Abstract: A material handling system is provided for preventing direct contact between products as they are successively fed through a contact plate freezer. Each successively fed product is encompassed by a framelike member prior to entering the freezer. Each framelike member is of substantially rigid construction and has sidewalls having a height substantially equal to the height of the encompassed product. As the encompassed products are fed through the freezer, the framelike members of successive products abut one another. Upon being discharged from the freezer, the framelike member is removed from the frozen product.

Abstract: A dasher assembly is provided for use within the cylindrical freezer chamber of a continuous ice cream freezer or the like. The dasher assembly includes an elongated imperforate first section which coacts with a portion of the chamber interior surface to form an elongated annular narrow passage through which a product entering the chamber is caused to initially flow at a predetermined rate so that the product upon leaving the passage has attained a predetermined temperature and viscosity whereby air, or similar fluid, mixed with the product will not migrate through the chamber and cause the product dispensed from the chamber to have uneven overrun. Affixed to and extending longitudinally from the first section is an elongated skeletal second section. The first and second sections are power driven to rotate as a unit.

Abstract: An ultrahigh temperature heating system is provided for use in obtaining controlled heating of a liquid product. The system includes an upright chamber into which a controlled amount of liquid product flows and then descends through the chamber in a curtain-like pattern. The descending product passes a steam inlet provided in the chamber wall and is intermixed with and heated by a controlled amount of entering steam whereby the temperature of the descending product is increased to a predetermined amount. A pump is connected to an outlet formed in the lower portion of the chamber and removes therefrom the mixture of product, condensate, noncondensable gas, and steam so as to prevent an accumulation therein of said mixture while at the same time maintaining a predetermined pressure within the chamber. The discharge side of the pump is connected to an intermixing means causing all of the steam entrained in the product to condense.

Abstract: An agitator construction is provided for use with a dasher assembly rotatably mounted within an elongated cylindrical chamber through which a viscous product is caused to flow. The dasher assembly includes an elongated skeletal section having the periphery thereof in scraping engagement with the chamber interior surface. The agitator construction includes an elongated imperforate cylindrical support unit fixedly mounted within the skeletal section and having the central longitudinal axis of the unit offset with respect to the rotary axis of the dasher assembly. An elongated cagelike member is mounted in encompassing relation on the exterior of the support unit for rotation independently thereof about the central axis of the support unit in response to the rotation of the dasher assembly and the product flowing through the chamber.

Abstract: A positive fluid pump is provided which is capable of being cleaned in place by a circulating cleaning solution without the various pump components being disassembled. The impellers for the pump are rotatably mounted within a chamber formed in a housing. The inlet and the outlet for the chamber are separated from one another by the engaging impellers during normal operation of the pump. One of the side walls forming the pump chamber is provided with a cavity in which is slidably and sealingly mounted a wall piece. Under normal operation of the pump, the wall piece assumes a first position wherein one surface thereof is disposed adjacent the corresponding end faces of the impellers. When, the pump is being cleaned in place, the wall piece assumes a second position independently of the impellers wherein the one surface thereof is recessed from the pump chamber and the inlet and the outlet are interconnected permitting the cleaning solution to circulate through the chamber and around the impellers.