Allan C Spellmeier

US Patent:

7987774, Aug 2, 2011

Filed:

Mar 16, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/687439

Inventors:

LaVon Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Galen J. Rokey - Sabetha KS, US
Allan Spellmeier - Fairview KS, US

Assignee:

Wenger Manufacturing, Inc. - Sabetha KS

International Classification:

A47J 37/12
A23P 1/00

US Classification:

99353, 99447, 994501, 426510, 426511, 426516, 426519, 426445

Abstract:

An improved extruder () is provided which permits successful introduction of very high quantities of injected steam into material being processed, on the order of 6-8% or more by weight steam. The extruder () includes an elongated extruder barrel () having at least one elongated, axially rotatable, helically flighted extrusion screw () therein. The barrel () is equipped with obliquely oriented steam injection ports () along the length thereof, housing steam injectors (). The barrel () includes relatively high free volume steam injection heads ( and ) having therein screw sections () of relatively long pitch length, together with steam restriction heads (, and ) on opposite sides of the injection heads (, and ) having therein relatively short pitch length screw sections ().

US Patent:

8393780, Mar 12, 2013

Filed:

Oct 28, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/284665

Inventors:

LaVon Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Marc Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Galen J. Rokey - Sabetha KS, US
Allan C. Spellmeier - Fairview KS, US

Assignee:

Wenger Manufacturing, Inc. - Sabetha KS

International Classification:

B29B 7/48

US Classification:

366 85, 366 88, 366301

Abstract:

Screw assemblies are provided for cooking extruders characterized by operation using significantly reduced specific mechanical energy inputs, wherein the screw assemblies include first and second elongated, axially rotatable screws which are substantially coextensive in length, with the screw flighting presenting a pair of axially spaced apart sections of short pitch length and an intermediate section of greater pitch length. The intermediate section has an axial length greater than about four times the length of the axially spaced apart sections. The screw assemblies permit incorporation of significantly greater amounts of steam into comestible products during cooking thereof, as compared with prior art designs.

US Patent:

20100062093, Mar 11, 2010

Filed:

Sep 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/208517

Inventors:

LaVon Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Marc Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Galen J. Rokey - Sabetha KS, US
Allan C. Spellmeier - Fairview KS, US

Assignee:

Wenger Manufacturing, Inc. - Sabetha KS

International Classification:

A23P 1/12

US Classification:

425113

Abstract:

Improved extruders and methods for the extrusion cooking of comestible products such as human foods or animal feeds are provided wherein the products may be produced with very low specific mechanical energy (SME) inputs as compared with conventional processing. The methods preferably involve introduction of very high levels of steam into the extruder barrel () during processing, which concomitantly reduces necessary SME inputs required to achieve desired cook and expansion levels in the products. In accordance with the invention, fully-cooked pet foods can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 18 kWhr/T, whereas aquatic feeds can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 16 kWhr/T. In preferred forms, the extruder () includes specially configured, intermeshed extrusion screws () and a plurality of obliquely oriented steam inlets (), and an upstream, dual-shaft preconditioner () is used having individual variable frequency drives () which allow infinite variablility in the speed and rotational direction of the preconditioner shafts ().

US Patent:

20110091627, Apr 21, 2011

Filed:

Dec 28, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/980018

Inventors:

LaVon Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Marc Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Galen J. Rokey - Sabetha KS, US
Allan C. Spellmeier - Fairview KS, US

Assignee:

WENGER MANUFACTURING, INC. - Sabetha KS

International Classification:

B01F 7/08
A23P 1/12
B01F 15/06

US Classification:

426510, 366 85

Abstract:

Improved extruders and methods for the extrusion cooking of comestible products such as human foods or animal feeds are provided wherein the products may be produced with very low specific mechanical energy (SME) inputs as compared with conventional processing. The methods preferably involve introduction of very high levels of steam into the extruder barrel () during processing, which concomitantly reduces necessary SME inputs required to achieve desired cook and expansion levels in the products. In accordance with the invention, fully-cooked pet foods can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 18 kWhr/T, whereas aquatic feeds can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 16 kWhr/T. In preferred forms, the extruder () includes specially configured, intermeshed extrusion screws () and a plurality of obliquely oriented steam inlets (), and an upstream, dual-shaft preconditioner () is used having individual variable frequency drives () which allow infinite variablility in the speed and rotational direction of the preconditioner shafts ().

