Abstract: A method and a device for treating food and/or containers for holding food treats the food and/or containers in at least one treatment zone by a process liquid, wherein the process liquid is at least partially recirculated into the treatment zone or the treatment zones after completed treatment of the food and/or the containers. During continuous treatment at least some or all of the process liquid is used per time unit to form at least one stream of the process liquid, the formed stream is filtered by at least one membrane filtration system, and a filtered stream is at least partially fed back into an element holding and/or conducting the process liquid and/or into a treatment zone.

Abstract: A rotary drum blancher/cooler for processing food includes a skinsheet comprised of a plurality of sections, clamps, and structural channels. Each clamp has clamping and release positions, and includes a base, a bail connected to the base, a draw connected to the bail, and at least a portion of a skinsheet clamp bar connected to the draw. The sections are disposed between structural channels, such that the drum is defined by the skinsheet sections alternating with the structural channels. The base is attached to a structural channel, and the draw extends from within to outside the structural channel. The skinsheet clamp bar is outside the structural channel. When the clamp is in the clamping position the clamp bar holds a skinsheet section to the structural channel in an operating position. When the clamp is in the release position configuration the clamp bar allows skinsheet section to move away from the structural channel in cleaning position.

Abstract: An apparatus for the heat treatment of a product, in particular a product contained within a hermetically sealed pouch or other plastic container, the apparatus having, a heating unit to contain a product as product is brought towards a treatment temperature and pressure, a sterilization unit to contain product at a pre determined treatment temperature and pressure to sterilize product, and a cooling unit to bring a product from the treatment temperature and pressure towards ambient; each unit being selectively sealable from another unit, the apparatus further having: a plurality of conduits carrying heat-exchange fluids allowing heat to be transferred between units; and having a heater, preferably producing steam, to supply heat to the apparatus; a heat-exchange unit enabling heat energy to be transferred from one conduit to another; and a hot well to retain a reservoir of heat exchange fluid at the highest temperature required by the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a melon juice concentrate, such as watermelon juice concentrate, includes a finisher with brushes for separating melon flesh from melon rind including leaving at least 1/16 inch flesh on the rind and screens for separating juice from flesh. The apparatus also includes a steamer to reduce bacteria count on whole melon, a chopper for chopping melons into pieces less than about 16 inches square, an extractor for extracting juice from the flesh, and an evaporator for concentrating melon juice to form melon juice concentrate. The steamer includes a cylinder frame, steam jets directing steam through apertures in the cylinder frame at whole melon therein, and a motivator to move the whole melon along the cylinder frame. The apparatus can also process cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and other melon.

Abstract: A baking oven for producing baked molded products. The baking oven has an input station, a baking area and an output station. In addition, the oven has baking plates, which are arranged along a circulation path passing through the baking area, and a conveying device for the baking plates. The baking plates are in the form of susceptor plates, which can be heated inductively without contact. An induction heating device is provided in the baking area. This device includes at least one elongated inductor, which is arranged parallel to the circulation path of the baking plates and extends along the circulation path over a plurality of susceptor plates. The elongated inductor produces a large-area, broad magnetic field, which simultaneously inductively heats a plurality of baking plates in the form of susceptor plates without any contact.

Abstract: An oven according to some embodiments includes an oven chamber in which food is cooked, a heating element, a fan, a sensor for sensing the temperature of the oven chamber, a remote input device, and a controller configured to receive a signal from the remote input device and to change the fan or heating element based at least in part upon the signal received from the remote input device. In a method of operating the oven according to some embodiments, the oven enters an operating mode from an energy-savings mode responsive to receiving an signal from a remote device.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating objects with a treatment gas comprises a treatment chamber, a chamber input through which objects enter the treatment chamber, and a chamber output (which may be the same as the chamber input) through which the objects leave the treatment chamber. The treatment chamber encloses the treatment gas, which can be steam. The chamber output and/or the chamber input include an intermediate medium, such as a liquid, through which the objects pass. The intermediate medium prevents escape of the treatment gas from the treatment chamber and the ingress of external gases into the treatment chamber, while facilitating input of the objects to the chamber, and output of the objects from the chamber.

Abstract: An oven according to some embodiments includes an oven chamber in which food is cooked, a heating element, a fan, a sensor for sensing the temperature of the oven chamber, a remote input device, and a controller configured to receive a signal from the remote input device and to change the fan or heating element based at least in part upon the signal received from the remote input device. In a method of operating the oven according to some embodiments, the oven enters an operating mode from an energy-savings mode responsive to receiving an signal from a remote device.

Abstract: A compact conveyor oven is disclosed comprising a cooking chamber, thermal heating source, conveyor means and independent top and bottom airflow within the cooking chamber wherein substantially equal pressurization of the top and bottom airflows is achieved within the compact footprint.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing noodle casings includes a take-out device disposed between two conveyers. One of the conveyers serves to transfer a noodle sheet that has been punched to form noodle casings. The other of the conveyers serves to transfer a remaining noodle sheet. The take-out device is operable between a first position at the transfer level of the conveyers and a second position for permitting the noodle casings to fall onto another conveyer.

Abstract: A cellularly-integrated food process line (30) is a combination of several diverse cells (32, 24, 36, 38), which are diverse because each performs non-identical operations. Such cells (32, 24, 36, 38) are configured to perform at least one sub-process as marinade, form, cook, dust coat, batter coat, crumb coat, fry, sear, grill mark or freeze, as well as any two or several of those sub-processes in combination. The cells (32, 24, 36, 38) are also configured to stack vertically in interchangeable combinations, as desired, to form a tower. Changing the combination or sequence of such cells (32, 24, 36, 38) correspondingly changes the end result on food product (41) processed by such combination. Each cell has its own conveying apparatus (56, 60, 68) for motivating food product (41) along a pathway, which may collectively be driven by a common drive system (40, 50).

Abstract: A bottle cleaner that inverts the bottles to spray solutions into them. The cleaner sends the bottles through two inverting passes for multiple stages of liquid cleaning. Thus, on the first pass, the bottles invert and receive, for example, a spray of a cleaning solution of some sort. The cleaner then returns the bottles to the upright orientation. On the second pass, the bottles again turn upside down and then may receive a liquid rinse. After returning the bottles to the normal orientation, the cleaner may then pass the bottles off to another location for further operations. Each pass of the bottles utilizes two sets of linked grippers arranged as a chain. One chain contacts the bottles on one side while the second chain contacts them on the other side. The two chains squeeze the bottles between them to firmly hold them. A single adjustment accomplishes a multitude of tasks.

Abstract: A rotary cooker and/or sterilizer is provided with a novel rail design to facilitate processing of chamfered, stackable cans and which prevents damage to the protective coating of chamfered, stackable cans which occurs in prior art rotary cookers. A split rail is provided having an inclined track for carrying and guiding one end of chamfered, stackable cans and a flat track for carrying and guiding the other ends of the cans so that the side wall of each can does not contact the rail and is not subjected to the abrasion of the side wall of the can otherwise caused by prior art flat rails used to carry and guide both ends of the cans. The rail design includes flanges for limiting side-to-side motion of the cans as well as rail segments which are placed in the rotary cooker wherein each rail segment supports and guides the top ends of cans in one row of cans and the bottom ends of cans moving in an adjacent row of cans.

Abstract: A thermal conditioning system for heating and cooling cylindrical containers includes a container heating apparatus with an enclosed heating chamber, transport mechanism for movement of the containers through the heating chamber, a cooling apparatus positioned below the heating chamber, and conveyor systems for introducing containers into the heating chamber and form removing the containers from the cooling apparatus after they have passed through the system.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a conveyer oven having a high heat efficiency and excellent cooking performance. Foods F are carried into a heating chamber 10 by a conveyer 60 and conveyed to the upper portion of the heating chamber. While the foods F are conveyed at the upper portion of the heating chamber, an eject nozzle 45 blows hot air to the foods F and simultaneously foods F are surrounded with remaining hot air. When cooking is finished, the foods F are conveyed downward to be carried out from the heating chamber 10. Therefore, heat from a heating means 20 is used effectively for cooking, that means heat efficiency is improved, which reduces fuel cost. Moreover, since the foods F are surrounded with remaining hot air, the foods F are evenly heated all over, whereby cooking performance is improved.

