Dual-belt cooling system

Claim 1

In a dual-belt cooling system having upper and lower endless belts each of which is mounted upon a pair of horizontally spaced rolls and has an upper run and a lower run, wherein the lower run of the upper belt and the upper run of the lower belt are spaced from each other and define a treatment zone which is substantially rectangular in cross-section and through which a product layer passes in direct heat exchange relationship with coextensive surfaces of both of said belts, and means for providing a coolant in contact with the surfaces of said belts which are on the opposite sides of said coextensive surfaces whereby heat is extracted from the opposite sides of said product layer through the respective belts and to the coolant, the upper surface of said upper run of said upper belt extending horizontally, that improvement which comprises feed means to deposit said product layer upon said top surface of said upper run of said upper belt whereby the product layer passes along said upper run and thence downwardly through an arc of the order of 180° around one of said drums and enters said treatment zone, and cooling means to supply coolant to the bottom surface of said upper run of said upper belt and thereby precool the product layer and solidify it sufficiently to ensure that the product layer will maintain continuous contact with both belts when passing through said treatment zone.