METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LONG-SLICED POTATO CHIPS
First Claim
1. A method of making long-sliced deep-fried potato chips from whole, raw potatoes having an elongate shape comprising:
- providing a horizontally elongated mesh strainer in a vat holding a bath of cooking oil and heating the cooking oil to a pre-selected frying temperature;
loading the potatoes into a slicing mechanism at one end of the vat of cooking oil with the long potato dimension being oriented to correspond to that of the mesh strainer;
moving the slicing mechanism back and forth over the vat of cooking oil and concurrently slicing the potatoes in the long dimension thereof to dispense raw potato slices to fall into the cooking oil in a scattered manner;
deep-frying the potato slices into deep-fried potato chips during a controlled cooking sequence and then removing the mesh strainer from the cooking oil.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of making long-sliced deep-fried potato chips from whole, raw potatoes having an elongate shape and an apparatus for performing the method; the method comprising providing a horizontally elongated mesh strainer in a vat holding a bath of cooking oil and heating the cooking oil to a pre-selected frying temperature; loading the potatoes into a slicing mechanism at one end of the vat of cooking oil with the long potato dimension being oriented to correspond to that of the mesh strainer, moving the slicing mechanism back and forth over the vat of cooking oil and concurrently slicing the potatoes in the long dimension thereof to dispense raw potato slices to fall into the cooking oil in a scattered manner, deep-frying the potato slices into potato chips during a controlled cooking sequence and removing the mesh strainer from the cooking oil. The method further comprises processing the potato chips for marketing such chips by seasoning and dehydrating.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method of making long-sliced deep-fried potato chips from whole, raw potatoes having an elongate shape comprising:
-
providing a horizontally elongated mesh strainer in a vat holding a bath of cooking oil and heating the cooking oil to a pre-selected frying temperature;
loading the potatoes into a slicing mechanism at one end of the vat of cooking oil with the long potato dimension being oriented to correspond to that of the mesh strainer;
moving the slicing mechanism back and forth over the vat of cooking oil and concurrently slicing the potatoes in the long dimension thereof to dispense raw potato slices to fall into the cooking oil in a scattered manner;
deep-frying the potato slices into deep-fried potato chips during a controlled cooking sequence and then removing the mesh strainer from the cooking oil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
- 3. The method of 2 in which the cooking sequence includes an initial set time in which the starchy moist surface condition of the freshly cut raw potato slices is cooked to a set condition, and a sequential soak time in which the potato slices are fully cooked to the deep-fried condition.
-
18. The method of making long sliced potato chips from whole, raw potatoes having an elongate shape, comprising:
-
providing a potato chip production device having a slicing mechanism, a bath of heated cooking oil, a strainer and an electronic control unit, positioning the strainer in a lowered position within the bath of cooking oil;
loading a plurality of the whole, raw potatoes into the slicing mechanism in a vertically stacked relationship with the long dimension thereof being oriented to extend in the same direction;
activating the electronic control unit to initiate and control movement of the slicing mechanism from a remote inoperative loading position through an operative slicing sequence above the bath of heated cooking oil, operating the slicing mechanism in its operative slicing sequence to slice across the bottom surface of the stacked potatoes in a series of sweeping cuts through the long dimension of the potatoes to thereby dispense the plurality of raw potato slices in a scattered manner across the surface of the bath of heated cooking oil;
cooking the raw potato chips in the heated cooking oil at predetermined conditions in a cooking sequence to produce fresh deep-fried potato chips, raising the strainer to lift the deep-fried potato chips from the heated cooking oil so that the strainer is positioned over the heated cooking oil to thereby provide an oil-draining sequence; and
processing the fresh deep-fried and drained potato chips for seasoning and marketing. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
-
20. An apparatus comprising:
-
a cooking oil container containing a bath of cooking oil;
a heat source adapted to provide heat to the bath of cooking oil;
a potato slicing mechanism constructed and arranged to slice raw potatoes, the potato slicing mechanism being operatively oriented with the cooking oil container for reciprocating movement over the bath of cooking oil;
a strainer associated with the cooking oil container and mounted for movement into and out of the bath of cooking oil; and
the potato slicing mechanism and the strainer in a manner such that the electronic control unit is adapted to control the reciprocating movement of the potato slicing mechanism and the movement of the strainer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A potato chip making apparatus for making long sliced potato chips from whole, raw potatoes having an elongate shape, said apparatus comprising a slicing mechanism, a cooking station, a deep-fried potato chip removing mechanism and an electronic control unit;
-
Said slicing mechanism including potato holder means for holding a plurality of whole, raw potatoes in a vertically stacked relationship with the long dimension thereof being oriented to extend in the same direction, slicer means constructed and arranged below said potato holding means and operable for slicing across the bottom surface of the stacked potatoes therein in a series of sweeping cuts to thereby sequentially make a plurality of elongate raw potato slices, carriage means for supporting said potato holder means and slicer means, and carriage drive means for moving the carriage means from a remote potato loading station along an elongate slicing station superposed over the cooking station, and said control unit including means for moving said carriage means back and forth in a reciprocating action over the cooking station in a controlled slicing sequence, and means for operating said slicer means only during said reciprocating sequence whereby the sequentially made raw potato chip slices are dispensed in a dispersed manner;
said cooking station including a container vat having a long dimension and being constructed and arranged to hold a bath of heated cooking oil for receiving the raw potato chip slices as they are dispersed from the slicing mechanism by the slicing action thereof, heating means for heating the batch of cooking oil to produce deep-fried potato chips;
said potato chip removing mechanism including strainer means for containing the potato chip slices within the bath of cooking oil, lifting means for raising the strainer means above the cooking oil, and said control unit being operable to terminate the deep-frying sequence by operating the lifting means.
-
Specification