Abstract: An adjustable product guide assembly for a product saw device includes a product guide plate mounted to a first bracket which is slidable on a bar; a handle mounted on top of a second bracket in an ergonomic location, the handle being connected to a shaft and which rotates a first worm gear pinned to the shaft; a second worm gear which is turned by the first worm gear, the second worm gear which is pinned to a pinion gear; a gear rack on the bar, the gear rack having gear rack teeth which are engaged with the pinion gear; a biasing member disposed between the second bracket that houses the first worm gear and the second worm gear and the first bracket; wherein when the handle is pressed down, in a gear releasing mechanism, the second bracket pivots and compresses the biasing member such that the gear rack teeth disengage from the pinion gear via the first worm gear and the second worm gear, and the product guide plate can be moved along the gear rack teeth of the bar.

Abstract: A casing lock mechanism, for a sausage stuffing machine, which reduces the risk of damage to a sausage casing during a sausage extruding operation. The casing lock mechanism includes a chuck member that holds a pair of jaws having jaw holes that surround a nozzle or stuffing horn. The chuck member is connected to the nozzle so that it rotates at the same time, in the same direction, and at the same speed as, the nozzle. The chuck member holds the jaws so that when rotated it imparts a centrifugal force to the jaws thereby causing them to move radially outward to lock a sausage casing to the outside of the nozzle. Because the nozzle does not rotate during an extruding portion of the sausage stuffing cycle, no centrifugal force is imparted to the jaws which thus assume a free state wherein they do not lock the sausage casing to the nozzle. Therefore, pressure on the sausage casing during the extruding cycle is reduced, thereby reducing the tendency to overstress and tear the sausage casing.

Abstract: A sheet dispensing mechanism employs an open bottom sheet dispenser positioned beside a molding device, molding articles which are cyclically ejected and driven vertically downwardly along an article ejection path, with the bottom sheet shingling out against an oblique baffle. A pair of rotatable indexing rollers with a high coefficient friction member on the periphery of each roller penetrate the open bottom of the dispenser to press the single sheets against the baffle, thereby allowing the indexing rollers to frictionally drive only the end sheet in the direction of the path. A spring biased articulated nip roller assembly downstream of the dispenser accelerates the indexed sheet to intersect the ejection path of the article simultaneously with ejection of the article. A proximity switch senses the arrival of the food portion at the article ejection station to initiate one cycle rotation of the indexing rollers to index the bottom-most sheet of the stack.

Abstract: A stack of paper is provided for separating portions produced by a portion control machine. The paper is dispensed from a paper feed system that feeds the bottom-most sheet from the stack along support rails that support opposite edges of the sheet. An integral stiffening strip extends between the opposite side edges of each sheet for stiffening the sheet therebetween and to minimize bowing of the sheet when supported at its opposite side edges. The stiffening strip has an arcuate cross-section, and the stiffening strip includes a rigidifying wax coating that is impregnated in the sheet at least to a greater extent in other areas of the sheet than at the strip. The invention also contemplates a method of fabricating the sheets of paper.

Abstract: A pressing apparatus for citrus fruit including upright blades extending radially outwardly from a vertical axis to define V-shaped segments therebetween, the upper edges of the blades being sloped downwardly toward the axis to centrally support a piece of fruit. A press is vertically reciprocated between an upper feed position allowing fruit to be located on the blades and a lower pressing position a selected spacing above the peel ejectors. Peel ejectors within each of the V-shaped segments are pivotally supported for movement between (1) a horizontal ready position when the press is moved to the pressing position and (2) an ejecting position sloped downwardly away from the axis when the press is moved toward the feed position. A feed assembly cyclically feeds fruit to the blades through a chute, and includes a cylindrical enclosure open on one side to the chute and a feed drum supported for rotation about a horizontal axis within the enclosure.

Abstract: A paper feed system suitable for use with a patty making machine to provide paper for separating patties, including a stack of sheet-form paper having a deformable element on the side edge thereof, a paper hopper, and a guide on the inside surface of a sidewall of the paper hopper for engaging the deformable element. Two guides are provided, each on opposite sidewalls of the hopper, engaging deformable elements on opposite sides of the paper stack. Preferably, the guides are male guides extending from the sidewalls with the end adjacent to where the paper is dispensed thicker than the remainder of the guide to support the paper. The deformable elements cooperate with the guides so that the paper is deformed by an extreme bend, but not torn, when each sheet is dispensed from the hopper. A stack of individual sheets of paper usable with this system includes recesses on opposite sides of each sheet of paper, where the recesses receive the guides when stacked in the hopper.

