Abstract: A pizza making machine for applying selected ingredients to a pizza crust comprising a number of side-by-side dispensing stations, one station for each of a number of topping ingredients, with each station including means for storing and delivering on command a preselected amount of selected topping ingredient to a crust and means for supporting and sequentially moving the crust under the dispensers so that the topping ingredients are dispensed sequentially on the crust. The custom pizza is then selectively deliverable to a customer uncooked, or to an oven where it is baked in accordance with the selected ingredients and delivered to the customer.

Abstract: An automated pizza oven comprising a massive oven enclosure with a fire brick liner about a baking chamber and a massive fire brick turntable disposed in the baking chamber an forming the bottom surface thereof. A variable speed drive motor is connected with and slowly rotates the turntable. A pair of doors are provided for the baking chamber and a fire chamber employes coal or other natural fuel in open communicaation with the baking chamber. A pair of temperature sensors and a drive motor speed sensor respond respectively to baking chamber temperature and turntable speed and are fed to a control means for the regulation of turntable speed as a function of baking chamber temperature.

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

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

Abstract: A food preparation process is provided in which food service personnel are signaled when cooked pizza or other food is conveyed out of an oven.

Abstract: A steam cooking device includes an endless conveyor arranged in a spiral path surrounding a cage. The cage is rotatable on a vertical axis to drive the endless conveyor, thus to move food along the helical path as it is cooked. A cleaning system for the device includes a fixed manifold of nozzles for spraying the conveyor, a whirling nozzle within the cage, and a spray bar. The spray bar moves along the helical path as the cage rotates, and carries a plurality of nozzles that spray a cleaning fluid onto the structure that supports the endless conveyor. Leading and trailing nozzles spray radially disposed cantilevered carrier rods, while pairs of nozzles, along the top of the moving bar, spray opposite sides of rails mounted on the carrier bars and supporting the conveyor. After the cleaning cycle, the spray bar is removed and the device is ready for food preparation.

Abstract: Bakery oven for a continuous baking process which includes a baking chamber provided with a charging opening and a discharging opening, and containing a spiral conveying device provided with a helicoidal path for conveying the bakery products arranged on trays, plates, racks or the like from the charging opening to the discharging opening. This bakery oven is provided with frames ensuring the individual picking-up of the plates, trays, racks or the like outside the baking chamber to convey them by means of the spiral conveying device, and the spiral conveying device includes a mechanism for individually conveying and guiding the frames along the helicoidal path.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a food product. A series of processing cabinets are each provided with an inlet and an outlet in one of the cabinet side walls adjacent an end wall. The product is carried by a series of individual product carriers, which are capable of turning relative to the rail. The carriers pass through the cabinet inlets, and are turned relative to the rail thereafter so as to pass through the cabinets in a closely packed arrangement. As the carriers approach the opposite end wall of the cabinet, the carriers are again turned so as to exit the cabinet in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cabinet.

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

Abstract: A continuous cooking grill is provided which includes a heating element for supplying radiant heat to food items passing therebetween along a conveyor which is preferably provided with a series of intercalated rods oriented transversely to the direction of travel. The conveyor includes both a straight portion and an arcuate portion for advancing the items in a generally U-shaped path. The cooker includes a bottom presenting a series of openings along and below the path of the food items which enables the drippings to pass unobstructed out of the cooker. The food items are inverted during their passage through the cooker at a location generally at the end of the bight of the U-shaped path by movement of the rods which causes the items to tumble downwardly from the arcuate portion onto the straight portion. The heating element is configured to generate radiant heat at a substantially constant distance from the food items during movement from the upper, arcuate portion to the lower, straight portion.

Abstract: Apparatus for broiling whole chickens which have been severed along the breast bone for opening into a generally flat condition includes a housing having opposing laterally spaced sets of upright gas-fueled infrared heaters defining therebetween a cooking chamber and an endless chain conveyor for transporting chickens suspended by their legs through the chamber. To maintain generally constant air temperature within the cooking chamber, the opposed sets of infrared heaters are staggered with respect to one another with reflector plates arranged between each pair of adjacent heaters in each set in facing relation to a heater of the other set, and a hood structure is provided for creating an exhaust air flow from the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A process for the input and carrying away of smoking rods or cooking rods to and from a station for the automatic suspension of sausages provided with loops on a rod which in turn is tightly chucked at one end works as follows: the rods are first brought out of a storage area one after the other into horizontal arrangement in a readiness position. Then one rod is tightly chucked there and is fed by a horizontal movement to the loading station; finally the loaded rod is picked up at both ends and fed in the same direction as before to a holding station, in which a number of loaded rods are collected for transfer by being shoved onto a smoking or cooking wagon. The process is carried out nearly without dead time, and is accomplished by an operator who remains for the post part independent of the filling and suspending cycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming and/or cooking food products upon an imperforate thermally conductive belt has a food dispenser above the belt, a heat plate under the belt, an upper heating structure, novel structure to maintain conductive thermal contact between the belt and the heat plate, a food stripper to remove the heated food and invert it for placement upon a second belt, a filling dispenser, and food rolling structure to roll the cooked food up into a tubular shape. The method has the steps of conductively cooking the food on the belt, stripping the food off of a first section of belt, and rolling the food on a second section of belt. The method and apparatus are particularly useful for crepes, pancakes, pasta, and pastry type foods. A single embodiment of the apparatus is capable of producing several entirely different types of cooked and formed food products. The apparatus is relatively small and is suited particularly well for on-site use by a retailer or concessionaire.

Abstract: A shrimp cooking apparatus has a frame having a motor driven endless belt conveyor with a porous endless belt supported to the frame. The frame includes a plurality of upright members, each two upright members being connected by transverse support channels. A housing covers a portion of the porous endless belt and is supported on the frame and has an entrance thereinto and an exit therefrom. A steam pipe is connected to a source of steam and is connection to a plurality of steam nozzles for directing steam into the housing. The housing is formed from a pair of stainless steel layers having a predetermined layer of insulation therebetween. The housing has a lift mechanism attached thereto for lifting the housing relative to the plurality of frame members to thereby gain access inside the housing. A plurality of solenoid valves are operatively connected to temperature sensors to open and close each steam feedpipe nozzle to thereby control the feeding of steam into the housing.

Abstract: A bakery oven system is disclosed which includes a bakery oven through which an endless conveyor may pass that carries bakery products to be treated in the oven. The conveyor includes a conveyor section located out of the oven and adapted to pass through a grid burn-off unit which serves to clean the grid on the conveyor. The grid burn-off unit includes a separate enclosure having a burner arrangement for applying heat to the conveyor to burn off residue on the conveyor. A plurality of brushes are located downstream of the burn-off enclosure, in the direction of travel of the conveyor, to clean carburized material off of the conveyor.

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

Abstract: An apparatus for storing, heating and dispensing portioned foods items has a cooled storage unit for storing portioned food items, a cooking unit for heating the portioned food items, a transport lift unit for transferring the food items to be heated from the storage unit to the cooking unit and an output unit for transferring heated food items from the cooking unit to a dispensing station for dispensing. The storage unit includes a plurality of conveyor belts upon which the portioned food items are stored and which transport the food items to the transport lift unit. Each of the lift transport unit, the cooking unit and the output unit includes a conveyor for transferring the food items.

Abstract: A tunnel for cooling, heating, or drying products of the foodstuffs and especially confectionery industries. The tunnel has a base, especially one comprising several adjacent segments (4), a series of self-supporting hoods (5) that have a cross-section in the form of an inverted U and are made of rigid expanded plastic, tracks (9) between the edges of the base (2) and the walls (7) of the hoods to create a seal, and a belt (21) to convey the products (22) longitudinally through the interior (10) of the tunnel. Take-apart hinges (13 or 26) are positioned between the edges of the base and the walls of the hoods on each side of the tunnel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a machine for advancing bakery pans in a step wise fashion along a production line. A rotary indexer having three radially extending arms mounted on a common shaft and spaced apart 120.degree. relative to adjacent arms is used to advance the pans step-wise one cup at a time. Each arm has distal ends at which rollers are mounted which engage the upper portion extending about the perimeter of each cup. A single stroke air cylinder has a wedge mounted to its piston. The wedge engages a cam assembly mounted on the shaft to which the rotary indexer is mounted. Retraction of the wedge allows the pans to push against the rotary indexer to rotate it. The wedge returns to a position to stop rotation of the shaft, only allowing the shaft to rotate through a 120.degree. turn. The pan moves step-wise along the assembly line path into a position to receive a dough packet from a conveyor that deposits dough packets into the cups.

Abstract: A modular food preparation station for storing and cooking food stuffs such as pizza comprising a base including at least one temperature controlled compartment formed therein to maintain the food stuffs within a predetermined temperature range prior to perparation and an infrared continuous conveyor oven including a thermally insulated cooking chamber having an entrance opening to receive raw food stuffs therethrough and a discharge opening to discharge cooked food therefrom formed at opposite ends thereof, and a continuous conveyor operatively disposed within the thermally insulated cooking chamber to move the food stuffs through the thermally insulated cooking chamber, infrared emitters longitudinally disposed above and below the continuous conveyor and passive emitters formed on opposite sides of the thermally insulated cooking chamber to complement the energy from the infrared emitters to uniformly cook the foodstuffs as the food stuffs pass through the thermally insulated cooking chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing foods for predeterminable period of time. One embodiment of the apparatus is for cooking; another is for refrigeration. The apparatus includes either a cooking container or a refrigeration container, a conveyor for carrying food products to and from this container, and a robot assembly for removing food products from the conveyor, inserting them into the container, extracting them from the container after the predetermined cooking or refrigeration period, and returning them to the conveyor. The robot assembly is programmable to extract and return these food products after cooking or refrigeration for a predeterminable period of time.

Abstract: A baking apparatus includes cover molds and pan molds having recesses adapted to be engaged to define baking chamber as the cover and pan molds engage, a device for feeding dough into the recesses of the molds and a device for shaping the doughs in the recesses of the molds into desired shape. The engaged cover and pan molds containing shaped doughs are fed into an oven for baking treatment and discharged therefrom for air cooling and separating the cover mold from the pan mold for unloading baked confections.

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: Apparatus and method for broiling whole chickens which have been severe along the breast bone for opening into a generally flat condition includes a housing having opposing laterally spaced sets of upright gas-fueled infrared heaters defining therebetween a cooking chamber and an endless chain conveyor for transporting chickens suspended by their legs through the chamber. To prevent burning and promote uniform cooking of the chicken meat, a screen is interposed between one set of heater panels and the path of movement of the chickens in the region of the chicken thighs and back, which have a sub-skin concentration of fat, to modify the cooking energy emitted from the laterally adjacent region of the heater panels.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises an endless conveyor band (2) of insulating material on which are mounted at even distances apart receptacles (7) composed of a metal adapted to receive separate portions of a dish to be cooked and inductors (10a, 10b) disposed below the upper reach (6) of the conveyor. The inductors have a diameter roughly equal to one-half of the diameter of the receptacles and are disposed in at least two rows in the direction of movement of the conveyor (2) symmetrically relative to the axis of movement of the receptacles. The inner edges of the inductors (10a, 10b) are located beyond a vertical plane containing the axis of movement of the receptacles (7) so as to insure a homogeneous heating of the receptacles.

