Patent ID: 8783169
Filing Date: 2014-07-22
Classification: A22C,A23L,A23P

Abstract:
1. A processing apparatus for processing food products, comprising: an elongate processing vessel having a first end and a second end, for containing a processing liquid in which the food products can be processed; feeding means disposed at the first end of the processing vessel, the feeding means being configured for feeding the food products into the processing vessel at the first end thereof; a screw conveyor in the form of a rotatable flighted drum, which is located within the processing vessel for conveying the food products through the processing liquid from the first end to the second end of the processing vessel, the rotatable flighted drum comprising a cylindrical drum wall having a first end wall defining an inlet opening leading into the drum and an opposite second end wall defining an exit opening leading out of the drum, and a helical screw feed in the form of a helical screw extending inwardly from an inner side of the drum wall, the helical screw having an upstream end located adjacent the inlet opening and a downstream end located adjacent the exit opening; guide means which is operable to guide the food products into optimal positions relative to the helical screw feed of the screw conveyer, at which the food products can be picked up by the screw conveyer; and discharge means which are disposed at the second end of the processing vessel for removing the food products from the processing vessel and for conveying the food products to a location remote therefrom, the processing apparatus being characterized in that the guide means comprises a first guiding formation extending from the upstream end of the helical screw of the flighted drum which is configured for guiding the displacement of the food products entering into the drum through the inlet opening into a first deposit zone located between a first pair of spaced adjacent helical screw portions of the helical screw at the upstream end thereof; and a second guiding formation extending from the helical screw of the flighted drum at a position downstream of the first guiding formation for guiding the displacement of the food products entering into the drum through the inlet opening to a second deposit zone located between a second pair of spaced adjacent helical screw portions of the helical screw disposed downstream of the first pair of adjacent helical screw portions of the helical screw, such that,in use rotation in a predetermined direction of the flighted drum, provides for alternately depositing the food products into the first deposit zone and the second deposit zone in an alternating fashion.