Patent ID: 7614360

Claim:
A machine for coating food products with a particulate breading material comprising: a) a battering unit for applying a fluent batter to a food product comprising a batter reservoir and a battering unit conveyor system for moving food products through the batter reservoir and then discharge food product from the battering unit; b) a breading unit for applying particulate breading to the food product after the food product moves through the battering unit comprising a breading material reservoir, a breading station at which breading is applied to the product and a breading unit conveyor for delivering food products received from said battering unit to said breading station; and c) a conveyor drive system comprising a machine housing and i) a drive unit rotatably supported by the machine housing that provides motive power to said breading unit conveyor, the drive unit including: a) a coupling; and b) a drive shaft supported by the machine housing, a first end of the coupling overlapping a surface of a first end of the drive shaft; and ii) a breading unit drive including a driven shaft coupled to the breading unit conveyor that is rotated by the drive unit to move said breading unit conveyor; d) wherein a second end of the coupling is connected to a first end of the driven shaft to rotate the driven shaft and further wherein one of the second end of the coupling and the first end of the driven shaft defines a non-cylindrical bore and the other of the second end of the coupling and the first end of the driven shaft defines a non-cylindrical outer surface sized to fit into the bore; and e) a latch pivotally coupled to the conveyor drive system drive unit and, in latched position, engaging a projection extending from a side wall of the breading unit to maintain alignment of the driven shaft of the breading unit drive and the coupling of the drive unit.