Abstract: Process for fast cooking filamentary alimentary pastas and the like, consisting in feeding high-temperature, pressurized water to a pre-cooking chamber thermostatted by means of the same high-temperature water, feeding to the chamber, and by means of a metering feeder, a portion of raw pasta together with hot water, and keeping the pasta under such condition until the pasta is softened, feeding a further amount of hot water to the pre-cooking chamber in order to stir the softened pasta, transferring the pasta to a thermostatted end-cooking chamber, and removing hot cooking water causing the hot water to circulate through a plurality of expansion chambers before being sent to a heat exchanger associated with the water feed pipe. Fast-cooking apparatus suitable for practicing the process in an automatic way, in which the operating cycle is governed by a microprocessor, or the like.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that comprises a self-stacking spiral conveyor that traverses through a circulating atmosphere. The atmosphere is manipulated by one or more chambers having an open side adjacent to the perforated sides of the spiral conveyor. Additional control over the circulating atmosphere may be achieved by injection or ejection of gas into one or more chambers.

Abstract: A water tank is divided into a heated compartment and a cooled compartment by an insulated baffle. A perforated cylinder is mounted within the tank and has a first segment which extends within the heated tank compartment and a second segment which extends within the cooled tank compartment. Portions of a helical auger extend within each cylinder segment. Heated water is supplied to the heated compartment by a heated water manifold, and cooled water is supplied to the cooled compartment by a cooled water manifold. Mixing of the heated and cooled water is prevented by the insulating baffle. Food product is caused to traverse the length of the heated compartment by the auger, and is transferred over the baffle into the cooled compartment by a lifting flight which elevates food product from the water into a chute which discharges into the cooled compartment. A single, self-contained apparatus thus blanches and cools food product in a continuous process.

Abstract: A cooking utensil includes a container having a peripheral wall at its upper end outwardly circumscribing its open top and defining therewith an annular reservoir for receiving a quantity of water. A lid overlies the container open top and includes a depending skirt dimensioned to become partially immersed in the reservoir water and to divide the upper part of the reservoir into an inner section, and an outer section communicating with the inner section via the bottoms of the two sections The open top of the container is formed with a triangular slot permitting a small quantity of liquid to be automatically drawn from the reservoir into the interior of the container upon cooling of the container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mixing and forming dough into plural discrete product units on a carrier and storing the ready to bake product, and a vending method and apparatus for separating the product from the carrier, baking the product and delivering the product, such as cookies or the like, to a customer. The mixed dough is formed into units, typically disk-like, and placed in a pattern on one or more first carrier sheets, then second carriers are applied with the product laminated between the sheets. The sheets and product can be fan-folded into containers, such as conventional boxes, which can be stored until needed. The containers are placed in a vending machine which leads the sheet assemblies to a station where the carrier sheets are removed and the product is dropped onto a surface that is moved through a convection oven for baking, then through a cooling station. The selected number of product units is dropped into a serving tray and presented to the customer.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing, cooking, and dispensing a food product. A rehydration chamber in the apparatus combines a quantity of dehydrated food product and a quantity of heated rehydration liquid to produce a quantity of rehydrated food product that is sufficient to produce an individual portion of cooked food product. A compression station compresses the rehydrated food product to create a prepared mixture of homogenous consistency. An extrusion station extrudes the prepared mixture into a cooker containing a cooking medium. The cooker cooks the extruded prepared mixture to produce an individual portion of cooked food product which is then dispensed by a dispenser.

Abstract: For the production of parboiled rice or a similar starch-containing product, the rice, after conveniently being moisted in a preheating installation 1, is brought to boiling temperature and, having reached this, is kept at this boiling temperature in a heat-retaining vessel 9 until the cooking process is finished. Thereupon, the rice is dried in a drying installation 12 and cooled, if necessary.

Abstract: An apparatus for the heat treatment of particulate material such as food includes a vessel which may be pressurized or evacuated and a perforated agitator through which steam is furnished to a layer of the material under treatment in the bottom of the vessel while the agitator is oscillated.

Abstract: Material reserving, dispensing and planing devices for a stone fruit biscuit machine comprising a meterial reserving device, a material dispensing device, a material planing device and a sucking device, to automatically prepare planed stone fruit pieces to drop on dough orderly placed on baking plate by receiving material stone fruit, reserving and dispensing predetermined quantity for planing, sucking planed flat pieces on to a sucking plate, and then dropping them down on the dough placed orderly on a baking plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for uniformly cooking foods which rapidly cools the cooked foods to reduce spoilage. Food packages are placed on trays and the trays are inserted in a transportable rack. The rack is loaded into a cooking tank. A pump continuously circulates hot water through a conduit from a heat exchanger to the tank to cook the food and returns the water back to the heat exchanger. A control mechanism determines and controls the temperature of the water and monitors the temperature of the food to control the length of time the heated water is applied. After the food has been properly cooked and pasteurized, cold water is rapidly supplied to the tank to quickly cool the cooked products. The continuous circulation of water during the heating mode provides uniform cooking with precise temperature control and the circulation during the cooling mode provides for rapid cooling so as to reduce spoilage.

Abstract: A device for steam cooking foodstuffs having a steam producer with an outlet to provide steam to a sealed vessel containing foodstuffs and provided with an apparatus to control the pressure in the vessel. The pressure in the vessel is controlled by condensing the steam in the vessel by a sheet of cold fluid drawn down along the inner wall of the vessel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a sheet of dough, wherein powdered materials, including flour, yeast, sugar, and fats and oils, for making bread, are mixed with particles of ice, such that the particles of ice do not melt, to make them into a dough mixture. The dough mixture is formed into a continuous belt-like dough mixture having a uniform width and thickness such that the particles of ice do not melt, and then the particles of ice are melted to make the belt-like dough mixture hydrated. Finally continuous hydrated belt-like dough mixture is stretched so that a continuous sheet of dough having a gluten network is provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooking oven for mass production of food products and a method for cooking food products. The oven includes an enclosure housing which forms a cooking chamber, having an endless pervious conveyor therein upon which food products are transported through the cooking chamber. The conveyor is arranged to provide a helically extending path over which food products will travel to increase dwell time within the cooking chamber while taking less floor space. A heated gaseous cooking medium is introduced into the cooking chamber and is circulated through an annulus formed by the helically extending conveyor to achieve high heat transfer to the food products being cooked. The oven can utilize steam and/or heated air to achieve varied cooking characteristics as desired and allows substantial versatility in the cooking process.

Abstract: A pasta cooking apparatus includes a generally rectangular cabinet including an upright cooking tank and a sauce heating chamber with a common wall, with an opening permitting water flow therebetween. The cooking water temperature and the sauce heating water are separately temperature controlled for heating thereof. A sauce chamber abuts the heating chamber and includes various sauce containers. Transfer hoses extend from the containers, through the heating chamber into nozzles located above the cooking tank. A self-contained conveyor unit within the cooking tank has an endless chain with equi-spaced pasta baskets. The cover has a top run above the tank. The baskets are pivotally mounted. The baskets are inverted in the upper run and then reset. A dish table rotates beneath the horizontal run and successive baskets drop the pasta into an aligned dish which then rotates beneath the nozzles. The unit has a 34 inch width to allow it to move through conventional doorways in small fast food restaurants.

Abstract: An automatic foodstuff cooking apparatus for automatically processing and cooking a foodstuff wherein the automatic foodstuff cooking apparatus includes a cooking chamber which is arranged in the region between a receiving unit and a takeout unit both of which are located on the front side of the apparatus is disclosed. The front surface of the cooking chamber is covered with a transparent panel. A first cooking unit is arranged on the receiving unit side of the cooking chamber and a second cooking unit is arranged on the takeout unit side. In addition, at least one foodstuff producing unit is arranged on the rear side of the first cooking unit. With such construction, the apparatus is not required to employ any cook for operating the apparatus, and moreover, manpowers required for removing dirty dishes, bowls or the like after completion of a cooking operation can be eliminated. Additionally, the apparatus can be designed and constructed in smaller dimensions.

Abstract: A food processing plant comprises a cooking kettle, a holding tank and a depositor. The holding tank is provided with wheels to permit the tank to be moved from a first position in the proximity of the cooking kettle to a second position in the proximity of the depositor. Means is provided for applying a vacuum to the tank in the first position to draw food product from the kettle through a first pipeline. Means is provided for applying pressurized air to the holding tank in the second position to expel the food product from the tank to the depositor. A cooling station is provided in the form of a booth into which the tank is movable after leaving the first position and before entering the second position. The booth includes frame means which supports a cooling unit movable from a raised position into a lowered position within the tank. The cooling unit includes rotary vanes with scrapers for contact with the wall of the tank. The cooling unit mounted on a cover adapted to rest on the rim of the tank.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing quick cooking and precooked filled pasta products by preconditioning a blend of a starch material with steam and small amounts of an internal lubricant to produce a semi-moist and partially cooked blend which is cooked and cooled under controlled conditions in a co-rotating twin screw extruder with low shear screw configuration and then co-extruded into the final filled pasta product by extruding the blend through a die, and cutting the extrudate, which may then be dried or otherwise processed.

Abstract: An apparatus for mixing, plasticizing, reacting and extruding ingredients combines a mixing unit for mixing powder-form ingredients and liquid ingredients into a paste-like mixture, a kneading and heating unit for plasticizing the mixture, a heating tube for reacting the plasticized mixture, and an extrusion die opening into a chamber which is maintained under reduced pressure by a pump. Pressure for propelling the plasticized mixture may be provided by a positive pump or by closely spaced flights of a screw extruder positioned before the heating tube.

Abstract: A processing facility, for subjecting products to process conditions for lengths of time and having a processing chamber equipped for establishing a predetermined condition within and throughout the chamber, a pair of continuous flexible conveyor elements, extending through the chamber along a generally zig-zag pathway, rotatable bearing members for supporting the flexible elements in predetermined lengths, spaced one above the other, and spaced apart from one another, the flexible elements being extended around respective bearing members, in a generally zig-zag fashion, product supports extending between the flexible elements, attachments at each end of the products supports for attachment to respective flexible elements, so that the product supports are freely swingably supported between the flexible elements, and the rotatable bearing members being spaced apart on opposite sides of the chamber a distance greater than the length of the product supports so that the product supports may freely pass between th

Abstract: A quick-cooking legume producing system includes equipment for receiving, sizing, moisturizing, tempering and precooking legumes. A first roller assembly is located downstream from the cooking equipment and includes a pair of rollers with generally cylindrical outer surfaces having corrugations. A second roller assembly is located downstream from the first roller assembly and includes a pair of rollers with generally cylindrical, smooth outer surfaces. Cooling and storage equipment are provided downstream from the roller assemblies. A quick-cooking legume producing method includes receiving, sizing, moisturizing, tempering, precoooking, fracturing, cooling and storing steps.

Abstract: A fast cooker (1) of metered amounts of spaghettis, bucatinis, and the like pasta products, enabling delivery of metered amounts of faultlessly cooked and strained spaghettis, includes a main frame (2) containing cooking chamber (6) and a normalization chamber (7) communicating with the cooking chamber to receive a metered amount of spaghettis and the cooking water thereof. The normalization chamber (7) is closed at the bottom by a gate which is movable from a closed position to an open position for spaghetti delivery, and to an intermediate position for spaghetti straining.

Abstract: A continuous vacuum frier feeds material along a path of conveyance within a vacuum frying chamber while maintaining the chamber vacuum. A frier comprises material conveying means for conveying the material through frying oil. The material conveying means includes endless belt means having a plurality of openings formed therein and a plurality of partitioning members extending downwardly from the endless belt means and each having a plurality of apertures formed therein. The partitioning members defines a plurality of compartments which receive the material and in which the material are fried and conveyed.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus for making printed foods such as cookies, crackers, and snacks at high production speeds on a continuous basis. The apparatus includes a rotary printer which is synchronized with dough forming apparatus such as a rotary cutter or rotary molder.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a pressurized circuit, wherein water is superheated to a uniform temperature, maintained free of stagnation points of air bubbles and steam, and always kept at a pressure higher than that of saturated steam at the highest temperature reached by the water itself. The superheated water, taken from the highest point of the pressurized circuit, is rapidly introduced into a precooking chamber, in which the food to be cooked has been introduced earlier and in which the pressure of the pressurized circuit is maintained. The food, after a precooking in the chamber, completes its cooking in water at atmospheric pressure in two successive cooking devices and, after the excess water has been extracted, is unloaded onto the plate for the consumer's use.

