Patent ID: 11918023
Assignee: BELLWETHER COFFEE CO.
Field: Food chemistry (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A bean roasting system, comprising:
a roasting drum having a lower inside surface defining an opening;
a hatch having an upper surface, an upper sheet and a lower sheet, the upper surface being disposed between the upper sheet and an interior of the roasting drum;
an actuator configured to position the hatch in at least two positions including an upper position and a lower position, the hatch seals the opening in the lower inside surface of the roasting drum when the hatch is in the upper position, beans exit through the opening in the lower inside surface of the roasting drum when the hatch is in the lower position; and
an agitator disposed inside the roasting drum and configured to rotate relative to the roasting drum in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction about a rotational axis,
the agitator having a first blade and a second blade, the second blade being a spiral blade, the spiral blade having at least a portion disposed between the rotational axis and the first blade, the first blade positioned adjacent an inner surface of the roasting drum, the first blade being non-parallel to the rotational axis of the agitator.