Retort agitation system and method

A system for agitating products in a longitudinal retort, comprising:

• a reciprocating assembly comprising:
• a reciprocating drive member configured to apply linear forces on at least one product carrier for a reciprocal non-sinusoidal pattern of movement of the at least one product carrier along a length of the retort by alternating between first and second drive directions of a first drive mechanism;
• a clamping assembly configured to selectively secure at least one product carrier to the reciprocating drive member, the clamping assembly comprising:
• a first clamping subassembly configured to secure a first end of the at least one product carrier to a first portion of the reciprocating drive member when a first carrier stop engages the first end of the at least one product carrier to impose a first clamping force on the first end of the at least one product carrier, and
• a second clamping subassembly configured to secure a second end of the at least one product carrier to a second portion of the reciprocating drive member when a second carrier stop engages the second end of the at least one product carrier to impose a second opposing clamping force on the second end of the at least one product carrier, the second carrier stop including a bore, wherein the reciprocating drive member passes through the bore such that the second carrier stop is slidable axially on the reciprocating drive member by a second drive mechanism between a first position, where the second carrier stop is disengaged from the second end of the at least one product carrier, and a second position, where the second carrier stop is engaged with the second end of the at least one product carrier for imposing the second opposing clamping force on the second end of the at least one product carrier, wherein in the second position the second carrier stop moves linearly with the reciprocating drive member.

A system for agitating products in a longitudinal retort, comprising:

• a reciprocating assembly, comprising:
• a reciprocating drive member configured to apply linear forces on at least one product carrier for a reciprocal non-sinusoidal pattern of movement of the at least one product carrier along a length of the retort;
• a variable input first drive mechanism configured to move the reciprocating drive member linearly back and forth along a length of the retort by alternating a drive direction of the variable input first drive mechanism;
• a controller that is configured to send at least one signal to the variable input first drive mechanism to define the non-sinusoidal pattern of movement by at least one of:
• a plurality of strokes of the at least one product carrier in a first direction before movement of the at least one product carrier back in an opposite second direction, wherein a stroke is a movement of the at least one product carrier by the reciprocating drive member along at least a portion of the length of the retort;
• a plurality of strokes of the at least one product carrier in a first direction before movement of the at least one product carrier back in an opposite second direction with a pause in movement between each of the plurality of strokes, wherein a stroke is a movement of the at least one product carrier by the reciprocating drive member along at least a portion of the length of the retort;
• and
• a first acceleration of the at least one product carrier in a first direction and a second acceleration of the at least one product carrier lower than the first acceleration in a second opposite direction;
• and
• a clamping assembly defined on the reciprocating drive member, the clamping assembly comprising:
• a first clamping subassembly having a first carrier stop configured to selectively impose a first clamping force on a first end of the at least one product carrier;
• and
• a second clamping subassembly having a second carrier stop including a bore, wherein the reciprocating drive member passes through the bore such that the second carrier stop is slidable axially on the reciprocating drive member by a second drive mechanism and configured to selectively impose a second opposing clamping force on a second end of the at least one product carrier.

A system for agitating food products in a longitudinal retort configured to support a thermal process of a food product through at least a first phase and a second phase, wherein the first phase creates a first food product temperature different than a second food product temperature of the second phase, and wherein the food product has a first food characteristic during the first phase of the thermal process and a second food characteristic during the second phase of the thermal process, the system for agitating food products in a longitudinal retort comprising:

• a reciprocating assembly, comprising:
• a reciprocating drive member configured to apply linear forces on at least one product carrier for a reciprocal non-sinusoidal pattern of movement of the at least one product carrier along a longitudinal axis of the retort;
• a variable input first drive mechanism configured to move the reciprocating drive member linearly back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the retort by alternating a drive direction of the variable input first drive mechanism;
• and;
• a computing device for controlling the variable input first drive mechanism to define the non-sinusoidal pattern of movement, the computing device having at least one processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to the variable input first drive mechanism, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has computer-executable instructions stored thereon, and wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the variable input first drive mechanism to execute a first agitation profile for first phase of the thermal process and a second agitation profile for second phase of the thermal process that is different in at least one of stroke length, pause duration between strokes, and acceleration of strokes, wherein a stroke is a movement of the at least one product carrier by the reciprocating drive member along at least a portion of the length of the retort;
• and
• a clamping assembly defined on the reciprocating drive member, the clamping assembly comprising:
• a first clamping subassembly having a first carrier stop configured to selectively impose a first clamping force on a first end of the at least one product carrier;
• and
• a second clamping subassembly having a second carrier stop including a bore, wherein the reciprocating drive member passes through the bore such that the second carrier stop is slidable axially on the reciprocating drive member by a second drive mechanism and configured to selectively impose a second opposing clamping force on a second end of the at least one product carrier.