Abstract: A method and apparatus is shown for subjecting animal carcasses immediately after slaughter and evisceration to residence for a specific time period in a steam chamber for the purpose of preheating the skin of the carcasses to assist in controlling the moisture absorption of the carcasses in a chiller as well as for sterilization of the carcasses to kill harmful bacteria on all exposed surfaces of the eviscerated carcasses.

Abstract: An economizer arrangement for ice making reverse cycle refrigeration system of the type employing hot-gas defrosting, including a condenser, a receiver to receive liquid refrigerant, a plural tube evaporator having an internal refrigerant chamber in each tube and an expansion valve through which the refrigerant flows into the evaporator tubes during a freezing cycle of the system to cause ice formation on ice-making surfaces of the evaporator means in heat exchange relation with the refrigerant chamber. A rotary screw type compressor supplying to the condenser and has an economizer port at a location along the screw where the pressure builds up to a selected level, a refrigerant valve passes the condenser and routes hot-gas refrigerant during a harvest defrost cycle to the evaporator tubes, and a relief conduit tube communicates the refrigerant chambers of the evaporator tubes with the economizer port.

Abstract: A novel apparatus for harvesting ice from an ice maker is disclosed. A refrigeration system having a hot gas bypass valve and a water cooled condenser is used to make ice. A programmable controller interrupts the water supply to the condenser, causing the condensing pressure to rise rapidly. This pressure increase is sensed by a pressure sensor, which then opens the hot-gas valve, sending hot gaseous refrigerant to the evaporator to harvest the ice.

Abstract: An ice storage bin and discharge apparatus for discharge of uniform size ice to an outlet station for bagging or other use, including an ice bin in the form of an elongated insulated storage receptacle for containing a mass of ice, and endless floor level conveyor adjacent and overlying the bottom wall spanning the length and width thereof defining an upper flight for advancing the mass of ice toward a discharge end wall of the bin. A first drive is provided for driving the floor level endless conveyor at a predetermined speed, and an ice shearing mechanism is provided at the discharge end wall comprising a plurality of ice shaving blades positioned to lie in a vertical cutting path extending above and aligned with a transverse discharge conveyor with the shear blades collectively transversely spanning substantially the width of the bin at plural levels above the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: A reverse cycle defrost refrigeration system including a compressor, an air cooled condenser, an evaporator having surfaces for forming ice thereon during a freezing cycle and arranged to discharge the ice therefrom during a defrost cycle, and a defrost cycle arrangement to supply hot gaseous refrigerant to the evaporator during the defrost cycle including a defrost conduit connected to the condenser for releasing flash gas to the evaporator at the time the defrost cycle begins. A liquid separator surge tank is provided to condition warm defrost gaseous refrigerant which passes back through the defrost conduit to the evaporator at the beginning of the defrost cycle from carrying slugs of liquid refrigerant that may be in the condenser into the evaporator, having an inlet conduit connected to the top of the tank and an outlet conduit exiting from the tank neat the bottom thereof to separate and accumulate any slugs of liquid refrigerant or oil that may be entrained with the flash gas.

Abstract: A process is provided for treating cereal grain which comprises soaking cereal grain in an aqueous medium containing crystalline fructose or liquid grape concentrate for about 10 to about 16 hours at a temperature from about 72.degree. to about 84.degree. F. and then adding proteolytic enzyme to the soaking mixture with continued soaking in the same temperature range for an additional 10 to 62 hours and thereafter separating the cereal grain from the soaking mixture. Baked products prepared from an ingredient mix containing the treated cereal grain have hypoallergenic characteristics.

Abstract: A cube ice storage and dispensing bin in the form of a large stationary elongated insulated tank of generally cylindrical configuration having a large pool of water therein maintained substantially at water freezing temperature in liquid state. The tank has a pair of longitudinally extending screw conveyor flights, which may be of skeleton-like construction, arranged along axes paralleling the longitudinal center axis of the cylindrical tank and located to opposite sides of the center axis. The screw conveyor flights are journalled in the end walls and driven at a slow speed producing gentle agitation and and tumbling of ice cubes floating in the pool to disrupt tendencies of the ice cubes to form multicube frozen blocks of ice and maintain a slurry of ice cubes and water therein.