Abstract: A small, inexpensive doughnut fryer has a conveyor and separate elevator that are driven from the same shaft without interference with one another. Sprockets for driving the elevator are recessed to receive rods from the conveyor. The entire conveyor assembly is provided with a quick release coupling to the power supply. A method and apparatus for moving objects to be fried through a hot frying liquid by producing intermittent waves and eddies in the liquid in the desired direction of travel to propel the objects in a straight line.

Abstract: A portable, nestable brewing system for the preparation of various liquid beverage products is disclosed. The system includes as its main components an insulated cup-like brewed beverage receiver, a water receiving vessel, a filter holder, and a powdered beverage storage canister with a detachable lid. The brewed beverage receiver, water receiving vessel, and filter holder engage together in a configuration enabling the preparation of brewed beverages from powdered materials. After use, all of the components and the powdered beverage storage canister are nestable within the brewed beverage receiver. To maintain the system in a nested condition, the lid of canister is detachably securable to the top of the brewed beverage receiver with the other components of the system inside.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooking food includes two solid plates which subject an initial food material to high heat and pressure, and the pressure is adjusted in dependence upon the nature of the initial food material by an adjusting device.

Abstract: In a bale case (20) of an agricultural baler, a reciprocating plunger (71) is connected by a connecting rod assembly (90) and a wrist pin (92) to a driving crankshaft (74). A tension adjusting system (60) is provided for adjusting the dimensions of a bale case (20). The tension adjusting system (60) is responsive to a signal produced by sensors which sense stress when a compactive force is applied by the plunger (71) to crop material in the bale case (20). In one embodiment shear stress sensors (124, 126, 128, and 130) are mounted in annular recesses (120, 122) on the exterior of a wrist pin (92) to sense upon compaction the shear stress experienced by the wrist pin (92) in shear planes (160A, 160B). In another embodiment shear stress sensors (170, 171, 172, and 173) are mounted on an interior surface (174) of a wrist pin (90') to sense the shear stress experienced by the wrist pin (92') in shear planes (176, 177).

Abstract: Apparatus (52) is provided for wrapping bales with twine in a round baler. The twine wrapping apparatus (52) includes a twine dispensing member (56) mounted for pivoting movement, a clamp assembly (100) to clamp the twine dispensed by the twine dispensing member (56), and a trip mechanism (114) connected to the clamp assembly (100). The trip mechanism (114) is actuated by engagement with the twine dispensing member (56) during its pivoting movement to release the twine from the clamp assembly (100).

Abstract: A compactor particularly for junk vehicles, has a flatbed supporting a pair of opposed, hinged compaction doors. Each door has a linkage hydraulically operated to open and close the door for compaction of the vehicle against the flatbed. A winch disposed on the front of the compactor has its tow line extending beneath the doors and connects to the front or rear end of the vehicle to progressively advance the vehicle over the flatbed for compaction by the doors. A sequence control circuit is also provided which automatically opens and closes the compactor doors and automatically operates the winch to sequentially advance segments of the vehicle into the compactor. Additionally, the compactor can easily be made portable facilitating its transportation from one location to another.

Abstract: A band feeder and knotter having a band guide track mounted on one side of a banding area and an opposite guide track is mounted on the other side of the banding area in lateral alignment with the track of the band feeder and knotter. At least one of the band feeder and knotter or the opposite guide track is movable toward and away from the other for disposition of the tracks from a retracted position to a closely adjacent advanced position inside a banding area for direct advancement during a banding process of the end of the banding from one track into the other. Each of the band feeder and knotter and the opposite guide track can be mounted on carriages for cooperating movement in the advancing and retracting movement.

Abstract: In a grill basket, two mutually adjustable wire basket halves are provided. These wire basket halves comprise two longitudinal rods, the ends of which are bent-over in a hook-like manner. The two longitudinal rods are connected by transverse wires which are spaced at intervals from one another. End plates are provided for the adjustable connection of the two wire basket halves, and parallel, spaced-apart rows of holes are formed in each plate. The wire basket halves are hookable into said plates by their bent-over ends on the longitudinal rods, in the same way as perforate hooks are hooked into perforate walls. The spindles are disposed on their respective plates so that the grill basket is rotatably mounted on the appropriate means of a grill.

Abstract: An agricultural baling machine controls the density of bales of crop material discharged therefrom by monitoring the stress experienced by a reciprocably driven plunger assembly (22) employed to apply a compactive force to crop material introduced into a bale case (20). The bale case (20) is comprised of rails (54, 56) which are positionably adjustable in response to applied tension in a manner whereby the dimensions of the bale case (20) are changeable, thereby facilitating a change in the degree of resistance caused by the bale case (20) to crop material movement therein. Signals produced by stress sensors (124, 126, 128, 130) mounted relative to the plunger assembly (22) are analyzed by a programmed signal processor (200) which accordingly generates a control signal for controlling a servo valve (61).

Abstract: A metal protective cover for the temperature control knob on a deep fat fryer includes an outer annular ring and is formed to enclose the control knob. The control knob is surrounded by an annular backing plate that is secured by three screws. The annular ring has a diameter that is small enough to fit within the circle inscribing the shanks of the three screws and large enough to be held in place by the screw heads.

Abstract: An automatic control device for tying large diameter cylindrical bales produced by a hay baler. A tie guiding arm has an end which can be driven back and forth over the entire width of the bale by an electric motor. A microprocessor receives inputs indicating the driving speed of the baler, the diameter of the bale and the desired number of turns of the tie. The motor driving the guiding arm is discontinuously driven by the microprocessor so that the arm is held in a stationary position for a predetermined length of time at a predetermined number of stops. The microprocessor may also operate in a learning mode where the operator sets the number of stops and the length of time.

Abstract: A percolator/dispenser is disclosed which includes an insulated container having a hinged lid. A percolator heater tube and basket are mounted inside the container, and a manually operated pressure pump is included in the lid of the container. This pressure pump operates to pump air from outside the container to the inside of the container when operated. A discharge spout is movable between a vented position, a pump position, and a sealed position. A pressure lock system prevents the spout from being moved from the sealed position to the pump position when excessive pressure is present within the container. A lid stop system prevents the lid from being closed when the spout is in the pump position. A lid lock system prevents the lid from being opened when the container is pressurized.

Abstract: An automatic high speed hooping station for horizontal hooping of diverse packages contains a barrier device to effect entry of packages, one by one, along their direction of travel, followed by a conveyance assembly. The conveyance assembly includes a rolling double transfer belt, followed in turn by a take-up table provided with an optical detector at its extremity. Along the conveyance assembly there moves reciprocally a push- and loading device for being introduced into an upward travel and holding assembly formed by an ascending platform, a holder trapdoor in a hooping position in an arc of a hooping device, and an upper package discharge device operating by lateral disengagement from a pile of the packages onto an exit ramp. The discharge device includes a push arm articulatably mounted around a point actuated by a cam. The assembly may be moved in translation under the surveillance of a detector.

Abstract: A trash compactor and collapsible box for use therewith to handle waste material generated during flight of passenger-carrying aircraft. The trash compactor includes a housing formed with front and rear box chambers to receive first and second collapsible trash-receiving boxes. A front door is provided for the housing having a trash-receiving chute in its upper portion. The first box is initially disposed in the front box chamber. When it is filled, the front door is opened and the first box is pushed to the rear box chamber. The second box is then positioned within the front box chamber to receive trash, and the front door is shut. The collapsible boxes have a front wall disposed at the same elevation as the lower edge of the chute, while the tops of the side and rear walls are at a higher elevation than the top of the front wall to permit the boxes to receive a maximum amount of trash for their size. The bottom portion of the wall is of liquid-tight construction.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for baling a standing tree in situ. An adjustable tree collar is placed around the tree trunk below the tree branches. The collar is then raised along the trunk to press the branches inward toward the trunk. As the branches are pressed inward, they are bundled to the trunk. The collar is variable in size, being adapted to expand and pass downward over the tree branches to contract below the branches to encircle the tree trunk. It comprises a plurality of yoke members that are urged apart to straddle the tree and then drawn together below the extended branches to encircle the tree at the tree handle. The yoke members are mounted on a hoist which lowers them over the tree and then raises them along the trunk of the tree. A twine dispenser including a twine canister and a feed boom are rotatably mounted adjacent the yoke members to wrap twine around the pressed branches as the members are raised along the trunk to bundle the branches to the trunk.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing boiled noodles. The apparatus comprises substantially a raw noodle manufacturing unit, a boiling unit for boiling raw noodle elements fabricated by the raw noodle manufacturing unit and a control unit controlling operations of the raw noodle manufacturing unit and the boiling unit. According to the apparatus, each meal of the boiled noodles can be automatically fabricated during a short time interval, by supplying and measuring grain flour and kneading water, fabricating the raw noodle elements automatically and boiling the raw noodle elements automatically by means of controlling the operations of the apparatus.

Abstract: A vertically oriented fuel bed elongate in the vertical direction provides a vertical radiant source of heat for cooking food in cooking zones on either side of the bed. A portable and collapsible grill frame is formed by light weight end rods and elongate cross rods assembled in three tiers, a top tier, a lower tier, and base level. The vertical radiant heat source is supported in the center of the frame removeably suspended from the top tier without extending below the lower tier. An ash tray is removeably suspended from the lower tier below the fuel bed and above the base level. First and second drip trays are removeably suspended from the lower tier below the cooking zones on either side of the ash tray. The ash tray and drip trays form a substantially continuous surface across the grill frame for reflecting heat upward and protecting a surface on which the grill may be placed. A plurality of removeable and replaceable panels provide greater or lesser enclosure of a cooking zone.

Abstract: This invention relates to a meat product press apparatus adapted to hold and compress ham members or the like during a meat packing plant processing procedures. The meat product press apparatus includes a lower press assembly interconnected by a main clamp assembly to a top press assembly. The lower and top press assemblies provide grate or grid type structures presented in spaced, parallel planes to clamp the meat product therebetween. The main clamp assembly includes an initial bias lock assembly to interconnect adjacent ends of the lower and top press assemblies and a pressure bias lock assembly to interconnect the spaced, opposite adjacent ends of the lower and top press assemblies. The initial bias lock assembly includes a pair of spaced spring members which are connectable to a cam lock member.

Abstract: An egg cooking device, including a lower cup-shaped member with an upward projecting cylindrical skirt member and a cap member having a dome surrounded by a cylindrical guide wall, slideably receivable within the skirt member to a closed position in which the dome and the cup-shaped member have a general egg shape for confining and molding the contents of an egg, without the shell, while the egg is being cooked within the device. The egg cooking device is also provided with a pedestal for supporting the cooking device in an upright position, particularly while it is being cooked, and an air vent is formed in the dome of the cap member to facilitate removal of the cap member from the receptacle after the egg has been cooked.

Abstract: A bin transport system for a fiber baling apparatus utilizes a plurality of portable upwardly opening bins which have openable bottoms. The bins are transported from a plurality of fiber filling stations to a single compression station by a four-part transport means utilizing a dual carriage cross shuttle which moves the portable bins to and from positions adjacent the filling stations and the compression station . A pair of dedicated bin transporters are utilized to transport the bins such that one transporter delivers full bins from the filling stations to a position adjacent the compression station while the other transporter delivers empty bins from the compression station to a position adjacent each filling station.