Abstract: A coating machine and method coat a viscous sticky coating onto a plurality of food products. The coating machine may used mechanical or ultrasonic mechanisms to remove the excess viscous sticky coating. The coating machine may also coat an outer surface of the viscous sticky coating.

Abstract: A transfer mechanism for transferring food product from a compartment of a food processing system includes a conduit having a first end portion configured to be in communication with the compartment and a second end portion, a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit between the first end portion and the second end portion, and a pressurized fluid source in communication with the fluid discharge. The pressurized fluid source is operable to propel a fluid through the fluid discharge to move the food product from the first end portion of the conduit toward the second end portion.

Abstract: A coating machine and method coat a viscous sticky coating onto a plurality of food products. The coating machine may use mechanical or ultrasonic mechanisms to remove the excess viscous sticky coating. The coating machine may also coat an outer surface of the viscous sticky coating.

Abstract: Frying is performed in two stages so as to dip a retainer in frying oil at a prescribed dipping ratio and then to dip the whole of the retainer in the frying oil, and in addition, flow rates of the frying oil supplied from an upstream side and a downstream side of a frying oil tank and a surface level of the frying oil are controlled. Therefore, a noodle lump can be prevented from peeling off and floating from the bottom of the retainer before fixing the shape of the noodle lump due to a pressure applied by the frying oil so as not to impair the shape of the noodle lump, and as a result, frying efficiency or production efficiency can be improved. Besides, a noodle lump that has a very small number of coarse or dense portions in a distribution of noodle strings can be stably produced.

Abstract: A hot oil fryer for continuous frying duty in continuous food process lines has a frame, a cooking channel carried by the frame, a conveyor through the cooking channel having an upper food product carrying-run and a lower return runs, a bed of elongated heat exchanger tubes inside the cooking channel for circulating a thermal fluid, and a combustion-fired thermal oil heater supported by the frame off the floor for heating the thermal fluid which is circulated through the bed of elongated heat exchanger tubes. Preferably the cooking channel is elongated, as also preferably is the combustion-fired thermal oil heater carried, which is laid down to extend along a horizontal axis underneath the cooking channel. The combustion-fired thermal oil heater is fed either fuel-oil or a fuel-gas for combusting therein.

Abstract: A system for delivering a cooking medium of a cooking apparatus includes one or more cooking vessels. The system also includes a drain manifold in fluid communication with the cooking vessel, and a fill manifold having input valves, and output valves in fluid communication with a corresponding cooking vessel. A first flow path is connected to the fill manifold. A filter container selectively is in fluid communication with the fill manifold. A filter pump is positioned between the filter container and the fill manifold and conveys a recycled cooking medium. An overflow pump selectively is in fluid communication with the fill manifold via a second flow path and a portion of the first flow path. The overflow pump conveys a new cooking medium to the fill manifold. The first flow path conveys one of the recycled cooking medium and the new cooking medium to the fill manifold.

Abstract: A racking system for a deep fryer, wherein the deep fryer contains cooking oil, the racking system includes a housing; at least one rack that carries a food product; an actuator operatively associated with the rack to raise and lower the rack within the housing. The system further includes a sensor that detects a property of the cooking oil; and a controller that receives a signal to initiate a cooking cycle based on the property and sends a signal to permit activation of the actuator to raise and lower the rack.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a frying device for carrying out a frying process for food products (2) comprising a frying oil reservoir (20) which can be filled with a volume of frying oil; a food product carrier (3) which can at least partially be immersed in the frying oil in the frying oil reservoir and at least one heating unit (30) having at least one heating element (31) which is positioned at least partially inside the frying oil reservoir and which has a heating surface (32a) which is in contact with the frying oil in the frying oil reservoir during the frying process. Characteristic of the frying device according to the invention is the fact that the heating unit comprises a frying oil duct (35) with a channel-heating surface (35a). Furthermore, the heating unit comprises a first pump (38) for passing frying oil through the frying oil duct.

Abstract: A cooking skillet that provides a unique automatic stirring system for continuously stirring foods during cooking. The cooking skillet comprises a base, a receptacle, a heating element, and an automatic stirring system. The automatic stirring system comprises a stirring wand located in the receptacle and a bracket located in the base. The stirring wand and the bracket are attracted to each other through magnetic forces that provide sufficient magnetism to attract one to the other. A motor is attached to the bracket by a connecting rod and provides the means to rotate the bracket in a clockwise direction. The magnetism between the magnets in the bracket and the magnets in the stirring wand forces the stirring wand to rotate in connection with the bracket. During rotation, the stirring wand is designed to mix the food contained within the receptacle.

