US 4,168,418 AGranted

Rendering of material such as meat

OwnerLeslie L. Birdinventor

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Abstract

Apparatus for rendering material like edible and inedible meat products and blood characterized by a cabinet having at least one and preferably a plurality of elongate paths for traversal of material longitudinally thereof, an endless perforate belt traversing over rollers and along the elongate path for carrying the material therealong in moving bed fashion; the cabinet having walls surrounding the path formed of material that reflects microwave energy and the belt including at least a portion of a material that reflects the microwave energy and coacting with the walls to reflect microwave energy such that multiple passes of the microwave energy through the material is effected for more efficient use. A plurality of microwave energy input stations are employed with the microwave input wave guides being inclined at respective critical angles so as to effect repeated passes of the microwave energy through the material; particularly acute angles .theta. and obtuse angles .beta. to obtain more intense rendering over at least one region between the oppositely directed microwave inputs. Respective material inlets, drain means for fat and water, water vapor removal and discharge means for discharging the rendered product exteriorly of the cabinets are also included. Also disclosed is the method employing the apparatus.

Claims24

Dependent claims

Apparatus for rendering material like edible and inedible meat products and blood comprising:

a. a cabinet having at least one elongate path for traverse of said material longitudinally thereof;
said cabinet having walls that together with a belt surround said path and that are formed of material that reflects microwave energy;
b. an endless belt with at least a cooking surface disposed within said cabinet and traversing said elongate path for carrying said material therealong in moving bed fashion;
said endless belt including at least a portion that will reflect microwave energy and having perforate openings sufficient and operable to drain off water, fat and the like rendered from said material;
said belt co-acting with said walls of said cabinet to reflect said microwave energy through said material a plurality of times for efficient use thereof;
c. roller means disposed at respective first and second locations at the extremities of said belt travel for supporting said endless belt;
said roller means having at least one power means for driving said belt;
d. a plurality of microwave energy input means adapted for directing microwave energy of a predetermined frequency into said material along said path on said belt;
said microwave energy input means being inclined at respective angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of said path so as to effect reflection of said microwave energy through said material a plurality of times for efficient use of said microwave energy;
at least one of said microwave energy input means being inclined at a critical acute angle .theta. and at least one of said microwave energy input means being inclined at a critical obtuse angle .beta. over at least one region to obtain intense rendering therein;
e. material inlet adjacent the upstream end of the top surface of said belt for facilitating entry of said material onto said belt;
f. first drain means for draining off fat and other liquid rendered from said material;
said first drain means being disposed beneath said top surface of said belt and connected exteriorly of said cabinet;
g. water removal means connected in communication with said belt and connected exteriorly of said cabinet;
said water removal means being adapted for removal of at least water vapor;
and
h. discharge means for discharging the rendered product exteriorly of said cabinet.

14 more elements

A method of rendering material like edible and inedible meat products and blood comprising the steps of:

a. passing said material in moving bed fashion along a predetermined path defined by walls that reflect microwave energy, said passing being by way of an endless belt having perforations therein for draining off fats and water rendered from said material;
said belt including at least a portion that will reflect microwave energy;
said belt coacting with said walls to reflect said microwave energy through said material a plurality of times for efficient use thereof;
b. irradiating said material with primary and reflected microwave energy that is reflected through said material a plurality of times by said walls and said belt to render said material;
c. collecting the fat rendered from said material and passing through said belt;
d. collecting at least a portion of the water rendered from said material in admixture with fats also rendered therefrom;
f. removing water vapor from said path intermediate said reflecting walls and said reflecting belt so as to make more efficient use of said microwave energy;
and
g. collecting the final rendered product.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.