A MACHINE FOR RAPIDLY COOKING BATCHES OF SPAGHETTI

Abstract: In order to cook a portion or batch of spaghetti rapidly, use is made of: a batcher device (90-96) of the batch or portion of raw ''Italian pasta''; a boiler (49) for hot water inserted in a pressurized water pipe network; a first pre-cooking chamber (10) under pressure, incorporated within said boiler (49); a second chamber (11), cascade connected with the first chamber mentioned above for completing the cooking process at the atmospheric pressure; a stirrer (14) for agitating the ''pasta'' during the time it is held within the second cooking chamber; a device (52) for regulating the amount of residual cooking water to be left with the cooked ''pasta''; a heat exchanger (42) for regenerating heat contained in steam as well as in the cooking excess water and for pre-heating the water to be conveyed into the boiler; hydraulic control means (32, 36) of the inlet and outlet valves of the pre-cooking chamber, of the doors and of the stirring device; microprocessor control and regulation means (27) with an intermittent or continuous working cycle program and with initial washing of said cooking chambers and the final emptying of the cooking water.

Description: A MACHINE FOR RAPIDLY COOKING BATCHES OF SPAGHETTI This invention relates to a machine for rapidly cooking a batch of spaghetti, said machine being especially but not exclusively intended for being installed within public prem¬ ises with self-service catering of main courses,. A pressure device is known as disclosed in the Italian Patent no. 945,990 for rapidly cooking food such as rice, Italian "pasta" or macaroni and the like with a- boiler for the hot cooking water, a batcher device for the alimentary produce to be cooked, a kettle for cooking under pressure, a separator for unloading cooked food; however, said already known device has a number of severe drawbacks such as the ir¬ regular feeding motion of the alimentary produce, especially in the case of sp * aghetti, within the batcher device, which drawback gives rise to problems in closing said batcher and in obtaining a regular formation of batches; the steam leak¬ age out the separator each time cooked food is introduced in¬ to the same, which drawback causes geared motors and electro- magnets employed for moving all various intermittent working members to become unserviceable and consequently the stop¬ ping of the device. The main object of the presente invention is to elim¬ inate all such drawbacks and to propose a high performance and high yield machine. According to the present invention, said result has been attained by adopting the idea of introducing raw "pasta" into the batcher space avoiding acting on the interception members with the full weight of the "pasta" lying above the same; of arranging the pre-cooking chamber inside the boiler; of ov- ing the machine members by means of hydraulic control cylinders; of conveying hot water and steam discharged from the final cooking chamber into a heat exchanger; of controlling all op¬ erative steps by means of a microprocessor control unit . 5 The advantages obtained through the present invention mainly consist in the fact that the batching operation of raw "pasta" and the introduction of the same into the first cook¬ ing chamber are carried out in a rapid and exact way; that it is possible to eliminate heat exchange between the first 10 cooking chamber and the outside , to lower the temperature of water within the boiler and then also to lower heat exchange between the boiler and the outside; that cooked "pasta" can he unloaded and dispe-nsed with no steam leakage; that it is possible to regenerate both water and steam heat before wast- -|t j ing the same; that the temperature of waste water to the sink is kept within limits that are tolerable by collection.pipes normally employed; that the hydraulic control cylinders are energized by the same pressurized water fed into the boiler; that it is possible to agitate the "pasta" during the cooking 20 completion step; that a special cycle is provided of switching on for a suitable washing of the cooking chambers and of switching off for the full emptying of the cooking water; that the operative cycle is controlled by a central control unit, for instance a microprocessor programming unit; that a machine realized according to the present invention allows an intermittent cycle working through push-button or coin ener¬ gizing to be performed, but it also allows a continuous and accelerated cycle to be carried out as in such a case the first and second cooking steps occur simultaneously on two "separate 0 batches; that the machine operation is safe and very reliable also after long periods of continuous service. These and other advantages and features of the present invention will be better understood by those who are skilled in the art by the following disclosure in connection with the enclosed drawings which are presented for exemplification of the finding in question and not for limitative purposes ? of the same; in the drawings: Figure 1 in Table 1 shows a partly cutaway whole front view of a machine realized according to the present inven¬ tion; Figure 2 in Table 1 shows the side view of the machine 10 of Figure 1; in Table 2: Figure 3 shows the cross section along A-A of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows the cross section along B-B of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows as a front view the detail of a gate valve; Figure 6 shows the cross section along C-C of Figure 5; In Table 3: . Figure 7 shows as a longitudinal cross section the de¬ tail of a hydraulic control cylinder; C Figure 8 shows the plan view of the detail of the stir- rer; Figure 9 shows the cross section along D-D of Figure 8; in Table 4: Figure 10 shows the front view of the detail of the un- -s loading or dispensing door of the second chamber. Considering the essential structure of the machine according to the present invention and referring to the en¬ closed drawings, the machine of the invention for rapidly cooking a batch of spaghetti comprises: 0 a) means for obtaining batches of the raw "Italian pa¬ sta"; b) means for the production of hot water; . c) a first pressure cooking chamber; d) a finalcooking chamber under atmospheric pressure pro¬ vided with a stirrer for the "pasta" and with a regulating device of the amount of residual water; e) a central control unit for controlling the various operative steps according to a programmed cycle. More particularly: a) Eieans for obtaining batches of raw "pasta" comprise: a hopper 0 for supporting the spaghetti as a horizontal pack, 0 a retractile horizontal blade 9 being arranged below the same and being suitable to keep the spaghetti lying above itself and to define, in cooperation with a retractile horizontal tab 9k- and with a coplanar fixed stud or lug 91 a batcher space 96. Ihe retraction and then the re-entry of said blade 91 thro p ugh the action of a hydraulic control cylinder 93j allo-..- said space 96 to be filled by the action of gravity while the over¬ lying bent tile 98 avoids acting with the full weight of the spaghetti contained within the hopper on said blade 92. The extraction of said tab 9+ through-the hydraulic control cyl- ' 0 inder 95 causes the batch of spaghetti to drop into said space 96, and said spaghetti, by rotating around said lug or stud 9 » goes finally in the vertical position into the underlying fun¬ nel 97. Each one of said hydraulic control cylinders 93> 95 is essentially made up of a bottom, a chamber and a head; the rod, which is hollow, bears at its ends, respectively, a con¬ nection device and a piston. Each cylinder is controlled by one valve only, as the chamber occupied by said rod is kept under pressure so as to obtain the spontaneous return of the piston. 0 b) Said means for the production of hot water under press , ure comprise: a pipe for feeding water with drawing of the same from the water pipe network of the city through a tap *l , a device -2 for freeing water from calcium and a filter V_ to a motor 5 pump with a bypass valve and a check valve ^5; a pocket accumulator L ι-6 being offtake connected downstream said pump, and already known means being also provided in order to pre- vent water intended for flowing into the control cylinders from being conveyed to the boiler; a minimum and maximum lev¬ el pressure switch -7 , a heat exchanger kS and a boiler ^9 heated by the electric resistances 15 and provided with a calibrated diaphragm inlet valve 23 and with a spring safety valve 2 , complete the whole heating plant. c) The first cooking chamber is a body 10 which is frus¬ tum shaped at its lower part whereas it is of a cylindrical shape at its upper part and is intercepted in the same by a gate valve 17 interlocked with a hydraulic control cylinder 71 , said body being laterally provided with a valve 18 inter¬ locked with a hydraulic control cylinder 81 for the inlet σf_ hot water, as well as with a gate valve 19 interlocked with a hydraulic control cylinder 91 for the outlet of the pre-cooked "pasta". Said body 10. is fully inserted within said boiler ^9 in the vertical position and aligned with said batcher funnel 97 and below the same, with the interposition of a diaphragm 16 which is interlocked with a hydraulic control cylinder 61 arid moves together with said tab 9^ of the batcher device. Said hydraulic control cylinders, 61 , 71, S1 , and 91 are si i lar to said cylinders 93 and 95- Each one of said gate valves 17, 19 is essentially made up of a plane slider 6* bearing a central hole 85 and moves with a straight reciprocating mo¬ tion between the plates 81 , 83 which bear a hole in their cen- ters and are fastened to the block 82 and to the heads 88 by means of bolts 89: a floating, seal bushing 86 is placed at a point between said slider 8k- and each one of said heads 08. d) The final cooking chamber, working at atmospheric pressure, is a