Abstract: A pocket conveyor for use in food processing in which the pockets move independently from each other. Each pocket contains a portion of food which is conveyed from one processing machine to another in the course of food production. Independent movement of the pockets provides for, among other things, greater efficiencies in food production by allowing independent operation of the various processing machines along the conveyor as well as allowing the use of multiple processing machines for each of one or more processes. Further, independent movement of the pockets eliminates the maintenance issues associated with pockets which are chain-linked, such as chain and motor related failure.

Abstract: A positioning conveyor is incorporated in a conveyor system for adjusting the position of a sheet on the conveyor system. The positioning conveyor has two belt type conveyor sections that are independently movable transverse to the feed path and are utilized to adjust the position of the sheet. The sheet is scanned by a scanner and the data is input to a computer. A vacuum zone on each section provides spaced apart gripping points to establish a pivot axis to correct for skew. The computer controls the coordinated movement of the sections to pivot and side shift the sheet to a desired position.

Abstract: A machine for slicing a food product in the three dimensions in a single continuous cycle to produce an end product having a determined size and shape. The machine incorporates a first slicing station for slicing a determined length of a first slice off the food product by a first cutoff knife and a second slicing station to slice the first slice in two dimensions by a set of gang knives and a second cut off knife to produce a cube of a determined size and shape. The machine has a conveyor system for conveying the food product on a continuous basis through the machine. The rotation of the cut off knives are variable to establish the desired dimensions of the end product. The first slice is transferred on the conveyor of the second slicing station in a manner to accommodate slicing the first slice in the other two dimensions by the second slicing station.

Abstract: An apparatus for pulling a cooked meat product into individual strands. A preferred embodiment including a feed roller set that compresses a cooked meat product to initially start the separation process and controllably delivers the food product to a feed station. An auger in the feed station delivers the food product into a rotating drum. Longitudinal rakes are rotatably mounted in the drum and during rotation will engage and elevate the food product. As the food product is elevated the food product will be delivered into the rotational path of a rotating puller bar that is rotatively mounted and driven in the drum. The rotating bar will separate the food product into strands and propel the food product against the surface of the drum. The strands will sift through the rakes and progress toward the exit end of the drum with the remaining large pieces being elevated by the rakes to be delivered into the path of the puller bar.

Abstract: A conveyor belt including displacement apparatus for laterally displacing pieces of a product across the width of the moving conveyor belt. The apparatus may include a rotatable paddle wheel with radially extending fins or roller sets that are engageable with the underside of the belt. The paddle wheel is rotated to rapidly elevate the belt upwardly and downwardly to project the pieces off the belt in a trajectory that will displace the pieces laterally relative to the direction of travel of the belt. In a preferred embodiment, the fins or roller sets are tapered such that the center of the belt has the greatest upward (and downward) movement and the belt near its side edges has the least movement.

Abstract: A multi-lane extended product transfer filling machine for filling multiple lanes of containers simultaneously. The machine fills pockets with a sized portion at a product sizing station. The pockets are mounted to a chain which transfers the filled pockets from the product sizing station to a remote container filling station. Multiple tampers eject the food product from multiple filled pockets into multiple lanes of containers simultaneously. A programmable operating control unit controls the operation of the machine.

Abstract: A three dimensional slicing/dicing machine that slices a food product such as a loaf of sausage into similarly sized but irregularly shaped cube like portions. The machine has cutting knives that have a sinusoidal like wavy profile at their cutting edge and has an inclined conveyor for conveying the food product loaf and the resulting sliced portions along a feed path. A first knife cuts a slice of determined thickness off the loaf. The slice tips over onto one of its sides onto the conveyor where it is transported to the second knife. The second knife, which is mounted at an angle to the first knife and the travel path of the conveyor cuts the slices into strips. A third knife which is mounted at an angle to the travel path opposite the angle of the second knife cuts the strips into the desired cube like formations.

