JP7736611B2 - Food processing tank with fluid supply pipe - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a processing tank for heating food, which is equipped with multiple fluid supply pipes that run across the width of the processing tank and supply fluid into the processing tank.

A processing tank is often used to boil or fry food in order to heat the food, etc. For example, a processing tank is used to boil noodles or produce fried foods.
In the processing tank, it is sometimes desirable to promote dispersion of the food being processed to achieve efficient processing, and for this reason, the processing is often promoted by, for example, supplying a fluid such as steam or air current into the processing tank during processing to perform bubbling or the like.

For example, the following prior art 1 discloses a technique for providing holes in a partition member in a boiling water tank in a noodle boiling device to supply bubbles generated by boiling. The supplied bubbles then loosen the noodles and enable them to be boiled efficiently.

JP 2003-37832 A

On the other hand, it is pointed out that in the boiling device described above, the number of holes for supplying the fluid (air bubbles) cannot be easily changed.
In this regard, it would be convenient if the fluid supply pipe could be easily attached and detached as needed.Furthermore, when food is processed in a processing tank by a continuous conveyor, it would be advantageous if the fluid supply pipe could be similarly detached in accordance with changes in the layout of the conveyor apparatus.

To avoid this problem, the inventors set out to develop a processing tank for heat-treating food that is equipped with an easily detachable fluid supply pipe.

As a result of intensive research by the inventors, it was discovered that in a processing tank having a width and length for processing food, attachment and detachment can be easily performed by providing multiple detachable fluid supply pipes that traverse the processing tank in the width direction.
That is, the first invention of the present application is:
"A food processing apparatus comprising a processing tank for processing food and a plurality of detachable fluid supply pipes that traverse the processing tank in the width direction."

Next, it is preferable that the fluid supply pipe is of a type that is inserted from the outside of the processing tank.
That is, the second invention of the present application is:
"The food processing device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid supply pipe is inserted from the outside of the processing tank."

Next, it is preferable that the fluid supply pipe is of a type divided into two parts, one of which is inserted from each of the outer sides of the width direction of the processing tank and engaged within the tank.
That is, the third invention of the present application is:
"A food processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid supply pipe is divided into two parts, one of which is inserted from each side of the outside width of the processing tank, and which engages within the tank."

Next, the food processing apparatus of the present application may be provided with a conveyor device in the processing tank for conveying food in the length direction of the processing tank.
That is, the fourth invention of the present application is:
"The food processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a conveyor device for transporting food in the lengthwise direction within the processing tank."

Next, it is preferable that the conveyor device is a conveyor device that includes a pair of first and second sprockets arranged in parallel, a pair of endless conveyor chains wound between the first and second sprockets, and a food storage frame attached between the conveyor chains.
That is, the fifth invention of the present application is:
"The food processing device of claim 4, wherein the conveyor device is a conveyor device having a pair of first and second sprockets arranged in parallel, and a pair of endless conveyor chains wound between the first and second sprockets."

Next, the conveyor device may be of a type in which the first pair of sprockets is positioned inside the treatment tank and the second pair of sprockets is positioned outside the treatment tank.

That is, the sixth invention of the present application is:
"The food processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein in the conveyor device, the pair of first sprockets is positioned inside the processing tank and the pair of second sprockets is positioned outside the processing tank."

Next, in the conveyor device, the pair of first and second sprockets may be slidably movable in a substantially horizontal direction.
That is, the seventh invention of the present application is:
"The food processing device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the pair of first and second sprockets in the conveyor device are slidable in a substantially horizontal direction."

Next, in the conveyor device, it is preferable to provide a plurality of pairs of intermediate sprockets that regulate the transport paths of the conveyor chains in order to form approximately parallel transport paths of the pair of conveyor chains inside and outside the treatment tank.
That is, the eighth invention of the present application is:
"A food processing device as described in claim 6 or 7, wherein the conveyor device is provided with a plurality of pairs of intermediate sprockets that regulate the conveyor chain conveying path so as to form approximately parallel conveying paths of the pair of conveyor chains inside and outside the processing tank."

By using the food processing device of the present invention, food can be effectively dispersed within the processing tank, facilitating processing.

1 is a perspective view of a food processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the inside of the treatment tank in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is another cross-sectional view of the food processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention when inserting a fluid supply pipe. 1A is a front view showing a fluid supply pipe inserted into a hole protruding from the treatment tank; FIG. 1B is a front view showing a detached state of a ferrule joint; FIG. 2 is a front view showing one fluid supply pipe. 1A is a front view of the state in which two fluid supply pipes are engaged, and FIG. 1B is a front view of the vicinity of the center of FIG. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing two fluid supply pipes screwed together. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a first embodiment of a food processing apparatus equipped with a conveyor device. 9 is a perspective view showing a fluid supply pipe in a processing tank portion of the food processing apparatus of FIG. 8. FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a case where a food storage frame is further added to the structure shown in FIG. 9 . 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the food processing apparatus of the first embodiment when the first sprocket and the second sprocket are moved in FIG. 8 . FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a second embodiment of a food processing apparatus equipped with a conveyor device. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a fixed support rail. 1A is a perspective view of the movable support rail in a retracted state, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the movable support rail in a chain-supported state.

1 Fluid supply pipe 3 Protruding hole portion (protruding hole portion)
5 Fluid supply device 7 Spout hole portion 9 Ferrule joint 11 Gasket 13 Clamp band 15 Food storage frame 21 First sprocket 23 Second sprocket 25 Conveyor chain 27 First moving unit 29 Rail for first moving unit 31 Conveyor chain for first moving unit 33 Sprocket for first moving unit 35 Second moving unit 37 Rail for second moving unit 39 Conveyor chain for second moving unit 41 Sprocket for second moving unit 43 First intermediate sprocket 45 Second intermediate sprocket 47 Third intermediate sprocket 49 Fourth intermediate sprocket 51 Fifth intermediate sprocket 53 Sixth intermediate sprocket 55 Fixed support rail 57 Movable support rail 59 Chute 100 Processing tank 150 Conveyor device 200 Food processing device

Figure 1 is a partial schematic perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the treatment tank shown in Figure 1. The details of the present invention will be explained below.

─Treatment tank─
The treatment tank 100 of the present invention has a width direction and a length direction. The treatment tank 100 of the present invention includes various shapes as long as it is a tank that can be filled with a liquid or gas as a treatment liquid, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Furthermore, the tank 100 can be used for any purpose as long as it is a tank that can store food and perform some kind of treatment on the food.
In addition, a predetermined food conveying device may be configured to convey food in the longitudinal direction within the processing tank 100.

Examples include boiling tanks used when boiling food in high-temperature water (hot water), and frying tanks used when frying food in vegetable oil or animal fat. Furthermore, processing tanks do not necessarily have to be used only for hot water or frying oil; they can also be used as steaming tanks for steaming with steam, or as drying tanks for drying with air currents.

More specifically, the treatment vessel can be used as a steam heating treatment vessel even when the treatment vessel is a closed or semi-closed system and is heated by steam. Of course, superheated steam may be used instead of normal steam.
Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is of course possible to supply hot water from the outside to the treatment tank, and to install steam piping, a heat exchanger, etc. as needed to heat the treatment tank.

─Fluid supply pipe─
The fluid supply pipe 1 in the present invention is a pipe for supplying a fluid to promote dispersion of the food being processed and to process it efficiently in the processing tank 100. For example, in the case of boiling processing, the processing can be promoted by supplying a fluid such as steam or hot water into the processing tank during processing to promote bubbling, stirring, etc.

For example, when the target food is noodle strings, steam bubbling or the like can be used to prevent the noodle strings from sticking together and to enable stirring, thereby improving boiling efficiency.
Furthermore, in the case of a frying processing device, the processing can be accelerated by promoting bubbling, stirring, etc. during the frying process. For example, this can be effectively used in the production of fried snacks such as potato chips.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the fluid supply pipe 1 of the present invention can be suitably used as a type that is inserted and pulled out from the outside of the treatment tank 100.
Although various methods for attaching the fluid supply pipe 1 are possible, the type that is inserted from the outside has the advantage of making effective use of the space inside the treatment tank 100 and of easily attaching and detaching the fluid supply pipe 1. Furthermore, it has the advantage of improving cleaning properties, and when the fluid used is steam, it is easy to limit the locations where the steam is used.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a type is disclosed in which a protruding hole 3 is provided on the outside of the side wall of the treatment tank 100, and the device is inserted into the protruding hole 3. The protruding hole 3 can be provided by welding or the like.
Next, the fluid supply pipe 1 is connected to a predetermined fluid supply device 5. The fluid supply device 5 can be a device for supplying various fluids, such as a steam generator, a gas supply device, or a liquid supply device.
Next, the fluid supply pipes 1 may be arranged in two stages in the treatment tank as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or may be arranged in one stage, as a matter of course.

For example, in the case of a two-tier system, a mesh basket or the like can be placed above the fluid supply pipe 1 of the upper tier and between the upper and lower tiers. The food to be processed can be stored in the mesh basket.
Furthermore, the number and arrangement of the fluid supply pipes 1 in the treatment tank are not particularly limited, and it goes without saying that various configurations are possible.

—Hole provided in fluid supply pipe—
The fluid supply pipe is provided with a plurality of nozzle holes 7, and the fluid is supplied through the nozzle holes 7. There are no particular limitations on the size or number of nozzle holes 7, but for example, if the food processing tank 100 is a boiling tank that supplies steam for bubbling or the like, holes of approximately 0.5 to 5.0 mm are suitable. The nozzle holes 7 may have a variety of shapes, such as a circle or an ellipse.

─Fluid─
In the present invention, various fluids can be supplied. For example, if the food processing vessel is for boiling, fluids such as steam or hot water can be used. If the processing vessel is a frying oil vessel, fluids such as frying oil or steam can be used.
Furthermore, in either the boiling tank or the frying oil tank, a gas such as air, nitrogen, or argon may be heated to a high temperature and supplied as the fluid.

─Detachable─
The fluid supply pipe 1 of the present invention is of a type that can be easily attached and detached. Various methods for attachment and detachment are possible. Furthermore, when a liquid such as hot water is used in the treatment tank 100, it is necessary to prevent leakage of the treatment liquid.
Specifically, any of the methods such as flange joints, threaded joints, and ferrule joints are possible. The first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 discloses a type that uses a ferrule type joint.

That is, as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b), a type is disclosed in which a ferrule fitting 9 attached to the fluid supply pipe and a ferrule fitting at the end of the hole protruding to the outside of the food processing tank are tightly attached via a gasket 11, and then tightened with a clamp band 13. In the present invention, a ferrule fitting 9 is preferred because it is easy to attach and detach.

The fluid supply pipe is divided into two parts, one of which is inserted from each of the two outer sides of the processing tank in the width direction, and is engaged inside the tank.
In the present invention, a single fluid supply pipe 1 may be used as shown in FIG.
It is also preferable that the fluid supply pipe 1 is hollow and divided into two parts, and is inserted from both sides of the outer side of the side wall parts that face each other in the width direction of the treatment tank 100, and engages with the treatment tank 100 (FIG. 6). First, by dividing the fluid supply pipe 1 into two parts and making it a type that can be inserted from both sides, the length of the fluid supply pipe 1 can be shortened, it will not get caught on obstacles during the insertion work, and it is easy to ensure working space for inserting the fluid supply pipe 1.

Furthermore, various types of engagement are possible, but in the first embodiment of the present invention, a type that engages at the center is shown as shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b). Any type of engagement is possible. In such an engagement type, the tip region that engages may not be hollow.
In the above-described configuration, the desired fluid is supplied from the open end of each fluid supply pipe 1.

However, the present invention is not limited to the engagement type shown in Figure 6; for example, a screw-type as shown in Figure 7 is also possible.

The food processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a conveyor device for conveying food in the processing tank in the longitudinal direction.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the treatment tank 100 further includes a conveyor device 150 for conveying food in the lengthwise direction within the treatment tank.

