Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PREPARING FRIED POTATO PRODUCTS
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Backqround of the Invention
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The invention relates to apparatus and a method for ~
preparing heated food products, and more particularly to a :
method and apparatus for preparing and dispensing individual
portions of a fried potato product prepared from dehydrated .. -
potatoes that are rehydrated immediately prior to frying and .~
dispensing, and to a method of frying such products. Various ::
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types of devices and method have been disclosed for
preparing hot food products from dehydrated food
products that are reconstituted by adding water,
formed, and then cooked or fried to provide the
desired product. United States Patent No. 4,646,627
issued on March 3, 1987 to Bartfield et al discloses
an apparatus and a method for preparing a french
fried potato product that is shaped from a dough
prapared in the appaxatus by rehydrating dehydrated
potatoes. The dehydrated potatoes are reconstituted
in situ to provide a dough that can be formed in the
desired shape, and than fried and dispensed. The
apparatus therein disclosed provides a product that
closely resembles french fried potatoes that have
been prepared by frying cut raw potatoes, the
resemblance extending to the taste, the appearance,
and the texture of the resulting product. The
present invention is directed to improvements in the
apparatus and method disclosed in above U.S. Patent
No. 4,646,627.
It is an object of the present invention
to provide an apparatus and method for preparing and
!
dispensing a fried food product in which each -~
individual portion is separately prepared.
It is a further object of the present
invention to provide an apparatus in the form of a
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vending machine for preparing a fried food product
for immediate dispensing.
It is still a further object of the
present invention to provide an apparatus and method
for preparing a fried iooi
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product for dispensing in a dispensing machine and in which
product residues that remain after a dispensing operation are
minimized in order to maintain high sanitation levels.
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I Summary of the Invention
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Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the
present invention, apparatus for preparing and dispensing a
fried food product is described, the apparatus including means
for storing individual bags of dehydrated product that can be
opened as necessary depending upon the demand for the product,
and in which the empty bags are retained for subsequent
removal. A bag cutting device is provided to open the bag and
to permit the product to fall into a product hopper. A product
forming section is provided to reconstitute a measured portion
of the dehydrated material to provide a dough that can be
formed in th~ desired shape. The dough is formed into the
shape of french fried potatoes and is thereafter ried in a
fryer that contains hot frying oil and a plurality of open top,
perforated baskets pivotally carried by the fryer for movement
into and out of the frying oil, the product being sequentially
transferred from one basket to another during the frying
operation. The friedi product is then removed from the f~ryer
and passes to a dispensing station where the product is
dispensed in cup-like containers.
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In accordance with another aspect of the
;! present invention, a method is provided for
preparing and dispensing a fried food product in
which the product is formed from a dough prepared
from dehydrated potatoes and water, the amount of
the dough prepared being equal in volume to the
volume of a single order of fried potatoes in order
that no dough residue remains in the apparatus to
eliminate sanitation problems. Any residue that
i does remain in the dough-forming portion of the
apparatus is dried by means of heat in order to
minimize the likelihood of biological contamination.
Further! the method includes sequentially frying cut
¦ dough pieces in separate, pivotal perforated baskets
carried in a frying vessel.
¦ Therefore, in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided an apparatus for
preparing hot food products in portions of
predetermined size by rehydrating a dehydrated food
¦ product to provide a dough that can be shaped and
heated, the apparatus comprising~
(a) dehydrated food product hopper means
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¦ for storing a predetermined quantity of dehydrated
¦ food product, the hopper means having an inlet and
an outlet, ;;-~
(b) raw material storage and transfer
means for storing a plurality of prepackaged ~:
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quantities of a dehydrated food product and for
transferring individual packages of the food product
to the product hopper means as needed to maintain a
i part of the stored dehydrated food product ready for
immediate use;
i (c) rehydration means for receiving a
I measured quantity of dehydrated food product from
the raw material storage and transfer means and for
rehydrating the measured quantity of dehydrated food
product without agitation of a mixture of the
dehydrated food product and water to provide a
coherent dough;
(d) forming means for forming the dough
into predetermined shaped dough pieces, the forming
means including a dough-receiving chamber having an
open top and an open bottom, the open bottom
including a plurality of parallel, substantially
equally spaced divider members, and piston means
movable within the dough-recelving chamber to urge
the contents thereof through the open bottom to
cause the product to extrude vertically downwardly
from the chamber into separate pieces defined by the
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divider members, the piston means including a
slotted face having slots corresponding in size and ~:
orientation to the size and orientation of the ;;~
divider members to prevent retention of dough
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between the divider members when the piston slots
contact and engage with the divider members, and
(e) frying means to heat the formed dough
~ pieces to provide a fried food product having a
-¦ desirable texture, taste, and appearance, the rying
means including a plurality of perorated baskets
having open tops, the baskets being pivotally
1 carried in the frying means for partial immersion in
,,~ a frying oil, and for sequentially frying the formed
;i dough pisces.
Also in accordance with the present
invention, there is pro~ided a method for ;~
reconstituting a dehydrated food product and ~:
preparing shaped forms therefrom, the method
compri~ing:
(a) providing a chamber having an open
j top, a continuous side wall depending from the open
top, and an open bottom, the open bottom including a
plurality of spaced dividers to define the cross
section of pieces of dough that pass therethrough; ~: :
(b) providing a movable bottom wall
. movable rom a position adjacent the open bottom to ~-:
1 close the same to a position spaced from the bottom
¦ to open the same; :~
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¦ (c) supplying a predetermined quantity o
dehydrated food product to the rehydration chamber ~:
while the bottom wall is against the open bottom;
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(d) uniformly distributing sufficient
water onto the dehydrated food product through the
open top to wet the food product;
. (e) momentarily tamping the dehydrated : .
; food product by pressing against the surface thereof
, to distribute the water therethrough and uniformly '
rehydrate the product to form a coherent dough; .
.~. (f) moving the bottom wall away from the
1 chamber bottom; ~
.j (g) forcing the rehydrated product ~:
i through the open bottom of the chamber to extrude a . .
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~1 dough product;
(h) cutting the extruded product by ~:;
passing a cutting knife across the open bottom of
the chamber to provide a plurality of cut dough
1 pieces of predetermined shape;
i~ (i) depositing the cut dough pieces into
a first perorated, open top basket: ~:
(j) frying the dough pieces in a heated
~ frying oil for a first frying time period to form a
`~ partially fried product having a firm surface skin;
j (k) transferring the partially fried
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product from the first basket to a second
perforated, open top basket,
: (1) frying the partially fried product in
a heated frying oil for a second Erying time period
to provide a final fried product; and
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(m) removing the final fried product from
the second basket.
Brief Descri~tion of the Drawinqs
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Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a
~' machine for preparing and dispensing individual
1 portions of heated food products in accordance with
t the present invention showing the several parts
thereof in their operat:ive relationship, and with
the door of the machine open and partially broken
away to illustrate the components that are carried
on the inside of the door structure.
Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view ~ 1~
~i of the top portion of the dispensing machine shown ~ -
in Figure 1, and illustrating the raw material
storage and transfer apparatus.
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Figure 3 is another fragmentary perspective view
showing a portion of a raw material storage shelf upon
which bags o the dehydrated material are stored, feeding
means for feeding the bags to a hopper and cutting means
for cutting the bags to permit the product to flow into
the hopper.
Figure 4 is a fragmentary front view of the
dough-making and rehydration section of the apparatus
showing the positions of the parts at the beginning of an
operating cycle.
Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a
portion of the rehydration section of the apparatus
looking upward and showing the structure for metering the
dehydrated product and the piston that is employed to
extrude the dough from a rehydra-.ion chamber.
Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a
portion of the dough-making and rehydration section of the
apparatus showing the relative positioning of the several
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~arts thereof.
Figure 7 which is on the same sheet as Fig. 5 is
a fragmentary cross-lsectional view taken along the line
7-7 of Fig. 5 and showing the latching arrangement for
causing joint movement of a support arm that carries a
metering chamber and a support arm that carries a water
distribution or rehydration head.
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Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of ~he
underside of the dough-making and rehydration section
showing the structure for supporting and operating the - '
dough cutoff knife.
Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view
showing the several parts of the dough-making and rehy-
dration section at the time the metering chamber is filled
with the dehydrated produc~
' Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9, 'but
showing the metering chamber and rehydration head after
they have been moved into position over the rehydration'
chamber.
Figure 11 is a ~iew similar to that of Figure 10
in which the rehydration head has been moved away from the
metering chamber to permit the product to fall from the
metering chamber into the rehydration chamber.
Fl~ure 12 is a view similar to that of Figure 11,
showing the rehydration head returned to the position
illustrated in ~igure 10 below the metering chamber and
above the rehydration chamber.
Figure 13 is a view similar to that of Figure 12
showing the parts after the metering chamber and rehydra-
tion have returned to their original positions, and shows
the extrusion piston beginning its descent.
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Fiyure 14 is a view similar to that of Figure 13
, showing the extrusion piston descending into the rehydra-
-' tion chamber.
i Figure 15 is a fragmentary cross-sect;onal view
l of the rehydration chamber showing the piston after it has
descended into ~he rehydration chamber to extrude dough
. through the bottom of the rehydation chamber, and the cut
dough pieces that have been cut by a cutoff wire;
Figure 16 is a view similar to that of Figure 15
showing the pis~on after it has further descended and a
second group of cut dough pieces have been cut by the
¦ cutoff wire.
i Figure 17 is a view similar to tha~ of Figure 16
¦ after the piston has descended an additional distance to
the lowermost point o its travel, and t~e cutoff wire has
made a third pass to cut a third group of dough pieces.
Pigure 18 is a fragmentary perspective view
showing the rehydration chamber and the product transfer
conveyor that underlies it to carry the cut dough pieces
to a fryer.
Figure 19 is a fragmentary view showing an
alternative embodiment of theldough cutoff wire wherein
the wire is provided in a supply reel to permit rapid
repair of the cutoff knife in the event of a break in the
wire .
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Figure 20 is a view similar to that of Figure 19
showing still another embodiment of the dough cutoff knife
wherein the cutoff wire is spring-supported to cause it to be
! urged against the lower edge of the rehydration chamber.
Figure 21 is a fragmentary perspective view showing
the product transfer conveyor in position above a fryer, and a
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product discharge chute.
Figure 22 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional
¦ elevational view through the fryer vessel showing the position
I of the product transfer conveyor and a pair of fryer baskets.
Figure 23 is an exploded perspective view of the fryer
baskets and their associated carrying shafts.
Figure 24 is a fragmentary perspective view of a
portion of the inside of the door of a dispensing machine
showing the cup storage and transfer apparatus for cup-type
' containers into which the product is deposited for dispensing
purposes.
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Description of the Preferred_Embodiments
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to
Figure I thereof, there is shown a food product dispensing
machine lO,that inc,ludes a cabinet 12, and a door 14 suppo,rted
on hinges 16 carried by the cabinet 12. The cabinet includes a
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dehydrated product bag storage and transfer section 18 to
receive bags of the dehydrated product and to transfer them to
a bag cutter to permit the contents of a bag to be deposited
into a hopper 20. A product forming section 22 is provided
under hopper 20 and in which dehydrated potato product is
metered into a suitable metering chamber, is rehydrated by
adding a predetermined amount of water to the dehydrated potato
product to form a dough, and is then formed into the desired
product shape. Product forming section 22 includes drive
apparatus that oper~tes the various parts of the product
forming section in a predetermined sequence. A power supply 24
provides the necessary electrical power for the various
electrical components of the apparatus. A fryer section 26 is
positioned below the product forming section and the formed
product is fried to provide the desired heating and external
appearance. The oil for t~e fryer is contained within a frying
oil circulation system 28, and a frying oil supply 30 is
provided to replace frying oil that remains on the product as
it is dispensed and such frying oil that may vaporize during
the frying operation. An air exhaust system 32 is provided to
draw the oi~ fumes from the cabinet.
The door 14 to cabinet 12 includes on the inner
surface thereof a ~culp storage and dispensing section !34, for
product containers in which the product is furnished to the
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~ purchaser. Additionally, a control cabinet 36 is provided to
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house the electronic circuitry, circuit boards,
microprocessors, and the like that can be employed to control
the operation of the various portions of the apparatus.
The raw material that is preferred for use in the
apparatus and method of the present invention is a dehy-
drated potato product provided in agglomerated form and
which is capable of reconstitution into a formable dough
without the need for mechanical mixing of dehydrated
potatoes and water. Products of that type are described
in U.S. Patent 3,809,758, which issued May 7, 1984, to
J.J. Matthias et al, and U.S. Patent 3,975,549, which
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issued August 17, 1976, to M. A. Shatila et al. Those
patents are merely illustrative of the type of dehydrated
potatoes that are preferred, and the mention of those two~
patents should not be construed as limiting in any way the
` types of starting materials that can be used in the
present apparatus and method.
The various sections of the apparatus, and their
operation, will be separately described.
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Dehydrated Product Baq Storaqe and Transfer Section
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, there is shown
in greater detail the dehydrated product bag storage and
transfer section 18 that ls provided in the upper portion
of the cabinet 12 as illustrated in Figure 1. The dehy-
drated potato product is provided in bags 36 that include
a ~raft paper outer liner and a substantially water-im-
pervious inner liner, such as polyethylene or the like. A
plurjality of such bags are provided on a shelf 38 and are
stacked in ~ront-to--back relationship on their respective
longitudinal edges, although only a single bag is shown in
Fig, 2 so as not to obscure the bag transfer appartus. A
bag pusher arm 40 is provided to urge the bags in the
rightward direction,toward hopper 20, so that the hopper
always contains some amount of dehydrated potato that can
be used to prepare an order on demand. The dehydrated
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potato product, which preferably is in the form of agglom-
erates, is released from a bag by the passage along the
longitudinal edge of the rightmost bag of a rotating
cutting wheel 42, best seen in Figure 3, which passes from
one end of the bag to the other to slit it open and
thereby permit the dehydrated potato product to fall into
hopper 20. Cutting wheel 42 is a rotary cutter that is
~3 driven by a motor (not shown~ and the cutter motor is
moved along a linear slot 44 that extends transversely of
the direction of movement of the bags of dehydrated
potatoes. Limit switches 46, 48 are provided to sense the
, extreme positions of cut~ing wheel 42 and define the outer
limits of its path of travel. The limit switches, the
cutter drive mo~or, and the cutter transport motor are
i carried on or contained within a cutter support hous-
ing 50, i~ which slot 44 is formed.
Shel 38 extends from cutter support housing 50
to the left end wall of cabinet 12, and a pair of spaced
brackets 52, 54 are provided along the innermost edge of
shelf 38 and secured to the back wall of cabinet 12.
Brackets 52, 54 support a pair of spaced guide rods 56, 58
that extend across the back wall of cabinet 12 and slid-
ably support a pusher support block 60 to which bag p~sher
arm 40 is secured. Bag pusher arm 40 acts against the
endmost of the series of dehydrated potato bags that are
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carried on shelf 38 and urges them rightward toward the
` cutting wheel 4~ as needed. The operation of bag pusher
I arm 40 is controlled through a lead screw 62 operated by a
lead screw motor 64 that is caused to operate when a low
level sensing switc 66h provided in the lower portion of
, hopper 20 senses a low dehydrated potato product leve,1,
whereupon lead screw motor 64 is energized to cause pusher
support block 60 ~o push the bags in a rightward direc-
tion, as ~iewed in Figures 2 and 3, so that the rightmost
bag overlies cutting wheel 42 so that ~he bag opening
operation can be commenced.
On the inner surface of the right e~ld wall of the
J cabinet 12, a pair of tines 68, 70 are positioned, the
tines extending inwardiy of cabinet 12 toward the bags and
serving to penetrate the rightmost bag that is pushed into
position over cutting wheel 42 in order to hold it sta- ;
ti~nary and prevent it from movillg along with the cutting
; whee,l so that the latter can perform its bag cutting
function. The empty bags are forced toward the right as
~iewed in Figure 2 by the full bags, and they are ret~ined
on the tines in flattened condition for removal during
periodic machine servicing. Lead screw motor 64 is
ll stopped when a full bag 'is in position over the cutter,
¦ either by sensing the position of a bag adjacent the
i cutter s~upport housing by a suitable sensing switch (not
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shown), or, alternatively, by sensing an increase in the
resistance to urther motion of lead screw 62, which is
indicative of the fact that a bag is in proper position
over the cutting blade and adjacent the end wall of the
cabinet.
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Douqh-Makinq Section
Referring now to Figure 4, hopper 20 includes a
tubular outlet 72 at its lowermost portion, and a flexible
tubular extension 74 is attached thereto by means of a
clamping ring 76. A movable hopper discharge blocking
plate 78 is positioned immediately below the open end of
flexible extension 74 to prevent the passage of dehydrated
potato product therethrough when plate 78 covers the end
of extension 74. As best seen in Fig. 6, blocXing
plate 78 includes a metering chamber 80 i~ the form OL a
circular metering ring 82 that is open at the top and
bottom, and that includes a plurality of substantially
parallel partition members 84 to define separate compart-
ments into which the dehydrated potato material is depos-
ited.
Posi~ioned immediately below metering ring 82 is
a rehydratio~ head 86 inlthe form of a circular disk 88,
and includes an imperforate top plate 90 that underlies
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metering ring ~2 to define metering chamber 80. Rehydra-
tion head 86 can be a hollow structure which is in commu-
nication with a source of water,-and having a plurality of
discharge apertures substantially uniformly distributed
along its lower face. Alternatively, and preferably, the
rehydration head is in the form of a sintered metal disk
that includes an imperforate peripheral outer portion.
T~e lowermost surface of the disk is provided with a
plurality of small uniformly sized and spaced openings
through which the water for rehydration can pass to
uniformly wet the dehydrated potato product, as will
hereinafter be described.
Metering chamber 80 and hopper discharge blocking
plate 78 are carried on a metering chamber support arm 92
that extends from and is loosely carried on a rehydration
head pivot shaft 94. Pivot shaft 94 extends from and is
supported ,in an upper shelf 96 and a lower shelf 98 for
pivoting movement, and metering chamber support arm 92 is
in non-driving relationship with pivot shaft 94. Metering
chamber support arm 92 includes a latch 100 that is
carried in a latch guide 102 for sliding movement in a
plane that is parallel to the axis of rehydration head
pivot shaft 94,1' ~Latch'~00 includes a notch 104, the
purpose of which will be hereinafter described.
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:- Rehydration head 86 is carried on a rehydration
head support arm 106 that is secured to and pivots with
the rehydration head pivot shaft 94. Latch 100 of meter=
ing chamber support arm 92 e~tends downwardly and bears
against one side of rehydration support arm 106, as more
clearly shown in Figure 7. As also therein shown, meter-
ing chamber support arm 92 also carries a downwardly
depending guide plate 108, which bears against the oppo-
site side of rehydration head support arm 106.
.Product-~orminq Section
Referring now to Figures 4, 5, and ~, product-
forming section 22 includes a rehydration chamber 110 that
is carried on à rehydration chamber support plate 112 that
is supported in spaced relationship between top shelf 96
and bottom shel~ 98 of the dough-making section on three
support rods 114, 116, and 118. Rehydration chamber
sup~ort plate 112 includes a notch 120 at one end that is ;
received by innermost support rod ll8, and a pair of
spaced apertures 122, 124 at its opposite end that are so
sized that the plate is supported on ledges defined by
shoulders formed in the support rods 114, 116, and 118.
The uppermost ends of outer support rods 114, 116 inciude
pivotable retaining tabs 126, 128 to prevent separation of
plate 112 from the support rods in a vertical direction.
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.! As clearly seen in Figure 6, rehydration cha~oer 110
includes a plurality of equally spaced, parallel wire
dividers 130 at its lower edge, the position of which is
more clearly seen in Figures 15 through 17. Wire divid-
ers 130 are preferably thin wires having a thickness of
from about 0.020 inches to about 0.040 inches and can be
coated with Teflon or oth~r non-stick coatings to minimize
dough sticking thereto. Positioned immediately below
rehydration chamber 110 is a dough dam 132 that is carried
on a dam support arm 134 which, in turn, is secured to and
pivots with a dam pivot shaft 136 that is rotatably
carried in top and bottom shelves 96, 98. A dam pivot
motor 138 is provided to pivot dam support arm 134 at
appropriate intervals, and a rehydration head pi~ot motor
(not shown) is provided to separately pivot the rehydra-
tion head shaft at appropriate times.
2Ositioned above . rehydration ch~oer 110. and
spaced there~rom is a piston 140 that is secured to a
piston support disk 142 which, in turn, is secured to a
piston screw 144. A rotatable nut 146 is provided on
screw 144 and rotatably carried in shelf 96. Nut 146 is
driven by a piston drive motor 148, to cause piston
screw 144 to travel axially and move piston 140 toward and
away from rehydration chamber 110. As best seen in
Figures 5 and 15, the lowermost face of piston 140
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includes a plurality of spaced, parallel, ~ransverse
slots 150 that have a width and depth that correspond with
the diameter of wire dividers 13 in rehydration cham-
ber 110 in order to force from rehydration chamber 110 all
of the dough that is contained ~herein when the piston
reaches the lowermost portion of its path of travel.
Preferably, piston 140 is made from a plastic material
that minimizes sticXing thereto of the potato dough, and
suitable materials for that purpose include Delrin and
Teflon, which are registered trademarks of E.I. DuPont De
Nemours Co.
Positioned below rehydration chamber support
plate 112 îs a cutoff knife in the form of a cutoff
wire 152 tha~ extends across and is adapted to contact the
lower surface of rehydration chamber llo. Cutoff wire 152
is supported on a pair of spaced ~utoff wire supports 152,
156, which, in turn, are carried on a U-shaped cutoff
knife carrier 158, which is best seen in Figures 6 and 8.
Kni~fe carrier 158 is slidably supported against the lower
surface of lower shelf 98 by means of a pair of spaced
support plates 160, 162 that define slots along which
knie carrier 158 slides. The slots can be provided
.either by bending suppor,tlplates l60, 162, to .the cross-
sectional configuration illustrated in Figure 4, or,
alternatively, by providing spacer plates 164, 166 that
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space the support plates from the lower surface of the
bottom shelf, as illustra-ed in Figure 8. Preferably
cutoff wire 152 is a wire having a diameter of about 0.041
'3, inches.
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Knife carrier 158 is driven linearly in a direc-
tion parallel to the direction of wire dividers 130 in
rehydration chamber 110. The driving arrangement includes
a pair of racks 168,170 positioned on the lower surface of
knife carrier 158, and which engage with a pair of spaced
gears 172, 174, respectively, carried on a cutoff knife
drive shaft 176 that is rotatably supported on a pair of
spaced brackets 178, 180 secured to the lower surface of
bottom shelf 98. A cutoff knife drive motor 182 is
provided to rotate knife drive shaft 176, and thereby
rotate gears 172, 174 that engage rac~s 168, 170, respec-
tively, on the knife carrier to move the latter rapidly in
a linear direction parallel to wire dividers 130.
As best seen in Figure 6; dam 132 is received on
a disk-like dam carrier 184 that is or includes an elec-
trical heating element. The heating element serves to
maintain the dam at an elevated temperature, preferably
about 180F, for purposes that will hereinafter be ex-
plained. Additionally~ the upwardly facing surface~ of
dam 132, which underlies rehydration chamber 110, prefera-
bly includes a low-friction coating such as, for example,
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Teflon, to minimize the friction between the dam and dough
.j that is con~ained within the rehydration chamber when the
, - dam is moved laterally away from the rehydration chamber.
Although the cutoff knife can be formed by
, securing a cutoff wire 152 to the respective cutoff wire
suppo,rts 154, 156, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 8,
, . cutof wire 152 can also be provided on a supply reel 186
l as illustrated in Figure 19, wherein one end of cutoff
wire 152 is secured to an eyelet 188, or the like, that is
carried on cutoff knife carrier 158, with the other end of
. the wire retained on supply reel 1~6. That arrangement
I .facilitates the replacement of the cutoff wire in the even
of breakage thereof.
An alternative arrangement for supporting cutoff~
wire 152 is illustrated in Figure 20, in which cutof wire
supports 190, 192 each include a lower, hollow wire
support guide tube 194 carried by cutoff knife carri-
. . er lS8, and a spring 196 positioned withi~ each wire
support guide tube and bearing against an uppex, hollow
wire support guide tube 198 that is positioned so as to be
mo~able axially relative to lower guide tubes 194.
Springs 196 urge cutoff wire 152 into close engagement
with the lower surface.o~ rehydration chamber 110 and with
wire dividers 110, and thereby serve to minimize the
amount of residual potato dough that remains on wire
dividers 130.
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Operation of the Douqh-Makinq and Product-Forminq Sections
The several-elements of the device are initially
in the position lllustrated in Figures 4 and 9, wherein
the metering cha~oer 80 and rehydration head 86 are
adjacent each other in , concentric relationship, and
underlying the outlet of hopper 20. The product in
hopper 20 thus passes through hopper outlet 72,~ and into
metering chamber 80 that is defined by met~ring ring 82
and top plate 90 o rehydration head 86. The product
fills the metering chamber, which is so sized as to
provide the desired amount of dehydrated potato product.
A motor or other suitable means (not shown) is then
activated to pivot rehydration head pivot shaft 94 in a
clockwise direction, looking downward, as in Figure 9,
whereupon rehydration head support arm 106 bears against
latch 100 to also carry metering chamber ~support ar~ 92
with it un~il metering chamber 80 and rehydration head R6
are in superposed relationship with rehydration cham-
ber 110~ As metering chamber 80 moves laterally away from
hopper outlet 72, hopper discharge blocking plate 78 bears
against flexible extension 76, and prevents further flow
of potato product ~from hopper 20. Flexible extens!ion ~76
is provided in order to minimi2e the grinding action tha~
would otherwise occur if a rigid extension were provided
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at and engagement with the blocker plate, which could
rupture some of the potato cells and thereby result in a
more sticky, and more difficult to handle -reconstituted
potato dough.
The pivoting of rehydration head 86 and metering
. chamber 80 terminates when they both overlie rehydration
c .-
chamber llo as illustrated in Figure 10. The arrangement
of the particular parts is such that the lowermost surface
of rehydration head 86 is in direct contact with the
uppermost surface of rehydration chi~mber llo. Also as
illustrated in Figure lo, dividers 84 in metering cham-
ber 80 serve to retain the dehydrated potato material in a
relatively uniform distribution across the metering
cha~`oer as thè rapid pivoting operation is performed. If
dividers 8~ were not present, there is a possibility that
by ~irtue of the rapid action, and the inertia of the
originally stationary potato particles, that some of the
potato granules may spill out of metering chamber 80 and
that the main mass of potato particles would lie against
one edge o the metering cha~oer, with the result that
there would not be a uniform distribution of the parti-
cles, which could lead to nonuniform rehydration.
When rehydration head 86 and metering~chamber 80
have reached the position illustrated in Figure 10~
metering chamber 80 is unlatched from rehydration head 86
. ..
. by means of a latch cam 200 that engages notch 104 in
¦ latch 100 and moves it in an upward direction so that the
. latch no longer is adjacent the side of rehydration head
support arm 106. As best seen in Figure 5, latch cam 200
~ is supported in position by a latch cam support ~02, that
~ is secured to the lower. surface of top shelf 96. As
`¦ metering chamber support arm 92 pivots toward latch
cam 200, the cam engages notch 104 and forces~latch 100
upwardly so that arm 92 remains stationary relative ~o
~ arm 106, so that the latter can be separately moved in a
clockwise direction, when looking downward, while the
former is stationary.
After metering chamber 80 and rehy~ration head 86
have reached the position shown in Figure 10, and the
. metering chamber support arm 92 has been unlatched from
the rehydration head support arm 106, the rehydra~ion head :.:
pivot shat 92 is further pivoted in a cloc~wise direction
so that rehydration head 86 moves laterally outwardly from
.
each of metering chamber 80 and rehydration chamber 110,
as illustrated in Figure 11. Consequently, the lower
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portion of metering chamber 80 is then open, by virtue of
the removal of the blocking effect of top plate 90 of
rehydration head 8Ç, and the dehydrated; potato product
contained ln metering chamber 80 is permitted to fall into
rehydration chamber 110. Thereupon, rehydration head
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~ ~ support arm 106 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direc-
tion, to return it to a position in which it is underlying
metering chamber 80 and overlying rehydration chamber 110,
jl .
as illustrated in Figure 12. At that point, heated water
(approximately 160F) is introduced into rehydration
head 86, and by virtue of the plurality of small openings
therein~ the water is uniformly distributed over the
dehydrated potato granules that are in rehydration cham-
ber 110. Because of the nature of the preferred dehy-
drated potato particles, rapid and uniform rehydration
occurs, and a formable dough is provided substantially
immediately.
After the potato granules are rehydrated, meter-
ing chamber 80 and rehydration head 86 are then pivoted
together in a counterclockwise direction to move them away
from rehydration chamber 110 so that they again are in
underlying relationship with hopper discharge outle~ 72,
as illustrated in Figure 13. The conjoint movement of the
two support arms results from the presence of guide 108,
illustrated in ~igure 7, wherein rehydration support
arm 106 bears against guide 108, which is rigidly con-
nected to metering chamber support arm 92 to carry the
.latter along with it alslit moves in the counterclockwise
direction.
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:` As metering chamber 80 and rehydration head 86
move together awa~ from rehydration chamber llO, pis-
_ ton 140 begins its descent, as illustrated in Figure 13;
¦ As it descends, the piston is caused to momentarily enter
1 the rehydration chamber to provide a tamping action on therehydrated potato granules, and thereby further ensure
uniform rehydration of the potato granules. After a
. momentary xetraction of the piston after the tamping step,
the piston i5 advanced in a downward direction .to cause
the resulting reconstituted potato dough to extrude
through the lower opening of rehydration chamber llO,
whereupon cutoff wire 152 is rapidly moved linearly along
the lower surface of rehydration chamber llO to sever the
. extruded product from the dough mass that remains within
rehydration chamber llo. Because of the presence of
dividing wires 130, the cut pieces 202 are of generally
rectangular cross section and very closely resemble the
. usual form of rench fried potatoes as they are customari-
ly provided~ .
. The first extrusion step is carried out by moving
piston l~0 a predetermilled first distancei and after the
dough is severed, as illustrated in Figure 15, the piston
I advances another,predetermined increment, as illus~rated
in Figure 16, whereupon the cutoff knife is passed along
- the lower surface of the rehydration chamber once again to
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sever a second group of dough pieces 204. Successive
extrusion and cutting operations can be performed until
the desired quant-ity of product is obtained, and the last
extrusion step is illustrated in Figure 17, wherein the
3 piston has reached the lower point in its path of travel
¦ to extrude the remaining portion of the dough through the
lower opening of rehydration chamber 110 to define dough
pieces 206, and so that respective divider wires 130
engage with and fit within corresponding slots 150 in
¦ piston 140 to cause all of the dough contained within
3 rehydration chamber 110 to be expelled therefrom.
¦ During the various extrusion operations illus-
¦ trated in Figures 15 through 17, dam pivot motor 138 has
pivoted dam pivot shaft 134 to carry the dam in a counter-
clockwise direction so that it no longer blocks the lower
opening of rehydration chamber 110, as il~ustrated in
~igure 14.
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Product Transfer Section
Referring now to Figure 18, after the extruded
potato pieces 206 have been severed by means of cutting
wire 152, they fall downwardly onto a product transfer
.conveyor 208, which carries them laterally, in,the direc-
tion indicated by the arrow in Figure 18, for ultimate
transfer to a fryer. The product transfer conveyor can be
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in the form of a wire conveyor as illustrated, which is
driven by a suitable drive motor (not shown) and which is
in the form of an endless belt that passes over a plural-
ity of rollers 210 carried on parallel roller shafts 212,
. "
214, and 216 (see Fig. 21). Product transfer conveyor 208
preferably moves continuously during the dough-cutting
j operation so that each respective group of cut potato
pieces is carried o~ a separate portion of the belt and is
spaced from the previous and foliowing groups of cut
potato pieces in order that the cut pieces travel individ-
ually and are not in contact with each other. In that
connection, it is highly desired that the dough be ex-
truded in a vertical direction, so that the cut pieces
fall ~ertically without bending. Bending could result if
extrusion were accomplished in a horizontal direction,
I which would result in unnatural-looking potato pieces.
The size of the wires that form the dividers 130
in rehydration chamber 110 is preferably about 0.020
inches in diameter, although wires within the range of
from about 0.020 inches to about 0.040 inches can also be
used i~ desired. However, if the divider wires are too
small in diameter, insufficient separation between adja-
cent potato pieces can lresult, which may cause thle cut
pieces to contact each other and perhaps stick to each
other, which, again, is an undesirable condition. If the
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divider wires are too large in diameter, on the other
~I hand, excessive buildup of potato dough residue can take
:1 place in the piston grooves and around the outer surfaces
of the wires which, although tolerable, is not preferred.
Further, dam 132 is maintained at an elevated temperature
of approximately 180F, to provide sufficient heat to dry
out any residual potato dough that may remain on rehydra-
tion chamber llo or on divider wires 130, in order to
improve sanitation by minimizing the likelihood of bac-
terial contamination due to the presence of moisture.
Although shown in Figure 1~ as being a series of
wires arranged ~ransversely to the direction of movement
of the conveyor, product transfer conveyor 208 can also be
formed from a smooth, solid material, because no drainage
apertures are required at this particular stage of the
process. Suitable materials could also include synthetic
rubber, or various base materials containing Teflon or
other non-stick coatings. Additiona~ly, it is also
preferred that the diameter of the respective belt drive
pulleys, or turning means, at the downstream end of the
product transfer conveyor be as small as possible, prefer-
ably about 0.25 inches or less, in order to provide an
abrupt edge and change,of direction to facilitate separa-
tion between the cut potato piece and conveyor 20~, and to
minimize the possibility that a potato piece will stick to
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3 ~ ,
the belt while the belt passes around and beneath the
1 respective guide rollers. Another alternative for facilitating
;~ separation is the positioning of a doctor blade tnot shown) at
¦ the discharge end of the product transfer conveyor.
1 Frying and DisPensinq Section
i~ ,
Referring now to Figures 21 and 22, product transfer
ï conveyor 208 is supported in a frame 218, which overlies one
~ end of a generally rectangular fryer vessel 220, within which
''l ~
hot frying oil is provided. Fryer vessel 220 includes a bottom
portion 222, which is of generally rectangular configuration in
both plan and elevation to define a frying oil container, and a
top portion 224 that is also of generally rectangular
configuration, and which overlies a part of bottom portion 222
to define a hood over approximately one-half of the surface of
the frying oil in bottom portion 22. Top portion 224 and
bottom 222 are connected by bolting together cooperating
flanges 226 that extend around the vertical sides of each of
j the respective top and bottom portions of the fryer vessel.
Top portion 224 extends over roller shaft 212 and is
open at the end adjacent to product transfer conveyor 208.
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"
1 -~ Additionally, top portion 224 is also open at the opposite end,
, ~ , , .
¦ and a discharge chute 232 is connected thereto by means of
bolts 234 to receive the fried product and to conduct it to a
dispensing station, as will hereinafter be described. Top
portion 224 also includes a fire extinguisher conduit 230,
:
which can be connected to a suitable fire extinguisher (not
shown), which, in turn, can be trigg~red by a sensor to
activate the fire extinguisher in the event of a fire in fryer
vessel 220.
Positioned within fryer vessel 220 are a pair of fryer
baskets 236, 238 that extend transversely of the bottom portion
222 and are defined by a series of interconnected, perforated
metal plates, or the like, that define an open top basket and
in which a plurality of openings 240 are provided (see Fig. 23)
to permit entry of hot frying oil into the interior of the
baskets, and to also permit drainage of the frying oil from the
baskets when the baskets are withdrawn from the frying oil thàt
is contained in bottom portion 222. The baskets are carried on
shafts 242, 244, respectively, that extend transversely through
top portion 22~ and are supported therein for pivotal
movement.
As best seen in Figure 23, each of shafts 242, 294 is
pivotally supported in a pair of bearings 246, 248,
respectively, each of which is carried in the vertical walls of
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top portion 224 on opposite sides thereof, and the shafts each
include a longitudinally extending flat portion 250, 252,
respectively, and three spaced, threaded holes 254 to receive
bolts (not shown). Each of the baskets 236, 238 includes a
laterally extending lip, 310, 312, respectively, which, as
shown, can be provided by an angle plate, the lip portions each
having a plurality of holes 314 that correspond in number and
spacing with the number and spacing of holes 254 in the flat
portions of the respective shafts. The baskets arè carried by
thè shafts by bolting the respective lips thereof to the flat
portions of the shafts by means of bolts (not shown) that pass
through the holes in the lip and threadedly engage with the
.
threaded holes in the flat portions of the shafts.
Referring once again to Figure 21, each of shafts 242,
244 extends outwardly beyond one vertical wall of top portion
224 and includes a driven sprocket 316, 318, respectively,
non-rotatably carried by the respective shafts. A pair of
motors 320, a'22 is provided, and can be carried on a mounting
plate '324 as shown in Figure 21. Motors 320, 322 each
drivingly support drive sprockets 326, 328, and respective
drive chains 330, 332 that pass around respective ones of drive
sprockets 326, 328 and driven sprockets 316, 318 to pivot the
shafts through predetermined angles at predetermined times in
the operating cycle. Pivotal movemQnt of thé shafts résults in
~;~ "' -
3~3~33
e respective baskets pivoting about the respective shaft axes
so that products contained in first basket 236, which is
I closest to the center of the fryer vessel 220, are deposited in
second basket 238, which is the basket closest to the end of
the fryer vessel adjacent discharge chute 232. Pivotal
,j ,
movement of shaft 244 of the second basket causes the basket to
I carry the product therein contained into discharge chute 232,
;1 which carries the product to a dispensing station that includes
cups for containing the product and which will be described in
more detail hereinafter.
Bottom portion 222 of the fryer vessel preferably
includes insulation 228 to cover the side, end, and bottom
walls thereof and thereby minimize the heat loss therefrom.
The source of hèat to heat the frying oil is provided by a
resistance heating element 330 positioned in bottom portion 222
of the fryer vessel, and extends through end wall 332 of the
bottom portion to a connector 334, for connection to a suitable
source of electrical power (not shown).~ The frying oil is
introduced into fryer vessel 220 through oil inlet 336 from a
frying oil reservoir (not shown).
Referring once again to Figure 22, the cut potato
pieces that are deposited on product transfer conveyor 208 are
carried in the directionlindicated by arrow A, and fall jfrom
the end of conveyor 208 into first basket 236. Sufficient
P~a73~ `
product to define a single serving is deposited into the
basket, to fall into the hot frying oil that has passed through
openings 240. After a frying time of approximately fifteen
seconds, which is sufficient to provide a irm, fried outer
surfa~e skin or shell on the product, motor 320 associated with
first basket 236 is activated to drive the chain and cause
shaft 242 to pivot counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 22,
through an angle of approximately 180, to deposit the
partially fried product into second basket 238 for final
frying. During the time motor 320 is activated, basket 326 is
caused to vibrate by superimposing a pulsed current on the
steady state current supplied to the motor, to cause the motor
to execute a series of jerking movements as it rotates, the
result being that basket 238, as well as the partially fried
product therein contained, is vibrated in order to keep the
pieces of partially fried product from sticking together.
After the partially fried product has been deposited
into second basket 238, continued frying occurs for a period of
approximately twenty seconds or so, during which time final
frying of the product to the desired color and texture takes
place. As final frying is taking place in second basket 238,
an additional serving of cut potato pieces is provided to the
first basket in order; to commence the frying operation on a
second portion to be dispensed. When the final frying time for
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~ he product in second basket 238 has elapsed, motor 322
.
associated with second basket 238 is activated to pivot shaft
244 and the connected basket 238 through an angle of
approximately 180 to carry the final fried product from the
frying oil and deposit it into discharge chute 232. As second
shaft 244 and second basket 238 are pivoted in the
counterclockwise direction as represented by arrow B from the
position shown in solid lines to the position shown in phantom,
as viewed in Figure 22, pulses of current are also supplied to
motor 322, as was the case in connection with the operation of
first motor 320, to shake basket 238 and the final product to
minimize sticking together of the various pieces of the
product, and simultaneously to shake excess frying oil from the
surfaces of the fried product. Thereupon, the operating cycle
can be repeated, depending upon the demand for the fried
product as evidenced by the number of servings that have been
ordered.
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¦ Cup Storaqe and Transfer Section
l . , .
As shown in Figure ~4, the inner surface of the .
housing door 14 includes~ a cuip!storage and dispensing sqction
¦ 34 that has a storage shelf 286 upon which a plurality of
stacks 288 of cups (only one stack is shown in Figure 24) can ;:
: ' ,, , ''
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:
be positioned. The dispensing section includes a pair of -
transversely arranged spaced helical feed coils 290, 292 that
are adapted to engage the respective cup stacks. Upon a -~
suitable siqnal generated by cup sensing switch 294, a motor
(not shown) drives the drive chain 296 and the connecting chain
298 to cause helical feed coils 290, 292 to feed cup stacks 288
in the direction toward a dispensing opening. Positioned
beneath the dispensing opening is a cup dispenser apparatus 300
and a pivotal cup platform 302. The structural details and the
method of operation of a suitable cup dispensing apparatus is
- shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 4,618,073, entitled
- "Cup Dispensing Apparatus" which issued on October 21, 1986
¦ to Bartfield et al.
The appàratus and method as hereinabove described and
as illustrated in the appended drawings can be utilized either ~;
in an institutional setting in which french fried potatoes are
one of the food items distributed, such as, for example,
industrial cafeterias, fast food restaurants, and the like, or,
alternatively, the machine can be utilized as a vending machine
to provide individual servings of french fried potatoes at
places where vending machines!are normally found such as, for ~;~
example, schools, industrial plants, offices, and the like.
When used as a vending machine the device will, of course,
require suitable coin equipment to control its operation, but
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1~ . such equipment is well known to those skilled in the art and is
. .
¦not further described herein.
¦In its operation, the apparatus and method hereinabove
described can provide a ready-to-eat serving in about a
minute. ~urther, the method and apparatus hereinabove
described have been found to provide a product that very
Iclosely resembles french fried raw potatoes in appearance,
texture, and a taste. ~ -
¦Although particular embodiments of the present
invention have been illustrated and described, it will be
apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of
the present invention, and it is intended to encompass in the
appended claims all such changes and modifications -that fall
within the scope of the present invention.
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