Patent ID: 7401696
Filing Date: 2008-07-22
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. A flexible foodstuff transfer installation comprising: a transfer conveyer for transferring foodstuff, accommodated in a refrigeration room formed by a heat insulated room, and a plurality of transfer pieces, each comprising a pair of erect spacer members made of plate material having an inside-part and outside-part, the erect spacer members connected to both end sides of connection members that constitute a transfer passage of articles including foodstuff, the erect spacer members being connected to each other so as to be capable of moving in the direction of transfer relative to each other, wherein a contact face bending outward is formed at both of upper and lower ends of the spacer member so that said transfer pieces comprising said pair of spacer members made of plate material can be piled in a vertical spiral by allowing an upper side positioned spacer member to rise on a spacer member positioned right under said upper side positioned spacer member via said bending contact face, wherein a refrigerating machine having plate type heat exchangers disposed radially is installed in a space inside the spiral of the transfer conveyer for flowing cold heat radially outwardly to cool the foodstuff transferred on the transfer conveyer, wherein said pair of spacer members are formed to have the outside-part and the inside-part continuing to the outside-part and offsetting outward in a lateral direction perpendicular to the transfer direction, and the distance of the offset of the outside-part from the inside-part in the lateral direction perpendicular to the transfer direction is determined so that the plate thickness of the inside-part is accommodated in the space defined between an inside surface of the outside-part and an extension of an inside surface of the inside-part when the transfer pieces are moved relative to each other.