Food supply system for a food patty molding machine
AssigneeFormax, Inc.
InventorsPaul Taylor, Glenn Sandberg, Scott A. Lindee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A patty-forming machine includes a food supply system where the drive mechanism for feed screws use integrated and compact motor and gearbox assemblies. The feed screws have heavy wall thickness flights and the feed screw shafts are journaled through modular bearing assemblies. A conveyor that forms the bottom of the hopper uses a sealed drum motor housed in the drive roller to drive the conveyor. A food supply system includes independent sensing means for indicating whenever the moldable food material accumulated at one end of the hopper exceeds a given level.
Claims20
A food supply system comprising:
- a hopper;
- a conveyor configured to supply food material to a feed system;
- said conveyor forming the bottom of said hopper;
- the feed system includes a pump feed opening, a first independent sensing element and a second independent sensing element;
- the hopper communicates with a pump feed opening for providing a path toward a molding mechanism;
- the first independent sensing element is configured to indicate the level of moldable food material in a first area of the feed system;
- and
- the second independent sensing element is configured to indicate level of moldable food material in a second area of the feed system.
A food supply system comprising:
- a hopper;
- a conveyor configured to supply food material to a feed system;
- said conveyor forming the bottom of said hopper;
- said feed system for moving food material toward a molding mechanism;
- said feed system comprising a feed screw drive and a modular feed screw bearing assembly for surrounding a feed screw shaft at an intersection with a first horizontal support plate;
- said feed screw bearing assembly and said feed screw drive are each independently attached to said first support plate;
- and said feed screw drive independently removable from said support plate;
- the feed screw bearing assembly is vertically orientated and mounted on the first support plate and extends from the first support plate toward a lower horizontal second support plate, the first support plate is spaced apart from the second support plate.
Food patty forming apparatus comprising:
- a hopper;
- a food supply mechanism in the hopper configured to supply food material from the hopper to a feed system;
- the feed system includes a pump feed opening, a first independent sensing element and a second independent sensing element;
- the hopper in communication with a pump feed opening to provide a path toward a molding mechanism;
- the first independent sensing element is configured to indicate the level of moldable food material in a first area of the feed system;
- and
- the second independent sensing element is configured to indicate level of moldable food material in a second area of the feed system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.