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:
Apr. 13, 1993
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1991
Ronald D Hurd, Minnetonka, MN (US);
James R Wetzel, Arden Hills, MN (US);
General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for evenly distributing coated cereal pieces across the width of a conveyer is disclosed including a steep angled, V-shaped plow (24) supported in varying angular positions by saddles (38) above the conveyer. Specifically, three saddles (38) slideably support a semicircular shaped carrier (12) secured to and between the first and second legs (26, 28) of the plow (24). A connector arm (66) is connected to a leg (28) of the plow (24) for moving the carrier (12) and the plow (24) secured thereto along an arc having a center downstream of the interconnection of the legs (26, 28) of the plow (24) and in the preferred form at the center of the semicircular shape of the carrier (12). The saddles (38) are vertically, adjustably secured to a support arm (46) which in turn can be raised or lowered relative to the conveyer. The plow (24) is positioned to engage the product pile on the conveyer and due to the steep angle of the legs (26, 28) of the plow (24) and the Teflon.RTM. nature thereof, the coated cereal pieces spread quickly and evenly across the width of the conveyer. The angular position of the plow (24) is varied to conform to the variations in the product pile on the conveyer.