GB2183458A - An automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine driven by air pressure cylinders - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is to offer an automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine driven by air pressure cylinders for cooking and washing the oily noodle in general or noodle with soup, comprising five water tank troughs (21 to 25) arrayed in a straight line, wherein two of these water tank troughs (21, 22) are placed on a stove (3) to be pan troughs and three thereof are installed on the sides of the stove to be cooling/washing troughs, there is a water tank in each of these troughs and each water tank can be dumped movably into the adjoining water tank through the up-and-down expansion and contraction of a piston rod shaft in the air pressure cylinder, and the first water tank is dumped into the adjoining one water tank and then in turn up to the fifth one, so in such a process, the time is controlled by an electric loop system and the action of air pressure cylinder is controlled by an air pressure loop system in order to first cook and then cool and wash the said noodle which can be well cooked and cooled in a very short time, and to save manpower, equipment and time and to further lower cost without adding borax to the said noodle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine The present invention is related to an automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine which can well cookandcoolthenoodlethrough an automatic operating procedure instead ofthe conventional manual operation so as to escalate the desirable economic efficientyand practical value.

The current oily noodle in general or noodle with soup or rice noodle on sale is noodle treated through cooking and can betaken through a simple cooking.

However, such noodle which has to be first well cooked and then cooled is boiled on the stove and then washed and cooled with cold water. During this processing, the operators are easy to be accidently scaldedforcareless operation, and the manual operation wastes time and manpower, leading toa considerable inconvenience and troublefor these operators. In addition, in the course of cooking and cooling, the noodle similarto the foregoing one is easy to absorb water, expand, lose tenacity and break under often poor control, so the borax is always added to the noodleto make ittough in contraction.

However, boraxisan additive harmful to human body and leading to cancer and will greatly affect the health ofthose who take such borax-added noodle for a long time, so the terrible consequence is worrying.Therefore, how to add no borax thereto and make the noodle elastic andtough is really a headache for the noodle manufacturers.

In view of a number of drawbacks with regard to cooking the noodEe,this inventor, as a noodle manufacturerfora long long time, has been troubled and made up his mind to research howto betterthem.

Through histhoughtful designs, manufacture and improvement for many a time, and based on his positive and unremitting spirit, eventually he de eloped a full automatic automatic noodle-cooking/ washing machine.

According to the present invention there is disclosed apparatusforcooking and washing noodles comprising trough means including at least one cooking trough and at least one washing and/or cooling trough, container means comprising a perfo rate container o r tank with in each respectivetroughto contain noodles in use whilst permitting the cooking, cooling orwashing liquid in the respective trough to circulate through the container, transfer means for transferring the noodles from one container to another and control means for actuating the transfer means in a timed and ordered sequence to pass noodles from a first trough to a last trough through successive stages of cooking, and washing and/or cooling and finally ejecting the noodles from the last trough.

Preferablythetransfer meansfor each container comprises pneumatically actuated tipping means for tipping the container such that in use the noodles are conveyed either to the next successive container or finallyto a drying frame adjacent the last trough.

Advantageouslythe control means includes sensor meansforsensing the input of noodles into the first trough and thereby initiating the timed and ordered sequence of operation of the apparatus.

Conveniently the sensor means comprises a photoelectric sensor.

An advantage ofthis invention is to offer an automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine driven by air pressure cylinder which can automatically and consecutively operate and process the noodle from cooking and boiling to washing and cooling in the stirred water in the need of no manual operation for dumpage but capable of preventing the accidental scald of operators from happeningfortheir careless- ness.

Another advantage of thins invention is to offer an automatic noodle-cooking/cooling machine driven by air pressure cylinder, of which the cooking/washing/ cooling time and precessing procedure can be controlled by an electric loop system, and it is unnecessary to add boraxtothe noodle but can keep the tenacity of noodle which can be taken safely.

Still another advantage of this invention is to offer an automatic noodle cooking/washing machine driven by air pressure cylinder which can quickly produce the desirable noodle and saving the manufacturing time thereof in the automatic process and can save manpower and equipment and lower cost, so it is very effective economically and practically.

Further another advantage of this invention is to offer an automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine driven by air pressure cylinder, wherein dumping the water tank is actuated by the expansion and contraction of piston rod shaft in the air pressure cylinder and controlled bythe air pressure loop system, and the watercurrent in the cooling trough is input by the compressed airforwashing the noodle so that the noodle can be rapidly cooled but is uneasy to be viscous and stirring.

Specific embodiments ofthe invention will now be described bywayof example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings ofwhich; Figure 1 is an elevation view of an automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine driven by air pressure cylinder according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view ofthe automatic noodlecooking/washing machine of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a rearview ofthe automatic noodlecooking/washing machine of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4Aand 4B showthe operation of water tank of the same automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine, Figure 5 is a sectional view of cooling water tank trough ofthe same automatic noodle-cooking/ washing machine, Figure 6 shows a circuitry for an electric loop control for use with the automatic noodie-cooking/washing machine ofthe present invention, and Figure 7 shows circuitry for air pressure loop controL for the same automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine.

As shown in Figure 1, there are five watertank troughs21, 22, 23r 24, 25whereintwo watertank troughs 21, 22 installed on the stove 3 are pan troughs for cooking noodle, another three watertanktroughs installed beside the stove 3 and connected to the water tan k troughs 21, 22 are designed to be the cooling/washing troughs. Thewatertanks 211,221, 231,241,251 are inthewatertanktroughs 21,22,23, 24,25 respectively which one edge is welded to the revolving shaft 7. The revolving shaft7 is pivotally connected to the shaft sleeve 71 which is welded to the top of watertank trough (to be described in detail hereinafter).Thewatertank can be turned over and dumped toward the left adjoining trough through the action of air pressure cylinder in the direction of dumping watertank 211 into watertank 221, dumping watertank221 intowatertank231 and so on, and finally, watertank 251 is dumped onto drying frame 5 (in the direction as shown in the drawing).Each water tank is provided with a plurality of meshes in favor of the circulation ofwater currentwhen thewatertank is immersed in the watertanktrough, and the water tank can filter the noodle so asto separate the noodle from water when dumping the watertanktrough the upward stroke of piston rod shaft in the air pressure cylinder to achievethe positioning for rotating 120 of watertank (The drawing shows the watertanks 221, 241 rotating, dumping and positioning at an angle of 120); and the watertank can drop and return to the watertanktrough through the downward stroke of piston rod shaft in the air pressure cylinder (The drawing shows thewatertanks 211,231,251 return to thewatertanktroughs 21,23,25). Each watertank is associated with an air pressure cylinder, and pressure cylinder, and the air pressure cylinders C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 are installed in the rearofwatertanktroughs 21,22, 23,24,25 (not shown in the drawing) and controlled by the solenoid valve of air pressure control loop device for intake and exhaust.

A chimney 4 is installed on the top surface 3A of stove, and an electric eye 6,6' (i.e. the light projector6 and the light sensor 6'). When the noodles are cut into strips bythe shaper to pass through the electric eye 6, 6' to coverthe light source, the light sensor 6' generates an exciting to close pointA of PR and to let current pass through the timer, and atthe same time to start a full automatic consecutive operation.The timer controls the time of well-cooking the noodle in the first watertanktrough 21 and after the presettime elapsed, the solenoid valve excites to open the air valve so that the air entersthe air pressure cylinder Cl wherein the piston and piston rod shaft move upward to actuate the watertank 211 to rotate, dump and position at 120. After the solenoid valve stops exciting and the air pressure cylinder exhausts, the piston and piston rod shaft move downward to actuate the water tank 211 dropping and returning tothe watertank trough 21. Atthe same time, thefirstwatertanktrough 21 is again readyfor cooking noodle forthe second time to consecutively repeat the desirable operation.

The first and the secondwatertanktroughs 21,22 are pan troughs for cooking noodle, but the first trough cooks the noodle half done and dumps same into the second trough which cooks the noodle well done at the same time set by the timer and dumps the well-cooked noodle into the third trough 23. The troughs 23,24,25 are washing and cooling troughs.

Thetrough 23 roughlycoolsandwashesthe noodle at thetimeset by the timer and dumps same into the fourth trough 24which cools and washes the noodle again at the time set bythe timer and dumps same into the fifth trough 25. Atthetime set bythetimer, thefifth trough thoroughly cools and washesthe noodle and then dumps same onto the drying frame 5.Since the noodle manufacturing shaper ceaselessly and con secutively produces the noodle, so the noodle stays in thewatertankfora suitabletime (The presettime is defined by the operator) only and has to be dumped into the adjoining trough, otherwise, the noodle of next wave cannot be received, this is whytwo water tanktroughsareusedasthepantroughsandthree watertanktroughs are used as the cooling and washing troughs.

The said five watertanktroughs are provided with drain pipes. One drain pipe 201 fortwo noodlecooking pan troughs 21,22 is connected to the stove bottom and then extends out therefrom and is provided with a water va Ive. Another th ree noodlecooling watertanktroughs 23,24,25 are provided with drain pipes 202,203,204 (not shown in the drawing) respectively,and a water valve is installed on each pipe head. A connecting feed pipe 205 at the outer side of cooling troughs is connected to the three drain pipes 202,203,204 (to be described in detail hereinafter).

Since this invention is an automatic operation in need of no personnel to operate and process it, so mass production can be achieved, labor and equip mentsaved, and accidental scald prevented. In addition, nowadays the noodle manufacturers in general have to use the long chopsticks to pick up the noodle cooked in a large pan, artificial carelessness often leads to accidental scald or burn which is very worrying. This invention with automatic operation can inevitablypreventthesimilareventfrom happening.

As shown in Fig. 2, the firstwatertank 211 rotates to dump ata positioning angle of 120"through the upward motion of piston rodshaft in the air pressure cylinder and rotates counterclockwise with the revolving shaft7 asthe rotary axial center (The direction of rotation as shown in the drawing). The drain pipes 202,203, 204atthe bottoms of cooling watertank troughs 23,24,25 are connected to the feed pipe 205.

The water valves at the heads of drain pipes 202,203, 204 have to be closed when feedingthewater,thenthe water valve of feed pipe 205 has to be opened so asto pourthe water into the watertanktroughs; the water valve of feed pipe 205 hasto be closed when draining the water, then the water valves at the heads of drain pipes 202,203,204 have to be opened so asto drain the water in the watertanktroughs.

Nowadays the manufacturers of oily noodle, noodle with soup, specially-curled noodle and rice noodle cannot accurately control the cooking and cooling time of noodle in process so that the noodle absorbs too much water and becomes expansive and loose without elasticity and tenacity and is easy two break.

Therefore, the wicked manufacturers add borax to such poor noodle to keep it elastic and tough through the contractibility of borax. However, borax is an additive to cause cancer, so taking the borax-added noodle will have to hurt human body. This invention can accurately control the noodle-cookingicooling time, make the noodle uneasy to twist, adhere and stir through water current washing, keep the noodle elastic and tough in reality in need of adding borax thereto and offer a great gospel and contribution to the noodle manufacturing industry by means of breaking through the conventional process for noodle.

As shown in Fig. 3, the five air pressure cylinders are rnspectivelyinstalled on the outer side of each water tanktrough1 in other words, each air pressure cylinder is-attached teach watertank. The air pressure cylinder is provided with a clevis cylinder seat 8which is a normal pivotally-connected clevis seat placed on a flat seat.84. There are a total of five flat seats 84 respectively welded tothe bottom sides of water tank troughs. The pivotal connection of air pressure cylinder is movably fixed between two pins 82 through a pivotallyconnected shaft 81 crossing over the hole of pivota I ly connected air pressure cylinder.

Such a movablyfixing arrangement is designed to enable the air pressure cylinder to slightly, movably and bias move when receiving some load so asto cause a linear reciprocation of piston rod shaft to actuate rotating the water tank. The air pressure cylinder is a double-acting type with a single rod end for intake at one end and for exhaust at another end underthecontrol ofsolenoidvalve.

As shown in Fig. 4A,the intake and exhaustofair pressure cylinder is underthe control of solenoid-air pressure valve. When intake, the piston rod shaft pushes the rocker arm and watertankto rotate together to a positioning 120% When positioning, the stop block 831 on rocker arm contacts the roller 91 of micro-switch, and the roller 91 makes the limit switch changing overto nodeAfrom node Bthroughtheair valve, (as shown in Fig. 4B) and makes the timer of adjoining trough timing at once (to be described in detail hereinafter). The water tank is welded to the revolving shaft 7 which is movably fixed in the shaft sleeve 71 and fixed together with the rocker arm with a key 72, the shaft sleeve 71 is welded to the upper edge oftrough frame.The revolving shaft 7 pushes the rocker arm 83through the piston rod shaft 10 inthe air pressure cylinder, and rotates together with the water tankto a positioning 120"for dumpage, sothewater tank rotates for dumpage in a limited scope (i.e. 120") with the revolving shaft 7 as the rotary axial center As shown in Fig. 5, the cooling watertanktroughs 23,24,25 are used to cool and wash the noodle.As an example, the watertanktrough 23 is hereby described particularly An outlet 11 at the bottom surface of said trough 23 is also used as an inlet, and in a position abouttwo-fifth height on the side of said trough is a smaller intake hole 12 ofwhich the intaketo the said trough 23 consists in an aircompressorby means of an intake pipe through opening the solenoid valve.

Sincethewaterlevel inthe watertanktrough 23is higherthan the intake hole 12,the high pressure air enters the water to stir the waterforwashing. The water tank 231 in the trough with a plurality of meshes can letthewaterflow inthrough these meshes to wash and cool the noodle in the water tank 231.This nventi:on isterefore characterized by cooling the noodle and prevenitngthe noodle from twisting, adhering and stirring through the stir of water current only As shown in Fig. 6, there are power source pilot lampw, light projector A and light sensor B which does not excite when exposed to the light ray, but does excite when the noodle passes th rough the light projectorAand lightsensorBandcoversthelight source, so as to close the node A of PR ("OFF" node), to let the current pass through thetimerT1 to start timing, and atthe same time, the instantaneous node A of said timerT1 is closed at once.When the preset time oftimerT1 elapsed, the instantaneous node A of timerT1 is closed to let the solenoid valve SV1 excite to open the airvalve and to let airflows into the air pressure cylinder wherein the piston and piston rod shaft move upward through the air pressure. When the piston rod shaft moves up to the top end, the stop block 831 of rocker arm 83 contacts the micro-switch roller 91 of (which has been described in detail hereinbefore as shown in Fig. 4). The roller 91 induces the limitswitch SW1 to changeoverthe nodetherein: opening the node B ("ON" node) cuts offthe timerT" and closing the node A ("OFF" node) starts the timing oftimerT2 ofthe second trough.Similarly, the instantaneous node A oftimerT2 is closed at once.

When the preset time oftimerT2 elapsed, the node A oftimerT2 is closed at once to let the solenoid valve SV2 excite to open air valve so that air enters the air pressure cylinder wherein the piston and piston rod shaft move upward through the air pressure. Similarly, when the piston rod shaft moves up to the top end to let the stop block of rocker arm contact the second roller, this roller induces the node B ofthe second limit switch LS2to open and then cut off the timerT2. And at the sametime, the node A is closed, thetimerT3 ofthe third trough starts timing, the instantaneous node Aof time T3, and the solenoid valve SV6 connected to the timerT3 also excites to letthe high pressure air enter the third trough wherein the water is stirred up to cool and wash the noodle.When the presettime oftimerT3 elapsed, the instantaneous node A oftimerT3 is closed at once to excite the solenoid valve SV3to open the air valve so that the air enters the air pressure cylinder wherein the piston rod shaft moves upward through the air pressure. Similarly, the piston rod shaft moves up to the top end to let the stop block of rockerarm contact the third roolerwhich induces the node B of the third limit switch LS3to open and then cut off the exciting oftimerT3and solenoid valve SV3, and at the same time,the node A is closed to startthe timerT4 Of the fourth trough fortiming. The electric control loops of both thefourth andthefifthtroughs arethesame as that of the third trough, so it is unnecessary to repeat them.

As shown in Fig. the air generated by the air compressor is filtered and lubricated by a filter and a pressure regulator and a lubricator (manual exhaust} and then transferred to various systems. As a rule, the airentersthefirstairpressure cylinder C1 through the solenoid-air pressure control valve SV1 (which is a 5-ported 2-position change-overvalve of electro magnetic spring bias type) and the flow control valve and the check valve, the piston rod shaft in the air pressure cylindermoves uptothetop end to letthe stop block 831 ofrockerarm 83contactthe roller 91 (which has been described in detail hereinbefore as shown in Fig.4) which induces the node B of limit switch LS1 changing overto nodeAthroughthe change-over of valve RV1 (which is a 3-ported 2-position change-over valve of cylindrical spring bias type) and atthe same time, starts the timerT2 ofthe second trough for timing. When the air pressure cylinder exhausts and the piston moves downward, the exhausted air is again exhausted by the solenoid valve SV1 through the flow control valve and check valve.When the presettime of timerT2 of the second trough elapsed, the node A oftimerT2 is closed to let the solenoid valve SV2 excite to open air valve so that the air enters the air pressure cylinder C2 wherein the piston rodshaftmoves uptothetop end to letthe rocker arm 83 rotate until the stop block 831 contracts roller 91 (the rollerX on air pressure cylinder is the rollerYofmicro-switch as shown in Fig. 7) which induces the node B of limit switch LS2 changing over to nodeAthrough the valve RV2changeover.Such an action of inducing and closing the limit switch through indirect contact is designed to preventthe stop block 831 of rocker arm 831 from directly contacting and da maging th e I im it switch, so a roller is installed thereon to receiving induction. The intake of valve (3-ported 2-position change-overvalve) leads to changing over node Bto node A of the limit switch and changing over power source node to nodeAfor starting the timer of another trough fortiming.At the same time oftimerTofthe third trough is induced to start timing, the solenoid valve SV6 (which is a 2-ported 2-position change-overvalve of electromagnetic single coil spring bias type) excites to open the air valve so the high pressure air enters the third trough wherein the water level ofwatertank is stirred up bythis high pressure airto achieve the purpose of rapid cooling and washing.When the presettime of timerT3 elapsed, the node A oftimerTa is closed to let the solenoid valve SV3 excite to open the air valve so thatthe air enters the air pressure cylinder C3 wherein the piston rod shaft moves up to the top endto let the stop block 831 of rocker arm 83 contact the roller 91 which induces the air valve RV3to open for intake, and the node B of limit switch LS3 changes overto node A.

When the node A is closed, the timerT4 starts timing, and the solenoid valveSV1 excites to open the air valve to let the airenterthefourtrough. The air pressure circulatory control ofthe fourth and the fifth troughs is the same as that the third trough, so it is unnecessary to repeat them.

This invention consists in dumping and horizontally placing the watertankthrough the up-and-down action of piston rod shaft in the air pressure cylinder, controlling the time of cooking and cooling noodle through an electric loop comprising a timer, so as to achieve the purpose of automatic and consecutive operation as well as the quick cooking and cooling, and it is characterized by accurately controlling the time of stirring up the water flow so that the noodle can keep its tenacity and elasticity in need of not adding boraxtothe noodle.

Claims (15)

1. Apparatus for cooking and washing noodles comprising trough means including at least one cooking trough and at least one washing and/or cooling trough, container means comprising a perfo rate container or tank within each respective trough to contain noodles in use whilst permitting the cooking, cooling or washing liquid in the respective trough to circulate through the container, transfer means for transferring the noodles from one container to another and control meansforactuating the transfer means in a timed and ordered sequence to pass noodles from a firsttrough to a lasttrough through successive stages of cooking and washing and/or cooling and finally ejecting the noodles from the last trough.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transfer means for each container comprises pneumatically actuated tipping means fortipping the contain er such that in use the noodles are conveyed either to the nextsuccessivecontainerorfinallyto a drying frame adjacent the last trough.

3. Apparatus as claimed in eitherofclaims 1 and 2 wherein the control means includes sensor means for sensing the input of noodles into the first trough and thereby initiating the timed and ordered sequence of operation of the apparatus.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the sensor means comprises a photoelectric sensor.

5. An automatic noodle-cooking/washing machine driven by air pressure cylinders, comprising: (a) five watertanktroughs, wherein two water tank troughs are installed on the stove to be used as the pan troughs, and anotherthree watertanktroughs are installed beside the stove to be used as the cooling troughs; (b) five watertanks installed in the said water tank troughs respectively for containing the noodle; (c) five air pressure cylinders respectively installed besidethe water tanks can normally operate the water tanks to rotate and dump when these cylinders receive some load;; (d) an electric loop control device, comprising an electric eye (light projector and light sensor), a timer and limit switch, wherein the light projector excites two startthetimerfortiming so as to control the time of water tank stay, and the limit switch is induced to changeoverthe node so asto startthetimer;; and (e) an air pressure loop control device, comprising an solenoid-air pressure valve, a cylindrical solenoid valve, a single-coil solenoid valve, a filter, a pressure regulator, a lubricator, a flow regulatorand a check valve, wherein the solenoid-air pressure valve con trolls the up-and-down movement of air pressure cylinder, the cylindrical solenoid valve controls the change-over of limit switch, and the single-coil solenoid valve controls the intake of cooling water tanktrough.

6. Anoodle-cooking/washing machineasclaimed in claim 5,furthercomprising: (a) a drain pipe installed at the bottom of each water tanktrough; (b) each water tank is fully provided with a plurality, of meshes capable offiltering the noodle so asto separate the noodle from water; and (c) the pivotally connecting seat of each air p re-ssu re cylinder is pivotally connected to a flat seat and movably fixed thereon, and the flat seat is welded to the bottom side of watertanktrough.

7. A noodle-cooking/washing machine as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: (a) a said three colling watertanktroughs are provided with afeed pipe respectively and one such pipe is connected to each other; (b) the frame edge on one side of each watertank is welded to a revolving shaft of which the two ends are pivotallyconnected to the shaft sleeve internally, and the shaft sleeve is welded to the frame of water tank trough, so thatthe watertankwill rotate 120"with revolving shaftasthe rotary axial center; (c) the piston rod shaft top of each air pressure cylinder is pivotally connected to a rocker arm which is fixed together with one end of the revolving shaft by a key; and (d) an intake hole is set in a position about two fifth heightof each cooling watertanktrough so asto let the high pressureairenterthewatertanktrough.

8. A noodle-cooking/washing machine as claimed in claim 5,furthercomprising: (a) an electric eye wherein the light projector projects light to the light sensor, so asto excite the PR node capable of inducing the passage of noodle to startthetimer; (b) a limit switch to be induced to change over the node B (originally closed)to node A (originally open); and (c) a timer of which the instantaneous node can simultaneously closeto startthetimerfortiming when the PR node of light sensor is closed or upon induction by the limit switch, and when the preset time elapsed, the time limitnodeisto be closed.

9. A noodle-cooking/closing machine as claimed in claim 5,furthercomprising; (a) the feed pipe of each air pressurecylinder is provided with a flow control valve and a check valve for regulation; (b) the drain pipe of each air pressure cylinder is provided with aflow control valve and a checkvalve for regulation; and (c) the said flow control valve and check valve are installed on the pipe of air pressure cylinder and solenoid-air pressure control valve.

10. A noodle-cooking/washing machine as claimed in claim 5, further comprising; (a) each air pressure cylinder is provided with a solenoid-air pressure control valve; and (b) each solenoid-air pressure control valve (5ported 2-position valve) is to be induced by the closed time limit node of timer so as to control the intake and exhaust of air pressure cylinder.

11. A noodle-cooking/washing maching as claimed in claim 5, further comprising; (a) the three cooling watertanktroughs are respectively provided with a single-coil solenoid valve control devide; and (b) each single-coil solenoid valve (2-ported 2position valve) is to be induced by the closed instantaneous node of timer so astocontrol the high pressure air entering the watertanktrough through the intake holeforwashing the noodle.

72. A noodle-cooking/washing machine as claimed in claim 8,furthercomprising; (a) each rocker arm is designed as an arced member with a 120 angle infavor of being pushed by the piston rod shaft moving up in the air pressure cylinder; and (b) a projected stop block is installed on one side of each rocker arm.

13. A noodle-cooking/washing machine as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: (a) each limit switch is provided with a cylindrical control valve device; and (b) each cylindrical control device valve (3-ported 2-position valve) is to be induced by the stop block on the rocker arm contacting the roller so as to excite the valve for i ntake and to change over the node B (originally closed) of limit switch to node A (originally open).

14. Amethodofpreparing noodle including the cooking, cooling and washing the noodles by means of apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim.

15. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.