Patent ID: 9560858
Date: 2017-02-07
CPC Classifications: A23B,A23L,F25D

Claim:
1. A continuous freezing apparatus for freezing foods as articles to be frozen that are fed continuously from a feed portion while conveying them toward a discharge portion, comprising: a first conveyor having a mesh belt with holes having one end thereof located on the feed portion and conveying the foods in a first direction from the one end to another end; a second conveyor extending directly beneath the first conveyor along the first conveyor and conveying the foods fallen from the other end of the first conveyor in a second direction opposite to the first direction; an arc-like reversing plate disposed between the other end of the first conveyor and the second conveyor and positioned to cause the foods to turn over between the first and second conveyors as the foods fall from the first conveyor to the second conveyor; a coolant tank disposed directly beneath the first conveyor and the second conveyor and storing coolant that freezes the foods fallen from the second conveyor; a third conveyor having at least one portion thereof submerged in the coolant in the coolant tank and conveying the foods fallen from the second conveyor while immersing them in the coolant in the coolant tank, the at least one portion including an end portion that is positioned beneath the second conveyor to receive the foods fallen from the second conveyor without the foods fallen from the second conveyor contacting a reversing plate; a coolant spraying means disposed directly above the first conveyor and adapted for spraying the coolant toward the first conveyor; and wherein at least a portion of the coolant sprayed by the coolant spraying means passes through the holes of the mesh belt onto the foods on the second conveyor.