Abstract: A pasteurizer (1) comprising an endless circulating transport conveyor (3) guided around deflection rolls (7, 8) and used for transporting through the pasteurizer (1) the products (18) to be pasteurized, and having a feed conveyor (5) and/or a discharge conveyor (9) oriented essentially transversely to the conveying direction of the transport conveyor (3) and having a smaller width than the transport conveyor (3), feed conveyor (5) and/or discharge conveyor to and away from the respective end face of the transport conveyor (3), and a transfer surface (4, 19) for bridging a distance between the conveying surface(s) of the feed conveyor (5) and/or of the discharge conveyor (9) and the conveying surface of the transport conveyor (3). The feed conveyor (5) and/or the discharge conveyor (9) is arranged so close to the respective end face of the transport conveyor (3) that the lateral boundary (K) thereof, which face the transport conveyor (3), is arranged above the contour of the respective deflection roll (7, 8).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pasteurizer (1) comprising an endless circulating transport conveyor (3) guided around deflection rolls (7, 8) and used for transporting through the pasteurizer (1) the products (18) to be pasteurized, a feed conveyor (5) and/or a discharge conveyor (9) oriented essentially transversely to the conveying direction of the transport conveyor (3) and having a smaller width than the transport conveyor (3), said feed conveyor (5) and/or discharge conveyor (9) being used for transporting the products (18) to and away from the respective end face of the transport conveyor (3), and a transfer surface (4, 19) for bridging a distance between the conveying surface(s) of the feed conveyor (5) and/or of the discharge conveyor (9) and the conveying surface of the transport conveyor (3).

Abstract: The proposed installation comprises a plurality of carriages which pass in succession from a product loading station (3) to a product unloading station (15) in succession via an inlet lock (10), a sterilizing tunnel (11), a transfer lock (12), a cooling tunnel (13), and an outlet lock (14). The superheated water of the sterilizing tunnel (11) and the cooling water of the cooling tunnel (13) are maintained at a pressure P1 greater than the pressure that exists inside the packages contained in the carriages during sterilization. The sterilizing tunnel (11) and the cooling tunnel (13) preferably constitute an assembly having an even number of superposed segments, with the carriages being caused to travel along the tunnels by linear magnetic couplers. The installation is adapted to sterilizing products contained in flexible packages.

Abstract: The cooling tunnel is applicable to automatic packaging installations and comprises a main conveyor belt (1) adapted for the transport of packages (2) filled with hot liquid products through a cooling device (3), loading means (4) of packages (2) onto the main conveyor belt (1), unloading means (5) of packages (2) from the conveyor belt (1) and emptying means (6) of the packages (2). The loading means (4) are adapted for loading the packages (2) onto the main conveyor belt (1) forming successive sets (15), in which the packages (2) form an arrangement of orthogonal rows and columns, whereas the unloading means (5) are adapted for the simultaneous unloading of the packages (2) from each row of the sets (15) of packages (2).

Abstract: An apparatus for treating items such as for freezing, drying, or baking food items, includes an inclined track or trough with a perforated bottom through which pressurized treating gas flows to raise the item and hold it suspended above the bottom of the trough to allow the item to move by gravity down the trough as the treating gas, such as a cooling or refrigerating gas when the item is being cooled or frozen or a hot gas when the item is to be cooked, flows under, around, and over the item to be treated to thereby treat such item. It is preferred that the trough be a spiral trough surrounding a chamber containing pressurized treating fluid which flows from the chamber into a plenum under the perforated trough bottom, through the perforations and around the item and then out of the trough. The items can be stopped in the trough so that they remain for a predetermined treatment time.

Abstract: A continuous processing apparatus comprises a tubular assembly that has a carrying path of a constant spatial cross sectional area throughout it and a pressure control unit in the carrying path, a retainer that is provided with throttle pieces of an area slightly smaller than the spatial cross sectional area so as to create labyrinth seal at least one of the upstream and downstream locations from the pressure control unit of the tubular assembly along its carrying path, and a retainer carrying device placed in the tubular assembly for carrying the retainer.

Abstract: A safety sensor mechanism (10) for a rotary sterilizer (16) including a slider plate (40) positioned in the revolving path of cans (11) and movable away from a discharge opening (28) of the sterilizer. The safety mechanism includes slider bars (44) and tubular housings (48) with coil springs (50) for creating a spring-loaded slider plate that yields if engaged by a misaligned can that does not proper eject from the sterilizer.

Abstract: A continuous processing apparatus comprises a tubular assembly that has a carrying path of a constant spatial cross sectional area throughout it and a pressure control unit in the carrying path, a retainer that is provided with throttle pieces of an area slightly smaller than the spatial cross sectional area so as to create labyrinth seal at least one of the upstream and downstream locations from the pressure control unit of the tubular assembly along its carrying path, and a retainer carrying device placed in the tubular assembly for carrying the retainer.

