With Conveyer Patents (Class 99/386)
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Patent number: 5983785Abstract: A contact toaster has a housing with a product inlet, product outlet and at least one toasting chamber defined in the housing. A heated platen is mounted in the housing and has a platen surface arranged for toasting the food products. A flexible endless belt, which when rotated, is arranged to pass the food products in a toasting path along the platen between the belt and the platen. An infinite controller acts to selectively displace the belt to adjust the distance between the belt and the platen to any value between minimum and maximum distance limits to accommodate food products of different widths. A guide is situated between the belt and the infinite controller so that the controller is in contact with at least one area of the guide.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 1999Date of Patent: November 16, 1999Assignee: Merco/Savory, Inc.Inventors: Jason David Schreiner, Gerald W. Sank
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Patent number: 5979302Abstract: An oven with slide-out transfer guides is provided for use in conjunction with multiple conveyor ovens to provide quick and convenient accessibility to an oven's interior in case of product transfer difficulties. A slidable rail assembly is mounted in the oven, which also has an access port for transfer guide egress and ingress, and a transfer guide with opposed lips forming a slot which mounts the transfer guide on the rail assembly. When access to the oven's interior is necessary to remedy a product transfer problem, the oven of the present invention allows the transfer guide to slide along the rail while still supported by same, and said transfer guide can be partially removed from said oven without the need to turn off the oven. In this way, obstructions can be cleared quickly without significant down time, thereby saving the user both time and expense.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1998Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Casa Herrera, Inc.Inventors: Garrett T. Funk, Agustin G. Partida
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Patent number: 5970857Abstract: In a baking oven comprising at least one hearth, a baking conveyor belt, which is guided over a deflection roller, is allocated to each hearth. The deflection roller is extended out of the baking oven through openings where it is lodged for displacement in the direction of the oven. A sealing arrangement is provided for this opening to be sealed, comprising a base plate and a sealing disk resting tightly thereon. The sealing disk is pivotally supported on the deflection roller and simultaneously lodged in a guiding groove in the base plate by means of a guide pin. The edge of the sealing disk is shaped such that on the one hand it covers the opening in all the positions of displacement and on the other hand is displaced in the direction of displacement only by a length which is considerably shorter than the length of displacement of the deflection roller.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1999Date of Patent: October 26, 1999Assignee: Werner & Pfleiderer Lebensmitteltechnik GmbHInventors: Rainer Dollinger, Josef Hafner, Claudia Knost
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Patent number: 5960704Abstract: An improved contact toaster for heating sandwich buns and other food items features a housing containing a toasting chamber with an inlet and an outlet. The toasting chamber contains a pair of conveyor belts with a heated platen positioned between them. Each conveyor belt features a platen-facing portion so that two pathways are defined. Each conveyor belt also features a heat-distributing surface. Two auxiliary heaters are positioned so that one of each heats one of each of the platen-facing portions of the conveyor belts. One of each of a pair of tensioners engages one of each of the platen-facing portions of the conveyor belts so that each pathway tapers inward to a minimum thickness and then expands outward again. As a result, food items moving through the pathways via the conveyor belts are toasted on both surfaces and also absorb heat from both the platen and the conveyor belt surfaces in a sponge-like manner as they are compressed and released.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1998Date of Patent: October 5, 1999Assignee: A.J. Antunes & Co.Inventors: Scott P. March, Clark R. Agcaoili
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Patent number: 5960703Abstract: The method and apparatus of the invention describes an oven having a housing formed by an enclosure, the enclosure having a cooking chamber in a portion thereof. The oven housing may also include an inlet and outlet positioned in predetermined relationship to the cooking chamber and a conveyor belt on which food products to be cooked are positioned. The conveyor belt travels through the oven housing from the inlet to the outlet and defines over a separate portion thereof a conveyance path through the cooking chamber. The oven further includes at least a source of steam for creating a cooking atmosphere in the cooking chamber. The cooking chamber of the oven is defined at its lower limit by the level of steam within the housing and the inlet and outlet are positioned below this lower limit to maintain the steam within the cooking chamber. In this manner, the escape of steam from the cooking chamber is substantially prevented or controlled.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 1996Date of Patent: October 5, 1999Assignee: Stein, Inc.Inventors: Bruce C. Jara, Anthony Kootsouradis, Ramesh M. Gunawardena
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Patent number: 5942142Abstract: An oven for cooking foods, and especially for browning foods, has heated, radiant walls. Heat may be supplied by a gas burner flame in a plenum behind the walls, with products of combustion thus being isolated from the food in the oven chamber. In one embodiment food products are continuously conveyed through the oven chamber and, depending on oven temperature, are either cooked or simply browned in the oven by the radiant wall heat. Fats and other materials rendered from the food products, if not fully incinerated in the oven chamber, may be transferred along with exhaust air from the oven chamber to a separate combustion chamber, for incineration, the heat from which is used to contribute to heat requirements for the plenum. Steam or other inert gas is introduced to the oven chamber to minimize oxidation and prevent flame, and the steam can be produced by heat exchange with exhaust plenum gases. An alternative wall heating system uses electric resistance heat elements inside a thin ceramic wall.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 1996Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Pyramid Food Processing Equip. Mfg. Inc.Inventors: Robert B. Forney, Ernest C. Brown
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Patent number: 5934178Abstract: An oven for continuous cooking of products carried upon a open mesh wire conveyor provides the impingement of a cooking vapor from air discharge structure having ports arrayed above and below the conveyor. The discharge ports extend laterally of the conveyor and communicate with upper and lower plenums each charged by blower fans which draw cooking vapor from low pressure corridors alongside the product conveyor. Gas, electric or thermo fluid heaters are disposed in the corridors. The discharge ports are in slot form disposed about the apex of a Vee shaped riser spaced from the adjacent riser to provide a low pressure flow channel communicating with the corridors giving a rapid velocity change of the cooking vapor from turbulent to a less turbulent flow. The distance for vapor travel between the upper discharge ports and the product carrying conveyor is variable. Temperature and moisture content of the process vapor can be changed to suit cooking conditions.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 1997Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Heat & Control, Inc.Inventors: Andrew A. Caridis, Anthony A. Caridis, Clark K. Benson, Leonardo P. Murgel, James A. Padilla
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Patent number: 5931083Abstract: Apparatus for high speed grilling and/or conditioning of a food product which comprises: a heatable surface which is capable caramelizing the food product at a temperature in the range between about 425.degree. F. to 575.degree. F.; a chamber for enclosing the food product on the heatable surface under pressure; and a steam injector for introducing steam into the chamber during the caramelization of the food product.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 1997Date of Patent: August 3, 1999Assignee: The Frymaster CorporationInventors: Keith A. Stanger, Mark H. Finck, Robert J. Wenzel
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Patent number: 5896809Abstract: A food processing method and system, including a continuous cooker/chiller conveyor system (24) for meat products such as hot dogs and the like, is provided with an automatic unloader (36) having a first discharge transfer mode (FIGS. 1 and 2) automatically transferring the food product (22) to an automatic transfer member (38) for conveyance to a packaging line (32, 34), and a second discharge holding mode (FIGS. 3 and 4) holding the food product (22) on rack-off discharge arms (54, 56) until manually removed. In the event of an interruption in the packaging line (32, 34), rather than automatically transferring the food product (22) from the automatic unloader (36) to the transfer member (38), a rack-off procedure is instituted and the food product (22) is manually unloaded from the automatic unloader (36) and manually transferred to a holding rack (44, 46) on a temporary basis until resumption of operation of the packaging line (32, 34).Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 1997Date of Patent: April 27, 1999Assignee: DEC International, Inc.Inventor: Randall L. Miller
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Patent number: 5881636Abstract: An oven for baking food products includes a spiral conveyor having a wire mesh conveyor belt for transporting food products from a loading bin to a storage bin. The spiral conveyor is surrounded by a threaded cylindrical housing having apertures which communicate with the loading bin, heat source, plenum, and recirculation fan. Heated air is blown into the threaded housing such that a downward spiral or vortex of air is created which envelops the food products upon the spiral conveyor belt for efficient baking. The housing is partially removable for cleaning or maintenance of the conveyor. Heated air within the housing is drawn about the food products as it is suctioned into a recirculation tube for distribution to the storage bin and to the plenum for recirculation through the housing. In addition, the loading bin is mounted upon a vibration device such that food products are evenly distributed upon entry to the spiral conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1998Date of Patent: March 16, 1999Inventors: Dan Sweet, Sheila K. Sweet
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Patent number: 5875705Abstract: A baking oven comprises several oven modules disposed one after the other in the longitudinal direction, each of which comprising independently controllable heating devices and at least one supply duct for vapor and/or fresh air which leads to the hearths and at least one discharge duct for vapor and/or waste air which leads away from each hearth.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 1998Date of Patent: March 2, 1999Assignee: Werner & Pfleiderer Lebensmitteltechnik GmbHInventor: Dieter Knost
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Patent number: 5850781Abstract: An oven comprises a housing with at least two zones, which are each provided with a device for setting a cooking state in the relevant zone, such as the temperature and relative humidity, as well as a conveyor belt, which runs through each of the zones and on which food products to be heated can be held, which conveyor belt has at least one path with a plurality of windings. These two zones are situated one above the other. Each zone has at least one ventilation device and also a heating device for circulating hot air through that zone and parallel to the boundary region between two zones.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1997Date of Patent: December 22, 1998Assignee: Koppens B.V.Inventor: Hendrikus Antonius Jacobus Kuenen
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Patent number: 5839354Abstract: A novel toaster for everyday household use comprises a conveyor which carries items to be toasted past electrical heating panels. The toaster has an entrance wherein the item is inserted vertically from a fed tray onto the conveyor. The heating panels, placed above and below the toasting cavity, heat to a constant temperature wherein the level of toasting is controlled by setting the travel speed of the conveyor. The apparatus is encompassed by a rectangular body shell and has a translucent door for side access. Additionally, the body has a butter well located in the top surface. Butter is placed in the well which has a plurality of apertures for allowing the butter to drip onto the passing food item below. The well absorbs the ambient heat from the appliance to facilitate the butter meltdown.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1996Date of Patent: November 24, 1998Inventor: Alfredo Cardillo
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Patent number: 5836240Abstract: An oven for preparing food products comprises a housing, a conveyor belt which is movable through the housing and on which the food products can be arranged, which conveyor belt follows a helical path, heating elements and booster devices for generating a stream of hot air through the housing in connection with heating the food products arranged on the belt. In the housing there are guide elements for guiding the stream of hot air over the belt in such a way that the products are uniformly heated in the transverse direction of the belt.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 1997Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Koppens B.V.Inventor: Hendrikus Antonius Jacobus Kuenen
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Patent number: 5832812Abstract: The oven of the present invention is a low profile, dual conveyer oven including an oven cabinet, two closely spaced conveyers and an air heating and circulation system. The conveyers and the oven cabinet are adapted so that the conveyers can be easily removed from the from the front or side of the oven cabinet. The oven cabinet houses the conveyers, ducts and manifolds which all can be easily removed for cleaning or other maintenance. Each of the conveyers include separately controlled drive motors capable of driving the each of conveyers at different speeds and in different directions. The air heating and circulation system features a transverse mounted burner tube, side mounted return air ducts, a central return air opening, common shaft mounted side fed dual centrifugal fans and hot air manifolds.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 1997Date of Patent: November 10, 1998Inventors: Ronald Dale Wolfe, Dwane Dale Wolfe
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Patent number: 5821503Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the speed at which an AC electric motor drives a conveyor to move food products through a conveyor oven are disclosed herein. The oven includes a housing, electric heating elements mounted within the housing, and a conveyor to move food-carrying baskets adjacent the heating elements. A motor controlled by a speed control circuit moves the conveyor. The speed control circuit includes a rectifier to provide rectified current to the motor, a shunt circuit to bypass the rectifier with a rheostat to set the conveyor speed, a thermostat to monitor oven temperature, and a speed-reducing circuit to introduce additional resistance into the shunt circuit when the oven temperature drops. The thermostat also controls additional heating elements to provide additional heat during high load conditions.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 1997Date of Patent: October 13, 1998Assignee: Hatco CorporationInventor: Allan E. Witt
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Patent number: 5816138Abstract: A process and apparatus for preparing a snack food product by baking and without the use of cooking oil, begins with preparation of potatoes, carrots, bananas, etc, into slices, which are surface de-watered before exposure to a high intensity heat source including infra red or open flame at about 1400 F. to blanch the slices and halt enzyme action before exposing the slices to hot, dry air impingement until the slices are reduced in moisture to about 10 to 35%, while the slices are maintained in a mono layer. Then the slices are aggregated into a pack and dried in hot dry air until the moisture content of the slices has been reduced to about 0.5 to 2%.The apparatus includes an insulated housing with a product conveyor belt extending therethrough. A combination of overhead infra-red burners and underneath open flame burners are positioned to create a high energy heat zone along one length of the belt.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1996Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: Heat and Control, Inc.Inventors: Clark K. Benson, Andrew A. Caridis, Donald B. Giles, Daniel E. Brown, James A. Padilla, Thomas F. Leary, Leonardo P. Murgel
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Patent number: 5802959Abstract: The apparatus for preparing a snack food product without the use of cooking oil includes an insulated housing with a product conveyor extending therethrough. A combination of overhead infra-infra red source and underneath open flame burners are positioned to create a high energy heat zone along one length of the belt. Air impingement scatter jets are positioned above and below a subsequent length of the belt and a superimposed hold down belt restrains the products from scattering. A dryer zone with fast moving hot dry air is provided to reduce the product moisture to a desired final end point.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1997Date of Patent: September 8, 1998Assignee: Heat and Control, Inc.Inventors: Clark K. Benson, Andrew A. Caridis, Donald B. Giles, Daniel E. Brown, James A. Padilla, Thomas F. Leary, Leonardo P. Murgel
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Patent number: 5786566Abstract: An improved convection/impingement oven for continuously cooking food. The oven has a wire link type belt which moves through an elongated cooking chamber. Hot air is blown on the upper surface of the food to be cooked. A separately controlled hot air source is blown on the lower surface of the food. Hot air impingement units are placed along the length of the oven and the cooking vapors are not recirculated but instead pass along the elongated cooking chamber and are exhausted at the end. Preferably a color development and sealing section has upper and lower burners which heat the food and the heat from these burners also pass the entire length of the cooking chamber before being exhausted. Also preferably steam or a water spray is used to regulate the humidity and this may be regulated in several different sections of the cooking chamber.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 1996Date of Patent: July 28, 1998Inventors: R. Craig Miller, Richard W. Naess
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Patent number: 5782169Abstract: A food processing system which includes a product baking stage (10), a product processing stage (11) and an endless conveyor (19) which is driven to carry product support trays (22) serially through the processing and baking stages. The endless conveyor (19) has a forward path (20) which extends through both the processing and the baking stages and a return path (21). The baking stage (10) comprises a baking chamber (26) through which the conveyor is guided to follow a path which includes a plurality of horizontal passes (27). The processing stage (11) comprises three interconnected compartments (29, 30 and 31) and in two of the compartments (29 and 30) the conveyor is guided to follow paths which include a plurality of horizontal passes (32). In the third processing compartment (31) both the forward path (20) and the return path (21) of the conveyor are guided to make a plurality of vertically extending passes.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1997Date of Patent: July 21, 1998Assignee: Auto-Bake Pty LtdInventor: Kevin Joseph Hicks
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Patent number: 5761989Abstract: The method and apparatus of the invention for the continuous roasting of food materials are such that the food material being fed into a heated tubular cylinder is mixed up within and transferred through said tubular cylinder while the vaporized components of the food material are recovered and cooled to liquefy. The apparatus may comprise the horizontally placed tabular cylinder with an open front end, the coil screw inserted into the tubular cylinder in such a way that it can be driven to rotate, and the cooling unit that is connected to a vent port formed in the middle part of the tubular cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 1996Date of Patent: June 9, 1998Assignees: The Japan Steel Works, Ltd., Kagome Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takahiro Inakuma, Hiroyasu Furui, Yoshinori Tokugawa, Fumiaki Tsuda, Mitsuo Nagai, Shuitsu Kirihara
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Patent number: 5749283Abstract: An oven with slide-out transfer guides is provided for use in conjunction with multiple conveyors ovens to provide quick and convenient accessibility to an oven's interior in case of product transfer difficulties. A slidable rail assembly is mounted in the oven, which also has an access port for transfer guide egress and ingress, and a transfer guide with opposed lips forming a slot which mounts the transfer guide on the rail assembly. When access to the oven's interior is necessary to remedy a product transfer problem, the oven of the present invention allows the transfer guide to slide along the rail while still supported by same, and said transfer guide can be partially removed from said oven without the need to turn off the oven. In this way, obstructions can be cleared quickly without significant down time, thereby saving the user both time and expense.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 1996Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignee: Casa Herrera, Inc.Inventor: Garrett T. Funk
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Patent number: 5746116Abstract: An improved toasting apparatus is disclosed including a variable speed conveyor belt for conveying products through the toaster; a bottom heating element positioned below the conveyor belt, the bottom heating element including variable control for controlling the amount of heat provided by the bottom heating element; a drying zone including a first plurality of upper heating elements positioned above the conveyor; a toasting zone including a second plurality of upper heating elements; and wherein the bottom heating element and the first and second plurality of upper heating elements are controlled individually and independently.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1997Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignee: APW/Wyott Foodservice Equipment CompanyInventor: Mark J. Smith
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Patent number: 5727451Abstract: A conveyorized commercial broiler apparatus has upper and lower burners above and below the conveyor for broiling meat products carried on the conveyor. A plurality of perforated sheet grids are provided to control flame flare-ups and cause the fat that may drip onto the perforated sheets to be vaporized and quickly and cleanly burn prior to pyrolization. The perforated sheets are selected to be low thermal mass, and thus relatively thin and perforated to a point where they have preferably between 25% and 75% open area. The perforated sheets are positioned in selected locations to control combustion and vaporization of fat rendered from the meat product being broiled.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1997Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Assignee: The Pillsbury CompanyInventor: Jimmy A. DeMars