vertical axis body 11 which is laterally con- nected with the outlet valve 19 of said first cooking chamber 10 and is closed in the upper part by a dome-shaped cover 12 for the expansion of steam that is generated by discharging said first cooking chamber 0 and in the lower part by a dou¬ ble-bottom door 33 which is interlocked with a hydraulic con- trol cylinder 36. Steam so formed is conveyed to the bottom of the heat exchanger ^8. An arm I k vertically passing into the cover and moving with a reciprocating rotatory motion obtained through a hydraulic control cylinder 32 v. th the interposition _ 6 _ of a toothed rod 61 and of the idling wheelwork 62, 63 on the common shaft 6*+ and of the sprocket wheel 65 integral with the shaft of said arm 1*f, allows the "pasta" contained within the chamber 11 to be removed. The space of said door 33 is connected with a vessel 25 with a spillway 52 whose level can be adjusted as desired with respect to the desired amount of water to be left behind in said chamber 11. A stat¬ ic head column 53 is associated with said vessel 25, the float valve ^k of said column closing when the chamber 10 is unloaded so preventing water and steam from leaking out, and on the contrary opening when the pressure is lowered, so causing said spillway 52 to become active. Hot water flowing out said spillway 52 goes through ^ into said heat exchan¬ ger ^8 in which a similar spillway keeps constant the level of water that gives off heat. A solenoid valve 28 allows said heat exchanger +8 to be emptied. Said door 33 is " assem bled on a lever 30 by means of a screw 31 which regulates the closing pressure; said lever 30 is articulated through two link rods 3*+ with the rod 35 of said hydraulic control cylinder 36 which is advantageously controlled by " two valves. Said hydraulic control cyliners 32, 3 are substantially equal to the cylinders 93 > 95 already mentioned a±tove. e) The central control unit is a microprocessor pro¬ gramming device arranged within a suitable watertight con- tainer 27, the solenoid valves for energizing the arious hydraulic control cylinders being arranged as a bank within a zone which is suitably far from water and steam. Said mi¬ croprocessor is advantageously interfaced in order to cfefcect the positions of the pistons of the various hydraulic con- trol cylinders, as well as temperature and pressure of water so as to control, through corresponding solenoid valves, the hydraulic control cylinders, and, through corresponding switches, the discharge valve 28 of said heat exchanger kS, the motor pump kk and the electric resistances 15 * Said programming device is suitably instructed to per¬ form either an intermittent working cycle, i.e. for cooking one only portion or batch, with starting obtained by a push- button or a coin or a token, or a continuous working cycle, i.e., for cooking a number of portions or batches in a rapid succession. When the machine starts working, the programming device allows a special washing cycle of the cooking chambers to be performed; when the machine stops working $ said pro¬ gramming device allows a similar washing cycle of said cook¬ ing chambers to be carried out as well as the final emptying of the cooking water. The steady state working of the machine is as follows. In the "ready" condition, water within the boiler ? is at the temperature and pressure previously determined as desir¬ ed, valve 17 is open whereas valves 18-19 are closed, as well as said door 33 and tile 16; the batcher space 96 is supplied with raw "pasta". When the "start" condition sets in, said tab k and the diaphragm 16 are retracted, i.e. they are opened, so that the batch or portion of "spaghetti" drops as a bundle drops from the space 96 into the underlying first cooking chamber 10; then suddenly the valve 17 closes where¬ as valve 18 opens and pressurized hot water floods said cham- "D er 0 passing through said valve 18. The consequent pressure drop of water in the boiler is detected by the pressure switc k7 which energizes the motor pump kk till the service press¬ ure is reestablished (about 8 atm) . After the predetermined time for the first cooking has elapsed (about 50-60 sec.) with the valve 1δ closed, valve 19 is opened, which opening gives rise to a sudden pressure drop in the overheated water present within said chamber 10 with immediate formation of steam which causes the spaghetti with the residual water to be expelled into the second cooking chamber ' 1 ; from here steam flows into the heat exchanger kS whereas excess water is conveyed also to said heat exchanger kS through the spillr w y 52 of the vessel 25. During the holding time within the chamber 11 , the "pasta" is removed by the arm 1 1 *; when the cooking operation is over, the door 33 opens so causing the pasta to drop together with the predetermined amount of water into the underlying dish P. In the practice, the operative details can be changed according to equivalent ways as regards the shape, sizes, arrangement of the machine members, as well as the nature of the materials employed without departing from the scope of the idea adopted and therefore without departing from the spirit of the present invention fir v/hich a priority right is claimed.