Method and apparatus for the manufacture of frozen food products

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing a frozen food product in a chamber having a tubular refrigerated wall and a partition which is movable along the chamber between upper and lower positions include multiple steps. First, after positioning the partition at its upper position, a liquid food product mix is introduced into the chamber above the partition so that the mix forms a pool of a selected depth atop the partition. The partition is then moved downward towards its lower position at a selected rate which causes the mix in the pool to flow outward under gravity into contact with the wall where it at least partially freezes to form an adherent uniform frozen mix layer on progressively lower segments of that wall. Then, the frozen mix layer is scraped from the wall to form a multiplicity of frozen scrapings, which are collected in a receptacle and dispensed as a frozen food product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a frozen food product, said method comprising the steps of
 providing a chamber having a tubular wall with upper and lower ends;   refrigerating a segment of the wall to form a chill zone therein;   partitioning the chamber with a partition having a periphery close to said wall and which is movable along the chamber between upper and lower positions therein;   after positioning the partition at said upper position, during a filling step, introducing a liquid food product mix into the chamber above the partition so that the mix forms a pool of selected depth atop the partition;   then during a coating step, moving the partition downward through the chill zone at a selected rate which causes the mix in the pool to flow outward under gravity into contact with said wall where it at least partially freezes to form an adherent at least partially frozen mix layer on progressively lower segments of said wall in the chill zone;   continuing the downward movement of the partition until the partition has exited the chill zone and reached said lower position;   scraping the frozen mix layer from said wall to form a multiplicity of frozen scrapings, and   dispensing the frozen scrapings from the apparatus as said frozen food product.   
     
     
         2 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the scraping step is performed by a scraping device supported by and movable with the partition when the partition is moved upward in the chamber from said lower position toward said upper position along the length of the chill zone, the scraping step producing frozen scrapings which collect atop the partition. 
     
     
         3 . The method defined in  claim 2  wherein the dispensing step is performed by
 moving the partition and the frozen scrapings thereon to a third position above the upper position, and 
 moving the scrapings from atop the partition into a receptacle outside the chamber. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method defined in  claim 2  wherein the scraping step is performed by a scraping device attached to the partition at or near the periphery thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method defined in  claim 2  wherein the scraping step is performed by a scraping device at the rim of a receptacle supported on the partition so that said scrapings accumulate in the receptacle. 
     
     
         6 . The method defined in  claim 5  wherein the dispensing step is performed by moving the partition and receptacle thereon to a third position above the upper position where the receptacle and scrapings therein area accessible from outside the chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The method defined in  claim 2  and further including the step of controlling the temperature of the chill zone and the descent of the partition depending upon the characteristics of the mix so that substantially the entire initial pool of mix is depleted before the partition descends below the chill zone during the coating step. 
     
     
         8 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the filling step includes the selection from among a plurality of different liquid mixes for introduction into the chamber. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus for manufacturing a chilled or frozen food product, said apparatus comprising
 a chamber having a tubular wall with upper and lower ends;   a refrigerating device for refrigerating a segment of said wall to form a chill zone therein;   a partition in the chamber which is movable along the chamber between upper and lower positions;   an inlet in said wall above said upper position for introducing a liquid food product mix into the chamber;   a scraping device supported by and movable with the partition, said scraping device being adapted to slidably contact said wall;   a reciprocating device connected to the partition for moving the partition between said upper and lower positions, and   a controller which controls the reciprocating device to move the partition to said upper position so that a liquid food product mix can be introduced through said inlet into the chamber above the partition so that the mix forms a pool of a selected depth atop the partition, and then moves the partition downward through the chill zone at a selected rate so that the mix in the pool flows outward under gravity into contact with said wall where it at least partially freezes to form an adherent frozen mix layer on progressively lower segments of said wall in the chill zone;   a scraping device for scraping the frozen mix layer from said wall to form a multiplicity of frozen scrapings, and   a dispensing device for removing the frozen scrapings from the chamber as said frozen food product.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus defined in  claim 9  wherein the scraping device is supported by and movable with the partition when the partition is moved upward in the chamber from said lower position toward said upper position along the length of the chill zone whereby the frozen scrapings collect atop the partition. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 10  wherein the controller is also programmed to move the partition and the frozen scrapings thereon to a third position above the upper position, and
 the apparatus also includes a device adjacent said third position for moving the frozen scrapings from atop the partition into a receptacle outside the chamber. 
 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus defined in  claim 10  wherein the scraping device is a curved relatively stiff scraper blade attached to the partition at or near the periphery thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus defined in  claim 10  wherein the scraping device comprises a curved relatively stiff scraper blade at the rim of a receptacle supported on the partition during the upward movement thereof so that said frozen scrapings accumulate in the receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus defined in  claim 13  wherein the controller is also programmed to move the partition and receptacle thereon to a third position above said upper position where the receptacle and its contents are accessible from outside the chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus defined in  claim 14  wherein said receptacle is a sealable receptacle which originally contained said liquid mix. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus defined in  claim 9  wherein the controller is also programmed to control the temperature of the chill zone and the descent of the partition depending upon the characteristics of said mix so that substantially the entire initial pool of mix is depleted before the partition leaves the chill zone during its descent to said lower position. 
     
     
         17 . A receptacle for use in apparatus for manufacturing a frozen food product, said receptacle comprising
 a cup having a rim, and   an upwardly-outwardly extending scraper blade extending all around said rim, said blade having an upper surface.   
     
     
         18 . The receptacle defined in  claim 17  and further including a cover removably adhered to said upper surface of the blade.