Abstract: A machine for slicing a food product in the three dimensions in a single continuous cycle to produce an end product having a determined size and shape. The machine incorporates a first slicing station for slicing a determined length of a first slice off the food product by a first pair of synchronously driven and counter rotating cut off knives and a second slicing station to slice the first slice in two dimensions by a set of gang knives and a second pair of synchronously driven and counter rotating cut off knives to produce a cube of a determined size and shape. The machine has a conveyor system for conveying the food product on a continuous basis through the machine. The rotation of the cut off knives are variable and are set in conjunction with the feed rate of the conveyor system to establish the desired dimensions of the end product.

Abstract: A machine for slicing a food product in the three dimensions in a single continuous cycle to produce an end product having a determined size and shape. The machine incorporates a first slicing station for slicing a determined length of a first slice off the food product by a first cutoff knife and a second slicing station to slice the first slice in two dimensions by a set of gang knives and a second cut off knife to produce a cube of a determined size and shape. The machine has a conveyor system for conveying the food product on a continuous basis through the machine. The rotation of the cut off knives are variable to establish the desired dimensions of the end product. The first slice is transferred on the conveyor of the second slicing station in a manner to accommodate slicing the first slice in the other two dimensions by the second slicing station.

Abstract: An automatic filling machine for forming, sizing, transferring and inserting a food product portion into a container. The machine has forming chambers that are expandable to facilitate receiving a food product in bulk and are contractible to define a column having a cross section mating that of a container to be filled. The chamber is expanded to receive a quantity of a food product that is to be inserted into a container. The chamber is contracted to form the food product received therein into a column as defined by the contracted chamber. An upper plunger is provided to force and compress the formed food product column into a sizing apparatus. A pressure switch controls the compressive force applied to the food product column to provide consistency between sized portions of the food product.

Abstract: A conveying system for an automatic food slicing machine is disclosed. The conveying system has a floating upper conveyor positioned above a lower conveyor. The conveyors cooperatively feed the food item to be sliced an incremental length into the slicing knives during the feed cycle and retain the remainder of the food item during the cut-off cycle. An indexing mechanism, adjustable to provide different feed length increments and timed to the rotational cycle of the cut-off knife, drives the conveyors. The indexing mechanism only drives the conveyors during the feed cycle and the conveyors remain static during the cut-off cycle. The food item to be sliced is captively held between the upper and lower conveyors during both the feed cycle and the cut-off cycle. Small diameter rollers at the exit end of the conveyors are utilized and are positioned in close proximity to the travel path of the cut-off knife providing retentive capability throughout the feed length range.

Abstract: An apparatus for canning food products wherein segmented food product contained in a basin of the apparatus is compressed by a plunger down through a cylindrical bore and into a shuttle pocket. The shuttle pocket contains a pre-determined quantity and mass of the food product which is then transferred to a container. The apparatus can be converted to fill different container sizes with different quantities of the food product due to the provision of interchangeable inserts for passages, e.g. for the cylindrical bore. The shuttle product itself is interchangeable as are the plunger heads. The design for interchangeability of these components is adapted for rapid changeover to different container sizes utilizing quick connect fasteners for the interchangeable components.

Abstract: The present invention provides a food packing machine which includes the following components: a piston mounted for reciprocation during an operating cycle between a pair of limit positions toward and away from a cake forming cavity, for compressing food material in the cavity; bias apparatus for exerting pressure on the piston to provide compression pressure on the material, the bias apparatus including a resilient material mounted to the piston, and a seat to which the resilient material is also mounted to effect a resilient mounting between the piston and the seat; and pressure relief apparatus for selectively urging the set away from the piston to reduce the bias thereon upon reception of a predetermined signal. The machine normally also includes a sensor for sensing when the machine is deactivated, and a signal device for providing the signal to the pressure relief apparatus when the sensor determines that the machine is deactivated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning squid bodies which have been separated from the heads and tentacles, employing upstream and downstream, partially overlapping, facially confronting, perforate conveyor belts, through the perforations in which a vacuum apparatus is employed to hold such bodies tightly against the belts. On the upstream belt, successive bodies are slit along one side to fillet them, thus to enable them to lay out flat on the belt, with mechanical and hydraulic scrubbing action then employed to clean one side of each body. Where the two belts overlap, a transfer action takes place, with the successive bodies there transferred to, and then held against, the other belt to expose the opposite sides of the bodies for mechanical and hydraulic scrubbing action.