Patents Examined by Timothy Simone
  • Patent number: 6131508
    Abstract: A garlic surface membrane stripper comprises a first body, a second body, a press rod, and a press structure. The first body is installed with a plurality of membrane stripping claws therewithin. The lower ends of the membrane stripping claws are formed with respective free ends, and each of the membrane stripping claw is installed with a protrusion. The membrane stripping claws encircles around a space as a chamber. The second body is installed with an assembling hole and an inlet, and the second body is connected to an upper end of the first body. The press rod is slidably matched to an assembling hole of the second body. The press structure is installed with a plurality of press pieces, and the press structure is connected to a lower end of the press rod. By aforesaid structure, a garlic surface membrane stripper is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Inventor: Chuan Yu Tsai
  • Patent number: 6129009
    Abstract: A baking apparatus for the production of foamed carbohydrate-based baked products which expand during the baking process has a baking tongs with a pair of tong parts hinged together and a baking mold whose mold halves are each received in a respective one of the tong parts. The hinge has hinge sections connected by two pivot pins with pivot axes offset from one another and enabling a change in the volume of the baking mold. Opposite the hinge sections, a holding device can hold the baking tongs closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Franz Haas Waffelmaschinen-Industrie Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Franz Haas, Johann Haas, Johann Sachsenhofer
  • Patent number: 6129007
    Abstract: An electric automatic pop-up toaster has a carriage and a pivotably connected manually operative arm for moving the carriage to a lowermost position for toasting in well-known manner. At the beginning of each toasting cycle, the arm is horizontal and a latching plate is magnetically held down to hold the arm and the carriage in a lowermost position. The arm presses against a wire spring to hold closed a power switch (not shown) that supplies power to heating elements of the toaster. The latching plate is (magnetically) released at the end of each toasting cycle by a timer. This allows the carriage to move upwards to pop-up toasted bread in a usual way. However should the carriage fail to move upwards when the latching plate is released, the arm is pivoted by a spring and tilted to the position shown in the Figure. The wire is therefore released and enters a slot in a bracket mounted to the carriage. The switch opens and remains open to prevent power being re-instated to the heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Simatelex Manufactory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi Tong Chan, Chun Ying Yeh
  • Patent number: 6129010
    Abstract: A dry raw cereal material having a starch fraction is fed into the inlet (38) of a twin screw preconditioning unit (10). The dry material is rapidly advanced and mixed in the first two zones (31, 32) and conveyed into a third zone (33). Water is introduced by ducts (42) and is admixed with the dry material to form a well mixed wetted cereal material. The screws (14, 16) include blank segments (14c, 16c) having radially extending pins (40) to create a material plug in the barrel (30) of the preconditioning unit (10). Steam is added to the wetted material in the next zone (34) to form a heated wetted cereal material which is worked in the fourth zone (34) to form a heated precooked non-continuous cereal compacted dough material which is generally maintained below its gelatinization point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Hurd, Stanley G. Liedman, Ronald W. Hegner, Daniel R. Green
  • Patent number: 6129008
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to making the mixing and refining of chocolate masses more cost effective by increasing the flow of energy through the material to be treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Richard Frisse GmbH
    Inventor: Kurt Muntener
  • Patent number: 6125744
    Abstract: A peeling machine is disclosed for peeling various fruits and vegetables. The peeling machine includes a lower holding assembly and an upper holding assembly rotatably coupled to a frame for securing and rotating a fruit or vegetable to be peeled. An air cylinder acts to push the lower assembly towards the upper holding assembly, in the process securing the fruit or vegetable between the upper and lower holding assemblies. A carriage assembly, which is configured to move vertically, is movably coupled to the frame, the carriage assembly containing a cutting assembly coupled to the end of a second air cylinder. The extension of the second air cylinder acts to push the cutting assembly towards the fruit as the carriage assembly moves upwards, as a result peeling the rind from the fruit or vegetable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Pre-Pack Machinery, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Martin
  • Patent number: 6125737
    Abstract: A baking pot comprises a casing, an inner pot, an electric heating tube, a fan, a protecting disk and a web type pot body. The casing has an opening at top thereof and is installed with an upper cover. The inner pot is installed within the casing. The electric heating tube is fixed within the inner pot. The fan is installed within the inner pot; and is driven by a proper dynamic force. The protecting disk is fixed within the inner pot, and is positioned atop the electric heating tube and the fan The web type pot body installed on the protecting disk. By above structure, a baking pot is formed, which is suitable for baking potato strips, potato blocks, chicken blocks, or other freezing foods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Inventor: Kwei Tang Chang
  • Patent number: 6125739
