Foam-generating apparatus and method of use

Claim 2

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: a. said air inlet is positioned in a horizontal end of said cylindrical chamber above the fan; b. said nonfoamed liquid inlet means includes a nozzle means positioned within said cylindrical chamber and in communication with said nonfoamed liquid opening, said nonfoamed liquid opening being positioned in a horizontal end of said cylindrical chamber below said fan; c. said plurality of openings for exhausting the foam are spaced generally coplanar and equidistant from one another, each of said plurality having a longitudinal axis at approximately a 60* angle with respect to a line drawn tangent to said cylindrical chamber at each of said outlets; d. said fan is positioned within said cylindrical chamber in generally the same plane as said outlets for centrifugally propelling the foam along the cylindrical walls of said chamber and outward through said outlets; e. said drive means is an electric motor; and f. said nonfoamed liquid is an aqueous lubricant and cleanser solution.

Claim 4

The system of claim 4 wherein: a. said chamber has a substantially cylindrical shape; b. said fan means is mounted for rotation about an axis substantially coincident with the axis of symmetry of said cylindrical chamber; c. said plurality of generally coplanar outlet openings are positioned generally equidistant from one another about the periphery of said cylindrical chamber; d. said foam conductor means includes a plurality of conduits each connected to a different one of said outlets for dispersing foam onto a plurality of points on said surface; and e. said liquid lubricant is combined with a cleansing agent to provide a lubricant-cleanser solution.

Claim 5

The system of claim 5 including second liquid conduit means and nozzle means for cleaning the surface wherein: a. said second liquid conduit means has an inlet in communication with the solution reserVoir and an outlet connected to said nozzle means; and b. said nozzle means is positioned to direct a spray of said lubricant-cleanser solution onto said surface.

Claim 6

The system of claim 6 including pressure control means for reducing said first solution pressure to a second solution pressure, said pressure control means being connected to said first conduit means between said solution reservoir and said chamber.

Claim 7

The system of claim 7 including means defining a two-way valve having an inlet and a first and second outlet wherein: a. said inlet and said first outlet of said two-way valve are connected to said first conduit and said second outlet of said two-way valve is connected to said inlet of said second conduit; and b. said pressure control means is connected to said first conduit between said two-way valve and said chamber and includes a pressure regulator valve and solenoid valve means electrically connected to a remote switch means; and c. said surface is a conveyor.

Claim 9

The method of claim 9 wherein said liquid solution is introduced into means defining a chamber having an impeller means mounted therein and including an air inlet, an inlet for introducing the liquid solution into said chamber and proximate said impeller means and an outlet for exhausting foam generated within said chamber.

Claim 10

The method of claim 10 wherein: a. said chamber is substantially cylindrically shaped; b. said impeller means comprises a fan mounted on an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of symmetry for said cylindrical chamber; and c. said surface is a conveyor.

Claim 11

The method of claim 11 wherein: a. said conveyor is adapted to move food substances during the preparation thereof; b. said foamed lubricant-cleanser is dispersed onto said conveyor during the preparation of said food substances; and c. said liquid lubricant-cleanser solution is sprayed onto said conveyor after the removal of said food substances from said conveyor.