Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
A machine for cooking material, comprising, an elongated hollow housing having opposite ends and an interior wall surface, a screw conveyor means including a shaft with spiral flighting thereon rotatably mounted in said housing for conveying material along the interior of said housing upon the rotation of said shaft, said housing having A material inlet opening adjacent its said one end, means for supplying material to said material inlet opening, means extending inwardly from the interior of said housing towards said spiral flighting means, a ring-shaped member secured to the other end of said housing and having a central opening formed therein which has a progressively increasing diameter from the inner to outer ends thereof, a frustum-shaped end member mounted within said central opening of said ring-shaped member, said material being heated and cooked by heat and pressure applied thereto which is generated as the material is conveyed along the interior of said housing and forced outwardly from said housing between said ring-shaped member and said frustumshaped end member, and wherein said frustum-shaped end member is secured to said shaft, and means is provided on said shaft and said housing for selectively adjusting the longitudinal position of said shaft to adjust the space between said frustum-shaped end member and said central opening of said ring-shaped member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
A machine for cooking material, comprising, an elongated hollow housing having opposite ends and an interior wall surface, a screw conveyor means including a shaft with spiral flighting thereon rotatably mounted in said housing for conveying material along the interior of said housing upon the rotation of said shaft, said housing having A material inlet opening adjacent its said one end, means for supplying material to said material inlet opening, means extending inwardly from the interior of said housing towards said spiral flighting means, a ring-shaped member secured to the other end of said housing and having a central opening formed therein which has a progressively increasing diameter from the inner to outer ends thereof, a frustum-shaped end member mounted within said central opening of said ring-shaped member, said material being heated and cooked by heat and pressure applied thereto which is generated as the material is conveyed along the interior of said housing and forced outwardly from said housing between said ring-shaped member and said frustumshaped end member, and wherein said frustum-shaped end member is secured to said shaft, and means is provided on said shaft and said housing for selectively adjusting the longitudinal position of said shaft to adjust the space between said frustum-shaped end member and said central opening of said ring-shaped member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The machine of claim 1 wherein said one end of said housing includes an internally threaded portion, a bearing means threadably secured to said internally threaded portion and being longitudinally movable with respect thereto, said shaft rotatably extending through said bearing means and being longitudinally movable therewith, and means for maintaining said shaft in position with respect to said bearing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
153 words
The machine of claim 2 wherein said shaft includes a cylindrical portion having a shoulder means at the inner end thereof, a bearing inner housing mounted on said cylindrical portion and having a shoulder means at its inner end and an externally threaded portion at its outer end, a roller bearing means mounted on said bearing inner housing outwardly of said shoulder means thereon, a pre-load nut threadably mounted on the threaded portion of said bearing inner housing engaging said roller bearing means, a cylindrical hub portion embracing said roller bearing means and being selectively threadably secured to said housing and having inner and outer ends, and means on the outer end of said hub portion for selectively threadably moving said hub portion, roller bearing means and said shaft with respect to said housing whereby the space between said frustum-shaped end member and said central opening of said ring-shaped member may be adjusted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The machine of claim 3 wherein said means on the outer end of said hub portion comprises a plurality of outwardly extending arms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The machine of claim 3 wherein a brake means is secured to the machine which is selectively movable into engagement with said hub portion to prevent rotation of said hub portion with respect to said housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
188 words
A machine for cooking material, comprising, an elongated hollow housing having opposite ends and an interior wall surface, a screw conveyor means including a shaft with spiral flighting thereon rotatably mounted in said housing for conveying material along the interior of said housing upon the rotation of said shaft, said housing having a material inlet opening adjacent its said one end, means for supplying material to said material inlet opening, means extending inwardly from the interior of said housing towards said spiral flighting means, a ring-shaped member secured to the other end of said housing and having a central opening formed therein which has a progressively increasing diameter from the inner to outer ends thereof, a frustum-shaped end member mounted within said central opening of said ring-shaped member, said material being heated and cooked by heat and pressure applied thereto which is generated as the material is conveyed along the interior of said housing and forced outwardly from said housing between said ring-shaped member and said frustum-shaped end member, and wherein a plurality of outwardly extending beater bars are secured to said shaft adjacent said frustum-shaped end member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
188 words
A machine for cooking material, comprising, an elongated hollow housing having opposite ends and an interior wall surface, a screw conveyor means including a shaft with spiral flighting thereon rotatably mounted in said housing for conveying material along the interior of said housing upon the rotation of said shaft, said housing having a material inlet opening adjacent its said one end, means for supplying material to said material inlet opening, means extending inwardly from the interior of said housing towards said spiral flighting means, a ring-shaped member secured to the other end of said housing and having a central opening formed therein which has a progressively increasing diameter from the inner to outer ends thereof, a frustum-shaped end member mounted within said central opening of said ring-shaped member, said material being heated and cooked by heat and pressure applied thereto which is generated as the material is conveyed along the interior of said housing and forced outwardly from said housing between said ring-shaped member and said frustum-shaped end member, and wherein a plurality of outwardly extending beater bars are secured to said shaft adjacent said frustum-shaped end member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
186 words
A machine for cooking material, comprising, an elongated hollow housing having opposite ends and an interior wall surface, a screw conveyor means including a shaft with spiral flighting thereon rotatably mounted in said housing for conveying material along the interior of said housing upon the rotation of said shaft, said housing having a material inlet opening adjacent its said one end, means for supplying material to said material inlet opening, means extending inwardly from the interior of said housing towards said spiral flighting means, a ring-shaped member secured to the other end of said housing and having a central opening formed therein which has a progressively increasing diameter from the inner to outer ends thereof, a frustum-shaped end member mounted within said central opening of said ring-shaped member, said material being heated and cooked by heat and pressure applied thereto which is generated as the material is conveyed along the interior of said housing and forced outwardly from said housing between said ring-shaped member and said frustum-shaped end member, and wherein an outwardly extending ramp means is mounted on said shaft adjacent said frustum-shaped end member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
186 words
A machine for cooking material, comprising, an elongated hollow housing having opposite ends and an interior wall surface, a screw conveyor means including a shaft with spiral flighting thereon rotatably mounted in said housing for conveying material along the interior of said housing upon the rotation of said shaft, said housing having a material inlet opening adjacent its said one end, means for supplying material to said material inlet opening, means extending inwardly from the interior of said housing towards said spiral flighting means, a ring-shaped member secured to the other end of said housing and having a central opening formed therein which has a progressively increasing diameter from the inner to outer ends thereof, a frustum-shaped end member mounted within said central opening of said ring-shaped member, said material being heated and cooked by heat and pressure applied thereto which is generated as the material is conveyed along the interior of said housing and forced outwardly from said housing between said ring-shaped member and said frustum-shaped end member, and wherein an outwardly extending ramp means is mounted on said shaft adjacent said frustum-shaped end member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
229 words
A machine for cooking material, comprising, an elongated hollow housing having opposite ends and an interior wall surface, a screw conveyor means including a shaft with spiral flighting thereon rotatably mounted in said housing for conveying material along the interior of said housing upon the rotation of said shaft, said housing having a material inlet opening adjacent its said one end, means for supplying material to said material inlet opening, means extending inwardly from the interior of said housing towards said spiral flighting means, a ring-shaped member secured to the other end of said housing and having a central opening formed therein which has a progressively increasing diameter from the inner to outer ends thereof, a frustum-shaped end member mounted within said central opening of said ring-shaped member, said material being heated and cooked by heat and pressure applied thereto which is generated as the material is conveyed along the interior of said housing and forced outwardly from said housing between said ring-shaped member and said frustum-shaped end member, and wherein said shaft is rotatably mounted in a bearing means adjacent said one end, and said frustum-shaped end member limits and substantially neutralizes the longitudinal thrust imposed on said shaft by pressure of material compressed around said shaft and between said ring-shaped member and said frustum-shaped end member to protect said bearing means against longitudinal movement of said shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
