CA1119637A - Process rack for retortable pouches - Google Patents
Process rack for retortable pouchesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1119637A CA1119637A CA000315011A CA315011A CA1119637A CA 1119637 A CA1119637 A CA 1119637A CA 000315011 A CA000315011 A CA 000315011A CA 315011 A CA315011 A CA 315011A CA 1119637 A CA1119637 A CA 1119637A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- frame
- chassis
- coupling
- floor
- trays
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62B—HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES
- B62B3/00—Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor
- B62B3/006—Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor for stacking objects like trays, bobbins, chains
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Handcart (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure An apparatus for carrying a number of retortable pouches for heating including several frames carrying a number of open-work trays one above the other such having separate compartments for individual containers. A mobile cast carry-ing the frame on rails is connectable with those in the heating apparatus so that the frames can be moved into the heating apparatus. Each tray is made up of a frame in which there is mounted a mesh floor adjustably mounting dividers providing with the frame pockets for individual containers. The frame and dividers are perforated so as to provide with the floor circulation of heating medium in all directions. One form of tray has a frame with a ledge for receiving the bottom of a tray above it so that the trays can be stacked.
Description
This invention relates to an apparatus in which a number of retort pouches may be conveniently held and moved into retort where they are subjected to treating temperature and removed.
One of the problems in handling retort pouches i5 that apparatus has not been available in which a large number of pouches may be readily placed so as to be freely accessible to air circulation through the apparatus and which is conve-niently mobile back and forth between a loading area within the retort. It is an aim of the present invention to provide such an apparatus.
An apparaius, according to the invention, is made up of a cart mounted on casters so that the entire apparatus can be moved around on the floor unloaded or loaded.
An apparatus, according to the invention, comprises a mobile cart, at least one separate supporting frame mavable relative to the cart through special supporting track means~
and a stack of separate horizontally held trays supported by each frame. The cart preferably includes a chassis made up of front and rear beams with elongated parallel beams extending between them each carrying a race of wheels, constituting with CQoperating parallel bèams on the bottom of each rack the supporting track means.
Each rack has an open structure including a rect-angular frame of uprights and crossbars for receiving a number of trays one above the other. In one construction the frame extending between respective uprights has vertically spaced-apart brackets for supporting the margins of the trays. In another construction each tray is provided with an upper peri-pheral molding forming a seat adapted to receive the bottom ofthe tray above it.
~k - -Each tray is made up of an open-work s~ructure having side beams provided with openings and a mesh floor providing for circulation of air in all directions. Dividers movably connected to the floor are provided with upwardly extending flanges which also have openings for air circulation of heating medium. Preferably the borders of the tray are made of a sub-stantially L-shaped member,having an inwardly extending flange provided with a groove adapted to receive the floor margin.
In putting the tray together, three side beams may first be connected and the fl~or slid into the grooves in the opposed side beams and the fourth side beam then put into place to engage the floor margin within its groove and finally connected to the ends of thP o~posed side beams.
For moving the frames from the cart into a retort, the longitudinally extending beams on the cart carrying the race of wheels are aligned and abutted to corresponding beams in the retort. The cart is provided with a catch mechanism for locking it in position with its frame-carrying beams aligned with the retort beams. This mechanism includes a catch mechanism at the forward end of the cart and means ex-tending to the other end of the cart for moving the catch mechanism between the neutral position and a position in which it engages blocXs on the beams in the retort.
Having thus described the nature of the invention, it will be referred to in more detail by reference to the accompany-ing drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments, and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a cart loaded with two carrying racks each carrying a stack of trays;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the assemhly shown in Figure l;
63~7 Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation showing the relationship between the cart and a frame carrying the trays;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the coupling mechanism for coupling the cart to a heating mechanism;
Figure 4a is a fragmentary plan view showing the coupling mechanis~ of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a single tray of a type carried in the stack of the pre-vious Figures;
Figure 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary cross-- section showing the corner of a stack of trays according to one preferred construction;
Figure 7 is a similar view to Figure 6 showing a stack of trays according to another construction and their relationship to the carrying frame;
Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a corner of a preferred tray construction.
