Machine for breaking up food containers and for recovering food product therefrom
First Claim
1. A machine for extracting flowable food such as dairy products from crushable containers, said machine comprising an auger having an upstream end and a downstream end and supported to rotate about an inclined axis which slants upwardly upon progressing from said upstream end toward said downstream end, power-operated means for rotating said auger in a direction to advance material upwardly from the upstream end portion of said auger toward the downstream end portion thereof, a tubular barrel closely surrounding at least part of said auger, means adjacent the upstream end of said barrel for enabling crushable containers filled with flowable food to be introduced into said barrel for advancement by said auger, means adjacent the downstream end of said barrel for restricting the advance of said containers thereby to cause said auger to coact with said barrel to crush and break up said containers and release said food, the upstream end of said barrel being open to allow food to drain from the upstream end of the barrel, baffle means adjacent the upstream end of said barrel for reversing the flow of food draining from the barrel and for directing such flow downwardly beneath the barrel, and a tank below said barrel between the ends thereof for collecting the food flowing from said baffle means.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A machine for breaking up filled containers of milk, cottage cheese and the like after expiration of the freshness date and for recovering the food product for use as animal feed. The machine comprises an auger which rotates in an upwardly inclined barrel and which coacts with angularly spaced ribs in the barrel to break up the containers as they are advanced through the barrel by the auger. A discharge spout at the end of the barrel includes a pivoted gate which may be adjusted to vary the cross-sectional area of the spout and control the rate of advance of the containers according to the size and quantity of the containers. Food product which spills out of the broken up cartons flows downwardly along the barrel and is directed to a collection tank.
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Citations
13 Claims
- 1. A machine for extracting flowable food such as dairy products from crushable containers, said machine comprising an auger having an upstream end and a downstream end and supported to rotate about an inclined axis which slants upwardly upon progressing from said upstream end toward said downstream end, power-operated means for rotating said auger in a direction to advance material upwardly from the upstream end portion of said auger toward the downstream end portion thereof, a tubular barrel closely surrounding at least part of said auger, means adjacent the upstream end of said barrel for enabling crushable containers filled with flowable food to be introduced into said barrel for advancement by said auger, means adjacent the downstream end of said barrel for restricting the advance of said containers thereby to cause said auger to coact with said barrel to crush and break up said containers and release said food, the upstream end of said barrel being open to allow food to drain from the upstream end of the barrel, baffle means adjacent the upstream end of said barrel for reversing the flow of food draining from the barrel and for directing such flow downwardly beneath the barrel, and a tank below said barrel between the ends thereof for collecting the food flowing from said baffle means.
- 7. A machine for extracting flowable food such as dairy products from crushable containers, said machine comprising an auger having an upstream end and a downstream end and supported to rotate about an inclined axis which slants upwardly upon progressing from said upstream end toward said downstream end, power-operated means for rotating said auger in a direction to advance material upwardly from the upstream end portion of said auger toward the downstream end portion thereof, a tubular barrel closely surrounding at least part of said auger, means adjacent the upstream end of said barrel for enabling crushable containers filled with flowable food to be introduced into said barrel for advancement by said auger, means adjacent the downstream end of said barrel for restricting the advance of said containers thereby to cause said auger to coact with said barrel to crush and break up said containers and release said food, said restricting means comprising a spout at the downstream end of said barrel and further comprising selectively operable means for varying the effective cross-sectional area of said spout in correlation with the type and quantity of containers being advanced by said auger, means enabling said food to drain from said barrel, and means below said barrel for collecting the food drained from the barrel.
- 9. A machine for extracting flowable food such as dairy products from crushable containers, said machine comprising an auger having an upstream end and a downstream end and supported to rotate about an inclined axis which slants upwardly upon progressing from said upstream end toward said downstream end, power-operated means for rotating said auger in a direction to advance material upwardly from the upstream end portion of said auger toward the downstream end portion thereof, a tubular barrel closely surrounding at least part of said auger, a hopper located on the upper side of said barrel near the upstream end thereof and having a lower end communicating with said barrel to enable crushed containers filled with flowable food to be introduced into said barrel for advancement by said auger, a series of elongated ribs spaced around the inner side of the downstream end portion of said barrel and operable to restrict the advance of said containers through said barrel thereby to cause said auger to coact with said barrel to crush and break up said containers to release said food, a discharge spout adjacent the downstream end of said barrel and communicating with said barrel, selectively operable means for varying the effective cross-sectional area of said discharge spout in correlation with the type and quantity of containers being advanced by said auger, and means below said barrel for collecting the food drained from said barrel.
Specification