Patent ID: 7886657

Claim:
A compact cellular food process line comprising: a plurality of diverse cells ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 ), each including conveying apparatus ( 56 , 60 , 68 ) extending between an infeed zone for introduced food product and a discharge zone to where the introduced food product ( 41 ) is conveyed along a pathway therefor and discharged therefrom, wherein each cell further includes process apparatus ( 32 , 62 , 72 , 86 , 38 ) for interacting with the food product along the pathway thereof to achieve at least one sub-process comprising any of marinade, form, cook, dust coat, batter coat, crumb coat, fry, sear, or freeze; at least a first and a second of such cells which are diverse according to the process apparatus thereof being combined in a vertical stack such that the pathway of the second cell generally courses under the pathway of the first cell; an inter-cell transfer provision ( 52 , 54 , 56 , 60 , 64 , 66 , 68 , 82 ) for introducing food product discharged by one cell to a succeeding cell; wherein any cell of said vertical stack is interchangeable with a third cell for said stack that is diverse according to the process apparatus of the swapped-out cell.