FOOD MIXING MACHINE

• US 3,570,569 A
• Filed: 05/05/1969
• Issued: 03/16/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hobart Corporation (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harold D. Hannah, Richard S. Hartley
• Inventors: Hartley, Richard S., Hannah, Harold D.
• Application Number:
  US04/821,632
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• US Class Current: 241/82.6
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/06 with horizontally-mounted mixing or kneading tools; Worm or screw mixers
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/144 Discharge mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 5/00 Apparatus for mixing meat, sausage-meat, or meat products mixing in general B01F
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/302 with a knife-perforated disc unit

Abstract

A food mixing machine incorporates a hopper with a rotatable mixing member extending lengthwise thereto and a trough along the bottom of the hopper through which a discharge screw extends. The end of the screw continues into a barrel of a food grinding or chopping machine. A motor is connected to rotate both the mixing member and the screw, with the drive to the screw being through a one-way clutch. Rotation of the motor in one direction causes the screw to discharge material from the hopper while the mixing member is rotated, and rotation of the motor in the other direction causes the mixing member to mix materials in the hopper without transmitting power to the screw. The mixing member is mounted for simple uncoupling and removal from the hopper in order to clean the same.

Claims

1. A mixing machine for food products comprising a hopper having generally downwardly and inwardly extending sidewalls and a trough connecting the lower edges of said sidewalls, a mixing member extending between said sidewalls and above said trough, front and rear walls connecting said sidewalls and including mountings for opposite ends of said mixing member providing for rotation of the member, a barrel extending from the lower portion of said front wall coaxial with and opening into said trough, a discharge screw extending along said trough from said barrel to said rear wall, drive means including a reversible motor, speed reducing means connected between said motor and said screw, additional speed reducing means connecting said mixing member to said motor, and a one-way clutch connected between said speed reducing means and said screw arranged to cause rotation of said screw only when said motor and speed reducing means is rotating in the direction producing feeding action of said screw into said barrel whereby operation of the motor in the opposite direction causes rotation only of said mixing member.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said barrel includes means for mounting a grinder plate and knife, and said screw includes a grinder screw section within said barrel and cooperating therewith to grind the product discharged into said barrel.

3. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said mountings for said mixing member include a drive knuckle extended through said rear wall, a stud removably mounted on said front wall, said mixing member having a shaft with a coupling at one end engageable in said knuckle and a bore at its other end receiving said stud so that withdrawal of said stud allows movement of said mixing member to a position where said coupling can be withdrawn from said knuckle.

4. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said mixing member includes a central shaft, a plurality of arms extending outwardly of said shaft spaced lengthwise thereof, and curved extensions on said arms projecting generally longitudinally of said hopper whereby material over the full length of said hopper is mixed in both a transverse and longitudinal direction during each revolution of said shaft.

5. A machine as defined in claim 1, including a base supporting said motor, a housing for said speed reducing means and said clutch also supported on said base and extending partially over said motor, said rear wall being secured to said housing, and means supporting said barrel from said base.