Gary Van Handel

US Patent:

54269172, Jun 27, 1995

Filed:

Jan 14, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/182899

Inventors:

Larry E. Daane - Horicon WI
Gary A. Handel - Madison WI
John A. Jonovic - Fitchburg WI
James A. Rattmann - Sun Prairie WI

Assignee:

Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation - Madison WI

International Classification:

B65B 2508

US Classification:

53435

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for the automated and large scale preparation of layered stacks of one or more food items such as sandwich meats, hors d'oeuvre servings and the like ("set-ups"). The apparatus conveys a continuous web of paper through a plurality of slicer stations, each slicer station providing one or more slices of one or more food items to sequentially form set-ups of two or more stacked layers of horizontally spaced food slices. The apparatus is synchronized so that each sliced layer is conveyed to a subsequent slicer station before the next layer of food slices is deposited directly on top of that previous layer. The set-up is formed with two or more stacked layers of food slices before being conveyed to a cutter/wrapping station where the paper web is cut to separate the finished set-ups which are then wrapped by folding a portion of the cut paper over the finished set-up. The wrapper separates the set-ups when they are subsequently stacked and packaged and also allows for the sanitary handling of the set-ups when they are unpackaged and used to make sandwiches or the like. The apparatus can include a second paper supply device to interpose a second web of paper between two layers of food to thereby prevent the exchange of flavor and color components between the layers.

US Patent:

50983326, Mar 24, 1992

Filed:

Jun 17, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/716413

Inventors:

Gary A. Handel - Madison WI

Assignee:

Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation - Madison WI

International Classification:

A22C 1100

US Classification:

452 46

Abstract:

An apparatus and a method for forming casingless food products such as casingless sausages and the like is provided. The apparatus includes a denaturing solution into which a flowable batter material is extruded in a generally cylindrical configuration. The denaturing solution includes ingredients which act on the batter to form a skin. In a first embodiment, the extrusion apparatus extrudes batter directly into the denaturing solution and the extrusion orifice is adjustable reclosable to form domed ends of the batter material during the extrusion of the material into the solution. In a second embodiment, a shaping and cutting apparatus is provided to receive a continuous ribbon of batter from the extrusion apparatus. The cutting and shaping device cuts the ribbon into links and simultaneously forms domed ends thereon. The formed links are removed from the solution and, after an optional washing step, can be further processed into a cooked and packaged product.

US Patent:

51185199, Jun 2, 1992

Filed:

Aug 15, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/745631

Inventors:

Timothy G. Mally - Oregon WI
Gary A. Handel - Madison WI
Nilang Patel - Madison WI
Dean F. Schwarz - Madison WI

Assignee:

Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation - Madison WI

International Classification:

A22C 700
A22C 1100

US Classification:

426513

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided for processing batter materials, such as food batter, including sausage batter for wieners and the like, without incorporating the use of any casing for the batter. An elongated ribbon or flow of proteinaceous batter material is extruded or otherwise formed and treated to have a proteinaceous skin made by congealing surface batter materials with a treating arrangement. This flow is then severed into a plurality of blanks, followed by forming unfinished ends of the blanks into shaped links. The shaped links are then cooked and typically packaged as desired to provide a finished sausage product.

US Patent:

50529757, Oct 1, 1991

Filed:

Jun 14, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/538365

Inventors:

Gary A. Handel - Madison WI

Assignee:

Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation - Madison WI

International Classification:

A22C 1702

US Classification:

452187

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided for combing bacon bellies or similar generally compressible items in order to transform a conveyed flow of those items into a stream of those items, each of which is suspended from a comb which impales the item. The thus combed items are then suitable for transport along track means to subject the item to treatment conditions such as transporting them into smoking and flavoring environments. The apparatus and method are particularly well suited for combing pork bellies and as a component of a commercial line in which pork bellies are processed into sliced and packaged bacon products.

US Patent:

50716662, Dec 10, 1991

Filed:

Dec 11, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/625735

Inventors:

Gary A. Handel - Madison WI
Timothy G. Mally - Oregon WI
Larry G. McManis - Madison WI

Assignee:

Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation - Madison WI

International Classification:

A23C 900
A23C 1700
A23L 131
A23L 334

US Classification:

426281

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided for injecting bacon bellies or the like with a brine solution or other treatment fluid. A parameter of the belly or the like to be injected is determined at a location upstream of the injection site. This parameter is used to vary the amount of brine or the like which is injected into the belly or the like. By this approach, the quantity of fluid injected is tailored to the particular belly being injected, which achieves an improvement in the extent that bellies being processed deviate from a target fluid pickup value.