US 4,193,167 AGranted

Apparatus for molding meat patties

AssigneeArmour and Company

InventorsGerald J. Orlowski, Rodney D. Wicklund, Richard D. Sandlas, Walter W. Weibler

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Abstract

An improved molding apparatus is provided for forming patties from an agglomerable edible material, particularly meat in frozen flake cut form. The apparatus includes a rotating turret with a plurality of mold cavities and reciprocable pistons. The turret rotates between a feed station where the edible material is fed upwardly under pressure into the mold cavities and a discharge station where the formed patties are ejected and separated by a continuous cut-off band. An improved cut-off band is also provided in which the band is disposed at a slight angle to facilitate its entry into the interfaces between the bottom surfaces of the pistons and the formed patties. The leading corners of the pistons are chamfered to receive the blade. The band is looped between a pair of pulleys on adjustable supports for providing the desired inclination of the band. Scrapers and spray nozzles are provided to maintain the cleanliness of the band and the pulley grooves.

Claims29

Dependent claims

In an apparatus for forming patties from a mass of agglomerable edible material such as meat;

said apparatus comprising
a turret mounted for rotation on a vertical axis and having a plurality of cavities, each cavity having a piston reciprocably mounted therein and each piston having a bottom surface cooperating with the cavity to define a patty-forming mold with a bottom opening;
feeding means cooperating with said turret for moving said edible material from a supply source upwardly into each mold successively during rotation of said turret relative to said feeding means;
control means regulating the reciprocation of each piston in its cavity in timed relation to the rotation of said turret, whereby said piston moves upwardly for filling the mold with said edible material when the bottom opening of the mold is in communication with said feeding means in one rotary position of said turret and whereby said piston moves downwardly for discharging a formed patty from the cavity in another rotary position of said turret which is remote from said one rotary position;
and
means for separating a formed patty from the bottom surface of said piston;
the improvement which comprises:
vertically movable support means for supporting said feeding means below said turret;
said feeding means including a feed spout assembly having a seal plate, a feed opening in said seal plate, and inlet means communicating with said feed opening for supplying said edible material under pressure;
and
retractable fluid pressure applying means coacting with said support means for urging said seal plate upwardly in sealing engagement against the bottom surface of said turret.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.