Abstract: A system for configuring a stack of layers of boxes to fill an enclosed compartment or cargo space in sequential stack positions according to measurements of the compartment as stored by a computer and the box layer height as determined by the computer. The computer calculates the maximum height of the stack and each predetermined stack location within the cargo space necessary to fill the enclosed cargo space and, through a programmable logic controller, directs a delayering clamp to index itself relative to a stack of boxes, and then removes as many boxes as necessary from the stack. The remaining layers of boxes in the stack are then fed to a stretch-wrap station where the remaining layers of the stack are rotated while the stretch wrap is being applied. The stretch-wrapped stack is then transferred to a station for holding for a forklift or other device to take it into the enclosed cargo area and stack it.

Abstract: Material, for example food material, is extruded through an extrusion die and cut into individual portions by a cutter blade which reciprocates across the die. A hot air blower device directs hot air against the cutter blade to prevent the food material, e.g., pretzel dough, from adhering to or accumulating on the cutter blade, thereby reducing machine down time caused by the need to periodically stop and clean the cutter blade. The hot air blower device receives cool air which is passed through the hot air tools and expelled as hot air by a fan-shaped nozzle disposed opposite the cutter blade.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the salt content of snack foods by X-ray radiation backscatter. The snack food is irradiated with low-energy X-ray radiation in the range of from about 4 keV to about 12 keV. A detector of backscatter radiation is placed above the snack food at a distance in the range of from about 2 inches up to about 8 inches. The detected X-ray backscatter radiation intensity from the snack food is found at an energy level above the kilo-electron volts range of chlorine X-rays. The detected X-ray backscatter radiation intensity is representative of the snack food salt content and can be used to adjust the amount of salt or seasoning containing salt being applied to snack foods in a continuous on-line process.

Abstract: A method for producing seasoned food products where seasoning is performed at individual packaging lines. The product is conveyed from the preparation area to a packaging area in an unseasoned condition. Upon reaching the packaging lines, which are disposed in packaging departments in the packaging area, the product can be selectively seasoned independent of other packaging lines. After seasoning, the product is packaged and prepared for delivery. At each packaging line, a volumetric feeder includes a feed head that cooperates with a tumbler having helical flights to produce continuous controlled product portions. A seasoning dispenser is positionable within the tumbler and can be adjusted to dispense a given weight of seasoning at a given rate, based on the amount of product passing through the tumbler, to obtain consistent seasoning levels and coverage.

Abstract: A box stacker uniquely able to semiautomatically load, in place, inside a variety of enclosures, columns of stackable boxes, said box stacker being in the form of a movable structure that has a conveyor belt carrying structure attached thereto in a cantilevered fashion. The conveyor belt carrying structure has an inner end and an outer end and carries spaced boxes thereon to be stacked. A speed-up belt carrying structure has an inner end attached to the outer end of the conveyor belt carrying structure and receives boxes from the conveyor belt. A lift device automatically raises the conveyor belt carrying structure in predetermined increments to successively deposit boxes on a column or stack and a drive arrangement is coupled to the speed-up belt for driving the speed-up belt at a greater speed than the conveyor belt to eject the boxes from the speed-up belt onto the column or stack.

Abstract: A plastic packaging material which, when formed as a package having seams, will provide a predictable line of failure along a seam when the package is opened to prevent the package from tearing down the side. The predictable failure path is provided through a lamination process involving specific resins or blends of resins laminated in three (or more) layers in which an extruded inner layer forms a weak inner bond wholly within that inner layer to create the predictable line of failure and in which the process of forming the material does not inhibit processing speed, efficiency, and economics of materials used to provide this reliable openability.

Abstract: Material, for example food material, is extruded through an extrusion die and cut into individual portions by a cutter blade which reciprocates across the die. A hot air blower device directs hot air against the cutter blade to prevent the food material, e.g., pretzel dough, from adhering to or accumulating on the cutter blade, thereby reducing machine down time caused by the need to periodically stop and clean the cutter blade. The hot air blower device receives cool air which is passed through the hot air tools and expelled as hot air by a fan-shaped nozzle disposed opposite the cutter blade.

Abstract: Potato chips having hardbite texture and flavor characteristics of kettle-fried potato chips are produced in an apparatus comprising a fry kettle with cooking oil circulation and heat transfer means. Production efficiency is greatly increased over conventional batch preparation of kettle-style chips; batch size is significantly increased and total fry time is advantageously decreased. In certain embodiments the batchwise preparation process includes the step of selecting texture-setting potato slice dehydration rate conditions for at least a segment of the frying time, which ends before the moisture content of the slices is reduced to about 45% by weight or less. Selecting appropriate dehydration rate conditions enables the production of potato chips of a variety of textural characteristics over varying cooking oil time/temperature profiles.

Abstract: A process for co-dispensing beverages and snack food products from a single vending machine, and a vending machine including filled beverage and snack food containers. Filled beverage containers and filled snack food containers are stored in the vending machine and a buyer, upon payment, product selection, etc., can obtain both a beverage, e.g., a soft drink, and a snack food, e.g., corn chips, from a single machine. The beverage and snack food containers preferably are of substantially the same size so that a vending machine of the type which dispenses containers having a uniform size may be used to carry out the present invention. An automatic door-opening mechanism opens the dispensing door of a vending machine when a snack food container is selected to avoid problems due to the snack food container being too light to open the door under the force of gravity.

