Abstract: A method and a apparatus for forming a patty of food material are disclosed. The food material is forced through apertures in a foraminous member into a mold opening in a mold plate to form the patty. Multiple agitator bars are provided on the upstream side of the foraminous member to dislodge tissue fibers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed in which a mold plate is provided for defining a mold opening and in which a foraminous member is provided with rows of apertures communicating between an upstream side and downstream side of the member. Narrow slots connect the adjacent apertures in each row. The foraminous member is disposed with the downstream side adjacent the mold plate and has spaced-apart ribs on the upstream side oriented between, and parallel to, the rows of apertures. Pressurized food material is forced from the upstream side of the foraminous member through the apertures to the downstream side of the foraminous member and into the mold opening as discrete extrudate masses which together define a packed array forming the patty. An agitator bar with spaced-apart teeth is disposed on the upstream side of the foraminous member with a tooth disposed between each pair of adjacent ribs.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for forming a relatively porous patty of plastic food material that is subject to shrinkage during cooking. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a foraminous member having a plurality of apertures and a piston slidably disposed in a receiving chamber on one side of the foraminous member. A pressurizable feed chamber is provided with a feed mechanism for feeding and pressurizing the food material and forcing the material through the apertures and into the receiving chamber. A mold is provided for being aligned with the foraminous member and for receiving the material as it is discharged from the receiving chamber by movement of the piston. The discharging material impinges upon a wall of the mold to form a patty in which the material defines interstitial voids therein for entrapping air and providing retention of cooking juices to promote more rapid and uniform cooking of the patty.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a relatively porous patty of plastic food material that is subject to shrinkage during cooking. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a foraminous member having a plurality of apertures and a piston slidably disposed in a receiving chamber on one side of the foraminous member. A pressurizable feed chamber is provided with a feed mechanism for feeding and pressurizing the food material and forcing the material through the apertures and into the receiving chamber. A mold is provided for being aligned with the foraminous member and for receiving the material as it is discharged from the receiving chamber by movement of the piston. The discharging material impinges upon a wall of the mold to form a patty in which the material defines interstitial voids therein for entrapping air and providing retention of cooking juices to promote more rapid and uniform cooking of the patty.

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 having a mold opening to form the articles and means for projecting the material under pressure across the mold opening from one edge thereof to fill the mold opening with pressurized material and shape said article.

Abstract: An apparatus for pressure molding a shaped article from moldable material comprising a pressured supply of material to a mold opening with vent means controlled by a normally open but automatically closed valve for venting air from in front of the material advancing into the mold opening together with means operated by the advancing material for closing the valve means after the air is vented, thereby aiding in preventing the entrapment of air within the mold opening.

Abstract: A pressurized gas engine with an axially rotatable rotor having aerodynamically smooth exterior and interior fluid flow surfaces and a central opening in one of a pair of end walls that define with a peripherally circular border wall a hollow interior. The rotor includes energy conversion means that convert fluid pressure energy into mechanical energy of rotation with the conversion means including a plurality of nozzles in and spaced around the border wall and exhausting rearwardly of the direction of rotation. The rotor is enclosed in a casing that is spaced from the rotor at the areas traversed by the nozzles a distance sufficient that the exhaust fluid within the casing does not serve as a drag or brake on the rotating rotor so that the engine attains high speeds in an efficient manner. The disclosure also includes the fact that the total area of the entrance opening means to the rotor is greater than the total area of the exit opening means with the preferred ratio being about 2 to 1.

Abstract: Apparatus for pressure molding a shaped article such as a food patty from moldable food material comprising a supply means such as a hopper for the material, a pressure chamber, a movable ram in the pressure chamber to pressurize the material therein, a receiver chamber such as a cylinder communicating with the pressure chamber to receive the pressurized material, a wall member such as a piston movable in the receiver chamber displaced by the force of the material entering thereinto, a mold having a mold opening adapted to register with the material in the receiver chamber, and mold filling means for forcibly moving this wall member to apply pressure to the material in the receiver chamber thereby forcing the moldable material into the mold opening.

Abstract: A molding apparatus for forming articles and especially edible patties from such moldable materials as ground meat, fish and the like in which the apparatus includes a movable mold having a shaping portion therein, pressure means including a pressure chamber for applying pressure to the material therein for forcing the compressed material into the mold and pressure operated seal means communicating with the pressurized material for providing pressure operated seals that substantially prevent escape of the pressurized material from the pressure cavities of the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for shaping an article from moldable material and particularly a food article as from ground raw meat, fish and the like to produce firmly packed articles with relatively low power requirements while avoiding the entrapment of extraneous air in the article. The apparatus and method also include seals for sealing the mold and mold opening against substantial loss of liquid components during the molding. The material is pressure fed into a mold opening provided with an air vent means and the entering charge of material vents the air from the mold opening and then the material itself operates a valve to close the air vent against substantial losses of even liquid components of the moldable material.

Abstract: An apparatus for shaping successive molded articles from moldable material such as flat food patties from ground beef, ground fish and other moldable food materials. The apparatus has a mold opening in a movable mold for receiving a pressurized charge of the moldable material, an entrance to the mold, a vent from the mold opening spaced from the mold entrance for venting air displaced by the pressurized charge entering the mold opening, and a rigid valve between the mold entrance and vent movable into engagement with a valve seat before the pressurized charge reaches the vent to close the vent when the valve member is displaced by the advancing pressurized charge. The result is that the air and any other gases present are expelled from the mold opening automatically by the pressure of the entering charge and the vent is then automatically closed to prevent any substantial loss of the material through the vent. Then the moving of the mold as to an ejecting position automatically reopens the valve.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a relatively porous patty of plastic food material that is subject to shrinkage during cooking. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a foraminous member having a plurality of apertures and a piston slidably disposed in a receiving chamber on one side of the foraminous member. A pressurizable feed chamber is provided with a feed mechanism for feeding and pressurizing the food material and forcing the material through the apertures and into the receiving chamber. A mold is provided for being aligned with the foraminous member and for receiving the material as it is discharged from the receiving chamber by movement of the piston. The discharging material impinges upon a wall of the mold to form a patty in which the material defines interstitial voids therein for entrapping air and providing retention of cooking juices to promote more rapid and uniform cooking of the patty.