Abstract: A safety arrangement useful in burning and cutting torches and like devices wherein the torch utilizes an oxidizer medium and a fuel which is supplied to the torch at selected pressure and where the fuel and oxidizing medium are independently provided to the torch and mixed therein where the present invention includes a valve assembly having two spool valves moveable within the valve assembly and where the valve assembly receives the oxidizer media, the fuel media, and a extinguisher medium which is supplied at least a selected pressure to hold the spool valve assembly in a first mode so that oxidizer means and fuel medium can be supplied through the valve assembly to the torch and where upon reduction of the pressure of the extinguisher medium below a selected pressure the valve assembly reverts to a second mode and where the flow of oxidizer medium and the flow of fuel medium are shut off and where in the event of a fire the spool assembly can be moved to the second mode and the extinguisher medium supplied

Abstract: Apparatus and method for preparing hot food products in portions of predetermined size by rehydrating a dehydrated food product to provide a dough that can be shaped and heated. The apparatus includes means for storing bags of dehydrated product and for opening individual bags as needed to maintain a desired level of dehydrated product in a hopper. Rehydration means are provided, including a metering chamber to meter a portion of the dehydrated food product, and a rehydration head to uniformly wet the dehydrated food product to form a coherent dough. The dough is passed through a forming means to form it into predetermined pieces that are extruded from a forming chamber, and a wire knife passes linearly across the forming chamber to separate the extruded product therefrom. A product transfer conveyor is provided to convey the shaped dough pieces to a fryer vessel in which heated frying oil is provided.

Abstract: A cup dispenser for housing a plurality of stacks of nested cups in side-by-side relationship and including a dispensing device to sequentially dispense cups from one of the stacks in a dispensing column. A pair of helical feed coils are provided to advance the stacks of cups sequentially to the dispensing column. A support in the form of a pivotable platform is provided below the dispensing column to receive and support the stacks as they enter the dispensing column and drop through a dispensing column opening in order to avoid damage to the outwardly extending lip of the lowermost cup by virtue of the weight of the stack. The support is particularly suitable to catch falling stacks of cups that include packaged materials that are provided with the cup, such as seasonings or condiments carried in the recess at the base of the cups.

Abstract: In an arrangement for use in burning and cutting torches and like devices where the torch utilizes an oxidizing medium supplied to the torch at a selected pressure and a fuel supplied to the torch at a selected pressure, where the fuel and oxidizing medium are independently supplied to the cutting torch and mixed therein, the present invention provides a fire extinguishing medium, supplied under pressure to the cutting torch vicinity, where the pressure of the extinguishing medium supply source is utilized to operate valve means to control the flow of oxidizer and fuel.