US3869971A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for preparing folded food chips
Assignee: LAURA SCUDDERS Inc
•
Filing: 1972-05-10
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Granted: 1975-03-11
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Expires: 1992-05-10
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for preparing folded food chips includes means for sheeting dough and for cutting successive disk-shaped segments from the sheeted dough. These segments are deposited on the upper pass of a conveyor chain such that the chain generally bisects the segments. Consequently, the sides of the segments drape downwardly and the segments assume a folded configuration. The sheeted dough remaining after the disk-shaped segments have been deposited drops to the sides of the chain and is returned to be again sheeted and cut. The upper pass of the chain rides on guide plates which prevent the dough segments from curling beneath the chain. The chain extends into an oven and by the time the folded segments reach the discharge end of the conveyor chain enough moisture has been removed from the folded segments to enable them to remain in the folded configuration without support from the chain. An air jet issuing from a nozzle adjacent to the discharge end of the conveyor chain dislodges the folded segments from the upper pass of the chain, and the folded segments so dislodged fall onto accumulating conveyor means which is also disposed in the oven. While on the accumulating conveyor means the segments are turned over. The accumulating conveyor means deposits the folded segments onto cooling conveyor means where they are cooled, and the cooling conveyor means delivers the cooled segments to a fryer. The food chips emerge from the fryer.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert R Driscoll
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 00:07
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47J; A47J37/00; A47J37/12; A47J37/1214; A23; A23L; A23L7/00; A23L7/10; A23L7/117; A23L7/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
An apparatus for preparing folded food chips from dough, said apparatus comprising: means for forming the dough into disk-shaped segments, an endless shaping conveyor having a conveying pass which is narrower than the disk-shaped segments and on which the disk-shaped segments are deposited and supported with the conveying pass generally bisecting the segments, whereby the sides of the disk-shaped segments drape downwardly and the segments assume a folded configuration; means disposed beneath the conveying pass of the shaping conveyor for preventing the sides of the folded segments from curling under the conveying pass; and means for heating the folded segments when they are on the shaping conveyor to remove moisture therefrom.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
An apparatus for preparing folded food chips from dough, said apparatus comprising: means for forming the dough into disk-shaped segments, an endless shaping conveyor having a conveying pass which is narrower than the disk-shaped segments and on which the disk-shaped segments are deposited and supported with the conveying pass generally bisecting the segments, whereby the sides of the disk-shaped segments drape downwardly and the segments assume a folded configuration; means disposed beneath the conveying pass of the shaping conveyor for preventing the sides of the folded segments from curling under the conveying pass; and means for heating the folded segments when they are on the shaping conveyor to remove moisture therefrom.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
111 words
An apparatus for preparing folded food chips from dough, said apparatus comprising: means for forming the dough into diskshaped segments, an endless shaping conveyor having a conveying pass which is narrower than the disk-shaped segments and on which the disk-shaped segments are deposited and supported with the conveying pass generally bisecting the segments, whereby the sides of the disk-shaped segments drape downwardly and the segments assume a folded configuration; means disposed beneath the conveying pass of the shaping conveyor for preventing the sides of the folded segments from curling under the conveying pass; and means for heating the folded segments when they are on the shaping conveyor to remove moisture therefrom.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
111 words
An apparatus for preparing folded food chips from dough, said apparatus comprising: means for forming the dough into diskshaped segments, an endless shaping conveyor having a conveying pass which is narrower than the disk-shaped segments and on which the disk-shaped segments are deposited and supported with the conveying pass generally bisecting the segments, whereby the sides of the disk-shaped segments drape downwardly and the segments assume a folded configuration; means disposed beneath the conveying pass of the shaping conveyor for preventing the sides of the folded segments from curling under the conveying pass; and means for heating the folded segments when they are on the shaping conveyor to remove moisture therefrom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for heating the folded segments removes enough moisture from the segments while the segments are on the shaping conveyor to enable the segments to maintain their folded configuration after leAving the shaping conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means for preventing the folded segments from curling under the conveying pass is a guide plate disposed beneath the conveying pass and having generally flat side faces which are oriented in a vertical disposition.