US3680474A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Taco shell cooking machine
Assignee: F AND M TACO SHELL CO
•
Filing: 1969-03-28
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Granted: 1972-08-01
•
Expires: 1989-03-28
Abstract
Abstract The machine is constructed to automatically dry partly cooked tacos or tortillas before being formed and then to automatically form them while completing cooking in a vat or tank of cooking oil. The dried tortillas are carried by a conveyor to the cooking and forming mechanism. This mechanism comprises two sets of conveyors that form the tortillas into the taco shape and carry them down through the cooking oil after which they are released and allowed to float to the surface after which the formed and cooked tacos are carried away. One conveyor is arranged over the other, each conveyor carries a series of V-shaped forming members arranged so that the forming members on the lower conveyor telescope into the forming members on the upper conveyor as they are passed through the cooking oil. The tortillas are carried into a position between the upper and lower forming members and are then formed as the upper members telescope down over the lower members.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert E Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:14
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47J; A47J37/00; A47J37/12; A47J37/1214; A21; A21B; A21B5/00; A21B5/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
An apparatus for forming and cooking taco shells and the like comprising: a pair of inclined conveyor means, each having a plurality of V-shaped forming members thereon, the V-shaped members on one conveyor means having the top of the V attached to the conveyor and the bottom of the V directed away from the conveyor, the V-shaped forming members on the other conveyor means having the bottom of the V attached to the conveyor and the open top of the V extending away from the conveyor; means for telescoping V-shaped members of one conveyor means over corresponding V-shaped members of the other conveyor means, the V-shaped members of one conveyor being fixedly secured thereto and the V-shaped members on the other conveyor being resiliently mounted thereon for yieldable movement away from said one conveyor, said means for telescoping comprising reaches of the conveyor means positioned relatively to each other whereby Vshaped members in an inverted position telescope downwardly over V-shaped members in an inverted position on the other conveyor means; means for positioning unformed taco shells between corresponding telescoping V-shaped members to be held and formed therebetween by placing the unfoRmed taco shells on inverted Vshaped members on said one conveyor means; and means for simultaneously moving said telescoping V-shaped members and tacos therebetween through a bath of cooking oil.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
220 words
An apparatus for forming and cooking taco shells and the like comprising: a pair of inclined conveyor means, each having a plurality of V-shaped forming members thereon, the V-shaped members on one conveyor means having the top of the V attached to the conveyor and the bottom of the V directed away from the conveyor, the V-shaped forming members on the other conveyor means having the bottom of the V attached to the conveyor and the open top of the V extending away from the conveyor; means for telescoping V-shaped members of one conveyor means over corresponding V-shaped members of the other conveyor means, the V-shaped members of one conveyor being fixedly secured thereto and the V-shaped members on the other conveyor being resiliently mounted thereon for yieldable movement away from said one conveyor, said means for telescoping comprising reaches of the conveyor means positioned relatively to each other whereby Vshaped members in an inverted position telescope downwardly over V-shaped members in an inverted position on the other conveyor means; means for positioning unformed taco shells between corresponding telescoping V-shaped members to be held and formed therebetween by placing the unfoRmed taco shells on inverted Vshaped members on said one conveyor means; and means for simultaneously moving said telescoping V-shaped members and tacos therebetween through a bath of cooking oil.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means for positioning unformed taco shells between telescoping forming members to be engaged and formed thereby is arranged to place an unformed taco shell on one V-shaped member before its corresponding V-shaped member is telescoped thereover.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 including means to discharge a formed taco adjacent the position at which the telescoping forming members separate from each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said discharge means comprises mechanism for causing the tacos to separate from a forming member and to be floated upwardly in the cooking oil.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for forming and cooking taco shells and the like, comprising: a pair of conveyor means, each having a plurality of V-shaped forming members thereon; means for telescoping the V-shaped members of one conveyor over corresponding V-shaped members of the other conveyor; means for positioning unformed taco shells between corresponding V-shaped members to be held and formed therebetween; and means for simultaneously moving said telescoped V-shaped members and tacos therebetween through a bath of cooking oil, said unformed taco shell positioning means comprising an upper conveyor belt and a pair of laterally spaced lower conveyor belts, the lower conveyor belts having upper reaches positioned parallel to and spaced from a lower reach of the upper conveyor belt, the conveyor carrying the forming members including a reach having a position between said spaced upper reaches whereby a taco shell could be delivered onto the forming members of said conveyor reach.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for forming and cooking taco shells and the like, comprising: a pair of conveyor means, each having a plurality of V-shaped forming members thereon; means for telescoping the V-shaped members of one conveyor over corresponding V-shaped members of the other conveyor; means for positioning unformed taco shells between corresponding V-shaped members to be held and formed therebetween; and means for simultaneously moving said telescoped V-shaped members and tacos therebetween through a bath of cooking oil, said unformed taco shell positioning means comprising an upper conveyor belt and a pair of laterally spaced lower conveyor belts, the lower conveyor belts having upper reaches positioned parallel to and spaced from a lower reach of the upper conveyor belt, the conveyor carrying the forming members including a reach having a position between said spaced upper reaches whereby a taco shell could be delivered onto the forming members of said conveyor reach.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-01 | 1976-01-31 | 1976-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-01 | 1980-01-31 | 1980-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-01 | 1984-01-31 | 1984-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |