Claims
- 1. Apparatus for cooking and packaging eggs comprising:
- a) means to dispense a predetermined quantity of deshelled eggs into each of a plurality of cooking pans;
- b) a multiple temperature zone cooking means for cooking the eggs including at least a first zone set to a first temperature and a second zone set to a second higher temperature;
- c) means to convey the loaded cooking pans through said multiple temperature zone cooking means;
- d) a packager for packaging and sealing the cooked eggs;
- means to transfer the cooked eggs to said packager;
- f) cooling means for cooling the packaged and sealed eggs to a refrigerated temperature of approximately 40.degree. F.; and,
- g) means for transferring the packaged and sealed eggs from said packager to said cooling means.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means to dispense further comprises:
- i) egg breaker means to break and remove the shells from a plurality of fresh eggs to form a plurality of deshelled intact whole eggs;
- ii) valve means to dispense said deshelled intact whole eggs into said cooking pans without breaking the yolks of said deshelled intact whole eggs; and,
- iii) means to transfer said deshelled whole intact eggs from said breaker means to said valve means.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising means to dispense a predetermined quantity of additional egg white into said cooking pans before said deshelled intact whole eggs are dispensed therein to act as a cushion for said eggs as they are received in said pans.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means to dispense further comprises:
- i) egg breaker means to break and remove the shells from a plurality of fresh eggs to form a plurality of deshelled eggs;
- ii) mixer means to mix the deshelled eggs into mixed eggs;
- iii) means to transfer said deshelled eggs from said breaker means to said mixer means;
- iv) valve means to dispensed said mixed eggs into said cooking pans; and,
- v) means to transfer said mixed eggs from said mixer means to said valve means.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising means to add a predetermined quantity of additional egg white to said mixed eggs.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means to supply dry culinary steam to said cooking means to cook the eggs.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means to transfer further comprises a dicing means for chopping the cooked eggs before they are transferred to said packager.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cooling means comprises:
- i) a cooling tunnel;
- ii) means to convey the packaged and sealed eggs through the cooling tunnel; and,
- iii) means to spray ice water on the packaged and sealed eggs as they are conveyed through the cooling tunnel.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising means to blow dry the packaged and sealed eggs after they are conveyed through the cooling tunnel.
- 10. Apparatus for cooking and packaging eggs comprising:
- a) means to dispense a predetermined quantity of deshelled eggs into each of a plurality of cooking pans;
- b) a multiple temperature zone cooking means for cooking the eggs including at least a first zone set to a first temperature and a second zone set to a second higher temperature;
- c) means to supply dry culinary steam to said cooking means to cook said eggs;
- d) means to convey the loaded cooking pans through said multiple temperature zone cooking means;
- e) a packager for packaging and sealing the cooked eggs;
- f) means to transfer the cooked eggs to said packager;
- g) cooling means to cool the packaged and sealed eggs to a refrigerated temperature of approximately 40.degree. F.; and,
- h) means to transfer the packaged and sealed eggs from said packager to said cooling means.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means to dispense further comprises:
- i) egg breaker means to break and remove the shells from a plurality of fresh eggs to form a plurality of deshelled intact whole eggs;
- ii) valve means to dispense said deshelled intact whole eggs into said cooking pans without breaking the yolks of said deshelled intact whole eggs; and,
- iii) means to transfer said deshelled whole intact eggs from said breaker means to said valve means.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means to dispense a predetermined quantity of additional egg white into said cooking pans before said deshelled intact whole eggs are dispensed therein to act as a cushion for said eggs as they are received in said pans.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means to dispense further comprises:
- i) egg breaker means to break and remove the shells from a plurality of fresh eggs to form a plurality of deshelled eggs;
- ii) mixer means to mix the deshelled eggs into mixed eggs;
- iii) means to transfer said deshelled eggs from said breaker means to said mixer means;
- iv) valve means to dispense said mixed eggs into said cooking pans; and,
- v) means to transfer said mixed eggs from said mixer means to said valve means.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising means to add a predetermined quantity of additional egg white to said mixed eggs.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means to transfer further comprises a dicing means for chopping the cooked eggs before they are transferred to said packager.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said cooling means comprises:
- i) a cooling tunnel;
- ii) means to convey the packaged and sealed eggs through the cooling tunnel; and,
- iii) means to spray ice water on the packaged and sealed eggs as they are conveyed through the cooling tunnel.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means to blow dry the packaged and sealed eggs after they are conveyed through the cooling tunnel.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 07/841,271, filed on Feb. 26, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,431, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/419,273, filed Oct. 10, 1989, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2498897 |
Aug 1982 |
FRX |
63-164866 |
Jul 1988 |
JPX |
1422823 |
Jan 1976 |
GBX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
841271 |
Feb 1992 |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
419273 |
Oct 1989 |
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