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US 4,517,888 AGranted
Food processor
AssigneeChallenge-Cook Brothers, Inc.
InventorBruce M. Gould
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for kneading food pieces includes a rotatable drum mounted on an inclined axis. There are spiral flights along the side wall of the drum. Charging and discharging the drum is effected through an open end and the drum includes a door for airtight sealing of the drum. A vacuum can be drawn inside the drum for different types of food processing. The processor can be used for blending constituents for food products. The kneading action can be applied to massaging or tumbling meat chunks, and treatment liquids can be added to the drum and/or the food pieces for processing.
Claims51
Apparatus for kneading a multiplicity of substantially integral food pieces, comprising:
- (a) a rotatable drum having a sidewall, a closed end to the drum, and an open end for feeding the food pieces into the drum and discharging the food pieces from the drum, the open end being opposite the closed end;
- (b) a mounting means for the drum to permit drum rotation about a longitudinal axis extending between the ends at an incline to the horizontal;
- (c) means adapted for drivingly engaging the drum thereby to permit drum rotation;
- and
- (d) spiralling flight means mounted on the inside of the sidewall of the drum and extending over substantially the length between the closed end and the open end of the drum, said spiralling flight means projecting inwardly from the sidewall for causing the integral food pieces to be continuously forced to move longitudinally within the drum from end to end in both directions and relative to the other integral food pieces by the movement of the spiralling flight means through the multiplicity of food pieces during rotation in the direction wherein the spiralling flight means progresses from the open end toward the closed end and whereby the integral food pieces are kneaded by contact with each other during said longitudinal movement within the drum, and on rotation in the opposite direction the spiralling flight means acts on the integral food pieces to move said integral food pieces generally to the drum open end;
- the inside of the drum and the flight means providing a structural surface without sharpened features or edges whereby the food pieces are not subject to substantial separation during movement within the drum.
3 more elements
Apparatus for massaging a multiplicity of meat chunks comprising:
- a. a rotatable drum having a side wall, a closed end to the drum, and an open end for feeding the meat chunks into the drum and discharging the meat chunks from the drum, the open end being opposite the closed end;
- b. a mounting means for the drum to permit drum rotation about a longitudinal axis extending between the ends, such axis being inclined to the horizontal, said mounting means being connected with the drum axially at the closed end and about the side wall remotely located from the closed end;
- c. at least two spiralling vanes mounted on the inside of the wall of the drum and offset from each other;
- d. means adapted for drivingly engaging the drum thereby to permit drum rotation;
- e. door means mounted for movement between a position of closure with the open end of the drum and an outward position remote from the open end, said door means being adapted to form an airtight seal with the open end of the drum when in the closed position;
- and
- f. port means for permitting a vacuum to be drawn in the drum.
4 more elements
Apparatus for processing a food product comprising:
- a. a rotatable drum having a side wall, a closed end to the drum, and an open end for feeding the food product into the drum and discharging the food product from the drum, the open end being opposite the closed end;
- b. mounting means for the drum to permit drum rotation about a longitudinal axis extending between the ends, such axis being inclined to the horizontal, said mounting means being connected with the drum axially at the closed end and about the side wall remotely located from the closed end;
- c. at least a pair of spiralling vanes mounted on the inside of the wall of the drum, the vanes being offset substantially 180.degree. from each other and extending substantially between the closed end and the open end of the drum;
- d. means adapted for drivingly engaging the drum thereby to permit drum rotation;
- e. door means mounted for movement between a position of closure with the open end of the drum and an outward position remote from the open end, said door means being adapted to form an airtight seal with the open end of the drum when in the closed operative position;
- f. port means for permitting a vacuum to be drawn in the drum.
3 more elements
Apparatus for kneading a multiplicity of substantially integral food pieces comprising:
- (a) a rotatable drum having a sidewall, a closed end to the drum, and an open end for feeding the food pieces into the drum, and discharging food pieces from the drum, the open end being opposite the closed end;
- (b) a mounting means for the drum to permit drum rotation about a longitudinal axis extending between the ends at an incline to the horizontal, the mounting means being connected with the drum at least about the sidewall remotely located from the closed end;
- (c) means adapted for drivingly engaging the drum to permit drum rotation;
- (d) spiralling flight means mounted on the inside of the side wall of the drum and extending over substantially the length between the closed end to the open end of the drum, said spiralling flight means projecting inwardly from the sidewall and having a configuration to cause continuous movement of substantially all the food pieces within the drum during drum rotation;
- (e) door means mounted for movement between a position of closure with the open end of the drum and an outward position remote from the open end, said door means being adapted to form a substantially air-tight seal with the open end of the drum when in the closed position;
- and
- (f) port means for permitting a change of pressure to be affected in the drum.
4 more elements
Apparatus for kneading a multiplicity of substantially integral food pieces comprising:
- (a) a rotatable drum having a sidewall, a closed end to the drum, and an open end for feeding the food pieces into the drum, and discharging food pieces from the drum, the open end being opposite the closed end;
- (b) a mounting means for the drum to permit drum rotation about a longitudinal axis extending between the ends at an incline to the horizontal, the mounting means being connected with the drum at least about the sidewall remotely located from the closed end;
- (c) means adapted for drivingly engaging the drum to perm drum rotation;
- and
- (d) spiralling flight means mounted on the inside of the side wall of the drum and extending over substantially the length between the closed end to the open end of the drum, said spiralling flight means projecting inwardly from the sidewall and leaving a configuration to cause continuous movement of substantially all the food pieces within the drum during drum rotation, said flight means being imperforate and including a thickened cross section thereby to minimize deleterious eaction of the flight means on the food pieces;
- and
- (e) the inside of the drum and flight means providing a structural surface without sharpened features or edges whereby the food pieces are not subjected to a separating action during movement within the drum.
4 more elements
Apparatus for kneading a multiplicity of substantially integral food pieces comprising:
- (a) a rotatable drum having a sidewall, a closed end to the drum, and an open end for feeding the food pieces into the drum, and discharging food pieces from the drum, the open end being opposite the closed end;
- (b) a mounting means for the drum to permit drum rotation about a longitudinal axis extending between the ends at an incline to the horizontal, the mounting means being connected with the drum at least about the sidewall remotely located from the closed end;
- (c) means adapted for drivingly engaging the drum to permit drum rotation;
- (d) spiralling flight means mounted on the inside of the side wall of the drum and extending over substantially the length between the closed end to the open end of the drum, said spiralling flight means projecting inwardly from the sidewall and having a configuration to cause continuous movement of substantially all the food pieces within the drum during drum rotation and wherein said flight means meets the closed end of the drum at an angle for inhibiting a wedging, between the closed end and the flight means, of integral food pieces.
1 more element
Apparatus for kneading a multiplicity of substantially integral food pieces, comprising:
- (a) a rotatable drum having a sidewall, a closed end to the drum, and an open end for feeding the food pieces into the drum and discharging the food pieces from the drum, the open end being opposite the closed end;
- (b) a mounting means for the drum to permit drum rotation about a longitudinal axis extending between the ends at an incline to the horizontal;
- (c) means adapted for drivingly engaging the drum thereby to permit drum rotation;
- and
- (d) spiralling flight means mounted on the inside of the sidewall of the drum and extending over substantially the length between the closed end and the open end of the drum, said spiralling flight means projecting inwardly from the sidewall for causing the integral food pieces to be continuously forced to move longitudinally within the drum from end to end in both directions and relative to the other integral food pieces by the movement of the spiralling flight means through the multiplicity of food pieces during rotation in the direction wherein the spiralling flight means progresses from the open end toward the closed end and whereby the integral food pieces are kneaded by contact with each other during said longitudinal movement within the drum, and on rotation in the opposite direction the spiralling flight means acts on the integral food pieces to move said integral food pieces generally to the drum open end;
- the inside of the drum and the flight means providing a structure having continuous surfaces and rounded edges for causing said longitudinal movement and kneading of the food pieces without substantial cutting, abrading, puncturing or separation of said food pieces.
3 more elements
Apparatus for kneading a multiplicity of substantially integral food pieces, comprising:
- (a) a rotatable drum having a sidewall, a closed end to the drum, and an open end for feeding the food pieces into the drum and discharging the food pieces from the drum, the open end being opposite the closed end;
- (b) a mounting means for the drum to permit drum rotation about a longitudinal axis extending between the ends at an incline to the horizontal;
- (c) means adapted for drivingly engaging the drum thereby to permit drum rotation;
- (d) spiralling flight means mounted on the inside of the sidewall of the drum and extending over substantially the length between the closed end and the open end of the drum, said spiralling flight means projecting inwardly from the sidewall for causing the integral food pieces to be continuously forced to move longitudinally within the drum from end to end in both directions and relative to the other integral food pieces by the movement of the spiralling flight means through the multiplicity of food pieces during rotation in the direction wherein the spiralling flight means progresses from the open end toward the closed end and whereby the integral food pieces are kneaded by contact with each other during said longitudinal movement within the drum, and on rotation in the opposite direction the spiralling flight means acts on the integral food pieces to move said integral food pieces generally to the drum open end;
- the inside of the drum and the flight means providing a structural surface without shapened features or edges whereby the food pieces are not subjected to substantial separation during movement within the drum;
- (e) door means mounted for movement between a position of closure with the open end of the drum and an outward position remote from the open end of a door means being adapted to form a substantial air-tight seal with the open end of the drum when in the closed position;
- (f) port means for permitting a change of pressure to be effected in the drum;
- (g) the flight means being imperforate and including a thickened cross-section thereby to minimize deleterious action of the flight means on the food pieces;
- and
- (h) the flight means including lip means disposed at an angle to the flight means, said lip means meeting the closed end of the drum at an angle for inhibiting a wedging, between the closed end and the lip means, of integral food pieces.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.