Abstract: The invention provides in an improved pressure-baking apparatus for producing puffed crackers from a starch-containing. cereal or other food material, thereby allowing better control of expansion resp. product consistency for an enlarged range of crackers types, materials and shapes. Accordingly the apparatus has a baking mold comprises the combination of a fixed upper die plate (1,2), a lower punch plate (3,4) directly driven and supported by a cylinder/pistion unit (10), and therebetween a peripheral mold plate (6) comprising die holes (7) in registry with said upper dies (2) and lower punches (4), said peripheral plate being selectively movable in the vertical direction between said fixed upper die plate and driven lower punch plate. An hydraulic power system (11,17) integral with the apparatus is linked with drive unit (10).

Abstract: The invention provides in as improved pressure-baking apparatus for producing puffed crackers from a starch-containing cereal or other food material, thereby allowing better control of expansion resp. product consistency for an enlarged range of crackers types materials and shapes. Accordingly, the apparatus has a baking mold comprises the combination of a fixed upper die plate (1,2), a lower punch plate (3,4) directly driven and supported by a cylinder/piston unit (10), and there between a peripheral mold plate (6) comprising die holes (7) in registry with said upper dies (2) and lower punches (4), said peripheral plate being selectively movable in the vertical direction between said fixed upper die plate and driven lower punch plate. An hydraulic power system (11,17) integral with the apparatus is linked with drive unit (10).

Abstract: A puffing gun for preparing expanded cereal grains comprising a stationary gun barrel of tubular shape having a closed end face and an opposite end face provided with an openable sealing cover, the barrel being substantially horizontally mounted on a supporting frame. A rotatable drum is concentrically disposed within the interior of the stationary barrel and a drive device for rotating the drum is provided. The drive device is operatively connected to the drum and includes a drive shaft passing through the closed end face of the stationary barrel. Heating elements are disposed around the barrel for providing heat to the rotating drum. In addition, a grain feed device is provided for supplying a desired quantity of cereal grain to be expanded into the rotatable drum and a pressurized high gas inlet is provided for supplying pressurized gas to the interior of the barrel and the stationary drum.

Abstract: In a cracker production apparatus of the type comprising a heatable mould consisting of a stationary upper mould element, a movable ring mould and a reciprocating lower mould element or punch driven by a hydraulically actuated toggle-mechanism, the improvement wherein a twin-head mould arrangement for high rate, automatic manufacture of uniformly expanded crackers is driven by a single hydraulic drive unit formed of two aligned, cooperating double-action pistons, whereby a first piston is adapted to control, in combination with specific central program/microprocessing means, an adjustable final baking pressure, and a second piston to regulate a desired expanded cracker thickness, and this independant of grain feed and/or apparatus related mechanical parameters.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing shaped products from granular materials, in particular food products from cereals such as rice, corn, wheat or the like, which are pressure-baked and afterwards expanded in a heatable mold defined in a fixed upper mold and a movable lower mold (punch). Preferably the mold comprises a peripheral mold element which is individually movable. Driving means are provided for actuating the movable punch which are in the form of two aligned, separately controlled hydraulic cylinders of which one cylinder defines a precise expansion and the other cylinder controls the compression in combination with separate end switch means.