US3608474A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for preparing chip-type products
Assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
•
Filing: 1969-07-14
•
Granted: 1971-09-28
•
Expires: 1989-07-14
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for continuously preparing fried products from a sheet of edible dough including an infeed conveyor to carry the sheet of dough; a cutter for cutting pieces the desired size from the sheet; a shaper-molder utilizing movable, apertured mold halves to shape the cut pieces to the desired surface conformation and hold them during subsequent processing; and a reservoir containing a frying medium through which the shaped, restrained pieces are passed until they are fried to a crisp state. The fried objects assume a final shape defined by the shaper-molder.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexander L Liepa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:43
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47J; A47J37/00; A47J37/12; A47J37/1214; A23; A23L; A23L5/00; A23L5/10; A23L5/11; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/202; Y10T83/2066; Y10T83/2068
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
Apparatus for forming and frying food products from a sheet of dough, said apparatus comprising: a. conveying means including a suitably supported driven endless conveyor; b. means for cutting shaped dough sections from a sheet of dough; c. at least one pair of similarly configured mold halves supported for movement by said conveying means and at least one of said pair of mold halves disposed to periodically pass beneath said cutting means to receive successive dough sections delivered from said cutting means, said mold halves having a multiplicity of apertures therein providing communication between the outer surfaces of the mold halves and the inner surfaces thereof and being cooperatively engageable to singly receive and engage a dough section on its opposite surfaces; d. means for opening said mold halves, and closing said mold halves into a position such that the opposed surfaces thereof are uniformly spaced throughout their areas at a distance of from about 0.03 inch to about 0.08 inch; and e. means for heating said dough sections while being carried along by said conveying means, thereby forming edible chips from said dough sections.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
Apparatus for forming and frying food products from a sheet of dough, said apparatus comprising: a. conveying means including a suitably supported driven endless conveyor; b. means for cutting shaped dough sections from a sheet of dough; c. at least one pair of similarly configured mold halves supported for movement by said conveying means and at least one of said pair of mold halves disposed to periodically pass beneath said cutting means to receive successive dough sections delivered from said cutting means, said mold halves having a multiplicity of apertures therein providing communication between the outer surfaces of the mold halves and the inner surfaces thereof and being cooperatively engageable to singly receive and engage a dough section on its opposite surfaces; d. means for opening said mold halves, and closing said mold halves into a position such that the opposed surfaces thereof are uniformly spaced throughout their areas at a distance of from about 0.03 inch to about 0.08 inch; and e. means for heating said dough sections while being carried along by said conveying means, thereby forming edible chips from said dough sections.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutting means comprises a male cutting member and a cooperating female cutting member, said male cutting member having a plurality of spaced apertures on the surface thereof continuously communicating with a source of alternating air pressure and vacuum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
124 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mold halves comprise: a. a support member; b. at least one stationary mold half extending from said support member and having a molding surface spaced therefrom; c. at least one movable mold having a molding surface of a shape corresponding with that of said stationary mold half, said mold halves being disposed to cooperatively enclose and shape a thin, flat, dough section into conforming relationship and having a multiplicity of apertures therein providing communication between the outer surfaces of the mold halves and the inner surfaces thereof to permit the heating means to come into direct cOntact with the dough; and d. means for moving said movable mold half into cooperating relationship with said stationary mold half.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for opening and closing said mold halves comprises: a. at least one stationary camming surface; and b. a movable cam follower connected to the movable mold half to move the same when the cam follower engages the stationary camming surfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
125 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including a salter comprising: a. a salt reservoir; b. a wheel having peripheral compartments therein, said wheel positioned below said reservoir and in communication therewith, whereby salt in the reservoir flows into the peripheral compartments in the wheel; c. means for rotating said wheel; d. a tubular discharge horn having a pair of open ends with one of said ends disposed beneath said wheel to receive the salt which falls from the compartments therein; e. an air tube positioned tangentially to the lowermost portion of the periphery of said wheel so that air may be directed thereat to sweep out said compartments and fluidize the salt therein contained to uniformly distribute said salt over articles passing beneath said discharge horn.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the corresponding areas of the surfaces of each of said mold halves are saddle-shaped.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1823905A
Cited
US2286644A
Cited
US2557467A
Cited
US2967474A
Cited
US2907268A
Cited
US3101021A
Cited
US3132949A
Cited
US3294545A
Cited
US3267836A
Cited
US3253929A
Cited
US3297450A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-27 | 1975-03-29 | 1975-09-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-27 | 1979-03-29 | 1979-09-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-27 | 1983-03-29 | 1983-09-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |