Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises passing through a compression auger zone a composition comprising farinaceous solids and water to provide said composition as a dough of desired consistency from said auger zone, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted cross-sectional area to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate which is substantially less than the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, and controlling said auger zone to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises passing through a compression auger zone a composition comprising farinaceous solids and water to provide said composition as a dough of desired consistency from said auger zone, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted cross-sectional area to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate which is substantially less than the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, and controlling said auger zone to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 in which said composition comprises grain or potato solids and water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 in which said solids comprise corn solids.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises passing through a compression auger zone a composition comprising farinaceous solids and water to form said composition into a dough of desired consistency in said auger zone, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted cross-sectional area to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate which is substantially less than the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, and controlling one or more of the parameters of the water content of said composition in said auger zone, the temperature of said auger zone, and the speed of said auger, to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises passing through a compression auger zone a composition comprising farinaceous solids and water to form said composition into a dough of desired consistency in said auger zone, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted cross-sectional area to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate which is substantially less than the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, and controlling one or more of the parameters of the water content of said composition in said auger zone, the temperature of said auger zone, and the speed of said auger, to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 in which said composition comprises grain or potato solids and water.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 4 in which the consistency of said dough ribbon is maintained by controlling only one of the parameters of the speed of said auger, the water content of said composition in said auger zone or the temperature of said auger zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 6 in which said controlling is by the speed of said auger.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7 in which said composition comprises grain or potato solids and water.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises charging to an auger zone a particulate, non-coherent composition comprising finely-divided farinaceous grain or potato solids and water, forming said composition into a dough in said auger zone at a temperature of about 125° to 180° F., said auger zone having a compression ratio of about 1.5:1 to 4:1, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted crosssectional area with a dimension of less than about 50 mils to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate of less than about 50% of the theoretrical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, and controlling said auger zone to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises charging to an auger zone a particulate, non-coherent composition comprising finely-divided farinaceous grain or potato solids and water, forming said composition into a dough in said auger zone at a temperature of about 125° to 180° F., said auger zone having a compression ratio of about 1.5:1 to 4:1, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted crosssectional area with a dimension of less than about 50 mils to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate of less than about 50% of the theoretrical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, and controlling said auger zone to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9 in which said composition comprises corn or potato solids and water.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 10 in which said solids comprise corn solids.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises charging to an auger zone a particulate, non-coherent composition comprising finely-divided farinaceous grain or potato solids and water, forming said composition into a dough in said auger zone at a temperature of about 125° to 180° F., said auger zone having a compression ratio of about 1.5:1 to 4:1, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted crosssectional area with a dimension of less than about 50 mils to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate of less than about 50% of the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, and controlling one or more of the parameters of the water content of said composition in said auger zone, the temperature of said auger zone, and the speed of said auger to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises charging to an auger zone a particulate, non-coherent composition comprising finely-divided farinaceous grain or potato solids and water, forming said composition into a dough in said auger zone at a temperature of about 125° to 180° F., said auger zone having a compression ratio of about 1.5:1 to 4:1, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted crosssectional area with a dimension of less than about 50 mils to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate of less than about 50% of the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, and controlling one or more of the parameters of the water content of said composition in said auger zone, the temperature of said auger zone, and the speed of said auger to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 in which said composition comprises corn or potato solids and water.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 12 in which the consistency of said dough ribbon is maintained by controlling only one of the parameters of the speed of said auger, the water content of said composition in said auger zone or the temperature of said auger zone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 14 in which said controlling is by the speed of said auger.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 15 in which said composition comprises water and corn or potato solids.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 16 in which said solids comprise corn solids.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of forming cooked dough pieces which comprises passing through a compression auger zone a composition comprising farinaceous solids and water to provide said composition as a dough of desired consistency from said auger zone, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted cross-sectional area to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate which is substantially less than the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, controlling said auger zone to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon forming said ribbon into a plurality of narrower, adjacent strips of dough, cooking said strips of dough in integral lengths sufficient to form a plurality of cooked pieces of smaller, predetermined size, and forming the cooked lengths of dough into said pieces.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of forming cooked dough pieces which comprises passing through a compression auger zone a composition comprising farinaceous solids and water to provide said composition as a dough of desired consistency from said auger zone, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted cross-sectional area to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate which is substantially less than the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, controlling said auger zone to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon forming said ribbon into a plurality of narrower, adjacent strips of dough, cooking said strips of dough in integral lengths sufficient to form a plurality of cooked pieces of smaller, predetermined size, and forming the cooked lengths of dough into said pieces.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 18 in which said lengths are submerged in hot oil while being fried in a restrained configuration.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 19 in which said lengths have alternating wide and narrow portions thereby providing lines of weakness at said narrow portions.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 20 in which moisture content of said dough is decreased by at least about 15% after passing from said opening and before being submerged in said oil.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 21 in which said composition comprises grain or potato solids and water.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 18 in which the consistency of said dough ribbon is maintained by controlling only one of the parameters of the speed of said auger, the water content of said composition in said auger zone, or the temperature of said auger zone.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 23 in which said controlling is by the speed of said auger.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 24 in which said composition comprises grain or potato solids and water.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises charging to an auger zone a particulate, non-coherent composition comprising finely-divided farinaceous grain or potato solids and water, forming said composition into a dough in said auger zone at a temperature of about 125° to 180° F., said auger zone having a compression ratio of about 1.5:1 to 4:1, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted cross-sectional area with a dimension of less than about 50 mils to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate of less than about 50% of the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, controlling one or more of the parameters of the water content of said composition in said auger zone, the temperature of said auger zone, and the speed of said auger to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon, forming said ribbon into a plurality of narrower, adjacent strips of dough, cooking said strips of dough in integral lengths sufficient to form a plurality of cooked pieces of smaller, predetermined size, and forming the cooked lengths of dough into said pieces.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of forming a dough ribbon which comprises charging to an auger zone a particulate, non-coherent composition comprising finely-divided farinaceous grain or potato solids and water, forming said composition into a dough in said auger zone at a temperature of about 125° to 180° F., said auger zone having a compression ratio of about 1.5:1 to 4:1, passing said dough to a positive displacement pumping zone, pumping said dough from said pumping zone by positive displacement through an opening having a restricted cross-sectional area with a dimension of less than about 50 mils to form said dough ribbon at a substantially constant rate of less than about 50% of the theoretical volume of dough that would be discharged from said auger zone at the speed of said auger at 100% efficiency, controlling one or more of the parameters of the water content of said composition in said auger zone, the temperature of said auger zone, and the speed of said auger to maintain the quality of said dough ribbon, forming said ribbon into a plurality of narrower, adjacent strips of dough, cooking said strips of dough in integral lengths sufficient to form a plurality of cooked pieces of smaller, predetermined size, and forming the cooked lengths of dough into said pieces.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
the method of claim 26 in which said lengths are submerged in hot oil while being fried in a restrained configuration.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 27 in which said lengths have alternating wide and narrow portions thereby providing lines of weakness at said narrow portions.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 28 in which the consistency of said dough ribbon is maintained by controlling only one of the parameters of the speed of said auger, the water content of said composition in said auger zone or the temperature of said auger zone.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 29 in which said controlling is by the speed of said auger.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 30 in which said composition comprises water and corn or potato solids.