Specifically, Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a food processing apparatus 200 in which a processing tank 100 equipped with a plurality of fluid supply pipes 1 of the present invention is fitted with a conveyor device 150 that transports the food in the length direction of the processing tank. Figure 9 is a perspective view seen from the processing tank side, showing only specific components such as the arrangement of the fluid supply pipes 1. Figure 10 is a partial perspective view of the perspective view in Figure 9 when a food storage frame 15 is fitted to the conveyor device 150.

The food processing device 200 shown in Figures 8 to 10 has a boiling tank as the processing tank 100, and is equipped with a conveyor device 150 that transports food storage frames 15 that store food in the length direction of the processing tank (boiling tank) within the boiling tank. The food storage frames 15 are made of a liquid-permeable stainless steel mesh structure and have nine rows of storage areas.

In other words, Figure 8 shows a method for boiling food, in which the food to be boiled (e.g., fresh noodles) is placed in a food storage frame 15, and the food storage frame 15 is passed through a boiling tank 100, during which the food is boiled while passing through for a predetermined time, and after it leaves the boiling tank, the food is discharged from the food storage frame 15.

In particular, in the case of FIG. 8, raw noodles supplied from above are stored in a food storage frame 15, and the raw noodles are boiled by transporting a boiling tank.
The conveyor device 150 shown in Figures 8 to 11 is a conveyor device 150 that has a pair of first sprockets 21 and second sprockets 23 arranged in parallel, and has a pair of endless conveyor chains 25 that are wound between the first sprockets 21 and the second sprockets 23.

In addition, in the conveyor device 150 , the pair of first sprockets 21 are arranged inside (in the space of) the treatment tank, and the pair of second sprockets 23 are arranged outside the treatment tank 100 .
Furthermore, the first sprocket 23 in the first embodiment of the present invention defines one end of the conveyor and is movable in a substantially horizontal direction. In the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the first sprocket 23 is attached to the lower part of a slidable first moving unit 27, which is placed on a rail 29 for the first moving unit and is configured to be able to slide left and right on the rail 29 as needed.

In addition, to allow the first moving unit 27 to slide, a conveyor chain 27 for the first moving unit is connected to the front and rear of the frame of the first moving unit 27, and the conveyor chain 27 is wound around multiple sprockets 33 provided on the top of it. The first moving unit 27 can be moved by driving any of the sprockets 27 for the first moving unit.

It should be noted that such a moving device for moving the sprocket is not necessarily required, and it is also possible to move the sprocket manually and fix its position with a screw or the like.
In addition, the second sprocket 23 in the first embodiment is located above the first sprocket 21, defines the other end of the conveyor, and is movable in a substantially horizontal direction.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the second sprocket 23 is positioned above the first sprocket 21, thereby forming a lower conveying path including the first sprocket 21 and an upper conveying path including the second sprocket 23.
In addition, the second sprocket 23 is attached to the center of a second moving unit 35 that can slide, and the second moving unit 35 is placed on a rail 37 for the second moving unit and is configured to be able to slide left and right on the rail as needed.

In addition, to allow the second moving unit 35 to slide, a conveyor chain 39 for the second moving unit is connected to the front and rear of the frame body. The conveyor chain 39 is wound around multiple sprockets located above it, and the second moving unit 35 can be moved by driving any of the sprockets 41.

Note that a moving device for moving such sprockets is not necessarily required; for example, they can be moved manually and their positions fixed with screws or the like. Furthermore, when the first sprocket 21 and second sprocket 23 move, the movements of the first moving unit 27 and second moving unit 35 are synchronized so that significant slack does not occur in the conveyor chain 25.

Furthermore, in this first embodiment, in order to form the above-mentioned lower and upper conveying paths, multiple pairs of intermediate sprockets are required to define the conveying direction of the conveyor chain 25.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 8, in addition to the first sprocket 21 and second sprocket 23, a first intermediate sprocket 43 is provided to change the lower conveying path upward, and a second intermediate sprocket 45 is provided to change the path to horizontal after moving upward. Furthermore, a third intermediate sprocket 47 is provided, which cooperates with the second intermediate sprocket 45 to determine the conveying direction of the conveyor chain 25. The third intermediate sprocket 47 also serves as a drive sprocket, and is configured to transmit rotational force from a specified power unit to the conveyor chain.

