Emulsification system

An emulsification system, comprising:

• a shaft capable of rotation, and a housing that encloses the shaft;
• a plurality of screens that are disposed about the shaft and within the housing, each of the plurality of screens are fixed with respect to the housing and remain stationary as the shaft rotates, each screen has a plurality of thru holes to allow a food product to pass therethrough;
• a plurality of cutting assemblies that are disposed about the shaft and within the housing, the plurality of cutting assemblies fixed to the shaft such that each cutting assembly rotates with rotation of the shaft, said plurality of cutting assemblies comprising at least first and second cutting assemblies;
• wherein the cutting assemblies and screens are arranged upon the shaft in an alternating order, with a cutting assembly disposed first upon the shaft in a position closest to a distal end of the shaft, then a screen disposed adjacent thereto, then a cutting assembly disposed adjacent thereto, and then another screen disposed adjacent thereto, wherein each of the cutting assemblies and the screens is disposed in very close proximity to the adjacent respective screen or cutting assembly without intended direct contact between adjacent screens and cutting assemblies;
• wherein each of the plurality of cutting assemblies comprises a central hub and a plurality of cutting elements that extend radially outward from the hub, and wherein each of the plurality of cutting elements extends from the hub such that they are spaced with a consistent spacing from neighboring cutting elements around a perimeter of the hub,
• wherein the shaft comprises a spline and each of the plurality of cutting assemblies engage with the spline to cause the plurality of cutting assemblies to each rotate with the rotation of the shaft;
• further comprising a collar that engages the spline and contacts the hub of the first cutting assembly, and further comprising a nut that engages a threaded portion of the shaft, wherein a position of the nut upon the shaft establishes a relative position of each of the plurality of screens and plurality of cutting assemblies with respect to each other upon the shaft;
• wherein the nut comprises a plurality of recesses disposed about an outer surface thereof proximate to a first end surface, wherein the first end surface of the nut faces the collar when the system is assembled;
• and
• wherein the nut comprises a threaded portion, wherein the plurality of recesses are disposed evenly around a perimeter of the nut, wherein the threaded portion includes a thread pitch and the plurality of recesses are established at a spacing such that rotation of the nut upon the shaft from alignment of a first recess of the plurality of recesses with a fixed point on the shaft to a position where an adjacent second recess of the plurality of recesses is in alignment with the fixed point on the shaft results in the nut linearly moving with respect to the shaft.