Method for forming multiple rows of meat patties
AssigneeOSI International, Inc.
InventorsThomas J. Kennedy, Darren S. Lange, Richard C. Fausey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for forming multiple rows of meat patties. An existing single row forming machine is modified by moving the fill slot relative to the existing stroke length so that the fill slot comes in contact or fluidly communicates with at least one newly added row of cavities. This is most easily achieved by modifying the existing fill plate and by adding cavities to the existing mold plate, so that the combination of modified plates operates with the existing stroke length (which is difficult to change), to produce multiple rows of consistent meat patties.
Claims34
A method of operating a multiple row meat patty forming apparatus comprising the steps of:
- (a) sliding a mold plate defining a plurality of cavities so that a row of at least two cavities fluidly communicates with a slot defined by a fill plate, wherein the fill plate contacts pressurized meat;
- (b) in the same direction, sliding the mold plate so that at least one cavity adjacent to the row of cavities fluidly communicates with the slot;
- (c) reversing direction and sliding the mold plate so that the cavity adjacent to the row of cavities fluidly communicates with the slot;
- and
- (d) in the reversed direction, sliding the mold plate so that the row of cavities fluidly communicates with the slot.
The method of claim 11, wherein steps (a) and (b) occur in a patty-forming direction and steps (c) and (d) occur in patty-stamping direction.
A method of operating a multiple row meat patty forming apparatus comprising the steps of:
- (a) sliding a mold plate defining a plurality of cavities so that a first cavity fluidly communicates with a slot defined by a fill plate, wherein the fill plate contacts pressurized meat;
- (b) in the same direction, sliding the mold plate so that a row of cavities adjacent to the first cavity fluidly communicates with the slot;
- (c) reversing direction and sliding the mold plate so that the row fluidly communicates with the slot;
- and
- (d) in the reversed direction, sliding the mold plate so that the first cavity fluidly communicates with the slot.
A method of operating a multiple row meat patty forming apparatus comprising the steps of:
- (a) sliding a mold plate defining a plurality of cavities so that a first row of cavities fluidly communicates with a first set of slots from a row of slots defined by a fill plate, wherein the fill plate contacts pressurized meat;
- (b) in the same direction, sliding the mold plate so that a second row of cavities fluidly communicates with a second set of slots from the row of slots;
- (c) reversing direction and sliding the mold plate so that the second row of cavities fluidly communicates with the second set of slots;
- and
- (d) in the reversed direction, sliding the mold plate so that the first row of cavities fluidly communicates with the first set of slots.
A method of operating a multiple row meat patty forming apparatus comprising the steps of:
- (a) sliding a mold plate defining a plurality of cavities so that a first row of cavities fluidly communicates with a slot defined by a fill plate, wherein the fill plate contacts pressurized meat;
- (b) in the same direction, sliding the mold plate so that a second row of cavities fluidly communicates with the slot;
- (c) reversing direction and sliding the mold plate so that the second row of cavities fluidly communicates with the slot;
- and
- (d) in the reversed direction, sliding the mold plate so that the first row of cavities fluidly communicates with the slot.
A method of retrofitting a meat patty forming machine to form multiple rows of patties comprising the steps of:
- (a) replacing an original fill slot with a new fill slot that is moved towards an exit end of the machine with respect to the original fill slot;
- and
- (b) providing a mold plate that defines multiple rows of cavities spaced apart so that the new fill slot communicates with the multiple rows when the mold plate slidingly engages the fill plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.