Abstract: An automatic food cooker machine having a plurality of food product carriers attached to an endless conveyor. The food carriers are attached and detached from the conveyor at opposite ends of the cooker. A plate is provided between the heat source and conveyor to catch grease and other debris falling from the food products. A plurality of restraining bars extend across the plate in one embodiment to minimize buckling of the plate when heated.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuous production of tortilla chips, including mixing tortilla flour and water to form a dough, rolling the dough into a coninuous sheet, cutting tortilla shapes from the sheet, moving the tortilla shapes continuously through a baking oven to produce baked products, moving the baked products continuously along an equilibration conveyor to substantially equalize the moisture content of each baked product throughout the product to form an equilibrated product, moving the equilibrated product continuously through a refrigeration unit to cool the product to form a cooled product, cutting the cooled products into chip shapes, and moving the chip shapes to a fryer to produce the tortilla chips. The frying step may be continuous or batch as desired.

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

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for uniformly and rapidly heating, pasteurizing and/or sterilizing food products which comprises a conveyor on which the food products are conveyed and a source of radio-frequency radiation which is directed at the food products. The source is connected to shaped electrodes, the shaping of the electrodes and their spacing from the food product being selected in dependence upon the configuration and irradiation required of the product being treated. The food product may be a pre-cooked meal comprising a plurality of constituents and the electrode is then shaped to take into account the geometry of the different constituents and in combination with the spacing of the electrode from the product, takes the heating requirements of the individual components into account.

Abstract: A shrimp cooking apparatus has a frame having a motor driven endless belt conveyor with a porous endless belt supported to the frame. A housing covers a portion of the porous endless belt and is supported on the frame and has an entrance thereinto and an exit therefrom. A steam pipe is connected to a source of steam at one end thereof and to a plurality of steam manifolds connected beneath the surface of the porous endless conveyor belt. Each of the manifolds has a plurality of openings therein to release steam directly under the porous endless belt to thereby apply heat and pressure to the shrimp on the endless belt in the housing. A solenoid valve is connected to each steam manifold to control the release of steam from the manifold and sensors are placed in the housing for sensing heat in the housing.

Abstract: An oven for baking objects, especially pizzas, has an indirect drive for enabling it to accommodate differences in commercial power on a worldwide basis, by simply changing the ratio of gears, sprockets or pulleys. Various access panels and doors on the oven may be opened to facilitate installation, removal, and maintenance of the oven without requiring a significant partial disassembly thereof. An access window is held under gravity in either an open or a closed position in order to eliminate clips, springs, and the like, which may tend to become fatigued and break as a result of the repeated heating and cooling.

Abstract: An improved method of cooking and an improved broiler/oven that provides different levels of heat to cook meats or the like at a relatively high heat condition and toast buns or the like, at a relatively lower heat condition. Trays are moved from the front of the oven to the rear at an upper level within the oven and are then lowered and re-directed back toward the front at a lower level while retaining their face-up condition. Heaters are positioned between the two levels such that objects on the trays are heated on one side while being transported toward the rear of the oven and are heated on the other side while being returned to the front.

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

Abstract: A cake manufacturing machine that can churn the ingredient for cake with hollow churning claws along the filtered compressed air coming out of the claws and then the ingredient churned can be dropped down in a funnel, then flow doen in aheating device in which the ingredient can be moved in a plurality of aqueezing cylinders by a screwed rod set therein and at the same time heated by hot air flowing into a sealed box containing each squeezing cylinder. The ingredient moved in the squeezing cylinder and half baked during the movement is to be dropped down on a baking plate put on a boving belt of a conveying device and is finally conveyed to a baking oven for complete baking.

Abstract: An apparatus for operating the locks of wafer baking tongs, which revolve in a wafer baking oven and move past the stationary operating apparatus, which is mounted in the wafer baking oven, comprises a movable closing element, which is engageable with the actuating member of the lock to lock the latter. It is proposed to provide an unlocking element, which is engageable with the actuating member to unlock a lock which has not entirely been locked. An actuator is provided for moving the unlocking element into engagement with the actuating member when the closing element has been pushed back a predetermined distance from its operative position by the actuating member when the lock has not entirely been locked.

Abstract: Infrared (IR) strip heaters are juxtaposed with convection heaters for simultaneous, independently controlled, combined radiant/convective heating in a conveyor oven. Apertured plates with portions transmissive to IR radiation are interposed between a lower combined heating unit and the cooking path. The IR heaters are preferably gas burners with porous, ceramic or metallic elements, the burners on opposite sides of the cooking path being independently controllable to vary the heat transfer rate to opposite food surfaces. Symmetrical placement of the IR heaters in opposed pairs facilitates use of the conveyor oven as a half oven. An auxiliary burner exhausts directly into the convection air and is cycled on and off to maintain a set temperature during normal operation.

Abstract: An oven and method for cooking solid foods. The oven comprises an elongated housing divided into tandem cooking zones each with separate cooking and heating chambers. Food products are carried on a vapor pervious conveyor through the cooking chambers as a distinct cooking process vapor is recirculated in each zone at different rates between the heating and cooking chambers. In one zone, the process vapor is circulated generally laterally of the conveyor over the food in a turbulent mode and then recirculated for reheating in a path parallel to the conveyor.

Abstract: An automatic food cooker machine having a plurality of food product carriers attached to an endless conveyor. The food carriers are attached and detached from the conveyor at opposite ends of the cooker. A plate having side rails is provided between the heat source and conveyor to catch grease and other debris falling from the food products. A pair of vents are formed at each end between the cooker doors and top wall to provide a safe escape for steam and promote the proper ignition of the flammable gas exiting the gas burner ports. A pair of dip tanks are positioned at each end of the conveyor so that as the food product is pulled through the cooker it is immersed in a flavored sauce.

Abstract: Disclosed is a machine for moving bakery pans in a stepwise fashion to enable rows of cups in the pans to be filled with dough packets. The rows of cups are spaced apart a predetermined distance which will vary depending upon the type of bakery product being made. The pans are carried by a converter and an indexing device is used to prevent these pans from being moved by the conveyor until individual rows of cups are filled with dough packets. The indexing device includes a helical arm mounted on a shaft which is removably coupled to an indexing motor that revolves the shaft through a 360.degree. turn and then momentarily stops to enable the cups to be filled with dough packets. The flights of the arm are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing between rows of cups, with each flight having an edge which will engage a raised lip along the perimeter of the pan. The edge of the flight bearing against the lip of the pan prevents the pan from moving until the arm is rotated.

Abstract: Automatic operation of a vending machine for preparing and delivering hamburgers can be initiated by a consumer by means of a payment system. The vending machine comprises, in the direction of feed of a conveyor which terminates at a station for the delivery of each hamburger:an oven for cooking each reconstituted portion of steak supplied from a reserve or from a reconstituting apparatus,a first station for delivering half-rolls of bread on the conveyor in order that each half-roll may serve as an element for receiving a reconstituted steak portion supplied from the cooking oven,one or a number of successive magazines for delivering various additive ingredients, each magazine being capable of depositing a dose of the corresponding ingredient on a reconstituted steak portion carried by a half-roll,a second station for delivering half-rolls of bread in order that each half-roll may serve as a covering element on a reconstituted steak portion already carried by another half-roll.

Abstract: An improved water seal blancher which utilizes a substantially steam proof chamber to subject a particulate food product to a continuous, controlled temperature treatment in steam, and which utilizes a minimum of moving mechanical parts to transport the food product into and out of the steam chamber, includes a base which is adapted to contain a conveyor apparatus for conveying food product through the steam, a cover which effectively closes the tank to form a steam-tight chamber, a feed tank intake at the feed end for receiving the food product into entraining water, and a pump which pumps the water and entrained food product into the steam chamber to a dewaterer which both separates the food product from the water, and forms a water seal which prevents steam within the steam chamber from escaping through the dewaterer and pump.

Abstract: A system for shaping a food product which is initially in the liquid state, such as fresh liquid egg white or yolk, while it is hardening, in which the liquid product is fed to a continuously unwinding band of flexible material, such as Teflon-coated paper which is deformed while in motion from a flat state to the shape of a continuous container and in which the product is treated as by heating until it is hard. After the product is hard the band is restored to its flat state and is drawn in a direction opposite to its original direction while the shaped and hardened product is carried away. Specifically, the means for deforming the band comprises a pair of press rollers having male and female molding parts for marking longitudinal folding lines on the band and flanges for raising the edges of the bands along the longitudinal folding lines. Preferably, the product is heated in a microwave cavity and, during heating, a second band is applied on top of the shaped band to form a steam-tight cover.

Abstract: An adjustable oven for mass cooking of food products comprising an essentially sealed enclosure having a conveyor received therethrough for conveying food through the oven. A heated gaseous cooking medium is applied to the food product during conveyance through the oven by impingement of the cooking medium at high velocity through spaced duct fingers disposed above and below the conveyor system. The gaseous cooking medium is heated and circulated through the oven at high velocity and subsequently recirculated for continuous cooking of food products in the oven. The cooking oven enables optimization of the cooking process by allowing at least certain of the duct fingers to be vertically adjustable relative to the food product so as to maximize heat transfer therefrom for any particular food product.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus and methods for producing formed articles such as tortillas. Embodiments include apparatus comprising a non-sticking, heat tolerant, endless conveyor belt moving at desired constant speeds to position tortilla dough balls between the heated platens of a tortilla press. The press is moveable in the direction of the path of travel of the belt at the same speed as the belt when the platens are in their closed position with the dough balls squeezed between them. Thereafter, the press may be opened sufficiently for the upper platen to disengage the flattened dough and then slowed, stopped and moved counter-directionally to the direction of travel of the belt. At a pre-determined position, the press is again stopped and reversed to cause it to travel again in the direction of travel of the belt.

Abstract: A gas fired broiler having a plurality of burners adjacent to multiple conveyors with a shield on at least one of the burners in the area of one of the conveyors.

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

Abstract: This invention relates to conveyorized cooking apparatus and particularly to such apparatus useful in a commercial environment such as a fast service restaurant in which rapidly changing variable loads must be accommodated. This invention accomplishes conveyorized cooking of servings of foodstuffs in such a way that the effects of variations in load are minimized or eliminated by eliminating or reducing the infuence of stored thermal energy on cooking capabilities so that stored energy may be esentially ignored as being ineffective to cause variation in product quality. This is accomplished by using heaters of low thermal mass such that the rate of thermal decay or temperature fall in the absence of thermal load imposed by servings of foodstuffs prevents the cyclical storage of thermal energy and thereby avoids the overcooking of foodstuffs during periods of light usage. The rates of thermal decay are variously characterized in the detailed specification.

Abstract: A bakery pan formed of injection molded liquid-crystal polymer has side walls and end walls which include an integral rib for receiving and retaining an encircling strap enabling several of the pans to be supported together in a module. A ferrous or magnetic material member is secured to the bottom of the pan, enabling the non-ferrous pan to be used in magnetic conveyor systems, and the band used for holding the pans in a module also is a magnetic material to permit holding the pans with overhead magnets.

Abstract: A ribbon gas burner for use in a baking oven has a row of gas apertures disposed between two rows of air apertures through which air is forced under pressure. The streams of air issuing from the two rows of air apertures are inclined inwardly towards the gas stream, thereby lengthening the ribbon flame produced by the burner and improving the uniformity of heating within the band oven.

Abstract: A steam cooker processes large quantities of food products such as meat, fish, poultry and produce passed therethrough in a spiral conveyor path. The continuously running conveyor is provided with loading and unloading stations outside the cooker and with a continuously operable spray detergent cleaning bath.Efficient cooking is achieved without loss of humidity, flavor or appearance by maintaining water drop free steam at near 100.degree. C. and 100% humidity at a pressure greater than atmospheric and by features of the apparatus including control of steam flow out of the cooking chamber and introduction of cold air thereinto.Two separate steam sources, internal and external, are provided with the internal source comprising a heated pool of water on the floor of the cooker chamber, which is agitated for heat transfer efficiency and to remove fat or drippings from the cooking products.