Abstract: A method for packaging meat involves the steps of evacuating air entrained in the meat or between the meat and tray at a station prior to the packaging covering station. When a rotary conveyor is used, this may involve an additional station. However, parallel processing allows low oxygen contents to be achieved inside packages containing food products, which naturally include entrained air, without unduly extending processing time.

Abstract: An elastomeric material for articles such as dynamic seals and the like is rendered detectable by conventional metal detectors through the incorporation of particles of a metallic alloy. Preferably, the resulting impregnated material contains at least 0.25% and no more than about 50% by volume of the alloy, with 2% by volume being the most favored. In one embodiment, the alloy contains 11.0% to 22.0 % by weight of Iron, 70.0% to 90.0% by weight of Nickel, and 0.0% to 7.0% by weight of Molybdenum. In another embodiment, the alloy contains 14.0% to 19.0% by weight of Iron, 80.0% to 83.0% by weight of Nickel, and 1.0% to 3.0% by weight of Molybdenum, and in the most preferred embodiment, the alloy contains about 15.43% by weight of Iron, about 82.39% by weight of Nickel, and about 2.17% by weight of Molybdenum.

Abstract: A dual-piston pump or similar material handling device includes a hopper assembly for storing material that is to be delivered to the device, and a transfer assembly between the hopper assembly and the frame of the device. The hopper assembly is supported for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis between a use position and a cleaning position, and the transfer assembly is supported for axial movement along a vertical axis and for pivotal movement about the axis so that it too may be moved to a cleaning position exposing the material handling device for cleaning.

Abstract: A dual-piston pump apparatus includes a pair of reciprocating sleeves within which a pair of reciprocating pistons are disposed. The pistons and sleeves are each supported on a frame for independent reciprocating movement along a line angled relative to horizontal by an angle of less than about 60.degree.. The apparatus also includes a piston construction including a removable face which permits the piston to be broken down for cleaning. Each piston is normally restricted by a stop from extension beyond the end of the corresponding sleeve, but an actuator is provided for freeing the piston relative to the sleeve so that the piston may be extended beyond the sleeve and the sleeve may be withdrawn from a pump chamber of the apparatus.

Abstract: An improved, rapid clean-out valve assembly (36) is provided which is especially adapted for use on a food pump (10) or similar device. The assembly (36) includes a stationary valve body (38) presenting a pair of inlets (44, 46) as well as an outlet (50) and adapted to receive a pivotal valve rotor (52) therein; the rotor (52) is selectively pivotal via an actuator (60) between alternate flow-directing positions respectively communicating each inlet (44 or 46) with outlet (50). Rapid clean-up of the assembly (36) is afforded by means of structure (42) permitting manual translational movement of the internal valve rotor (52) from its operational position within housing (48) to a lowered, clean-out position outside of the confines of the housing (48). The structure (42) includes apertured slider blocks (76, 78) secured to an actuator housing (68), with the blocks (76, 78) receiving corresponding stationary guides (80, 82).

Abstract: A twin-piston food pump includes a hydraulic cylinder coupled with each piston for driving the pistons and a linear transducer coupled with each cylinder for determining the positions thereof. Control circuitry coupled with the transducers determines the velocity of the cylinders and thereby the pistons and controls the application of hydraulic fluid through the cylinders to maintain a constant food product flow rate.

Abstract: An improved patty forming apparatus (20) is provided with a removable piston face plate assembly (150) adapted to be removably coupled to each piston associated with a cavity head (78) and adapted to move between a retracted meat-filling position wherein respective patty forming cavities (90) are filled with patty material to an extended patty-discharging position wherein formed meat patties are ejected; the piston face plate assembly (150) includes three concentrically nested planar plate members (154, 158, 162) having mating sidewalls (170, 178, 230, 250) with air passageways (270-279) formed between the sidewalls for delivery of air from an aperture through the piston center to the patty material-engaging face of the face plate assembly; interference zones (284) formed between the air passageways (270-279) are provided for releasably securing the assembly members (154, 158, 162) together for permitting disassembly for quick cleaning.