229 words
A machine for cooking material, comprising, an elongated hollow housing having opposite ends and an interior wall surface, a screw conveyor means including a shaft with spiral flighting thereon rotatably mounted in said housing for conveying material along the interior of said housing upon the rotation of said shaft, said housing having a material inlet opening adjacent its said one end, means for supplying material to said material inlet opening, means extending inwardly from the interior of said housing towards said spiral flighting means, a ring-shaped member secured to the other end of said housing and having a central opening formed therein which has a progressively increasing diameter from the inner to outer ends thereof, a frustum-shaped end member mounted within said central opening of said ring-shaped member, said material being heated and cooked by heat and pressure applied thereto which is generated as the material is conveyed along the interior of said housing and forced outwardly from said housing between said ring-shaped member and said frustum-shaped end member, and wherein said shaft is rotatably mounted in a bearing means adjacent said one end, and said frustum-shaped end member limits and substantially neutralizes the longitudinal thrust imposed on said shaft by pressure of material compressed around said shaft and between said ring-shaped member and said frustum-shaped end member to protect said bearing means against longitudinal movement of said shaft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
255 words
In a machine for cooking grain, comprising an elongated hollow housing assembly having a longitudinal axis, opposite ends and an interior wall surface; a screw conveyor means including a shaft assembly extending longitudinally of, and rotatably mounted in said housing assembly, said screw conveyer means including a spiral flighting means for conveying grain along the interior of said housing assembly upon the rotation of said shaft assembly with restricted clearance between said flighting means and said surface; said housing assembly having grain inlet and discharge openings adjacent its opposite ends; means for supplying grain to said grain inlet opening; cooking control means comprising adjustable blocking means for adjustably restricting and adjustably partially blocking said discharge opening, said adjustable blocking means including a first metering surface on said shaft assembly, said first metering surface cooperating with a second metering surface on said housing assembly and defining therewith said discharge opening; the restrictive action provided by the restricted clearance and blocking means being such that grain is heated and cooked by heat and pressuRe generated as the grain is conveyed along the interior of said housing assembly, discharged outwardly through said discharge opening and (redirected by) past said blocking means; and said cooking control means operable to selectively adjust the restrictive action provided by said restricted clearance and said blocking means and cause selective regulation of said heating and cooking of said grain; the improvement wherein at least one of said first and second surfaces is disposed at an acute angle relative to said housing longitudinal axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
255 words
In a machine for cooking grain, comprising an elongated hollow housing assembly having a longitudinal axis, opposite ends and an interior wall surface; a screw conveyor means including a shaft assembly extending longitudinally of, and rotatably mounted in said housing assembly, said screw conveyer means including a spiral flighting means for conveying grain along the interior of said housing assembly upon the rotation of said shaft assembly with restricted clearance between said flighting means and said surface; said housing assembly having grain inlet and discharge openings adjacent its opposite ends; means for supplying grain to said grain inlet opening; cooking control means comprising adjustable blocking means for adjustably restricting and adjustably partially blocking said discharge opening, said adjustable blocking means including a first metering surface on said shaft assembly, said first metering surface cooperating with a second metering surface on said housing assembly and defining therewith said discharge opening; the restrictive action provided by the restricted clearance and blocking means being such that grain is heated and cooked by heat and pressuRe generated as the grain is conveyed along the interior of said housing assembly, discharged outwardly through said discharge opening and (redirected by) past said blocking means; and said cooking control means operable to selectively adjust the restrictive action provided by said restricted clearance and said blocking means and cause selective regulation of said heating and cooking of said grain; the improvement wherein at least one of said first and second surfaces is disposed at an acute angle relative to said housing longitudinal axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
In a machine according to claim 9 wherein both of said first and second metering surfaces are disposed at an acute angle relative to said housing longitudinal axis and diverging therefrom in the direction of grain movement.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
In a machine according to claim 10 wherein said shaft assembly is longitudinally adjustable in said housing assembly to adjust the spacing between said first and second metering surfaces.