Referring more particularly to the drawings, the cart is shown supporting a pair of racks B and Bl each made up of a frame C carrying a plurality of trays D.
The Cart The cart A is made up of spaced-apart beams 15 and 17.
Carried by the beams lS and 17 and extending between them are a pair of beams R in the form of a base plate 27 bolted to the beams 15 and 17 ancl upwardly extending spaced-apart flanges 29. ~ `
The flanges 29 form between them a groove within which operate a race of wheels 23.~'lournalled in the flanges and adapted to receive grooved rai.ls on the bottom of each frame C. Casters 25 are mounted on the bottom of the be~ms lS and 17. :
3'7 The frame has an inverted U-shaped handlebar 65 which is fixedly mounted on and extends upwards from the beam 17. A
diagonally extending support 70 extends at each side from the front beam 15 to the handlebar 65.
The mechanism for coupling the cart to continuing channels leading into a heating chamber is as follows.
An L-shaped arm 31 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 32 on each beam R. One end of the arm 31 is connected pivotally as at 32 to a cross ~od 34 extend~ng between the arms 31. A
catch member 33 is adjustably mwunted on the end of each arm 31.
Intermediate its ends, the rod 34 carries a connecting block 35 which is rotatable on it. An actuating rod 37 extends ~rom the connecting block 35 to the other end of the cart where it is slidably supported in a slot in a bracket 39 mounted on the beam 17. The end of the rod 37 carries a ball handle 41.
A collar 43 is mounted on the rod, spaced from the handle 41.
A spring 45 intervenes the collar 43 and the bracket 39 so that the rod is normally spring-held in catch-open position as shown in dotted lines on Figure 4.
Tray-Carrying Frame Each frame C is of cubic outline and has uprights 51 connected at the corners to cross beams 520 Extending between the end beams 15 and 17 are rails 24 to receive the wheels 23.
A plurality of vertically spaced-apart angle supports for the trays 54 extend between each pair of uprights 51 to which they are spot-welde~d.
Tray Construction Each tray D has a frame of elongated L-shaped beams 55, each provided with a channel 57 to receive the margin of an open mesh floor plate 59. On top of the floor plate 59 ar~ a plurality o~ elongated angle-iron spacers 61 connected to the plate 59 by bolts 63 and e~tending from one side to the o-ther of the tray.
setween each pair of spacers 61, or between a side beam 55 and the adjacent spacer, as the case may be, are short transverse angle-iron spacers 69, held to the floor 59 by bolts 71. The floor 59 is thus divided into rectangular compartments.
m e spacers may readily be fastened in place or removed and re-positioned to provide compartments of di~ferent sizes.
The ~loor 59 is of metal mesh provided with open ventilating spaces 60. The side beams 55, spacers 61 and spacers 69 are also provided with ventilating openings 62.
These ventilating openings allow the free circulation of air, in all directions, through the individual trays and through the entire stack.
An alternative form of side beam 155 is shown in Figure 6. 1ike the side beam 55 it is provided with a channel 157 to receive the margin of the o~en mesh floor 159. Unlike the beam 55 it has a stacking construction at its top edge made up of an outwardly extending ledge 158 having an upwardly ex-tending lip 160. This construction permits the trays D to be nested one on top of the other to form a self-supporting stack.
The trays are also convenient to manufacture. A side beam 55 may be connected to two other side beams at their respec-tive ends. Then, the floor 59 may be slid into place, the open end between the opposed side beams with its margin in the groove 57 until its inner margin locates within the groove 57 of the ~irst mentioned side beam. Then, the remaining side beams 55 may ba put into place and connected to the opposed side beams at the corners and receiving the mesh in its groove 57.
The materials from which the tray is made will be , xeadily apparent to anyone skilled in this art. For example, the floor of the trays are preferably of metal mesh, for instance, aluminum or stainless steel, or may be of other materials depending on the particular application. The side frames are preferably of metal, for instance, aluminum or stainless steel but, again, may be made of other materials depending on the particular conditions to which they are sub-jected. The selection of a particu;Lar material does not form a part of the invention.
