Abstract: Mechanisms and methods are provided in conjunction with the molding of stuffable food products into a shaped loaf that is suitable for automatic slicing into substantially uniform slices. Included is an expansion and contraction compensation mechanism that includes a ratcheting assembly and a biasing assembly that cooperate to permit adequate expansion of the food product during cooking thereof while still retaining enough biasing force to continually compress the product being molded during contraction which occurs upon chilling the food product.

Abstract: A machine for attaching wire leads to cans for housing electrical components. The machine includes a plurality of split dies mounted on the spokes of a rotatable spindle for receiving and holding wire leads, and an index drive for rotatably indexing the spindle and split dies to a plurality of work stations, including a wire feed station, a wire upsetting station, a can staking station and a discharge station. At the wire feed station, a plurality of reciprocating plungers feed wire leads of predetermined length to the split dies so that one end of the wires project from the face of the split dies. At the wire upsetting station, a plurality of reciprocating punches upset and head the wire leads at a location spaced from their ends while at the can staking station a plurality of reciprocating punches feed cans having bottom holes over the headed ends of the wire leads as far as the heads and stake the ends of the wire leads to attach the leads to the cans.

Abstract: A machine for molding sheets of foamed material includes an upright stationary steam chest having opposing perforated external faces, and a pair of movable assemblies abuttable with the opposite faces of the steam chest to define mold cavities therewith. Each cavity forming assembly includes a mold frame extending normal to a face of the steam chest, and a platen positioned within and coupled to the mold frame. Jackscrews move each mold frame into and out of abutment with the steam chest, and also move each platen relative to its respective mold frame toward and away from the steam chest. A method of molding sheets of foamed material is also disclosed wherein heated polystyrene beads are squeezed by the movable platens to a predetermined thickness to provide a board having the desired dimensions and density.

Abstract: A machine for molding sheets of foamed material includes an upright stationary steam chest having opposing perforated external faces, and a pair of movable assemblies abuttable with the opposite faces of the steam chest to define mold cavities therewith. Each cavity forming assembly includes a mold frame extending normal to a face of the steam chest, and a platen positioned within and coupled to the mold frame. Jackscrews move each mold frame into and out of abutment with the steam chest, and also move each platen relative to its respective mold frame toward and away from the steam chest. A method of molding sheets of foamed material is also disclosed wherein heated polystyrene beads are squeezed by the movable platens to a predetermined thickness to provide a board having the desired dimensions and density.