US2454706A

US2454706A - Method and apparatus for cooling produce by alternate dipping and draining

Info

Publication number: US2454706A
Application number: US562637A
Authority: US
Inventors: Floyd J Mcmichael
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-11-09
Filing date: 1944-11-09
Publication date: 1948-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 1965-11-23

Description

p g magi O3 N; qt-Q w a? k? j Nov. 23, 1948. F. J. McMlCHAEL 2,454,706

v us'rnon AND APPARATUS FOR 000mm PRODUCE By ALTERNATE DIPPING AND mumme Filed Nov. 9, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 23, 1948. F. J. M MICHAEL 2,454,706

- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING PRODUCE I BY ALTERNATE DIPPING AND DRAINING F11ed Nov; 9, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 rfi lag 46 Patented Nov. 23, .1948

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING PRODUCE BY ALTERNATE DIPPING AND DRAINING Floyd J. McMichacl, Orlando, Fla.

Application November 9, 1944, Serial No. 562,637 1 Claims. (c1. 62-104) This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for processing produce, being a variation of the invention disclosed in my 00.- pending application flied October 2, 1944, Serial No. 556,843. 7

In accordance with the invention disclosed in my co-pending application mentioned, packages of produce are fed to a conveyor which functions to alternately raise and lower the packages for repeatedly dipping the packages into a refrigerant and intermediately draining the packages, the object being to cause the refrigerant to repetitiously flow into and out of the packages so that the volume of liquid more or less trapped by the produce in the central portion of each package and thus, for such reason, subjected to a.prnounced warming by the produce, will be positively replacedmany times by fresh, cold refrigerant, to the end that the produce at the central portion of the package will be chilled with equal efficiency and effectiveness as the outer courses of produce of the package with resultant thorough and uniform chilling of the produce throughout the package. I An object of the present invention is to attain the same result, as foregoing, but instead of raising and lowering the packages individually, the

packages are raised simultaneously and likewise lowered simultaneously to effect the repeated dipping and draining thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and draining conveyor will carry the packages forwardly on a floating frame, wherein the forward movement of the packages relative to the frame will occur in substantially a level path parallel to the frame, and wherein the frame will be raised and loweredto cause the repeated'dipping and draining of the packages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus wherein the floating frame of the dipping and draining conveyor will be caused to travel in a circular path to effect the repeated dipping and draining of the packages.

And a still further obiectof the invention is to provide a method and apparatus wherein the packages of produce will be fed to the dipping and draining conveyor to be automatically picked up thereby and carried forwardly to be subjected to the dipping and draining operations, when the packages will be automatically released and carried off. i 1

Other and incidental objects of the invention will appear during the course of the following description, and in the drawings:

'toward the driven end of the dipping and draining conveyor.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section particularly showing the refrigerating tank.-

Figure 6 is a detail section on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a transverse section on the line 1-4 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail section on the line 8-8 of t Figure 4.

' Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I employ a feed conveyor, indicated as a whole at Ill, and a discharge conveyor, indicated as a whole at H, these conveyors'corresponding to like feed and discharge conveyors disclosed in my prior application previously identified. As

' best seen in Figure 4 of the drawings, the conveyor apparatus wherein a dippingand 4 I0 is provided at its forward end with a drive shaft I! for the belt 13 of said conveyor, and fixed to the belt at regularly spaced intervals are pairs of lugs [4. The construction of the conveyor is otherwise unimportant. The conveyor Il may be conventional and the belt I5 thereof is driven by a. suitable motor l6.

Arranged at the adjacent ends of the conveyors l0 and I I is a refrigerating unit identical with the refrigerating unit disclosed in my prior application noted. This unit includes a tank I1 adapted to contain a refrigerant l8, preferably water, and mounted in the tank near the side walls thereof are partitions lildeflning channels 20, the partitions being formed at corresponding ends thereof, as seen in Figure 2, with notches 2| providing inlets for'said channels and, at their opp site correspond ing'ends, terminating short of the adjacent end wall of the tank to provide outlets 22 for Q said channels.-

Mounted upon the tank I! at the notches 2| of the partitions 19 are suitable motor-driven agitators 23 having blades 24 for circulating the refrigerant 18 through the channels 20, and mounted in said channels are refrigerating coils 25 to which are connected, as seen in Figure 1, suitable supply and return pipes 26 so that an appropriate refrigerating medium may be circulated through the coils by a suitable compressor, i not shown. However, it shouldjbe noted that the compressor will be of a capacity to chill the coils, as desired.

well as with the tank i1 is a dipping and draining 5 conveyor, indicated as a whole at 21. This conveyor is identical in many respects with the dipping and draining conveyor disclosed in my prior application mentioned and, accordingly, only such description is required in the present instance as will bring out the differences between the two.

