US3247777A - Apparatus for continuous predrying, smoking, boiling and cooling of edibles, particularly sausages - Google Patents

Description

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United States Patent 8 Claims. c1. aa zs0 This application is a continuation of my copending application Serial No. 33,150 filed June 1, 1960, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to apparatus for continu ously predrying, smoking, steam cooking or boiling and cooling of edibles, particularly sausages, wherein the edibles are supported from parallel endless chains and are successively subjected to said processes during passage through a vertically elongated casing.

The casing is divided by partition into different compartments so arranged that the different gases are not intermixed during the various treatments. For example, steam, smoke or water will not have access to a compartment wherein its presence would have an adverse effect, a disadvantage encountered in similar systems of conventional construction.

The drawing shows one embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic side view in sectional elevation of an embodiment of the apparatus.

FIGURE 2 is a front View in sectional elevation taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front view in sectional elevational taken along the line BB of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG 3..

FIGURE 5 is a plan sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. 3.

The foodstuffs or edible articles are supported on rods (not shown) which are positioned in and withdrawn from the casing 1 through an access opening 2 with the rod extending removably between two parallel endless conveyor chains 3. The chains 3 move vertically upwardly past the access opening 2 and a fan a is shown blowing dry hot air on the articles. Fan 4 may be omitted, if desired. The articles, carried by the chains 3, will now, in succession, pass the pairs of sprockets, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14. From the pair of sprockets 5 to pair 12 the articles are smoked by smoke which enters through a smoke inlet opening 15 close to the bottom of the casing 1, the smoke being produced by a suitable generator (not shown). A heater 16 is located at the bottom of the smoking compartment. It is also possible to locate the heater 16 further up in the smoking compartment to obtain a different temperature distribution pattern during the smoking process.

The smoke is confined so that it is forced to pass over the articles by means of vertical partition walls 17 and 18, which in part define the smoking compartment, before the smoke is drawn outwardly through the smoke duct 19. Close to the heater 16 there is positioned an upright partition Wall 20 which prevents the loss of heat.

From the sprockets 12 the articles are conveyed up- Wardly into a steam cooking compartment 21 closed at its top and open at the bottom. The cooking compartment 21 is thermally insulated above the access opening 2. A

' steam inlet tube 22 extends into the cooking compartment 21 and supplies steam or other suitable hot moisture- The tube 22 is so positioned that the heat will be evenly distributed in the cooking compartment 21 Without steam escaping at the bottom.

After the articles have passed through the cooking compartment 21, they are sprayed with cold] water issuing laterally from nozzles in an upright tube 24 positioned on a wall 23 which together with the walls of the casing 1 define a cooling compartment which opens downwardly. Moist and comparatively cold air will collect in this compartment. Due to the downward extension of one side of the cooking compartment 21 at 25, an air trap is formed whichwill prevent undesired circulation through the apparatus. At the bottom of the partition Wall 23 there is a drain including a water trap 27 collecting cooling water and condensed steam from the boiling compartment. The front wall of the casing 1 is shown provided with an additional cooling device, such as a cooling element 26 which may be a cold water spray.

When the articles return to the entry and withdrawal zone behind the access opening 2, they are completely processed and may be removed from the chain conveyor.

The conveyor chains 3 are driven by a motor 28 with control means for adjusting the speed of the chains in accordance with the type of articles to be treated. As the chains will expand when heated, the shaft which carries the sprockets 14 is guided for free vertical movement.

The ends of the shaft protrude exteriorly of the casing 1 at opposite sides thereof and carry weights 29 which maintain the conveyor chains 3 under constant tension.

The smoking compartment, boiling compartment and i the cooling compartment are so dimensioned in relation to each other that the time of passage of the articles through each of the diiferent processing compartments will be correct. Since the ratios between preheating, smoking, boiling and cooling for different edible articles is substantially the same, it will merely be necessary to adjust the speed of theconveyor chains 3 to the treatment of any particular type of foodstuff.

As compared with prior methods, the present apparatus will save 50 percent of labor, approximately 50 percent heat energy, and the products will be of -a more uniform quality and be better processed than with conventional systems. As: previously stated, no smoke or steam will escape from the'apparatus at the access opening 2.

The taller the dimensioning of the apparatus, the better it will operate. This factor is also of importance because of the reduced horizontal space required.

