Hamburger patty press

A molding device for compressing and molding ground meat which comprises in combination:

• a stationary horizontal base plate, a mold having a through opening providing a molding cavity adapted to accommodate material to be molded, said mold being movably mounted with respect to said base plate, a layer of compressible resilient material disposed between said base plate and said mold for urging said mold away from said base plate when said mold is pressed towards said base plate, a core element detachably secured to said base plate and being disposed in registering relation with said molding cavity, said mold being relatively movable between a first position in which said core element is disposed in the lower portion of said molding cavity and a second position in which said core element is disposed upward from said first position, an annular projecting flange disposed on the lower surface of said mold and an outwardly projecting flange disposed on the upper surface of said core element, each of said flanges being adapted to retain said mold and core element in said first position when said mold device is in non-operating condition and pressing means associated with said mold for compressing said material in said cavity against said core element and for moving said