Patents by Inventor Forrest A. Airhart

Forrest A. Airhart has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5924356
    Abstract: A food product breading machine is disclosed that comprises a breading unit and a battering unit. The breading unit includes a breading material reservoir, a conveyor for moving food products and breading material along a travel path to a breading application station, and a breading material flow controlling system for creating a standing wave of breading material at the breading application station. The breading material flow controlling system comprises food product engaging elements movable toward and away from the conveyor to enable food products to pass through the standing wave and the application station while continuing to restrict the flow of breading material from the station. An adjustable plow projects into the breading approaching the application station to facilitate breading lateral sides of food products approaching the station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Bettcher Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: G. Daniel Harper, Lane Bettcher, Forrest A. Airhart
  • Patent number: 5667427
    Abstract: A sharpener for blades comprises a movable blade-sharpening surface, a stationary blade guide supported closely adjacent the surface, and a movable support for a blade. The support comprises pivotally interconnected first and second links and a blade holder. The first link is pivotably supported at a location fixed with respect to the blade guide, the second link supports the blade holder adjacent a distal end of the second link. The links support the blade holder for movement in first directions toward and away from the blade-sharpening surface, in second directions transverse to the first directions, and in third directions transverse to the first and second directions. The blade holder is pivotably supported on the second link, with the links and pivots being located and ganged to support the blade holder adjacent the blade guide for movement in three substantially mutually perpendicular directions relative to the blade guide and blade-sharpening surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Bettcher Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Forrest A. Airhart, Jeffrey Alan Whited