US3971303A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for continuous puffing
Assignee: Malt O Meal Co
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Filing: 1975-02-24
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Granted: 1976-07-27
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Expires: 1995-02-24
Abstract
Abstract Successive charges of grain cereals and a pressurized gaseous fluid are directed into the inlet of a pressurized puffing chamber by a charging valve having a rotor with passageways extending therethrough. The charges are quickly and forcibly fed into the passageways by centrifugal force produced by a rotatable disk having peripheral pockets which receive the grain from a supply source.
Inventors
- 👤 Myrland J. Dahl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 14:55
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23P; A23P30/00; A23P30/30; A23P30/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
An apparatus for continuous puffing of food material capable of being puffed comprising a pressurized puffing chamber having at its ends, respectively, an inlet and an orifice which is open to a zone of lower pressure than that of the chamber, material supply means, valve means for directing into the inlet successive charges of material and a pressurized gaseous fluid comprising a valve member having at least one passageway extending therethrough, said valve member being movably mounted to repeatedly bring the passageway into and out of communication with said inlet and into and out of position to receive a charge of material from the supply means, feeding means for feeding a charge of material into the passageway each time it is in material receiving position, said feeding means including propelling means for receiving separate successive charges of material from the supply means and applying force thereto for forcibly propelling each charge into the passageway, and means for directing a stream of pressurize gaseous fluid into the passageway after it has received a charge of material and it is in communication with the inlet whereby the fluid and material are brought into mutual contact and then forced into the chamber and expelled through the orifice to cause puffing of the material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
210 words
An apparatus for continuous puffing of food material capable of being puffed comprising a pressurized puffing chamber having at its ends, respectively, an inlet and an orifice which is open to a zone of lower pressure than that of the chamber, material supply means, valve means for directing into the inlet successive charges of material and a pressurized gaseous fluid comprising a valve member having at least one passageway extending therethrough, said valve member being movably mounted to repeatedly bring the passageway into and out of communication with said inlet and into and out of position to receive a charge of material from the supply means, feeding means for feeding a charge of material into the passageway each time it is in material receiving position, said feeding means including propelling means for receiving separate successive charges of material from the supply means and applying force thereto for forcibly propelling each charge into the passageway, and means for directing a stream of pressurize gaseous fluid into the passageway after it has received a charge of material and it is in communication with the inlet whereby the fluid and material are brought into mutual contact and then forced into the chamber and expelled through the orifice to cause puffing of the material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein the feeding means includes conductor means in communication with the valve means and the propelling means comprises a rotatable member for receiving each charge of material and centrifugally throwing it through the conductor means into the passageway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein the rotatable member is a disk having at least one material receiving pocket on its periphery and the conductor means is a conduit extending from the periphery of the disk to the valve means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The structure of claim 3 wherein the valve member is rotatable, the chamber is a cylinder mounted to rotate about its axis which is inclined from the horizontal towards the orifice and means are provided to heat the cylinder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The structure of claim 4 wherein the disk is mounted above the valve means, a shroud covers the periphery of the disk and adjacent side portions, the upper portion of the shroud is open to the material supply means and the conduit extends downwardly from an opening in the shroud to the valve means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein the passageway is defined by continuous straight wall portions which extend inwardly and directly from the outer surface of the valve member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The structure of claim 6 wherein the propelling means comprises a rotatable member for receiving each charge of material and centrifugally throwing it into the passageway.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The structure of claim 7 wherein the valve member is mounted to turn about its axis and extending through the member are two passageways which are axially spaced, pass through the axis of the member and are substantially at right angles to each other.
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) | 1979-07-27 | 1980-01-26 | 1980-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-07-27 | 1984-01-26 | 1984-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-07-27 | 1988-01-26 | 1988-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |