so-stored signals utilized to address storage locations in a permanent storage, each of the storage locations storing a weighted digital temperature signal. The weighted digital temperature signals are converted to pulse sequences and the so-formed pulse sequences summed in a summing circuit. The sum signal furnished by the summing circuit is indicative of the effectiveness of the temperature processing. Digital or analog display means may be utilized to display the sum signal and/or the individual digital temperature signals.