Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for cutting for example florets from cauliflower heads or leaves from cabbages cleanly so as to avoid damage to the florets or leaves. As a tubular knife follows a path encircling the stalk, so a divider member parts the florets or leaves to facilitate a clean cut.

Abstract: Apparatus for performing a processing method which preferably includes extruding a vegetable protein-water mixture in a first extrusion cooker under conditions to render the mixture hot and flowable but still substantially unoriented, whereupon the mixture is passed through a second extrusion cooker which is equipped with a hollow tubular spacer on the extrusion end thereof. In this manner the mixture is subjected to further axial and transverse displacement forces in the second extruder barrel in order to adequately work and stretch the protein therein while being subjected primarily to axially directed displacement forces in the elongated die spacer for facilitating the formation of a layered meat-like structure therein prior to extrusion; in addition, conditions of temperature and pressure are controlled so that the resultant product is relatively dense and unexpanded.

Abstract: An olive pitting and stuffing machine has a drum rotatable about an axis and provided with opposing pairs of clamping members angularly equispaced about the axis and respectively engageable with opposite ends of olives fed in succession generally tangentially to the drum. The drum also comprises respective tubular cutters axially aligned with each pair of clamping members and displaceable to cut an end out of the olive, a plunger axially aligned with each pair of clamping members on the opposite side of the drum adapted to pierce the olive through the other end and push out the olive pit, and a pimento inserter also aligned with the clamping members and effective to insert a folded piece of pimento as the stuffing in the interior of the olive.

Abstract: Coffee roasting apparatus having a first reactor in which green beans are roasted and a second reactor in which the roast is arrested and the beans cooled. Both reactors are capable of carying out the operations conducted in them in a continuous as opposed to batch-type manner. In both the roasting and cooling operations the beans are circulated in patterns which bring them into intimate and uniform contact with a process fluid to promote uniform and efficient heating and cooling of the beans.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out the process for solubilizing a suspension of casein in powder form in an aqueous medium, the casein suspension containing at most 270 g of casein per liter of aqueous medium, which comprises leaving the casein suspension to age for at least 10 minutes, after which a solubilizing agent is progressively added to this suspension until a homogeneous solution is obtained.Application to acid casein, the solubilizing agent being an alkaline agent. Application to phosphocalcic and rennet caseins, the solubilizing agent being a calcium-complexing agent.

Abstract: An overload indicator particularly adapted for use with driving and driven components of a meat processing system conveyor to indicate when an overload condition takes place. A frangible member of the indicator is preferably embodied as a shear pin that normally connects the driving and driven components and includes an internal gas chamber which is communicated with the environment as the pin fractures in shear due to overloading. Pressurized gas supplied to the gas chamber of the shear pin decreases in pressure as the pin fractures and this pressure decrease is sensed to indicate the occurrence of an overload condition. A conduit for supplying the pressurized gas to the gas chamber of the shear pin preferably includes a restricted orifice through which the gas is fed by a compressor, and a pressure sensitive valve downstream from the restricted orifice senses the pressure decrease due to an overloading pin fracture.

Abstract: A rounded food article, such as a lemon, tomato or apple, is instantaneously divided into a number of radial sections by forcing it through a conical cup of radial blades within which it is impaled on a central spike to which the central ends of the blades are joined. The article is forced through the wedge-shaped spaces between the blades by an annular array of bent rod fingers depending from a head to which an operating handle is attached. The plunger assembly slides over a pair of vertical rods towards the blade assembly engaged within a recess in the base. The fingers extend completely through the blades when the plunger is fully engaged within the blades. The substantial weight of the plunger facilitates its rapid downward movement toward the blade, and a set of three legs raise the base sufficiently from the table to allow the food sections to be freely discharged onto it.

Abstract: A vaporizing and warming device for beverage-preparing machines, such as household coffee machines and the like of the type which include a hot plate for keeping the prepared beverage warm, a vaporizer tube carrying water for preparing the beverage and a heating element for transferring the heat required for the respective vaporization and warming processes. The heating element is thermally conductively connected with the vaporizer tube and is arranged together with the vaporizer tube at one side, preferably the underside of a horizontally extending hot plate. The heating element is arranged laterally offset with respect to the vaporizer tube and with its apex at a perpendicular distance from the hot plate which is smaller than the height of the vaporizer tube perpdendicularly to the hot plate, whereby conductive heat transfer from the heating element to the hot plate is avoided while still providing heat to the vaporizer tube, which vaporizer tube is in contact with the hot plate.

Abstract: A lettuce harvester is provided having a positive means for engaging the stems of lettuce to be trimmed whereby the trim cut is caused to take place at right angles to the stem and the lettuce is left ready for packing.

Abstract: An ice-cream sandwich is formed by dispensing individual rectangular edible wafers from a stack of face abutting wafers one at a time into a receptacle. After dispensing of the first wafer an ice-cream block is positioned on the first wafer and then a second wafer is dispensed onto the exposed face of the block to complete the sandwich.

Abstract: Apparatus for vacuum peeling fruits and vegetables. The apparatus has a tank adapted to contain treating liquid, means for heating such liquid, a rotor mounted within the tank for rotation about a horizontal axis, the rotor being provided with a plurality of angularly spaced buckets for receiving the fruits and vegetables to be treated, the buckets having open radially inner and outer ends, coaxial radial inner and outer perforated cylinders within the tank between which the buckets move as the rotor rotates, the perforated cylinders closing the respective open ends of the buckets against the escape of fruits and vegetables therefrom, means for intermittently rotating the rotor so as to advance the buckets through the treating liquid in a series of steps, and a vacuum applying station into which the buckets are successively moved after they emerge from the treating liquid. The means for intermittently rotating the rotor provides a dwell period in which the buckets are disposed in the vacuum applying station.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing brussels sprouts from the parent stalks including a plurality of blades arranged generally in the form of a truncated pyramid and defining an aperture for receiving the sprout bearing stalks, the blades being rotatable to remove brussels sprouts from the stalks, as the stalks are fed into the assembly through the aperture.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for steam peeling produce in a pivotally mounted pressure vessel in which a bath of water is provided in the bottom of the vessel for receiving the produce charged to the vessel in a relatively impact-free manner and which can be withdrawn prior to steaming the produce under pressure and then returned to aid in the discharge of the peeled produce.

Abstract: A vertical hopper carries a mass of hot water recirculated therethrough by water jet inlets opening laterally into the vertical hopper below the level of accumulated water and creates by water turbulence the heating and mixing of cheese curd segments as they pass under gravity through the water towards a pair of intermeshed, slow speed augers within a horizontal discharge duct which underlies the hopper. The augers feed the uniformly mixed stretched cheese curd through an elbow to a vertical accumulating duct bearing at its upper end an adjustable back pressure plate which closes off a part of the accumulator duct discharge opening.

Abstract: A mixing device for combining two or more components, at least one of which is a fluid, comprises a cylindrical housing having a tangentially arranged tubular inlet for a liquid, a second inlet for another component to be mixed with the fluid, and a centrally located axially extending tubular outlet provided with a baffle plate which, by creating turbulence in the flow, assists in the mixing process.

Abstract: A turntable with olive cups is advanced stepwise by a suitable Geneva movement. At a feed station unpitted olives are delivered into the cups. Between the feed station and the pitting station the cups are vibrated to properly orient the olives for pitting. After pitting, the olives are stuffed with pimento, the pimento feed system including toothed drive means for a continuous pimento strip, a feed chute which serves to fold the strip in half along its lengthwise centerline, and cut-off knives to sever the strip into sections for stuffing.

Abstract: Flour is made from whole cereal grains, such as, corn, wheat, rye, and barley by heating the whole grain kernels to between about 170.degree. F. and 210.degree. F. while maintaining the moisture content of the whole kernels between about 8% and about 16% by weight. The whole kernels are squeezed into flakes while maintaining their temperature above about 170.degree. F., and the flakes are ground to form whole grain flour. The product has a surprisingly long shelf life, even though it contains all of the oil originally in the grain.

Abstract: Apparatus for purifying foundry sand which involves the passage of sand through layers of steel wool supported on perforated discs mounted on a vertical shaft in a standpipe. Perforations in the sides of the standpipe permit air to be blown through the sand as it drops down through the steel wool. The vertical shaft supporting the discs and steel wool is vibrated to cause the sand to move through and past the packs of steel wool.

Abstract: An integrated unit for manufacturing food products, the food being processed in a vat having a double-wall defining a jacket which surrounds the vat chamber. Associated with the vat are two tanks, one containing a heated liquid and the other a cooled liquid. A selective valve arrangement is provided to recirculate the heated liquid from the hot tank through a closed circuit or to circulate it through the jacket to heat the vat contents, or to recirculate the cooled liquid from the cold tank through a closed circuit or to circulate it through the jacket to cool the vat contents.

Abstract: An apparatus for extracting juice from citrus fruits comprising a feeding conveyor for conveying the whole fruits to a cutting device, which cuts the fruits into halves. The fruit halves are fed into a squeezing tunnel with their cut surface oriented in a predetermined direction. The squeezing tunnel consist of two opposed surfaces which converge towards one another, thus effecting the squeezing of the fruit halves which are caused to travel therealong. One of the said surfaces is a portion of a rotating drum conveyor, while the other surface comprises a plurality of consecutive parallel rotating rollers arranged transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the fruit halves, and rotating at a peripheral speed which is higher than the speed of the drum conveyor. The rotating rollers are screw threaded with alternating right and left screw threads, or each rotating roller is provided with contiguous right and left screw threaded portions.