Abstract: A frying system for frying a food product is disclosed having an endless conveyor system for cooking product in a bath of hot cooking oil. The endless conveyor system includes a submerging conveyor, a main conveyor, and a sediment conveyor, permanently, successively linked to one another. The endless conveyor system is also permanently linked to a hood portion of the housing. The sediment conveyor includes a heat exchanger constantly connected thereto for heating the bath of hot cooking oil. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of elongated elliptical shaped conduits and further may include a baffle that may operate as an elongated fluid flow optimization member to re-direct the flow of fluid. The hood portion of the housing of the frying system is capable of being raised and lowered from a closed, operative position to an open, inoperative position, and to intermediate positions therebetween.

Abstract: Potato chip cooking process and apparatus includes controlled cooking of potato slices from the initial to the final cooking stages. Slices are deposited in hot cooking oil to develop a slice pack which is carried along a cooking path during which the pack is agitated and mixed by paddle means or tumbled so that the individual slices receive maximum contact with the cooking medium. The cooking path may be divided into one or more stages in each of which the cooking times and temperatures are selected and maintained to produce potato chips of different styles having a final moisture content in the range of 1.2% to 2%. Further disclosed are apparatus that includes temperature and oil circulation controls for the oil heat exchangers dedicated to each stage of a cooking protocol.

Abstract: A cooker for use by troops on deployment comprises a container 10 for cooking fat sitting upon a heating chamber 12. The heating chamber 12 has a back wall 14 formed with an aperture 16 to receive a burner and a front wall 18 formed with an exhaust port 20 communicating with a chimney 22. The heating chamber has side walls extending between its front and back walls 18 and 14. The container has a hinged lid 28 which folds to present a rack 30 for food frying baskets (not shown). The cooker is configured and arranged so that flame from the burner does not contact the container 10 and heat is diffused over the container 10, whereby cooking fat therein is not locally overheated.

Abstract: The disclosure features a method of performing a boil-out cleaning process in connection with a fryer. The fryer includes a vat, a vessel for receiving oil drained from the vat, the vessel movable from an under-unit position, an oil drain path leading from an outlet opening of the vat to the pan, and an oil return path from the vessel back to the vat. The oil return path includes a pump. A drain valve is located along the oil drain path. The drain valve is opened to drain oil from the vat into the vessel is opened. The drain valve is closed after draining the oil from the vat. A boil-out cleaning fluid is delivered to the vat and the boil-out cleaning fluid is heated. A boil-out drain path is provided with an inlet positioned for receiving boil-out fluid from the drain valve and an outlet positioned forward of a front of the fryer unit. A container is placed below the outlet of the boil-out drain path.

Abstract: A mold form fryer utilizing a top conveyor that transports snack pieces through a constant velocity oil stream without the need of a bottom mating mold or conveyor. Herein, the form fryer having a fryer housing for controlling the frying atmosphere is provided with a top conveyor disposed above a fryer oil pan positioned longitudinally through the fryer. Uncooked snack pieces are provided to the fryer oil pan by a bottom entrance conveyor. A steam shield separates a front-end vestibule from the downstream portion of the fryer housing, and inert gas manifolds introduce inert gas into the front-end vestibule, thereby providing a sufficiently low oxygen and sufficiently low condensable gas or steam environment near the product submerging point.

Abstract: A novel method for controlling adhesion of food product to process surfaces by manipulating fryer oil composition and treating process surfaces. Adding various chemical species to fryer oil allows control of interfacial tension between food product and process surface. Process surfaces may be abraded to reduce surface area in contact with food product thereby reducing undesirable product adhesion.

Abstract: A mold form fryer utilizing a top conveyor that transports snack pieces through a constant velocity oil stream without the need for a bottom mating mold or conveyor. Herein, the form fryer is provided with a top conveyor disposed above a fryer oil pan positioned longitudinally through the fryer. Uncooked snack pieces are provided to the fryer oil pan by a bottom entrance conveyor. Snack pieces, once in oil within the fryer, meet with a top conveyor having convex molding surfaces with product-centering elements. At the exit portion of the fryer, a bottom exit conveyor receives the cooked snack pieces from the top conveyor. As no continuous bottom conveyor is utilized, the fryer oil pan may be provided with a reduced volume segment situated between the bottom entrance and exit conveyors.

Abstract: A method of controlling the movement of snack food products being cooked continuously in a bath of hot cooking oil to the end of realizing a more uniform moisture content in the final product employs a plurality of segmented paddle wheels with blades to penetrate and agitate vigorously the product pack as the wheels are rotated in both directions. Also disclosed are a variety of segmented paddle wheel configurations and their functions of impeding and urging product flow during cooking.

Abstract: A mold form fryer utilizing a top conveyor that transports snack pieces through a constant velocity oil stream without the need of a bottom mating mold or conveyor. Herein, the form fryer is provided with a top conveyor disposed above a fryer oil pan positioned longitudinally through the fryer. Uncooked snack pieces are provided to the fryer oil pan by a bottom entrance conveyor. Snack pieces, once in oil within the fryer, meet with a top conveyor having convex molding surfaces with product-centering elements. At the exit portion of the fryer, a bottom exit conveyor receives the cooked snack pieces from the top conveyor. As no continuous bottom conveyor is utilized, the fryer oil pan may be provided with a reduced volume segment situated between the bottom entrance and exit conveyors.

Abstract: A lift bucket, food product transport mechanism, food product processor and method of processing food product while providing improved dewatering. The processor is equipped with a lift that includes at least one bucket of latticework construction that preferably is made of wedgewire. The bucket has a plurality of pairs of spaced apart and interlocking wires that define dewatering perforations. In one preferred embodiment, wires defining dewatering slots are supported by wire retainers. In a preferred embodiment, each dewatering slot preferably has a width of at least 0.02 inches and no greater than about 0.13 inches. Each wire retainer can be equipped with a knife edge that minimizes dewatering flow obstruction through the slots. In a preferred method, an auger food product transport mechanism equipped with a lift bucket of the invention is rotated at a speed of at least 5 RPM.

Abstract: A method for making bowl-shaped snack food products, e.g. tortilla chips. The method features placing chip preforms in open bowl-shaped cavities and partially frying the chip preforms by filling them with hot oil from above. Additionally, the preforms are partially fried from below by immersing the lower portions of the preforms in a vat of hot oil and transporting them through the hot oil. After cooking the preforms to a desired moisture content, at which point the preforms retain their bowl shapes outside of or independent of the mold cavities, the preforms are removed from the mold cavities and subsequently cooked to completion in a secondary frying operation.

Abstract: The vacuum-heat processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a vacuum container forming a vacuum chamber; a hopper into which an object to be processed and a processing liquid adjusted to a first temperature are thrown, the hopper being arranged above and communicating with an intake port formed in an upper end portion of the vacuum container; a sealing member arranged between the hopper and the intake port of the vacuum container to keep the vacuum chamber airtight; a transport conveyor installed in the vacuum chamber below the intake port to receive at one end side thereof the object flowing down the hopper from the intake port through the sealing member and carry it to the other end side; a processing liquid showering nozzles installed in the vacuum chamber immediately above the transport conveyor to shower a processing liquid adjusted to a second temperature over the object on the transport conveyor; and a processing liquid tank containing a processing liquid adjusted to a third tempe

Abstract: A process for preparing coating particles for a fried food, which has a good taste and soft texture, by mixing raw materials including one of flour, starch, cereal powder, and seasoning, together with water, thereby forming a mixture in a slurry form, and then frying the mixture with the use of an edible oil contained in a frying apparatus, in which the process includes: pouring the mixture through a feeder onto a surface of an edible oil which is retained in a pouring portion away from a flowing portion of the frying apparatus, so as to admit a deep penetration of the mixture into the edible oil, thereby forming a prefried coating; and, frying the prefried coating at a secondary stage by an application thereto of a movement with a simultaneous agitation on the surface of the edible oil of the frying apparatus, thereby forming prefried coating particles.

Abstract: An automatic conveyor deep fryer comprising a rectangular container with an input side, an output side, two side walls, and a bottom wall. A hot cooking liquid is positioned within the rectangular container. A conveyor assembly is positioned within the rectangular container. The conveyor assembly includes a primary conveyor and a secondary conveyor, the primary convey for having an input end, an output end, and an intermediate extent therebetween. A first driving sprocket is positioned at the input end of the primary conveyor, the first driving sprocket functioning to drive the input end of the conveyor. A second driving sprocket is positioned at the output end of the primary conveyor, the second driving sprocket functioning to drive the output end of the primary conveyor. The intermediate extent of the primary conveyor extends into the hot cooking liquid. The secondary conveyor has a receiving end and a dispensing end.

