CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part application to co- pending patent application USSN 014,919 filed Feb. 8, 1993 entitled "Device For Crimping and Cutting Dough Ropes." (Attorney Docket GMI 4853) .

1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to food processing apparatus and methods for forming a continuous dough sheet into a filled pillow. More particularly, the present apparatus and methods relate to apparatus for the fabrication of filled pellets for the preparation of a puffed snack product having a puffable cooked cereal dough pillow and a filling material .

2. Background Information

One popular type of food product is a Ready-To-Eat ("R-T-E") or breakfast cereal piece having a filled center. In one variation, the food product piece is pillow shaped. Often, the pillow is fabricated from a puffed cereal dough. The filling is generally unpuffed and comprises a fruit paste, or a confectioners composition (e.g., a fat based filling such as a peanut butter, cheese, butter or cream based filling) .

In the prior art, it is common to coextrude a puffed cooked cereal dough rope with a center filling by direct expansion from a cereal cooker extruder. While still plastic, the continuous tube is fed to a single pair of counter rotating rolls that crimp and sever the rope to form individual finished puffed pieces. (See, for example, U.S. 4,888,192 entitled "Method For Extrusion of Baked

Goods" issued Dec. 19, 1989 to Ramnarine) . In certain variations, the rope may be in the form of a center filled co-extrudate wherein the filling is a water based composition such as a fruit paste or a fat based composition such as cheese.

However, it may be desirable to provide an unpuffed intermediate or half product that can be subsequently puffed. For example, the half product which is relatively more robust and more dense may be shipped greater distances without undue breakage and at reduced cost due to a lower shipping volume. The half product may be produced at a central facility distant from the final market and the finished product puffed and packaged locally thereby reducing shipping costs and breakage.

In the fabrication of such half product pieces it may be desirable to use a single continuous dough sheet that is subsequently processed to form the upper and lower layers which in turn is fed to a piece forming apparatus. Such apparatus and methods are described in PCT/US92/00688 entitled "Apparatus and Methods For Flipping and Aligning a Dough Sheet" (see also U.S. counterpart 5,092,757 issued March 3, 1992 to Stein et al. ) . While the two-ply hollow cereal based puffed snack provided by the patent are highly desirable, the apparatus and methods therein described do not lend themselves to be easily modified to provide center filled puffed cereal snack products.

The present invention thus provides an improvement in the art directed to the preparation of puffed snacks fabricated from a single continuous sheet fabricated from a puffable cooked cereal dough. The present improvement resides in the provision of apparatus and methods for forming center filled snack half products, and puffed finished products prepared therefrom, from a single continuous dough sheet. Also, the present apparatus provides an improvement in the invention of co-pending USSN 014,919 in that a single apparatus herein forms the filled

tubes that are the work piece feed to the apparatus of USSN 014,919.

The art includes numerous efforts to form filled pieces with limited success. However, the present invention by virtue of the particular rolls design herein surprisingly is able to provide pieces with high quantities of filling.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods for forming a single continuous dough sheet into center filled snack half products .

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods for crimping and cutting a dough sheet into a plurality of parallel filled tubes and for crimping and cutting the dough tubes into longitudinal lengths to form individual filled snack half product pieces.

Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus and methods for preparing the snack food product pieces described in commonly assigned design applications USSN 005,698, 005,699 and 005,646 each entitled "Snack Food Product" filed March 8, 1993 (Attorney Dockets GMI 4872, 4873 and 4874) . These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure . For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

SUMMARY In its apparatus aspect, the present invention resides in apparatus for forming a continuous cooked cereal

dough sheet into a filled pillow snack half product. The apparatus (10) includes a means (13) for forming a continuous double width cooked cereal dough sheet (12) into first (16) and second (18) single width dough sheets and aligning the dough sheets in spaced aligned relationship for feeding into a means for forming a plurality of longitudinally extending continuous separable tubes such as first counter rotating nip forming rolls (30, 32) ; a fluidized filling supply (36) for applying a bead of filling intermediate the single width dough sheets proximate the nip, and a means for transversely sealing and severing the tubes to form individual shaped and formed pieces such as a second set of counter rotating rolls (44, 46) .

