Quotables
"To place a man in a multi-stage rocket and project him into the controlling gravitational field of the moon where the passengers can make scientific observations, perhaps land alive, and then return to earth--all that constitutes a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne. I am bold enough to say that such a man-made voyage will never occur regardless of all future advances."
Lee deForest, American radio pioneer ; 1957
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7874244 | Self contained popcorn popper An improved popcorn popper (10) has effluent filtration structure to treat the oil laden vapor and steam effluent from popping popcorn within the popper and with discharge of effluent having less than 5 milligrams of particulates per cubic meter of effluent d... | 01/25/2011 |
| 7347933 | Self-cleaning intake screen A self-cleaning screen that automatically cleans both the inside and outside surfaces of the cylindrical screen using only the rotation of the cylindrical screen itself. This self-cleaning ability is accomplished by using a fixed brush on the exterior surface of the... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7305933 | Seasoning apparatus, and product manufacturing system provided therewith The present invention provides a seasoning apparatus capable of evenly seasoning each individual article, without seasoning any too heavily or too lightly. Therein, a screw having a helical blade is installed in a tube. The helical blade provides partitions that are... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7032776 | Vending machine bucket drive control The disclosed invention is a dispensing apparatus and method for dispensing product from a vending machine. The invention employs a motor for bi-directionally rotating a dispenser bucket between two bumpers which physically obstruct and limit the rotational travel, ... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7024986 | System and method for making popcorn using a self-regulating heating system The present application describes a popcorn maker including a self-regulating heating unit. The self-regulating heating unit provides a regulated heat to the popcorn maker. The self-regulating heating unit can be configured to maintain a predetermined temperature fo... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6945427 | Self-learning depth logic for multi-depth vendor control The disclosed invention is a dispensing apparatus and method for dispensing product from a vending machine. The invention employs a product vend detector to sense when products are dispensed. A controller compares the occurrences of products actually dispensed to th... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6752071 | Thick film heater for a popcorn popper A kettle for popping corn has a thick film heater applied to a bottom wall of the kettle. The thick film heater may be used to uniformly heat the kettle or provide a controlled temperature gradient across the kettle cooking surface. The kettle and thick film heater ... | 06/22/2004 |
| 6720532 | Electrically controlled corn popper apparatus A corn popping apparatus including an electrically energized heat source contiguous along an underside of a tiltable corn popping kettle projecting into a cabinet enclosure for the kettle when its lid panel closes its open top. ... | 04/13/2004 |
| 6460451 | Popcorn maker A popcorn maker, which utilizes a combination of popping means, and converts corn kernels to popped corn quicker, more efficiently, and with improved taste. The popcorn maker uses a combination of roasting, agitation, heating, and convection to convert th... | 10/08/2002 |
| 6412396 | Popcorn popping apparatus A popcorn popping apparatus for increasing the use of popcorn as a packaging material by popping popcorn in large volumes. The popcorn popping apparatus includes a housing having top, side, and bottom walls; and also includes a corn feeder assembly being ... | 07/02/2002 |
| 6374727 | Popcorn kettle with integrated agitator An integrated popcorn kettle is disclosed which is used in conjunction with a popcorn machine. The popcorn kettle has a cooking chamber which has a hinged lid. A motor chamber is located under the cooking chamber. An electrical motor is located in the mot... | 04/23/2002 |
| 6234064 | Portable heat-concentrating kettle cooker A cooker for popcorn and the like has a housing with a burner supported within the housing and a kettle carrier pivotably attached to a top edge of the housing such that it can be pivoted from a substantially horizontal position across the top of the hous... | 05/22/2001 |
| 6234063 | Solid state controlled popcorn machine A solid state controlled popcorn machine is disclosed which is used in conjunction with a popcorn machine. The components of the machine are electronically controlled by a controller which is a programmable microprocessor. The controller has a user interf... | 05/22/2001 |
| 6220148 | Kettle type corn popper A stainless steel cabinet has a carbon steel kettle for popping corn which includes apparatus to maintain the popping corn within the kettle during the cooking stage and to prevent spilling of popped corn as it is being dumped into a receiver. This is acc... | 04/24/2001 |
| 6164193 | Popping kettle assembly An improved popping kettle assembly includes a kettle chamber and a lid that are releasably engageable with each other upon relative movement of the chamber and lid. The kettle chamber has a series of projections formed on an upper edge, and the lid has a... | 12/26/2000 |
| 6164192 | Corn popping kettle assembly with damping mechanisms A kettle assembly for popping corn comprises an aluminum popping bowl with a sidewall aperture. The sidewall aperture introduces cooking oil directly into the popping bowl, and is in communication with an oil conduit leading from a cooking oil reservoir. ... | 12/26/2000 |
| 6135011 | Automated corn popper An automated batch popcorn popper includes a tiltable kettle actuated by a motor drive controlled to operate in a single batch and automatic dump process. An operator fills the kettle with popping corn and oil and initiates a timer which, controls popping... | 10/24/2000 |
| 6123011 | Mobile warming bin A system for storing and dispensing popcorn comprising a popcorn popping apparatus and a bin for containing popcorn. The bin is removably positionable in the popcorn popping apparatus so that the popcorn that is popped can drop through an aperture in the ... | 09/26/2000 |
| 6098526 | Automated corn popping apparatus with oil conduit system This invention discloses an automated corn popping apparatus including a kettle, a support arrangement for supporting and operating the kettle, a display arrangement for enclosing the corn popping apparatus, a controller for automatically operating the co... | 08/08/2000 |
| 6082248 | Portable heat-concentrating kettle cooker A cooker is shown having a housing with a burner supported within the housing and a kettle carrier pivotally attached to a top edge of the housing such that it can be pivoted from a substantially horizontal position across the top of the housing to a subs... | 07/04/2000 |
| 6053174 | Method and apparatus for the enhancement of tobacco A tobacco enhancement apparatus and a method of enhancing tobacco using the apparatus comprising a tunnel (12) having a vibratory conveyor floor (18), and an inlet (14) for receiving unexpanded tobacco shreds. A steaming and swirling station (32) is locat... | 04/25/2000 |
| 6042860 | Device and method for puffing foodstuffs A device for puffing foodstuff comprises an upright puffing reactor having a vessel for receiving foodstuff therein. The vessel has a wall provided with a plurality of openings. A chamber surrounds the vessel. The vessel has no openings in an upper sectio... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6032572 | Corn popping apparatus A corn popping apparatus comprising a box-like cabinet with a tiltable lid to which is attached a large metal popping kettle. When the lid is lowered the bottom of the kettle projects downwardly into the cabinet interior through a panel covering the top o... | 03/07/2000 |
| 5979301 | Popping kettle assembly An improved popping kettle assembly includes a kettle chamber and a lid that are releasably engageable with each other upon relative movement of the chamber and lid. The kettle chamber has a series of projections formed on an upper edge, and the lid has a... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5941164 | Corn popping kettle assembly with damping mechanisms A kettle assembly for popping corn comprises an aluminum popping bowl with a sidewall aperture. The sidewall aperture introduces cooking oil directly into the popping bowl, and is in communication with an oil conduit leading from a cooking oil reservoir. ... | 08/24/1999 |
| 5857403 | Corn popping apparatus A corn popping apparatus comprising a box-like cabinet with a tiltable lid to which is attached a large metal popping kettle. When the lid is lowered the bottom of the kettle projects downwardly into the cabinet interior through a panel covering the top o... | 01/12/1999 |
| 5787798 | Bushing arrangement for agitation shaft for corn popper bowl A sealed bushing arrangement guides an agitator rotor shaft through an aperture located on the bottom surface of a popping bowl in a popcorn popping assembly. The bushing arrangement has a top portion raised above the bottom surface of the bowl, and may i... | 08/04/1998 |
| 5771779 | Automated corn popping apparatus This invention discloses an automated corn popping apparatus including a kettle assembly, a support arrangement for supporting and operating the kettle assembly, a display arrangement for enclosing the corn popping apparatus, and control means for automat... | 06/30/1998 |
| 5699720 | Corn popping kettle assembly A kettle assembly for popping corn comprises a Teflon coated, cast aluminum popping bowl with an sidewall aperture. The sidewall aperture introduces cooking oil directly into the popping bowl, and is in communication with an oil conduit leading from a coo... | 12/23/1997 |
| 5694830 | Automated corn popper An automated batch popcorn popper includes a tiltable kettle actuated by a motor drive controlled to operate in a single batch and automatic dump process. An operator fills the kettle with popping corn and oil and initiates a timer which, controls popping... | 12/09/1997 |
| 5662024 | Solid state controlled popcorn machine What is disclosed is a microprocessor controlled popcorn machine. The processor is programmed with an auto cycle to insure the correct popping of popcorn. The popcorn machine has a kettle with a heating element for holding unpopped corn. An agitator for s... | 09/02/1997 |
| 5657684 | Popcorn vending machine A popcorn vending apparatus according to the invention includes a cup dispenser for dispensing a cup in an area accessible by a purchaser, a cooker assembly for cooking corn kernels and dispensing the cooked kernels to a cup in the purchaser accessible ar... | 08/19/1997 |
| 5645878 | No dry coating process for coated food products Disclosed is a process and apparatus for producing a topical coating on a food product. The topical coating may be a sweetener wherein a superheated pressurized solution of the sweetener is sprayed on a heated food product to form a coating thereon. The t... | 07/08/1997 |
| 5555792 | Corn popping kettle assembly A kettle assembly for popping corn comprises a Teflon coated, cast aluminum popping bowl with an sidewall aperture. The sidewall aperture introduces cooking oil directly into the popping bowl, and is in communication with an oil conduit leading from a coo... | 09/17/1996 |
| 5516541 | No dry coating process for sugar coated food products Disclosed is a process for producing a sweetener coating on a food product. A superheated pressurized solution of the sweetener is sprayed on a heated food product to form a coating thereon.... | 05/14/1996 |
| 5501139 | Popcorn maker A popcorn maker has a flap 17 which closes off a passageway 13 to prevent corn, especially unpopped corn, reaching a discharge outlet 14. The flap is balanced in its closed position and is pushed open by any build up of popped corn to allow the corn to be... | 03/26/1996 |
| 5419238 | Popcorn dispensing machine A popcorn machine (10) for measuring a metered amount of popcorn, cooking the popcorn fresh in the machine, and dispensing the freshly cooked popcorn into a manually positioned cup (3a) in the front of the machine. The machine includes a sealed, slidable ... | 05/30/1995 |
| 5359788 | Coffee roaster A coffee roaster which roasts coffee beans in an oven chamber employing both radiant and convection heating techniques while the beans are continually intermixed in a fluidized bed rotating in the horizontal plane. Roaster control means are provided to te... | 11/01/1994 |
| 5309825 | Popcorn vending machine A vending popcorn machine for measuring out a metered amount of popcorn, cooking the popcorn fresh in the machine, and dispensing the freshly cooked popcorn into a manually positioned cup in the front of the machine. The vending machine includes a sealed,... | 05/10/1994 |
| 5263405 | Hot air corn popper for packaging A hot air corn popping machine supplies popped corn which is useful as a packaging material. Unpopped kernels are fed into a hopper and through a motorized feed unit and sensor switch which provide controlled amounts of kernels into a popping chamber with... | 11/23/1993 |