Mounted at opposite sides of the tank II are posts 28 provided at their upper ends, as perhaps best seen in Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings,

with bearing yokes 29, and journaled through said yokes are parallel worm shafts 30 upon which are fixed worms 3| disposed between the side portions of the yokes. Arranged upon the posts near the upper ends thereof are framecarrying wheels 32 disposed at the inner sides so of the posts. In the present instance, I have shown a group of three aligned wheels at each side of the tank thereabove but, of course, the number of wheels in each group may be varied. The wheels 32 are provided, as best seen in Figure 5, with shafts 33 which are journaled through the posts, and fixed to the outer ends of said shafts are worm gears 34 meshing with the worms 3|. Thus, when the shafts 30 are rotated, the wheels 32 will be revolved.

- 8 Supported by the wheels 32 above the tank I1 is an oblong, floating frame 35 having parallel side and end bars respectively, and bracing the frame are spaced cross bars 36. Bolted or otherwise fixed to the side bars of the frame are 35 brackets 31 and, as particularly seen in Figure 5 0f the drawings, these brackets are formed with pins 38 which are journaled through the wheels 32 eccentrically thereof. Thus, when the wheels are revolved, the frame will be caused to travel 40 in a circular path and, as shall presently appear, the frame will accordingly provide a floating carriage for the parts mounted thereon.

As will be observed, the frame 35 is of a length to extend over the adjacent end portions of the conveyors Ill and II, and suspended below the frame is a chain track 39 preferably I-shaped in cross section. This track is provided with parallel side portions connected, as bestseen in a Figure 1, by arcuate end ortions 40, and engaged with the cross bars 36 of the frame 35 are hangers 4| supporting the track.

Mounted at the forward end of the frame I is a vertical drive shaft 42 to the lower end portion of which is fixed a drive sprocket l3, and,

mounted at the rear end of the frame is a like aligned vertical shaft 44 to the lower end portion of which is fixed an idler sprocket 46 on a level with the drive sprocket. The shafts l2 and 44 are respectively disposed centrally of the correg0 sponding arcuate end portion Ml of the chain track 39, and trained about said sprockets is a drive chain 46. This chain is identical with the like drive chain disclosed in my prior application mentioned and includes spaced carrier links I 6 from which rise yokes 48 straddling the chain track, and journaled upon said yokes are rollers 49 mounted to travel upon the side portions of the bottom flange of the track for supporting the drive chain.

Associated with the drive chain 46 is anumber of package carriers, indicated as. a whole at II. Each of these carriers includes an angle plate I which is...;boited or otherwise detachably fixed to one of the carrier links 41 of the chain, and 7 projecting from said plate is a stud 82. Pivoted upon said stud is a rod 32, and pivotally'connected to the lower end of said rod is a package holder,-indicated as a whole at It.

The package holders it are identical with the package holders disclosed in my prior application previously identified and operate in like manner. A lengthy description ofvsaid holders herein is therefore unnecessary. However, it may be noted that each of said holders includes a head it upon whichis pivoted a pair of coacting jaws 56 having bottom plates 31 to engage beneath the ends of a package. and normally holding the jaws open is a spring ll. Pivotally connected with the upper ends of the jaws I. are coacting toggle bars ll, the inner ends of which are adapted to gravitate downwardly as the jaws are closed for looking the jaws in closed position. inward pressure is exerted on the lower ends of the jaws to swing the jaws toward each other about the ends of a package, the toggle bars will serve to automatically lock the jaws closed in engagement with the package. The package may then be picked up and carried by the holder. The outer ends of the toggle bars 59 project laterally beyond the head 5! and, as will be perceived, downward pressure upon said ends of the bars will serve to swing the inner ends thereof upwardly and release the jaws 56, when the spring 0 ill will swing the jaws to open position and release the package.

Mounted upon the forward end portion of the frame 35 is a gear box Ill containing conventional reduction gears, and mounted upon the box, or otherwise suitably located, is a motor ll. Projecting from the box is a transverse shaft 62, and extending at a right angle to the shaft 32 is a longitudinal shaft 33, both of said shafts being driven by the motor Oi but at a reduced speed as compared with the speed of the drive shaft of the motor. Fixed to the ends of the shaft l2 are gears 84, and fixed to the side bars of the frame 3! are brackets BI which journal telescopic shafts 33 having gears 31 thereon to mesh with 45 the gears 34. Interposed in the shafts it near the brackets l are conventional universal joints 33, and connecting said shafts with the worm shafts III are like conventional universal joints I. As brought out in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, the shafts 03 are each formed of slide,- bly mating sections II and II respectively so that, as will be seen, the shafts may lengthen and shorten in conjunction with the movement of the universal joints Cl and 33 to accommodate the circular travel of the frame 35. Accordingly, as will also be seen. an operative connection between the shaft 02 and the worm shafts 30 is provided so that when the motor II is in operation, the worm shafts will be driven to impart circular travel to the frame 35, as previously described.

Mounted upon the rear end of the shaft 33 is a gear 12 meshing with a gear I3 upon the upper end of the sprocket shaft 42 for driving the chain 43, and mounted upon the forward end of the shaft 33 is a gear 14 meshing with a gear ll upon the upper end of a vertical, telescopic shaft ll, the lower end portion of which, as seen in Figure 4,0! the drawings, is journaled by a bracket I'lassociated with the shaft l2 of the feed conveyor ll. Fixed tothe lower end of the shaft I3 is a gear" meshing with a gear." on the adjacent end of said conveyor shaft. As brought out in Figure 8, the shaft II is formed 5 of slidably mating sections II and fl respectively,

Thus, when means for site the bottom wardly, with the result 1 tion, it will be seen that the chain 46 will be driven for moving the package holders around the track 39 in substantially a level path parallel to the track while, at the same time, circular travel will be imparted to the frame I! for rule ing and lowering said holders. the belt It of thefeed conveyor actuated so that all of the parts in synchronized unison. As it is unnecessary that the discharge conveyor ll be driven exactly in time with the-other parts mentioned, the motor it is provided therefor.

As is well known. vegetables and other produce are packagedin' boxes, crates, bags, and the like and, accordingly, the term "package as used herein shall be construed to cover any such container. In the drawings, I have typically shown the packages at $3.

In practice, the packages as are manually placed upon the conveyor it each in front of and abutting a pair of the lugs i4 so that the packages will be carried forwardly in definite and uniform spaced relation corresponding to the spacing of the package holders M along the drive chain it so that as each of said'holders arrives at a position to travel over the forward end portion of said conveyor, a package will also arrive at a proper position to be picked up thereby. As set forth in my prior application mentioned, I provide means for automatically engaging the package holders 54 with the packages as well as automati'cally releasing the holders from said packages. Both of said means are duplicated herein and the operation thereof is the same as described 'in said prior application, as will now be outlined. l

Upstanding at opposite sides of the conveyor it near the forward end thereof, as particularly seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, are posts M, and mounted on said posts are horizontal rollers 05. These rollers are disposed oppopoint of the circular travel of the package holders 54 and are spaced such distance apart that as the laws 58 of said holders pass therebetween, the rollers will close the jaws in engagement with the ends of the packages 83, as previously outlined. Thus, as will be seen, the

coincidentally. ill will also be will be driven packages 83 will, as. they are brought forwardly by the conveyor id, be picked up and carried along by the dipping and draining conveyor 21.

Upstanding at opposite sides of the conveyor H in spaced relation to the forward end thereof are posts 88 upon which are mounted vertical rollers 81. These rollers, like the rollers", are also disposed opposite the bottom point of the circular travel of the package holders 54 and are arranged at such a height that, as the jaws 58 of the package holders pass therebetweemthe rollers will engage the outer ends of the toggle bars '59 and swing said ends of the bars downthat the inner ends. of the bars will be swung upwardly to effect release of the jaws from the packages 83. as previously described. Thus, the packages will be automati- 6 cally deposited-upon the discharge conveyor 'II to be carried off thereby.

As will now be seen, the packages 83 will be fed forwardly by the .conveyor ill when, upon passing between the rollers 85, said packages will be picked up by the package holders ll of the dipping and draining conveyor 21. The packages will then be conveyed forwardly with their weight suspended from the frame all ofthe dipping and draining conveyor, coincident with which movement of the packages, said packages will be raised and lowered in continuing sequence by said frame to alternately dip the packagesiinto the refrigerant l8, as shown in Figure 3, and intermediately raise the packages out of the refriserant, as shown in Figure 2, to drain.

As will be perceived, the foregoing cycle of dipping and draining operations will be repeated many times as the packages 83 are carried forwardly by the dipping and draining conveyor 2'! erant, with the result that the produce at the central portions of the packages will be chilled equally with-the outer courses of produce of the packages. The produce of the packages will thus be uniformly and thoroughly chilled throughout.

After being chilled, the packages 83 will then pass between the rollers 81 when, as previously described, said rollers will function to release the package holders 54 from'the packages so that the packages will be deposited upon the conveyor I l to be carried off thereby. It is also to be noted that since the rise and fall of the frame 35 of the dipping and draining conveyor is synchronized with the forward travel of packages will straddle the forward end wall of the tank ll, incident to the upward and downward movement of the packages, so that the tank will not interfere with the forward travel of the packages nor will the packages collide with said wall of the tank..

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of treating comestibles which comprises introducing said comestibles into a cooling zone including a pool zone and, while they are moving therethrough, alternately raising and lowering said points and thereby dipping said comestibles in said pool and raising them sufficiently from the lowest points of dipping to permit drainage of refrigerant therefrom.

2. The method of treating packaged comestibles which comprises introducing into a cooling the packages 83, the

1 7 lowest points of dipping to permit drainage of refrigerant therefrom.

3. The method of treating packaged comestibles which comprises introducing into a cooling zone including a pool of liquid refrigerant a group of packages of said comestibles each package hung from an individual suspension point, maintaining all of said suspension points in substantially the same plane with each other, and moving said group of packages through said cooling zone and, while they are moving therethrough, alternately raising and lowering said points in continuous sequence and thereby dipping said packages in said pool and raising them sufficiently from the lowest'points of dipping to permit drainage of refrigerant therefrom.

4. The method of treating packaged comestibles which comprises introducing into a cooling zone including a pool of liquid refrigerant a group of packages of said comestibles each package hung from an individual suspension point, maintaining all of said suspension points in substantially the same plane with each other. and moving said group of packages through said cooling zone and, while they are in transit therethrough, moving said points in circular paths to alternately raise and lower said points and thereby dip said packages in said pool and raise them sufliclentiy from the lowest points of dipping to permit drainage of refrigerant therefrom.

5. Apparatus for processing comestibles including a tank adapted to contain a liquid refrigerant, a conveyor extending over the tank spaced thereabove and including a track, means for suspending a package of comestibles from said track, means for progressing said suspending means with a package thereon along the track, and means for raising and lowering the track to alternately lower and dip said package into the refrigerant and raise the package to I eluding a tank adapted drain as said suspending means is progressed along the track.

6. Apparatus for processing comestibles into contain a liquid re.- i'rigerant, a conveyor extending over the tank spaced thereabove and including a track, means for suspending a package of comestibles from said track, means for progressing said suspending means with a package thereon along the track, and means for moving the track in a aircular path to alternately lower and dip said package into the refrigerant and raise the package to drain as said suspending means is progressed along the track.

7. Apparatus for processing comestibles including a tank adapted to contain a liquid refrigerant, a conveyor extending over the tank spaced thereabove and including a frame, a track carried by said frame, supporting wheels for the frame having the frame connected thereto eccentrically of said wheels, means for suspending a package of comestibles from said track, means for progressing said suspending means with a package thereon along the track, and means for rotating said wheels and moving the frame and track in a circular path to alternately lower and dip said package into the refrigerant and raise the package to drain as said suspending means is progressed along the track.

. FLOYD J. McMIQI-IAEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Price May 18, 1943