In its method aspect, the present invention resides in methods for forming a center filled pillow biscuit half product . The present methods comprise the steps of :

A. providing a double width continuous dough sheet fabricated from a cooked cereal dough and having a workable moisture content;

B. longitudinally slitting the dough sheet to form matching first and second single width continuous dough sheets each having opposed free ends ; C. orienting and aligning the dough sheets to be in spaced confronting relationship forming a gap there between; D. applying a filler food material in flowable form into the gap to form a center filling; E . fusing the upper and lower dough sheets forming a plurality of longitudinally extending scored seams between the upper and lower dough sheets to form a plurality of separable filled tubes;

F. transversely sealing and severing the filled tubes to form individual filled biscuit pieces; and

G. drying the biscuit pieces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a side plan view of an apparatus for forming a continuous dough sheet into a filled pillow according to the preferred teachings of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1, with portions being broken away.

Figure 3 shows an enlarged side sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with portions being broken away, taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows an enlarged sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1 taken along lines 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a greatly enlarged partial sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1 taken along lines 5-5 of Figure 2.

All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the present invention only; the extensions of the Figures with respect to number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiment will be explained or will be within the skill of the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similar requirements will likewise -be within the skill of the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood.

Where used in the various figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms "first," "second," "lower," "upper," "end," "face," "edge," and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Figure 1, an apparatus utilizing the present methods for forming a continuous dough sheet into a pillow snack half product, preferably filled according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is shown and generally designated 10. In particular, apparatus 10 transforms and comprises a means 13 for forming a double width continuous dough sheet 12 formed of an imperforate cooked puffable farinaceous dough having a workable moisture content (e.g., about 12% to 20%) , having a center longitudinally extending slit 14 such as formed by a knife (not shown) into first 16 and second 18 continuous single width dough sheets. The sheet forming means or dough sheet handling system 13 depicted is seen to preferably comprise a means for positioning each dough sheets 16 and 18 such as adjustable idler sheet rollers 20, 22 and 24 that are mounted on boom element 19 of frame 17. Minor adjustments as to the vertical and/or horizontal position of the roller(s) can adjust the position and/or tension on the dough sheets 16 and 18. Double width dough sheet 12 is supported upon a first dough sheet idler roller 15. Second single width continuous dough sheet 18 is seen to extend around the periphery of guide roller 22, and to and around the periphery of guide roller 24.

In Figure 1 it can also be seen that the dough sheet handling system 13 imparts a 90° twist to each of the single width imperforate dough sheets 16 and 18 and aligns and orients the dough sheets to be in spaced confronting and aligned relationship proximate to being fed to a means for forming a plurality of hollow tubes therefrom that can include a first upper pair of counter rotating rollers 30 and 32. In highly preferred embodiments, the dough sheet handling system 13 can further include one or more dough sheet guides such as transversely extending guide pair elements 25 and 26.

The first or upper roller pair 30 and 32 operate to fuse and sever the upper and lower dough sheets to form a plurality of longitudinally extending separable hollow side-sealed and filled tubes 42 as described in further detail below. The apparatus 10 further includes a filler food material supply 36 that applies a transversely extending continuous bead or, in more preferred embodiments, a plurality of separate streams of filler fluid material 40 (best seen in Figure 5) .

The filler food material 40 is provided in fluidized form. Conveniently, the filler material 40 can be a heated fat based material (e.g., cheese, peanut butter, butter) or less preferably, water based (e.g., fruit paste, confectioner's sugar filling) that is fluidized such as by the elevated temperature, but which upon cooling or aging sets up to form a solid or semi-solid condition. In other variations, the filling can be a material that initially is in a pumpable condition but which sets up to a solid, plastic, or semi-solid condition with time. Oil or fat based fillings can be used herein for such filler materials. The filling 40 fills the first intermediate space or gap or nip between the spaced dough sheets 16 and 18 and upon action of the rolls 30 and 32 forms the filling of the continuous side sealed tubes 42 herein as further described below.

The two rollers 30 and 32 in preferred embodiments have similar diameters and parallel horizontal axes. Rollers 30 and 32 are rotatable about their respective axes in opposite directions. Rollers 30 and 32 each generally include circumferentially extending peripheries 31 and 33 respectively (see Fig. 4) , of equal axial length.

Still referring generally to Figure 1, it is seen that the apparatus 10 further includes means for transversely sealing and severing the tubes 42 to form individual shaped and formed pieces 53 (see Fig. 3 or Fig. 5) such as a second set of counter rotating rolls 44 and 46 for transversely sealing and severing the filled tubes 42

to form individual filled biscuit half product pieces 53 (best seen in Fig. 5) as described in more detail below. Rollers 44 and 46 include peripheries 45 and 47, respectively (see Fig. 2) . The pieces 53 can temporarily be collected in hopper 54. The plurality of filled tubes are fed to the second nip formed by rolls 44 and 46. In the preferred embodiment shown, both sets of rolls are oriented such that each axis of each roll pair is in a horizontal plane. Of course, if desired, the roll pairs can be inclined. The cross sealing and severing second roll pair can ^' even be vertically arranged if desired. In the preferred embodiment depicted, the second roll set is positioned below and spaced from the first roll set. Still referring to Figure 1, it can be seen that the apparatus 10 additionally comprises a means for removing any scrap dough 60 created by the tube forming roller pair such as the endless conveyor belt 62 depicted. Typically, two scrap strips are formed from the free edges or end of the dough sheets due to the smooth regions of the roll periphery 31 and 33 as described further below. As indicated in Figure 1, the conveyor belt 62 is optimally operated to convey the scrap product 60 in a direction opposite to the flow of the filled tubes 42 and at a sufficiently rapid speed so as to facilitate scrap removal. Belt 62 is driven by suitable electric drive means 63. In the preferred embodiment depicted, the scrap removal means is positioned intermediate the first and second roll sets. Reference now is made briefly to Figure 2. In Figure 2 it can be seen that the apparatus 10 is provided with gear and drive means 64 for synchronous counter rotation of rolls 30 and 32 including a first electric motor 66 in driven engagement with drive chain 68 that in turn operatively engages drive shaft 70 of roll 32 by means of conventional tooth gear 72. At its other end, drive shaft 70 includes a first drive synchronous gear 74 in driven engagement with a second matched driven gear 76 (1:1 ratio) mounted upon driven shaft 78 of roll 30. The

skilled artisan will appreciate that any conventional means for synchronously counter rotating rolls 30 and 32 can be employed. The skilled artisan will also appreciate that the second roller pair, namely rolls 44 and 46 are similarly provided with means for synchronous counter rotation. In other embodiments wherein the rolls are of different diameter such drive means will achieve counter rotation at equal peripheral speeds. Reference now is made briefly to Figure 3. In

Figure 3, it is seen that the apparatus 10 is further optionally provided with a means for removing scrap material from rolls 30 and 32 such as providing each roll with adjustable scraper or "doctor" knives 80 and 82, respectively. Removed scrap falls by gravity and is collected upon conveyor belt 62.

In highly preferred embodiments, the apparatus 10 is provided with a first means 48 for providing nip compression to the first roll pair 30 and 32. Similarly, the second roll pair 44 and 46 are also provided with a second means 57 for providing compression. The compression of the rolls towards the nip region in the plane of their axis (i.e., horizontally when the roll axes are horizontally aligned) facilitates improvements in the formation of properly shaped and filled tubes and pieces, respectively, and important reductions in the number of improperly formed and/or sealed finished pieces.

In particular, the first compression means 48 comprises at least one and preferably a spaced pair of air- over-oil pneumatic cylinder(s) or actuators 49 and 50 that apply upward pressure on end plates 51a and 51b causing them to pivot about pivot pins 52. Roll 30 is journaled at both ends to an opposed pair of end plates 51a and 51b each pivotably mounted upon pivot pin 52 to impart the desired nip compression. In other embodiments (not shown) a single centrally located cylinder can be used to place equal pressure on end plates 51a and 51b.

In highly preferred embodiments, the first roll pair is operated at roll pressures ranging from about 100 to 6,000 psi (0.07 to 41 MPA) . The second roll pair in the preferred embodiment is operated at roll pressures ranging from about 1,000 to 2,000 psi (6.8 to 13.7 MPA) .

Similarly, roll 44 is journaled at each end by an opposed pair of support end plates 56a and 56b. Roll 44 also has a pair of (or single centered piston) air-over-oil pneumatic cylinders 58 and 59 to apply upward pressure.

End plates 56a and 56b are similarly pivotable about pivot pin 61 in response to the upward pressure supplied by the pneumatic cylinders 58 and 59 to apply the desired degree of nip compression. The provision to the upper and lower roll sets with the present nip region pressure system provides a substantial improvement over the conventional design for mounting rolls wherein one roll moves laterally in a horizontal direction along some slide guides to a position and then being set into that fixed position. The first advantage is the increased degree of control over the nip pressure being applied. Such control over nip pressure in turn provides improvements in the control over the quality of the regularity and appearance of the product being formed. Another advantage resides in the ability to quickly replace one roll. Replacement of the roll is occasionally desirable such as when a new product shape is desired to be fabricated or when the roll needs to be refurbished due to wear and tear. Under the designs of the prior art, replacement of the roll can take substantial time and effort. In contrast, with the present nip pressure system, replacement of the rolls is very straightforward. Pressure is released from the pressure cylinders 49 and 50, the pivot pins 52 are pulled and roll 30 is readily removed.

The roll sets 30 and 32 can further include a means 79 for setting the nip gap such as an adjustable threaded spherical bearing 81 mounted in a nip control block 83

mounted on the frame 17. While any conventional nip gap setting mechanism can be used herein, preferred for use is the nip gap control mechanism described in co-pending commonly assigned patent application USSN 08/059,092, filed May 10, 1993 entitled "Roller Nip Gap Setting System" (Attorney Docket 4831) .

In the preferred embodiment, a spaced pair of nip gap setting apparatus is employed, namely, one for each end plate 51a and 51b. Also, the second roll set is similarly equipped with a pair of nip gap setting apparatus.

Also depicted in Figure 3 is a means for assisting the removal of finished product pieces from rolls 44 and 46. Ideally, the finished product falls passively by gravity from the second roll set. However, certain products due to their sticky nature may require supplemental or active removal from the rolls. The finished product removal means can, as shown, comprise equipping each roll with an air knife 84 and 86 respectively. Each air knife comprises a transversely extending hollow tube or manifold 88 supplied with high pressure air (e.g., 50 to 120 psia) from a common suitable clean air supply 90. Each manifold has a thin transversely extending slit (not shown) through which air is expelled as illustrated. The air knives 84 and 86 are positioned and oriented such that optimally the expelled air vector is tangent to the respective roll periphery such as depicted and inwardly, i.e., directed towards the nip to assist removal of product from the rolls . If desired, either roll 44 or 46 or both can be provided with a half product piece removal assistance feature comprising compressible tubes in the grooves of rolls 44 and 46 as described in more detail in co-pending patent application USSN 014,919 filed February 8, 1993, entitled "Device For Crimping and Cutting Dough Ropes" which is incorporated herein by reference .

Still referring briefly to Figure 3 , it can be seen that filler supply 36 in highly preferred embodiments

include a filler manifold 92. Reference is now made to Figure 4 wherein it is seen that the continuous filler supply 36 in one embodiment can include a plurality of individual filler application nozzles or fingers 94 each operatively connected to the filler manifold (not shown) . Rather than a single common bead of filler material, individual streams or supplies of filler material 96 are provided with one stream for each tube being formed. Such provision of individual filler nozzles gives greater control of the precision of amount and position of the filler material. In the most preferred form, each nozzle 94 has an equal length from the manifold 92 so as to evenly apply the filler material. Figure 4 further illustrates the detail of the side seam forming roll construction. Roll 30 is seen to be a smooth or anvil roll. In contrast, roll 32 is seen to be fabricated with a plurality of alternating arcuate undulated lands 100 and grooves 102 so as to define a cutter roll having a plurality of circumferential blades. Most importantly, lands 100 are seen clearly to extend above the plane of the smooth roll surface so as to provide the side sealing of the dough sheets 16 and 18 with the simultaneous cutting of the sealed dough sheets for forming the continuous filled tubes herein. In the preferred embodiment, the lands have a flat tip of about 0.010 (0.025 cm) in width. Roll 32 includes a pair of spaced smooth surface areas or portions 104 and 106 proximate the free edges of the roll 32. Grooves 102 are cut into or below the plane of the smooth roll surface. Periphery 98 of roller 32 is grooved and specifically includes a plurality of spaced, parallel, linearly straight lands 100 generally circumferentially extending continuously across periphery 98 and separating, forming and defining a plurality of spaced, parallel, linearly straight grooves 102 generally circumferentially extending continuously across periphery 32. Lands 100 are equally spaced circumferentially around periphery 98 and thus grooves 102 are also equally spaced

circumferentially around periphery 98. Grooves 102 have cross sections generally in the shape of a semi-circle with the sides extending at an acute angle and particularly in the range of 32°. The circumferential distance between grooves 102 or in other words the circumferential width of lands 100 at periphery 98 is generally equal to one-tenth of the circumferential width of grooves 102 at periphery 22. The depth of grooves 102 is approximately three- quarters of their circumferential width at periphery 98 and in the most preferred form is equal to 76% of their circumferential width. Of course, the particular shape and dimensions of the lands and grooves will vary depending upon the particular shape of the half product being formed as well as the amount of filling therein desired. For example, in one minor variation, the lands each include an end portion having a slight taper (e.g., 15°) which assists forming a seal between the cereal layers.

The filled tubes 42 formed by the first roll set drop from the first roll set by gravity and are pulled forward by the second cross cutter roll set. The number of tubes 42 formed by a particular apparatus will, of course, depend upon the number of grooves and lands formed in the first side seam roll set. In the embodiment depicted, an arrangement of 12 longitudinally extending and parallel continuous filled side sealed tubes 42 are formed by the first roll set. The tubes 42 are sealed at their edges and are easily separable from each other, although in very close proximity. The tubes 42 are advanced in part by the pushing action of the upper roll set and the pulling action of the second roll set.

Reference is now made briefly to Figure 5 wherein it is seen that the tubes 42 comprise an outer shell 110 of cooked cereal dough and an inner filling 112. After having passed through the second roll set of rolls 44 and 46, the continuous tubes 42 are formed into filled pillow shaped snack half product pieces 53 which are either individual pieces or easily separable from each other.

Still referring to Figure 5, it is seen that in the preferred embodiment the roll pair 44 and 46 differ slightly from the upper roll set in that rather than having one smooth roll and one grooved roll, both rolls 44 and 46 are grooved. It can be seen that each roll comprises a series of axially extending alternating grooves and lands such as grooves 116 in roll 44 while roll 46 includes grooves 120 spaced and alternating with lands 122. It is further seen that rolls 44 and 46 are fabricated so as to have an equal number of grooves and lands with each other with equal periodicity such that upon counter rotation the lands 118 of roll 44 meet with and mesh with lands 122 of roll 46 in a tangent position 124. Such a configuration and orientation provides the sealing and cutting function necessary to transforming the continuous filled tube ropes 42 into the individually sized and shaped pieces 114.

A close inspection of Figure 5 indicates that the depths of grooves 118 in roll 44 are slightly deeper than the depths of the grooves 120 in roll 46. The skilled artisan will appreciate that the depths of the grooves in each roll can be similar or different from each other so as to accommodate differences in the amount of filling desired in the product pieces. For example, in one useful embodiment (not shown) roll 46 may be smoooth similar to roll 30 rather than be grooved. The depths of the grooves in combination are sized to accommodate the differing amounts and properties of the filling employed. As with the upper roll set, the lower roll set 44 and 46 are set to have a zero nip gap setting. Moreover, the nip compression system is operated such as to provide a nip compressive pressure at the tangent position 124 in the order of 20 to 80 psia. Such a nip compression is desirable so as to ensure the proper forming and sealing of the seams to the individual pieces 114. The seams are formed by the lands crimping and cutting the dough shell 112.

In Figure 5, it is seen that the grooves 116 and 120 are spaced, parallel and axially continuous and

linearly straight across the periphery of the rollers 44 and 46 respectively.

More specifically, roller 44 is grooved and specifically includes a plurality of spaced, parallel, linearly straight lands 118 generally axially extending continuously across the periphery and separating, forming and defining a plurality of spaced, parallel, linearly straight grooves 116, generally also axially extending continuously across periphery. The lands are equally spaced circumferentially around the periphery and thus grooves are also equally spaced circumferentially around the periphery. The depth of the grooves 115 is generally about equal to their circumferential width at the periphery.

In preferred embodiments, each roll is fabricated with a non-stick surface (except for the lands) to reduce product adherence to the rolls .

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION

Now that the basic construction of apparatus 10 according to the preferred teachings of the present invention has been set forth, the operation of apparatus 10 can be explained and appreciated. Specifically, rollers 30 and 32 are simultaneously rotated in opposite directions. The roll gap between the peripheries of rolls 30 and 32 is set to be with a zero clearance in the most preferred form and with a nip pressure of 20 to 80 psia. Dough sheet 12 has been formed in known manner by cooking farinaceous ingredients with heat and moisture to form a cooked cereal dough and sheeting the dough to a dough sheet thickness of 0.030 inch to 0.050 inch, preferably about ^' 0.037 to 0.050 and for best results about 0.043. The sheets 16 and 18 of dough are fed to advance to the nip of rolls 30 and 32 with the advancement of sheets 16 and 18 being in the order of 70 feet (21.3 meters) per minute. As best seen in Figure 4, as the dough sheets pass between the nip of rolls 30 and 32 the filling is applied to the grooves of roll 32 and the

dough is crimped and cut into longitudinally extending continuous spaced and separable filled tubes 42 of cereal dough. In preferred embodiments, the dough sheets each comprise one smooth major surface and one corrugated major surface. In highly preferred embodiments, the dough sheet is imperforate.

Preferably the dough sheets are aligned to have their smooth surfaces in facing relationship so that the finished pieces have exterior corrugated major surfaces. Having corrugated surfaces has been found to be visually appealing. Also, corrugated surfaces improves the textural eating/visual qualities of the finished snack product prepared from the present half products. In preferred embodiments the two roll sets have equal peripheral speeds so that shaped finished pieces are fabricated. Of course, variations in the size of the finished pieces can easily be made by adjusting the relative rpm's of one roll set. The tubes 42 so formed are then advanced to the second or lower roll set 44 and 46 while scrap dough is carried away in an opposite direction by endless belt 62.

The lower roll set of rollers 44 an 46 are simultaneously rotated in opposite directions such that the lands 118 of roller 44 abut with lands 120 of roll 46 at their tangent point 124. The roll gap between the peripheries 45 and 47 of rollers 44 and 46 is set to be with a 0.001 to 0.003 inch clearance in the most preferred form. The ropes 42 are fed to advance to the nip of rollers 44 and 46 with the speed of longitudinal advancement of the ropes of dough 42 being about 70 feet per minute. The rotational speeds of rolls ^' 44 and 46 are at the same speed as the longitudinal advancement direction of the ropes 114 due in part to the pulling action of rolls 44 and 46 upon ropes 114. As the dough ropes pass between the nips- of rollers 44 and 46, the dough ropes are crimped and cut into longitudinal lengths corresponding to the spacing between lands 118.

In the most preferred form, the pieces cut remain in continuous ropes with easily fractable connections such that gravitational forces will tend to pull the pieces from grooves 116 and 120. However, in the event that any pieces tend to stick, the displacement thereof is assisted by the action of air knives 84 and 86. The pieces so formed are ready for further processing such as optional drying (e.g., 7% to 16% moisture for the cereal portion) to form finished snack half product pieces. Thereafter, the finished snack half product pieces, (whether or not having been further dried) can be puffed, such as by rapidly heating such as with a fluidized bed hot air heating (350° to 425°F; 190° ± 14°C) or by deep fat frying, to form finished snack pieces. In certain embodiments, especially those air puffed, the snack pieces can further include a sugar or fat/sugar slurry coating. In other embodiments, especially those puffed by deep fat frying, after being puffed, the pieces can be topically coated with salt and/or flavor ingredients.

Thus, since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.