While I have shown and described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for continuously predrying, smoking, steam cooking and cooling sausages or the like, comprising: a vertically elongated substantially closed casing, a plurality of partitions dividing said casing into vertically elongated compartments comprising an access compartment, said casinghaving a continuously open opening formed therein at one side thereof communicating directly with said access compartment, a drying compartment directly above said access compartment, a smoking compartment, a steam cooking compartment closed at its top and open at its bottom, and a cooling and washing compartment directly below said access compartment, said cooling and washing compartment being open at its top and substantially closed at its bottom, adjacent ones of said compartments intercommunicating with each other through relatively small passageways to minimize mixing of gases between adjacent compartments, a continuous endless conveyor for holding said sausages or the like passing through all of said compartments, means for drir'ling said conveyor to cause said sausages or the like to pass at constant speed through said compartments in the order named above, said conveyor passing through said access compartment in proximity to said opening for loading said sausages or the like on said conveyor and removing the same therefrom after treatment, means for guiding said conveyor upwardly and then downwardly through said drying compartment, said drying compartment communicating directly with the upper end of said access compartment, means for supplying hot dry air to said drying compartment, means guiding said conveyor next through said smoking compartment, means for supplying gases to Said smoking compartment for smoke treatment of said sausages or the like, said drying compartment cornmunicating with said smoking compartment through one of said passageways near the top of said casing, a smoke outlet at the top of said drying compartment for simultaneously venting said hot air and said gases whereby said hot air is prevented from entering said smoking compartment, means guiding said conveyor up into and then down from said steam cooking compartment, means for supplying steam to said steam cooking compartment at a rate which maintains said cooking compartment filled without downward flow of excess steam, said steam cooking compartment communicating with said smoking compartment adjacent to the lower ends of both compartments and below the level of said opening and communicating with said cooling and washing compartment above the bottom thereof, means guiding said conveyor through said cooling and washing compartment, and means for injecting a water spray into said cooling and washing compartment, said steam cooking compartment communicating with said cooling and washing compartment at the lower end portions of both compartments, said cooling and washing compartment communicating directly with the lower end of said access compartment.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising gravity actuated tensioning means maintaining said conveyor under a predetermined constant tension.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising drainage means communicating with the bottom of said cooling and washing compartment.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said partitions extend vertically and end portions of certain ones of said partitions are spaced from and overlie cooperating end portions of others of said partitions to define said passageways.

5. Apparatus for continuously predrying, smoking, cooking and cooling edibles which comprises a vertically elongated casing of rectangular cross-section having an access opening formed in one vertical wall thereof; partition means defining with said one Wall of said casing a vertically elongated heating compartment extending upwardly from the top of said access opening and a vertically elongated cooling and Washing compartment extending downwardly from the bottom of said access opening, said partition means defining together with a wall of said casing opposite said one wall, a vertically elongated smoking compartment; an exhaust vent at the top of said drying compartment; means defining a first passage leading downwardly from the upper portion of said smoking compartment through said partition means to a location in said heating compartment above the top of said access opening and below said exhaust vent; said partition means further defining a vertically elongated steam cooking chamber closed at its top and open at its bottom; means defining a second passage leading from the lower portion of said smoking compartment through said partition means to a location in said steam cooking compartment intermediate the ends thereof; means defining a third passage leading from the lower portion of said steam cooking compartment through said partition means to a location in said cooling and washing compartment intermediate the ends thereof; a smoke inlet for supplying smoke to the bottom portion of said smoking compartment, said smoke being exhausted through said first passage and said exhaust vent; means in said heating compartment for heating the air therein to rise by convection and be exhausted through said exhaust vent along with said smoke; means for introducing steam intermediate the ends of said steam cooking compartment at a rate sufiicient for continuously maintaining said cooking compartment filled with steam yet avoiding the discharge of excess steam from the bottom of said cooking compartment; means for introducing cooling and washing water above the bottom of said cooling and washing compartment; drain means at the bottom of said cooling and Washing compartment; endless conveyor means for transporting said edibles upwardly from said access opening through said heating compartment, thence through said first passage into said smoking compartment, thence downwardly through said smoking compartment, thence through said second passage into said steam cooking compartment, thence upwardly and then downwardly through said steam cooking compartment, thence through said third passage into said cooling and washing compartment and thence upwardly through said cooling and washing compartment back to said access opening; and motor means for driving said conveyor means at a selected constant velocity.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said conveyor has a plurality of sinuous paths of travel in said smoking compartment.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said casing has a height greater than either of its horizontal dimensions.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said compartments have heights greater than their horizontal depths.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,280,205 10/1918 Garza 107-57 1,345,079 6/1920 Fisch 107-57 X 1,402,204 1/1922 Alsop 99-261 X 1,434,036 10/1922 Ballard 107 57 1,483,668 2/1924 Little 99-261 X 1,891,873 12/1932 Elbe 99260 2,138,813 l2/1938 Bemis 99260X 2,566,966 9/1961 Rockoff 99-261 2,973,277 2/1961 Barnett 99-260 X 3,073,236 1/1963 Blaschek 99-260 X FOREIGN PATENTS 893,436 10/1953 Germany.

1,020,854 12/1957 Germany.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PREDRYING, SMOKING, STEAM COOKING AND COOLING SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING: A VERTICALLY ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED CASING, A PLURALITY OF PARTITIONS DIVIDING SAID CASING INTO VERTICALLY ELONGATED COMPARTMENTS COMPRISING AN ACCESS COMPARTMENT, SAID CASING HAVING AN CONTINUOUSLY OPEN OPENING FORMED THEREIN AT ONE SIDE THEREOF COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH SAID ACCESS COMPARTMENT, A DRYING COMPARTMENT DIRECTLY ABOVE SAID ACCESS COMPARTMENT, A SMOKING COMPARTMENT, A STEAM COOKING COMPARTMENT CLOSED AT ITS TOP AND OPEN AT ITS BOTTOM, AND A COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT DIRECTLY BELOW SAID ACCESS COMPARTMENT, SAID COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT BEING OPEN AT ITS TOP AND SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED AT ITS BOTTOM, ADJACENT ONES OF SAID COMPARTMENTS INTERCOMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER THROUGH RELATIVELY SMALL PASSAGEWAYS TO MINIMIZE MIXING OF GASES BETWEEN ADJACENT COMPARTMENTS, A CONTINUOUS ENDLESS CONVEYOR FOR HOLDING SAID SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE PASSING THROUGH ALL OF SAID COMPARTMENTS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR TO CAUSE SAID SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE TO PASS AT CONSTANT SPEED THROUGH SAID COMPARTMENTS IN THE ORDER NAMED ABOVE, SAID CONVEYOR PASSING THROUGH SAID ACCESS COMPARTMENT IN PROXIMITY TO SAID OPENING FOR LOADING SAID SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE ON SAID CONVEYOR AND REMOVING THE SAME THEREFORM AFTER TREATMENT, MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID CONVEYOR UPWARDLY AND THEN DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID DRYING COMPARTMENT, SAID DRYING COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH THE UPPER END OF SAID ACCESS COMPARTMENT, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING HOT DRY AIR TO SAID DRYING COMPARTMENT, MEANS GUIDING SAID CONVEYOR NEXT THROUGH SAID SMOKING COMPARTMENT, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING GASES TO SAID SMOKING COMPARTMENT FOR SMOKE TREATMENT OF SAID SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE, SAID DRYING COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SMOKING COMPARTMENT THROUGH ONE OF SAID PASSAGEWAYS NEAR THE TOP OF SAID CASING, A SMOKE OUTLET AT THE TOP OF SAID DRYING COMPARTMENT FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY VENTING SAID HOT AIR AND SAID GASES WHEREBY SAID HOT AIR IS PREVENTED FROM ENTERING SAID SMOKING COMPARTMENT, MEANS GUIDING SAID CONVEYOR UP INTO AND THEN DOWN FROM SAID STEAM COOKING COMPARTMENT, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING STEAM TO SAID STEAM COOKING COMPARTMENT AT A RATE WHICH MAINTAINS SAID COOKING COMPARTMENT FILLED WITHOUT DOWNWARD FLOW OF EXCESS STEAM, SAID STEAM COOKING COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATION WITH SAID SMOKING COMPARTMENT ADJACENT TO THE LOWER ENDS OF BOTH COMPARTMENTS AND BELOW THE LEVEL OF SAID OPENING AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF, MEANS GUIDING SAID CONVEYOR THROUGH SAID COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT, AND MEANS FOR INJECTING A WATER SPRAY INTO SAID COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT, SAID STEAM COOKING COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT AT THE LOWER END PORTIONS OF BOTH COMPARTMENTS, SAID COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT COMMUNUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID ACCESS COMPARTMENT.

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