Abstract: A device for feeding sheets of paper to be interleaved with a stack of meat patties includes a vertical push rod within a tube which is slidable in a hole in one end of a feed arm. The feed arm is connected at the other end to a vertically oscillating shaft which moves up and down in conjunction with a meat patty ejection arm. The upper surface of the feed arm also supports a pivoting lock plate having one end mounted on a vertical post. The other end of the lock plate includes a hole accommodating the slidable tube. The lower end of the push rod includes a pressure foot which rests on top of a stack of paper sheets. A spring is positioned around the push rod between the pressure foot and the lower end of the slidable tube. When the oscillating shaft moves down, the lock plate pivots to an angular position which causes the slidable tube to be gripped within the hole in the lock plate.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming, interleaving and dispensing meat patties has a chopped meat feeding unit which supplies meat to a continuously cycling molding apparatus to form meat patties. An interleaving paper dispensing apparatus positions individual sheets of paper on support means beneath the output point of the meat patty molding mechanism so that each meat patty formed will be interleaved between separate sheets of paper. The support means for the interleaved patty are actuated by the weight of the patty to rapidly withdraw, causing the patty and interleaving sheet to fall and form a stable stack.