    Abstract: A device for supporting and steaming fowl within a cooking appliance such as a grill or smoker includes a substantially circular base member having a planar upper and lower surfaces. Extending from the upper surface is a frustoconical insert having an open top in communication with an interior fluid receiving chamber. The open top is coverable with a removable cap member. The insert includes a plurality of perforations in communication with the interior chamber. The insert is placed into the abdominal cavity of the fowl whereby the base member supports the fowl in an upright position when placed on a cooking surface. Steam produced within the interior fluid chamber is gradually disbursed to the cavity via the perforations to prevent the fowl from drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Inventor: Steven C. Jernigan
  • Patent number: 6125741
    Abstract: A food cutting device for processing leafy vegetables such as collard greens having a groove roller and a cutting roller with discs which engage the grooves of the groove roller to cut the leafy vegetable longitudinally and a cam-actuated blade that cuts the leafy vegetable across the longitudinal cuts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Inventors: Carolyn Shorter, James Shorter
  • Patent number: 6125742
    Abstract: An apparatus for coring and seed celling pears, apples, honeydew melons, cantaloupe and other fruits is provided in which a seed celler support tube is utilized to drive a seed celler knife and wherein a coring tube is utilized to rotate said fruit by one or more turning fins mounted on the coring tube. Separate and independent stepper motor drives are provided for the coring tube and the seed celler support tube. During a portion of the peeling process, the turning fin and seed celler knife are rotated at the same speed. In order to sever the seed cell, the seed celler blade is caused to either rotate faster or slower than the turning fin to sever the seed cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Atlas Pacific Engineering Company
    Inventors: Joseph V. Polaco, II, Dwight A. Blickensderfer, Matthew S. Howarth, Barry M. Campbell, Stanley M. Miller, Michael H. Fritz
  • Patent number: 6125745
    Abstract: Sprouting beans roots removing apparatus cuts and removes roots of sprouting beans, as harvested, efficiently. A plurality of projections, each having at its upper face angular portion, are fitted to upper surface of base plate with predetermined space being maintained between each of them. Roots cutting member having angular portion is arranged above the base plate with predetermined space being maintained from upper surface of the projections. The base plate is moved in certain velocity and the roots cutting member repeats faster movements and stops, thereby the sprouting beans have their roots cut and removed by and between both the angular portions of the projection and the roots cutting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Daisey Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sanji Kawakami
  • Patent number: 6125738
    Abstract: An improved cooking device includes a generally bowl-shaped fat separator assembly adapted to be placed substantially within a cooking chamber of a crock pot and supported by an upper rim of the crock pot. The fat separator assembly has a fat collection chamber with an adjustable overflow passage for maintaining a predetermined fluid level within the fat collection chamber. A lower cooking plate is supported by the fat separator assembly and has a support surface positioned above the predetermined fluid level for supporting food during cooking. A sidewall extension member has a lower edge supported on the upper rim of the crock pot. A removable cover is supported on an upper end of the sidewall extension member. An upper cooking plate is supported by the sidewall extension member above the lower cooking plate. The upper cooking plate permits fluids to pass therethrough and fall onto the lower cooking plate during cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Inventor: Clarence E. Poister
  • Patent number: 6123014
    Abstract: Disclosed is a disassemblable oven roaster. The disassemblable oven roaster comprises a geared motor having a main shaft to a free end of which a fan is mounted and a reduction shaft to a free end of which a roasting spit is connected; a motor housing for accommodating the geared motor; an intermediate supporting member detachably and horizontally coupled to the motor housing for supporting a roasting heater and the roasting spit which are disposed therein in a manner such that they are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, the intermediate supporting member having opened upper and lower ends; and upper and lower oven elements covering the opened upper and lower ends, respectively, of the intermediate supporting member, the upper and lower oven elements being configured so that they can be separated from the intermediate supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignees: Jong-Yeon Jo, Sang-Hun Park
    Inventor: Jong-Yeon Jo
  • Patent number: 6123012
    Abstract: A toaster includes a housing having an upper wall with bagel half shaped openings; toasting chambers in the housing accessible through the openings and having bagel half shapes; a bread rack in each toasting chamber; inner/outer heating coils surrounding each toasting chamber; electric contacts in the housing for activation of the heating coils; a raising/lowering mechanism connected with the bread racks for moving the bread racks up and down, and including first and second lateral portions connected to opposite ends of the bread racks; first and second guides mounted to the housing for guiding the first and second lateral portions with a small tolerance, a yoke housing connected with the first lateral portion and slidably movable relative to the housing, a lever slidably moving the yoke housing; a yoke slidably movable relative to the yoke housing and closing the electric contacts when the bread racks and yoke are lowered, and a first spring biasing the yoke upwardly; an electromagnet holding the yoke in the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc.