Operation In operation, retort pouches are individually placed in the compartments in trays D. Trays D are loaded into the racks B, which are placed on the cart A. The cart A is then moved into position so that the beams R are lined up with and abut corresponding beams Rl leading to a retort. The handle is in the in position so that the catches 33 are raised, as shown in Figure 4, allowing them to pass over the blocks 70 on the beams Rl of the retort. When the ends of the beams R
and Rl are abutted the handle 41 is released to allow the spring 45 to ve the catch 33 to the downward position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 so that it engages the block 70 and holds the cart in position with its race of wheels lined up with the race of wheels in the retort. Then the racks B and B
may be rolled from the cart into the retort.
In the retort, the charge on the racks may be heated by super-heated wat:er. Cooling may also be done by immersing the rack in water. In either case, rack and contents will be immersed so that the pouches tend to float out of the rack.
For these reasons, it is important,that the containers be entrapped within the individual compartments. This is provided for in the construction of Figure 6 where the floor 159 of one tray provides a cover on the tray below it and with the dividers 60 and 61 forms individual compartments. In the case of a steam-air cook there may also be a certain tendency for the containers to float.
When the pouches have been processed, the racks B and Bl may be rolled back out of the retort onto the cart and the processed pouches unloaded.
One of the problems in handling retort pouches i5 that apparatus has not been available in which a large number of pouches may be readily placed so as to be freely accessible to air circulation through the apparatus and which is conve-niently mobile back and forth between a loading area within the retort. It is an aim of the present invention to provide such an apparatus.
An apparaius, according to the invention, is made up of a cart mounted on casters so that the entire apparatus can be moved around on the floor unloaded or loaded.
An apparatus, according to the invention, comprises a mobile cart, at least one separate supporting frame mavable relative to the cart through special supporting track means~
and a stack of separate horizontally held trays supported by each frame. The cart preferably includes a chassis made up of front and rear beams with elongated parallel beams extending between them each carrying a race of wheels, constituting with CQoperating parallel bèams on the bottom of each rack the supporting track means.
Each rack has an open structure including a rect-angular frame of uprights and crossbars for receiving a number of trays one above the other. In one construction the frame extending between respective uprights has vertically spaced-apart brackets for supporting the margins of the trays. In another construction each tray is provided with an upper peri-pheral molding forming a seat adapted to receive the bottom ofthe tray above it.
~k - -Each tray is made up of an open-work s~ructure having side beams provided with openings and a mesh floor providing for circulation of air in all directions. Dividers movably connected to the floor are provided with upwardly extending flanges which also have openings for air circulation of heating medium. Preferably the borders of the tray are made of a sub-stantially L-shaped member,having an inwardly extending flange provided with a groove adapted to receive the floor margin.
In putting the tray together, three side beams may first be connected and the fl~or slid into the grooves in the opposed side beams and the fourth side beam then put into place to engage the floor margin within its groove and finally connected to the ends of thP o~posed side beams.
For moving the frames from the cart into a retort, the longitudinally extending beams on the cart carrying the race of wheels are aligned and abutted to corresponding beams in the retort. The cart is provided with a catch mechanism for locking it in position with its frame-carrying beams aligned with the retort beams. This mechanism includes a catch mechanism at the forward end of the cart and means ex-tending to the other end of the cart for moving the catch mechanism between the neutral position and a position in which it engages blocXs on the beams in the retort.
Having thus described the nature of the invention, it will be referred to in more detail by reference to the accompany-ing drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments, and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a cart loaded with two carrying racks each carrying a stack of trays;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the assemhly shown in Figure l;
63~7 Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation showing the relationship between the cart and a frame carrying the trays;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the coupling mechanism for coupling the cart to a heating mechanism;
Figure 4a is a fragmentary plan view showing the coupling mechanis~ of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a single tray of a type carried in the stack of the pre-vious Figures;
Figure 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary cross-- section showing the corner of a stack of trays according to one preferred construction;
Figure 7 is a similar view to Figure 6 showing a stack of trays according to another construction and their relationship to the carrying frame;
Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a corner of a preferred tray construction.
