Abstract: A sandwich cookie is made of a chocolate-coated bottom biscuit and a plain top biscuit by applying a pair of stripes of molten chocolate to the chocolate-coated surface of the bottom biscuit, placing the biscuits against each other, and cooling the molten chocolate to set it and bond together the top and bottom biscuits to form the desired chocolate sandwich cookie. Apparatus is provided for performing these steps automatically on rapidly-moving trains of top and bottom biscuits. Stepping conveyors and synchronized lugged conveyors move each top biscuit into vertical alignment with a corresponding coated and striped bottom biscuit, whereupon the top biscuit is dropped upon the bottom biscuit and passed beneath a presser spring which urges the top and bottom cookies toward each other prior to cooling of the molten stripes.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing uncompacted rice upon each of a continuously-moving train of plates from a hopper containing an auger which is rotated to effect dispensing only when a plate is in position beneath the outlet of the hopper. The hopper is caused to swing back and forth about an axis at right angles to the direction of motion of the plates, so that the outlet of the hopper swings downstream at about the same speed as the underlying plate while the auger is operating, thereby to concentrate the dispensed rice on a predetermined part of the plate. The timing may be such that, while the hopper is executing its upstream return motion, the next plate passes beneath it without receiving rice, the hopper dispensing only upon every other plate; another similar hopper at a downstream position then provides similar rice deposits upon similar parts of those alternate plates which do not receive rice from the upstream hopper.

Abstract: A system which dispenses sauce or the like onto selected areas of plates moving in a train beneath a dispenser. The areas upon which the sauce is to be dispensed may for example be those containing meat portions of non-uniform width in directions normal to the direction of motion of the plate or the conveyor. A slot-shaped dispensing aperture on the lower side of the dispenser is automatically opened and closed progressively by a movable closure in such manner that the length of the open portion of the slot matches the corresponding dimension of the areas to be dispensed upon as they move beneath the dispenser. This enables complete coverage of these areas with the sauce, without dispensing it upon other portions of other areas where it is not desired.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically dispensing stacks of cookies into the pockets of cookie packaging trays.The cookies are stacked edgewise on a delivery line which includes a cookie shingler and a cookie separator feeding the cookies one by one onto an accelerating conveyor, in a horizontal spaced-apart disposition. The dispenser assembly includes a stacking chamber into which the cookies are fed by the accelerating conveyor. The bottom of the stacking chamber is normally closed by a rotatable gate controlld by a gate actuating means which on receipt of an appropriate signal rotates the gate to drop the accumulated stack of cookies in the stacking chamber into the cookie tray pocket located therebelow. Cookie detector and counter means prevent actuation of the dispenser gate until a predetermined number of cookies have been deposited in the stacking chamber and then only when the tray conveyor has stopped to locate a tray pocket therebeneath.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically dispensing stacks of cookies into the pockets of cookie packaging trays. A succession of multi-pocket cookie trays are intermittently advanced along a horizontal tray conveyor. Cookie delivery assemblies located in spaced relation along said tray conveyor each include a cookie delivery line and a cookie dispenser assembly which deposits stacks of cookies in the tray pockets during the dwell phase of the intermittent tray conveyor. Each said cookie delivery line includes a shingler assembly and a separator assembly. The shingler assembly comprises a pair of spaced parallel horizontal feed belts onto which the cookies are manually loaded in edge-supported face-abutting relation and an underlying shingling belt traveling at a faster speed than said feed belts. The feed belts serve to advance the array of cookies toward the separator assembly while the shingling belt engages the lower edges of the cookies and tilts the cookies into an inclined attitude.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically dispensing stacks of cookies into the pockets of cookie packaging trays. A succession of multi-pocket cookie trays are intermittently advanced along a horizontal tray conveyor. Cookie delivery assemblies located in spaced relation along said tray conveyor each include a cookie delivery line and a cookie dispenser assembly which deposits stacks of cookies in the tray pockets during the dwell phase of the intermittent tray conveyor.Each said cookie delivery line includes a shingler assembly and a separator assembly. The shingler assembly comprises a pair of spaced parallel horizontal feed belts onto which the cookies are manually loaded in edge-supported face-abutting relation and an underlying shingling belt traveling at a faster speed than said feed belts. The feed belts serve to advance the array of cookies toward the separator assembly while the shingling belt engages the lower edges of the cookies and tilts the cookies into an inclined attitude.

Abstract: Apparatus and processes are disclosed which will automatically separate a whole dressed and eviscerated chicken into its usable component parts of wings, legs, thighs and breasts and discharge the remaining carcass consisting of the backbone and rib cage into a container. The apparatus includes conveying means which supports and transports chickens along a predetermined path. A pair of movable cutting blades are provided to swing in toward the chicken and cut the wings away from the carcass. Thereafter, a pair of swinging jaws engage and pull the breast off of the carcass. As the carcass continues movement along the conveyor, guide means engage the legs of the carcass and direct the legs toward cutting blades which cut the legs from the thighs at the leg joint. Thereafter, cutting blades partially cut through the carcass at the thigh joint and jaws then grip the thighs and pull and twist the thighs simultaneously to remove the same from the carcass.