Food processing apparatus

A frameless food blancher comprising, a steel tank of generally U-shaped, transverse cross-sectional shape and having an open top with opposite sides, said opposite tank sides each having an upper portion bent inwardly and upwardly and terminating in an edge, and a rigidifying steel member co-extensive in length with said tank and having a lower edge welded to the outside of said tank, said steel member extending inwardly and forming an upwardly facing water trough therealong, said steel member welded to said edge of said upper portion of said tank side thereby forming a generally triangular in-cross-section box for rigidifying said sides.

A frameless food blancher comprising, a steel tank of generally U-shaped, transverse cross sectional shape and having an open top with opposite sides, said opposite sides each having an upper edge bent inwardly to partially form a water trough therealong and thereby rigidifying said sides, said blancher having opposite ends, two end plates fabricated from sheet steel and each having a main portion, one end plate welded to each of said opposite ends of said tank, said plates also each having a leg portion integrally formed with said main portion for supporting said blancher, and a flange formed by bending along each of said end plate main portions and their respective leg portion extending therefrom, said flanges being bent at a substantial right angle to said main portion and said leg portion to rigidify said end plates.

As an article of manufacture, an end plate fabricated from sheet steel and for a frameless food blancher, said end plate having a main portion for being welded to a tank of said blancher, said plate also having leg portions integrally formed with said main portion and extending downwardly therefrom for supporting said blancher.

A method of manufacturing a steel end plate for a food blancher, said end plate having a main portion for being welded to a tank end and an integral leg portion with a lower edge and extending from said main portion, said method comprising providing a steel sheet and automatically cutting out from said steel sheet, said main portion and said integral leg portion to form said end plate having opposite side edges and also substantially simultaneously locating and cutting holes in said end portion, all said cutting being done automatically by a CNC laser machine.