Apparatus for the preparation of food compounds

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR THE PRECOOKING OF FOOD COMPOUNDS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BARREL HAVING A CHARGING END AND A DISCHARGING END, A WORM CONVEYOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF WORM FIGHTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID BARREL ADAPTED TO PROPEL UNPROCESSED FOOD MATERIAL FROM SAID CHARGING TO SAID DISCHARGING END, BREAKER MEANS PROJECTING INTO SAID BARREL BETWEEN AT LEAST SOME OF ADJACENT PAIRS OF SAID WORM FLIGHTS INHIBITING THE ROTATION OF SAID FOOD MATERIAL, CERTAIN OF SAID BREAKER MEANS COMPRISING VALVES, EACH VALVE OPTIONALLY INJECTING STEAM INTO SAID BARREL FOR HEATING AND MOISTURIZING SAID FOOD MATERIAL, A DIE COVERING SAID DISCHARGING END HAVING DIE OPENINGS THEREIN FOR THE EXTRUSION OF SAID FOOD MATERIAL AND PROVIDING RESISTANCE TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FOOD MATERIAL THROUGH SAID BARREL, SAID FOOD MATERIAL BEING OF SUCH VISCOSITY AS TO CAUSE FRICTIONAL DRAG UPON THE WORM CONVEYOR WHICH CAUSES SAID WORM CONVEYOR TO HEAT, THE COMBINED HEAT OF SAID INJECTED STEAM AND SAID WORM CONVEYOR BEING SUCH AS TO COOK SAID FOOD MATERIAL PRIOR TO THE EXTRUSION THEREOF THROUGH SAID DIE OPENINGS.