Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mechanical system for providing a food product on a sheet of paper. The disclosed mechanical system includes an adjustable conveyor belt system that is configured to enable a puck of food product to land up-right. The angle (e.g., slope) of the adjustable conveyor belt system can be adjusted to account for variations in the size and shape of the puck. The disclosed mechanical system also includes a flattener that is configured to provide memory to the pressed pucks.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mechanical system for providing a food product on a sheet of paper. The disclosed mechanical system includes an adjustable conveyor belt system that is configured to enable a puck of food product to land up-right. The angle (e.g., slope) of the adjustable conveyor belt system can be adjusted to account for variations in the size and shape of the puck. The disclosed mechanical system also includes a flattener that is configured to provide memory to the pressed pucks.

Abstract: An input conveyor, output conveyor, and knife assembly with a blade between the input and output conveyors all reciprocate back and forth as a blade moves perpendicular to the conveyors to cut portioned sized of product, such as ground meat. The cut cycle allows the product feed to keep moving in a continuous manner on conveyors. For ground meat, this system can allow production rates of 150 pieces or more per minute per conveyor line and can improve the accuracy of portioning. The blade is actuated by a profiled cam set that pulls the blade down, and then returns it with a spring to an upper position. The knife assembly can accelerate just after cutting to reduce the potential for sticking to the cut product.

Abstract: An input conveyor, output conveyor, and knife assembly with a blade between the input and output conveyors all reciprocate back and forth as a blade moves perpendicular to the conveyors to cut portioned sized of product, such as ground meat. The cut cycle allows the product feed to keep moving in a continuous manner on conveyors. For ground meat, this system can allow production rates of 150 pieces or more per minute per conveyor line and can improve the accuracy of portioning. The blade is actuated by a profiled cam set that pulls the blade down, and then returns it with a spring to an upper position. The knife assembly can accelerate just after cutting to reduce the potential for sticking to the cut product.

Abstract: A cut-off device is used for providing a deposit of known portion weight of the ground meat or paste. This deposit is dropped accurately onto a conveyor belt for transport to a press wheel the height of which, from the conveyor, can be adjusted to provide a finished product of correct thickness. The press wheel has a system of vacuum ducts around the circumference in four chambers that pull paper from a de-nesting tray situated at the top of the press wheel, at the correct interval as to meet up with the deposit at the base of the wheel. This results in the deposit being pressed to the required thickness onto the conveyor, with the interleave paper attached to the top of the now formed patty.

Abstract: An input conveyor, output conveyor, and knife assembly with a blade between the input and output conveyors all reciprocate back and forth as a blade moves perpendicular to the conveyors to cut portioned sized of product, such as ground meat. The cut cycle allows the product feed to keep moving in a continuous manner on conveyors. For ground meat, this system can allow production rates of 150 pieces or more per minute per conveyor line and can improve the accuracy of portioning. The blade is actuated by a profiled cam set that pulls the blade down, and then returns it with a spring to an upper position. The knife assembly can accelerate just after cutting to reduce the potential for sticking to the cut product.

Abstract: A cut-off device is used for providing a deposit of known portion weight of the ground meat or paste. This deposit is dropped accurately onto a conveyor belt for transport to a press wheel the height of which, from the conveyor, can be adjusted to provide a finished product of correct thickness. The press wheel has a system of vacuum ducts around the circumference in four chambers that pull paper from a de-nesting tray situated at the top of the press wheel, at the correct interval as to meet up with the deposit at the base of the wheel. This results in the deposit being pressed to the required thickness onto the conveyor, with the interleave paper attached to the top of the now formed patty.

Abstract: An arrangement for molding products includes a mold defining a volume, the mold including an inlet leading to the volume for receiving product to be molded and an outlet for venting air from the volume, and a vacuum connected to the outlet. A method for molding products includes evacuating air from an outlet of a mold volume with a vacuum, and forcing product to be molded into the mold volume through an inlet of the mold volume.

Abstract: A forming machine includes a ram cylinder, a ram, the ram cylinder and a forward end of the ram defining a closed chamber, and an inlet to and an outlet from the closed chamber. A method of forming material is also disclosed.

Abstract: A depositing system includes one or more flaps adapted to move between a closed position in which the one or more flaps is arranged to receive a portion of material to be deposited and an open position in which the one or more flaps permits the portion of material to be deposited to fall from the one or more flaps, a conveyor, a sensor adapted to generate a signal upon identification of a target on the conveyor, and a controller arranged to move the one or more flaps from the closed to the open position in response to the signal so that a portion of material to be deposited drops onto the conveyor with a desired spatial relationship to the target on the conveyor. A method for depositing material is also disclosed.