Abstract: Pieces of bony meat, fowl, fish or the like descend through a receiving hopper or duct and are transported by a pair of feed screws, out of the hopper through an exit opening in one end thereof. The hopper has side walls which may converge downwardly, in a known manner, but also have novel longitudinally converging side wall portions, opposite the feed screws, which converge toward each other and toward the feed screws in the exit direction, to afford tapered spaces between the longitudinally converging side wall portions and the feed screws, for enabling pieces to enter such tapered spaces and to become engaged with the feed screws for transportation in the exit direction. The feed screws preferably have overlapping screw flights of opposite hand, and rotate in opposite directions such that the flights propel the pieces into the tapered spaces.

Abstract: The disclosed machine is adapted to separate meat and other soft components from bone and other relatively hard components of meat, fish and other food materials, pieces of which are dumped into a hopper containing a pair of overlapping, oppositely rotating left and right hand feed screws for feeding the pieces into overlapping pump bores in a pump casing. The pump bores are provided with oppositely rotating left and right hand pump screws for pumping the pieces along the bores to develop pumping pressure, whereby the pieces are forced into a hollow separator casing having a tubular tapering separator screen with a multiplicity of perforations therein. A tapered pressure auger is rotatable in the screen for pressing meat and other soft components through the perforations while transporting bone and other hard components past the screen to a discharge device for discharging the hard components while maintaining pressure in the separator casing.

Abstract: Readily disassembled and reassembled apparatus for extruding composite food products, especially simulated slab bacon, includes an extrusion assembly comprising a die having a housing within which extend a plurality of individual die conduits from a front wall provided with openings leading into the die conduits. The space surrounding the die conduits within the housing form die passages interleaved with the die conduits. Means are provided for extruding a food material through the front wall openings and through the die conduits into a convergent discharge conduit removably attached to the housing. Separable supply conduits connect a pressure source of supply of a different food material with the housing at opposite sides thereof as well as between such opposite sides.

Abstract: A coextrusion apparatus and method for producing simulated cuts of meat from fat and lean meat is improved by providing in the apparatus, means for the controlled heating of parts of the discharge structure leading from the coextrusion die or of the die structure or of both structures to a temperature during the extrusion procedure substantially no greater than will melt fat interfaced with such structure. The preferred heating means is a water jacket supplied with hot water of suitable temperature.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing raw, dry, corn kernals into a milled masa product for use in making corn chips, tortilla chips, and similar products, comprises the steps of heating and soaking such corn kernels, breaking the hulls of the soaked corn kernals, and forcing entirely the hull-broken, corn kernals through a plate perforated as a sieve, the perforations of the plate being very small relative to the size of the corn kernals. Preferably, the moisture content of the masa product is adjusted to about 50% by weight. The perforated plate is advantageously a closed-ended tube, within which a screw conveyor operates to transport the mass of hull-broken corn kernals through and along the tube to its midpoint from feed locations adjacent to the closed ends of the tube while forcing the mass through the perforations of the tube.

Abstract: Deboning machines of the type in which an auger conveys ground meat and bone materials through a perforated conduit from one end thereof while exerting pressure on said materials to force meat components out of the conduit through the perforations thereof at the same time that bone components are being conveyed to discharge at the other end of the conduit through and adjustable valve ring which surrounds an extension of the auger and is adapted to control pressure within the conduit, are improved by constructing the valve ring with an internal, circumferential series of indentations confronting the auger extension and extending axially so as to be open to discharge for positively expelling bone components. Preferably, the indentations are of scallop formation and the confronting face of the auger extension passing through the valve ring is provided with a circumferential series of axially extending recesses that cooperate with the indentation of the valve ring in facilitating discharge of bone components.

Abstract: Cooked potato pieces containing the skins, eyes, and hard defective flesh portions of the whole potatoes from which such pieces are prepared are fed into one end of a perforated conduit having perforations that are only large enough to pass the potato flesh, and are transported along the length of such conduit by a conveyor screw while pressure is exerted sufficient to pass only the potato flesh through the perforations, with minimal, if any, damage to the cells thereof. Potato mash substantially free of skins, eyes, and hard defective flesh portions is collected from the outer face of the conduit as the principal product of the process, while the rejected potato skins, eyes, and hard defective flesh portions are discharged at the opposite end of the conduit as a by-product useful for animal feed or otherwise.

Abstract: Raw or partially cooked animal skins containing fats and oils from which the surface hair has been removed are ground into particles and fed into the end of a perforated conduit that has a conveyor screw therein which progressively decreases in conveying capacity from the feed end of the conduit to an imperforate discharge end thereof. Without the application of heat, the skin particles are compacted within the imperforate discharge end of the conduit by an extension of the conveyor screw prior to discharge following buildup and conveyance along the interior surface of the imperforate portion of the conduit through which edible fats and oils are forced toward and through the perforations of the conduit to provide a substantially fat free animal skin.

Abstract: Conveyor screws located in side-by-side relationship on fixed, substantially horizontal axes at the bottom of a closed vessel are adapted to be rotated to provide mixing action. Means are provided for continuously supplying the vessel with meat material and with carbon dioxide. There is a discharge outlet in alignment with one of the conveyor screws, so mixed material will be continuously discharged from the vessel.

Abstract: Material obtained from animals, poultry, or fish and containing edible flesh along with normally inedible relatively hard or tough components, such as bone, gristle, tendons, etc., is fed in ground condition into one end of a perforated conduit that has a conveyor srew therein which progressively decreases in conveying capacity from the feed end of the conduit to an imperforate discharge end thereof. Such inedible components are compacted within the imperforate discharge end of the conduit by an extension of the conveyor screw prior to discharge following build-up and conveyance along the interior surface of the perforate portion of the conduit as a filter mat through which edible flesh is forced toward and through the perforations of the conduit to provide a substantially bone-free edible product. The discharge passage surrounding the .[.exeension.]. .Iadd.extension .Iaddend.

Abstract: Material obtained from animals, poultry, or fish and containing edible flesh along with normally inedible relatively hard or tough components, such as bone, gristle, tendons, etc., is fed in ground condition into one end of a perforated conduit that has a conveyor screw therein which progressively decreases in conveying capacity from the feed end of the conduit to an imperforate discharge end thereof. Such inedible components are compacted within the imperforate discharge end of the conduit by an extension of the conveyor screw prior to discharge following build-up and conveyance along the interior surface of the perforate portion of the conduit as a filter mat through which edible flesh is forced toward and through the perforations of the conduit to provide a substantially bonefree edible product.

Abstract: Material obtained from animals, poultry, or fish and containing edible flesh along with normally inedible relatively hard or tough components, such as bone, gristle, tendons, etc., is fed in ground condition into one end of a perforated conduit that has a conveyor screw therein which progressively decreases in conveying capacity from the feed end of the conduit to an imperforate discharge end thereof. Such inedible components are compacted within the imperforate discharge end of the conduit by an extension of the conveyor screw prior to discharge following build-up and conveyance along the interior surface of the perforate portion of the conduit as a filter mat through which edible flesh is forced toward and through the perforations of the conduit to provide a substantially bonefree edible product.