Furthermore, the conveyor chain 25 reverses at the second sprocket 23 to form an upper conveying path, and then a fourth intermediate sprocket 49 is provided, which, in cooperation with the third intermediate sprocket 47, which is also the driving sprocket, determines the conveying direction of the conveyor chain 25.

Furthermore, after passing the fifth intermediate sprocket 51, the conveyor chain 25 moves downward and then changes direction of conveyance horizontally by the sixth intermediate sprocket 53, thereby transferring to the lower conveyance path.

Next, the first sprocket 21 and second sprocket 23 are horizontally movable so that sliding the first sprocket 21 and/or second sprocket 23 can shorten the distance the conveyor device 150 transports the processing tank 100. In other words, when processing food in the processing tank 100, it may be necessary to change the processing time depending on the type and size of the food being processed. This is particularly necessary when the speed at which the food being processed is supplied does not change.

In such cases, by moving the first sprocket 21 to the right side of the paper shown in Figure 8 and similarly moving the second sprocket 23 to the right side of the paper, the transport distance within the processing tank of the food storage frame 15 can be shortened, thereby shortening the food processing time. For example, it is necessary to change the processing time depending on the type and size of food, and this need can be easily met.

More specifically, in the case shown in Figure 8, when fresh noodles are to be boiled, the boiling time may need to be changed depending on the thickness and quantity of the noodles. Thicker fresh noodles usually need to be boiled for a longer time, while thinner fresh noodles need to be boiled for a shorter time. Therefore, for thicker fresh noodles, the first sprocket 21 and second sprocket 23 are preferably set to increase the distance traveled through the boiling tank 100 as shown in Figure 8, while for thinner fresh noodles, the first sprocket 21 and second sprocket 23 are preferably set to decrease the distance traveled through the boiling tank 100 as shown in Figure 11.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8 and 11, when the first sprocket 21 and second sprocket 23 are moved using their respective moving devices to change the processing time depending on the product type, etc., it is preferable to have the power units of both moving devices operate synchronously to prevent slack in the conveyor chain 25, etc.

In the present invention, in order to promote dispersion of the food being processed within the processing tank 100 and to process it efficiently, a fluid such as steam or airflow is supplied into the processing tank 100 during processing to promote bubbling, etc., and multiple fluid supply pipes 1 are installed to bubble the steam. These fluid supply pipes 1 are located below the food storage frame 15 being transported and in close proximity to the food storage frame 15.

On the other hand, when attempting to slide the first sprocket 21 in the boiling tank 100 as described above, the moving first sprocket 21 and conveyor chain 25 will come into contact with the fluid supply pipe 1 inserted from the outside, so it is necessary to easily remove the inserted fluid supply pipe 1.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 8, the fluid supply pipe 1 can be easily attached and detached, which has the advantage that such work can be carried out efficiently.
In this way, in the first aspect, by providing multiple detachable fluid supply pipes 1 that traverse the width of the treatment tank 100 of the present invention, it is possible to easily respond even when the first sprocket 21 moves.
Furthermore, the conveyor device of the present invention described above is merely an example, and it is of course possible for the first and second sprockets to be fixed, for example, as shown in the following FIG.

-Conveyor chain support rail-
In the present invention, when a conveyor device 150 for transporting food is provided, it is preferable to provide a support rail 55 for supporting the conveyor chain 25 below the conveyor chain 25 in order to prevent the conveyor chain 25 from swinging. For example, one method is to attach the support rail 55 as a fixed type below the conveyor chain to the side of the processing tank, as shown in Figure 13.

On the other hand, if the first sprocket 21 is movable as shown in Figures 8 and 11, the support rail may interfere with the movement of the first sprocket 21. In such cases, it is preferable to use a type in which the movable support rail 57 can be moved in and out, as shown in Figure 14.

In other words, when the first sprocket 21 moves, the support rail is retracted so as not to interfere with the movement of the sprocket (Figure 14(a)), and when the first sprocket 21 does not move, the support rail is located below the conveyor chain 25 (Figure 14(b)).

Specifically, in the configuration shown in Figures 8 and 11, the support rails on the upper side of the conveyor chain 25 in the lower transport path within the treatment tank 100 interfere with the movement of the sprocket as it moves, so they are movable support rails as shown in Figure 14 above. On the other hand, the support rails on the lower side of the conveyor chain 25 in the lower transport path within the treatment tank do not interfere with the movement of the sprocket even if it moves, so they are fixed support rails 55 as shown in Figure 13.

--Transportation procedure for boiling food (raw noodles) when using the food processing apparatus (boiling tank) shown in Figures 8 and 11--
8 is designed to process noodle strings. Both ends of the food storage frame 15 are connected to a pair of conveyor chains 25, which circulate in the direction of the arrow in FIG.
First, an empty food storage frame 15 that has passed the sixth intermediate sprocket 53 enters the boiling tank 100, and nine rows of food (fresh noodles) are individually supplied from above. The storage frame 15 has a rotating lid on top, which is put on after the fresh noodles have been supplied.

Next, the noodles are transported in the boiling tank 100 while immersed in boiling water. During transport, they are subjected to bubbling with steam from multiple fluid supply pipes 1 attached below. This bubbling agitates the noodle strands in the food storage frame, preventing the raw noodles from sticking together and allowing the noodles to be boiled efficiently.

Next, the first sprocket 21 moves the food storage frame 15 downward and inverts it, transporting it completely immersed in the boiling tank 100. During transport, the food storage frame 15 is also subjected to bubbling from steam from the fluid supply pipe 1 attached below. This bubbling agitates the noodle strands in the food storage frame 15, allowing for efficient noodle boiling.

The food storage frame 15 containing the raw noodles moves upward on the first intermediate sprocket 43, exits the boiling tank 100, and moves approximately horizontally on the second intermediate sprocket 45. The food storage frame then turns over, and the boiled noodles inside are transferred via chute 59 to a separately prepared conveyor device or the like, and transported to the designated process.

Meanwhile, after the noodle bundles have been discharged, the empty food storage frame 15 is transported horizontally, then moves upward on the second sprocket, flips over, and is transported horizontally with the lid open. It passes through the fourth intermediate sprocket 49 and fifth intermediate sprocket 51 and moves downward, then moves approximately horizontally on the sixth intermediate sprocket 53.

Next, in the food processing device 200 shown in Figure 11, compared to the case of Figure 8, the first sprocket 21 slides a predetermined distance to the right of the page, and at the same time, the second sprocket 23 also slides a predetermined distance. This movement shortens the transport distance of the food storage frame 15 within the processing tank 100 (boiling tank), and is set to shorten the boiling process time. In this way, it is possible to change the boiling time.

In this case, the first sprocket 21 is moved to the right side of the paper in Figure 8 (towards the center of the treatment tank), but to do this, it is necessary to remove the fluid supply pipe 1 on the upper side within the treatment tank 100 within the range of movement of the first sprocket 21. In the present invention, the detachable fluid supply pipe 1 as described above is used, so detachment can be easily performed.
Furthermore, the movable support rail 57 on the upper side in the treatment tank can also be set in the retracted state shown in FIG. 14(a) within the range in which the first sprocket 21 moves.

Claims (7)

The food processing apparatus includes a processing tank for processing food, and a plurality of detachable fluid supply pipes that extend across the processing tank in a width direction ,
The food processing device is of a type in which the fluid supply pipe is divided into two parts, one of which is inserted from each of the outer sides of the processing tank in the width direction, and which engages within the tank . The food processing device of claim 1, wherein the fluid supply pipe is inserted from the outside of the processing tank. 3. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a conveyor device for conveying food in the processing tank in the longitudinal direction. 4. The food processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conveyor device is a conveyor device having a pair of first and second sprockets arranged in parallel, and a pair of endless conveyor chains wound between the first and second sprockets. 5. The food processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein in the conveyor device, the pair of first sprockets is disposed inside the processing vessel and the pair of second sprockets is disposed outside the processing vessel. 5. The food processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the pair of first and second sprockets in the conveyor device are slidable in a substantially horizontal direction. 7. A food processing device as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the conveyor device is provided with a plurality of pairs of intermediate sprockets that regulate the conveyor chain conveying path so as to form approximately parallel conveying paths of the pair of conveyor chains inside and outside the processing tank.