Abstract: Soft and moist vegetables are kneaded, severed and partially homogenized by a feed screw which rotates in a barrel and are admitted into a mincing unit wherein the partially homogenized material is severed by knives of a rotor which is surrounded by an apertured cylindrical stator. The comminuted material is thereupon caused to pass through the holes of an extruder and is severed behind the extruder to yield discrete crumbs which can be used as animal fodder or dried and ground to yield flour or farina, particularly flour or farina which can be used for the baking of tortillas. Vegetables which are admitted into the barrel are freshly harvested (such vegetables may include banana peels) or cooked. For example, dried grains of maize can be cooked in the presence of water and rinsed prior to admission into the barrel.

Abstract: The actuation apparatus for the movable mold parts or halves of an injection molding machine, especially for the manufacture of foamed plastic articles, comprises pairs of toggle-lever rods with the toggle-lever rods of each pair being movable in essentially parallel planes which are spaced from one another. The toggle-lever rods of each pair are arranged between a movable mold support plate and a stationary toggle plate, and can be conjointly selectively extended or retracted by means of a driven toggle head. The planes within which the toggle-lever rods operate extend obliquely across the movable mold support plate and the toggle plate, and the pairs of toggle-lever rods are arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of a vertical plane of symmetry containing the central longitudinal axis of the machine.

Abstract: A shot sleeve, for receiving a metered quantity of melt through an inlet or filling opening and connected to the mold cavity, has its volume continuously diminished in such a manner as to maintain a constant communication between the space above the melt in the shot sleeve and the mold cavity for escape of all the gas or air above the melt into the mold cavity before the opening of the shot sleeve into the mold cavity is completely closed by the advancing melt. This is effected, during the shot-pre-filling phase, by an accelerated motion of an injection piston from a rest position, at which the filling inlet to the shot sleeve is open, through the shot sleeve toward the mold cavity opening. As a result of the accelerated motion of the piston, the melt spreads over the melt engaging surface of the injection piston and the formation of a standing wave is prevented.

Abstract: A device for regulating the flow of moldable material from a mold which has two mold parts which are separable along a parting plane or surface with a vent passage defined along the plane which extends from the interior of the mold to atmosphere or to a venting apparatus such as a venting pump. One of the mold parts is provided with a recess adjacent the mold separating plane which includes a block having a vent continuation passage which communicates with the vent passage. The vent continuation passage includes a first elongated vent continuation passage portion which communicates with the lower end of a piston bore for a regulating piston which is displaceable in the bore against biasing means by an outflow of the moldable material.

Abstract: In the method, a shot sleeve, for receiving a metered quantity of melt through an inlet or filling opening and connected to the mold cavity, has its volume continuously diminished in such a manner as to maintain a constant communication between the space above the melt in the shot sleeve and the mold cavity for escape of all the gas or air above the melt into the mold cavity before the opening of the shot sleeve into the mold cavity is completely closed by the advancing melt. This is effected, during the shot-pre-filling phase, by an accelerated motion of an injection piston from a rest position, at which the filling inlet to the shot sleeve is open, through the shot sleeve toward the mold cavity opening. As a result of the accelerated motion of the piston, the melt spreads over the melt engaging surface of the injection piston and the formation of a standing wave is prevented.

Abstract: The valve arrangement includes four main control valves connected in a bridge circuit connected, at one end of a first diagonal, to a source of fluid under pressure and, at the other end of the first diagonal, to a fluid reservoir. Opposite ends of a second diagonal of the bridge are connected to inlet and outlet ports of the operated device. The arrangement includes two pressure adjusting valves, each connected to a respective pair of main control valves. In one bridge circuit, the main control valves are pressure limiting valves and each pair of main control valves includes one main control valve in one branch of the bridge circuit and another main control valve in the other branch of the bridge circuit.

Abstract: A process for making foods and animal feeds from starchy raw materials, such as flour, meal and grits of cereals, pulses, starch roots, tubers, oil seeds, cakes of oil seeds, milk products, or mixtures of these materials, which includes the steps of: mixing water and at least one high-temperature resistant enzyme with the raw materials to form an extrudable paste; effecting partial gelatinization and initiating fermentation by extruding the paste while heating the paste to a temperature of from 65.degree.C (149.degree.F) to 115.degree.C (239.degree.F); converting the starch into dextrins and sugars by treating the extruded product in a fermentation apparatus for 40 to 90 minutes at a temperature of 55.degree.C (131.degree.F) to 90.degree.C (194.degree.F) in a high humidity atmosphere, as near as possible to saturation; and drying the product after fermentation.