US4178392A — Method of making a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal

Claim 1

Independent Claim 101 words

A method for making a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal product comprising the steps of first preparing a moldable, shape-retaining heterogeneous mixture comprising from about 20% to about 65% coarse particulate cereal components, sugar components in an amount sufficient to permit die molding of said mixture and from about 10% to about 35% moisture based on the total weight of the mixture, loosely compacting said mixture into a plurality of moist pieces on a cavity bearing roll, and then drying said pieces to a moisture content below 7% to produce a crisp, structure containing the particulate components adhered together by said sugar components.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 101 words

A method for making a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal product comprising the steps of first preparing a moldable, shape-retaining heterogeneous mixture comprising from about 20% to about 65% coarse particulate cereal components, sugar components in an amount sufficient to permit die molding of said mixture and from about 10% to about 35% moisture based on the total weight of the mixture, loosely compacting said mixture into a plurality of moist pieces on a cavity bearing roll, and then drying said pieces to a moisture content below 7% to produce a crisp, structure containing the particulate components adhered together by said sugar components.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 144 words

Method for making a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal product comprising the steps of preparing a mixture comprising, on a dry basis, from about 20% to about 65% particulate vegetable components selected from the group consisting of precooked bran, cereal flakes and mixtures thereof, from about 5% to about 25% vegetable oil and at least 15% and up to about 40% sugar components, said mixture being substantially free of flour, admixing said mixture with from about 10% to about 35% moisture based on the total weight of said mixture until the vegetable components are coated by said sugar components and shortening, forming said mixture into a plurality of bite-sized pieces on a cavity-bearing roll, and then drying said pieces to a moisture content of less than 7% to produce a crisp matrix of said vegetable components coated and adhered together by said sugar components and shortening.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 144 words

Method for making a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal product comprising the steps of preparing a mixture comprising, on a dry basis, from about 20% to about 65% particulate vegetable components selected from the group consisting of precooked bran, cereal flakes and mixtures thereof, from about 5% to about 25% vegetable oil and at least 15% and up to about 40% sugar components, said mixture being substantially free of flour, admixing said mixture with from about 10% to about 35% moisture based on the total weight of said mixture until the vegetable components are coated by said sugar components and shortening, forming said mixture into a plurality of bite-sized pieces on a cavity-bearing roll, and then drying said pieces to a moisture content of less than 7% to produce a crisp matrix of said vegetable components coated and adhered together by said sugar components and shortening.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 2 wherein said pieces are formed as individual, separate bodies.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 2 wherein said pieces are formed as an interconnected chain of bodies connected together by relatively thin webs to facilitate release of the bodies from the cavity-bearing roll.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 90 words

Process for preparing a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal product comprising the steps of preparing a moist mixture containing coarse particulate cereal components, from about 10 to about 35% water, and sugar in an amount sufficient to permit die molding of said mixture, loosely compacting and forming said mixture on a rotating cavity-bearing die forming roll to produce a continuous string of the formed moist mixture having a plurality of bodies connected together by relatively thin webs, and thereafter drying and separating the bodies at the webs to produce individual crisp pieces.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 90 words

Process for preparing a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal product comprising the steps of preparing a moist mixture containing coarse particulate cereal components, from about 10 to about 35% water, and sugar in an amount sufficient to permit die molding of said mixture, loosely compacting and forming said mixture on a rotating cavity-bearing die forming roll to produce a continuous string of the formed moist mixture having a plurality of bodies connected together by relatively thin webs, and thereafter drying and separating the bodies at the webs to produce individual crisp pieces.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 20 words

The process of claim 5 wherein said continuous string is passed through a drying oven and heated prior to separation.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The process of claim 6 wherein said continuous string is removed from said oven and separated before said product has cooled to ambient.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 19 words

The process of claim 5 wherein a plurality of closely spaced continuous strings are produced simultaneously on said conveyor.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 5 wherein an opening is formed through said bodies during the formation thereof.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 20 words

The process of claim 5 wherein the bodies are rectangular shape, with facing sides thereof being connected by said web.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

The process of claim 7 wherein said mixture comprises from about 20 to about 65 percent particulate cereal components.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 9 words

The product obtained by the process of claim 2.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1982-12-10	1983-06-11	1983-12-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1986-12-10	1987-06-11	1987-12-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1990-12-10	1991-06-11	1991-12-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of making a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal

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