Abstract: A rotary blancher having a food product receiving chamber sealed substantially everywhere except at its food product inlet and food product outlet to permit operation using solely a non-liquid heat transfer medium that is a gas or vapor that preferably is steam. To minimize loss of heat transfer medium out the inlet and outlet, some atmosphere preferably is vented. Preferably, the blancher can also use a liquid heat transfer medium or liquid and non-liquid heat transfer combined media. During operation, food product is introduced into the chamber and a rotary food transport mechanism urges the food product toward the outlet. The heat transfer medium is introduced into the chamber where it comes into contact with the food product. After heating the food product to the desired temperature, the food product is removed from the blancher. Preferably, food product is blanched in this manner in a continuous flow process.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly including a nozzle unit, first and second sleeves and a clamp. The nozzle unit has an aft collar and a tapered inner fluid contact surface, tapering to gradually increase the velocity of fluid passing therethrough. The inner surface is formed of an elastomer material that deforms by eddies in the fluid and thereby does not build turbulent flow. The clamp encircles a rearward fitting of the first sleeve and a forward fitting of the second sleeve, holding them together with the collar sandwiched therebetween.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for transferring heat between a heat transfer liquid and a plurality of moving containers of food product. The containers are conveyed by a perforated conveyor at least partially submerged in a pool of the heat transfer liquid and are showered at the same time with the heat transfer liquid. The pool of heat transfer liquid continuously drains and recirculates through either a heater or a chiller. A vibrator unit vibrates the pool of heat transfer liquid, the conveyor and the containers during the heat transfer operation.

Abstract: A process for sterilizing a container holding a fluid diet, the container having a long and slender mouth and being filled with the fluid diet and sealed; the process includes the steps of filling the container with the fluid diet in a heated state, sealing the container at the mouth thereof, and thereafter turning the container with its mouth side down to immerse only the mouth and the vicinity thereof in a hot-water bath for a period of time sufficient to achieve sterilization. An apparatus for carrying out the process includes a bucket conveyor, a feed conveyor, a bucket and a bath. The process and apparatus can well sterilize containers holding a fluid diet and having a long and slender mouth. The process and apparatus can well sterilize containers holding a fluid diet and having a long and slender mouth.

Abstract: A sterile-packed rice product is produced in a system including a rice filling device that fills an individual tray with a predetermined quantity of washed and soaked rice; a sterilization chamber that substantially air-tightly contains one or more of arrays of the trays with rice for sterilizing the rice with high-temperature pressurized steam introduced into the chamber; a water filling device that fills the trays with the sterilized rice with a predetermined quantity of water necessary for steam rice-cooking; a steam rice cooker that cooks the rice with a steam; and a sealing device that lids air-tightly that trays with the cooked rice. A clean booth surrounds a conveyor conveying the trays from the steam rice cooker to said sealing device, thus providing a predetermined cleanliness over an area covering at least a conveying path of the trays from an exit of the steam rice cooker to the sealing device.

Abstract: The invention provides a rotary processor which uses a linear motion detector to measure the deflection of the rotary processor as the rotary processor is heated.

Abstract: The invention provides a rotary processor, which uses magnetic fields to increase the heating or cooling of containers. The invention provides the magnetic fields along the sides of the rotary processor before or after the containers are rotated under the force of friction due to gravity. The magnetic field increase the number of transition phases of rotation, by creating a force of friction caused by the magnets which will rotate the containers and then removing the magnetic fields so that the containers stop rotating.

Abstract: A blancher or cooler has a drum made up of a plurality of stainless steel perforated panels. The drum is rotatably mounted within a water tank, and has an auger for progressing food products from an inlet to an outlet. The panels are bolted between C-channels which are welded to end plates to define the drum, and steel angle brackets clamp the panels in place. The angle brackets have slots with enlarged openings at one end. For periodic cleaning the nuts which clamp the brackets to the C-channels are loosened part way, the brackets are removed by passing the bolt heads through the enlarged openings, and the unclamped panels are allowed to hang freely on the C-channels. In this condition all regions of the panels are accessible to cleaning spray as the drum is rotated. The brackets are rapidly replaced and the nuts fully tightened to return the apparatus to service.

Abstract: An autoclave (1) defines a processing chamber (2) communicating with the exterior through two air-lock chambers (15, 7) arranged at opposite ends of the autoclave (1) and extending perpendicular thereto. A stepping conveyor (40) operates in the processing chamber (2) to transfer the containers (9) of food to be processed from the inlet end (3) to the outlet end (4) of the chamber itself.

Abstract: The installation, which includes a tubular enclosure, is provided with a plugging device at each end, each plugging device including a moving assembly that can be displaced perpendicularly to the axis .DELTA. of the enclosure. The moving assembly includes a plug of the stopper type provided with a seal, a spacer provided with a pull rod a drawer and a plugging body. The moving assembly is slidably mounted in a force take-up member. Via co-operation between sloping ramps carried by the plug and complementary sloping grooves in the drawer, the transverse displacement of the drawer causes the plug to be displaced axially.

Abstract: The invention provides a rotary processor, which uses T-shaped spiral rails of Nitronic-30 to provide wear resistant rails for processing tin free steel containers.

Abstract: A tank apparatus has at least one set of three rollers suitable for being positioned therein, one roller of each set having a density less than a density of water so that the roller is floatable in water, and the two other rollers being movable rollers capable of reciprocating vertically from a position above to a position below the floatable roller.

Abstract: A filter holder assembly for use with an oil filtering pan in a food fryer filtration system to filter a contaminated cooking oil is provided with an adjustable sealing ring so as to accommodate filters of different thicknesses such as filter pads and filter paper. In one self-adjusting embodiment, the sealing ring is configured for vertical movement by way of a pair of pins operatively connected to the sealing ring and that are movable vertically within a corresponding pair of slotted hinge members. When a filter pad is used with this embodiment, the pins are urged against the hinge members such that pressure is applied to the sealing ring to form a positive seal. Alternative embodiments create a positive seal when either a filter pad or filter paper is used.

Abstract: A water tank is divided into a first heated compartment and a second heated compartment by an insulated baffle. A perforated cylinder is mounted within the tank and has a first segment which extends within the first heated tank compartment and a second segment which extends within the second heated tank compartment. Portions of a helical auger extend within each cylinder segment. Heated water at a first temperature is supplied to the first heated compartment by a first heated water manifold, and heated water at a second, higher temperature is supplied to the second heated compartment by a second heated water manifold. Mixing of the two temperatures of water is prevented by the insulating baffle. Food product is caused to traverse the length of the first heated compartment by the auger, and is transferred over the baffle into the second heated compartment by a lifting flight which elevates food product from the water into a chute which discharges into the second heated compartment.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for agitating and thermally conditioning containers that are carried along a conveyor and engage agitating apparatus in the form of two rollers positioned above the conveyor and adjacent one another and rotatably drive to cause the container to roll against the conveyor and the rollers to effect agitation of the container and the contents while being engaged by a thermal conditioning fluid to effect a temperature change of the container and its contents. One of the two rollers is movable between such a container agitating position and a container passing position that will permit the container to pass over the rollers to move beyond the agitating station and toward an exit from the apparatus.

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 food processing apparatus such as a cooler, blancher, or cooker, has a water tank with a perforated wall drum cylinder mounted to rotate within the tank. Loose or pouch-packaged food product is introduced into the rotating cylinder and is advanced by the generally helical auger to the discharge end of the tank. The auger has radially extending folds or depressions which project axially from the auger helical surface, such that food product conveyed by the rotating auger is engaged by the projecting portions and is thereby agitated in an axial direction as it is conveyed from the tank inlet to the tank outlet. In a preferred embodiment, the depressions are disposed at 90 degrees from one another along the entire length of the auger, alternately projecting toward the inlet and the outlet.

Abstract: A process and system for sterilizing packages of thermally-treatable products having different sterilization processing requirements. These packaged products can be different types of canned soups, for example. At least one of the packaged products is preheated a significant, predetermined amount in a preheat vessel in a steam or steam-air mixture to accommodate these different processing requirements. This allows the first and second packages to be processed through the stationary hydrostatic sterilizer, which is generally separate from the preheat vessel, at a common line speed and temperature. Expensive sterilizer changeover delays are thereby reduced significantly or even avoided. This process also allows the soup to be cold blended, reducing the likelihood of any overcooking in the large cooking kettle and reducing the amount of starch needed.

