Back to results
US 8,025,008 B2Granted
Kebab machine carrier
AssigneeAutomated Food Systems, Inc.
InventorRobert D. Walser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A kebab machine (10) is disclosed for inserting sticks (12) into various food components (14a-f), such as meat, vegetables and the like, automatically. The food components are held within carriers (500, 600) while the individual sticks are conveyed by a stick conveyor (22). The sticks are driven through the carriers (500, 600) and food components therein to form the kebab. As the carriers (500, 600) pass over a sprocket (66), adjacent carrier elements (502, 602) tilt relative each other with finger like extensions (504, 506, 604, 606) tilting up to release and eject the kebabs from the carriers for further processing.
Claims19
An apparatus for preparing a food item, comprising:
- a carrier holding at least one food component in a compartment, the compartment forming part of the carrier, the carrier formed of a first carrier element and a second carrier element, portions of each carrier element forming part of the compartment;
- a carrier conveyor assembly, the carrier attached to the carrier conveyor assembly, to convey the carrier from a first position to a second position;
- the carrier conveyor assembly tilting the first and second carrier elements relative each other in the second position such that the portions of the carrier elements forming the compartment tilt relative each other to release the food component from the compartment, said carrier elements being identical, each carrier element having at least one first extension on a first side thereof and a plurality of second extensions on a second side thereof, the first extension on the first carrier element extending between the second extensions on the second carrier element to define said carrier, the carrier having a plurality of separate compartments, a partition separating each compartment.
An apparatus for preparing a food item, comprising:
- a carrier holding at least one food component in a compartment, the compartment forming part of the carrier, the carrier formed of at least a first carrier element and a second carrier element, said first and second carrier elements forming the compartment, said carrier elements being identical and each carrier element having at least one first extension on a first side thereof and a plurality of second extensions on a second side thereof and a carrier element bottom, the first extension on the first carrier element extending between the second extensions on the second carrier element to define a bottom of said compartment with a portion of the second carrier element, the first and second carrier elements further forming partitions, each partition having a notch therein, the partitions forming walls of the compartment;
- a carrier conveyor assembly, the carrier elements being secured to the carrier conveyor assembly, the carrier conveyor assembly conveying the carrier elements from a first position to a second position, the carrier element bottoms of the first and second carrier elements being generally co-planar in the first position with the compartment bottom of said compartment formed by said first extension of said first carrier element and said portion of said second carrier element being a planar surface;
- the carrier conveyor assembly tilting the first and second carrier elements relative each other in the second position with the carrier element bottoms of the first and second carrier elements tilted relative each other such that the first extension of said first carrier element and said portion of said second carrier element forming the compartment tilt relative each other to release the food component from the compartment.
An apparatus for preparing a food item, comprising:
- a carrier holding at least one food component in a compartment, the compartment forming part of the carrier, the carrier formed of at least a first carrier element and a second carrier element, said first and second carrier elements forming the compartment, said carrier elements being identical and each carrier element having at least one first extension on a first side thereof and a plurality of second extensions on a second side thereof and a carrier element bottom, the first extension on the first carrier element extending between the second extensions on the second carrier element to define a bottom of said compartment with a portion of the second carrier element, the first and second carrier elements further forming partitions, each partition having a notch therein, the partitions forming walls of the compartment;
- a chain having at least first and second links, said first carrier element being secured to the first link and the second carrier element being secured to the second link, the chain conveying the carrier elements from a first position to a second position, the carrier element bottoms of the first and second carrier elements being generally co-planar in the first position with the compartment bottom of said compartment formed by said first extension of said first carrier element and said portion of said second carrier element being a planar surface;
- the chain tilting the first and second carrier elements relative each other in the second position with the carrier element bottoms of the first and second carrier elements tilted relative each other such that the first extension of said first carrier element and said portion of said second carrier element forming the compartment tilt relative each other to release the food component from the compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.