US3763764A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Taco cooking apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-11-17
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Granted: 1973-10-09
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Expires: 1991-11-17
Abstract
Abstract An improved taco shell cooking apparatus including a cooking means, at least one forming device, and a conveyor for moving a sheet of comestible material past the cooking means and thence to a packaging station. The forming device may include, or be integral with, an articulated endless conveyor belt and/or one or more fixed bodies having surfaces across which the material is transported in order to form it into the desired configuration as it is cooked.
Inventors
- 👤 F Schy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 00:57
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47J; A47J37/00; A47J37/12; A47J37/1214; A21; A21B; A21B5/00; A21B5/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
Food preparation apparatus for cooking and forming a sheet of comestible material, comprising: conveying means including, a first endless belt disposed to engage one side of the material and move it from a first position past a second position to a third position, a second endless belt disposed to engage the opposite side of the material to assist said first belt in moving the material from said first position to said second position, and means for driving said first and second belts in synchronism; forming means for engaging the material and deforming it into a predetermined non-flat configuration while it is being moved from said first position to said second position, said forming means includes a first forming body having an upper surface extending from said first position to said second position, said upper surface being generally flat near said first position and transitioning to a predetermined non-flat configuration at a point intermediate said first and second positions; and heating means for heating the material while it is being moved from said first position to said second position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
Food preparation apparatus for cooking and forming a sheet of comestible material, comprising: conveying means including, a first endless belt disposed to engage one side of the material and move it from a first position past a second position to a third position, a second endless belt disposed to engage the opposite side of the material to assist said first belt in moving the material from said first position to said second position, and means for driving said first and second belts in synchronism; forming means for engaging the material and deforming it into a predetermined non-flat configuration while it is being moved from said first position to said second position, said forming means includes a first forming body having an upper surface extending from said first position to said second position, said upper surface being generally flat near said first position and transitioning to a predetermined non-flat configuration at a point intermediate said first and second positions; and heating means for heating the material while it is being moved from said first position to said second position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
Food preparation apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said forming means further includes a second forming body having a lower surface extending from said first position to said second position, said lower surface being generally flat near said first position and transitioning to a non-flat configuration at a point intermediate said first and second positions, said first and second surfaces being disposed in spaced apart facing relationship and defining a forming passageway through which the material is moved by said conveying means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
Food preparation apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said forming means further includes a plurality of articulated segments carried by said second belt, said segments being operative to engage said opposite sides of the material to deform it over said upper surface as it is moved from said first position to said second position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
130 words
Food preparation apparatus for cooking and forming a sheet of comestible material, comprising: conveying means for continuously moving the material along a path from a first position to a second position; forming means disposed between said first and second positions and operative to deform the material as it is moved along said path; heating means disposed between said first and second positions and operative to heat the material as it is moved along said path; and an endless belt having a portion disposed along said path aNd between the forming means and the material, said belt being moved in synchronism with said conveying means and being operative to remove the deformed material from the conveying means at said second position and to transport the deformed material to a third position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
130 words
Food preparation apparatus for cooking and forming a sheet of comestible material, comprising: conveying means for continuously moving the material along a path from a first position to a second position; forming means disposed between said first and second positions and operative to deform the material as it is moved along said path; heating means disposed between said first and second positions and operative to heat the material as it is moved along said path; and an endless belt having a portion disposed along said path aNd between the forming means and the material, said belt being moved in synchronism with said conveying means and being operative to remove the deformed material from the conveying means at said second position and to transport the deformed material to a third position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
75 words
Food preparation apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said forming means includes a body extending from said first position to said second position and having a surface transitionally deformed from a generally flat configuration at said first position to a predetermined non-flat configuration at a point intermediate said first and second positions, said conveying means including means for causing the material to be deformed over said surface as it is moved along said path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
92 words
Food preparation apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said forming means includes, an upper body having a first forming surface, and a lower body having a second forming surface disposed in spaced apart facing relationship with said first surface, said first and second surfaces being transitionally deformed from a first configuration at said first position in to a second configuration at a point inbetween said first and second positions, the space between said first and second surfaces forming a deforming passageway through which the material is moved by said conveying means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
Food preparation apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said conveying means includes another endless belt disposed to frictionally engage the upper surface of the material while said first mentioned endless belt frictionally engages the lower surface of the material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
Food preparation apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said lower body forms a first channel extending along said path for receiving said first mentioned endless belt and said upper body forms a second channel extending along said path for receiving said another endless belt.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-08 | 1977-04-09 | 1977-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-08 | 1981-04-09 | 1981-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-08 | 1985-04-09 | 1985-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |