GB2160438A - Strainer assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A strainer assembly in or connected to a food fryer comprises a strainer 28 and means 20 for removing solids from the strainer, the strainer comprising a plurality of spaced parallel bars of wedge section whose axes run substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the solids removing means. In Fig. 1 the strainer is mounted directly in a heated frying chamber, and its surface is scraped clean by the return run of a wire mesh belt 20 which also carries food 22 to be fried. In Fig. 3 (not shown) a similar strainer and belt are located in a chamber separate from the fryer. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or Relating to Strainers The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to strainers, especially but not exclusively strainers for use in food fryers.

In various fields of activity particulate materials are removed from liquid by conveying the particles by a wire mesh conveyor belt from the base of a container onto which they settle over a screen or strainer prior to the point from which the material is discharged. The particles are pulled over the surface of the strainer by the conveyor and often this results in a disintegration of the particles as a result of the sheering action between the moving conveyor and the fixed strainer to which they are subjected. This disintegration not only gives rise to smaller particles, which in itself may be disadvantageous, but also results in particles passing through the strainer to contaminate the strained liquid.

This problem is experienced particularly in food fryers where a wire mesh conveyor passing in an endless loop through a bath of cooking oil conveys the products to be fried through the oil on its upper run and on its lower run moves over the base of the fryer onto which particles dislodged from the product have settled and thereafter over a strainer prior to discharging the particles to a bin at the end of the lower run of the conveyor.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the disadvantages of prior arrangements.

According to the present invention there is provided a strainer assembly comprising a strainer and means for conveying material to be strained overthe strainer, the strainer comprising a plurality of spaced apart members the axes of which run substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the conveying means.

Preferably the members are inverted wedgeshaped members.

Preferably the strainer is convex so that the conveying means is retained in close contact with it over its entire length.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a strainer for a food fryer having a perforated conveyor belt for conveying products through the fryer, the lower run of said conveyor passing over a strainer comprising a plurality of spaced apart members the axes of which are substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor passing over it.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows one end of a food fryer; Fig. 2 shows a partial transverse sectional elevation through a strainer of a food fryer; and Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically a self-contained strainer for use with a separate fryer or fryers.

A fryer comprises a bath 10 having inner and outer walls 12, 14 sandwiching a heat insulating material 16 therebetween. A plurality of heaters, only one, 18, of which is shown in the drawings, are arranged in the base of the bath through which an endless wire mesh conveyor belt 20 is guided. The top run of the conveyor belt 20 is loaded with food products 22 which are often coated in bread crumbs or batter and it transports these products through the heated oil in the fryer, the cooked products being discharged at the other end of the fryer which is not shown in Fig. 1. The lower return run of the conveyor 20 passes over a drag plate 24 supported in the bath above the heaters 18. Any food particles separated from the products 22 fall onto the drag plate 24 and are carried from right to left along the drag plate by the return run of the conveyor.A hold down shaft 26 is provided at the downstream end of the drag plate to hold the conveyor against the drag plate and against a strainer 28 positioned in the fryer between the hold down shaft 26 and the inner wall 14 of the end of the bath.

As shown in Fig. 2, the strainer comprises a plurality of inverted wedge-shaped members 30, and the spacing between the members at their upper end being in the order of .005 inches (0.127 mm) and the longitudinal axes of the members running parallel to the direction of motion of the conveyor. The members 30 of the strainer 28 are deflected upwardly so that the stainer assumes a convex configuration to ensure that the length of conveyor 20 between the hold down shaft 26 and the outer conveyor drive shaft 32 is held in contact with the upper surface of the strainer.As the apertures through the strainer are not arranged transversely of the direction of movement the tendency to sheer material particles being strained is minimised and thus strained oil passing through the outlet 34 from the strainer into the inlet pipe 36 of a circulating pump (not shown) is relatively free from food particles. Oil from the pump is returned to the fryer by means of a manifold 38 having a plurality of outlets 40.

It is to be observed that the heaters 18 in the apparatus are separated from the straining means so that at the straining means turbulence due to convection currents is at a minimum and that turbulence does not detrimentally affect the straining operation.

Strained particles carried over the upper edge of the bath 10 by the conveyor are discharged into a collecting bin 44 fixed to the end of the bath.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the fryer can take any convenient form provided that towards the end of its return run its conveyor passes over the strainer. The members 30 forming the strainer need not be wedge-shaped but, in practice, this has been found to give the most satisfactory result.

In a further modification illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 3, the strainer is a selfcontained unit connected to one or more food fryers. Contaminated fat from the fryer(s) is introduced into the strainer in which it is cleaned before being returned to the fryer. The strainer is constructed in a manner similarto that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and similar components have been given the same reference numerals. Of course, the conveyor 20 carries no food products and no heaters are provided.

Claims (10)

1. A strainer assembly comprising a strainer and means for conveying material to be strained over the strainer, the strainer comprising a plurality of spaced apart members the axes of which run substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the conveying means.

2. A strainer as claimed in claim 1, in which the members are inverted wedge-shaped members.

3. A strainer as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the strainer is convex so that the conveying means is retained in close contact with it over its entire length.

4. A food fryer having a perforated conveyor belt for conveying products through the fryer, the lower run of said conveyor passing over a strainer comprising a plurality of spaced apart members the axes of which are substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor passing over it.

5. A food fryer as claimed in claim 4, in which the members are inverted wedge-shaped members.

6. A food fryer as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, in which the strainer is convex so that the conveying means is retained in close contact with it over its entire length.

7. A food fryer as claimed in any one of claims 4to 6, in which the conveyor is a wire mesh conveyor

8. A strainer assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A food fryer substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.