Abstract: A device for cooking fatty foods such as meat balls or other foods which are characterized by the production of liquid fat during the cooking process is disclosed. A pan having a bottom and upstanding side walls is provided. A removable heat-conductive tray is adapted to be supported in spaced relationship above the bottom of the pan. The tray includes a plurality of food supporting cavities and the bottom of each cavity is provided with a drain for permitting liquids removed from the food during cooking to drain into the bottom of the pan. Removable electric resistance heating means is adapted to be supported beneath the tray in heat conductive relation therewith for conducting heat to and throughout the tray sufficient to cook the food in the cavities, the heating means underlying the tray and positioned above the level of the drains so as to provide unrestricted passage of liquids emanating from food being cooked in the cavities for the drains to the bottom of the pan.

Abstract: A barbecue apparatus for roasting food such as meat, vegetables or the like over a bed of coals, is disclosed. The apparatus is adapted to automatically turn the food from time to time, by converting heat energy transferred from the bed of coals to an expansion member or from the expansion member to the atmosphere, to potential energy which is temporarily stored in a spring and released therefrom upon operation of a trigger mechanism, to alternately turn the food from a first position to a second position and vice versa.

Abstract: A rotatable platform rotatably mounted in a refrigerated compartment is adapted to support a plurality of chunks of meat thereon. An arm in the refrigerated compartment is in operative proximity with the platform and mounted to sweep chunks of meat off the platform. A meat grinder in the refrigerated compartment below the platform catches and grinds chunks of meat swept off the platform. The meat grinder has an output opening formed through its bottom, whereby meat ground by the meat grinder is provided at the output opening. A drive in the refrigerated compartment coupled to the platform and the meat grinder rotates the platform and operates the meat grinder to grind meat supplied to it. A patty member is placed in the refrigerated compartment beneath the output opening of the meat grinder, whereby ground meat at the output opening is dropped onto the patty member. The patty member has an upper surface and a plurality of depressions formed in the upper surface.

Abstract: A shear system for processing scrap is provided that includes guiding and catching walls for enhancing the loading of large items into the shear system. A tiltable hopper is provided with an open rear so that very large and long scrap items may be processed. The hopper is tiltable so that scrap items may be loaded with relatively smaller apparatus. The system operates to precrush the scrap material taking advantage of leverage yielded by using pivoting wing and flap crushing surfaces. Crushing forces are essentially relieved prior to shearing to decrease the likelihood of jamming of the shear head. The system is modular and may be shipped to and erected in remote locations where electric power for operating the system is not available. The system includes an enclosed and protected area for the power plant and control station.

Abstract: A waste baling machine having a baling or compression chamber of generally parallelopiped configuration is provided with a charging passage leading thereto with the head of a charging ram reciprocable in the passage and normally forming, in one position, a wall of the chamber. A discharge passage leads from the chamber at right angles to the charging passage and the head of a discharge ram, which when retracted forms a wall of the chamber, is advancable through the chamber and the discharge passage to eject waste material compressed in the chamber by the charging ram, i.e. a bale. If the bale is oversize and protrudes back into the charging passage, a portion of the wall of the discharge passage which forms a part of the charging passage is moved to enlarge the discharge passage sufficiently to permit ejection of the oversize bale.

Abstract: A refuse compaction unit comprises a refuse inlet, a compactor located below the refuse inlet and communicating therewith and an outlet communicating with the compactor on the opposite side thereof from the refuse inlet, the compactor being constituted of at least one comb-like rotor consisted of a plurality of outwardly projecting blades and at least one comb-like stator acting as a partition between the refuse inlet and refuse outlet and having a plurality of teeth with which the blades of the comb-like rotor interdigitate.

Abstract: A portable barbecue is disclosed herein having an enclosed, hooded grill with an exhaust chimney intended to eliminate much of the smoke and flame normally encountered during a barbecue cooking procedure. The grill is provided with a plurality of V-shaped channels for catching and transporting fats and juices from the cooking meat. A collector pan is carried along one end of the grill to receive the juices from the channels. The coals are disposed directly under the grill and a manual or motor drive is employed to raise and lower the grill with respect to the coal bed. A stabilizing ring on the grill encircling a rod maintains the grill in a substantially horizontal condition.

Abstract: A product press, for supporting product during processing, and having a support frame, at least one fixed tray member fixed to the support frame, at least one movable tray movable towards and away from the fixed tray for holding product, biasing means urging the movable tray towards the fixed tray for applying pressure to product stored therebetween, and means for releasably holding the trays apart.

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in refuse bins incorporating compacting means for domestic use, wherein the compacting plate comprises two upwardly oriented tabs which are placed in housings in the lid to be slidably associated with a control member. Catches facing opposite each other and borne by said tabs come into slides in the control member embedded in a groove in the lid. In this way, by subjecting the control member to a translation, it may, at the end of a stroke, be pivoted with respect to the catches in order to orient it vertically with a view to vertically actuating the compacting plate.

Abstract: A double track deep fat food fryer has a cooking vat, a central divider wall dividing the vat into a pair of side-by-side elongate cooking tracks, a dispenser above an upstream end of the vat for dispensing discrete pieces of food product to be fryed, a paddlewheel for propelling fat along the lengths of both cooking tracks, a flipper in each cooking track to flip the food pieces as they travel through the track, a remover to remove the food pieces from a downstream end of the tracks, a movable diverter barrier on an upstream end of the divider wall which diverts food pieces alternately between the cooking tracks, and an actuation linkage underneath the cooking tracks that connects the barrier, flipper and remover together and to a common motor.

