Stephen W Mccormick

US Patent:

6434950, Aug 20, 2002

Filed:

Jan 10, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/757972

Inventors:

Michael D. Newman - Hillsborough NJ
Stephen A. McCormick - Warrington PA

Assignee:

The BOC Group, Inc. - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

F25D 1306

US Classification:

62 63, 62 64, 62374, 62380

Abstract:

An apparatus for the chilling or freezing of items, particularly food items includes an entrance module, an exit module and may include one or more intermediate modules. Each module includes a portion of a belt for conveying items and a motor driven impeller for circulating a stream of cryogenic gas around the items. The velocity of the stream of cryogenic gas is increased through the use of one or more impingers creating impingement jets above and below the belt. The impinger may be a plate having a series of holes or it may be a series of channels. The impinger effects the rate of heat transfer from the cryogen to the items. A sprayer for spraying liquid cryogen into the impingement jets provides an immediate freezing of the surface of an item. A pneumatically actuated ball valve is used to vibrate the impingers to remove snow and ice on the impingers.

US Patent:

6761109, Jul 13, 2004

Filed:

Mar 28, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/819513

Inventors:

Michael D. Newman - Hillsborough NJ
Stephen A. McCormick - Warrington PA
Helmut Dresselhaus - Brookfield, AU

Assignee:

The BOC Group, Inc. - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

A23B 414

US Classification:

99516, 99534, 261 782, 426320, 426541

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided for mixing a gas and a liquid to produce a gaseous vapor of the liquid that is substantially free of droplets. Gas, e. g. , carbon dioxide, is divided into first and second streams. The first stream is combined in an atomization zone with the liquid, e. g. , acetic acid, to form an atomized mixture of the gas and liquid. This atomized mixture is then contacted with the second gas stream in a mixing zone within a mixing/separation chamber in which the second gas stream vaporizes substantially all of the atomized liquid, and the resulting mixture of gas, vaporized liquid and residual droplets moves to the separation zone of the mixing/separation chamber. In the separation zone, the residual droplets gravitationally separate from the vaporized mixture, and the vaporized mixture free of a substantial amount of residual droplets is removed from the chamber. A vaporized mixture of carbon dioxide and acetic acid is useful as, among other things, a preservative for perishable products, e. g. , baked goods.

US Patent:

6877327, Apr 12, 2005

Filed:

Aug 15, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/641998

Inventors:

Michael D. Newman - Hillsborough NJ, US
Stephen A. McCormick - Warrington PA, US
D. Scott Boyles - Telford PA, US
Robert Muscato - Monmouth Junction NJ, US

Assignee:

The BOC Group, Inc. - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

F25D017/02
F25D025/04
F25D017/04

US Classification:

62 64, 62374, 62380, 62418

Abstract:

Food products are frozen or cooled within a housing chamber defined by side walls between an ceiling and floor and having a cryogen supply, a food products conveyor extending into the chamber disposed between the ceiling and floor, by transporting the food products on the conveyor; the chamber containing at least one impingement hood disposed above the conveyor; the impingement hood including a shell including a top, opposed edges and opposed side walls supporting an impinger containing openings. Gas and solid or liquid cryogen are mixed within the impingement hood, the mixture of gas and cryogen are directed to the impinger, and impingement jets of the mixture are directed through an impingement plate onto the food products transported on the conveyor.

US Patent:

6895775, May 24, 2005

Filed:

Aug 15, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/641757

Inventors:

Michael D. Newman - Hillsborough NJ, US
Stephen A. McCormick - Warrington PA, US
D. Scott Boyles - Telford PA, US
Thomas Edward Kilburn - Pennsburg PA, US

Assignee:

The BOC Group, Inc. - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

F25D025/00

US Classification:

62378, 62 63, 62380, 62381, 426524

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for surface crust freezing of a food product utilizes a refrigeration shell enclosing a freezing chamber, the freezing chamber having a cavity shaped to substantially accommodate the shape of the exterior surface of the food product; the cavity communicating with the refrigeration shell; a transport substrate to carry the food product into the freezing chamber; a cryogen supply; and a gas circulation device in the refrigeration shell in communication with the cryogen supply to introduce a cooling flow of gas containing cryogen into the cavity so as to contact the food product along its exterior surface.

US Patent:

6974126, Dec 13, 2005

Filed:

Jun 30, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/879897

Inventors:

Michael D. Newman - Hillsborough NJ, US
Stephen A. McCormick - Warrington PA, US
Helmut Dresselhaus - Brookfield, AU

Assignee:

The BOC Group, Inc. - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

B01F003/04

US Classification:

261 782, 239 8

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided for mixing a gas and a liquid to produce a gaseous vapor of the liquid that is substantially free of droplets. Gas, e. g. , carbon dioxide, is divided into first and second streams. The first stream is combined in an atomization zone with the liquid, e. g. , acetic acid, to form an atomized mixture of the gas and liquid. This atomized mixture is then contacted with the second gas stream in a mixing zone within a mixing/separation chamber in which the second gas stream vaporizes substantially all of the atomized liquid, and the resulting mixture of gas, vaporized liquid and residual droplets moves to the separation zone of the mixing/separation chamber. In the separation zone, the residual droplets gravitationally separate from the vaporized mixture, and the vaporized mixture free of a substantial amount of residual droplets is removed from the chamber. A vaporized mixture of carbon dioxide and acetic acid is useful as, among other things, a preservative for perishable products, e. g. , baked goods.

US Patent:

7008658, Mar 7, 2006

Filed:

May 29, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/157368

Inventors:

Michael D. Newman - Hillsborough NJ, US
Stephen A. McCormick - Warrington PA, US
Helmut Dresselhaus - Brisbane, AU

Assignee:

The BOC Group, Inc. - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

A23L 3/00

US Classification:

426281, 426312, 426320, 426321, 426497

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for providing treatment by impingement to a continuous supply of food product includes a treatment zone at an ambient pressure, a fluid delivery zone at an elevated pressure, and a circulation assembly. Impingement plates containing apertures separate the zones. When treatment fluid is drawn through the impingement apertures, jets of treatment fluid are produced and impinge upon food product traveling through the treatment zone. The apparatus can employ a conveyor mechanism to accommodate food product from a continuous supply, as opposed to batches.

US Patent:

7229066, Jun 12, 2007

Filed:

Sep 23, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/234566

Inventors:

Michael D. Newman - Hillsborough NJ, US
Stephen A. McCormick - Warrington PA, US
Helmut Dresselhaus - Brookfield, AU

Assignee:

The BOC Group, Inc. - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

B01F 3/04

US Classification:

261 782, 239 8, 99516, 426312

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided for mixing a gas and a liquid to produce a gaseous vapor of the liquid that is substantially free of droplets. Gas, e. g. , carbon dioxide, is divided into first and second streams. The first stream is combined in an atomization zone with the liquid, e. g. , acetic acid, to form an atomized mixture of the gas and liquid. This atomized mixture is then contacted with the second gas stream in a mixing zone within a mixing/separation chamber in which the second gas stream vaporizes substantially all of the atomized liquid, and the resulting mixture of gas, vaporized liquid and residual droplets moves to the separation zone of the mixing/separation chamber. In the separation zone, the residual droplets gravitationally separate from the vaporized mixture, and the vaporized mixture free of a substantial amount of residual droplets is removed from the chamber. A vaporized mixture of carbon dioxide and acetic acid is useful as, among other things, a preservative for perishable products, e. g. , baked goods.

US Patent:

7296431, Nov 20, 2007

Filed:

Sep 27, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/235782

Inventors:

Robert Muscato - Monmouth Junction NJ, US
Robert Boddaert - Washington NJ, US
Stephen A McCormick - Warrington PA, US
John Hamilton - Edmond OK, US

Assignee:

The BOC Group, Inc. - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

F25D 25/00

US Classification:

62380, 62 62

Abstract:

An apparatus and method of cooling products includes a conveyor for transporting the products, through a refrigeration medium for cooling the products, agitation means disposed proximate to the conveyor for selective, intermittent contact with the conveyor to displace the conveyor from a plane of travel, thereby displacing the products on the conveyor during freezing to prevent the products from adhering to the conveyor or other of the products during freezing, at least one of the agitation means and the conveyor constructed and arranged to be positioned away from each other for the conveyor to move uninterrupted along the plane of travel.