Abstract: A horizontal cylinder having a circular discharge opening at one end and a piston moveable toward and away therefrom. The cylinder has an upwardly open side inlet opening through which dry potato agglomerates and water is introduced. An impervious barrier spanning the discharge opening prohibits egress of water through the discharge opening, and after the dry product and water are introduced through the inlet opening into the chamber, the piston is moved toward the impervious wall to consolidate the dry product and water into a confined volume so as to distribute the water uniformly throughout the dry product and produce a homogeneous potato dough that can be formed into shaped potato pieces, such as french fry shaped pieces. A method for enhancing uniform wetting of the dry product, which includes the steps of introducing into the chamber a minor amount of the water, then introducing the dry product, and then introducing the balance of the water.

Abstract: An apparatus for extruding pumpable materials comprising an outer conduit means connected to a material supply source said outer conduit means being arranged around two inner conduit means one of which is connected to another material supply source and the other of which is in communication with the ambient. A method for extruding one material to surround another material comprising extruding one material into a hollow extrusion to surround a supply of another material filling the center of the extrusion whereby air contained in the center of the extrusion is displaced to the ambient.

Abstract: An unpeeled potato is cut into wedge-shaped pieces having a substantially triangular cross-section, the base of which is a section of the exterior surface of said potato having the peel retained thereon and the sides of which have no peel thereon. The pieces are then cooked, parfried, frozen and packaged.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for folding the gable top of gable top containers into a flat condition preparatory to packing a plurality of such containers into a carton so as to avoid wasted volume during transport of such containers. A gable top container having an extra score line to facilitate such folding of the gable top.

Abstract: A horizontal chamber and a piston movable in the chamber to discharge potato dough through a discharge opening at one end of the chamber. A dough dividing structure adapted for mounting in the discharge opening. A diaphragm and means for mounting the diaphragm on the face of the piston such that when the piston is retracted in the chamber from a body of dough therein, an air passage is created to relieve the vacuum between the diaphragm and the dough, thereby avoiding distortion of the dough. For charging the chamber with a body of dough to form an impervious barrier therein there is an adapter in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices; the adapter supports the piston and the cylinder in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices so as to expedite charging of the machine to form an impervious dough barrier. After the constituents set into a dough the chamber, with the impervious barrier therein, and the piston are installed in the machine for normal operation.

Abstract: A mechanism for controllably driving a plunger in a dough forming apparatus of the type that has a chamber in which the plunger resides to move dough in incremental steps toward one end of the chamber. Spanning the one end of the chamber is a plurality of parallely spaced apart elongate members, the spacing between the elongate members corresponding to the thickness of a french fry shaped piece, e.g. 1/4 inch. The plunger is advanced by increments of a similar distance, the distance corresponding to the width of the french fry piece and when a plurality of dough bodies protrude through the spaces between the elongate members a single wire cutter is reciprocated across the exterior of the elongate members to sever the protruding bodies thus to form french fry shaped pieces.

Abstract: A horizontal chamber and a piston movable in the chamber to discharge potato dough through a discharge opening at one end of the chamber. A dough dividing structure adapted for mounting in the discharge opening. A diaphragm and means for mounting the diaphragm on the face of the piston such that when the piston is retracted in the chamber from a body of dough therein, an air passage is created to relieve the vacuum between the diaphragm and the dough, thereby avoiding distortion of the dough. For charging the chamber with a body of dough to form an impervious barrier therein there is an adapter in vertical alignment below the constitutent introducing devices; the adapter supports the piston and the cylinder in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices so as to expedite charging of the machine to form an impervious dough barrier. After the constituents set into a dough the chamber, with the impervious barrier therein, and the piston are installed in the machine for normal operation.

Abstract: A horizontal chamber and a piston movable in the chamber to discharge potato dough through a discharge opening at one end of the chamber. A dough dividing structure adapted for mounting in the discharge opening. A diaphragm and means for mounting the diaphragm on the face of the piston such that when the piston is retracted in the chamber from a body of dough therein, an air passage is created to relieve the vacuum between the diaphragm and the dough, thereby avoiding distortion of the dough. For charging the chamber with a body of dough to form an impervious barrier therein there is an adapter in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices; the adapter supports the piston and the cylinder in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices so as to expedite charging of the machine to form an impervious dough barrier. After the constituents set into a dough the chamber, with the impervious barrier therein, and the piston are installed in the machine for normal operation.

Abstract: A parfried frozen potato product suitable for toasting to produce French fries ready for consumption. Potato dough is formed as by extrusion to produce a sheet comprising a multiple of French fry sized units of bodies in side-by-side substantially planar arrangement connected by a thin dough film with a longitudinal central void in each unit. Said sheet is cut to French fry length and then parfried, frozen, and marketed in frozen form.