ROASTING SYSTEM HAVING SELF-ALIGNING AGITATOR AND DOOR BEARING ASSEMBLY
First Claim
1. A bean roasting system having a roasting chamber assembly, comprising:
- a roasting drum having an opening and having an inside surface with a back end and a front end;
an agitator having blades mounted to an axial shaft, the axial shaft having an anterior end portion; and
a door mounted rotationally relative to the opening of the roasting drum, the door including;
a glass plate to provide visual access to contents inside the roasting drum when the door is closed over the opening; and
a bearing assembly including an outer housing mounted to the glass plate and an inner bearing defining a receiving hole that receives and supports the anterior end portion of the axial shaft when the door is closed.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bean roasting system includes a roasting drum, an agitator, and a door. The roasting drum has an inside surface extending from a back end to a front end. The agitator has blades mounted to an axial shaft. The axial shaft has an anterior end portion. The door is mounted rotationally relative to the roasting drum and includes a glass plate and a bearing assembly. The glass plate provides visual access to contents inside the roasting drum when the door is closed. The bearing assembly includes an outer housing and an inner bearing. The outer housing is mounted to the glass plate. The inner bearing defines a receiving hole that receives and supports the anterior end portion of the axial shaft when the door closed.
15 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A bean roasting system having a roasting chamber assembly, comprising:
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a roasting drum having an opening and having an inside surface with a back end and a front end; an agitator having blades mounted to an axial shaft, the axial shaft having an anterior end portion; and a door mounted rotationally relative to the opening of the roasting drum, the door including; a glass plate to provide visual access to contents inside the roasting drum when the door is closed over the opening; and a bearing assembly including an outer housing mounted to the glass plate and an inner bearing defining a receiving hole that receives and supports the anterior end portion of the axial shaft when the door is closed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13)
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12. A bean roasting system, comprising:
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a roasting drum defining an opening, a horizontal central axis, a back end and a front end; an agitator having blades mounted to an axial shaft, the axial shaft having an anterior end portion and defining an axis of rotation of the agitator; a door mounted rotationally relative to the roasting drum, the door including; a bearing assembly including (1) an outer housing that mounts to the door and (2) an inner bearing defining a receiving hole that engages the anterior end portion of the axial shaft and substantially aligns the axis of rotation with the horizontal central axis of the roasting drum as the door is moved to a closed position.
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14. An apparatus, comprising:
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a roasting drum defining a horizontal central axis; an agitator having blades mounted to an axial shaft, the axial shaft having an anterior end portion and defining an axis of rotation of the agitator; a door operationally coupled to the roasting drum and having an open position and a closed position relative to the roasting drum; and a bearing assembly fixedly coupled to the door and defining a receiving hole that removably engages the anterior end portion of the axial shaft and substantially aligns the axis of rotation with the horizontal central axis of the roasting drum as the door is moved to a closed position.
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15. A method of operating a roasting system, comprising:
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removably engaging an anterior end portion of an axial shaft of an agitator in response to a door of the roasting drum being moved from an open position to a closed position; and elevating an axis of rotation of the axial shaft to thereby raise blades attached to the axial shaft out of contact with the drum in response to the engagement. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification