Abstract: The present invention provides a combination continuous and batch filtration system for a recirculating fryer where the continuous filter and batch filter assemblies are integrated into a single unit, utilizing a common pump. This unit is substantially compact and is therefore able to fit within the frame of most recirculating fryers. The outlets of the continuous filter and the batch filter are connected to a two-way valve, which is, in turn, connected to the inlet of the common pump. The valve allows an operator to selectively pump cooking fluid from either the continuous filter or the batch filter back into the fryer vat.

Abstract: A pasta cooker which includes an open water tank shaped to receive pasta for cooking, a heater for boiling water in the tank, a trough positioned to receive and collect starch foam from an upper surface of the water in tank, and a drain for draining water from the trough and tank, the drain including a screen box for filtering pasta particles and starch foam from drained water to prevent clogging of drains downstream of the screen box. The trough is coextensive with a front upper edge of the water tank, and the cooker includes a water fill valve which is actuatable to fill the tank such that a small amount of water continuously washes over from the tank into the trough during the cooking of pasta, thereby conveying starch foam floating on the upper surface of the water of the tank to the trough. The screen box includes a removable drawer having perforated sides and positioned to receive the water and starch foam drained from the trough and tank.

Abstract: A temperature control circuit which is capable of operating a microprocessor on a very low voltage source. The temperature control circuit uses a pair of field effect transistors and a zener diode in an oscillator circuit to amplify the source voltage. A microprocessor is supplied by the amplified source voltage, and is connected through a transistor to a temperature sensing portion of the circuit. The microprocessor uses the transistor to turn the power to the temperature sensing circuit portion off between temperature samples. By turning the temperature sensing circuit power off between samples, the average power drain by the control circuit is an amount that can be met by the amplified voltage from the low voltage source.

Abstract: A pasta cooker which includes an open water tank shaped to receive pasta for cooking, a heater for boiling water in the tank, a trough positioned to receive and collect starch foam from an upper surface of the water in tank, and a drain for draining water from the trough and tank, the drain including a screen box for filtering pasta particles and starch foam from drained water to prevent clogging of drains downstream of the screen box. The trough is coextensive with a front upper edge of the water tank, and the cooker includes a water fill valve which is actuatable to fill the tank such that a small amount of water continuously washes over from the tank into the trough during the cooking of pasta, thereby conveying starch foam floating on the upper surface of the water of the tank to the trough. The screen box includes a removable drawer having perforated sides and positioned to receive the water and starch foam drained the from the trough and tank.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for printing and applying labels to packages which can vary in height over a large range, for example from a minimum height of 0.5 inches to and including a maximum height of 5.5 inches. A label applier is pivotally mounted and gravity biased toward a lowermost position adjacent a package conveyor with the label applier being upwardly pivoted by packages passing thereunder to accommodate the wide range of package heights. Packages are sensed on the conveyor as they move toward the label applier which prints and holds labels with the adhesive coated sides of the labels unexposed until the expiration of periods of time based upon package sensing. By timing label application to occur upon the expiration of such time periods, the labels are applied to preferred areas of the upper surfaces of the packages adjacent either the leading side edges or the trailing side edges of the packages as defined by direction of package conveyance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for storing and dispensing comestibles, such as ice cream, has a cabinet defining an interior for holding a plurality of stacked ice cream containing magazines. A refrigeration system for cooling the interior of the cabinet below the freezing point of the ice cream is connected thereto. An X-Y picker assembly is positioned in the cabinet interior to transport ice cream from the selected magazine without heating the selected ice cream container or any other ice cream containers stored therein. The ice cream is carried by the X-Y picker assembly to a dispensing opening in the cabinet from which it can be accessed by the consumer. A nonvolatile information storage device is associated with the plurality of magazines and contains product characteristic information therein related to the flavors of ice cream in the magazines. A mapping system maps switch closures from product selection switches with the product characteristic information.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for storing and dispensing comestibles, such as ice cream, has a cabinet defining an interior for holding a plurality of stacked ice cream containing magazines. A refrigeration system for cooling the interior of the cabinet below the freezing point of the ice cream is connected thereto. An X-Y picker assembly is positioned in the cabinet interior to transport ice cream from the selected magazine without heating the selected ice cream container or any other ice cream containers stored therein. The ice cream is carried by the X-Y picker assembly to a dispensing opening in the cabinet from which it can be accessed by the consumer. A nonvolatile information storage device is associated with the plurality of magazines and contains product characteristic information therein related to the flavors of ice cream in the magazines. A mapping system maps switch closures from product selection switches with the product characteristic information.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for storing and dispensing comestibles, such as ice cream, has a cabinet defining an interior for holding a plurality of stacked ice cream containing magazines. A refrigeration system for cooling the interior of the cabinet below the freezing point of the ice cream is connected thereto. An X-Y picker assembly is positioned in the cabinet interior to transport ice cream from the selected magazine without heating the selected ice cream container or any other ice cream containers stored therein. The ice cream is carried by the X-Y picker assembly to a dispensing opening in the cabinet from which it can be accessed by the consumer. A nonvolatile information storage device is associated with the plurality of magazines and contains product characteristic information therein related to the flavors of ice cream in the magazines. A mapping system maps switch closures from product selection switches with the product characteristic information.

Abstract: Automatic package shingling device deposits packages exiting from an end of a package conveyor onto an elongated platter moving in coordination with package movement below the package conveyor. Controls are provided to arrest package feed when a first platter is filled, until such time as a second, empty platter is placed into package-receiving position.

Abstract: An elevator package wrapping machine comprises a film gripper for initially drawing fixed lengths of film into the machine. While the film is held by the film gripper and side clamps, a package is elevated into the film such that the height of the package draws a first addition to the film drawn by the gripper, if required. Film side and rear underfolders fold the lateral edges of the film and the rear edge of the film extending from the film source under the packages, respectively. A film cutter is provided for severing the film from its source as the packages are being wrapped, and the cutter is controlled such that the timing of its operation is based on package length. By timing the operation of the film cutter to correspond to package length, a second film addition may be drawn by the rear underfolder during package wrapping, if required.

Abstract: A food mixer of the planetary type has a detachable bowl scraper mounted on a supporting member for orbiting the beater. The mounting means comprises a bracket fastened to the main drive shaft of the mixer by means of a single bolt. The scraper includes an arm which is detachably mounted to the bracket. The bracket is restrained against angular movement about the bolt and the scraper arm is restrained against relative movement about the bracket when in operative position.

Abstract: Packages to be wrapped, weighed and labeled are fed manually into an infeed station of a wrapping and weighing machine from an operator's position. A conveyor then carries them to a wrapping station. The packages are automatically wrapped at the wrapping station and returned to a weighing scale positioned above the infeed station at the operator's position where the packages are weighed and a label is printed adjacent the weighing scale and within convenient reach of the operator. The label is then manually applied by the operator as the wrapped and weighed package is removed from the scale. The wrapping station engages in continued cyclic operation so long as there are any packages in the machine. However, the conveyor operates on a demand basis in response to the placement of packages into the infeed. When a package is sensed, the conveyor goes through one operating cycle in synchronism with the operation of the wrapping station.

Abstract: A label transfer arm having a central axis and comprising a socket body with a transfer nozzle rotatably mounted therein engages labels delivered to a label pickup station and transfers them to a label delivery station. An applicator head strips the labels from the transfer arm and moves them along a fixed path from the label delivery station to a package labeling station to apply the labels to packages. Transfer arm guiding rails are positioned on either side of the label transfer arm for engaging an eccentric collar attached to the transfer nozzle to thereby orient the transfer nozzle into a fixed angular orientation about the central axis of the transfer arm when the transfer arm is at the label delivery station. An operator-controllable selector ring is rotatably mounted to the socket body of the arm and is freely rotatable between selected locations defined by detents.

Abstract: A commercial warewasher is disclosed, in which racks of soiled ware, such as dishes, are consecutively washed through a machine cycle which includes recirculating wash water over the ware followed by a fresh water spray rinse. A portion of the wash water is drained and a second portion is intentionally retained in the machine during the rinse period after each rack of dishes is washed. The retained portion is thereby combined with the fresh rinse water to provide a volume of water sufficient for pumped wash recirculation for the next rack without cavitation, while enabling usage of a minimum quantity of rinse water required to provide effective rinsing. Reduced water consumption, reduced energy to heat the water and reduced chemical usage (detergents, sanitizers and rinse agents) are all possible in amounts and degrees depending upon the type and design of warewasher with which the method and apparatus is employed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for printing and applying two differing labels each including human readable information onto substantially rectangular packages in a manner such that the information on both labels is readable from one of at least two selectable side edges of the packages. A first label is applied in a selected physical angular orientation by a first label applier such that the human readable information thereon can be read from one selected side edge of the packages. The human readable information for a second label is stored as digital data which is assembled in a print buffer such that when it is printed onto the second label the information can be read from the same selected side edge of the packages once the second label is applied in a fixed physical angular orientation by a second label applier.

Abstract: A hand-operated food mixing/folding device for doughs, sauces, mousse or the like incorporates a rounded or contoured bottom bowl provided with a mount which removably supports the bowl on a conventional kitchen counter or table, the axis of the bowl extending at an angle of approximately 45.degree. to vertical. A mixer arm is mounted for rotation around the axis of the bowl, and has a driving connection to a hand crank supported by the mount. Preferably the mount includes a vertically extending post fitted with a clamp mechanism at its lower end which can grip the edge of a table or countertop and support the bowl in the aforementioned orientation. The mixer arm has a contoured lifting/folding surface with a leading edge (preferably flexible) closely following the sidewall contour of the bowl, and a knife edge on an opposite part of said arm from the folding surface.

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording material having a fluorescent color comprising a support, a thermosensitive recording layer formed on one side of the support, the thermosensitive recording layer comprising (i) a thermosensitive recording system capable of producing color upon application of heat thereto and (ii) a colored fluorescent dye composition by which the recording material has high recognition ability; and optionally an adhesive layer formed on the opposite side of the support.

Abstract: A support for an appliance leg or the like, wherein the appliance includes a frame member to which an adjustable leg is attached, comprises a generally elongate base member having a relatively flat center portion and two upturned distal end portions. Guide means are connected to the center portion of the base member for suspending the base member in floating fashion from the frame member. Anti-friction means are secured to the underside of the base member for sliding contact with a floor. The support is installed to the frame member beneath a typical adjustable appliance leg such that the pad of the leg bears on the center portion of the base member. As so installed the support provides essentially a skid which allows for the ready adjustment of the leg while permitting the appliance to be freely moved across uneven or tiled floor surfaces.

Abstract: A self-cleaning continuous cooking oven is provided which is capable of rapidly cooking different foodstuffs with a recirculated hot air. The oven has a cabinet defining said oven cavity, an inlet chute for food portions to be cooked, and an outlet chute for cooked food portions. These chutes may be sealed during an oven cleaning cycle. Within the cavity there is a rotatable cooking chamber including a cylindrical wall having a longitudinal axis and having an inlet end and an outlet end. A conveying member extends along and projects inward from the interior of the cylindrical wall defining a food carrying passage extending to the outlet end of said cooking chamber, and food passed into the inlet chute progresses through the chamber and exits via the outlet chute means rotatably supporting said cooking chamber in said oven cavity with said inlet end adjacent said inlet chute and said outlet end discharging to said outlet chute.

Abstract: A method for positioning articled to be processed by a machine is performed by apparatus comprising first and second article guide members which convergently extend into an article entryway along which articles are conveyed. The guide members are spring biased into an article positioning orientation across at least a portion of the entryway and maintained in that article positioning orientation by first and second levers extending beneath the article entryway and including an interlock. The interlock releases the article guide members only upon an article contacting both of the guide members. The interlock comprises a release slot and at least one locking notch extending from one side of one end of the slot on one lever and a pin for engaging the slot and locking notch on the other lever.