The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 07, 1986
Filed:
Jun. 11, 1984
D Murphy Carmichael, Milton-Freewater, OR (US);
Hans G Haimberger, Milton-Freewater, OR (US);
Key Technology, Inc., Milton-Freewater, OR (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is a food product blanching and processing apparatus and method. The apparatus includes a weigh hopper and infeed conveyor having a pivoting infeed chute which can be retracted to prevent contamination of blanched product with incoming raw product. The infeed chute supplies incoming food products to a pressure vessel which is rotatably mounted within an enclosure. The pressure vessel has a lid assembly which allows the food product to be fed thereinto, yet can be tightly closed for pressurization of the interior of the vessel during the blanching and processing operation. The pressure vessel assembly is rotated into a discharge position and the food product is dumped against a discharge chute 18 which is extendable and retractable so that residual product can drain downwardly outside of the outfeed conveyor. The outfeed conveyor includes a hopper and conveyor which moves the blanched and processed food product onto associated food processing equipment. The method includes purging air from the product and vessel and then steam pressurization blanching of the food product inside the pressure vessel for a first predetermined period. The steam supply is terminated and reduction of blanching pressure occurs during a second predetermined period due to heat transfer to the product and from the vessel. The vessel is rotated to assure uniform blanching. The pressure is gradually decompressed to prevent damage to the product.