Abstract: A vertically extending heat exchanger is provided in which an elongated dasher is rotatably mounted within an upright cylindrical chamber. The exterior surface of the dasher coacts with the interior surface of the chamber to form a product flow passage. The opposite side of the chamber interior surface is in contact with a heat exchange medium. The dasher is selectively movable longitudinally of the chamber between operative and inoperative modes. When in the operative mode, the dasher is fully assembled within the chamber and is supported at opposite ends by upper and lower endwall assemblies, the latter being mounted, respectively, on the upper and lower exterior end portions of the chamber. The dasher is movable to the inoperative mode when the lower endwall assembly is disassembled from the chamber and the dasher is lowered through the lower end portion of the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for blending and emulsifying a dry product with a viscous product, the latter being disposed to a predetermined level within a tank. The tank is provided with a dry product inlet disposed above the level of the viscous product. The apparatus includes a power actuated rotary agitator immersed within the viscous product and, when rotating at a predetermined speed, causes the viscous product to form a vortex into which the dry product is fed through the tank inlet. The agitator is provided with first and second disc members arranged in spaced, substantially parallel relation. One of the disc members is provided with an enlarged central opening. The disc members are interconnected to one another by a plurality of symmetrically arranged baffles. The periphery of at least one of the disc members is provided with a plurality of symmetrically arranged shear blades.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger is provided which includes a plurality of plates mounted in abutting face-to-face relation. Interposed adjacent plates is a sealing gasket. The plates are held in assembled relation by an adjustable press. Each plate is provided with an extruded first section having second sections secured to opposite peripheral segments thereof. Each section is provided with broad opposed exterior surfaces. The first section has a plurality of internal passages formed therein defining first flow-paths for a first heat exchange medium. The opposed broad exterior surfaces of adjacent plates coact with the sealing gasket to define second flow-paths for a second heat exchange medium. The pressure exerted on the plates by the press to maintain same in abutting relation is determined by the maximum pressure generated by the second heat exchange medium within the second flow-paths during operation of the plate heat exchanger.

Abstract: A refrigerant transfer system is provided embodying a pump for controlling the level of liquid refrigerant within a suction header of an evaporator unit. The pump includes a pair of elongated chambers in endwise relation. One chamber has a substantially greater cross-sectional area than the second chamber. Opposite ends of each chamber have port means. A first set of inlet and outlet valve means is connected to the port means at each end of said one chamber. Each inlet valve means is alternately connected to a source of pressurized fluid. A second set of inlet and outlet valve means is connected to the port means at each end of the second chamber. Each inlet valve means of the second set communicates with a lower portion of the evaporator suction header. The heads of a double-headed piston are disposed within the chambers. Control means are operatively connected to the first set of inlet valve means for controlling the direction of movement of the piston heads within the chambers.

Abstract: A positive displacement rotary pump is provided for use in circulating a viscous product at high pressures. The pump includes a housing having a product inlet and a product outlet communicating with an interior cavity. One wall of the cavity is defined by a removable cover. A pair of spaced substantially parallel shafts extends through a wall of the cavity opposite the cover wall. One end of each shaft is supported by the cover. A pair of meshing rotors is locked on the shafts and disposed uniformly within the cavity. The endface of each rotor adjacent the removable cover has a substantial countersunk portion. Bearing means, substantially isolated from the product, is disposed within each rotor endface countersunk portion and supportingly engages a segment of the rotor shaft one end. At least a portion of each bearing means is located between planes defined by the surfaces of the cover and the wall opposite thereto which coacts to form the cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus of high capacity is provided for simultaneously filling a plurality of individual containers into a predetermined number of empty cases. The containers are conveyed to two staging areas disposed in adjacent relation to a first station and then are simultaneously moved from each staging area to the first station. When the containers are disposed at the first station, they are arranged in a predetermined pattern which is compatible with the interior configuration of the cases into which they are to be loaded. A second station is provided which is disposed beneath the first station and is adapted to receive a predetermined number of empty cases to be filled by the container positioned at the first station. A means is provided which releasably engages the containers at the first station, lowers said containers into the empty cases at the second station, and then releases the containers in the cases and returns to its initial position.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for use in combination with a supporting surface for handling a plurality of articles segregated into separate groups with each group having the articles thereof arranged in a predetermined pattern. The apparatus includes an upright framework having an infeed section and a discharge section. The sections are adapted to be disposed adjacent spaced peripheral segments of the surface. Each group is successively positioned initially at a station disposed at the infeed section. A plurality of frame elements are movably carried on the framework and are actuated by a first means in a timed sequence so that a frame element is moved into an encompassing relation with a group of articles disposed at the station. The group and encompassing frame element are moved as a unit by a second means from the station across the surface to the discharge section.

Abstract: A material handling system is provided for preventing direct contact between products as they are successively fed through a contact plate freezer. Each successively fed product is encompassed by a framelike member prior to entering the freezer. Each framelike member is of substantially rigid construction and has sidewalls having a height substantially equal to the height of the encompassed product. As the encompassed products are fed through the freezer, the framelike members of successive products abut one another. Upon being discharged from the freezer, the framelike member is removed from the frozen product.

Abstract: An ultrahigh temperature heating system is provided for use in obtaining controlled heating of a liquid product. The system includes an upright chamber into which a controlled amount of liquid product flows and then descends through the chamber in a curtain-like pattern. The descending product passes a steam inlet provided in the chamber wall and is intermixed with and heated by a controlled amount of entering steam whereby the temperature of the descending product is increased to a predetermined amount. A pump is connected to an outlet formed in the lower portion of the chamber and removes therefrom the mixture of product, condensate, noncondensable gas, and steam so as to prevent an accumulation therein of said mixture while at the same time maintaining a predetermined pressure within the chamber. The discharge side of the pump is connected to an intermixing means causing all of the steam entrained in the product to condense.

Abstract: A dasher assembly is provided for use within the cylindrical freezer chamber of a continuous ice cream freezer or the like. The dasher assembly includes an elongated imperforate first section which coacts with a portion of the chamber interior surface to form an elongated annular narrow passage through which a product entering the chamber is caused to initially flow at a predetermined rate so that the product upon leaving the passage has attained a predetermined temperature and viscosity whereby air, or similar fluid, mixed with the product will not migrate through the chamber and cause the product dispensed from the chamber to have uneven overrun. Affixed to and extending longitudinally from the first section is an elongated skeletal second section. The first and second sections are power driven to rotate as a unit.

Abstract: An agitator construction is provided for use with a dasher assembly rotatably mounted within an elongated cylindrical chamber through which a viscous product is caused to flow. The dasher assembly includes an elongated skeletal section having the periphery thereof in scraping engagement with the chamber interior surface. The agitator construction includes an elongated imperforate cylindrical support unit fixedly mounted within the skeletal section and having the central longitudinal axis of the unit offset with respect to the rotary axis of the dasher assembly. An elongated cagelike member is mounted in encompassing relation on the exterior of the support unit for rotation independently thereof about the central axis of the support unit in response to the rotation of the dasher assembly and the product flowing through the chamber.

Abstract: A positive fluid pump is provided which is capable of being cleaned in place by a circulating cleaning solution without the various pump components being disassembled. The impellers for the pump are rotatably mounted within a chamber formed in a housing. The inlet and the outlet for the chamber are separated from one another by the engaging impellers during normal operation of the pump. One of the side walls forming the pump chamber is provided with a cavity in which is slidably and sealingly mounted a wall piece. Under normal operation of the pump, the wall piece assumes a first position wherein one surface thereof is disposed adjacent the corresponding end faces of the impellers. When, the pump is being cleaned in place, the wall piece assumes a second position independently of the impellers wherein the one surface thereof is recessed from the pump chamber and the inlet and the outlet are interconnected permitting the cleaning solution to circulate through the chamber and around the impellers.