Abstract: An apparatus for unscrambling sealed cylindrical containers, the apparatus having an upright open top vessel substantially filled with water, an elongated inclined unscrambler bed having an intake end submersed in the water and a discharge end which extends above the water surface, a plurality of sets of belts arranged in paralleled spaced apart vertical planes and supported by the unscrambler bed, each of the belts passing upwardly over the bed upper surface and downwardly below the bed lower surface, the containers to be unscrambled being dumped within the water to settle downwardly through the water and onto the unscrambler bed intake end, the belts serving to move the containers as they engage the belts upwardly and above the water surface onto a traveling take away belt for further processing. In the preferred arrangement some of the belts in each set of belts travel at different speeds so that containers moving on each set of belts tend to assume the lengthwise position.

Abstract: An improved filling system for containers of mixtures of liquid and solid material where the liquid/solid ratio is critical is disclosed. A prior art problem was that sticky solid material would adhere to the receptacle or bucket in which it was delivered to a filling chute or funnel and it would also stick to the funnel. This problem is solved by putting the sticky solid in the buckets and by using the liquid to flush the funnel and by using an air jet to remove any remaining particles from the buckets which are upturned over the funnel. Alternately, a part of the liquid may be placed in the delivery bucket and when it is tilted or turned upside down to fill the container the remaining part of the liquid is used to rinse the receptacle. The filling system is especially useful for soups containing noodles or other pasta products.

Abstract: A hydrostatic cooker discharge apparatus comprises a flight conveyor, a first belt conveyor and a second belt conveyor. The flight conveyor sequentially receives horizontally oriented sticks of containers from a cooker. The first belt conveyor in conjunction with the flight conveyor transports the stick containers to a waterfall structure whereat the containers are reoriented to an upright position and are individually placed on the second belt conveyor for removal from the cooker area.

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: A multi-drop container discharge system receives frangible containers from carriers of an articulating hydrostatic cooker and discharges the containers into carriers of an intermittently driven indexing conveyor. Free fall of the frangible containers is minimized by first delaying free-fall from the hydrostatic cooker carriers and thereafter preventing free-fall to the bottom of the truncated V-shaped carriers of an indexing conveyor.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the cooling of softly packaged food-stuffs, such as pouches with foods, said pouches are immersed inside a tank (52) into a cooling liquid with a density that is lower than that of the pouches. A floor is arranged inside the tank above the tank bottom so as to support the pouches, which floor comprises a grid (14). At least one jet (15) is arranged between the tank floor and the grid, said jet being adapted to eject liquid in a generally upward direction, and said jet during the ejection being moved so as to vary the flow pattern inside the tank. The motion of the jet provides an exceptionally good cooling effect, which is believed to be attributable to a combination of advantageous circumstances, viz. that no pouch is constantly stationary and that the pouches do not cover the surfaces of other pouches.The motion of the jets can be provided by a mechanically relatively simple arrangement, in which the jets are mounted on arms (16), which arms are rotated around a vertical axis (17).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the controlled cooking of food solids in glass containers while overcoming the problem of thermal shattering of the glass is disclosed. By using a tunnel furnace with heated air directed into and around the glass container, the glass can be tempered and retempered according to the needs of the ingredients to be added. Foods such as meat can be cooked in the glass container without loss of beneficial by-products. By using this method and apparatus, solid foods can be added separately from liquid foods to thereby control amount of material packed. This procedure also allows for the frozen addition of the solids to thereby avoid disintegration of the solid if soft and subject to abrasion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the preparation of what is commonly known as "fast foods" such as french fried potatoes. These foods are generally cooked in a vat of heated oil and, as a result of such preparation, include a high concentration of polyunsaturates and cholesterol in levels which may be detrimental to the health of the consumer over long periods of time. The method of the present invention pre-cooks food in a non-fat environment such as a microwave oven. Thereafter, the food is transported by a conveyor system through different cooking stations, at least one of which sprays the pre-cooked food with closely monitored quantities and concentrations of heated oil. In this manner, the prepared food has the appearance, taste and texture as though it were cooked in the traditional way, but is not saturated with oil as it would be if it were immersed in a heated vat.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for heating a continuing series of articles, such as canned or bottled potable goods, to substantially room temperature in order to prevent condensation from forming on the containers. The apparatus comprises an elongated housing having an interior housing chamber and open on each longitudinal end. An endless conveyor transports the articles from one open end of the housing and to the other end of the housing along a substantially horizontal plane. An elongated trough is disposed under the conveyor and is partially filled with heating water so that the articles are partially submerged in the water as they are transported through the housing. A recirculation system is also provided for continuously reheating the heating water.