Method for introducing materials into or removing materials from a hermetically sealed vessel

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD OF PARBOILING RICE WHICH COMPRISES SOAKING, COOKING AND DRYING THE RICE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING TRANSFERRING SOAKED RICE MAINTAINING AT AMBIENT PRESSURE TO A COOKING VESSEL, SAID COOKING VESSEL BEING AT A PRESSURE HIGHER THAN THE AMBIENT PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT WHICH SAID SOAKED RICE IS MAINTAINED BY: A. EQUALIZING THE PRESSURE WITHIN A CONTAINER TO AMBIENT PRESSURE, B. OPENING A FIRST BUTTERFLY VALUE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CONTAINER AND COMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID AMBIENT PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT AND CONTAINER TO TRANSFER THE SOAKED RICE INTO THE CONTAINER FROM SAID ENVIRONMENT BY OPERATING A FIRST POWER MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID FIRST VALUE MEANS, SAID FIRST POWER BEING POSITIONED EXTERNALLY OF THE CONTAINER, SAID FIRST VALUE MEANS HAVING A CLOSURE MEMBER MOVABLY POSITIONED WITHIN THE BODY OF SAID FIRST VALUE MEANS, C. CLOSING SAID FIRST VALUE MEANS TO HERMETICALLY SEAL SAID CONTAINER BY FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING THE CLOSURE MEMBER OF SAID FIRST VALUE MEANS WITH A RESILIENT ANNULAR RUBBER SEAL POSITIONED WITHIN THE BODY OF SAID FIRST VALUE MEANS, SAD CLOSURE MEMBER OF SAID FIRST VALUE MEANS ANGAGING ONLY SAID FIRST ANNULAR SEAL FOR CLOSING THE FIRST VALUE MEANS SO THAT THE MATERIALS WILL NOT BE CRUSHED, D. EQUALIZING THE PRESSURE WITHIN SAID CONTANER TO THE PRESSURE WITHIN SAID VESSEL, E. OPENING A SECOND BUTTERFLY VALUE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CONTAINER AND COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE CONTAINER AND VESSEL TO TRANSFER THE SOAKED RICE DIRECTLY INTO THE VESSEL

Claim 4

A method for sequentially transferring relatively fragile cooked rice from a hermetically sealed elevated pressure cooking vessel to an environment having ambient pressure without damaging or contaminating said cooked rice or destroying the hermetic integrity of the vessel, comprising the sequential steps of: a. equalizing the pressure within a container to the pressure within said cooking vessel; b. opening a first butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between said cooking vessel and container to transfer the cooked rice directly through said valve means into the container from said cooking vessel by operating a first power means for opening and closing said first valve means, said first power means being positioned externally of the container so that said cooked rice will not be contaminated by contacting said first power means, said fIrst valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; c. closing said first valve means to hermetically seal said container and said vessel by frictionally engaging the closure member of said first valve means with a first resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said first valve means, said closure member of said first valve means engaging only said first annular seal for closing the first valve means so that said cooked rice will not be crushed; d. equalizing the pressure within the container to ambient pressure; e. opening a second butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between the container and said ambient pressure environment to transfer the rice to said environment from the container by operating a second power means for opening and closing said second valve means, said second power means being positioned externally of the container so that the rice will not be contaminated by contacting said second power means, said second valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said second valve means; and f. closing said second valve means to hermetically seal the container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said second valve means with a second resilient rubber seal positioned within the body of said second valve means, said closure member of said second valve means engaging only said second annular seal for closing the second valve means so that the rice will not be crushed.

Claim 5

A method for sequentially transferring relatively fragile cooked rice from a hermetically sealed elevated pressure cooking vessel to an environment having ambient pressure without damaging or contaminating said cooked rice or destroying the hermetic integrity of the vessel, comprising the sequential steps of: a. equalizing the pressure within a container to the pressure within said cooking vessel; b. opening a first butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between said cooking vessel and container to transfer the cooked rice directly through said valve means into the container from said cooking vessel by operating a first power means for opening and closing said first valve means, said first power means being positioned externally of the container so that said cooked rice will not be contaminated by contacting said first power means, said fIrst valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; c. closing said first valve means to hermetically seal said container and said vessel by frictionally engaging the closure member of said first valve means with a first resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said first valve means, said closure member of said first valve means engaging only said first annular seal for closing the first valve means so that said cooked rice will not be crushed; d. equalizing the pressure within the container to ambient pressure; e. opening a second butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between the container and said ambient pressure environment to transfer the rice to said environment from the container by operating a second power means for opening and closing said second valve means, said second power means being positioned externally of the container so that the rice will not be contaminated by contacting said second power means, said second valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said second valve means; and f. closing said second valve means to hermetically seal the container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said second valve means with a second resilient rubber seal positioned within the body of said second valve means, said closure member of said second valve means engaging only said second annular seal for closing the second valve means so that the rice will not be crushed.

Claim 7

A method for parboiling rice by sequentially transferring relatively fragile presoaked rice to a hermetically sealed cooking vessel from an environment having a pressure dissimilar from the pressure within the vessel without damaging or contaminating said rice or destroying the hermetic integrity of the vessel, comprising the sequential steps of: a. equalizing the pressure within a first container to said dissimilar pressure; b. opening a first butterfly valve means connected to said first container and communicating between said dissimilar pressure environment and said first container to transfer the presoaked rice into the first container from said environment by operating a first power means for opening and closing said first valve means, said first power means being positioned externally of the first container, said first valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; c. closing said first valve means to hermetically seal said container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said first valve means with a first resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said first valve means, said closure member of said first valve means engaging only said first annular seal for closing the first valve means so that the materials will not be crushed; d. equalizing the pressure within said first container to the pressure within said cooking vessel, said pressure within said cooking vessel being greater than ambient atmospheric pressure; e. opening a second butterfly valve means connected to said first container and communicating between the first container and cooking vessel to transfer the presoaked rice directly through said second valve means into the cooking vessel from the first container by operating a second power means for opening and closing said second valve means, said second power means being positioned externally of the first container, said second valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said second valve means; f. closing said second valve means to hermetically seal said first container and said cooking vessel by frictionally engaging the closure member of said second valve means with a second resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said second valve means, said closure member of said seconD valve means engaging only said second annular seal for closing the second valve means so that the rice will not be crushed; g. equalizing the pressure within a second container to the pressure within said vessel; h. opening a third butterfly valve means connected to said second container and communicating between the vessel and second container to transfer the cooked rice directly through said third valve means into the container from the vessel by operating a third power means for opening and closing said third valve means, said third power means being positioned externally of the container, said third valve means containing a closure member movably positioned within the body of said third valve means; i. closing said third valve means to hermetically seal said vessel and said second container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said third valve means with a third resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said third valve means, said closure member of said third valve means engaging only said third annular seal for closing the third valve means so that the cooked rice will not be crushed; j. equalizing the pressure within the second container to said dissimilar pressure; k. opening a fourth butterfly valve means connected to said second container and communicating between the second container and said dissimilar pressure environment to transfer the rice at said dissimilar pressure to said environment from the container by operating a fourth power means for opening and closing said fourth valve means, said fourth power means being positioned externally of the second container, said fourth valve means containing a closure member movably positioned within the body of said fourth valve means; and l. closing said fourth valve means to hermetically seal the second container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said fourth valve means with a fourth resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said fourth valve means, said closure member of said fourth valve means engaging only said fourth annular seal for closing the fourth valve means so that the cooked rice will not be crushed.

Claim 8

A method for parboiling rice by sequentially transferring relatively fragile presoaked rice to a hermetically sealed cooking vessel from an environment having a pressure dissimilar from the pressure within the vessel without damaging or contaminating said rice or destroying the hermetic integrity of the vessel, comprising the sequential steps of: a. equalizing the pressure within a first container to said dissimilar pressure; b. opening a first butterfly valve means connected to said first container and communicating between said dissimilar pressure environment and said first container to transfer the presoaked rice into the first container from said environment by operating a first power means for opening and closing said first valve means, said first power means being positioned externally of the first container, said first valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; c. closing said first valve means to hermetically seal said container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said first valve means with a first resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said first valve means, said closure member of said first valve means engaging only said first annular seal for closing the first valve means so that the materials will not be crushed; d. equalizing the pressure within said first container to the pressure within said cooking vessel, said pressure within said cooking vessel being greater than ambient atmospheric pressure; e. opening a second butterfly valve means connected to said first container and communicating between the first container and cooking vessel to transfer the presoaked rice directly through said second valve means into the cooking vessel from the first container by operating a second power means for opening and closing said second valve means, said second power means being positioned externally of the first container, said second valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said second valve means; f. closing said second valve means to hermetically seal said first container and said cooking vessel by frictionally engaging the closure member of said second valve means with a second resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said second valve means, said closure member of said seconD valve means engaging only said second annular seal for closing the second valve means so that the rice will not be crushed; g. equalizing the pressure within a second container to the pressure within said vessel; h. opening a third butterfly valve means connected to said second container and communicating between the vessel and second container to transfer the cooked rice directly through said third valve means into the container from the vessel by operating a third power means for opening and closing said third valve means, said third power means being positioned externally of the container, said third valve means containing a closure member movably positioned within the body of said third valve means; i. closing said third valve means to hermetically seal said vessel and said second container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said third valve means with a third resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said third valve means, said closure member of said third valve means engaging only said third annular seal for closing the third valve means so that the cooked rice will not be crushed; j. equalizing the pressure within the second container to said dissimilar pressure; k. opening a fourth butterfly valve means connected to said second container and communicating between the second container and said dissimilar pressure environment to transfer the rice at said dissimilar pressure to said environment from the container by operating a fourth power means for opening and closing said fourth valve means, said fourth power means being positioned externally of the second container, said fourth valve means containing a closure member movably positioned within the body of said fourth valve means; and l. closing said fourth valve means to hermetically seal the second container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said fourth valve means with a fourth resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said fourth valve means, said closure member of said fourth valve means engaging only said fourth annular seal for closing the fourth valve means so that the cooked rice will not be crushed.

Claim 10

A method for sequentially transferring relatively fragile particulate agricultural products selected from the group consisting of grains, cereal grains, legumes and seeds to a hermetically sealed vessel from an environment having a pressure dissimilar from the pressure within the vessel without damaging or contaminating said materials or destroying the hermetic integrity of the vessel, comrising the sequential steps of: a. equalizing the pressure within a container to said dissimilar pressure; b. opening a first butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between said dissimilar pressure environment and container to transfer the materials into the container from said environment by operating a first power means for opening and closing said first valve means, said first power means being positioned externally of the container so that the materials will not be contaminated by contacting said first power means, said first valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; c. closing said first valve means to hermetically seal said container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said first valve means with a first resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said first valve means, said closure member of said first valve means engaging only said first annular seal for closing the first valve means so that the materials will not be crushed; d. equalizing the pressure within said container to the pressure within said vessel; e. opening a second butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between the container and vessel to transfer the materials directly through said second vAlve means into the vessel from the container by operating a second power means for opening and closing said second valve means, said second power means being positioned externally of the container so that the materials will not be contaminated by contacting said second power means, said second valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; f. closing said second valve means to hermetically seal said container and said vessel by frictionally engaging the closure member of said second valve means with a second resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said second valve means, said closure member of said second valve means engaging only said second annular seal for closing the second valve means so that the materials will not be crushed; and g. cyclically repeating steps (a)-(f) at least one time.

Claim 11

A method for sequentially transferring relatively fragile particulate agricultural products selected from the group consisting of grains, cereal grains, legumes and seeds to a hermetically sealed vessel from an environment having a pressure dissimilar from the pressure within the vessel without damaging or contaminating said materials or destroying the hermetic integrity of the vessel, comrising the sequential steps of: a. equalizing the pressure within a container to said dissimilar pressure; b. opening a first butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between said dissimilar pressure environment and container to transfer the materials into the container from said environment by operating a first power means for opening and closing said first valve means, said first power means being positioned externally of the container so that the materials will not be contaminated by contacting said first power means, said first valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; c. closing said first valve means to hermetically seal said container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said first valve means with a first resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said first valve means, said closure member of said first valve means engaging only said first annular seal for closing the first valve means so that the materials will not be crushed; d. equalizing the pressure within said container to the pressure within said vessel; e. opening a second butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between the container and vessel to transfer the materials directly through said second vAlve means into the vessel from the container by operating a second power means for opening and closing said second valve means, said second power means being positioned externally of the container so that the materials will not be contaminated by contacting said second power means, said second valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; f. closing said second valve means to hermetically seal said container and said vessel by frictionally engaging the closure member of said second valve means with a second resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said second valve means, said closure member of said second valve means engaging only said second annular seal for closing the second valve means so that the materials will not be crushed; and g. cyclically repeating steps (a)-(f) at least one time.

Claim 19

A method of sequentially transferring relatively fragile particulate agricultural products selected from the group consisting of grains, cereal grains, legumes and seeds from a hermetically sealed vessel to an environment having a pressure dissimilar from the pressure within the vessel without damaging or contaminating said materials or destroying the hermetic integrity of the vessel, comprising the sequential steps of: a. equalizing the pressure within a container to the pressure within said vessel; b. opening a first butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between the vessel and container to transfer the materials directly through said first valve means into the container from the vessel by operating a first power means for opening and closing said first valve means, said first power means being positioned externally of the container so that the materials will not be contaminated by contacting said first power means, said first valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; c. closing said first valve means to hermetically seal said container and said vessel by frictionally engaging the closure member of said first valve means with a first resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said first valve means, said closure member of said first valve means engaging only said first annular seal for closing the first valve means so that the materials will not be crushed; d. equalizing the pressure within the container to said dissimilar pressure; e. opening a second butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between the container and said dissimilar pressure environment to transfer the materials to said environment from the container by operating a second power means for opening and closing said second valve means, said second power means being positioned externally of the container so that the materials will not be contaminated by contacting said second power means, said second valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of-said first valve means; f. closing said second valve means to hermetically seal the container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said second valve means with a second resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said second valve means, said closure member of said second valve means engaging only said second annular seal for closing the second valve means so that the materIals will not be crushed; and g. cyclically repeating steps (a)-(f) at least one time.

Claim 20

A method of sequentially transferring relatively fragile particulate agricultural products selected from the group consisting of grains, cereal grains, legumes and seeds from a hermetically sealed vessel to an environment having a pressure dissimilar from the pressure within the vessel without damaging or contaminating said materials or destroying the hermetic integrity of the vessel, comprising the sequential steps of: a. equalizing the pressure within a container to the pressure within said vessel; b. opening a first butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between the vessel and container to transfer the materials directly through said first valve means into the container from the vessel by operating a first power means for opening and closing said first valve means, said first power means being positioned externally of the container so that the materials will not be contaminated by contacting said first power means, said first valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of said first valve means; c. closing said first valve means to hermetically seal said container and said vessel by frictionally engaging the closure member of said first valve means with a first resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said first valve means, said closure member of said first valve means engaging only said first annular seal for closing the first valve means so that the materials will not be crushed; d. equalizing the pressure within the container to said dissimilar pressure; e. opening a second butterfly valve means connected to said container and communicating between the container and said dissimilar pressure environment to transfer the materials to said environment from the container by operating a second power means for opening and closing said second valve means, said second power means being positioned externally of the container so that the materials will not be contaminated by contacting said second power means, said second valve means having a closure member movably positioned within the body of-said first valve means; f. closing said second valve means to hermetically seal the container by frictionally engaging the closure member of said second valve means with a second resilient annular rubber seal positioned within the body of said second valve means, said closure member of said second valve means engaging only said second annular seal for closing the second valve means so that the materIals will not be crushed; and g. cyclically repeating steps (a)-(f) at least one time.