Abstract: A meat patty molding machine having a base plate with an opening therethrough and a fill plate rotatably mounted in the base plate opening. A meat feeder forces meat up through openings in the fill plate. A mold plate defines a disk-shaped mold cavity and is mounted to move laterally between a fill position with its disk-shaped mold cavity in communication with the fill plate and a patty discharge position with the disk-shaped mold cavity away from the fill plate. A drive means rotates the fill plate relative to the mold plate, and the fill plate is rotated relative to a stationary cutting blade which is biased against the fill plate by substantial pressure to cut meat fibers at the upstream surface of the fill plate during filling.

Abstract: A mold plate is reciprocable between a fill position and a knock-out position and in the fill position has a mold cavity with its center line aligned with an elongate fill slot in a fill plate. A reciprocable ram in its advancing stroke forces ground meat through the elongate fill slot into the mold cavity at the center thereof for flow in opposite directions from the center line of the mold cavity for filling thereof. A pair of plates are interposed between the elongate fill slot and the mold cavity and have a closed position to prevent flow therebetween and an open position providing two rows of holes through which meat is forced into the mold cavity. One of the plates is movable in response to the advancing and retracting movement of the ram to automatically close the flow path to the mold cavity on the retracting stroke of the ram to prevent back-flow of ground meat from the mold cavity.

Abstract: An automatic-feed grinder for meat having a grinding head mounted on a frame and held in position thereon by clamping bars and a hopper superimposed thereon. The hopper and grinding head have generally similar front-to-rear dimensions providing a compact construction resulting from reverse flow of meat including rearward flow in the hopper provided by self-feeding counter-rotating augers which feed the meat through a bottom discharge opening adjacent the rear wall thereof into a top opening of a grinding head. The grinding head has a feed screw which advances the meat in the grinding head forwardly through grinding elements. The compact construction provided by the superimposed relation of the grinding head and hopper permits the simple drive of the counter-rotating augers and the feed screw by drive connections at the rear of the hopper and grinding head to drive means mounted on the frame.

Abstract: A meat loaf forming apparatus and method in which ground meat is extruded through a shaping die of a desired cross-sectional shape onto a sheet of paper in contact with a rotating conveyor. A feeler operates a cut-off knife to sever the advancing meat and paper into preselected lengths, thereby forming successive loaves of meat.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for molding a patty of plastic food material wherein pressurized food material is supplied to a mold opening in a mold plate with a movable mold insert partially projecting into the mold opening. Relative movement is then effected between the mold opening and the insert so that the insert is effectively retracted from the mold opening thereby permitting expansion of the food material in the mold opening to provide a less dense patty of food material.

Abstract: A molding apparatus and method for molding patties of ground raw meat and the like that has a hopper for holding a supply of the meat, a mold having a patty shaped mold cavity, a ram equipped pressure chamber into which the meat is moved from the hopper and from which it is forced into a patty shaped mold cavity in the mold, means for moving the mold between a filling position for the cavity and an ejecting position for removal of the patty from the cavity and a lever system for moving the mold, meat transfer means in the hopper and the pressure ram all without substantial lost motion in order to avoid noise pollution that is an unwelcome side effect of machines such as patty molding machines that use such lost motion connections to provide pauses between relatively operating parts.

Abstract: A molding apparatus and method for molding patties of ground raw meat and the like that has a hopper for holding a supply of the meat, a mold having a patty shaped mold cavity, a ram equipped pressure chamber into which the meat is moved from the hopper and from which it is forced into a patty shaped mold cavity in the mold, means for moving the mold between a filling position for the cavity and an ejecting position for removal of the patty from the cavity, and the ram being reciprocable in the pressure chamber toward and away from the fill and exit openings thereby tending to create a vacuum in the pressure chamber on the movement away from the opening and venting the chamber to relieve this vacuum.

Abstract: A molding apparatus and method for molding patties of ground raw meat and the like that has a hopper for holding a supply of the meat, a mold having a patty shaped mold cavity, a ram equipped pressure chamber into which the meat is moved from the hopper and from which it is forced into a patty shaped mold cavity in the mold, means for moving the mold between a filling position for the cavity and an ejecting position for removal of the patty from the cavity and a lever system for moving the mold, meat transfer means in the hopper and the pressure ram all without substantial lost motion in order to avoid noise pollution that is an unwelcome side effect of machines such as patty molding machines that use such lost motion connections to provide pauses between relatively operating parts.

Abstract: A molding apparatus for molding a pressurized plastic material of the nature of ground meat or other food such as ground fish and the like in which the apparatus comprises a movable mold having a mold opening for receiving a pressurized charge of the material, with the mold being movable between mold opening filling and article discharge positions, an entrance to the mold opening at the filling position, means for directing the pressurized charge through this entrance at the filling position and into the mold opening and vent means spaced from the mold opening entrance for venting from the mold opening air displaced by the pressurized charge entering the mold opening. The vent means comprises a plurality of elongated slots extending from the mold opening in the filling position on the side opposite to the mold entrance and exhausting to the exterior of the apparatus.

Abstract: A molding device for molding food articles of raw finely divided beef and similar tissue containing food material that is normally subject to uneven shrinkage during cooking comprising supply means for the material, a mold having a mold opening including a peripheral arcuate edge, a supply passage means for supplying pressurized material to the mold opening from the supply passage, the supply passage having an arcuate exit end at the arcuate edge of the mold opening and this arcuate exit end including means for projecting the food material directly into the mold opening in a thin ribbon of a thickness that is only a fraction of the spacing between end surfaces defining the mold opening and the projecting being at an obtuse angle to an adjacent one of the end surfaces.

Abstract: A device and method for molding food articles of raw finely divided beef and similar tissue containing food material that is normally subject to uneven shrinkage during cooking comprising supply means for the material, a mold comprising superimposed mold plates each having an opening each with a peripheral edge with the edges of these plate openings being adapted to be aligned to define a mold opening in which the plate openings are of the same size and shape, and a supply passage for supplying pressurized material to the plate openings when the mold is in a mold filling position with the plate opening edges out of alignment. This results in projecting food material across the non-aligned openings to fill the plate openings and there are provided means for moving the plate openings into edge alignment to comprise the mold opening and for removing the resulting shaped article from the mold opening.

Abstract: A molding device for molding articles of plastic material such as ground raw meat to make hamburger patties and the like while at the same time limiting the maximum total pressure applied to the material. The device comprises a hopper for the material, a mold with a mold opening adapted to communicate with a pressure chamber for receiving pressurized material from this chamber and transfer means in the hopper for moving the material toward an exit portion of the hopper leading to this pressure chamber. In order to direct the material from the transfer means into the pressure chamber there is provided a pressure confining baffle in the hopper with sufficient clearance between the baffle and the transfer means to permit escape of material around the baffle back into the hopper.

Abstract: A pressure gas engine in which pressurized gas such as air is supplied to a series of arcuately arranged nozzles for blasting the gas into a single series of closely adjacent impulse buckets in a rotor at its rim. Each bucket lies on a chord of the rim that is adjacent to a tangent to the rim that is parallel to this chord. Each bucket has an arcuate impulse surface of substantially constant radius transverse to the direction of rotation of the rotor and extending from an entrance side of the bucket that is adjacent to one end of the bucket to an opposite exhaust side adjacent to the opposite end of the bucket with each exhaust being subjected to minimum back pressure for maximum efficiency. There is also provided nozzle means comprising an arcuate series of nozzles in the casing around the rotor and closely adjacent to the rim for providing these gas blasts through the nozzles into the buckets for rotating the rotor.

Abstract: A stack of paper is provided for separating portions produced by a portion control machine. The paper is dispensed from a paper feed system that feeds the bottom-most sheet from the stack along support rails that support opposite edges of the sheet. An integral stiffening strip extends between the opposite side edges of each sheet for stiffening the sheet therebetween and to minimize bowing of the sheet when supported at its opposite side edges. The stiffening strip has an arcuate cross-section, and the stiffening strip includes a rigidifying wax coating that is impregnated in the sheet at least to a greater extent in other areas of the sheet than at the strip. The invention also contemplates a method of fabricating the sheets of paper.