Abstract: A combined food cutting and rounding machine comprises a supply opening through which edible material passes, a stator located adjacent the supply opening and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator. The stator includes a stator forming channel. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor forming channels and a plurality of blades, at least one of the plurality of blades being located adjacent to each of the plurality of rotor forming channels. The stator forming channel and each of the plurality of rotor forming channels are arcuate in length. The supply opening, stator and rotor are configured such that, during operation as the rotor rotates relative to the stator, edible material exiting the supply opening is cut by one of the plurality of blades and formed into a ball by simultaneous contact with the stator forming channel and one of the plurality of rotor forming channels.

Abstract: A pump feeder includes a hopper, a first mixing paddle, a second mixing paddle, a first auger, a second auger and dual outlets. The hopper receives edible material in the form of a thick, viscous base and mix-ins, and includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The first and second mixing paddles are located within the upper chamber and cause movement of the edible material within the upper chamber for both breaking apart and mixing of the edible material. The first and second augers are located within the lower chamber and cause movement of the edible material from a first end of the lower chamber to a second end of the lower chamber. The outlets are located at the second end of the lower chamber and connected to an inlet of a pump which further compresses the mixed edible material for delivery to an extruder die and cutting assembly.

Abstract: A food production apparatus includes a conveyor belt and a wire scraper. The conveyor belt supports and transports a food product. The wire scraper includes a wire and a motor. The wire is located above and extends across the conveyor belt to temporarily separate the food product from the conveyor belt. Operation of the motor causes the wire to continuously cycle back and forth between 1) movement in a first direction above and across the conveyor belt and 2) movement in a second opposite direction above and across the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A waffle sandwich maker includes first and second waffle plates which contact a food product during preparation of the food product. The first waffle plate includes a plurality of protrusions defining a plurality of channels, a female connector having a hole, a male connector having a protrusion and a first spacer extending inward relative to the plurality of protrusions. The pluralities of protrusions and channels create depressions and ridges in the food product. The protrusion of the male connector and the hole of the female connector of the first waffle plate mate with a hole of a female connector and a protrusion of a male connector of the second waffle plate. The first spacer contacts the second waffle plate during preparation of the food product, which includes an outer dough encapsulating a filling, to maintain the first waffle plate spaced at least approximately 0.5 inches from the second waffle plate.

Abstract: A combined food cutting and rounding machine comprises a supply opening through which edible material passes, a stator located adjacent the supply opening and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator. The stator includes a stator forming channel. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor forming channels and a plurality of blades, at least one of the plurality of blades being located adjacent to each of the plurality of rotor forming channels. The stator forming channel and each of the plurality of rotor forming channels are arcuate in length. The supply opening, stator and rotor are configured such that, during operation as the rotor rotates relative to the stator, edible material exiting the supply opening is cut by one of the plurality of blades and formed into a ball by simultaneous contact with the stator forming channel and one of the plurality of rotor forming channels.

Abstract: A system and method for breaking a sheet of frozen pizza into individual pieces for packaging is disclosed. In an embodiment, the frozen pizza sheet includes five individual pieces separated by frangible lines. The breaking process includes a first step, wherein two end pieces are broken off by a first breaking mechanism, and a second step, wherein two additional end pieces are broken off a remainder of the frozen pizza sheet by a second breaking mechanism arranged downstream of the first breaking mechanism. In preferred embodiments, each breaking mechanism includes multiple holding wheels and multiple camming wheel rotatably mounted on a common driven axle.

Abstract: A method and system for packaging products provides for initially, vertically stacking a plurality of products during production in a transfer canister, simultaneously removing a stack of the products from the transfer canister, reorienting the stack and horizontally loading the stack into a final product package cavity. The invention has applicability to a wide range of products, particularly food products, such as refrigerated dough products. In one embodiment of the invention, the product package cavity is thermoformed as part as an overall horizontal form, fill and seal system.

Abstract: A method and system for packaging products provides for initially, vertically stacking a plurality of products during production in a transfer canister, simultaneously removing a stack of the products from the transfer canister, reorienting the stack and horizontally loading the stack into a final product package cavity. The invention has applicability to a wide range of products, particularly food products, such as refrigerated dough products. In one embodiment of the invention, the product package cavity is thermoformed as part as an overall horizontal form, fill and seal system.

Abstract: A crimping and cutting apparatus includes a movable frame supported on a fixed frame positioned over a conveyor carrying various rows of extruded dough products. A drive unit is provided to both a) oscillate the movable frame in the first axial direction relative to the fixed frame and b) cyclically shift a crimping element in the second axial direction wherein, during a portion of operation, the crimping element is caused to engage the conveyor to crimp and cut the dough moving along the conveyor into individual dough products while the movable frame simultaneously shifts in the first axial direction in unison with the dough on the conveyor. The crimping element is specifically caused to remain in engagement with the conveyor for a dwell time while shifting in unison with the dough for a predetermined distance prior to being vertically repositioned above the dough.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring mechanical properties of a specimen is disclosed. The apparatus includes a base and a cradle. The cradle includes a cradle frame attached to the base via a mounting element, and first and second cradle arms each rotatably attached to the cradle frame. Each of the first and second cradle arms includes a specimen receiving portion that is configured to hold a specimen in place. The first cradle arm is rotatable about a first axis and the second cradle arm is rotatable about a second axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis. The apparatus further includes an actuator configured to provide a force F to a central portion of the specimen in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first and second axes and the base, and a load cell positioned between the cradle frame and the base. The load cell is configured to measure F.

Abstract: A snack bar is produced in accordance with a method employing an extrusion apparatus to include a base or crust, a primary filling provided on the base and a second filling or topping embedded in, yet externally exposed from, the primary filling. The primary and secondary fillings are co-extruded, with an extrusion nozzle for the secondary filling being located directly adjacent an extrusion port for the primary filling. The primary filling is non-flowable, while the secondary filling is preferably flowable. The extrusion nozzle can be repositioned either between or during extrusion operations to alter a repeating pattern for the secondary filling.

Abstract: A method and system for packaging products provides for initially, vertically stacking a plurality of products during production in a transfer canister, simultaneously removing a stack of the products from the transfer canister, reorienting the stack and horizontally loading the stack into a final product package cavity. The invention has applicability to a wide range of products, particularly food products, such as refrigerated dough products. In one embodiment of the invention, the product package cavity is thermoformed as part as an overall horizontal form, fill and seal system.

Abstract: A method and system for packaging products provides for initially, vertically stacking a plurality of products during production in a transfer canister, simultaneously removing a stack of the products from the transfer canister, reorienting the stack and horizontally loading the stack into a final product package cavity. The invention has applicability to a wide range of products, particularly food products, such as refrigerated dough products. In one embodiment of the invention, the product package cavity is thermoformed as part as an overall horizontal form, fill and seal system.

Abstract: The present invention is, in one embodiment, an apparatus for placing an insert within a nested group of taco shells. The insert placement apparatus comprises a vertical shaft, a horizontal shaft, a first pillow block, a second pillow block, a vacuum cup, a horizontal timing belt, an air cylinder, and a servomotor. The vacuum cup is adapted to transport the insert. The first pillow block has a bore therethrough for receiving the horizontal shaft. The second pillow block is supported off of the first pillow block and has a bore therethrough for receiving the vertical shaft. The vacuum cup is suspended off of the vertical shaft. The horizontal belt is routed around a drive pulley and a second pulley and is interconnected to the first pillow block. The servomotor is interconnected to the drive pulley. The servomotor causes the timing belt to displace the first pillow block along the horizontal shaft, thereby causing the vacuum cup to displace horizontally.

Abstract: A method and system for packaging products provides for initially, vertically stacking a plurality of products during production in a transfer canister, simultaneously removing a stack of the products from the transfer canister, reorienting the stack and horizontally loading the stack into a final product package cavity. The invention has applicability to a wide range of products, particularly food products, such as refrigerated dough products. In one embodiment of the invention, the product package cavity is thermoformed as part as an overall horizontal form, fill and seal system.

Abstract: The present invention is, in one embodiment, an apparatus for placing an insert within a nested group of taco shells. The insert placement apparatus comprises a vertical shaft, a horizontal shaft, a first pillow block, a second pillow block, a vacuum cup, a horizontal timing belt, an air cylinder, and a servomotor. The vacuum cup is adapted to transport the insert. The first pillow block has a bore therethrough for receiving the horizontal shaft. The second pillow block is supported off of the first pillow block and has a bore therethrough for receiving the vertical shaft. The vacuum cup is suspended off of the vertical shaft. The horizontal belt is routed around a drive pulley and a second pulley and is interconnected to the first pillow block. The servomotor is interconnected to the drive pulley. The servomotor causes the timing belt to displace the first pillow block along the horizontal shaft, thereby causing the vacuum cup to displace horizontally.