Referring more particularly to the drawings, the cart is shown supporting a pair of racks B and Bl each made up of a frame C carrying a plurality of trays D.
The Cart The cart A is made up of spaced-apart beams 15 and 17.
Carried by the beams lS and 17 and extending between them are a pair of beams R in the form of a base plate 27 bolted to the beams 15 and 17 ancl upwardly extending spaced-apart flanges 29. ~ `
The flanges 29 form between them a groove within which operate a race of wheels 23.~'lournalled in the flanges and adapted to receive grooved rai.ls on the bottom of each frame C. Casters 25 are mounted on the bottom of the be~ms lS and 17. :
3'7 The frame has an inverted U-shaped handlebar 65 which is fixedly mounted on and extends upwards from the beam 17. A
diagonally extending support 70 extends at each side from the front beam 15 to the handlebar 65.
The mechanism for coupling the cart to continuing channels leading into a heating chamber is as follows.
An L-shaped arm 31 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 32 on each beam R. One end of the arm 31 is connected pivotally as at 32 to a cross ~od 34 extend~ng between the arms 31. A
catch member 33 is adjustably mwunted on the end of each arm 31.
Intermediate its ends, the rod 34 carries a connecting block 35 which is rotatable on it. An actuating rod 37 extends ~rom the connecting block 35 to the other end of the cart where it is slidably supported in a slot in a bracket 39 mounted on the beam 17. The end of the rod 37 carries a ball handle 41.
A collar 43 is mounted on the rod, spaced from the handle 41.
A spring 45 intervenes the collar 43 and the bracket 39 so that the rod is normally spring-held in catch-open position as shown in dotted lines on Figure 4.
Tray-Carrying Frame Each frame C is of cubic outline and has uprights 51 connected at the corners to cross beams 520 Extending between the end beams 15 and 17 are rails 24 to receive the wheels 23.
A plurality of vertically spaced-apart angle supports for the trays 54 extend between each pair of uprights 51 to which they are spot-welde~d.
Tray Construction Each tray D has a frame of elongated L-shaped beams 55, each provided with a channel 57 to receive the margin of an open mesh floor plate 59. On top of the floor plate 59 ar~ a plurality o~ elongated angle-iron spacers 61 connected to the plate 59 by bolts 63 and e~tending from one side to the o-ther of the tray.
setween each pair of spacers 61, or between a side beam 55 and the adjacent spacer, as the case may be, are short transverse angle-iron spacers 69, held to the floor 59 by bolts 71. The floor 59 is thus divided into rectangular compartments.
m e spacers may readily be fastened in place or removed and re-positioned to provide compartments of di~ferent sizes.
The ~loor 59 is of metal mesh provided with open ventilating spaces 60. The side beams 55, spacers 61 and spacers 69 are also provided with ventilating openings 62.
These ventilating openings allow the free circulation of air, in all directions, through the individual trays and through the entire stack.
An alternative form of side beam 155 is shown in Figure 6. 1ike the side beam 55 it is provided with a channel 157 to receive the margin of the o~en mesh floor 159. Unlike the beam 55 it has a stacking construction at its top edge made up of an outwardly extending ledge 158 having an upwardly ex-tending lip 160. This construction permits the trays D to be nested one on top of the other to form a self-supporting stack.
The trays are also convenient to manufacture. A side beam 55 may be connected to two other side beams at their respec-tive ends. Then, the floor 59 may be slid into place, the open end between the opposed side beams with its margin in the groove 57 until its inner margin locates within the groove 57 of the ~irst mentioned side beam. Then, the remaining side beams 55 may ba put into place and connected to the opposed side beams at the corners and receiving the mesh in its groove 57.
The materials from which the tray is made will be , xeadily apparent to anyone skilled in this art. For example, the floor of the trays are preferably of metal mesh, for instance, aluminum or stainless steel, or may be of other materials depending on the particular application. The side frames are preferably of metal, for instance, aluminum or stainless steel but, again, may be made of other materials depending on the particular conditions to which they are sub-jected. The selection of a particu;Lar material does not form a part of the invention.
Operation In operation, retort pouches are individually placed in the compartments in trays D. Trays D are loaded into the racks B, which are placed on the cart A. The cart A is then moved into position so that the beams R are lined up with and abut corresponding beams Rl leading to a retort. The handle is in the in position so that the catches 33 are raised, as shown in Figure 4, allowing them to pass over the blocks 70 on the beams Rl of the retort. When the ends of the beams R
and Rl are abutted the handle 41 is released to allow the spring 45 to ve the catch 33 to the downward position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 so that it engages the block 70 and holds the cart in position with its race of wheels lined up with the race of wheels in the retort. Then the racks B and B
may be rolled from the cart into the retort.
In the retort, the charge on the racks may be heated by super-heated wat:er. Cooling may also be done by immersing the rack in water. In either case, rack and contents will be immersed so that the pouches tend to float out of the rack.
For these reasons, it is important,that the containers be entrapped within the individual compartments. This is provided for in the construction of Figure 6 where the floor 159 of one tray provides a cover on the tray below it and with the dividers 60 and 61 forms individual compartments. In the case of a steam-air cook there may also be a certain tendency for the containers to float.
When the pouches have been processed, the racks B and Bl may be rolled back out of the retort onto the cart and the processed pouches unloaded.
Claims (4)
1. An apparatus for carrying a number of retortable pouches for heating, comprising, a cart having a wheeled chassis, at least one open rectangular frame supported by co-operating track means mounted on the chassis and frame respec-tively for movement on and to and from said chassis, a plurality of rectangular trays removably stacked and horizontally supported by said frame and each having a rectangular frame and a floor mounted therein and vertical dividers removably mounted on said floor to provide horizontal pockets for individual pouches, the frame, floor and dividers being provided with ventilating openings covering a major area thereof thereby to allow circulation of heating medium through said frame and trays to reach the pouches in all directions.
2. An apparatus, as defined in claim 1, in which the chassis has a coupling end and a remote end and the track means includes a race of wheels extending between said ends, said track means also including spaced-apart rails extending between opposed crossbars of the frame and riding on the race of wheels of the chassis.
3. An apparatus, as defined in claim 2, in which there is means on the coupling end of the chassis for coupling and uncoupling it to means carrying a complementary race of wheels on the retort, means on the chassis extending from the coupling end to the remote end operatively connected to the coupling means for manipulating it from the remote end.
4. An apparatus, as defined in claim 3, in which the chassis includes a cross beam at the coupling end and a cross beam at the remote end, the coupling means including a mounting bracket on the cross beam at the remote end and a catch member pivotally connected to the mounting bracket having a jaw for engagement with a catch member on the retort.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000315011A CA1119637A (en) | 1978-10-31 | 1978-10-31 | Process rack for retortable pouches |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000315011A CA1119637A (en) | 1978-10-31 | 1978-10-31 | Process rack for retortable pouches |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1119637A true CA1119637A (en) | 1982-03-09 |
Family
ID=4112780
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000315011A Expired CA1119637A (en) | 1978-10-31 | 1978-10-31 | Process rack for retortable pouches |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1119637A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1989004624A1 (en) * | 1987-11-26 | 1989-06-01 | Mejeriselskabet Danmark A.M.B.A. | A packaging system for packaging, handling, transport and sale of products, in particular food products |
| CN104058152A (en) * | 2014-06-24 | 2014-09-24 | 无锡市崇安区科技创业服务中心 | Stacked material basket |
-
1978
- 1978-10-31 CA CA000315011A patent/CA1119637A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1989004624A1 (en) * | 1987-11-26 | 1989-06-01 | Mejeriselskabet Danmark A.M.B.A. | A packaging system for packaging, handling, transport and sale of products, in particular food products |
| CN104058152A (en) * | 2014-06-24 | 2014-09-24 | 无锡市崇安区科技创业服务中心 | Stacked material basket |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |