Pneumatic-driven double-compression popping apparatus

A double-compression, pneumatic-driven popping apparatus for making chip-like snack foods, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a first popping machine section including:
• (i) a first pneumatic-driven compression cylinder;
• (ii) a first mold plate coupled to the first pneumatic-driven compression cylinder and responsive to urging of the first pneumatic-driven compression cylinder;
• (b) a second popping machine section including:
• (i) a second pneumatic-driven compression cylinder;
• (ii) a second mold plate coupled to the second pneumatic-driven compression cylinder and responsive to urging by the second pneumatic-driven compression cylinder;
• (c) a ring mold located between the first and second popping machine sections to be subjected to compression by the first mold plate and the second mold plate;
• (d) a pneumatic drive system including a compressed gas vessel, configured to receive and contain compressed gas from a source, the compressed gas vessel in controlled and operative fluid communication with each of the first and second pneumatic-driven compression cylinders, wherein the operative fluid communication with the first pneumatic-driven compression cylinder is independent of the operative fluid communication with the second pneumatic-driven compression cylinder;
• and
• (e) a control system controlling the pneumatic drive system, the control system controlling the pneumatic drive system to urge the first pneumatic-driven compression cylinder independently of the second pneumatic-driven compression cylinder to apply a second operative compression spaced, by a time interval of from about 2 to about 75 milliseconds, from a first operative compression to the ring mold.