(a) Field of the Industrial Utilization
This invention relates to a method of producing boiled eggs and an apparatus therefor, and more particularly to a dry type heating method of producing eggs in the hard boiled state and soft boiled state and an apparatus therefor.
(b) The Prior Art
As has been well known, to produce boiled eggs, the eggs are heated in water. However, depending upon whether hard boiled eggs or soft boiled eggs are desired, it is necessary to adjust the temperature and the time for heating the eggs.
In order to produce a nice looking boiled egg with the yolk being positioned at the center of its albumen when the egg is cut crosswise, it is usually necessary to suitably turn the egg while it is being heated to obtain uniform heating.
For example, when boiled eggs are needed in small quantities, the production of the boiled eggs is easily carried out because the eggs in the hot water can be easily turned. However, when boiled eggs are needed in large quantities such as for commercial purposes, it is difficult to turn the eggs without damage when there are large quantities of the eggs in the hot water. Consequently, the yolks of the eggs become positioned more to one side than the other, so that the boiled eggs, cannot be obtained with the yolk positioned at the center.
Moreover, when the boiled eggs are produced according to the known method of heating the eggs, a batch system cannot be selected because of the method of heating such eggs. Consequently, by using the conventional method of producing the boiled eggs, a worker is endangered by containers containing a large amount of hot water that must be handled by the worker, in order to avoid abrupt heating of the eggs. This danger is continuous, especially when heating of eggs be repeated as often as necessary, to control high fuel costs.
Furthermore, cracks tend to be caused to the egg shells. Even when the positions of the eggs are fixed by forming frames and the like, a large scale facility becomes necessary, making it difficult to turn the eggs, whereby the yolks lean to one side, thus presenting the disadvantages of such an operation.