Patent ID: 8020487
Filing Date: 2011-09-20
Classification: A22C,B65G

Abstract:
1. A food processing apparatus comprising a food processing chamber for processing a food product, a serpentine conveyor for transporting said food product in a forward transport direction through said chamber, said conveyor comprising first and second chains laterally paced along a lateral direction transverse to said forward transport direction, a plurality of food product carriers on said conveyor, each of said carriers having a first segment and a second segment, a plurality of two-piece food product cradles each formed by the second segment of a leading food product carrier and the first segment of a trailing food product carrier immediately therebehind, said cradles spanning laterally between and suspended between first and second laterally spaced sides replaceably mounted respectively to said first and second chains, said second segment of said leading food product carrier being separated from said first segment of said trailing food product carrier by a gap, and wherein said food product is carried by both said second segment of said leading food product carrier and said first segment of said trailing food product carrier and spans said gap during designated portions of the travel path of said conveyor, wherein said first segment has first and second opposite faces, said first face facing forwardly toward the next food product carrier thereahead, said second face facing aft toward the next food product carrier therebehind, said second face meeting said second segment at a junction, said second segment extending rearwardly from said junction, and wherein said conveyor has a plurality of upwardly traveling flights and a plurality of downwardly traveling flights joined by upper and lower loops, and wherein said food product changes position from a first position to a second position as said conveyor travels around a respective loop, said food product in said first position being carried by said second segment of said leading food product carrier and said first face of said first segment of said trailing food product carrier and spanning said gap, said food product in said second position being carried by said second segment of said leading food product carrier and said second face of said first segment of said leading food product carrier at said junction, wherein each of said food product carriers is L-shaped and has a first leg providing said first segment, and a second leg providing said second segment, said first leg extending substantially horizontally during travel of said conveyor in one of said upwardly traveling flights, said second leg extending substantially vertically during travel of said conveyor in one of said upwardly traveling flights, said first and second legs meeting at said junction, wherein said first leg has a turned first lip at the end of said first leg opposite said junction, said first lip being turned to extend from said first leg in a direction opposite to said second leg such that said first lip extends upwardly during travel of said conveyor in one of said upwardly traveling flights, wherein said second leg has a turned second lip at the end of said second leg opposite said junction, said second lip being turned to extend from said second leg opposite to said first leg such that said second lip extends transversely during travel of said conveyor in one of said upwardly traveling flights.