Abstract: A treatment device for treating food products with conditioned air comprises a housing which delimits a treatment space and is provided with an entry and an exit, at least one conveying device for conveying the products from the entry throughout the treatment space to the exit, the conveying device between the entry and the exit following a conveying path with several windings which are situated one above the other, air-circulation device for circulating conditioned air throughout the treatment space via a hollow drum. According to a first aspect, air-conditioning device are provided upstream of the air-circulation device for conditioning the air. According to a second aspect, at least one winding of the conveying path near the entry has a pitch which is different to the pitch of the downstream windings.

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 countertop multi-function oven has a baking and a toasting mode. The oven has, in vertical arrangement, a first rotating time selection dial and second rotating temperature selection dial and graphic display area. The graphic area has a function selection indictor as well as first and second alphanumeric portions. In a toasting mode, one of the input dials is used to select a toasting load and the other input dial is used to select a toasting darkness.

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 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 is disclosed, including a container heating apparatus and a container cooling apparatus, with the container cooling apparatus positioned generally coaxially below the heating apparatus, and in which are provided transport apparatus for supporting movement of containers through the heating chamber and the cooling apparatus.

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: 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: 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: 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 steritort with a single spiral which allows the automatic loading of several rows of containers, the simulation of a rotary retort, and an indexed unloading of the containers by a push rod.

Abstract: A cartridge-carrier is disclosed for maintaining at least one filled and sealed, plastic container within at least two segments which are joined together to define a tubular cartridge having at least one container supporting plate therein for receiving a body of said at least one sealed container and thereafter closing at least the two segments for encompassing at least one container within a tubular cartridge which is then moved into a cylindrical carrier that enables the containers to be processed within a reel and spiral sterilization system.

Abstract: The invention provides a rotary processor which is able to both cook and cool containerized food in a single vessel. The rotary processor comprises a single vessel with a rotatable reel, which has barrier walls disposed within the reel. The barrier walls allow one side of the vessel to heat and another side of the vessel to cool.

Abstract: A bakery oven is disclosed which includes an oven enclosure having opposed end and side portions, with conveyor inlet and outlet openings formed therein. An endless center drive chain conveyor is provided which includes a first section located outside of the enclosure with portions thereof passing through the inlet and outlet openings. The conveyor includes a second main portion located within the enclosure which follows a generally spiral path of travel including a first sequential set of spiral flights having a generally continuously increasing elevation rising in the enclosure to a predetermined elevation, a second set of spiral flights having a generally continuously decreasing elevation in the enclosure, with the flights of said second set being located between the flights of the first set.

Abstract: A rotary type oven for articles of food having a broiling zone with a radiant electrical heater, a baking zone and a toasting zone having a convective electrical heater; the oven is of the helical track type with the zones being one above another.

Abstract: A rotary food oven includes a heatable oven chamber, an annular trackway of helical form inside of the chamber and a rotatable reel for advancing food packages around the trackway, the trackway is formed of a disc of sheet metal having perforations for radiant and convective passage of heat and is of a simplified construction, the reel has drive rods rotatable about a circular path and about their own axis for imparting epicyclic movement of circular food packages around the trackway, and the reel and trackway are removable from the oven chamber for cleaning and service.