US 4,285,271 AGranted

Seal plate drive for use with apparatus for pressure feeding and pressure cooking a food product

AssigneeKoppers Company, Inc.

InventorsGlenn H. Falck, James R. Boose

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Abstract

A seal plate drive assembly for use with apparatus for pressure cooking a farinaceous product is disclosed, in which said apparatus includes a pressure feeder assembly, a seal plate and seal plate drive assembly for compacting and regulating the flow of product mix in a terminal portion of the pressure feeder assembly and a pressure cooker assembly. The seal plate drive assembly is comprised of a rotatable and axially translatable seal plate shaft that enters into a feeder housing providing communication between the pressure feeder assembly and the pressure cooker assembly and supports the seal plate therein, a circumscribing tubular drive shaft telescopically receiving the seal plate drive shaft and arranged to be mounted externally of the feeder housing, bearings to support the tubular drive shaft, a coupling interconnecting the two shafts to permit co-rotation while allowing axial translation of the seal plate shaft, means to drive the tubular drive shaft in rotation and means to impart axial translation to the seal plate shaft. Also included are a first seal means disposed between the seal plate shaft and the tubular drive shaft at a location adjacent the feeder housing to prevent ingress of product mix and superatmospheric steam between the shafts and a second seal means cooperatively associated with the feeder housing and the tubular drive shaft to prevent egress of product mix and superatmospheric steam from the feeder housing and along the outer periphery of the tubular drive shaft.

Claims20

Dependent claims

Apparatus for continuously pressure cooking, extruding and forming pellets of a food product, which apparatus includes a pressure feeder assembly, a seal plate assembly, a pressure cooker assembly, an extruder assembly and a cut-off assembly and, in which, said seal plate assembly comprises:

(a) a seal plate for compacting and regulating the flow of product mix in a terminal portion of said pressure feeder assembly so as to form a pressure seal for the pressure cooker assembly,
(b) said seal plate carrying means thereon for abrading the compacted product mix for quick, uniform heating in said pressure cooker assembly,
said seal plate being mounted on one end of a rotatable and axially translatable seal plate shaft that enters into a feeder housing providing communication for said product mix from said terminal portion of said pressure feeder assembly to the inlet of said pressure cooker assembly,
(d) said seal plate shaft being telescopically received within a tubular drive shaft mounted externally of said feeder housing,
(e) bearing means supporting said tubular drive shaft for rotation,
(f) coupling means interconnecting said tubular drive shaft to said seal plate shaft so that both shafts will co-rotate while permitting axial translation of said seal plate shaft with respect to said tubular drive shaft,
(g) first drive means operatively connected to said tubular drive shaft to impart rotary motion thereto,
(h) second drive means operatively connected to said seal plate shaft to impart translatory motion thereto,
(i) first seal means disposed between said seal plate shaft and said tubular drive shaft at a location adjacent said feeder housing to prevent ingress of product mix and superatmospheric steam between said shafts, and
(j) second seal means cooperatively associated with said feeder housing and said tubular drive shaft to prevent egress of product mix and superatmospheric steam from said feeder housing and along the outer periphery of said tubular drive shaft.

7 more elements

A seal plate drive assembly for use with apparatus for pressure cooking a food product, which apparatus includes a pressure feeder assembly, a seal plate for compacting and regulating the flow of product mix in a terminal portion of said pressure feeder assembly and a pressure cooker assembly, said seal plate drive assembly comprising:

(a) a rotatable and axially translatable seal plate shaft constructed and arranged to enter into a feeder housing and to support said seal plate therein, said feeder housing providing communication for said product mix from said terminal portion of said pressure feeder assembly to the inlet of said pressure cooker assembly,
(b) said seal plate shaft being telescopically received within a tubular drive shaft constructed and arranged to be mounted externally of said feeder housing,
(c) bearing means supporting said tubular drive shaft for rotation, `(d) coupling means interconnecting said tubular drive shaft to said seal plate shaft so that both shafts will co-rotate while permitting axial translation of said seal plate shaft with respect to said tubular drive shaft,
(e) first drive means operatively connected to said tubular drive shaft to impart rotary motion thereto,
(f) second drive means operatively connected to said seal plate shaft to impart translatory motion thereto,
(g) first seal means disposed between said seal plate shaft and said tubular drive shaft at a location adjacent said feeder housing to prevent ingress of product mix and superatmospheric steam between said shafts, and
(h) second seal means co-operatively associated with said feeder housing and said tubular drive shaft to prevent egress of product mix and superatmospheric steam from said feeder housing and along the other periphery of said tubular drive shaft.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.