DE2552573A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING CHIP-LIKE FOOD PRODUCTS - Google Patents

Description

^ J-oackim j ~ -e.ckn.at
PATENT ADVOCATE

Bröl, Hauptstraße 46 Telephone 0 2242/5478

PepsiCo, Inc.
Purchase, New York, USA

Method and apparatus for making chip-type food products

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing chip-like food products. Iu In another aspect, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for making chip-type food products certain size and shape. In a further aspect the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the continuous production of chip-like food

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ORIGINAL INSPEC

medium products "of a certain size and shape by one exposing uninterrupted strips of edible dough material to frying conditions, thereby passing through a continuous Holds conveyor system in a desired shape.

In recent years, the food processing industry has been advancing in the field of ready-made snack foods experience tremendous growth. Among all ready-made snack foods are chip type food products most popular »In the present application, the means The term "chip-like food product" means a thin cooked food product having a relatively large surface area and a thickness of less than about 2.54 mm. Chip-like Potato-based products are being manufactured in large quantities to meet the growing demand for finished chip food products to satisfy. Other chip-like foods such as grain-based chips and the like. are also produced in larger quantities each year.

The common method for making finished chip-like snack products is by cutting into thin Fry sliced potato sections or thin sections of an edible dough in a suitable frying oil « Such edible doughs can be made from processed corn, mixtures of corn and various flours, cooked fresh

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Potatoes, reclaimed dehydrated potato products and the like. * These doughs are common Shaped into relatively thin sheets and then cut into the desired standard sizes. The individual dough pieces or thin potato slices are then placed in a container with hot frying oil. After the thin Potato slices or the edible dough has been cooked for a certain period of time, the individual items are fully cooked chip-like products taken from the frying oil. Such "procedures can either be batch processes in which the thin potato slices or the edible batter are in suitable Baskets are cooked, or the roasting process can be done continuously, with the potato or dough sections in insert the container with the hot frying oil at one end and the cooked product at the other end of the Container is removed.

All chip-like products manufactured by the known methods have uneven, arbitrary surface curvatures. As a result, the cooked chip-like products produced by the known methods have to be very be packed loosely in packs with extremely low bulk densities. In addition, it is with the conventional processing techniques the even cooking of the materials into finished chip products with a uniform moisture content

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hold and uniform structure and color very difficult.

Recently, attempts have been made, methods and various devices for manufacturing chip-type To develop products of uniform structure, shape, size and color. These methods and devices have either remained unsuccessful or have proven extremely costly because of the complex equipment used in the process proven. For example, US Pat. No. 3,576 relates to a very complicated process for the production of chip-likex Products made from drained potatoes, with individual shapes used to cook individual chips. While studying this It becomes apparent from the patent specification that the device is extremely complex, its manufacture and its operation would be very costly and require extensive maintenance all the time. Also, the formation of individual chips and theirs single cooking is a slow process that is economical then is not attractive if a large volume must be produced.

The present invention is based on the object of providing an improved continuous process for producing · to create the position of chip-like products. Furthermore, an improved method and a device for generating chip-like products of uniform size and shape

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will create. Finally, the invention aims to provide a continuous process and apparatus for producing chip-like products of uniform structure, size, shape and color by subjecting uninterrupted, interconnected strips of edible dough material to a cooking process while holding the dough strips in a desired shape. Other features and advantages of the invention _s tasks will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description.

The present invention is to an improved method and apparatus for producing chip-like products of predetermined size and shape directed "The method comprises preparing an edible dough material, which is first formed into a continuous strip of Hungarian dough of a certain width and shape. then becomes the continuous strip of Hungarian dough material placed on a conveyor system that holds the hungry dough in the desired shape and the dough through a container with transported with hot frying oil. The continuous strip is cooked in the specified shape, with one continuous Strips of cooked product is produced. After cooking, the uninterrupted strip of cooked product becomes separated into individual chips of a predetermined size. the Device for carrying out the aforementioned method

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includes means for shaping an edible dough into a thin flatbread, means for cutting the dough into continuous ones Strips of Hungarian dough of a certain width and uninterrupted conveyors for picking up and holding the continuous strip of Hungarian edible dough material and for transporting the dough material through a receptacle with hot frying oil, so that an uninterrupted strip of cooked product is created.

The method and apparatus of the invention can best be described with reference to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the plant according to the invention, showing the relative arrangement of the different parts of the plant and the sequence of process stages in the manufacture of chip-like products Size and shape shows »

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a portion of a continuous strip of edible dough after it cut and prepared for the roasting process according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is an end perspective view of one

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Part of the "in a" preferred embodiment of the invention used link conveyor belt, which has a more precise perspective View of the individual belt links shows from which the endless running belt is made, the interrupted Dough strips (shown by an indicated outline) picks up and holds during the roasting process.

Figure 4- is a partial perspective view of one of the preferred arrangements of the endless conveyor belt absorbs the uninterrupted strip of dough during frying and holds.

Figure 5 is a partial section along line 5-5 of Figure 1, the two parts of the endless revolving belt shows in positive connection with the uninterrupted strip of dough between the conveyor belt link parts is held with the concave and convex surfaces.

FIG. 6 shows a partial view from above of part of the lower endless conveyor _{belt of FIG. 4 t} , the belt running over a toothed wheel.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the uninterrupted strip of cooked product "

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Figure 8 is a perspective view of a single chip after it has been removed from the continuous strip of the cooked product shown in Figure 7 was separated.

The overall method can most easily be illustrated using FIG. 1. In Figure 1, the dough components 10 are prepared by mixing and blending in a suitable blending and mixing plant, not shown, and conveyed by the conveyor belt 11 to the extruder 12 13 »which is conveyed by the conveyor belt 1A- to a dough conditioning device 15, in which the thin pancake of the dough material is brought to a desired moisture content. Typically, the drying chamber 15 is a series of uninterrupted conveyor belts which transport the dough sheet in multiple passes through the chamber. This multiple passage of the dough through the chamber increases the dwell time of the dough in the chamber _t so that the dough is evenly dried with the formation of a dough sheet with the desired moisture content.

After exiting the drying chamber 15, the dough cake 13 is conveyed by the conveyor 16 to a

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Appropriate cutting device 17 promoted, in which the dough is cut into contiguous, uninterrupted strips of dough material 18 of a certain width. Waste from the dough from the cutting device 17 can be collected in the hopper 17a and sent to the mixing and blending device are returned, in which the dough ingredients 10 are prepared for the formation of the flatbread.

After the cutting operation, the one uninterrupted strip of dough material 18 becomes continuous transported by a conveyor device 19 to a roaster 20. The roaster 20 is a large container with frying oil 21 and is heated to the desired level by means of a suitable heater 22 Cooking temperature heated.

An endless conveyor system is arranged within the roaster 20, which consists of a lower uninterrupted conveyor belt 23 and an upper continuous conveyor belt 24. As will be described in more detail below, take hold the upper conveyor belt 24 and the lower conveyor belt. 23 into each other, pick up the strips of dough material 18 and transport them through the container with the hot frying oil 21. The surface of the hot frying oil 21 is preferably located above a substantial part of the positively

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mating surfaces of the conveyor belts 23 and 24 · so that the continuous partial material strips 18 are fried while they are through the container with the hot frying oil 21 can be transported.

The conveyor belts 23 and 24 are drivingly with the gears 25 engaged. The gears 25 can a suitable drive device (not shown) must be connected so that they can be operated with a substantially constant Rotate speed »Suitable non-driven wheels or cleats can be used to control the conveyor belts 23 and 24 at their To support passage through the container with the hot frying oil 21.

At the exit end of the endless conveyor belt, a fan 26 is arranged, which sends a stream of air to the cooked, uninterrupted strip 27 and blows off excess frying oil when the cooked strip 2? from the Reservoir of the hot frying oil 21 emerges. After the removal of the excess frying oil by the fan 26 can through the spice distributor 28 spices such as salt, flavorings and the like., sprinkled on the cooked strips 27 will. Since the spices are sprinkled on the hot surface of the cooked strip 27, they adhere to the

Surface and cause the desired seasoning.

After the seasoning has been applied, the uninterrupted cooked strips 27 transported by a conveyor system 29 to a separating device 30. The purpose of Separation device 30 consists in the uninterrupted cooked Separate strips 27 into individual chips of a certain size. After separating the cooked strip 27 into individual Chips get the chips 31 on a conveyor 32. You are then conveyed to a suitable storage container or suitable packaging device, where they are placed in suitable Containers to be packed for distribution. Usually the conveyor system 29 is long enough to allow the continuous cooked strip 27 to cool before going to the separator 30 arrives.

The method and apparatus of the invention are particularly useful for making chip type food products suitable from vegetable starch materials. Thus the method and the device are suitable for manufacture chip-like food products made from raw materials such as potatoes, corn, wheat flour, rice flour, oat flour, barley flour, mixtures thereof and the like. In the art, there are numerous different preparations using at least one the aforementioned vegetable starch materials are known. Ge

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Generally, the method and apparatus of the invention can be used to prepare any of the known preparations to process into chip-like products of a certain size and shape. As, however, from the explanations below is apparent, care must be taken when preparing the dough material that the unwanted swelling and expansion of the dough material is kept to a minimum during cooking remain.

When preparing the dough used in the method and device according to the invention, the Dough ingredients preferably have a water content in the range from about 25 to about 60% by weight, in particular about 4-5 up to 55% by weight, so that they can be made into a thin layer or * can deform a flatbread, which is then cut into continuous strips and cooked. It may therefore be necessary be to add or remove water from the dough ingredients in order to prevent the Hungarian dough from forming to increase or »decrease the moisture content to the desired value.

The present invention is particularly suitable for the manufacture of potato based products. the The invention is also particularly suitable for manufacture

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of corn-based products in which corn is used alone or in a mixture with potato solids to make dough will.

It has been found that chip-like potato-based products of exceptional quality are produced can if a dough is formed at least partially from potato solids. In the present description the term "potato solid" means cooked fresh potatoes as well as drained potatoes including potato flakes, Potato grains and the like. The term "potato solids" also includes mixtures of the aforementioned ingredients. When a potato-based product is desired in general, the addition of large quantities of potato flour should be used should be avoided because of its high content of free starch, as explained in detail below. the Drained cooked potatoes can, if desired, be mixed with cooked fresh potatoes in all proportions will. It has been found that it is necessary to use cooked potatoes in order for the starch to "gel" can, so that the dough pancake gets firmness and the expansion of the dough during cooking according to the method according to the invention can be kept under control.

It is known that potatoes have different

have a composition depending on the type of potato, the growing conditions, the harvest time, the storage period the potato, etc. A significant variable found in the composition of potatoes is the amount of the reducing sugar present in the potatoes *

It is known that the content of reducing sugar in potatoes affects the color properties and the taste of the cooked product. Fm uniform coloring and To achieve taste properties of the cooked product according to the invention, it is advantageous to use dough materials to use a relatively constant, low content of reducing sugar, as described in US Pat. No. 3,835,222 » In order, therefore, to cook evenly in large-scale operations tes potato product, it is desirable to accurately control the amount of reducing sugar in the potato dough steer. The amount of reducing sugar can expediently be adjusted by a fermentation process in which yeast, e.g. Brewer's yeast, the potato-based dough or the dough ingredients what is added for.a desired. Duration of fermentation follows. The use of the fermentation treatment may in some cases be useful in order to prevent the Reducing sugar content of the dough material before cooking to adjust.

