Abstract: A tunnel freezing system employs multiple high velocity refrigerated air impingement jets to quick freeze food products such as hamburger patties and fish or chicken filets. Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene blocks are provided with a multiplicity of internal jet nozzles. These blocks are located in air ducts located above and below a conveyor belt so that the topsides and bottomsides of food products are impinged with the high velocity jets of refrigerated air so as to break up the boundary layer around the products to effect a much higher rate of heat transfer. A dual conveyor line employs direct drive centrifugal fans to deliver high pressure refrigerated air to the air ducts. The air ducts are spaced apart so that return air can freely return to be re-refrigerated after impinging on the food products.

Abstract: A food processing system, particularly a spiral food freezing system, comprises a food processing section, a conveyor belt for conveying food products through the food processing section, and a conveyor belt tension reducer engaged with the conveyor belt to reduce tension in the conveyor belt at a selected location, such as at the commencement of an infeed section to the food processing section. The tension reducer is provided as an infeed assist drive that is engaged with the conveyor belt at the commencement of the system's infeed section to drive slack into the conveyor belt at the transition from a conveyor belt return section to the inlet section.

Abstract: A self stacking helical conveyor including a drum supported for rotation on a vertical axis, an endless belt trained about the drum in vertically successive helical tiers, beginning with a bottom tier, and having a width spanning a central load bearing portion and opposite side edge portions. The belt includes a plurality of successive conveyor sections interconnected for pivotal and translational movement relative to each other. Each of the conveyor sections includes a pair of spaced upstanding supports secured at the opposite side edge portions of the belt, each of the supports having a top detent formation. A bottom detent formation is provided under each of said upstanding supports. A supporting assembly is associated with the drum to support the bottom tier and the others of the helical tiers are supported by engagement of the bottom detent formations with the top detent formations on the spaced upstanding supports in an adjacent underlying tier of the belt.