Abstract: A system for coating fruit with a substance utilizing a vat that stores a coating substance which can be applied via a dipping process. A dipping cover having a rim is provided for engaging an upper rim of the vat. A dipping tray carries a plurality of fruit items and includes a plurality of receptacles for carrying the fruit items. The dipping tray has a profile smaller than the interior of the vat allowing the dipping tray to be lowered so that the coating substance contained within the interior of the vat may engage the fruit. The dipping cover is configured for supporting the dipping tray in an elevated position once the fruit has been coated allowing excess coating to be vibrated off the dipped fruit.

Abstract: A continuous dosage form coating apparatus uses vibrational impulses to maintain a dosage forms in a fluid state to expose them to a coating material atomized by spraying.

Abstract: A device for spraying a biological substance onto a biocompatible implant. The device includes a housing that defines a sterile chamber. A spray head is within the chamber and proximate to a first end. A first conduit is configured to direct the biological substance into the chamber through a first spray tip of the spray head. A second conduit is configured to direct an activator into the chamber through a second spray tip of the spray head. A third conduit is configured to direct compressed air to the chamber through a third spray tip of the spay head. The spray head is configured to direct a coating of the biological substance as activated by the activator to the implant seated within the chamber at a second end that is opposite to the first end.

Abstract: A system for coating fruit with a substance utilizing a vat that stores a coating substance which can be applied via a dipping process. A dipping cover having a rim is provided for engaging an upper rim of the vat. A dipping tray carries a plurality of fruit items and includes a plurality of receptacles for carrying the fruit items. The dipping tray has a profile smaller than the interior of the vat allowing the dipping tray to be lowered so that the coating substance contained within the interior of the vat may engage the fruit. The dipping cover is configured for supporting the dipping tray in an elevated position once the fruit has been coated allowing excess coating to be vibrated off the dipped fruit.

Abstract: A hybrid apparatus for applying coating to product is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first vibratory frame assembly in communication with a first pan assembly, wherein the first pan assembly receives a product and a coating and applies the coating to the products using vibratory motion. The apparatus further includes, a drum assembly that having a drum, wherein products and coating are received from the first pan assembly and the coating is further applied to the products using a rotational motion of the drum, and a second vibratory frame assembly in communication with a second pan assembly, the second pan assembly having at least one of a separator tray assembly and an alignment tray assembly, wherein the second pan assembly receives the products and coating from the rotating drum and at least one of separates and aligns the products using vibratory motion.

Abstract: There is provided a coating apparatus capable of continuously producing coated rice having powdered coating material adhered to the grains and including a drying process to prevent the grains from being bonded to one another and make the grain surfaces smoother upon drying of the grains. The coating apparatus comprising a binder coating unit for applying liquid binder to the grains being conveyed through a coating and stirring chamber to coat the grain surfaces with the binder; a adhering unit for adding powder material to the grains conveyed through a adhering and stirring chamber to adhere the powdered material to the grain surface by the binder; and a drying unit including a drying and stirring chamber through which the grains are conveyed while being stirred, a blow passage for blowing hot air into the drying chamber to dry the grains, and an exhaust passage for exhausting the hot air from the drying chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for coating products is disclosed herein. An exemplary apparatus comprises a vibration generating portion and a product coating portion. The product coating portion can include a coating application portion, a sifting portion, and an aligning portion. The exemplary apparatus can include a coating recycle portion as well. The vibration generation portion further comprises a motor vibration assembly secured to a frame wherein the frame is in communication with the product coating portion, such as a pan assembly, by springs that move the pan assembly with a vibratory motion. The product coating portion includes a series of angled steps that guide the coating and vibrating product upwards and forward, while simultaneously allowing the product to be agitated against the coating resting on the step surface. Additionally, the product coating portion can include a moveable wire belt conveyor assembly.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an excited apparatus for coating food product with a coating.

Abstract: A hybrid apparatus for applying coating to product is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first vibratory frame assembly in communication with a first pan assembly, wherein the first pan assembly receives a product and a coating and applies the coating to the products using vibratory motion. The apparatus further includes, a drum assembly that having a drum, wherein products and coating are received from the first pan assembly and the coating is further applied to the products using a rotational motion of the drum, and a second vibratory frame assembly in communication with a second pan assembly, the second pan assembly having at least one of a separator tray assembly and an alignment tray assembly, wherein the second pan assembly receives the products and coating from the rotating drum and at least one of separates and aligns the products using vibratory motion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing flowable solids onto articles located on a moving conveyor. A flowable solid is placed on a vibrating trough and dispensed to an article on the moving conveyor through a slot in the trough. A third planar surface placed beneath the slot receives the flowable solid from the slot and provides an even dispersing pattern of the flowable solid onto the articles.

Abstract: An improved seasoning system 10, 11, 13 uniformly coats a food product with the desired amount of seasoning, with the seasoning rate preferably being controlled as a function of the product volume signals from the sensors 26, 34, 108 and 110. The seasoning system preferably utilizes linear motion conveyors and either a rotating drum 36 or a deflector 98 and a second seasoning unit 112, 114 between linear conveyors 94, 96. Oil may be sprayed onto food products and tumbled in a drum 16 which both rotates and moves in a reciprocating manner with the conveyor tray 14. An improved seasoning tray 123, 144, 148 has a planar floor 122, 138, 162 with an angled discharge edge 124, 137, 182 for uniformly distributing seasoning on the product. The seasoning system minimizes damage to the food product and uniformly coats the product with a desired amount of seasoning.

Abstract: An improved seasoning system 10, 11, 13 uniformly coats a food product with the desired amount of seasoning, with the seasoning rate preferably being controlled as a function of the product volume signals from the sensors 26, 34, 108 and 110. The seasoning system preferably utilizes linear motion conveyors and either a rotating drum 36 or a deflector 98 and a second seasoning unit 112, 114 between linear conveyors 94, 96. Oil may be sprayed onto food products and tumbled in a drum 16 which both rotates and moves in a reciprocating manner with the conveyor tray 14. An improved seasoning tray 123, 144, 148 has a planar floor 122, 138, 162 with an angled discharge edge 124, 137, 182 for uniformly distributing seasoning on the product. The seasoning system minimizes damage to the food product and uniformly coats the product with a desired amount of seasoning.

Abstract: The seasoning applicator applies seasoning onto snack food products such as potato chips, corn chips, tortilla chips, and the like in a two-dimensional seasoning pattern. A two compartment sifting assembly has a first top layer having a screen where seasoning is initially deposited. Upon vibration, the seasoning is passed through the top layer screen into a lower compartment. Therein, the seasoning is further distributed across the surface of the lower layer screen, which generally has a screen with smaller openings than the top layer screen. This promotes the even distribution of seasoning through the lower screen. Thereby, a two-dimensional seasoning pattern is created for depositing on a moving bed of snack food products.

Abstract: The seasoning applicator applies seasoning onto snack food products such as potato chips, corn chips, tortilla chips, and the like in a two-dimensional seasoning pattern. A two compartment sifting assembly has a first top layer having a screen where seasoning is initially deposited. Upon vibration, the seasoning is passed through the top layer screen into a lower compartment. Therein, the seasoning is further distributed across the surface of the lower layer screen, which generally has a screen with smaller openings than the top layer screen. This promotes the even distribution of seasoning through the lower screen. Thereby, a two-dimensional seasoning pattern is created for depositing on a moving bed of snack food products.

Abstract: An improved seasoning system 10,11,13 uniformly coats a food product with the desired amount of seasoning, with the seasoning rate preferably being controlled as a function of the product volume signals from the sensors 26, 34, 108 and 110. The seasoning system preferably utilizes linear motion conveyors and either a rotating drum 36 or a deflector 98 and a second seasoning unit 112,114 between linear conveyors 94, 96. Oil may be sprayed onto food products and tumbled in a drum 16 which both rotates and moves in a reciprocating manner with the conveyor tray 14. An improved seasoning tray 123, 144, 148 has a planar floor 122, 138, 162 with an angled discharge edge 124, 137, 182 for uniformly distributing seasoning on the product. The seasoning system minimizes damage to the food product and uniformly coats the product with a desired amount of seasoning.

Abstract: A method of applying and distributing a charge of a particulate edible material onto a top surface of a substrate made of an edible dough product includes the steps of: (1) providing a charge of particulate edible material from an overhead hopper; (2) delivering the charge onto a movable vibrational surface having an area exceeding the area of the substrate, the surface being positioned above and in registration with the substrate; (3) keeping the charge on the vibrational surface within a specific area corresponding to the area of the substrate by the use of an encircling guide defining the specific area and having a lower end with a flexible skirt for contacting and sealing against the vibrational surface; (4) vibrating the vibrational surface for causing the charge received on the vibrational surface and kept within the specific area to be evenly and randomly distributed within the specific area; and (5) transferring the charge from the vibrational surface onto the substrate by moving the vibrational surfa

Abstract: A machine for applying sauce to a pizza crust rapidly and accurately. The crust is placed on a turntable, is centered by stationary platforms having terraced surfaces, and the turntable raises the crust to beneath a plurality of nozzles. The nozzles are mounted to cylinder blocks in which cylindrical cavities are formed. Pistons are slidably mounted in the cavities, and are drivingly linked to a linear prime mover to be displaced upwardly and downwardly to pump sauce into and out of the cavities. Check valves control the flow of sauce from the source of sauce to the crust through the nozzles. The pistons are selectively linked to the linear prime mover for reducing the area onto which the sauce is dispensed, for accommodating smaller and larger pizza crusts.

Abstract: A device for coating food articles with a fat-containing substance has a circulating endless mesh belt having an upper belt portion for transporting the foodstuff articles in a transport direction and a lower return belt portion. A shaking device is positioned underneath the upper belt portion downstream in the transport direction of an area where the foodstuff articles are coated. The shaking device has transverse stays positioned transversely to the transport direction. The transverse stays can be reciprocated vertically with a shaking amplitude against the upper belt portion. The transverse stays are supported individually and can be reciprocated individually in a reciprocating direction.

Abstract: An installation for coating food products with a fine pulverulent material, such as flour or breadcrumbs, comprises an endless conveyor belt which allows the pulverulent material to pass through and has a top part and a bottom part, means for forming a layer of pulverulent material on a portion of the top part on which the products can be accommodated and can be moved in the direction of transport, as well as means for applying a layer of pulverulent material on the products present on the top part, which means comprise a container having a discharge for the pulverulent material, as well as distribution means which allow the pulverulent material to pass through, for uniformly distributing the pulverulent material over the width of the top part.

Abstract: An apparatus for encapsulating seed by gel comprising a seed supplying portion and a processing portion, wherein seed has fallen from a hopper of a seed supplying portion are carried to a plurality of processing nozzles of a processing portion, for encapsulating seed by gelling. A supplying portion comprising the hopper filled with seed, a carrying device disposed below the hopper for arranging seed in correspondence with the number of processing nozzle of the processing portion, and switching devices disposed respectively at the end portions of seed carriage lanes formed by the carrying device so many as the processing nozzles. The carrying device comprising a box-shaped trough, partitions disposed at the upstream portion of the trough for restriction of the height of the flowing of seed, partitions for dividing the flowing of seed into streams so many as the processing nozzles, and a vibrator disposed below the trough.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for coating food products with seasoning, powder or other dry or granulated material while the food products are rotated in a drum uses a trough which extends into the drum from outside of the drum. The trough provides a plurality of V-shaped channels having intermittently arranged lengthwise slots along low points of the channels for creating curtains of material falling through the slots onto the food products. The trough is vibrated for inducing flow along its length as well as for preventing clogging of material flowing through the slots. Alternately the material can spill over a tapered wall of the trough rather than through slots. A vibrating inlet feeder which provides a screening surface is located upstream of the trough for screening the material before discharge into the trough and eventual discharge into the drum. A controlled screw feeder can be used to limit and regulate flow of material into the inlet feeder.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for producing seasoned food products where seasoning is performed at individual packaging lines. The product is conveyed from the preparation area to a packaging area in an unseasoned condition. Upon reaching the packaging lines, which are disposed in packaging departments in the packaging area, the product can be selectively seasoned independent of other packaging lines. After seasoning, the product is packaged and prepared for delivery. At each packaging line, a volumetric feeder includes a feed head that cooperates with a tumbler having helical flights to produce continuous controlled product portions. A seasoning dispenser is positionable within the tumbler and can be adjusted to dispense a given weight of seasoning at a given rate, based on the amount of product passing through the tumbler, to obtain consistent seasoning levels and coverage.

Abstract: A coating machine for the processing of chocolate and similar masses having a frame and a circularly driven grating belt supported thereon for the reception of the articles to be coated. The grating belt is guided by deflectors and has a tensioning device. Coating machine components are arranged below the upper run of the grating belt. The tensioning device has an extended travel enabling the lifting of the grating belt. A plurality of supports are provided to support the lifted grating belt, the supports including carriers on the frame of the coating machine.

Abstract: A chicken breading machine including a basket, with a mesh bottom, which is adapted to be rocked while holding floured chicken pieces. The mesh bottom of the basket allows loose flour and cracks to fall from the basket. The basket includes at least one tumble bar positioned at or near the bottom of the basket to cause chicken to tumble as the basket is rocked. A rocking device is adapted to rock the basket. A sifting device can be removably positioned below the basket. The sifting device contains a screen to retain cracks and permit flour to sift through the screen so that the flour can be reused without having to manually sift the flour from the cracks.

Abstract: A food breading assembly which includes a grid member sandwiched between an upper bin for holding food items to be breaded and a lower bin for holding breading material such as flour, bread crumbs, and the like. The upper and lower bins have aligned handles projecting from each side which the user can grasp with his hands to hold the upper and lower bins together and the grid sandwiched tightly between. The user can then shake the assembly causing the breading material to be propelled upwardly through the apertures of the grid to bread the food items in the upper bin. When completed, the upper bin is lifted off the grid with the breaded food on the grid. The grid has a pair of handles the user then grasps to lift the grid and breaded food thereon away from the lower bin, carry over to a cooking receptacle and drop the breaded food items therein without the user having to touch the food with his hands.

Abstract: A vibratory coating apparatus may be used to coat articles, such as chocolate pieces, with discrete coating materials. The coating apparatus features a feed bowl assembly with an attached ramp system. The feed bowl and ramp system are mounted upon a vibratory drive assembly which imparts a vibratory motion, at a predetermined frequency, to the bowl and ramp system. The vibratory motion causes agitation of the chocolate pieces and coatings, and causes the coated chocolates and loose coatings to migrate up the ramp system and out of the coating apparatus. The chocolate pieces are conveyed along a first inclined ramp from the bottom surface of the feed bowl to a location outside the bowl. A second inclined ramp receives loose coating material from a downstream location of the first ramp and redeposits the coating material both at an upstream location of the first ramp separate from the bowl and within the bowl.

