Abstract A machine for coating a food product with breading material has an elevated hopper for storing the breading material and means for feeding the same in a smooth and controlled manner from the hooper, through a free-flowing downspout to be deposited on a belt beneath the food product, together with means for feeding the breading material in a smooth and controlled manner from the hopper to be deposited on top of the food product with a control valve at such outlet to control the rate of feed. A hooded portion of open mesh belt conveyor is provided near the discharge end of the machine with air spray pipes above the belt to remove excess material, and the hood is adapted to be raised without interrupting the operation of the machine. In a modification, a flip bar is provided across the conveyor belt toward the discharge end of the machine to flip over the product so as to shake out breading material lodging in cavities of the food product, together with a novel arrangement for taking up excess length of the belt after it passes over the raised flip bar.
Inventors
👤 Richard T Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-06 16:13
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23P; A23P20/00; A23P20/10; A23P20/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
In a machine for coating a food product with breading material, an open mesh endless wire belt for conveying coated product, a conveyor frame having parallel side rails, pulleys supported in said side rails at each end of said belt ends about which said belt travels including a drive shaft carrying said pulleys at the upstream end of said belt, said belt being longer than sufficient to stretch with upper and lower straight runs between said pulleys, means including a support bar extending at right angles to said belt and engaging said belt, a pair of support arms pivoted on said drive shaft at opposite sides of said belt, an adjustable prop member pivotally supported on each support arm and in position to engage its free end against the associated side rail for lifting a zone of said belt above said upper run, and means engaging a bight of said belt between said support bar and the level of said upper straight run and holding said excess length of belt under tension, whereby the height of said support bar for flipping over pieces of product may be varied without changing the length of said belt.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
In a machine for coating a food product with breading material, an open mesh endless wire belt for conveying coated product, a conveyor frame having parallel side rails, pulleys supported in said side rails at each end of said belt ends about which said belt travels including a drive shaft carrying said pulleys at the upstream end of said belt, said belt being longer than sufficient to stretch with upper and lower straight runs between said pulleys, means including a support bar extending at right angles to said belt and engaging said belt, a pair of support arms pivoted on said drive shaft at opposite sides of said belt, an adjustable prop member pivotally supported on each support arm and in position to engage its free end against the associated side rail for lifting a zone of said belt above said upper run, and means engaging a bight of said belt between said support bar and the level of said upper straight run and holding said excess length of belt under tension, whereby the height of said support bar for flipping over pieces of product may be varied without changing the length of said belt.