1. An apparatus for transferring a stick with a food product such as a sausage suspended therefrom, comprising:
stick supporting and relaying means disposed along a plurality of suspending hooks for suspending the food product such as the sausage, for being supplied with and supporting thereon a stick from which the food product transferred from the suspending hooks is suspended;
stick removing and supporting means having a pair of movable members for removing from said stick supporting and relaying means at a position opposed to said stick supporting and relaying means a stick which is supported at both end portions thereof by said stick supporting and relaying means and from which the sausage or the like is suspended, and for supporting the stick at the both end portions;
moving means for moving said stick removing and supporting means while maintaining a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stick extending when the stick was supported at the both end portions by said stick supporting and relaying means, so as to transfer in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the stick the stick which is supported at the both end portions by said stick removing and supporting means to a predetermined position above conveying means located at a predetermined distance in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the stick from a position opposed to said stick supporting and relaying means;
said conveying means including conveying wrapping connector means traveling in a direction intersecting a moving direction of said moving means and for conveying a plurality of sticks placed on said conveying wrapping connector means; and
lowering means for lowering the stick toward said conveying means so as to deliver to said conveying means the stick which has reached the predetermined position, wherein
said stick removing and supporting means is configured to reciprocate together with said moving means between the position opposed to said stick supporting and relaying means and the predetermined position above said conveying means while maintaining the direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stick extending when the stick was supported at the both end portions by said stick supporting and relaying means.
2. The apparatus for transferring a stick with a food product such as a sausage suspended therefrom according to claim 1, wherein
said lowering means is disposed stationarily at the predetermined position in a reciprocating direction of said moving means, and said stick removing and supporting means delivers the stick to said lowering means as said movable members are actuated at the predetermined position to release the stick supported by said movable members.
3. The apparatus for transferring a stick with a food product such as a sausage suspended therefrom according to claim 1, wherein
each of said movable members of said stick removing and supporting means is constituted by a rotatable transfer hook for supporting an end portion of the stick, and
said stick removing and supporting means further has movable member actuating means including transfer hook rotating means for rotating said transfer hook,
said transfer hook being rotatable in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stick extending when the stick was supported at the both end portions by said stick supporting and relaying means.
4. The apparatus for transferring a stick with a food product such as a sausage suspended therefrom according to claim 1, further comprising: swiveling means including a swiveling axis, a pair of stick supporting members for supporting a stick with a food product such as a sausage suspended therefrom, said pair of stick supporting members being disposed at positions spaced apart a swivel radius from the swiveling axis, and a swivel body on which a plurality of said pairs of stick supporting members are provided about the swiveling axis so as to be capable of arranging a plurality of sticks in a polygonal shape.
5. The apparatus for transferring a stick with a food product such as a sausage suspended therefrom according to claim 1, wherein
said lowering means is provided on said moving means so as to reciprocate together with said moving means between the position opposed to said stick supporting and relaying means and the predetermined position, and
said stick removing and supporting means is provided on said lowering means and is adapted to be lowered together with said lowering means toward said conveying means at the predetermined position and deliver the stick to said conveying means as said movable members are actuated to release the stick supported by said movable members.
6. The apparatus for transferring a stick with a food product such as a sausage suspended therefrom according to claim 1, wherein said stick supporting and relaying means includes a pair of stick receivers, one for supporting one end of the stick and the other for supporting the other end of the stick; a relay arm to which said one stick receiver is attached; and relay arm rotating means for rotating said relay arm in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stick extending when the stick was supported at the both end portions by said stick supporting and relaying means, so as to allow said one stick receiver to retreat from a path of transfer of the stick headed toward the predetermined position.
7. An apparatus for transferring a stick with a food product such as a sausage suspended therefrom, comprising:
stick supporting and relaying means disposed along a plurality of suspending hooks for suspending a food product such as a sausage, for being supplied with and supporting thereon a stick from which the food product transferred from the suspending hooks is suspended;
moving means for moving to a predetermined position above conveying means located at a predetermined distance in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the stick from a position opposed to said stick supporting and relaying means, while maintaining a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stick extending when the stick was supported at both end portions thereof by said stick supporting and relaying means, so as to transfer in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the stick the stick which is supported at the both end portions;
said conveying means including conveying wrapping connector means traveling in a direction intersecting a moving direction of said moving means and for conveying a plurality of sticks placed on said conveying wrapping connector means; and
lowering means for lowering the stick toward said conveying means so as to deliver to said conveying means the stick which has reached the predetermined position, wherein
said moving means is configured to reciprocate between the position opposed to said stick supporting and relaying means and the predetermined position above said conveying means while maintaining the direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stick extending when the stick was supported at the both end portions by said stick supporting and relaying means, in a cycle different from a cycle of supplying the stick to said stick supporting and relaying means.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A footwear warming device, comprising:
a top portion coupled to a unitary portion, the unitary portion having a first side portion, a second side portion, and a front portion; and
a bottom portion coupled to the first side portion, the second side portion, and the front portion;
wherein the top portion defines a warmer pocket configured to receive and retain a warmer;
wherein the device forms a footwear pocket configured to receive at least a front part of footwear; and
wherein the device, when positioned upon the at least a front part of the footwear, is operable to warm the at least a front part of the footwear when the warmer is activated and positioned within the warmer pocket.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a security portion coupled to one or more of the top portion, the first side portion, the second side portion, andor a flap portion coupled to the top portion, the security portion configured to secure the warmer within the warmer pocket.
3. The device of claim 2, further comprising:
at least one coupler coupled to one or more of the top portion, the flap portion, andor the security portion, the at least one coupler configured to secure the top portion to the flap portion.
4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a first strap coupled to the first side portion and having a first clasp portion coupled thereto, the first strap sized and shaped to fit around a relative back of the footwear and so the first clasp portion can couple to a second clasp portion to secure the device about the footwear.
5. The device of claim 4, further comprising:
the second strap coupled to the second side portion and having a second clasp portion coupled thereto.
6. The device of claim 4, further comprising:
an adjuster configured to adjust a length of the first strap from the first side portion to the first clasp portion.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a heat reflective material within at least part of the footwear pocket.
8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
an elastic portion coupled to the first side portion and the second side portion, the elastic portion configured to stretch so that when the device is positioned upon the at least a front part of the footwear, the elastic portion stretches so that the device is held in place upon the at least a front part of the footwear.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first side portion, the second side portion, and the front portion are regions of the unitary portion and are not coupled to one another.
10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
an overhang section extending from the top portion, the overhang section configured to fit within a pant leg.
11. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
one or more couplers coupled to or defined within the first side portion andor the second side portion.
12. The device of claim 1, forming a system with the warmer.
13. The device of claim 1, forming a kit with one or more of the warmer, a second device, and a second warmer.
14. A footwear warming device, comprising:
a top portion coupled to a unitary portion, the unitary portion having a first side portion, a second side portion, and a front portion;
a bottom portion coupled to the first side portion, the second side portion, and the front portion;
an elastic portion coupled to the first side portion and the second side portion, the elastic portion configured to stretch;
a first strap coupled to the first side portion and having a first clasp portion coupled thereto; and
a second strap coupled to the second side portion and having a second clasp portion coupled thereto;
wherein the top portion defines a warmer pocket configured to receive and retain a warmer;
wherein the device forms a footwear pocket configured to receive at least a front part of footwear;
wherein the device comprises a heat reflective material within at least part of the footwear pocket;
wherein the first strap is sized and shaped to fit around a relative back of the footwear and so the first clasp portion can couple to the second clasp portion; and
wherein the device, when positioned upon the at least a front part of the footwear, is operable to warm the at least a front part of the footwear when the warmer is activated and positioned within the warmer pocket.
15. A footwear warming system, comprising:
a footwear warming device, comprising:
a top portion coupled to a unitary portion, the unitary portion having a first side portion, a second side portion, and a front portion; and
a bottom portion coupled to the first side portion, the second side portion, and the front portion;
wherein the top portion defines a warmer pocket configured to receive and retain a warmer; and
a warmer configured to fit within the warmer pocket;
wherein the device forms a footwear pocket configured to receive at least a front part of footwear; and
wherein the device, when positioned upon the at least a front part of the footwear, is operable to warm the at least a front part of the footwear when the warmer is activated and positioned within the warmer pocket.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the warmer comprises a first warmer portion and a second warmer portion, the first warmer portion andor the second warmer portion defining a chamber therein, the chamber configured to receive at least one heating element.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one heating element comprises at least one charcoal stick.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first warmer portion andor the second warmer portion defines a plurality of apertures therethrough.
19. The system of claim 16, wherein the warmer further comprises a hinge coupled to the first warmer portion and the second warmer portion.
20. The system of claim 15, wherein the device further comprises an elastic portion coupled to the first side portion and the second side portion, the elastic portion configured to stretch so that when the device is positioned upon the at least a front part of the footwear, the elastic portion stretches so that the device is held in place upon the at least a front part of the footwear.