Quick-freezing machine

Claim 2

A liquid immersion-type quick-freezing machine comprising: an insulated tank containing a liquid bath for quickly freezing items immersed therein; an endless slack conveyor belt contained entirely within said tank and supported to extend only between opposite sides of said tank with all but endmost portions of said belt fully immersed in said bath to maintaIn said belt at a temperature of said bath and to reduce to a minimum all temperature induced expansion and contraction forces in said belt as it travels through said bath; and means for simultaneously driving said belt from said endmost portions to insure that substantially all of said belt continues to be fully immersed in said bath upon operation of said machine and to maintain a predetermined amount of slack in said belt to prevent undesired tension forces from developing therein as items transported by said belt are fully immersed in said bath and frozen thereby in traveling through said tank.

Claim 3

A quick-freezing machine comprising: a tank; a liquid filling said tank to a predetermined level for rapidly freezing items immersed therein; an endless conveyor belt; mounting means for suspending and immersing said belt in said liquid between left and right sides of said tank, including first and second shaft means for laterally supporting said belt at opposite end portions thereof, and means supporting said first and second shaft means at a front and rear of said tank immediately above said liquid level and adjacent said left and right sides, said supporting means being spaced relative to the length of said belt such that there is a predetermined amount of slack in said belt as it passes over and extends between said shaft means and such that substantially all of said belt is below said liquid level to fully immerse in said liquid items transported thereby between said left and right sides of said tank; and drive means for turning said shaft means at a common velocity to maintain said predetermined amount of slack in said belt and to drive said belt through said liquid.

Claim 4

A quick-freezing machine comprising: a tank; a liquid filling said tank to a predetermined level for rapidly freezing items immersed therein; an endless conveyor belt; mounting means for suspending and immersing said belt in said liquid between left and right sides of said tank, including first and second shaft means for laterally supporting said belt at opposite end portions thereof, and means supporting said first and second shaft means at a front and rear of said tank immediately above said liquid level and adjacent said left and right sides, said supporting means being spaced relative to the length of said belt such that there is a predetermined amount of slack in said belt as it passes over and extends between said shaft means and such that substantially all of said belt is below said liquid level to fully immerse in said liquid items transported thereby between said left and right sides of said tank; and drive means for turning said shaft means at a common velocity to maintain said predetermined amount of slack in said belt and to drive said belt through said liquid.

Claim 5

The quick-freezing machine of claim 2 wherein said tank includes insulated sides and bottom and a top open only at left and right sides thereof to pass items to be frozen to and from said tank.

Claim 6

The quick-freezing machine of claim 2 wherein: end portions of said first and second shaft means extend through said front of said tank; and said drive means is connected to each of said end portions to rotate said shaft means at said common velocity.

Claim 7

The quick-freezing machine of claim 4 wherein said drive means includes: a drive motor; an endless drive chain between said motor and one of said end portions for turning one of said shaft means at said common velocity; and endless chain means between said end portions for turning the other of said shaft means at said common velocity.