Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is positioned downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw positioned within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material. Soft material is discharged through perforations in the separator chamber and hard material is discharged through a discharge of the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is positioned downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw positioned within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material. Soft material is discharged through perforations in the separator chamber and hard material is discharged through a discharge of the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is positioned downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw positioned within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material. Soft material is discharged through perforations in the separator chamber and hard material is discharged through a discharge of the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is positioned downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw positioned within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material. Soft material is discharged through perforations in the separator chamber and hard material is discharged through a discharge of the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is positioned downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw positioned within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material. Soft material is discharged through perforations in the separator chamber and hard material is discharged through a discharge of the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is positioned downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw positioned within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material. Soft material is discharged through perforations in the separator chamber and hard material is discharged through a discharge of the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is located downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a tapered, perforated separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw located within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material and force the soft material through the perforations in the separator chamber. An adjustment arrangement enables the axial position of the separator screw to be adjusted within the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is located downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a tapered, perforated separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw located within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material and force the soft material through the perforations in the separator chamber. An adjustment arrangement enables the axial position of the separator screw to be adjusted within the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is located downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a tapered, perforated separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw located within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material and force the soft material through the perforations in the separator chamber. An adjustment arrangement enables the axial position of the separator screw to be adjusted within the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is located downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a tapered, perforated separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw located within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material and force the soft material through the perforations in the separator chamber. An adjustment arrangement enables the axial position of the separator screw to be adjusted within the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is located downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a tapered, perforated separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw located within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material and force the soft material through the perforations in the separator chamber. An adjustment arrangement enables the axial position of the separator screw to be adjusted within the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine has a shearing chamber that includes one or more edges that provide fulcrum points against which frozen block of material, such as frozen blocks of meat, can be held against during a reduction or shearing process. The edges may be arranged to limit the advancement of reduced blocks of material to provide more control on the size of the ground material that is ultimately output by the grinding machine. The grinding machine may also include an expansion zone into which reduced blocks can be temporarily held to accommodate volume increases during the reduction process. A feed screw advances the frozen blocks through the shearing chamber and includes pressure fighting to help shear material from the frozen blocks. The feed screw may include a knife holder that provides support for a knife held therein against the lateral forces experienced by the knife as the knife shears material adjacent the orifice plate.

Abstract: A grinding machine has a shearing chamber that includes one or more edges that provide fulcrum points against which frozen block of material, such as frozen blocks of meat, can be held against during a reduction or shearing process. The edges may be arranged to limit the advancement of reduced blocks of material to provide more control on the size of the ground material that is ultimately output by the grinding machine. The grinding machine may also include an expansion zone into which reduced blocks can be temporarily held to accommodate volume increases during the reduction process. A feed screw advances the frozen blocks through the shearing chamber and includes pressure fighting to help shear material from the frozen blocks. The feed screw may include a knife holder that provides support for a knife held therein against the lateral forces experienced by the knife as the knife shears material adjacent the orifice plate.

Abstract: Self-correcting plate guards for installation over an orifice plate of a grinding machine are disclosed. Each plate guard has studs that fit into apertures of an orifice plate. The studs and apertures are sized so that the correct guard must be used with a particular orifice plate. Furthermore, the mounting ring that holds the orifice plate in place on the grinding machine cannot be tightened for use of the grinding machine without the plate guard being installed.

Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is located downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a tapered, perforated separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw located within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material and force the soft material through the perforations in the separator chamber. An adjustment arrangement enables the axial position of the separator screw to be adjusted within the separator chamber.

Abstract: A grinding machine has a shearing chamber that includes one or more edges that provide fulcrum points against which frozen block of material, such as frozen blocks of meat, can be held against during a reduction or shearing process. The edges may be arranged to limit the advancement of reduced blocks of material to provide more control on the size of the ground material that is ultimately output by the grinding machine. The grinding machine may also include an expansion zone into which reduced blocks can be temporarily held to accommodate volume increases during the reduction process. A feed screw advances the frozen blocks through the shearing chamber and includes pressure fighting to help shear material from the frozen blocks. The feed screw may include a knife holder that provides support for a knife held therein against the lateral forces experienced by the knife as the knife shears material adjacent the orifice plate.

Abstract: A grinding machine has a shearing chamber that includes one or more edges that provide fulcrum points against which frozen block of material, such as frozen blocks of meat, can be held against during a reduction or shearing process. The edges may be arranged to limit the advancement of reduced blocks of material to provide more control on the size of the ground material that is ultimately output by the grinding machine. The grinding machine may also include an expansion zone into which reduced blocks can be temporarily held to accommodate volume increases during the reduction process. A feed screw advances the frozen blocks through the shearing chamber and includes pressure fighting to help shear material from the frozen blocks. The feed screw may include a knife holder that provides support for a knife held therein against the lateral forces experienced by the knife as the knife shears material adjacent the orifice plate.

Abstract: A grinding machine has a shearing chamber that includes one or more edges that provide fulcrum points against which frozen block of material, such as frozen blocks of meat, can be held against during a reduction or shearing process. The edges may be arranged to limit the advancement of reduced blocks of material to provide more control on the size of the ground material that is ultimately output by the grinding machine. The grinding machine may also include an expansion zone into which reduced blocks can be temporarily held to accommodate volume increases during the reduction process. A feed screw advances the frozen blocks through the shearing chamber and includes pressure flighting to help shear material from the frozen blocks. The feed screw may include a knife holder that provides support for a knife held therein against the lateral forces experienced by the knife as the knife shears material adjacent the orifice plate.

Abstract: Self-correcting plate guards for installation over an orifice plate of a grinding machine are disclosed. Each plate guard has studs that fit into apertures of an orifice plate. The studs and apertures are sized so that the correct guard must be used with a particular orifice plate. Furthermore, the mounting ring that holds the orifice plate in place on the grinding machine cannot be tightened for use of the grinding machine without the plate guard being installed.

Abstract: A pair of lugs in an opening of a grinding head of a grinding machine and a pair of corresponding openings in an orifice plate of a grinding machine are disclosed to properly orient the plate in the head during assembly. The lugs are preferably of two different sizes so that the orifice plate will only fit into the head in one orientation. The lugs may differ in size such that the person assembling the grinding machine will be able to visualize the correct orientation based on the size of the lugs and corresponding openings.