US Patent:

20130059053, Mar 7, 2013

Filed:

Oct 30, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/664230

Inventors:

LaVon Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Marc L. Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Galen J. Rokey - Sabetha KS, US
Allan C. Spellmeier - Fairview KS, US

International Classification:

A23P 1/12
A47J 43/00

US Classification:

426510, 99353

Abstract:

Improved extruders and methods for the extrusion cooking of comestible products such as human foods or animal feeds are provided wherein the products may be produced with very low specific mechanical energy (SME) inputs as compared with conventional processing. The methods preferably involve introduction of very high levels of steam into the extruder barrel during processing, which concomitantly reduces necessary SME inputs required to achieve desired cook and expansion levels in the products. In accordance with the invention, fully-cooked pet foods can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 18 kWhr/T, whereas aquatic feeds can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 16 kWhr/T.

US Patent:

7521076, Apr 21, 2009

Filed:

Nov 3, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/263825

Inventors:

LaVon Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Marc Wenger - Sabetha KS, US
Galen J. Rokey - Sabetha KS, US
Allan C. Spellmeier - Fairview KS, US

Assignee:

Wenger Manufacturing, Inc. - Sabetha KS

International Classification:

A23P 1/12

US Classification:

426510, 426511, 426516, 426519, 426523

Abstract:

Improved extruders and methods for the extrusion cooking of comestible products such as human foods or animal feeds are provided wherein the products may be produced with very low specific mechanical energy (SME) inputs as compared with conventional processing. The methods preferably involve introduction of very high levels of steam into the extruder barrel () during processing, which concomitantly reduces necessary SME inputs required to achieve desired cook and expansion levels in the products. In accordance with the invention, fully-cooked pet foods can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 18 kWhr/T, whereas aquatic feeds can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 16 kWhr/T. In preferred forms, the extruder () includes specially configured, intermeshed extrusion screws () and a plurality of obliquely oriented steam inlets (), and an upstream, dual-shaft preconditioner () is used having individual variable frequency drives () which allow infinite variablility in the speed and rotational direction of the preconditioner shafts ().

US Patent:

20210337831, Nov 4, 2021

Filed:

Jul 14, 2021

Appl. No.:

17/375757

Inventors:

- Sabetha KS, US
Allan C. Spellmeier - Fairview KS, US
Philip B. Wiltz - Sabetha KS, US

Assignee:

Wenger Manufacturing Inc. - Sabetha KS

International Classification:

A23K 40/25
B01F 15/06
B01F 7/00
B01F 7/08
A23N 17/00
A23K 10/20
A23K 50/40
A23P 30/20
B29C 48/84
B29C 48/40

Abstract:

Apparatus and methods for food production including a food preconditioner () operable to heat and partially pre-cook food ingredients, and a twin screw extruder () operable to further cook the preconditioned ingredients to create final food products. The extruder () includes a pair of hollow core extrusion screws () having elongated hollow core shafts () equipped with helical fighting () along the lengths thereof. The fighting () is also of hollow construction which communicates with the hollow core shafts (). The fighting () also includes forward, reverse pitch sections (). The extrusion screws () are designed to impart high levels of thermal energy into materials being processed in the extruders (), without adding additional moisture.

US Patent:

20200120955, Apr 23, 2020

Filed:

Dec 17, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/716758

Inventors:

- Sabetha KS, US
Allan C. Spellmeier - Fairview KS, US
Philip B. Wiltz - Sabetha KS, US

Assignee:

Wenger Manufacturing Inc. - Sabetha KS

International Classification:

A23K 10/20
A23K 20/158
A23K 10/26
A23K 20/163
A23K 40/25
A23K 50/42

Abstract:

High meat content extruded pet feeds and methods of preparation thereof, make use of relatively high meat contents which include quantities of previously dewatered meat. In an embodiment, the total meat content of the feeds consists essentially of dewatered emulsified poultry meat or other meat sources commonly used in the pet food industry. In the methods, mixtures containing starch, fat, and meat, the latter including dewatered meat, are passed through an extruder followed by staged drying. The extruder may be of twin screw design having hollow core screws permitting introduction of steam or other heat exchange media into the screws.