Abstract: Cooking of French fried potatoes by facilitating a generally vertical arrangement of potato strips while in the frying operation is disclosed wherein the slices may be cooked within a very deep pack while oil is urged to flow upwardly through the pack and steam entrapment within the cooking slice pack is minimized. A conveyor belt carrying the slices through the cooker has a multiplicity of openings facilitating oil flow there through and the cooker is configured to permit oil discharge for reheating purposes both laterally and longitudinally of the processing path.

Abstract: A centrifuge operative in successive low speed and high speed modes serves to remove surface cooking oil from a continuous stream of fragile snack food products wherein the oil removal occurs in the high speed mode and products are discharged from the centrifuge with relatively low kinetic energy in the low speed mode.

Abstract: A belt less applicator of particulate materials for food products includes a differential impulse linear conveyor having a horizontal pan carrying a bed of particulate materials and food products spaced there along. Particulate materials are supplied from above to coat the food products as the pan conveys the products to a subsequent treatment station. Hammer like tamping contact of the products insures good adhesion of the coatings to the products. The excess particulate materials are recycled and the entrained dough balls removed as the products are discharged.

Abstract: A vehicle support, for a container comprises a frame suspended from one or more of adjustable span, to vary frame disposition, such as elevation and/or tilt, from an (un)loading to a transport mode; the frame is configured for converting or adapting a standard container, and a self-contained retractable version incorporated in a demountable container extension module is envisaged.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device such as a clock which is battery operated has enhanced color for its pixels under ambient light by the use of a fluorescent layer on the reflective backing of the display.

Abstract: A multi-phase analytical game activity, is prefaced with a construction phase, in which are constructed from component elements, a plurality of [co-operatively-disposed] playing pieces (11), such as hollow, co-operatively inter-nesting cubes; with coded marking of individual facets (15), according to designated topics and subsidiary categories; whereby cube and facet juxtaposition reflect topic inter-relationships and hierarchies; in a follow-on board game phase, progress around a designated playing area is determined by random chance selector means, and coding of placement areas triggers selection of topic query cards for topic exploration.

Abstract: A compaction roller for mounting on a driven compaction vehicle is equipped with both destructive and tractive, highly wear-resistant cleat assemblies. These include readily removable wear caps and supporting bases which have continuous side walls across the parting lines between the parts. Inset in the outer sidewalls are exposed mortise and tenon Jock joints serving to reduce relative movements between the parts under sever working forces. Pins extending radially between the wear caps and supporting bases further enhance the anti-twist resistance between the parts.

Abstract: A vehicle support, for a container (10), comprises a frame (21, 22), suspended from one or more elements (19, 25), of adjustabel span, to vary frame disposition, [such as elevation and/or tilt], from an (un)loading to a transport mode; the frame is configured for converting or adapting a standard container, and a self-contained retractable version incorporated in a demountable container extension module (230) is envisaged.

Abstract: Landfill compactor vehicles having wheels equipped with wedge shaped cleats tend to accumulate about the vehicle's axle trash such as cable, wire, rope and the like debris requiring daily removal to permit unobstructed axle rotation. The wheel construction of this invention provides compaction cleats of two types, contour and traction, in rows positioned across the width of the wheel with substantially no cleat free zone adjacent the wheel edges but with a row of contour teeth arranged adjacent the wheel's inner edge thus affording trash exclusion properties to the compactor wheel.

Abstract: A companion roller for mounting on a driven compaction vehicle is equipped with both destructive and tractive, highly wear resistant cleat assemblies. The later includes readily removable wear caps with bulbous corner portions and broad wear faces. Anti twist projections and complementary recesses at the interface of the wear caps and support bases reduce relative movement between the parts under severe working forces.

Abstract: Cooking and simultaneously forming a tostada or taco product in a cooking oil bath by inserting a pliable tortilla between adjacent molds when opened in a clamshell action, then closing the molds and conveying them through an oil bath and then opening the molds and removing the product. While cooking, the product is captured in the space between adjacent molds and permitted to cook into the desired shape. An interchange of conveyor carried molds is disclosed whereby the cooking equipment may process different product sizes and shapes.

Abstract: A process for cooking food products, such as battered and breaded pieces of meat, with hot oil by placing the products on a conveyor and passing them through a plurality of descending hot oil curtains to enrobe and cook the products. The cooking oil is supplied from above through oil inlet weirs in a smooth curtain with the flow volume and temperature being controlled. The cooking oil is returned for reheating and the products are removed from the conveyor in a cooked condition.

Abstract: Cooking and simultaneously forming a tostada or taco product in a cooking oil bath by inserting a pliable tortilla between adjacent molds when opened in a clamshell action, then closing the molds and conveying them through an oil bath and then opening the molds and removing the product. While cooking, the product is captured in the space between adjacent molds and permitted to cook into the desired shape. An interchange of conveyor carried molds is disclosed whereby the cooking equipment may process different product sizes and shapes.

Abstract: Simultaneous slicing and washing of relatively firm raw vegetable or fruit products is accomplished in a vat of water into which a slicer apparatus is positioned such that the slices are formed and discharge directly into the water. An inclined takeout conveyor serves to receive the slices and remove them from the water. A circulating water current and fluid jets urge the slices to disperse onto the conveyor. A spray of water or air blast removes residual vegetable matter from the slice surfaces before leaving the takeout conveyor for further processing. Slicing and washing a vegetable in a flume volute where the slices are dispersed onto a takeout conveyor is disclosed where the water medium is collected in a tub and recycled back to flow in the flume to a level that covers the slicer's operative parts. The apparatus may be used for simultaneous slicing and cooking of raw vegetables where hot cooking oil is maintained in the system and recycled for reheating.

Abstract: An electronic eternity clock is powered by solar cells. The LCD segment display is shut down during the night by the use of a sensing circuit utilizing sampling pulses from an associated microcontroller which turns a transistor on and off which is connected to a floating ground between the solar cell and an isolating diode, both series connected across the rechargeable battery.

Abstract: A food chip cooking process in which uncooked slices are propelled airborne over the cooking vat in a batch, are stirred and submerged to urge the batch from one end of the vat to the other and then removed from the vat for further processing.

Abstract: An oven and method for cooking solid foods. The oven comprises an elongated housing divided into tandem cooking zones each with separate cooking and heating chambers. Food products are carried on a vapor pervious conveyor through the cooking chambers as a distinct cooking process vapor is recirculated in each zone at different rates between the heating and cooking chambers. In one zone, the process vapor is circulated generally laterally of the conveyor over the food in a turbulent mode and then recirculated for reheating in a path parallel to the conveyor.

Abstract: A clutch or rolling door operating mechanism permits use of two sources of power for moving the door between open and closed positions. A drive gear rotates about an eccentrically mounted shaft which itself is turned through a clutch of the fixed drag type to swing the gear into engagement with the drive train for moving the door via manual power and to permit the gear to swing into disengagment with such drive train for moving the door by electric power operation. In one form a circuit interlock prevents motor operation during manual driving of the door; in a second form an audible "clacker" sounds to indicate manual operation of the operating mechanism.

Abstract: Individual, relatively small sheets of type elements bearing different characters are disposed in an indexed selector board and are removed from it and placed in a fixture proximate the adhesive surface of a type backing strip. A bridge across a strip guide way prevents the shingle style build-up of the type elements as type is set into a long continuous strip.