Patent ID: 6168370
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: A21C,B65G,B65H,Y10S

Abstract:
A counter-stacker (10) for tortillas comprising: A) a housing (12); B) a perforated belt (16) within the housing (12), the perforated belt (16) adapted and arranged to receive incoming tortillas (42) and form vacuum-lifted tortillas (42A); C) at least one stacker belt (26) rotatably mounted within the housing (12); D) a vacuum housing (28) sealably mounted to the housing (12), the vacuum housing (28) connected to a means for producing vacuum (30) to the perforated belt (16); E) at least one stacker canister (32) positioned under a rear end of the perforated belt (16) and above the at ;east stacker belt (26); F) a bottom perforated plate (36A) having a plurality of bottom perforated plate openings (36AA) therethrough positioned within the perforated belt (16); G) a top perforated plate (36B) slidably positioned on top of the bottom perforated plate (36A), the top perforated plate (36B) comprising a plurality of top perforated plate openings (36BA) adapted to be complimentary positioned with the bottom plate openings (36AA); and H) at least one actuator (38C) connected to the top perforated plate (36B), such that when the at least one actuator (38C) shifts position of the top perforated plate (36B) thereby causing the plurality of bottom perforated plate openings (36AA) and the plurality of top perforated plate openings (36BA) to be concurrently misaligned causing no vacuum ingress in the vacuum housing (28), allowing the vacuum-lifted tortillas (42A) to fall into the at least one stacker canister (32).