Abstract: A short cut pasta treatment apparatus utilizes a steamer (13) for steam treating short cut pasta products after extrusion and before handling. The steamer has a housing (14) in which pipes (23) with nozzles (24) are disposed, both above and below an endless belt conveyor (21) which passes through the housing. "Green" pasta is carried by the conveyor through the housing, exposing the pasta to live steam. The pasta is steam treated for a time sufficient to partially gelatinize and cook the pasta product, which reduces tackiness and strengthens the product to limit breakage. Air is then drawn by the pasta by a pair of fans (25) to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta, allowing the partially cooked pasta to be handled and stored without agglomeration. The pasta product is then transported by a conveyor (28) to metering means.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooking or refrigerating food which is capable of treating several products having different cooking or refrigerating times, wherein baskets containing these products can be separately introduced or removed. The apparatus includes a lower part in which the products are to be treated, and a hood covering the lower part. To allow introduction or removal of baskets, the hood may be raised and lowered by a mechanism. Robot arm secured below the hood slide on transverse endless screws and grasp baskets whose treatment is complete, while permitting other baskets to remain for treatment.

Abstract: A plant for treating baked goods having a baking oven, two fermentation compartments and a cooling tower which constitute a treating compartment for the goods to be treated. Support members carrying the baking goods are fed to the treating compartments by a horizontal conveyor which extends below all of the treating compartments and protrudes on both sides beyond the outermost treating compartment and constitutes stations for charging or, respectively, taking off of the dough pieces. In each treating compartment the support members are guided in a pile upwardly and in a further pile downwardly. The single treating compartments or, respectively , their housings are very close to each other to keep space requirements of the plant to a minimum.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for cooling large sealed drums (typically fifty-five gallon drums) of cooked food products. The size of such large drums makes them difficult to handle, since they typically weigh in excess of five hundred pounds when full. The cooling apparatus comprises a main frame structure which has a support shaft rotatably attached to it and elevated above the base of the frame a distance sufficient to provide clearance for a vertically oriented drum to pass underneath it. The support shaft has a support frame on it with six, equally spaced, radially arranged, drum support platforms and clamp members attached to it. A drum is rolled onto one of these platforms from an adjacent fixed platform. Once it is in place, it is clamped onto the support frame, and the next support platform is rotated into place. Once drums are located in all six of the positions, the device is continuously rotated in a cooling water spray to rapidly cool the contents of the drums.

Abstract: An automatic sandwich preparation system in which each sandwich is prepared under the control of a computer with condiments as ordered. Meat patties are packaged in spaced positions along a plastic strip and then frozen. The strips are packed in shipping and storing containers that are received by the automatic sandwich preparation equipment. The meat patties are removed from the strip by directing the strip over a small diameter roller that frees the patty. Two face-to-face plastic strips may be heat sealed to form pockets for the meat patties and also for serving portions of other sandwich components such as chopped vegetables, catchup, mustard and the like. The contents are removed by physical separation of the two strips. In another arrangement, ground meat is formed into a log shape that is frozen. While the log remains frozen individual meat patties are sawed from the log.

Abstract: An automatic sandwich preparation system in which each sandwich is prepared under the control of a computer with condiments as ordered. Shredded lettuce is delivered by an automatic volume measuring mechanism or by a weight responsive delivery system. Condiments such as mayonnaise and mustard are delivered by a volumetric pump and a flexible spreader blade that rotates over a screen above the surface of the bun. In an alternative arrangement, radial dispensing orifices rotate over the bun followed by a flexible spreader blade. In another alternative, the condiments are fed individually through flexible tubes to the bun surface while the positions of each of the delivery orifices are controlled by a common mechanism.

Abstract: Universal cooking unit wherein products to be cooked are introduced into a cooking or baking chamber by a drawer. The drawer includes joints to tightly seal the cooking chamber, which can be placed under vacuum, thereby permitting cooking at low temperature. A heating chamber, tightly separated from the cooking chamber, raises the temperature of the liquids, such as oil or water, for cooking the product in the cooking chamber. These liquids are heated by a preferential route fitted with electrical resistors, and are then propelled by a pump through a network of pipes, to the cooking chamber, and sprayed or vaporized on the food. The liquids are then collected on an inclined plane which recycles them to the heating chamber through filters to regenerate and reheat them by the preferential route in order to restart the cooking cycle. To change the cooking mode, a valve is closed and the oil in the container is conveyed by the pump to a reservoir for storage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooking oven for mass production of food products and a method for cooking food products. The oven includes an enclosure housing which forms a cooking chamber, having an endless pervious conveyor therein upon which food products are transported through the cooking chamber. The conveyor is arranged to provide a helically extending path over which food products will travel to increase dwell time within the cooking chamber while taking less floor space. A heated gaseous cooking medium is introduced into the cooking chamber and is circulated through an annulus formed by the helically extending conveyor to achieve high heat transfer to the food products being cooked. The oven can utilize steam and/or heated air to achieve varied cooking characteristics as desired and allows substantial versatility in the cooking process.

Abstract: A monolithic upper section contains a boiler surrounding an initial cooking chamber. A lower section contains a final cooking chamber aligned vertically with the upper chamber. Superheated water is piped from the boiler into the upper chamber. Valve controlled piping transfers steam from the upper chamber to the lower chamber and discharges steam and cooking water from the lower chamber, to maintain predetermined temperature and pressure levels within the two chambers. Ball valves in the lower ends of the two chambers allow the partially cooked product and cooking water to drop from the upper chamber into the lower chamber, and the drained fully cooked product to drop from the lower chamber onto a serving plate.

Abstract: A baking or roasting oven is provided with a transfer apparatus by which the pieces of edible material which is to be roasted, such as slices of white bread, soft wafers, etc., are fed into the oven and the roasted toasts are removed from the oven. The oven comprises an endless chain of hinged tongs, which can be opened and closed and are adapted to hold the pieces of edible material which are to be roasted. The chain of tongs moves in the oven in two superimposed planes. A transfer station is provided adjacent to the upper plane in which the upper course of the chain of tongs extends. The tongs move in an open position through that transfer station, which contains two sets of drums, which are closely spaced one behind the other in the direction of travel of the upper course of the chain of tongs and are disposed above the bottom plates of the open tongs of said upper course.

Abstract: A machine for heating, packaged or non-packaged foodstuffs. It comprises a plurality of cooking tanks (1 to 4), a central heater for hot liquid (5), a central chilling plant for cold liquid (6) and an assemblage of liquid distribution pipes and liquid conveyor pipes.The main heating tank (5) and cooling tank (6) are located at a height clearly above the cooking tanks (1 to 4) and associated with each is a distribution pipe (14 or 15) connected to its exit (S5 or S6) and a collecting pipe (10 or 11) connected to its exit (E5 or E6). Each cooking tank (1) is provided with a descending pipe (20.1) connected to each distribution pipe (14 or 15) via an electric valve (14.1 or 15.1) and with an ascending pipe (21.1) connected to each collecting pipe (10 to 11) via an electric valve (10.1 or 11.1). A flow control valve (23.1) is located in series on the descending pipe (20.1) which is connected to the entry (E1) of the said cooking tank (1), the overflow of which (S1) is connected the entry of a pump (27.

Abstract: An extruder operating to continuously mix, at least partially bake and extrude a preselected formulation of ingredients to provide an at least partially baked output product which, upon final baking, exhibits a cookie-like crumb structure with structural integrity. The extruder includes an added water inlet port downstream from a feed port means. A screw-type element is rotatably arranged in the extruder to vigorously mix and convey at least certain ingredients of the preselected formulation, including flour and oil, input through the feed port means, wherein the total water content, by weight, of the ingredients is less than a preselected amount. A temperature control means operates to heat treat the ingredients upstream from the added water inlet port during the vigorous mixing and conveyance by the screw-type element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically processing, cooking and selling noodles, which is applied to so-called boiled and cooked noodles, such as "wheat vermicelli", "buckwheats" and "Chinese-style vermicelli".

Abstract: An extruder operating to continuously mix, at least partially bake and extrude a preselected formulation of ingredients to provide an at least partially baked output produce which, upon final baking, exhibits a cookie-like crumb structure with structural integrity. The extruder includes an added water inlet port downstream from a feed port means. A screw-type element is rotatably arranged in the extruder to vigorously mix and convey at least certain ingredients of the preselected formulation, including flour and oil, input through the feed port means, wherein the total water content, by weight, of the ingredients is less than a preselected amount. A temperature control means operates to heat treat the ingredients upstream from the added water inlet port during the vigorous mixing and conveyance by the screw-type element.

Abstract: A circulative catering table provided with an endless conveyer circulating according to the circulating course supported in a horizontal plane at the designated height by a base frame and supporting the foods at the designated intervals, an appropriate number of counters for eating and drinking disposed outside of the endless conveyer and a cooling system for the foods on the endless conveyer. The circulative catering table has a first cool air path forming a lower opening by providing a gap between the outside of the endless conveyer and the counter and extending downwards of the base frame in communication with the lower opening and a second cool air path disposed in opposition to the lower opening against the endless conveyor, with the lower part thereof in communication with the first cool air path and with the upper opening at the upper end that uniformly blows out the cool air in a direction crossing the endless conveyer and toward the space above the lower opening.

Abstract: The invention herein referred to pertains to an automatic fried food dispenser with a cooking fumes filter. The automatic dispenser consists of a cupboard-type frame which houses: a means of food preservation, a means of measuring out portions of food and feeding them into a frier, and a means of dispensing the fried food to the outside. Incorporated into the frame is a course along which the cooking fumes can pass which extends to cover, as a minimum, the area above the frier. Along the length of the course there is: a means of circulating the fumes, a means of filtering the fumes and a means of drawing down the moisture content of the fumes which is mounted on the filtering system according to the direction in which the fumes are circulating along the course, referred to above.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous sterilization of foodstuffs arranged in particular in containers, comprising chambers for heating, sterilization and cooling, with introduction of steam or water vapor into at least one of said chambers and is distinguished in that the chambers equipped with endlessly revolving conveyors are separated from each other by separating doors (4) which are each made closable by electric motors (5) and reduction gearing (6), the first preliminary chamber (1) being configured for the preparation, the second chamber (2) for heating up and sterilization in warm water under pressure with heating by means of steam, and the third chamber (3) for cooling in cold water under said pressure and that elevatedly disposed hydrostatic chambers (8; 12) are arranged to ensure a permanently maintained operating pressure.

Abstract: A system for thermally processing a strand of link food products includes structure defining an elongated treatment zone, and hook type conveyor structure for supporting a strand of encased food product links to be thermally treated in a series of depending loops. Each depending loop containing a plurality of links, for movement along a transport path through the treatment zone. The treatment zone is defined by parallel spaced pressure plenum structures, each pressure plenum structure having a vertical side wall and the hook type conveyor structure being disposed between the side walls. Each side wall has an array of generally horizontally extending nozzle tubes that are in communication with its corresponding pressure plenum structure.

Abstract: An extruder and continuous mixing apparatus operating to continuously mix, at least partially bake and extrude a preselected formulation of ingredients to provide an at least partially baked output product which, upon final baking, exhibits a cookie-like crumb structure with structural integrity. The extruder includes at least one screw-type element which is rotatably arranged in the extruder to vigorously mix and convey at least certain ingredients of the preselected formulation, including flour and oil, input through a feed port means at the upstream end of the extruder, wherein the total water content, by weight, of the ingredients is less than a preselected amount. A temperature control means operates to heat treat the ingredients during the vigorous mixing and conveyance by the screw-type element. The vigorous mixing and heat treatment is applied to the ingredients for substantially the entire length of the extruder.

Abstract: Baked goods and in particular hard biscuits and crackers which are hollow and which are adapted to contain a filling are inverted subsequent to baking so that the biscuit or cracker can have a filling inserted therein from the side of the biscuit or cracker that had been contacting the bottom of the oven. It is preferred to insert a filling by means of needle injection into hollow biscuits and crackers through the side that had been in contact with the bottom of the oven since the other side in many instances will contain a fanciful design. The baked hollow forms as they emerge from the oven are inverted by being flowed to a wheel containing longitudinal stepped sections which upon rotation deposit the baked hollow forms on a lower conveyor belt in an inverted form. The hollow baked and inverted forms are then moved to an indexing mechanism which holds the hollow baked forms while they are pierced by a needle and filled with a desired filling.

Abstract: An extruder and continuous mixing apparatus operating to continuously mix, at least partially bake and extrude a preselected formulation of ingredients to provide an at least partially baked output product which, upon final baking, exhibits a cookie-like crumb structure with structural integrity. The extruder includes at least one screw-type element which is rotatably arranged in the extruder to vigorously mix and convey at least certain ingredients of the preselected formulation, including flour and oil, input through a feed port means at the upstream end of the extruder, wherein the total water content, by weight, of the ingredients is less than a preselected amount. A temperature control means operates to heat treat the ingredients during the vigorous mixing and conveyance by the screw-type element. The vigorous mixing and heat treatment is applied to the ingredients for substantially the entire length of the extruder.

Abstract: An extruder operating to continuously mix, at least partially bake and extrude a preselected formulation of ingredients to provide an at least partially baked output product which, upon final baking, exhibits a cookie-like crumb structure with structural integrity. The extruder includes an added water inlet port downstream from a feed port means. A screw-type element is rotatably arranged in the extruder to vigorously mix and convey at least certain ingredients of the preselected formulation, including flour and oil, input through the feed port means, wherein the total water content, by weight, of the ingredients is less than a preselected amount. A temperature control means operates to heat treat the ingredients upstream from the added water inlet port during the vigorous mixing and conveyance by the screw-type element.

Abstract: An extruder and continuous mixing appartatus operating to continuously mix, at least partially bake and extrude a preselected formulation of ingredients to provide an at least partially baked output product which, upon final baking, exhibits a cookie-like crumb structure with structural integrity. The extruder includes at least one screw-type element which is rotatably arranged in the extruder to vigorously mix and convey at least certain ingredients of the preselected formulation, including flour and oil, input through a feed port means at the upstream end of the extruder, wherein the total water content, by weight, of the ingredients is less than a preselected amount. A temperature control means operates to heat treat the ingredients during the vigorous mixing and conveyance by the screw-type element. The vigorous mixing and heat treatment is applied to the ingredients for substantially the entire length of the extruder.

Abstract: An extruder and continuous mixing apparatus operating to continuously mix, at least partially bake and extrude a preselected formulation of ingredients to provide an at least partially baked output product which, upon final baking, exhibits a cookie-like crumb structure with structural integrity. The extruder includes at least one screw-type element which is rotatably arranged in the extruder to vigorously mix and convey at least certain ingredients of the preselected formulation, including flour and oil, input through a feed port means at the upstream end of the extruder, wherein the total water content, by weight, of the ingredients is less than a preselected amount. A temperature control means operates to heat treat the ingredients during the vigorous mixing and conveyance by the screw-type element. The vigorous mixing and heat treatment is applied to the ingredients for substantially the entire length of the extruder.

Abstract: An automatic and continuous rice cooking system comprises a spiral rotary steam vessel with an elongated steam jacket having a semi-circular bottom and housing a screw conveyer, and a steam tunnel passage provided with a mesh conveyer connected to the outlet port of the vessel at its terminal end via a duct. As raw rice is charged inside the steam vessel from one end of the steam vessel, the rice is gradually steamed as it is conveyed by the screw conveyer toward the other end, during which time the rice is subjected to a steaming process in which starch is released from the rice, a gelatinization process in which the starch is gelatinized, and an adsorption process in which the gelatinized starch is adsorbed by the rice grains.

Abstract: In a machine for preparing precooked lasagna. A mixer for combining ingredients necessary for the preparation of pasta and an extruder for forming at least two uncooked strips of pasta. After passing the strips through the cooker, they are deposited into a cooling tank where they are allowed to accumulate. A separator and guide means aligns the noodles on top of one another as they pass out of the cooling tank. The noodles are then passed above and below the nozzle where a filler material is deposited between the strips. The strips are then cut for packaging.An improved lasagna product wherein the edges are scalloped and a noodle is corrugated for improved sauce migration.