    Inventors: George Hardin, Cliff Spencer
  • Patent number: 6123013
    Abstract: An instrument for measuring the stage of cooking of pasta in a cooking liquid including a gripper (112) immersed in the cooking liquid. The gripper includes a squeezer (12) to retain and elastically compress a sample of the pasta (30). The squeezer (12) includes a stationary contrasting element and an elastic compression element which includes an elastic with a fixed setting. The elastic compression element is movable with respect to the stationary contrasting element in a manner functionally correlated to the progressive loss of consistency of the sample of the pasta (30) as cooking proceeds. The instrument further includes an electrical circuit (34) having at least one contact (33) and a signal (37). The position of the contact (33) is correlated to a predetermined state of cooking of the pasta (30). A monitoring rod (20) is attached to the elastic compression element and emerges from the cooking container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Inventor: Nicola Ruggiero
  • Patent number: 6119584
    Abstract: A griller is provided which includes a case and a grill set mounted within the case. The case has a hollow body and electric heaters internally located with a gear box and a motor. The grill set is driven by the gear box and the case is formed having a recess within a top portion of the case. The grill set is formed with a screen, screen cover, socket, rod and fixture where the socket is secured within the center of the screen with opposing ends formed in a rounded contour and placed within the recesses of the case. The socket has a shank which is formed with a step-like section for insertion of the screen cover. The fixture is secured within the step-like section of the socket to facilitate assembling the screen and the screen cover with the rod secured in the socket having one end engaged with the gear box and rotatively driven by the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Lundar Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tony Hsu
  • Patent number: 6119589
    Abstract: An apparatus for obtaining cheese material from milk has an elongate trough (11) which is provided at its one end with a filling zone (16) and, at its other end, a discharge zone (19). The trough has an inner wall (12) which is transportable at least substantially continuously between the filling zone (16) and the discharge zone (19). The volume of the trough can be subdivided by a number of partition walls (31, 31') which are matched to the trough cross-section, which can be coupled to the inner wall (12), and which are movable jointly with the Latter into cells (32, 32') which follow one another in the longitudinal direction. A clamping device (41) is associated with each partition wall (31, 31') and permits the inner wall (12) of the trough, which consists of a flexible material, to be clamped with slight deformation about the region (34) of the periphery of the partition wall confronting it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: ALPMA Alpenland Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Gottfried Hain, Siegfried Durmeier, Johann Pypetz, Stefan Holzner
  • Patent number: 6119588
    Abstract: A formed rack providing a plurality of horizontally extending, spaced rods with extending wire formed handles for lifting. The rack provides a first horizontal surface, formed of the spaced rods, upon which foodstuffs may be placed for roasting or baking with a pair of formed members having their bottommost portions constructed to be interlocked with selected of the horizontal rods to provide a pair of vertically arranged poultry receiving elements which are receivable into the interior of a poultry carcass to hold the same in upright position. The vertical members also interlock with one another at ninety degree angles to provide support for the carcass placed thereon and hold the same in a vertical position during baking or roasting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: T & L Nifty Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Tiemann
  • Patent number: 6119585
    Abstract: Cooking apparatus especially suited for grilling whole chickens and the like on a charcoal or gas fired grill, while maintaining the meat moist and permitting desirable flavorings to be imparted to the meat. The apparatus comprises at least one cylinder having a bore and first and second ends, attached to a base plate so that the cylinder is disposed substantially vertically when the base plate is placed on a horizontal surface, such as the grilling surface of a barbecue grill. The first end of the cylinder is sealably attached to the base plate. The second end of the cylinder is open, forming a container defined by the cylinder bore and the base plate. The apparatus is preferably of thermally conductive material such as aluminum. In use, the container is at least partially filled with a flavored liquid. A whole chicken is impaled on the cylinder, and the apparatus holding the chicken is then placed on the grilling surface of a barbecue grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Inventor: Ray A. Guidry
  • Patent number: 6119583
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a trough-shaped container arrangement (2) formed of frangible material and supported and arranged for receiving at least one food item to be thermally processed. At least one electric heater (5) is supported underneath the container arrangement and incorporates at least one heating element (8). At least one apertured member (11) is provided between the at least one heater and the underside of the container arrangement and covers the at least one heater. With this configuration, in the event of breakage of the container arrangement (2) the apertured member (11) remains intact and user contact with the heating element (8) in the heater (5) is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Ceramaspeed Limited
    Inventor: Peter Ravenscroft Wilkins