Method for forming a compressed bar from an oil seed crop

Abstract

An apparatus and method for forming a compressed bar from an oil seed crop including oil and meal. The apparatus includes an extruder for heating the oil seed crop to a predetermined temperature, a load barrel having an inlet for receiving the oil seed crop from the extruder and an outlet, and a ram located inside the load barrel. The apparatus also includes a cooling die assembly having a tube for receiving the oil seed crop therein. The tube has an inlet end coupled to the outlet of the load barrel and an outlet end. The cooling die assembly also includes a mechanism for cooling the oil seed crop as it passes through the tube. The apparatus further includes hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement for moving the ram back and forth inside the load barrel to force the oil seed crop through the outlet of the load barrel and through the tube of the cooling die assembly to form the compressed bar which includes both the oil and meal from the oil seed crop as the oil seed crop is forced through the tube by the ram.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.