Surface water removal from potato slices

Claim 1

In apparatus for preparing raw potato slices and delivering them to a cooker the combination comprising, a potato slice washer tank serving to contain a volume of water into which potato slices may be deposited for removing starch particles and the like therefrom, discharge conveyor means arranged with respect to said washer tank so that one end of the conveyor means may be disposed below the nominal water line with the other end of the conveyor means arranged above the nominal water line so as to permit delivery of potato slices from the washer tank to an associated cooking unit; said conveyor means including a perforate conveyor belt arranged so that water may drain therefrom as potato slices are conveyed from the tank to the associate cooking unit; air blowing means arranged above said conveyor belt in a portion thereof above the nominal water line and including air nozzle means disposed above said conveyor belt serving to direct at least one stream of air towards said conveyor belt, said air blowing means including an air blower coupled to said air nozzle means for supplying air through said air nozzle means to create a turbulent zone along said belt and at a force sufficient to lift potato slices from the conveyor belt so that the slices are airborne and in agitated motion during transfer on said belt through said zone; and air suction means arranged with respect to said conveyor belt opposite from said air nozzle means serving to permit extraction of water and starch particles, said air suction means including power suction means for drawing air through said conveyor belt so as to clear water off the potato slices, and means associated with said air suction means for separating from the air stream starch particles and other solid elements from the air and also separating out the water factors from the air stream.