Abstract: A dual-stage process for preparing potato chips having a centralized first stage continuous process for preparing potato slices for indefinite storage and a second stage continuous process for preparing potato chips for consumer use.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a sheet of material, e.g., dough or masa, from a supply of the material includes a pair of rotatable rollers that define therebetween a gap into which is input a dough mass and out of which is produced a dough sheet. Fluctuations in the size of the roller gap are sensed by detecting changes in the position of one of the rollers, which changes are input to a servo system that automatically corrects the position of the one roller so as to maintain the proper gap size. The one roller is movably mounted in scissor-like fashion and is easily driven by a servo motor. A cutter is provided which presses against one of the rollers to cut individual dough portions from the sheet. The ends of the cutter are subjected to a bending moment which induces a camber in the cutter. This prevents the central portion of the cutter from bowing away from the roller and ensures uniform pressure between the cutter and roller, even for applications with an extremely long cutter and rollers.

Abstract: A process for making a half-product used in forming puffed food products, the apparatus having two rollers, with at least one of them being a cutter roller having cutting teeth, rotating against each other. Product flows between the two rollers in the form of dough strips and an air nozzle is disposed between them to provide air flow causing deformation of the product and forming an air pocket. The teeth may be on both rollers and in meshing contact with one another. The teeth also have a V-shape with a rounded radius at the cutting end so that it rolls into the dough product and back out thereof to form a large sealing surface between the two pieces of dough and forming an improved seal so that when the food product is fried the sealed area does not split open from increased pressure inside the hollow food product.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a replaceable blade cartridge and a compatible assembly for holding the cartridge wherein an old blade cartridge is slidably removed from the holding assembly and a new blade is slidably inserted into the holding assembly. Specifically, a replaceable blade cartridge for use in a compatible cutting head assembly of a centrifugal type slicer is disclosed.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for producing seasoned food products where seasoning is performed at individual packaging lines. The product is conveyed from the preparation area to a packaging area in an unseasoned condition. Upon reaching the packaging lines, which are disposed in packaging departments in the packaging area, the product can be selectively seasoned independent of other packaging lines. After seasoning, the product is packaged and prepared for delivery. At each packaging line, a volumetric feeder includes a feed head that cooperates with a tumbler having helical flights to produce continuous controlled product portions. A seasoning dispenser is positionable within the tumbler and can be adjusted to dispense a given weight of seasoning at a given rate, based on the amount of product passing through the tumbler, to obtain consistent seasoning levels and coverage.

Abstract: A water spray process for providing moisture to chip-type food products to cause them to curl when dried. The amount of curling is directly related to the amount of moisture applied to the top surface of the chips. Following the water spray addition, the product may be transferred to a salting conveyor where salt may be deposited in a continuous curtain onto the top surface of the product. The water sprayed top surface provides the adhesive for the salt.

Abstract: A novel pretzel chip is produced by extruding pretzel dough to form a dough extrudate comprising concentric dough rings that are interconnected and partially fused. The extrudate is sliced, and the slices are cooked following conventional pretzel cooking procedures. The dough is extruded through a die than includes a dough inlet having a plurality of metering passages arranged in concentric circles, a die interior comprised of a dough passageway containing a plurality of arcuate divider walls arranged in concentric circles, with each of the arcuate divider walls comprised of a base portion affixed to the dough inlet and a tip portion that is recessed from a dough exit port.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a sheet of material, e.g., dough or masa, from a supply of the material includes a pair of rotatable rollers that define therebetween a gap into which is input a dough mass and out of which is produced a dough sheet. Fluctuations in the size of the roller gap are sensed by detecting changes in the position of one of the rollers, which changes are input to a servo system that automatically corrects the position of the one roller so as to maintain the proper gap size. The one roller is movably mounted in scissor-like fashion and is easily driven by a servo motor. A cutter is provided which presses against one of the rollers to cut individual dough portions from the sheet. The ends of the cutter are subjected to a bending moment which induces a camber in the cutter. This prevents the central portion of the cutter from bowing away from the roller and ensures uniform pressure between the cutter and roller, even for applications with an extremely long cutter and rollers.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a sheet of material from a supply of the material includes a pair of rotatable rolls that define a gap which forms the material into a sheet. The size of the roll gap is maintained constant during the sheeting operation despite forces exerted on the apparatus caused by inconsistencies in the material being sheeted. The apparatus has a force-applying mechanism which applies a selected amount of force against one of the rolls to bias the one roll toward the other roll, the amount of force being sufficient to overcome any force exerted on the apparatus by the material during sheeting, which forces would otherwise result in variations in the size of the roll gap and the thickness of the resulting product. The one roll is movably mounted in scissor-like fashion and is acted on by the force-applying mechanism in a direction which biases the one roll against the other roll.

Abstract: A gravity accumulation conveyor apparatus for transporting objects from an upstream end to a downstream end under the influence of gravity as the objects traverse a plurality of rollers, the apparatus having at least one roller zone including a plurality of nondriven rollers having an upstream roller and a spaced downstream roller. A flexible connector such as an O-ring is in mechanical engagement with only the upstream roller and the spaced downstream roller such that only the upstream roller and the downstream roller move in synchronism. When a first object is stopped on the downstream roller, a second object engaging the upstream roller also tends to be stopped. When the first object moves on the downstream roller, the second object engaging the upstream roller is caused to move.

Abstract: A process for co-dispensing beverages and snack food products from a single vending machine. Filled beverage containers and filled snack food containers are stored in the vending machine and a buyer, upon payment, product selection, etc., can obtain both a beverage, e.g., a soft drink, and a snack food, e.g., corn chips, from a single machine. The beverage and snack food containers preferably are of substantially the same size so that a vending machine of the type which dispenses containers having a uniform size may be used to carry out the present invention. A process for packaging snack food product in cylindrical containers also is disclosed.