Molding apparatus

• US 4,298,326 A
• Filed: 10/04/1979
• Issued: 11/03/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Greenwood Holdings, Inc. (Packaging Research Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Armour and Company
• Inventors: Orlowski, Gerald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Derrington, James H.
• Application Number:
  US06/081,829
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 425/259, 425/261, 425/260, 425/241, 425/238, 425/427, 425/219, 425/239, 17/32
• US Class Current: 425/219
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/0076 Devices for making meat patties
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 30/10 Moulding

Abstract

Improvements in molding apparatus and method for forming a plurality of patties from a mass of agglomerable edible material such as, chopped meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, or the like. The molding apparatus includes a rotatable turret having a plurality of mold cavities positioned therein with a piston reciprocably mounted in each cavity. Upward piston reciprocation forms a mold in the lower portion of the cavity. An improved food-feeding mechanism having an enlarged end opening in communication with the cavity pushes the edible material into the mold over a wide portion of the turret rotation. The piston reciprocates upwardly while in communication with said food-feeding mechanism to draw food material into the mold and avoid air pockets in same. As the turret rotates and the piston reciprocates downwardly to expell the patty, an improved continuous wire band patty cut-off mechanism cleanly separates the patty from the piston to which it typically sticks, without deforming the patty. Any build-up of food material on this cut-off band is wiped off same before that portion of the band is utilized to separate another patty from another piston.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for forming a plurality of uniformly-shaped patties from a mass of agglomerable edible material;

said apparatus including;

a frame;

a drive means retained on said frame;

a hopper attached to said frame for receiving a mass of said edible material;

a turret rotatably mounted to said frame and drivingly connected to said drive means including a plurality of cavities located in spaced angular and radial relation therearound, each cavity having a barrier means mounted for reciprocal movement axially therein, each said barrier means having a bottom surface coacting with a cavity to form a mold;

an improvement including housing means having means therein positioned between said hopper and turret for moving said edible material through said hopper and substantially upwardly into said mold, filling it, and forming a patty therein as each mold opening is positioned in substantially complete communication with an enlarged opening on said housing means during an arcuate portion of each turret rotation;

said enlarged opening in said housing including a shallow dished portion which extends from a central portion of said opening substantially along said arcuate path of travel and becomes increasingly shallow as it so extends for directing all the edible material from said housing means upwardly into said mold cavity when same is fed therethrough while preventing stagnation and retention of said edible material on said dished portion;

means coacting with the turret for reciprocating said barrier means through said cavity as said turret rotates to push a patty substantially downwardly out therefrom at a portion of rotation substantially opposite the patty-forming portion; and

means connected to the frame for separating a patty from said barrier means in a manner preventing its deformation during separation;

said means for reciprocating said barrier means through said cavity moving said barrier means from the lowest position in its path of travel to the highest position in its path of travel during the portion of said turret rotation when said mold opening is in communication with said housing means, and said reciprocation means moving said barrier means upwardly through said cavity at a rate of speed sufficient to draw said edible materials therein.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein

said reciprocation means includes cam actuation means on said frame, and cam follower means operatively connected to said barrier means for movement along said cam actuation means as said turret rotates, the slope of an active surface on said cam actuation means being sufficiently steep to provide suction in said cavity as said cam actuation means coacts with said barrier means to move same upwardly in said cavity.