US 10,897,912 B2 · Variable contoured rounding bar, device and method of using same

Abstract

A rounding device and method of rounding that provides improved rounding of semi solid material portions by introducing changes or variations in the contours or profiles of rounding bars to produce two or more changes in the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion through rapidly changing release sections along the working length of the rounding bars and round the surfaces of the semi solid material portion with greater uniformity and consistency. By substantially changing the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion in the working length of the variable contour rounding bar as it passes through a rapid transition area one can improve the rounding and avoid blemishes and deformities that occur to the surface of the semi solid material portion in existing devices.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A semi-solid media rounding device transporting and rounding an at least one semi-solid material portion, comprising:

an at least one conveyor belt mounted to and moving above a conveyor bed in a direction of travel;
an at least one variable contour rounding bar coupled to a frame and aligned above the conveyor belt, the at least one variable contour rounding bar having:
an entry area,
an exit area,
a variable contour on the at least one variable contour rounding bar between the entry area and exit area, the variable contour being non-uniform along a first of at least two working areas on a working length of the at least one variable contour rounding bar rounding the at least one semi-solid material portion followed by an at least one rapid expansion transition on the variable contour proceeding to a release section that releases the at least one semi-solid material portion and changes a first axis of rotation of at least two axes of rotation to a second axis of rotation of the at least two axes of rotation of the at least one semi-solid portion before again being engaged with a second working area of the at least two working areas in the working length of the variable contour rounding bar.

2 more elements

A method of rounding semi-solid material portions on a variable contour rounding bar having a variable contour, comprising the method steps of:

propelling an at least one metered semi-solid material portion on a moving surface;
engaging the at least one metered semi-solid material portion to impact into the variable contour rounding bar such that the at least one semi-solid material portion is moved along the variable contour which is non-uniform along a first of at least two working areas on a working length of the at least one variable contour rounding bar and rounds the at least one metered semi-solid material portion followed by an at least one rapid expansion transition to a release section that releases the at least one metered semi-solid material portion and changes a first axis of rotation of at least two axes of rotation to a second axis of rotation of at least two axes of rotation of the at least one metered semi-solid portion before again being engaged within a second working area of at least two working areas in the working length of the variable contour rounding bar;
and
rounding the semi-solid portion into a rounded semi-solid portion as it exits from an exit area of the variable contour rounding bar.

1 more element

A variable contour rounding bar having a variable contour that receives portioned pieces of a semi-solid material for rounding, said variable contour rounding bar comprising:

an entry area;
a rounding area that receives said portioned pieces of semi-solid material which are propelled against the variable contour rounding bar from said entry area, imparting a first axis of rotation of at least two axes of rotation, and the variable contour of the variable contour rounding bar imparting at least one rounding force on the portioned pieces of semi-solid material at a first of at least two positions along a working length of the at least one variable contour rounding bar;
an at least one rapid transition followed by a release section that opens to release the portioned pieces and allows the portioned piece to rotate from the first axis of the at least two axes of rotation to a second axis of the at least two axes of rotation;
a further rounding area that receives said portioned pieces of semi-solid material which are propelled against the variable contour rounding bar from said at least one rapid transition section and through the release section that follows the at last one rapid transition section, the propulsion of the pieces of semi-solid material working on the second axis of rotation of the at least two axes of rotation in the further rounding area;
and
an exit area receiving the pieces of semi-solid material from the further rounding area and releasing the pieces of semi-solid material from the variable contour rounding bar.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Variable contoured rounding bar, device and method of using same

Life of this patent

Variable contoured rounding bar, device and method of using same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20