Abstract: An arrangement for coating articles with chocolate in which a grating conveyor belt receives the articles to be coated. A shaking device is provided in a region below an upper run of the belt for the purpose of shaking excess liquid chocolate off the articles. The shaking device has a grating mounted pivotably in supporting side members, and this shaking grating has two longitudinal members and transverse members. The transverse members extend transverse to the direction of travel of the belt, whereas the longitudinal members extend along the direction of travel of the belt. A drive unit is connected to the shaker grating to pivotably vibrate the grating for the purpose of shaking the belt. This belt is supported only by the transverse members which have a height that is a multiple of the width of the transverse members. The transverse members, furthermore, are round rods and a respective support bar that has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating dough balls from reusable breading having a container for holding breading containing dough balls, the container having an aperture in the bottom thereof for selectably discharging the breading having dough balls commingled therewith, a sifter having foraminous portions positioned below the container bottom aperture and having a bottom with a central opening through the foraminous portions, a plurality of concentric circular walls having openings therethrough arranged to cause dough balls to be separately discharged through the sifter central opening, a divider below the sifter central opening separating into divergent downwardly inclined paths the breading sifted from the sifter, the divider having an opening therethrough, a conduit received within the divider opening having an upper end in close communication with the sifter central opening, first and second paralleled and spaced apart breading collector pans below the sifter and divider to receive breading discharged from the si

Abstract: An apparatus for separating dough balls from reusable breading having a container for holding breading containing dough balls, the container having an aperture in the bottom thereof for selectably discharging the breading having dough balls co-mingled therewith, a sifter having foraminous portions positioned below the container bottom aperture and having a bottom with a central opening therein, an actuator to cause breading to be sifted through the foraminous portions, a plurality of concentric circular walls having openings therethrough arranged to cause dough balls to be separately discharged through the sifter central opening, a breading collector container below the sifter to receive breading sifted from the sifter, and a dough ball collector directly below the sifter central opening for separately receiving dough balls passing therethrough.

Abstract: A machine for producing small mounds of a solidifiable substance, especially an almond fragments/chocolate mass mixture, includes a plurality of adjacent troughs which delimit respective substantially coextensive parallel channels, each of which includes a succession of an upstream mixing section, an intermediate sieving section, and a downstream settling section, which opens onto an unloading conveyor. The substance is introduced in a predetermined quantity into the respective mixing sections, at which it is subsequently engaged and advanced by one of a plurality of individual pusher elements of a multiple pusher.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controllably applying a liquid substance to the surfaces of a plurality of discrete fruit moving along a path at a selected rate of speed and in accordance with the quantity of fruit on said path, the application of liquid substance to the fruit being by more than one nozzle movable transversely over the path at a selected rate of speed. The apparatus includes sensors for determining the speed of advancement of the fruit, that is the speed of the conveyor, a plurality of fingers engageable by the fruit to determine, by absence of engagement of fruit, the quantity of fruit moving along the path, and a control system for regulating the amount of liquid discharged from the nozzles and to correlate the amount of liquid discharged to the speed of advancement of the fruit and the quantity of fruit being advanced. In the method, an optimum effective volume of liquid substance is applied at selected pressures to the sensed quantity of fruit on the path.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device to aid in the preparation of foodstuffs that combines the functions of a breader, a marinator and a preparation unit in a single apparatus. This device is comprised of a tiltable mixing head supported by a mobile service cart disposed with a variety of catch basins depending upon the function being performed by the device.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for providing a very light pre-dusting coating on a food piece intended for batter-coating. The apparatus includes a movable belt on which is provided a preliminary coating of breading material on which the product pieces are placed. A series of drag plates are then provided across the belt supported from above in a position to engage the breading material on the belt and to provide a standing wave of breading material pushed up by contact with the drag plates. These plates then distribute the standing wave of breading material over the top of the product while the plate lower edges remove a majority of the top coating.

Abstract: A breading apparatus including a table structure, an open top breading pan supported on the table structure, the pan having a central opening in the bottom with a removable closure so that flour or the like may be deposited in the pan and pieces of foods, such as chicken, may be placed in the flour and by manual manipulation the pieces of food are covered with flour, a removable catch pan supported by the table structure below the breading pan, and a sifter apparatus supported by the table structure between the breading pan and the catch pan, the sifter apparatus including an upright basket holder supported on the table structure and rotatable about a vertical axis, a motor supported by the table structure, a crank arm rotated by the motor, a connecting rod extending between the crank arm and the basket holder so that when the motor is energized the basket holder is reciprocated about its vertical axis, and an open top cylindrical sifter having foraminous cylindrical sidewalls and a removable foraminous botto