Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
238 words
A mixer for admixing a food dough comprising a mixer housing a plurality of blades fixed to a single mixer shaft disposed within said mixer housing, said blades all being of the same geometry, an inlet hopper having a grillwork floor disposed adjacent the exterior periphery of said single mixer shaft, a portion of said blades projecting up and through said grillwork floor during rotation of said mixer shaft, said blades and grillwork floor cooperating to cut thoroughly any recycled dough scrap upon introduction of same into said mixer, the blades that cooperate with said grillwork floor being in the chopper section of said mixer and the blades that do not cooperate with said grillwork floor being in the mixer section of said mixer, mounting means connecting said blades to said single mixer shaft, said mounting means being operable to adjust the pitch of said blades relative to a plane transverse to the axis of said mixer shaft, said blades within said chopper section lying substantially transverse to the axis of said mixer shaft, said blades within said mixer section being pitched relative to the axis of said mixer shaft, and the pitch of said blades increasing along the length of said mixer shaft within said mixer section from the inlet of said mixer section to the outlet of said mixer section, and drive means connected with said mixer shaft for rotating said mixer shaft within said housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
238 words
A mixer for admixing a food dough comprising a mixer housing a plurality of blades fixed to a single mixer shaft disposed within said mixer housing, said blades all being of the same geometry, an inlet hopper having a grillwork floor disposed adjacent the exterior periphery of said single mixer shaft, a portion of said blades projecting up and through said grillwork floor during rotation of said mixer shaft, said blades and grillwork floor cooperating to cut thoroughly any recycled dough scrap upon introduction of same into said mixer, the blades that cooperate with said grillwork floor being in the chopper section of said mixer and the blades that do not cooperate with said grillwork floor being in the mixer section of said mixer, mounting means connecting said blades to said single mixer shaft, said mounting means being operable to adjust the pitch of said blades relative to a plane transverse to the axis of said mixer shaft, said blades within said chopper section lying substantially transverse to the axis of said mixer shaft, said blades within said mixer section being pitched relative to the axis of said mixer shaft, and the pitch of said blades increasing along the length of said mixer shaft within said mixer section from the inlet of said mixer section to the outlet of said mixer section, and drive means connected with said mixer shaft for rotating said mixer shaft within said housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blades are disposed in blade planes spaced longitudinally one from the other along the length of said mixer shaft, each of said blade planes being substantially normal to the axis of said mixer shaft, and at least three blades being positioned in each blade plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a threaded stem and bore connection between said blades and said mixer shaft, and a lock nut to restrain said blades in the desired pitch position relative to said mixer shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inlet hopper comprises a tubular hopper member having a first seating flange thereon, and a hopper insert having a second seating flange thereon, said hopper insert mounting said grillwork, and said seating flanges cooperating to position said hopper insert within said hopper and, thereby, position said grillwork relative to said mixer shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mixer housing includes an access door hingedly connected to said housing, said access door being sized to provide access to substantially the entire mixer section for maintenance purposes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outlet of said mixer is located in the bottom of said housing and the inlet of said mixer is located in the top thereof, thereby permitting gravity infeed to and gravity discharge from said mixer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mixer housing includes an access door hingedly connected to said housing, said access door being sized to provide access to substantially the entire mixer section for maintenance purposes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
216 words
A mixer for admixing a food dough comprising a mixer housing a plurality of blades fixed to a mixer shaft disposed within said mixer housing, an inlet hopper having a grillwork floor disposed adjacent the exterior periphery of said mixer shaft, a portion of said blades projecting up and through said grillwork floor during rotation of said mixer shaft, said blades and grillwork floor cooperating to cut thoroughly any recycled dough scrap upon introduction of same into said mixer, the blades that cooperate with said grillwork floor being in the chopper section of said mixer and the blades that do not cooperate with said grillwork floor being in the mixer section of said mixer, said inlet hopper comprising a tubular hopper member having a first seating flange thereon, and a hopper insert having a second seating flange thereon, said hopper insert mounting said grillwork, and said seating flanges cooperating to position said hopper insert within said hopper and, thereby, position said grillwork relative to said mixer shaft, mounting means connecting said blades to said mixer shaft, said mounting means being operable to adjust the pitch of said blades relative to a plane transverse to the axis of said mixer shaft, and drive means connected with said mixer shaft for rotating said mixer shaft within said housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
216 words
A mixer for admixing a food dough comprising a mixer housing a plurality of blades fixed to a mixer shaft disposed within said mixer housing, an inlet hopper having a grillwork floor disposed adjacent the exterior periphery of said mixer shaft, a portion of said blades projecting up and through said grillwork floor during rotation of said mixer shaft, said blades and grillwork floor cooperating to cut thoroughly any recycled dough scrap upon introduction of same into said mixer, the blades that cooperate with said grillwork floor being in the chopper section of said mixer and the blades that do not cooperate with said grillwork floor being in the mixer section of said mixer, said inlet hopper comprising a tubular hopper member having a first seating flange thereon, and a hopper insert having a second seating flange thereon, said hopper insert mounting said grillwork, and said seating flanges cooperating to position said hopper insert within said hopper and, thereby, position said grillwork relative to said mixer shaft, mounting means connecting said blades to said mixer shaft, said mounting means being operable to adjust the pitch of said blades relative to a plane transverse to the axis of said mixer shaft, and drive means connected with said mixer shaft for rotating said mixer shaft within said housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 8 wherein the pitch of said blades varies along the length of said mixer shaft within said mixer section, the pitch increasing from the inlet end of said mixer section to the outlet end of said mixer section.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 8 wherein said blades within said chopper section lie substantially transverse to the axis of said mixer shaft, and wherein said blades within said mixer section are pitched relative to the axis of said mixer shaft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 8 wherein said blades are disposed in blade planes spaced longitudinally one from the other along the length of said mixer shaft, each of said blade planes being substantially normal to the axis of said mixer shaft, and at least three blades being positioned in each blade plane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 9 wherein said mounting means includes a threaded stem and bore connection between said blades and said mixer shaft, and a lock nut to restrain said blades in the desired pitch position relative to said mixer shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
A mixer as set forth in claim 8 wherein the outlet of said mixer is located in the bottom of said housing and the inlet of said mixer is located in the top thereof, thereby permitting gravity infeed to and gravity discharge from said mixer.