Abstract: This invention relates to machines for manufacturing confectionery products which comprise a solid, gelatinous or pasty core uniformly coated with liquid and/or powdery products. Such machines comprise one or more helicoidal brushes composed of bristles which are implanted radially along helices over one or two shafts which are driven in rotation at a speed of less than 100 rpm in a trough which is open in its upper part and which has a height greater than that of the brushes and a cylindrical bottom.

Abstract: A system for automating the stacking of bundles onto a pallet, and including a stacker for positioning bundles of sheets into discrete stacks, a strapper for tying the bundles and a lift mechanism for raising the bundles to an elevation. A pallet is positioned onto a pallet holder at the elevation and the bundles are placed onto the elevated pallet. A lift means supports the pallet while bundles are continued to be placed thereon, and the pallet holder is then moved clear so that the pallet can be lowered for additional loading and for ultimate removal, with the removal process taking place while another pallet is placed onto the pallet holder.

Abstract: A water-carbonation system having a pressurized tank which is preferably cooled, a water supply and a CO.sub.2 gas supply. The CO.sub.2 gas supply has a pressure-reducing valve assembly in the supply line. The valve of this assembly is maintained in a closed position by the gas pressure in the tank. However, when this pressure falls below a predetermined limit, the valve will move to an open position to vent the tank to the atmosphere. A signal may be used in conjunction with the valve to notify an operator of the drop in pressure. The valve may also be manually operated to vent the tank. This water-carbonation system can be used in beverage dispensers in which the carbonized water is mixed with beverage concentrates to prepare a beverage that is ready for consumption.

Abstract: An apparatus for molding and cooking multiple egg products at one time has a plurality of egg-shaped cups. Each cup has a top section and a bottom section removably engageable with one another to form a hollow container. The top section has a hole on the top thereof, with said hole having at least one vent groove extending radially therefrom along the surface of the top section to allow venting of the interior of the cup even when the hole is covered. The bottom section has a spike extending centrally upward therein and the upper end of the spike terminates within the egg-shaped cup. Further, a lower support member is provided for supporting each of the bottom sections, while an upper support member is provided for supporting each of the top sections. A cover, attached to the upper support, is provided for covering the holes of the top section. Further, the upper support member and the lower support member are secured to one another such that the top and bottom sections of each egg-shaped cups fit together.

Abstract: Apparatus, product and method for making an ovular shaped edible bun. The bun having flat bottom and top with an inner chamber to receive other edible food products.

Abstract: An improved cooking utensil for the deep fat frying of food items including at least one food holding container having a movable portion which is responsive to a movable portion control means and moves from a closed position in alignment with adjacent portions of said food holding container to an open position away from said food holding container so that food items can be more easily removed from said food holding container after deep fat frying. Piston members responsive to piston control means can optionally be included within the food holding container to push the food items out of the food holding container after deep fat frying. A plurality of food holding containers can be utilized to deep fat fry a plurality of food items and the shape of the food holding containers can be varied to produce various shaped food items.

Abstract: An automatic twine wrapper (31) for a round baler (10) is provided comprising a twine dispensing arm (36) having a retracted home position and which is movable in the vicinity of the bale chamber inlet (41). A drive motor (42) is operably coupled with the dispensing arm (36) for moving the latter during the twine dispensing cycle and automatic control means (65) are coupled with the drive motor (42) for causing the drive motor (42) to move the dispensing arm (36) in accordance with a predetermined dispensing cycle from its retracted home position toward the bale chamber inlet (41) and in the vicinity thereof and back to its home position as the twine dispensing cycle is being completed. The control means (65) comprises a starter means (50) operable to initiate the predetermined dispensing cycle and detector means (61) operable to detect whether twine (32) is being wrapped upon the bale (R).

Abstract: An automatic twine wrapper (31) for a round baler (10) is provided comprising a twine dispensing arm (36) having a retracted home position and which is movable in the vicinity of the bale chamber inlet (41). A drive motor (42) is operably coupled with the dispensing arm (36) for moving the latter during the twine dispensing cycle and automatic control means (65) are coupled with the drive motor (42) for causing the drive motor (42) to move the dispensing arm (36) in accordance with a predetermined dispensing cycle from its retracted home position toward the bale chamber inlet (41) and in the vicinity thereof and back to its home position as the twine dispensing cycle is being completed. The control means (65) comprises a starter means (50) operable to initiate the predetermined dispensing cycle and detector means (61) operable to detect whether twine (32) is being wrapped upon the bale (R).

Abstract: A device for producing designs on a slice of bread during toasting of the bread comprises a bread holding member removably received within the toast well of an electric toaster. The bread holding member is of lightweight heat resistive material having a bottom portion resting on the bread carriage member of the toaster and side panels which receive and carry a slice of bread to be toasted. Either or both of the side panels has a template cut out defining a framed central opening with a design therein. The design shields the bread slice from the heat of the toaster such that the design will be reproduced on the bread slice in toasting. An insulated handle provides for inserting and removing the bread holder from the toast well and to protect the user from accidental burns or electrical shock. The bread holding member is isolated from direct contact with electrical conduit and heating elements of the toaster. A modification of the device includes removable side panels.

Abstract: A compact, heavy duty trash compactor is provided for compacting trash in locations where space is limited. The compactor includes a C-shaped frame mounted on a skid. A cylindrical container is mounted on a tilt table attached to the skid such that the container is within the C-shaped frame. A telescoping ram is mounted on the frame to compact trash within the container. A foot guard is provided around the bottom of the container to prevent objects from being placed under the container when it is tilted forward.