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A machine for rapidly cooking batches or portions of spaghetti with a batcher device of raw "pasta", a boiler for pressurized hot .ater, a first chamber for partial cooking and a second chamber for completing the cooking, said machine being characterized in that said first cooking chamber 10 is arranged inside the boiler ^9 and in a vertical position below the outlet of said batcher device, and in that said second cooking chamber 1 is closed at its top by a domershaped cover 12 for allowing steam to expand at the outlet of the first chamber 10, said second chamber being connected to a heat ex¬ changer kQ for the regeneration of heat contained in said stea and in the cooking excess water. 2. A machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the batcher space 96 of the raw "pasta" contained in the bat- ■ cher device is defined laterally by two opposite vertical wall of a hopper 90, superiorly by a retractile horizontal blade 92 and, at its lower part, by a retractile horizontal tab 9*+ in cooperation with a coplanar lug or stud 92 fastened of said hopper 90, said machine being also characterized in that a til 98 is arranged above said blade 92 to prevent the full weight of the spaghetti contained within said hopper 90 from acting upon said blade 92: said 92 and said tab 9*+ being energized by the corresponding hydraulic control cylinders 93j 95. 3« machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that said first cooking chamber 10 under pressure is provided at it upper part with a first gate valve 17 for the introduction of raw spaghetti and laterally with a second gate valve 19 for causing said spaghetti to come out with the first cooking water: said valves 17, 19 being energized by a corresponding hydraulic control cylinder 71 , 91 ; and in that a diaphragm 16 is provided above said valve 17, said diaphragm being energiz¬ ed by the hydraulic control cylinder 61 synchronously with the retraction of said batcher device tab 9*+. k. A machine according to claim 1 , characterized in t said chamber 11 for completing the cooking process is provided with an arm I k intended for the removal of the "pasta", which arm is made to pass vertically through the cover and moves with a reciprocating rotatory motion obtained from the re¬ ciprocating straight motion of a toothed rod 61 interlocked with a hydraulic control cylinder 32, with the interposition of a wheelwork 62, 63, 6k. 5. A machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that said chamber 11 for completing the cooking process is con¬ nected with a vessel 25 provided with a spillway 52 whose height can be adjusted with respect to the amount of water to be left with cooked pasta as desired, and whose outlet is connected with the heat exchanger S . 6. A machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that said chamber 11 or completing the cooking process is connec¬ ted vdth a static head column 53 having a float valve 5k as- sociated with said vessel 25. 7. A machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that said chamber 11 or completing the cooking process is provided at its lower part wdth a double-bottom do * or 33 which is as¬ sembled on a lever 30 through an adjustable screw 31 > v/hich lever 30 is articulated through two link rods 3 with the rod 3 of a hydraulic control cylinder 36. c. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, said machine being characterized in that it is pro¬ vided vdth a central control unit such as an interfaced micro processor programming device v/hich energizes, through corresp¬ onding solenoid valves or remote control switches, the dis¬ charge valve 28 of the heat exchanger kQ , the motor pump k - and the electric resistances 15 within the boiler. 9. A machine according to claim 8, characterized in " that said programming device is instructed for carrying out an intermittent working cycle, i.e. the cooking of one por¬ tion or batch only, and also for performing a continuous working cycle, i.e. the cooking of a number of portions or batches in rapid succession. 10. A machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said programming device is instructed for carrying out a special washing cycle of said two cooking chambers 10, 11 before the steady state operation of the machine and at the end of the same, as well as the emptying of the cooking water v/hen the machine operation is over; all substantially as dis¬ closed, exemplified and illustrated in the enclosed drav/ings and to attain the ob ects set forth above.

Inventors: TACCONI ANTONIO, TACCONI, ANTONIO
Applicants: SOIMEX SRL, SOIMEX S.R.L.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: A47J27
IPC codes: A47J27, G07F9