In addition to the potato solids as dough

■ Ingredients may contain other starch materials than Dough ingredients are used. Examples of such other starch materials are rice flour, potato flour, potato starch, Tapioca flour, wheat flour and the like. When these starchy materials are used in conjunction with the potato solids mentioned, they are used in the usual manner with the potato solids slightly mixed. Preferably these other starchy materials are combined with the potato solids in one Dry mixer blended; then water is added in order to increase the moisture content of the resulting dough components to a range from about 25 to about 60% by weight. Preferably For example, the moisture content of the dough components is on the order of about 45 to about 55 percent by weight. If the potato solids other starchy materials are added as dough components, these are preferably added in such amounts that they make up less than 4-0% by weight of the total weight of the dough solids. When the fermentation is carried out, can this in the mixture of potato solids brought to the specified moisture and the other possibly present starchy materials.

A particularly useful starchy material that can be mixed with the potato batter components is pregelatinized Tapioca starch. Pre-gelatinized tapioca can also serve to increase cohesiveness (i.e. cohesion) and to improve the strength of the continuous sheet of dough and the continuous strip of Hungarian dough material, such as

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will be described below. The pregelatinized tapioca starch also has an advantageous effect on the structural properties of the cooked end product.

Fermentation can expediently take place by adding about 0.1 to about 1% by weight of yeast based on the total solids content (Leu dough components and keeping them under fermentation conditions before shaping them into an uninterrupted flatbread) · a convenient method of yeast addition to the dough or ö.en dough ingredients is to form ^ a slurry of yeast in water and then mixing the slurry with the dough or dough. the yeast can with the potato solids alone or with the If the potato solids (preferably in particulate form) are subjected to fermentation, fermentation is preferably carried out with a dough or with dough ingredients which have a water content in the range from about 50 to about 60% by weight, based on the total wet weight of the dough or the dough components, after the yeast has combined with the dough or the dough constituents ilen the mixture is maintained at a temperature in the range of about 24 to about 38 ⁰ C for a time sufficient so that the reducing sugars to the desired content decreases, in general, no more required than about 4 hours. Preferably, the fermentation at a temperature in the range from 29.5 to 35 ⁰ C at a relative humidity in the fermentation zone of at least approximately

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80 % done. During the fermentation process, the reducing sugar content of the potato dough components can be reduced to the desired level. The recommended above fermentation process is not usually experience dictate, when the content of reducing sugar in the dough ingredients used as potato particles less than 0.2 wt -% by..

If desired, before or after the fermentation stage other components are added to the dough ingredients. These other products can be various emulsifiers * which improve the structure of the end product. These other products can also be added to subsequent processing the dough ingredients into a continuous dough sheet and the formation of the continuous strips from the Hungarian dough material to improve. Examples of emulsifiers that can be used are monoglycerides of various vegetable oils and meat fats, Diglycerides of various vegetable oils and meat fats, their mixtures and the like

The edible dough processed in accordance with the invention usually consists essentially of the above-mentioned practical ones Starch materials including, but not limited to, wheat flour, oat flour, barley flour, other cereal flours and mixtures thereof and the like. Edible doughs consisting essentially of potato solids, corn and mixtures thereof, can be processed particularly well according to the invention.

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It has been found desirable "the dough ingredients before the formation of a continuous flat cake made of partially cooked dough in a finely divided form to hahen _t is in contrast to a viscous doughy mass. Viscous dough masses are difficult to handle and require a considerable amount of mechanical work in order to shape the doughy masses into the desired endless flatbreads of dough material.

When the doughy materials are machined, especially when shearing, they tend to Potato particles to tear, releasing free starch. Free starch in larger quantities can be an adverse Have an effect on the cooking properties of the doughy material. For example, the dough can change during cooking expand too much, resulting in a cooked product with blistered and wrinkled surfaces. As a main advantage of the present Process the formation of products with a very uniform structure, size, shape, external appearance and the like. free starch levels should be monitored to avoid excessive expansion during the cooking process.

After mixing and fermentation, the dough ingredients become an endless hungarian flatbread in the usual way Shaped dough material. For this purpose, all suitable known means for forming thin layers or flatbreads from dough can be used.

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be turned. For example, the dough ingredients can be kneaded and rolled out from the material to form a thin flat cake or they can be subjected to an extrusion process. In the extrusion process, the dough ingredients are preferably in the form of granules or in particle form and fed to an extruder, in which they are processed by means of a Extruder screw and a forming head are pressed to form a thin, flat, continuous flat sheet of dough material. One A particularly useful type of extruder is the conventional extruder with an extruder screw in a cylinder attached to an adjustable extrusion die. With this type of extruder you can the dough ingredients are introduced into the rear part of the extruder. The action of the rotating screw in the cylinder generates the propulsive force that the dough components carry through pushes the extrusion mold outwards. One such useful type of extruder is the well-known De Maco extruder. In some cases it may be desirable to heat the area of the extrusion die in order to reduce the viscosity of the dough ingredients and thus to facilitate the formation of an even sheet of dough.

As stated above, it is not desirable to have a high level of free starch in the dough prior to cooking. Therefore must the extruder must be carefully selected and operated in order to avoid unnecessary mechanical shear work in the dough unwanted tearing of the individual potato cells and

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the release of free starch during flatbread formation Consequence would have.

Usually the exit lips of the extruder are adjustable, so that you can adjust the thickness of the material that is extruded into an uninterruptedFoehejieii flatbread.

In the formation, chip-like potato snack products Has it been found to be desirable that the dough patties have a uniform thickness in the range from et ^ a 05.508 Bm to about 0.635 mm. The width of the material depends of course on the type and size of the patty forming system used, as well as on the cutting device that is subsequently used is used to cut the continuous strips of Hungarian material.

When using extruders to form the continuous sheet of dough, it has been found that the thickness of the dough to a certain extent also through a controlled stretching of the flat material as it emerges from the Extruder shape can be controlled. So can the thickness of the dough sheet can be controlled more precisely by "using a series of take-off rollers · ^ with adjustable speed. When using Withdrawal rollers it is possible to stretch the uninterrupted dough as it emerges from the extruder mold and so one To make flatbreads from hungry dough of the desired thickness. An additional advantage when using the stretching technique

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for precise control of the thickness of the dough sheet, there is a reduced tendency of the sheet to form gaps after stretching.

Other types of extruders, including circular extruders, can be used to form the continuous sheet of dough will. When such circular extrusion die heads are used, the extruded dough casing can be separated and formed into one Flatbreads are opened before they are cut into stripes of dough for the roasting process *

Usually, the continuous sheet of dough becomes a flat sheet for subsequent processing, including deformed the formation of endless strips of dough. The endless flatbread strips for the formation of the dough, which subsequently to be cooked must have sufficient strength for subsequent drying, slicing and frying treatment without unnecessary breaking or tearing. Regarding the importance of forming an endless sheet of dough it is understandable that the dough ingredients themselves must be processed and kept in such a way that they are proportionate have constant moisture content «.

As discussed above, the water content of the dough sheet can vary from about 25 to about 60 percent by weight. In the Processing of potato-based products (i.e. products with more than 50% by weight of potato solids based on the total solids content) the water content is preferably kept

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se in the range of about 4-5 to about 55 weight percent. Like that too Water content may be for good processing, it is important that the content is kept relatively constant for a substantial duration of the extruder run, so that it is unnecessary and constant Changes to the extruder operation and the operation of the take-off roller are avoided and a continuous dough sheet uniform thickness is generated.

After the dough has been formed, it is expedient conditioned to produce a flatbread with improved firmness. It was found that the strength of the dough can be increased considerably if it is subjected to drying or dough conditioning which reduces the water content of the cake. It should be emphasized, however, that the drying stage is not necessary, when the dough has sufficient cohesion, although the drying stage is desirable in some cases. The drying process can optionally be carried out in such a way that the thin, flexible dough flatbreads are passed through a drying chamber or runs an oven made up of a series of endless belts, running through a zone with very precisely controlled temperature and humidity. The uninterrupted flatbread is conditioned when passing through the drying oven in such a way that a dough cake with reduced water content and im generally increased strength. When processing dough based on potatoes, it has been found to be desirable that the dough pancakes have a final water flow before cutting.

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has a hold of about 10 "to about 25% by weight. It is evident that that the dough after this conditioning stage something has shrunk in width and in thickness. For example, a flat dough with an extruded thickness of about 0.508 mm will shrink to about 0.635 mm to a thickness of about 0.381 mm to about 0.508 mm.

After the drying stage is the continuous dough flat ready for the cutting process, in which it is cut into continuous strips of dough for subsequent frying will. The purpose of cutting is to form a thin, endless strip of dough that can be used during cooking or baking is held in a certain shape. The cutting process thus produces the continuous strip of Hungarian Dough material in a predetermined width. If the above explained Formation of the dough sheet allows the formation of endless strips of dough of the desired width, can be done on the cutting stage be waived. In large-scale operations, however, it has proven to be useful to form large flatbreads and then to cut continuous strips of a certain width and shape from the large uninterrupted flatbreads.

The cutting operation can be carried out in a conventional manner using any suitable known means. For example the thin dough can be passed through a series of knives

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cutting the dough into thin, continuous strips of dough. However, such fixed knives produce just a thin, straight, uninterrupted strip of dough. While thin straight strips of dough using knives and different rollers can be easily generated, one liked generally produce a continuous strip of dough of a definite shape. If the thin strips of dough with straight If the edges are cooked, the resulting cooked product has the shape of a ribbon-like uninterrupted strip Cooking product. Ba is the continuous strip of cooked product must then be separated into individual chips, the thin, straight-edged strips usually provide rectangularly shaped Chip products.

A preferred embodiment of the invention relates to the production of a thin continuous strip of dough as it is shown in Figure 2. "In the case of using a cutter as described here _s can be made a continuous strip of dough 18, as shown in Figure 2, and then in a predetermined shape fried to form a continuous strip of cooked product of uniform size and shape. The continuous strip of cooked product can then be very easily separated into individual chips of a desirable pleasing shape. In order to separate the continuous strife

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It is desirable to form a continuous strip of coherent dough pieces that are connected to one another by relatively narrow dough sections *. This is especially true when the separation occurs by breaking. For example, the uninterrupted dough strip 18 shown in FIG. 2 can have dimensions of about 5 »08 cm in the greatest width, and the narrow connecting section can be significantly smaller, Z ₉ B, - about 9 ₅ 5 mm to about 19 * 05 mm _f Usually the width of the narrow joint section of the continuous strip of dough is about 1/4 to 3/4 of the largest strip width. While preferably the width of the dough material between the individual pieces of the continuous strip of dough is relatively narrow, it should not be so narrow that the strength of the continuous strip which is subsequently cooked and processed is unduly weakened. In a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 2 thin continuous strip of dough 18 is in a retained shape cooked _s wherein the strip is given a small curvature or bending $ so daß.ein formed continuous strip of interconnected individual chips, as described in perspective view of Figure 7 is shown. Thereafter, the continuously cooked strip 27 of interconnected chips, as shown in FIG. 7, can be attached to a

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Appropriate separation device arrive in which from the uninterrupted Strips of contiguous chips can be separated from individual chips. The resulting single chip is in perspective View of Figure 8 shown.

To form the continuous strip 18 of dough material, as shown in Figure 2, a conventional Knife device can be used, such as the well-known Biciarelli cutter. It is known that the Riciarelli tailors reciprocating die-ax knives are and are used in the pasta industry. If you follow the dough conditioning a thin flat uninterrupted Passes the dough flat through the Riciarelli cutter, continuous strips of Hungarian dough material are produced, which are then fed to the holding devices described below.

Other conventional cutting devices can also be used to make the continuous cutting devices processed according to the invention Making strips of dough material. Other suitable cutting devices are rotary knives with cooperating ones protruding and recessed knife parts, which the dough flat in the desired, interconnected, continuous Cut strips of dough.

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Of course, several continuous strips of dough can be fed from each of the cutting devices Flatbreads are cut so that each flatbread provides several strips of Hungarian dough material. This plural endless strips of dough can continuously be of the same number from pest hold devices for the cooking process, so that the performance of the economical chip manufacturing operation is increased.

The continuous strip of dough 18 shown in Figure 2 shows only a preferred design interconnected continuous strips of dough which can be processed according to the invention. Numerous other figures and training courses can be shaped according to the chip manufacturer's wishes. For example, instead of the series of oval chips shown other shapes, such as, B. among themselves connected squares, hexagons, octagons and the like, produced and continuously fried according to the invention <

Since the cutting process described above results in the formation of waste material from the continuous strips of dough is cut off, it can be useful to return the waste material to the, stage of dough formation. So the waste from the cutting stage can be in a suitable. Knife funnel collected, then by grinding and for the purpose

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Restoration of the desired moisture content by adding water and worked up the dough ingredients can be added, with which the extruder used or the other flatbread forming device at the entrance of the process is applied »This return reduces the Process according to the invention occurring loss in strong Dimensions.

The continuous strips of dough formed in the cutting stage have sufficient strength and flexibility so that they are suitable for subsequent processing, the shape of the cut continuous strips should be that the individual chip sections in the strips are bridged by a sufficient amount of dough and a sufficient Strength and flexibility is maintained so that the continuous strip becomes a suitable conveying and holding device can be guided * which is immersed in the frying medium.

After the continuous strips of dough are formed, they are passed to a suitable holding device which fixes the dough in a desired shape during cooking. The retaining device may be any agent _v holding the dough during frying in a desired predetermined shape. For example, it can take various forms

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or clamping devices are used to hold the dough in the desired shape as it continuously passes through the container with the hot frying oil while keeping in the desired shape. such a continuously running holding device is shown in figures 3 »^ ₁ 5 and 6.

In principle, the continuous holding device shown in the figures mentioned is a conveyor system with interacting surfaces that fit into one another at an even distance from one another, with the continuous strip of dough is established between them.

By using the holding apparatus shown in the above figures, it is possible to produce uniform, continuous Effectively produce strips of cooked product with a minimum of cost and maintenance to the facility. This type of jig represents a significant improvement over molds that were used in the past to manufacture individual chips or other cooked products were used. This type of device enables chip-type Products have a high production speed that is compatible with the

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known methods could not be achieved, in which only a single strip of dough is used without the use of a continuous strip of dough Chips were fried.

The device can be more easily described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 the conveyor system for holding the continuous strips of dough in the desired shape during the frying process from a lower contiguous continuous conveying surface 23 and an upper contiguous continuous conveying surface 24. As will be described below, the lower and right conveyor surfaces are made up of interconnected belt sections with interacting and matching surfaces, formed, which have an evenly spaced upper and lower surface that form the continuous strips of dough set during cooking.

A preferred embodiment of the cooperating Belt segments are shown in FIG. This shows you Part of the lower contiguous continuous conveyor belt surface 23 and the upper contiguous continuous Conveyor belt surface 24 with lower belt links 33 or upper band links 34 at a perpendicular distance from one another, to illustrate how they work. The single lower band member 33 consists of two opposite one another

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Mounting brackets 35. On the base of each mounting bracket 35 there are two spaced apart fastening openings 36 »with which the lower belt link 33 is attached to a suitable Drive chain is attached as described below. The attachment of the lower band links 33 takes place by means of lower support rods 43, which are in alignment through the the openings 36 located through it «(the lower Support rods 43 can only be seen in partial view in FIG. however, extend transversely through the belt links 33s as in FIG Figure 5 is shown.) Concave holding surfaces 37 are rigidly attached to the upper part of the mounting bracket 35. The concave Holding surface 37 contains a plurality of oil openings 38 which allow the hot frying oil to flow with the continuous strip of dough 18 (shown in dashed outline) to come into contact while passing through the container with the hot frying oil held by the concave holding surface 37 will.

The single upper band link 34 consists of two facing each other, held at a distance mounting brackets 39 for attaching the upper conveyor belt link system to a suitable drive chain that is not is shown. Each mounting bracket 39 has two mounting holes for attachment of the upper link system

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34 on the drive chain. The upper belt links 34 are attached to the drive chain by means of upper support rods 44, which grip through aligned openings 40. (The upper support rods 44 are only shown in partial view in FIG. however, extend across the belt links 34, as in FIG FIG. 5 is shown.) A convex holding surface 41 is rigidly fastened to the fastening supports 39. In the convex holding surface 41 a plurality of oil openings 42 is formed, the contact between the hot cooking oil and the continuous Allow strips of dough to be held in place by the convex holding surface 41 as it passes through the hot oil reservoir will.

As can be seen from FIG. 6, the lower edges of the mounting brackets 35 are designed so that they permit a mutual connection of adjacent lower belt links. For this purpose, one end of the lower edge of each mounting bracket 35 ^is bent outward by such a distance that it fits over the lower edge of the adjacent lower band link. As a result of this bent shape, the attachment openings 36 of a lower strap link can be aligned with the attachment openings 36 of the adjacent strap link, so that a suitable lower support rod 43 can be inserted through the aligned attachment openings and

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can attach to a drive chain which is driven by the gear 25. The interlocking of the concave retaining surface 37 and the convex holding surface 41 while maintaining a mutual distance is described in detail in FIG and shown.

FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment in which the lower belt links 33 are connected to a drive chain train to form the lower continuous belt 23 are. The upper belt links 34 can in the same way connected to one another to form the upper endless belt 24 will.

As shown in FIG. 6, a row of lower support rods 43 serves to support the row of lower belt links 33, respectively at their.-en ends to connect with each other. The lower support bars 43 extend through the aligned fastening openings 36 in the lower parts of the fastening brackets 35 are trained. One end of each lower part of the mounting brackets 35 is bent outwardly to fit the lower part of the adjacent mounting bracket 35 to · This bent Shape enables the adjacent lower belt links to be assembled in such a way that the openings 36 are aligned and the concave holding surfaces 37 are arranged as a substantially continuous surface when the lower endless belt is running substantially horizontally.

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Since the concave support surface is a substantially uninterrupted trough-like surface, it is not necessary to establish any synchronization or alignment between the linear movement of the uninterrupted strip of dough 18 and the individual lower belt members 33. It is essential, however, that the linear speed of the advancing strip of dough 18 is substantially equal to the linear speed of advance of the lower endless belt 23 and the upper endless belt 24. This represents a substantial improvement over the known fryers _v in which individual forms must be carefully synchronized with each Teigabschnitten so that the dough portions are placed exactly on the individual forms.

From Figure 6 it can be seen that the ends of the lower support rods 4-3 over the lower part of the mounting bracket 35 reach out and fasteners 45 with the rods 43 are in frictional engagement so that lateral movement of the Band links 33 along the rod 43 is avoided immediately next to the fastening means 45 is on the lower support rod 43 a conventional drive chain device 46 attached «. The drive chain assembly 46 is on the lower support rod 43 fastened by a suitable split pin 47 which is arranged in an opening drilled through the rod 43.

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When multiple band links on each of the lower support rods 43 are arranged and so several lower endless belts are formed, various spacers 48 can be between adjacent mounting brackets 35 be arranged to a transverse displacement of the lower mounting brackets along the support rods 43 to avoid. Suitable spacers 48 are ordinary washers inserted between adjacent mounting brackets 35 around the rods 43 are arranged.

The drive chain 46 is sized to mesh with the lower gear 25, the is driven by suitable drive means, not shown. From Figure 6 it is clear that on each of the lower Support rods 43 are arranged a plurality of band links. This multiple arrangement of lower band links 33 on the lower Support rod 43 it is possible that several lower endless belts by a single drive mechanism from drive chain and gearwheel are driven * As a result, the device shown in the figures achieves a high volume production Chip materials.

It will be apparent that the upper endless belt 24 consists of upper belt members 34 attached to the upper support rods 44 can be attached in the same way as described above for the lower endless belt *

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When operating more often and lower endless belt these must be driven with essentially the same linear speed, so that they feed the endless dough - Pick up the strip and hold it when it passes through the bratol reservoir 21 is transported. All gears 25 therefore have preferably the same size and driven by a common drive mechanism *

FIG. 4 also shows the operation of the lower and upper endless belts 23, 24-. In FIG. 4, a part of the lower and upper endless belts 2J ₁ 24 is shown. It is shown how the endless dough strip 18 fed by the cutting device 17 by a conveyor belt 19 enters. The dough strip 18 is fed to the running concave holding surfaces 37 of the lower belt members 33, the lower endless belt 23 moving at the same linear speed as the endless dough strip 18. The strip of dough 18 is loosely supported on the concave holding surface 37 until it reaches a point where the running convex holding surfaces 41 of the upper belt links 34 engage the lower belt links 33. The upper endless belt 24 moves at the same linear speed as the lower endless belt 23. Due to the interlocking of the convex holding surface 41 and the concave holding surface 37, the continuous strip of dough 18 is formed into an arc-like shape. Since the lower endless belt 23 is a substantially uninterrupted support surface for the

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Strips of dough, represents and the one in the o "bere endless band substantial uninterrupted surface for holding the strip of dough in place 18 "forms, admits no" special necessity, the individual links of both ligaments or the individual connected ones Synchronize individual sections or align them with one another, as long as the upper and lower are endless Tape and strip the dough with essentially the same Move speed. This represents a significant improvement over the technique used to manufacture individual Chips according to the above-mentioned IIS-PS 5576647 a complex and extensive · synchronization and control system is necessary.

Figure 5 is a section along line 5-5 of the Figure 1. It shows the interlocking of the lower band link 33 and the upper band link 34 ·· From FIG. 5 it can be seen that the upper edge of the mounting bracket 35 touches the lower edge of the mounting bracket 39 «This fixed contact the top edge of the beam 35 with the rear edge of the beam 39 provides a spaced-apart interlocking therebetween the concave holding surface 37 and the convex holding surface 41. In the space created by the interlocking between the concave holding surface 37 and the convex holding surface 41 is formed, the endless strip of dough 18 is conveyed held in an arch-like shape by the hot frying oil. In the manufacture of chip-like potato products

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the preferred distance between the concave support surface 37 and the convex support surface 4-1 is about 0.501 to about 2.54 mm. Since most edible endless strips of dough 18 expand and fill the tree between the concave and convex support surfaces, the distance between determines these surfaces "the thickness of the finished product cooking It may be desirable, therefore, single lower _r and upper belt members 33 or 34 · · manufacture which allow Einstelllng the distance between the concave support surface 37 and the convex holding surface 41 '

Figure 5 also shows the lower support rod 4-3 and the upper support rod 44- aligned by the lower and upper Grip attachment openings 36 or 4-0

Figure 4- also shows the mutual arrangement of several lower links 33 and upper links 34 ·, the a lower endless belt 23 or, an upper endless belt 24-form · From Figure 4- it can be seen that a plurality of lower belt links 33 are mounted so that they form a substantially uninterrupted, two-dimensional concave support surface on which the continuous strip of dough 18 is evenly stored when it is on a substantially horizontal path through the Length of the roasting device wanders. In the same way, the arrangement of the numerous belt links 34 is selected so that one substantially uninterrupted convex holding surface 4-1 is formed

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which evenly engages the top surface of the continuous strip of dough 18 when this travels the length of the fryer 20 in a substantially horizontal direction.

As shown in Figure 1, the continuous strip of dough 18 is preferably received by the concave support surface 37 and the convex support surface 41 engages the top of the dough strip 18 and forces it into the arcuate space between the concave support surface 37 and the convex support surface 41 before entering the hot cooking oil reservoir. When walking along the essentially horizontal path through the length of the frying device 20, the strip of dough 18 is immersed in the frying oil 21. Since on the entire surface of the concave and convex holding surfaces or 41 .ölöffnungen 38 and 42 are formed _v the hot frying oil with both sides of the dough strip 18 migrating horizontally through the length of the frying device 20 in intimate contact. As a result, the continuous strip of dough 18 is baked into a crispy, uniformly cooked continuous strip 27.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the cooked continuous strip 27 as it is removed from the reservoir of the frying oil 21 emerges.

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As the running baked strip 27 emerges from the reservoir of frying oil 21, a considerable amount of frying oil drains from the surface of the cooked endless strip 27 due to the inclination of the lower endless belt 23.
Excess frying oil can be removed from the surface of the cooked strip 27 by directing a jet of air onto the surface of the baked strip 27 by means of a fan.

Although the cooked continuous strip 27
has a water content in the range from about 1 to 10% by weight, generally between about 1 and 4% by weight, it has still proven to be flexible, and it can be up to a certain extent after exiting the hot frying oil Degrees can be bent without breaking. As a result of the flexibility of the hot baked strip 27 without the occurrence of breakage, it is possible to slightly bend the cooked strip 27 and place it on a conveyor belt 29 in order to pull it off from the vicinity of the roasting device 20. The still hot, cooked strip can be passed under a spice distributor 28, by means of which suitable spices, such as salt, grilled meal and the like, are distributed on the strip 27.

After the desired seasoning has been applied, the conveyor belt 29 brings the baked strip 27 to a separating

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device 30.If desired, cooling devices, such as fans and the like direct coolant such as air onto the surface of the cooked strip 27 when it is is advanced on the conveyor belt 29. As it cools, the baked strip 27 becomes quite brittle and fragile, This property facilitates the separation of the cooked strip 27 into individual chips 31. The separating device 30 can be a known cutting device which cuts the continuous baked strip 27 into individual chips, or them may be a breaker roller by which a mechanical force is exerted on the continuous baked strip 27 and this is broken into individual chips of the desired shape.

If a continuous strip of dough, for example the strip shown in Figure 2, is used to form a cooking strip is baked according to Figure 7, the separation into individual chips can be done very easily by the fact that the cooking strips, as shown in Figure 7, passed through a series of breaker rollers. These breaker rollers can be circular rotating rollers with or without lugs, which break the cooked strips into individual chips. Since the weakest point of the cooked strip shown in Figure 7 is the point at which the individual chip sections are connected, breaking can be done very easily, for example

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in such a way that the strip is simply passed under a roller, the surface of which is slightly below the two-dimensional one The surface of the continuously discharged baked strip 27 is arranged, as FIG. 1 shows. Various other known means can be used to separate the continuous strip of cooked product Separate chips of the desired shape and size.

The illustrated formation of the lower and upper belt links in concave and convex shape is one of several possibilities and many different embodiments can be used if desired. For example the present method is also suitable for the production of essentially flat chip-like materials. However, if a curved or arch-like configuration is used, the concave part of the clamped will open Strip of dough upwards, so that a more even cooking of the dough section is possible endless piece of dough is cooked with the concave side facing downwards, it should be remembered that in the upper Part of the concave surface collects water vapor, which results in uneven cooking of the endless strip of dough « If, on the other hand, the concave side is facing up, the evaporated water can more easily be removed from the surface of the baking process exposed strips of dough escape. Apart from the mx> g-

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there is also no special need to to guide the strips of dough in a substantially horizontal direction through the reservoir of hot frying oil. So can if desired, the strips of dough also in the vertical direction run through the hot frying oil.

Thus, a uniform cooking of the continuous dough strip is ensured, it is desirable that, the ölöfinungen 38 and 42 arranged in the lower and upper belt links of sufficient numbers and at the correct distance _v so that an intimate contact of the hot frying oil to both sides of through the reservoir of the hot frying oil ^: dough strips are possible. Therefore, the openings are preferably relatively small, with the diameter of each opening being less than about 9 »5 raa. If the diameter of the individual oil holes exceeds 9.5 mm, the water dispersed in the dough can evaporate more easily during the frying process and cause the formation of bubbles and other irregularities on the surface of the dough strip during frying. In addition to these possible irregularities, a difficulty can also arise in that the dough material expands into larger oil openings resulting in breakage of the continuous cooked strip as it exits the reservoir of hot frying oil.

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_ 44- -

The concave and convex holding surfaces are preferred the lower and upper belt links made of a suitable metallic material, e.g. stainless steel, the oil holes formed therein having a diameter of about 1.6 mm. The centers of the small openings on these surfaces are evenly spaced about 4-8 mm from each other. If desired, a relative rigid hardening material for making the concave and convex Holding surfaces are used.

. Is here and upper endless belt das.untere during the roasting process of the contact with the hot frying oil and the dough material exposed, it is desirable that all the components _f from a suitable corrosion-resistant material such as, for example, are made of stainless steel. Likewise, the gears driving the belts should be made of a suitable corrosion-resistant material, for example stainless steel.

The size of the frying device containing the hot cooking oil is preferably the shape of the one accommodated therein adapted continuous conveyor system in order to reduce necessary excess volumes of frying oil in the frying oil container.

When frying, a vegetable oil is preferably used as the frying oil, e.g. cottonseed

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oil, corn oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, coconut oil and the like, or mixtures thereof. The temperature of the oil can vary between about 163 and about 204.5 ° C, with the frying time being between about 10 and 60 seconds. Of course, the frying conditions depend on the composition of the cooked dough, the thickness of the continuous strip of dough _4, the desired degree of cooking, the temperature of the frying oil, etc. from. A useful method of controlling the frying time is to set the linear speed of the dough strips with which they are cut and conveyed through the hot frying oil reservoir. The individual chips have essentially the same shape and size, so that they are particularly suitable for packing in compact form, for example in cylindrical barrels or cans. The packaging can of course be carried out using known packaging techniques.

While the above description is of a preferred method of frying a continuous strip of dough, the method and the device can also be applied to other cooking media, with baking in one Oven, cooking and the like are included without limitation. Here, too, continuous strips of dough are more suitable Cooked in a way that is kept in the desired shape, as stated.

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In brief "the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for continuously producing chip-type food products of uniform size and size Shape. To produce the chip-like food products, a flatbread is made from an edible dough and at least a continuous strip of edible dough? - cut to the correct width. The continuous strip of dough is then placed on a continuous conveyor system that uses the Holds strips of dough in a custom shape. The one held in this way continuous strip then drains through a reservoir hot frying oil in which the determined strip is cooked. Following the cooking, the continuous strip is made separated from cooking product to chips of a predetermined size.

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Claims (33)

Claims 1. Continuous process for making chip-like food products of uniform shape, thereby characterized in that an edible dough is formed into a thin flatbread, the flatbread in at least one cuts uninterrupted dough strips of a certain width, brings the uninterrupted dough strips into a conveyor system, whose interacting surfaces are evenly spaced from one another in order to form-fit the strip to the interacting Surfaces to hold, and that one is held on uninterrupted Passes strips of dough through a cooking medium and cooks it into a strip of cooked product and then the uninterrupted one Separates strips of cooked product into chips of a certain size. 2. Process for making chip-type food products in the form of an uninterrupted strip, characterized in that an edible dough is made into a thin sheet of dough deformed, from the dough flat cuts at least one continuous strip of dough with several sections, wherein the sections are each connected by a piece that is narrower than theirs, and that the uninterrupted strip 609822/0786 - 46 - fen in a shape in which the sections are curved in the transverse direction, holds and so passes through a cooking medium and then withdraws from this. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that that the cooking medium is a hot frying oil. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 »thereby characterized in that the food proaukt from corn or Consists of potato solids » 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized characterized in that the dough flatbread is made into at least one uninterrupted strip of interconnected dough sections Cuts certain shape, which are interconnected by relatively narrow dough areas. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 * characterized in that the flatbread is cut into at least one continuous strip from one another before cutting connected dough sections dries. 7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that that the water content of the dough cake by drying to a value in the range of about 10 to about 25 wt .-% decreased. 6 0 9822/0786 -.49 - {tQachg achievedI 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 Ms 7, characterized characterized in that the edible dough contains potato solids. 9 · The method according to claim 8 * characterized in that that at least some of the potato solids dehydrated Potato solids are. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 Ms 9 »thereby characterized in that the edible dough contains yeast. 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the edible dough contains tapioca flour, 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, 10 and 11, characterized in that the edible dough is made from corn consists. 13. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 12 _S, characterized in that the uninterrupted strips of cooked product are fed to crushing rollers and the cooked sections of a certain shape connected to one another are broken into individual chips of a certain size. 14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 » characterized in that the thin dough cake by 609822/0786 Extruding the dough components forms. 15 · "Method according to claim 14, characterized in that that you control the thickness of the flatbread by stretching the flatbread as it emerges from the extruder. 16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15 »thereby characterized in that the edible batter consists essentially of potato solids. 17 · The method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized characterized in that the edible batter consists essentially of potato solids and corn. 18. Device for the continuous production of chip-like food products according to one of the claims 1 to 17, characterized by means for receiving and holding a continuous strip (18) of edible dough in a particular shape, means for transporting the held continuous strip (18) through a cooking medium Reservoir (20) containing (21) for the purpose of forming a continuous strip (27) of cooked product and agent for separating the continuous strip (27) of cooked product into chips (31) of a certain size 60 9822/0786 SUBMITTED I 19 · Device according to claim 18, characterized in that that the means for receiving and holding the uninterrupted strip of dough (18) are continuous. 20. Apparatus according to claim 18 or 19j thereby characterized in that the means for receiving and holding the dough strip (18) consist of two endless running belts (23, 24) exist, of which a part at a distance interlocks so that the dough strips (1SJL in a given shape and that they have means of port movement part of the bands (23, 24) in mutual engagement through the reservoir (20) containing the cooking medium (21), the strip of dough (18) between the belts (23, 24) is being held. 21. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that that in the bands (23, 24) a plurality of openings (38, 42) is formed, the contact between the cooking medium (21) and at least a portion of the strip of dough (18) when it is in a fixed shape is transported through the reservoir (21). 22. Apparatus according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that the bands (23, 24) consist of connected links (33, 34) exist, with a band (23) links (33) with 609822/0786 [AFTER PAYED concave surfaces (37) and the other band (24-) links (34 ·) with convex surfaces (4-1) and the curved surfaces (37? 4-1) fit together in such a way that they form the strips of dough (18) hold tight. 23 · Device according to one of Claims 18 to 22, characterized in that it has means for forming the uninterrupted Comprises strips (18) of edible dough. 24 ·. Device according to claim 23 »characterized in that that the means for forming the dough strips (18) have cutting devices (17) which cut endless strips (18) from the thin, flat dough sheet (13). 25 · Device according to one of claims 23 and 24 · ^ characterized in that it has an extruder (12) for forming a thin, flat sheet of dough (13). 26. Device according to claim 25, characterized in that that it has means for stretching the thin, flat sheet of dough (13) as it exits the extruder (12). 27. Device according to one of claims 18 to 26, characterized in that it has a drying device (15) for the flat dough (13). 60982 2/07 86 j SUBMITTED 28. Device according to one of claims 18 to 27, characterized in that breaker rollers (30) for separation of the continuous strip of cooked product (27) in chips (31) "a certain size." 29 device according to one of claims 18 to 28, characterized in that the reservoir (20) has a frying device containing frying oil (21) with a heating device (22) is for the frying oil (21). 30. Device according to one of claims 18 to 29 » characterized in that at least one air nozzle (26) is provided which directs an air flow to the uninterrupted Aligns the cooking product strip (27) and removes excess frying oil from the strip so close to the reservoir (20). 31. Device according to one of claims 20 to 30, characterized in that the means for transporting the endless belts (23, 24) through the reservoir (20) are chains (46), which are driven by gears (25) with essentially the same linear speed. 32. Cooked chip food, characterized by an elongated uninterrupted strip (27) with several 609822/07 86 reren transversely curved sections, with adjacent Sections are connected by areas from said product that are narrower than the curved sections. 33. Chip food according to claim 32, characterized in that it contains corn or potato pesticides. . Chip food according to claim 32 or 33 » characterized in that it is fried » 609822/078 £ - se. Blank page