Abstract: A continuous frying apparatus comprising a primary frying vessel for transferring foodstuff with the stream of oil; a secondary frying vessel for holding and frying the foodstuff below the oil surface with the use of a conveyor including rollers, a running member moving around the rollers and interlocked therewith, and projections arranged on the outer surface of the running member; and a joining section for connecting the primary frying vessel and the secondary frying vessel. According to the present invention, one of the rollers which is arranged nearest the starting side of the secondary frying vessel is positioned so that the intersection with the oil surface of a circular arc defined by the ends of the projections moving around that roller is positioned closer to the ending side of the secondary frying vessel than intersection of the oil stream flowing downward and out of the primary frying vessel meeting with the oil level in the secondary frying vessel.

Abstract: A deep fry apparatus for automatically and sequentially deep frying food articles below the surface of a hot fluid and at different depths or multi-levels in the fluid. An automatic feeder mechanism for feeding food articles to the deep fry apparatus is also disclosed. One embodiment of the deep fry apparatus initially conveys food articles to a bottom step of the deep fryer via a stream of cooking oil flowing through a tube. This embodiment of the deep fry apparatus includes a spiral, stepped grid which conveys the food articles back to the surface of the fluid step by step via a forward/backward stroke mechanism which includes a quick release mechanism for releasing the food articles relative to a step of the grid by the principle of inertia. The food articles are automatically pushed out of the surface and out of the apparatus via the forward/backward stroke mechanism.

Abstract: Processes and equipment for preparation and cooking of edible materials, particularly for the automatic slicing and deep frying of vegetables, especially potatoes, to form crisps. The procedure comprises the steps of forming unwashed and undried slices of the edible material, individually feeding the slices without washing and drying into a bath of hot cooking oil, then when said slices subsequently float to the surface of the oil due to the formation of steam bubbles on the slices forcibly submerging the slices in said hot cooking oil for a further period in which cooking of the slices is substantially completed to give the slices a crisp consistency, and finally removing the cooked slices from the cooking oil and dispensing the cooked slices.

Abstract: A doughnut fryer flight conveyor for selectively advancing different size dough forms through the hot oil bath of a doughnut frying machine includes a plurality of primary flights extending between spaced, parallel, endless copnveyor chains and a plurality of secondary flights or pusher bars. The secondary flights are each positioned between adjacent pairs of primary flights. A clutch ring mounts the secondary flights to the conveyor chain so that the flights may be moved to an inoperative position immediately adjacent one of the primary flights to an operative position intermediate the flights. When in the operative position, the doughnut fryer flight conveyor is adapted to advance a smaller size doughnut or dough form through the frying machine.

Abstract: A turner arm assembly for a doughnut fryer has a pivot axle on one end that is provided with a hardened ball mounted in a cylindrical hardened bearing of the sidewall of a conveyor assembly. In an alternative form a straight diameter pivot axle is provided in a crowned internal diameter of the hardened bearing. The opposite end of the turner arm assembly is drivingly connected to a drive axle fixed to a cam. A removable stop prevents the pivot axle from moving outwardly of the sidewall of the conveyor assembly. The turner arm assembly is removed by moving the stop, shifting the turner arm axially until the turner arm is free of the drive axle, then sliding the turner arm back inwardly of the sidewall of the conveyor assembly while the pivot axle connection with the sidewall of the conveyor assembly gives complete free movement of upward pivotal movement of the turner arm to clear the opposite end of the turner arm over the sidewall for removal.

Abstract: In apparatus for treating a product in a liquid bath having two different temperature zones separated by a slotted wall and equipped with at least two continuous conveyor belts arranged to transport the product while captured between the belts through one zone, a slot in the wall and the other zone, a plurality of submerged nozzles are positioned with their orifices directed to eject pressurized fluid streams that contact the belts while passing through the slot. The nozzles promote the flow of liquid from one zone to the other and effect scrubbing of the belts. Baffles at the wall slot and parallel to the belts enhance the operational benefits of the nozzles.

Abstract: An improvement is made to continuous chip fryers by introducing means of control to the flow of oil in the fryer. The disclosure is most applicable to the type of fryers where heat is added externally in a separate heat exchanger. The controlled oil flow allows an increased loading of the fryer, thus reducing equipment size and oil resident time.

Abstract: An elongated vat of heated cooking liquid such as coil is provided and slices of raw potato are admitted into one end of the tank and moved longitudinally of the latter toward the other end of the tank. As the potato slices reach the other end of the tank, they are removed therefrom. The potato slices are conveyed longitudinally of the tank through the utilization of inversely cyclically moved frames suspended above the vat and extending longitudinally thereof with each frame including a plurality of depending fingers spaced both longitudinally and transversely of the tank. Each frame is lowered from a starting position with the fingers thereof spaced above the level of cooking oil in the tank to a position with the fingers extending through the cooking oil level.

Abstract: A conveyor with zigzag travel is formed by two continuous conveyor belts and is particularly useful for processing materials. Each belt has openings along its marginal portions and a set of driven belt sprockets meshing with those openings. Part of the length of each belt is maintained in parallel, spaced relation to part of the length of the other and together form a zigzag path with one or more U-turns. At each U-turn, one belt turns on sprockets and the other turns with its marginal portions sliding around curved guides. The remaining parts of the lengths of both belts are separated from one another and provide places for feeding material to, and removing it from, the conveyor.

Abstract: The present invention involves a doughnut fryer guide to guide advancing dough forms through the hot oil bath in a doughnut frying machine. The doughnut fryer guide comprises a rack that supports a plurality of guide bars that limit movement of the advancing dough forms transverse to the direction of advance when the guide bars are in an operative position. Retracting means are provided for raising and lowering the rack to move the guide bars between a retracted and an operative position. In the retracted position the guide bars do not interfere with the dough forms advancing through the oil bath.

Abstract: Apparatus for the continuous production of fried dough crusts is disclosed in which the dough pieces are retained between a pair of endless conveyors, one above the other, the upper conveyor being of balanced-weave construction, the lower conveyor being of flat-flex construction, the designs of said conveyors being incapable of registering with one another. The endless conveyors traverse a part of a hot oil bath, beneath the surface of the oil in uniform, spaced, parallel relation to each other, the spacing between the conveyors being maintained within the range of 1/8 inch to 3/8 inch for confinement of the dough pieces therebetween. The oil in the cooking zone of said bath is maintained at a temperature range of about 360.degree.-410.degree. F. After exiting from the cooking bath and prior to reaching a delivery point, crusts are continuously confined and rapidly cooled.

Abstract: Doughnut frying apparatus has a conveyor extending lengthwise of the hot oil tank and provided with transverse flights with its upper course disposed to carry floating doughnuts from a transverse pickup zone near the infeed or rear end of the tank towards the outfeed end thereof. Successive series of uncooked doughnuts are delivered into the tank in a transverse receiving zone spaced rearwardly of the pickup zone. Means are employed to enable the interval between the delivery of successive series to be minimized by circulating hot oil to provide a stream flowing upwardly through the receiving zone and into the pickup zone preferably also with an air stream directed close to but above the surface of the oil and forwardly through the delivery zone.

Abstract: Doughnut frying apparatus has a conveyor extending lengthwise of a hot oil tank and provided with flights which provide spaces, each space accommodating a transverse series of floating doughnuts. Midway of their travel, the doughnuts are turned over by a device having a transverse shaft provided with diametrically opposed receivers. Each receiver has leading vane and trailing transverse vane with the two vanes defining an acute angle. The device is turned by the conveyor with each receiver having a first position in which the leading vane is above and the trailing vane is below the conveyor space next to the shaft on the pick-up side thereof and a second position in which the trailing vane is above and the leading vane below the conveyor space next to the shaft on the release side thereof, the leading vane having caught the doughnuts picked up by the trailing vane as they toppled forwardly therefrom and lowered the turned over doughnuts into the hot fat.

Abstract: A method of producing instant cupped noodles comprising disposing a mass of raw noodles in a liquid-permeable metal cup, the cup having at least a tapered wall, placing a liquid-permeable metal lid to cover the opening of the metal cup, and completely immersing the metal cup in a heated oil for frying the mass of noodles housed in the metal cup while the cup is inverted and immersed, thereby rendering the mass of noodles dense in the portion close to the bottom of the metal cup and sparse in the portion close to the metal lid. The metal cup is then taken out of the heated oil, the metal lid is removed from the metal cup for discharging the fried mass of noodles, and the discharged fried mass of noodles is dried.

Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing a snack food whose raw material is fruitage or vegetables, comprising a vacuum tank into which a material of fruit or vegetable subjected to preprocessing such as cleaning, peeling, seasoning and drying is fed and within which the operation of frying the material and the operation of cooling and solidifying the fried material can be continuously carried out.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for preparing a chip-type snack is disclosed. A dough is prepared and sheeted. An elongated shaped ribbon of connected dough pieces is cut from the dough sheet. The ribbon is passed through a deep fat fryer and then severed into individual chips.