摘要:
An assembly (10) is disclosed including a rotor (38) extending into a rotor bore (24) and into a dough chamber (26) of a die housing (16), with the rotor (38) rotating at relatively high speeds in the order of 4,000 RPM. A bushing (62) is provided in the rotor bore (24) to provide a seal with the rotor (38). The bushing (62) has a small clearance with the rotor (38) sufficient to reduce frictional forces to minimize wear while effectively preventing passage of the extrudable dough under pressure in the order of 2,800 psi (200 kg per square centimeter) through the rotor bore (24) and around the rotor (38). The dough which does pass through the small clearance is allowed to fall away from the rotor (38) outside of the rotor bore (24). In the preferred form, the die housing (16) includes a cooling passage for circulation of cooling fluid to cool the die housing (16) adjacent the rotor bore (24) to prevent the dough passing through the small clearance of the bushing (62) from getting too hot and smoking and/or burning.
摘要:
A cutting mechanism (40) in a preferred form of an ultrasonically vibrating titanium knife (42) is moved in a cutting path parallel to but without physical contact with the die face (18) of an extrusion die (16) with its faces (46, 48) at a minor acute angle relative to the die face (18). The die face (18) is at an acute angle to the conveyance direction of a conveyance mechanism (12) defining a preferred form of a takeaway device. The cutting mechanism (40) is moved in a return path from the completion of the cutting path in the extrudate direction away from the die face (18), away from the conveyance mechanism (12), and then towards the die face (18) to the initiation of the cutting path. The cutting mechanism (40) is spaced from and does not physically contact the conveyance mechanism (12) at all times in the cutting path so that the individual piece is cut from the extrudate in mid-air.
摘要:
A mass-produced flake comprised of an aerated confectionary foam. The marbit flake is mass-produced from a rope of confectionary foam and subjected to processing steps resulting in the marbit flake having a thickness of less than 0.125 inch and/or a length: thickness aspect ratio in the range of 32:5-48:5.
摘要:
A mechanism (10) includes a slide plate (32) having die openings (38) adapted to hold dies (42a, 42b) and slideable relative to a cooker/extruder (12). Rotary cutters (74) are rotatably mounted relative to and moveable with the dies (42a, 42b). In one preferred form, a motor (76) can be connected and disconnected to the rotary cutter (74) aligned with the cooker/extruder (12) by a male coupling (96) including an elastomeric band (106) tensioned in a groove (102) formed in an outer peripheral surface (100) and received within the inside surface (116) of a cylindrical body (114) of a female coupling (108). Thus, it is not necessary to shut down the cooker/extruder (12) to service or change the dies (42a, 42b) and/or the rotary cutters (74). An annular wear plate (134) is sandwiched between the slide plate (32) and a frame element (18) having a central aperture (126) into which the barrel (14) of the cooker/extruder (12) is slideably received. A center plate (130) extends through the wear plate (134) and is received within the central aperture (126) and is fastened to the barrel (14). Mixer elements (59) are retained in the subpassageways (124) of the barrel (14) by the center plate (130) and can be removed through one of the die openings (38) when the die (42a, 42b) is removed therefrom and without removal of the barrel (14) from the frame element (18).
摘要:
Disclosed are apparatus (10) for making a complexly patterned extrudate. The apparatus (10) includes a food cooker extruder (12) for providing at least one extrudable food product, at least one food color supply (18), a pattern forming die (20) for mixing the food color and extrudate food product to form a complexly patterned food product, a reducing passageway for reducing the cross sectional area of the patterned dough from an inlet end (34) to outlet end (36) of at least 50:1 at an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. and an extruder exit port at the discharge end of the reducing passageway. The methods comprise the steps of: providing a plastic extrudable food mass; providing at least one color; mixing the food mass and color to form an organized complexly patterned food dough having an initial cross sectional area; reducing the initial cross sectional area by a factor of at least 50:1 with an average convergence angle of .ltoreq.45.degree. while maintaining the cross sectional pattern to form a reduced cross sectional patterned dough, and extruding the reduced cross sectional dough through a die port having an opening of equal to the reduced cross sectional area to form a complexly patterned extrudate.
摘要:
The present invention discloses a nut to be used in a spinal screw and plate assembly to affix the screw and plate assembly to the spinal bone. The nut has a polymer insert that when contacted with a screw allows a bone plate and screw structure to relax over time.
摘要:
A food item is disclosed produced in the preferred form by an apparatus (10) including first and second forming rollers (18, 21) which rotatably abut with an anvil roller (20). The forming rollers (18, 21) each include a periphery forming a continuous forming surface including a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced grooves (24) each formed as a continuous depression arranged in a serpentine and non-intersecting manner. Food (14) is simultaneously fed by a saddle (36, 36') between a continuous strip of support material (16) and a continuous ribbon of film material (66) as they pass between a first abutment nip of the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20). In a preferred form, the saddle (36') is in the form of a block having first and second lower surfaces (118, 120) corresponding to the shape and located adjacent the first forming roller (18) and the anvil roller (20) in their mating side (32). A trough (24) is formed in the second lower surface (120) which is supplied by food under pressure flowing through conduits (140, 142, 144, 146, 150, 152). Radially disposed barriers (132) divide the trough (24) into axial portions. Radially disposed dividing walls (136) having lower tapering surfaces (138) and an axially disposed dividing wall (148) having a radially spaced lower end divide the trough (24) into volumes for receiving different foods (14a, 14b) to produce food items including integral food zones where the different foods (14a, 14b) are not intermixed.
摘要:
An apparatus for pneumatically conveying a plurality of continuous ropes (20) of cooked cereal dough (20), e.g., from the diehead (24) of a cereal ingredients cooker extruder (22) to a cereal piece forming apparatus. The apparatus (10) includes a plurality of conveyance tubes (12, 14, 16, 18) each comprising a telescoping, flared inlet member (30) for adjustably connecting to the diehead (24) to facilitate start-up; a means for supplying conditioned air to cool and/or dry the rope during conveyance (36); a venturi eductor (40) to provide pneumatic conveyance; and an elongated conveyance tube (48). In preferred embodiments, the apparatus further includes a motive air supply system for multiple adjustable venturis but employing a single air compressor.