Embodiments of the present invention include systems for storing large quantities of chemicals at a remote site. A controlled blending system balances the inflow of dry material and liquids into the blender based on a predetermined solid/fluid ratio. The blending system further balances the inflow and outflow of material from the blender.

A hand-crank operated food processor includes a container with a removeable lid. The lid incorporates a number of gears that are operable by the hand crank to cause a drive shaft to spin, imparting a rotational force to a food processing implement such as a blade or a paddle carried on the drive shaft. The crank can be inserted into any one of a plurality of attachment points such that rotation of the crank handle in a selected attachment point will rotate the gears, and therefore the drive shaft, at a different rotational speed as compared to the rotational speed achieved at a different one of the plurality of attachment points at the same input speed from the crank.

A food processing apparatus includes a blending module having a motor releasably connectable to a blending rotor which is rotatable within a liquid-tight container thereby to morcelate food, wherein the motor is connected to a battery contained within blending module, the blending module being releasably engagable with a charging module connectable to a mains electrical power supply, the blending and charging modules being electrically connectable to each other thereby to supply recharging power to the blending module to recharge the battery.

An apparatus and method of cleaning a food processor including providing a food processor base that includes a rotary power driver having a rotatable shaft. A bowl is mounted on the base. A food processing blade attached to the shaft within the bowl. A cleaning accessory is placed in the bowl above the food processing blade. A cleaning fluid is introduced into the bowl, and the food processing blade with the rotatable shaft agitate the cleaning fluid in conjunction with the cleaning accessory.

An apparatus and method of cleaning a food processor including providing a food processor base that includes a rotary power driver having a rotatable shaft. A bowl is mounted on the base. A food processing blade attached to the shaft within the bowl. A cleaning accessory is placed in the bowl above the food processing blade. A cleaning fluid is introduced into the bowl, and the food processing blade with the rotatable shaft agitate the cleaning fluid in conjunction with the cleaning accessory.

A food processing machine includes a head extending over a bowl receiving location, the head including an output shaft driven in a planetary manner. At least a first food processing tool and a second food processing tool can be changed in and out of the machine to be driven by the output shaft. A controller and associated tool detection system is configured to identify whether the first food processing tool or the second food processing tool is mounted on the machine and to select a stored load profile that is linked to the identified food processing tool.

An elevating feed mixing system and method are provided. The system includes a support frame and a raisable platform raisable relative to the support frame. A mixing tub disposed on the raisable platform is configured to receive constituent ingredients of a feed and further configured to raise to release the feed after it is mixed.

The invention relates to a method for operating a food processor (1) with a base unit (2) having an electric motor and a preparation vessel (3) that can be arranged on a vessel retainer of the base unit (2), wherein the vessel retainer has allocated to it a weighing apparatus (4), which records the weight of the preparation vessel (3), wherein a calculating means of the food processor (1) determines a weight from a measured value measured by the weighing apparatus (4). In order to advantageously use the weighing apparatus (4) to recognize a current state of the food processor (1), it is proposed that the calculating means ascertain a time weight gradient based on at least two weights determined at different times.

A blender includes an integrated scale that may be used to weigh ingredients added to the blender. The integrated scale is configured and mounted atop the blender to allow for a vessel that receives ingredients to sit apart from a motor clutch mechanism of the blender when measuring ingredients. The integrated scale is also designed and mounted to allow the vessel to engage with the motor of the mixing apparatus when blending and/or mixing ingredients, while not engaging the integrated scale.

A method for producing a lignocellulose plastic composite material, in particular a simpler and more cost-effective option for producing lignocellulose plastic composite materials. Thermoplastic particles and a mixture of water and lignocellulose-containing particles are supplied to a refiner, and the lignocellulose-containing particles are reduced to fibres in the refiner. The thermoplastic particles are supplied to the refiner in a melted or fused state, or are melted or fused in the refiner, so that the melted or fused thermoplastic particles and the lignocellulose-containing particles that are reduced to fibres form material composite particles in the refiner.