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Patent number: 5709142Abstract: A cooking oven and method of cooking vertically arrayed food carrying skewers movably attached and carried in a horizontal endless travel path by conveyor means to encircle a heating element array within a single open cooking oven chamber so as to constantly directly and indirectly expose the food to the heat radiated from the element array throughout the complete travel path within the oven chamber. A plurality of internested drip pans are disposed within the oven chamber vertically beneath the food travel path for collecting juice drippage. The oven chamber superposed beneath a conveyor chamber contains an alternating array of infrared gas burners and reflectors arranged upright in a row. A slot communicating between the conveyor chamber and oven chamber provides for travel of suspended food carrying skewers within the oven chamber and incorporates a gasket seal to retain heat and inhibit transfer of contaminants downwardly to the oven chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 1995Date of Patent: January 20, 1998Inventor: John Nersesian
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Patent number: 5702751Abstract: The invention provides a roasting process for the preparation of fruit or nuts such as almonds, cashew nuts, pecan nuts, peanuts; and the like. This process is characterized by the addition of oil to said fruit or nuts prior to the roasting stage. The invention also provides an equipment for applying this process, which essentially comprises feeding means (I) for the fruit or nuts to be roasted and conveying means (2) for carrying said fruit towards roasting means (3), said equipment being characterized in that it also includes oil and salt dispensing means (6, 7) at the inlet of the roasting means.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1996Date of Patent: December 30, 1997Assignee: Societe Civile ChenierInventor: Jacky Cormouls-Houles
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Patent number: 5692434Abstract: Case for temporarily storing pieces of dough, comprising a first continuous conveying apparatus and an identical second continuous conveying apparatus. Each transport apparatus is supported by reversing rollers at the location of which the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus changes. The reversing rollers of the first and second conveying apparatus are opposite each other as pairs. The case further contains carrying members with two ends, in which the one end is attached at a first attachment point to the first conveying apparatus and the other end at a second attachment point to the second conveying apparatus. The first and second attachment points are opposite each other. The case also contains dough trays for containing pieces of dough, in which each dough tray is attached to a carrying member.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 1996Date of Patent: December 2, 1997Assignee: Johan Hendrik Bernard KaakInventor: Curinus Cornelis Vrouwenvelder
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Patent number: 5686004Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for cooking foodstuffs by conveying the foodstuffs through a cooking chamber comprising:an oven section and at least one integral conveyor section, the oven section comprising a bottom wall, top wall, two side walls, a front wall, and a rear wall defining a cooking chamber, the front wall having a front aperture and the rear wall having a rear aperture horizontally aligned with the front aperture, an electrical heating means comprising radiant heaters disposed within the cooking chamber to heat a foodstuff in the cooking chamber;a conveyor section removably attached to the oven section and comprising a continuous heat-resistant flexible belt formed into an elongated continuous loop with an essentially horizontal upper flight, a front reverse curve at a front end, a lower flight and a rear reverse curve at a rear end, drive means for advancing the belt around the continuous loop to convey foodstuffs along the top flight, the drive means attached to the conveyor section in a manner andType: GrantFiled: April 29, 1996Date of Patent: November 11, 1997Inventor: Russell C. Schneider
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Patent number: 5678473Abstract: A three-stage cooking apparatus and method for automatically cooking food products are provided. The three-stage cooking apparatus has a housing, a first conveyor within the housing for transporting a food product to be cooked thereon, a heating element located above the first conveyor and a condiment dipper located at an end of the first conveyor. The condiment dipper is constructed and arranged to receive the food products from the first conveyor for dipping the food products in a condiment contained therein. A second conveyor is located at an output of the condiment dipper to receive dipped food products thereon. A second heating element may be located within the housing below the first conveyor and above the second conveyor to cook the food products on each conveyor. Another heating element may be located beneath the second conveyor to cook the food products while the same are traveling on the second conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 1996Date of Patent: October 21, 1997Inventors: Sean Hughes, Raymond J. Polino, Aldo G. Beltrame
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Patent number: 5673610Abstract: An apparatus for conveyorized toasting of sandwich buns and like bread and food items simultaneously on opposite sides comprises a central heated platen with two bun transport conveyors traveling in spaced relation along opposite sides of the platen and with a pair of auxiliary heating elements disposed outwardly of the respective food transport runs of the conveyors in facing relation to the opposite sides of the platen. Each conveyor is biased toward the platen by a pair of parallel pivot arms urged by springs into pivoted engagement against the transport run of the respective conveyor to define a predetermined desirable spacing to the facing side of the platen.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1996Date of Patent: October 7, 1997Inventor: Robert M. Stuck
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Patent number: 5671660Abstract: A heated air-circulating oven is disclosed, having a baking chamber in open communication with one or more suction chambers. One or more blowers draw air from the baking chamber through the suction chambers. The drawn air then passes through a blowing chamber and through a plurality of blown air distributors in open communication with the baking chamber so as to reinject the air drawn and blown by the blowers back into the baking chamber. The oven also has a heater external to the baking chamber so as to heat the air drawn by the blowers.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1996Date of Patent: September 30, 1997Inventor: Georges Moshonas
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Patent number: 5640896Abstract: A conveyorized charcoal cooking apparatus comprises two sets of horizontally aligned gas-fueled burner assemblies arranged in staggered facing relation to one another, between which a food conveyor travels at a controlled speed, the lower burner assemblies beneath the conveyor having racks on which charcoal briquettes are supported to impart charcoal cooking and flavoring to the food in addition to the cooking energy emitted by the burners. Preferably, the briquettes are of the so-called reusable type having a ceramic binder holding the charcoal material together so as to achieve substantially more extended life of the briquettes in comparison to conventional charcoal.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 1996Date of Patent: June 24, 1997Inventor: Robert M. Stuck
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Patent number: 5622100Abstract: A smoke abatement assembly is provided as an adjunct overlaying a cooking device such as a broiler or fryer system in a commercial restaurant. The smoke abatement assembly comprises a sealed housing which supports a low-pressure flame arrester, between 1 and 10 inches above the cooking area of the cooking device. A catalyst module is also removably mounted within the sealed housing above the flame arrester. The module includes a plurality of spaced low-pressure oxidation catalysts of controlled thickness, between 1 and 6 inches thick. The plurality of catalysts have a combined thickness equal to the thickness of a single catalyst providing the optimum catalyst volume or contact time for the installation. Each of the components, that is the flame arrester and plurality of catalysts, defines a smoke access area substantially equal to the cooking area of the broiler or fryer.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1996Date of Patent: April 22, 1997Assignee: Ayrking CorporationInventors: Donald E. King, Walter Juda, Amiram Bar-Ilan
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Patent number: 5619906Abstract: An automatic cooking apparatus with a control apparatus prepares various food items by combining plural kinds of food stuffs. The apparatus is formed of a plurality of delivery devices, each storing one kind of food stuff and delivering the same; a transport device situated under the delivery means for transporting a food item during preparation to the delivery device; an input device for inputting data including a menu, combination ratios of the food stuffs for various food items and number of food item to be prepared; and sensors situated in the respective delivery devices and electrically connected to the input device. Each sensor detects deficiency of the food stuff stored in each delivery device. A control device is connected to the delivery devices, the transport device and the input device. When one food item can not be prepared by deficiency of the food stuff, the control device checks if a food item which can be prepared without the deficiency food stuff has been ordered.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 1996Date of Patent: April 15, 1997Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takashi Ishida
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Patent number: 5619911Abstract: An oven for continuous baking of bread, Viennese bread, pastry products or the like includes of juxtaposable modules, each module including a baking chamber and conveying apparatus for holders, such as plates or racks, on which are arranged the products, for conveying same through the baking chamber, from an inlet opening to an outlet opening. The inlet opening of a baking chamber of a module is capable of coinciding with the outlet opening of a preceding module, these inlet and outlet openings being in the shape of slots. Each module includes a connecting arrangment surrounding this inlet opening and the outlet opening, which allow same to be made integral with the module preceding and/or following same. The conveying apparatus are partly defined by an intermittently operating noria on which are arranged the holders.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 1995Date of Patent: April 15, 1997Assignee: MecathermInventor: Rene Voegtlin
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Patent number: 5606904Abstract: The system comprises in combination: a track (11, 111, 9, 113, 13) leading through a number of stations (3, 5, 7); at least one carriage (26) for supporting a tray unit (30) and traveling along said track; a preparation station (3) equipped with means (121) for laying out a layer of dough, and at which the preparation can be completed; a cooking station (5) with an oven through which said carriage (26) can pass and in which it can stop, with heating means (5B, 5C) and suitable control gear; a station (7) from which to serve the cooked product, generally by the portion; and means of returning the carriages to actuate successive cycles.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 1995Date of Patent: March 4, 1997Inventor: Lorenzo Fabbri
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Patent number: 5588354Abstract: An apparatus for conveyorized griddle-like cooking of food products simultaneously on two opposed product sides comprises a pair of cooking elements arranged in opposed spaced facing relation to emit thermal cooking energy toward one another and two endless food transport conveyors driven to travel between the cooking elements along respective food-conveying runs in a common transport direction in sufficient closely spaced, generally parallel relation to transport the food products to be cooked simultaneously on opposite sides. Each conveyor is preferably in the form of a belt having a substantially continuous imperforate food contacting surface so as to provide griddle-like contact with the opposite sides of the food product during cooking. Differing embodiments of the apparatus are contemplated to accommodate cooking of differing food products, e.g.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1995Date of Patent: December 31, 1996Assignee: Marshall Air Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert M. Stuck, James Rapier, III
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Patent number: 5584237Abstract: A heated air-circulating oven is disclosed, having a baking chamber in open communication with one or more suction chambers. One or more blowers draw air from the baking chamber through the suction chambers. The drawn air then passes through a blowing chamber and through a plurality of blown air distributors in open communication with the baking chamber so as to reinject the air drawn and blown by the blowers back into the baking chamber. The oven also has a heater external to the baking chamber so as to heat the air drawn by the blowers.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1994Date of Patent: December 17, 1996Assignee: Zesto Inc.Inventor: Georges Moshonas
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Patent number: 5553532Abstract: Cooking of food products and particularly of dough-based food products such as corn tortillas is effected with a considerably reduced cooking time by applying to the uncooked food product very low and low frequency radio frequency waves simultaneously on both sides of the food product in order to quickly cook both surfaces of the same thus forming capping layers that retain a high degree of moisture within the body of the food product without unduly drying it. The radio frequency waves are preferably applied by an antenna formed by two parallel arrays of electrodes one on each side of the food product, the arrays of electrodes having alternate electrodes of opposite polarity to constitute dipoles which irradiate the radio frequency waves approximately parallelly to both sides of the food product.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 1995Date of Patent: September 10, 1996Assignee: Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N.Inventors: Jose de la Luz-Martinez, Jesus Gonzalez-Hernandez, Feliciano Sanchez-Sinencio, Juan de Dios Figueroa C., Fernando Martinez-Bustos, Maximiano Ruiz-Torres
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Patent number: 5512312Abstract: An oven for cooking and browning foods has heated, radiant walls. Heat may be supplied by a gas burner flame in a plenum behind the walls, with products of combustion thus being isolated from the food in the oven chamber. In one embodiment food products are continuously conveyed through the oven chamber and are either cooked or simply browned in the oven by the radiant wall heat. Fats and other materials rendered from the food products, if not fully incinerated in the oven chamber, may be transferred along with exhaust air from the oven chamber to a separate combustion chamber, for incineration. Steam or other inert gas is introduced to the oven chamber to minimize oxidation and prevent flame. An alternative wall heating system uses electric resistance heat elements inside a thin ceramic wall. In another embodiment a web-like metal conveyor of a radiant wall oven is returned through the oven in order to heat the conveyor sufficiently to put grill stripes on a product being browned, such as meat.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1994Date of Patent: April 30, 1996Inventors: Robert B. Forney, Ernest C. Brown
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Patent number: 5501140Abstract: An apparatus for producing continuous tortillas which includes a double-press system with three conveyors. The two presses are arranged in series to eliminate production gaps as the tortillas proceed into the oven. The structure of the second press is positioned higher than the structure of the first press so that tortillas formed from the second press can be deposited on the intermediate conveyor with tortillas formed from the first press, thereby providing a continuous supply of tortillas to the oven.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 1995Date of Patent: March 26, 1996Assignee: Central Impulsora S.A. de C.V.Inventors: Silvestre G. Balleza, Vincente L. Perez
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Patent number: 5473975Abstract: A conveyor toaster has air chambers at opposite sides and at the top of the oven for reducing surface temperatures of the out side housing panels of the oven which a worker might touch. A wire link conveyor belt extending through the oven and carrying food products at a speed which toasts those food product during their dwell time within the oven. The conveyor belt is tensioned by a spring bias so that a force directed against the spring bias creates a slack which enables an installation, removal, and reinstallation of the conveyor belt. A heating element is supported at a height above the belt which may be during manufacturing to accommodate the height of a food product conveyed by the conveyor. A loading rack at the front of the housing has two stable positions for enabling either batch loading or continuous loading.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 1995Date of Patent: December 12, 1995Assignee: Middleby Marshall Inc.Inventors: Adrian A. Bruno, William S. Schjerven, Sr., Robert Nevarez
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Patent number: 5458051Abstract: A belt grill is described herein for continuously cooking fast food products on a conveyor formed of counter-rotating heat conductive belts. The belts are heated by platens disposed above and below whereby a run of the belts passes in heat conductive relationship between the platens, and the food to be cooked is placed in the nip between the rotating belts. The device further includes means for tensioning the belts which can be automatically released by increasing the distance between the platens whereby when the distance exceeds a predetermined maximum, all tension on both belts will be released so that the belts can be quickly removed for cleaning or replacement. The belts are preferably Teflon coated fiberglass and may be disposed at an angle to the horizontal to facilitate grease removal from the cooking process.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 1993Date of Patent: October 17, 1995Assignee: G. S. Blodgett CorporationInventors: Lorne B. Alden, Richard H. Chapman, Greg M. Sterling
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Patent number: 5441035Abstract: A bake oven comprising a base frame, a motor-driven belt conveyer disposed above the horizontal bottom wall of the base frame and controlled to carry foods through the baking area, an electric heating coil extended from the base frame and inserted into the belt conveyer and controlled to heat foods on the belt conveyer from the bottom, a gas infrared heater spaced above the belt conveyer and controlled to produce gas infrared rays for heating foods on the belt conveyer from the top, and an electric control box mounted on the base frame at one lateral side for controlling the operation of the belt conveyer, the gas infrared heater and the electric heating coil.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1994Date of Patent: August 15, 1995Inventor: Lin Liang-Chieh
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Patent number: 5409097Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a loading and unloading arrangement that makes it possible to have timesaving loading and unloading of a conveyor of a processing equipment unit, whether it is in an autoclave or in a storage unit or in some other kind of processing equipment unit such as for brewing or boiling or for freezing. For conducting the piece goods (S) to or from a loading and unloading device (1.1, 1.2), a primary conveying device (PF) is provided for the conveyor (F). The piece goods (S) are moved to or from a feeder conveyor (1.9, 2.8) with this primary conveying device. The piece goods (S) are moved from the feeder conveyor (1.9, 2.9) to the conveyor or from the latter with the transfer devices (U1, U2, U3). This kind of arrangement permits a rapid exchange of the piece goods between the freshly supplied goods and processed goods because conveyance to or from on the one hand and loading and unloading on the other hand can be carried out at intervals from one another.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 1993Date of Patent: April 25, 1995Inventor: Cornel Hoegger
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Patent number: 5404798Abstract: An apparatus for roasting foods comprises a chamber (1) provided with a vertical opening (2), a heat source (3), located internally of the chamber (1), a support (4) rotatable about a vertical axis (Z) adjacent to the opening (2) which support (4) rotates at a variable height with respect to a base plane of the apparatus, and which support (4) cooperates with a drip-pan (5) equipped with a grill (6) arranged internally of the drip-pan (5) and in a raised position from a bottom of the apparatus. (FIG.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 1993Date of Patent: April 11, 1995Inventor: Ivo Omarini
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Patent number: 5392698Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing essentially fat free chips such as potato chips and the like having an appearance and taste similar to conventional chips without the use of deep fat frying processes. The method of the present invention includes the steps of exposing sliced raw potatoes and the like to a high intensity microwave field that rapidly converts moisture within the slice into steam. These exposed slices are then dried by longer exposure to a lower energy microwave field. The apparatus of the present invention includes a meander waveguide with a microwave absorptive terminator at an end of the waveguide. Apertures are provided along portions of the waveguide for transporting the potato slices and the like through the waveguide. A belt link type conveyor belt having an open lattice structure is employed to convey raw product slices through the meander waveguide.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 1993Date of Patent: February 28, 1995Assignee: TGTBT/Pasco Holdings, Inc. Gen. PartnershipInventors: Peter Sprecher, John Weidersatz, David Gaon
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Patent number: 5392696Abstract: An apparatus and method for maintaining the lateral spacing of parallel rows of tortillas while transferring tortillas between two vertically spaced conveyors. The tortilla transfer guide is positioned adjacent to two generally horizontal, vertically spaced endless belt conveyors. The tortilla transfer guide has at least one scalloped section having a center of curvature aligned with the longitudinal axes respectively corresponding to an associated row of tortillas travelling towards the guide on the upper conveyor and an associated row travelling away from the guide on the lower conveyor. Each scalloped section is capable of moving a laterally misaligned tortilla towards its center of curvature, which is aligned with the proper longitudinal row axis on the lower conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 1994Date of Patent: February 28, 1995Assignee: Machine Masters, Inc.Inventors: Francisco Navarro, Manuel Valdez, Jose M. Buendia
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Patent number: 5377582Abstract: A cooking oven and method of cooking vertically arrayed food carrying skewers movably attached and carried in a horizontal endless travel path by conveyor means to encircle a heating element array within a single open cooking oven chamber so as to constantly directly and indirectly expose the food to the heat radiated from the element array throughout the complete travel path within the oven chamber. A plurality of internested drip pans are disposed within the oven chamber vertically beneath the food travel path for collecting juice drippage. The oven chamber superposed beneath a conveyor chamber contains an alternating array of infrared gas burners and reflectors arranged upright in a row. A slot communicating between the conveyor chamber and oven chamber provides for travel of suspended food carrying skewers within the oven chamber and incorporates a gasket seal to retain heat and inhibit transfer of contaminants downwardly to the oven chamber.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 1993Date of Patent: January 3, 1995Inventor: John Nersesian
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Patent number: D371274Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 1995Date of Patent: July 2, 1996Assignee: American Food Equipment, Inc.Inventor: Nick Sitaras