Abstract: Sizing apparatus (10) for handling and casing of a flowable material such as meat is provided in order to produce individual, loose-filled casings (98) having product evenly distributed along the lengths thereof. The apparatus (10) preferably includes an elongated, tubular horn (16) having a discharge end (20) and adapted to receive a length of casing material (21) thereover. A tunnel device (14) having an inlet end (32) is situated closely adjacent the discharge end (20) and is oriented to receive the forward ends (96) of partially filled casings (98), in order to evenly distribute the meat as the casings (98) are formed. Separable voider jaws (24, 26) and a clipper (28) are employed for clipping the ends of the casings (98). The tunnel device (14) preferably includes rollers (40, 64) at the inlet end (32) thereof, with pickup conveyor assemblies (50, 70) downstream of the rollers (40, 64) which receive and continue the conveyance of the casings (98 ) through and out of device (14).

Abstract: An improved casing brake mechanism (10) is provided for selectively engaging and braking the movement of a casing (14) applied over a casing horn (12) during filling of the casing (14). The mechanism (10) includes a pair of resilient, laterally spaced apart, obliquely oriented, annular casing-engaging rings (16, 18) which are selectively compressed and caused to engage a casing (14) by means of a thrust assembly (20) including a pair of separate, co-acting thrust elements (62, 68); the thrust elements (62, 68) are moved in a direction generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of horn (12) by means of a source of pressurized air (P). A remotely actuatable, three-position valve (80) is preferably employed, which allows alternate and selective connection to the pressurized air source (P), an atmospheric vent (A), and a source of vacuum (V).

Abstract: A preferred sizer (10) for stuffing flowable materials such as sausage into a flexible casing (24) includes a horn assembly (12) having inner and outer concentric tube (28, 34) presenting an evacuation chamber (46) therebetween connected to a vacuum source (50a) for deaerating material within the inner tube (34). The tubes (28, 34) are shiftable relative to one another between an open position in which the chamber (46) communicates with the interior of the inner tube (34) through an open space (48) adjacent the discharge ends (30, 36) of the tubes (28, 34) for evacuating air from material within the inner tube (34), and a closed position in which the open space (48) is sealed to prevent communication between the chamber (46) and the inner tube (34) interior thereby preventing entry of material into the chamber (46).

Abstract: An improved vacuumizer valve assembly is provided which permits precise, infinite valve adjustment from outside of a vacuumizer apparatus, thus eliminating the need to open the vacuumizer chamber during adjustment procedures. The valve assembly of the invention preferably includes a piston and cylinder assembly operated valve member, with a threadably shiftable adjustment stop coupled with the piston and cylinder assembly. During adjustment procedures, the stop is shifted as necessary to thereby alter the stroke length of the valve assembly and thereby the maximum valve clearance achieved when the valve is opened.

Abstract: Apparatus (20) for successively supplying substantially equal portions of a flowable comminuted product such as sausage from a source thereof to a delivery zone is disclosed wherein dual product portioning chambers (80, 88, 82, 90) are provided which function such that as meat to be portioned is directed into a first chamber which increases in volume to a predetermined extent, portioned meat is delivered from the other chamber as it decreases in volume to the same predetermined extent. Means (114) is provided externally of the chambers for substantially equalizing the increase and decrease of the effective product-receiving volume of each of the chambers.

Abstract: A dual piston device (10) for handling and casing of flowable materials such as whole muscle meat products is provided which eliminates the problem of tailing, or creation of a tail of meat product extending outwardly from a casing adjacent an endmost clip. The device (10) includes a transfer conduit (20) having a slidable transfer piston (26) therein, together with an auxiliary conduit (34) connected to the transfer conduit (20) intermediate the ends thereof. The auxiliary conduit (34) is equipped with a deaerating severing piston (42). The pistons (42, 26) are configured to mate and coact so as to cleanly sever whole muscle meat pieces which may otherwise lie in the open end of a casing in the region thereof to be clipped.

Abstract: An improved turret-type portioning apparatus (10) is provided which includes a selectively pivotal portioning assembly (14) for moving a pair of upright product-receiving cylinders (84, 86) between a fill position for receiving product and a discharge position for discharge of accurately sized portions. Cleanout of the apparatus (10) is facilitated by means of a selectively actuatable piston and cylinder assembly (158) which operates to elevate the portioning assembly (14) away from an underlying frame assembly (12). Operational control for the apparatus (10) is achieved by means of pneumatic control circuitry (18).

Abstract: A volumetric apparatus for portioning fluidic material into fractions of predetermined size includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a piston movable in the housing and defining a product portioning chamber and a compression chamber. Fluidic material is fed into the product portioning chamber through the inlet under pressure when the inlet is open and the outlet is closed, the pressurized fluidic material forcing the piston from a first position by a preset distance such that a predetermined volume of the fluidic material is fed into the product portioning chamber. Thereafter, the piston is driven from the second position to the first position when the inlet is closed and the outlet is open so as to deliver the portioned fluidic material from the product portioning chamber through the outlet.

Abstract: An improved, slide plate-type patty forming apparatus (20) is provided which preferably includes a reciprocating slide plate (60) with a removable, multiple piston and cavity head (78) adapted to move between a retracted meat-filling position wherein respective patty forming cavities (90) are filled with meat to an extended patty-discharging position wherein formed meat patties (264) are ejected. Each of the patty forming pistons (96) is equipped with a porous bottom plate (104) formed of sintered metal or ceramic, an appropriate compressed air passageways (120, 122, 106) are provided for delivery of air through the bottom plate (104) for cleanly ejecting the formed patty (264). Adjusting mechanism (26) for altering the thickness of formed patties (264) includes a plurality of adjusting units (166) each equipped with a vertically shiftable, piston-engaging foot (176); movement of the feet (176) in unison is effected by means of handwheel (164) and connecting gear train (162, 200, 194, 192, 174).

Abstract: Improved apparatus (10) for the handling and packing of meat emulsion products is provided which eliminates the problem of "swirl" in such products, i.e., the undesirable appearance of red meat particles in a circular or spiral pattern. The apparatus (10) preferably includes a piston-type food pump (12) equipped with a vacuumizer (24), and a downstream emulsified product sizer (14). A conveying tube (16) operatively couples the pump (12) and sizer (14). The assembly (16) is in the form of an elongated tube (36) having a plurality of axially spaced apart, flow-disrupting disk sets (48) therein. Each disk set (48) has an apertured disk (50) and a downstream, smaller diameter, imperforate disk (56).

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus is provided for the crust-freezing and slicing of comminuted meat products in order to produce patties, all without the use of conventional casings and freeze/temper cycles. The preferred method involves supplying an elongated, preformed body (60a, 160a) of substantially uncooked, peripherally unrestrained comminuted meat, typically through use of a pumping device (12, 112) and an associated delivery horn (18, 118). The preformed meat bodies are then subjected to a cryogenic freezing operation in order to form a continuous circumscribing peripheral frozen crust (62) and a non-frozen central section (64) in each body (60a, 160a). The crust frozen bodies (60a, 160a) are suitable for direct slicing to yield the desired patties. Handling of the bodies (160a) can be accomplished by direct immersion of a meat stream (160) in a cryogenic fluid (125a) in a freezer (122), followed by a downstream severing and patty formation.

Abstract: A dual piston device (10) for handling and casing of flowable materials such as whole muscle meat products is provided which eliminates the problem of tailing, or creation of a tail of meat product extending outwardly from a casing adjacent an endmost clip. The device (10) includes a transfer conduit (20) having a slidable transfer piston (26) therein, together with an auxiliary conduit (34) connected to the transfer conduit (20) intermediate the ends thereof. The auxiliary conduit (34) is equipped with a deaerating severing piston (42). The pistons (42, 26) are configured to mate and coact so as to cleanly sever whole muscle meat pieces which may otherwise lie in the open end of a casing in the region thereof to be clipped.