Mold opening and food product extracting apparatus

An apparatus for opening a food product mold, having a first mold portion and a second mold portion which can be latched together, said apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor for receiving a latched mold thereon with a food product in the mold and for moving the mold, wherein the mold is positioned on said conveyor in an inverted position such that the first mold portion is below the second mold portion;
• and
• a delatcher adjacent to said conveyor comprising:
• a mold engagement means for engaging the first portion of the mold from below;
• and
• a mold support for supporting the second mold portion when the first mold portion is engaged by said mold engagement means;
• wherein, the second mold portion is held substantially stationary against the mold support while the first mold portion is moved toward the second mold portion such that the first and second mold portions are unlatched from one another.

An apparatus for opening a food product mold, having a first mold portion and a second mold portion which can be latched together, said apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor for receiving a latched mold portion thereon with a food product in the mold and for moving the mold;
• a delatcher adjacent to said conveyor and comprising:
• a mold engagement means for engaging the first portion of the mold;
• and
• a mold support for supporting the second mold portion when the first mold portion is engaged by said mold engagement means;
• wherein, the second mold portion is held substantially stationary against the mold support while the first mold portion is moved toward the second mold portion such that the first and second mold portions are unlatched from one another;
• and
• an electric eye disposed adjacent to said delatcher, said electric eye projecting a light beam therefrom;
• of said mold wherein, said mold engagement means is adapted for engaging said first portion of said mold when said mold breaks said light beam as said mold is moved along said conveyor.

An apparatus for opening a food product mold, having a first mold portion and a second mold portion which can be latched together, said apparatus comprising:

• a first conveyor for receiving a latched mold therein with a food product in the mold and for moving the mold;
• a delatcher adjacent to said first conveyor and comprising:
• a mold engagement means for engaging the first portion of the mold;
• and
• a mold support for engaging the second mold portion when the first mold portion is engaged by said mold engagement means;
• wherein, the second mold portion is held substantially stationary against the mold support while the first mold portion is moved toward the second mold portion such that the first and second mold portions are unlatched from one another;
• a second conveyor disposed above at least a portion of said first conveyor;
• and
• mold gripping means on said second conveyor for grippingly engaging the second mold portion and moving the second mold portion therealong, such that the second mold portion is raised above, and thereby separated from, the first mold portion.

An apparatus for opening a food product mold, having a first mold portion and a second mold portion which can be latched together, said apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor for receiving a latched mold thereon with a food product in the mold and for moving the mold;
• a delatcher adjacent to said conveyor and comprising:
• a mold engagement means for engaging the first portion of the mold;
• and
• a mold support for supporting the second mold portion when the first mold portion is engaged by said mold engagement means;
• wherein, the second mold portion is held substantially stationary against the mold support while the first mold portion is moved toward the second mold portion such that the first and second mold portions are unlatched from one another;
• a staging gate adjacent to said conveyor, said staging gate being selectively actuable between a closed position wherein molds are prevented from moving on said conveyor and an open position wherein molds are allowed to move on said conveyor;
• and
• an electric eye projecting a light beam therefrom;
• wherein, said staging gate is adapted for being actuated to said closed position when a mold moving along said conveyor breaks said light beam and being actuated to said open position when the mold is no longer breaking said light beam.

An apparatus for opening a food product mold, having a first mold portion and a second mold portion which can be latched together, said apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor for receiving a latched mold thereon with a food product in the mold and for moving the mold;
• a delatcher attached to said conveyor and comprising:
• a mold engagement means for engaging the first portion of the mold;
• and
• a mold support for supporting the second mold portion when the first mold portion is engaged by said mold engagement means;
• wherein, the first mold portion is held substantially stationary against the mold support while the first mold portion is moved toward the second mold support such that the first and second mold portions are unlatched from one another and the first mold portion and the food product are normally separated from the second mold portion by gravity;
• a puller device for engaging the first mold portion and pulling the first mold portion away from the second mold portion in the event that the first mold portion does not separate properly from the second mold portion by gravity;
• and
• weight sensing means for sensing when the first mold portion and the food product are separated from the second mold portion by gravity, said weight sensing means being adapted for preventing actuation of said puller device when weight is sensed and adapted for actuating the puller device when weight is not sensed.

An apparatus for opening a food product mold, having a first mold portion and a second mold portion which can be latched together, said apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor for receiving a latched mold thereon with a food product in the mold and for moving the mold;
• a delatcher adjacent to said conveyor and comprising:
• a mold engagement means for engaging the first portion of the mold;
• and
• a mold support for supporting the second mold portion when the first mold portion is engaged by said mold engagement means;
• wherein, the second mold portion is held substantially stationary against the mold support while the first mold portion is moved toward the second mold portion such that the first and second mold portions are unlatched from one another;
• and
• a delay gate adjacent to said conveyor, said delay gate being selectively actuable between a closed position wherein molds which have been delatched and moved away from said delatcher are prevented from further movement on said conveyor and an open position wherein molds are allowed to move on said conveyor.

An apparatus for opening a food product mold, having a lid and pan which are connectable by spring-loaded latches, said apparatus comprising:

• a first conveyor for receiving a latched mold thereon with a food product in the mold and for moving the mold;
• a delatcher adjacent to said conveyor and comprising:
• a mold engagement means for engaging the lid of the mold;
• and
• a mold support for supporting the pan of the mold when the lid is engaged by the mold engagement means;
• wherein, the pan is held substantially stationary against the mold support while the lid is moved toward the pan such that the lid and pan are unlatched from one another;
• and
• a second conveyor disposed above at least a portion of said first conveyor and adapted for grippingly engaging the pan and moving the pan therealong, such that the pan is raised above, and thereby separable from, the lid.