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the conveying pass rides on and is supported by the guide plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 and further characterized by accumulating conveyor means located beyond the shaping conveyor and receiving the folded chips therefrom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 and further characterized by air nozzles positioned adjacent to the discharge ends of the shaping conveyor for directing a stream of high velocity air toward the shaping conveyor to dislodge the folded segments therefrom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the means for heating the segments also heats the segments while they are on the accumulating conveyor means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 and further characterized by cooling conveyor means located beyond the accumulating conveyor means for receiving the folded segments discharged from the accumulating conveyor means, the cooling conveyor means being outside the means for heating the golded segments so that the temperature of the folded segments decreases while on the cooling conveyor means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the accumulating conveyor means comprises a pair of belt-type endless conveyors with one being located after the other, the discharge end of the first conveyor being located above the receiving end of the second conveyor so that the folded segments turn over as they are transferred from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
134 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein a plurality of side-by-side conveying passes are provided on the shaping conveyor with spaces between adjacent conveying passes; wherein the means for forming the dough into disk-shaped segments comprises roller means for sheeting the dough, means for advancing the sheeted dough toward the receiving end of the shaping conveyor, cutter means for cutting successive disk-shaped segments from the sheet as the sheet is advanced with the disk-shaped segments so cut aligning with the several conveying passes of the shaping conveyor, and means for cutting the sheeted dough between successive disk-shaped segments so as to form the scrap portion of dough between the disk-shaped segments into ribbons; and wherein collecting means is located beneath the conveying passes of the shaping conveyor for collecting the ribbons of scrap dough.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the collecting means further includes means for returning the scrap dough to the roller means so that the scrap dough can again be sheeted.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the endless shaping conveyor is a chain having guide links which extend inwardly into the area circumscribed by the chain and further extend along the sides of the guide plate to prevent the folded segments from sliding off of the guide plate.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
207 words
An apparatus for preparing folded food chips, said apparatus comprising: means for forming dough into disk-shaped segments; a shaping conveyor including a wheel which rotates about a horizontal axes and an endless conveying element which is trained around the wheel and has an upper conveying pass and a lower return pass, the conveying element being substantially narrower than the disk-shaped segments and the end of the conveying pass being at the wheel; means for depositing the disk-shaped segments on the conveying pass at the beginning thereof with the conveying pass generally bisecting the segments, whereby the segments drape downwardly on both sides of the conveying pass and assume a generally folded configuration; heating means for heating the folded segments sufficiently to enable them to maintain their folded configuration after leaving the conveying pasS; and a nozzle located adjacent to the wheel and connected to a source of pressurized air so that a jet of high velocity air is discharged therefrom, the nozzle being oriented such that the jet of high velocity air moves generally in the direction of movement for the conveying pass at the wheel, whereby the jet of air will dislodge the folded segments from the conveying pass at the end of the conveying pass.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
207 words
An apparatus for preparing folded food chips, said apparatus comprising: means for forming dough into disk-shaped segments; a shaping conveyor including a wheel which rotates about a horizontal axes and an endless conveying element which is trained around the wheel and has an upper conveying pass and a lower return pass, the conveying element being substantially narrower than the disk-shaped segments and the end of the conveying pass being at the wheel; means for depositing the disk-shaped segments on the conveying pass at the beginning thereof with the conveying pass generally bisecting the segments, whereby the segments drape downwardly on both sides of the conveying pass and assume a generally folded configuration; heating means for heating the folded segments sufficiently to enable them to maintain their folded configuration after leaving the conveying pasS; and a nozzle located adjacent to the wheel and connected to a source of pressurized air so that a jet of high velocity air is discharged therefrom, the nozzle being oriented such that the jet of high velocity air moves generally in the direction of movement for the conveying pass at the wheel, whereby the jet of air will dislodge the folded segments from the conveying pass at the end of the conveying pass.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the nozzle is positioned above the conveying pass and is oriented such that the jet issuing therefrom is oblique to the conveying pass.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 and further characterized by an accumulating conveyor located beyond the shaping conveyor for receiving the segments dislodged from shaping conveyor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the shaping conveyor further includes a return pass; wherein the conveying and return passes merge at an arcuate section extended around the wheel; and wherein the jet issuing from the nozzle is generally tangent to the arcuate section.
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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) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |