Abstract: A method for slicing meat loafs that have a cross section that varies across their longitudinal extension into accurately weighted slices, that includes the steps of bringing the loaf into a defined shape with a uniform cross section across its length inside a forming tube by pressing the loaf before it is sliced. The pressing is performed in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction relative to the loaf in a predefined order and in particular in multiple pressing steps. The pressing may also comprise pressure relieving strokes for the purpose of reducing the force exertion for pressing, and for keeping the tissue structure of the loaf intact.

Abstract: The present invention provides a snowman maker comprising multiple mold sections. The mold sections can be stacked on top of each other and interlocked with each other for assembling and disassembling of the snowman maker. The mold sections are sub-divided into halves that can be stacked on top of each other and interlocked with each other for assembling and disassembling of the snowman maker. Further, at least some of the mold section halves are sub-divided into two or more equal segments which are placed side-by-side and can be laterally moved for easy transportation and storage of the snowman maker. The different parts can be filled with snow and easily coupled for assembling the snowman, and later separated for disassembling of the snowman maker to reveal the snowman formed therein.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes an upper housing, a lower housing operatively connected to the upper housing, and a removable baking attachment received on the lower housing. The baking attachment has a bottom surface, a substantially open top and peripheral sidewalls defining a baking cavity.

Abstract: A molding and cooking apparatus for pieces of stuffed product such as cooked hams, which includes one or more molding cavities long enough so that more than one piece of stuffed product can be introduced in the same molding cavity, inserting separators which help to shape the ends of the pieces of vacuum stuffed product, both ends of the cavities are open and are sealed during product cooking, which permits a quick discharge of the already cooked and cooled pieces when the cavities bottoms are unsealed, and permits the product to fall because of gravity onto a collecting tray, likewise a procedure is revealed on the efficient use of this apparatus herein disclosed.

Abstract: A food product press having a mold base, a press assembly having a plurality of press bodies, and blade spaces between the press bodies, a plurality of blades slidable within the blade spaces, and a blade operating mechanism for moving the blades relative to the press bodies.

Abstract: A minute pressure grill includes an upper grill unit and a lower grill unit. It further includes a U-shaped lift pole, which is rotately connected to the two sides of the upper grill unit. The two ends of the U-shaped lift pole are separately disposed with a first cavity. The first cavity is disposed with a pressure spring and a J-shaped lock catch to drive the pressure spring to compress or release. A pair of arc lead rails are disposed separately on the two sides of the lower grill unit. With the rotation of the J-shaped lock catch inside the U-shaped front pole and the J-shaped lock catch is compressed tightly to the arc lead rails, the food is pressed by the upper grill unit. The food is pressed with the cooperation of the pressure spring and the lock catch.

Abstract: A molding unit for forming and cooking meat, comprising a single recipient-shaped bottom die a concavity of which faces upwards and is destined to contain meat, and a single cover aligned with a mouth of the concavity of the bottom die, which cover is joined to the bottom die and positioned below the bottom die, such as to be destined to close a further mouth of a further concavity of a bottom die of a molding unit which is identical and positioned below the molding unit.

Abstract: A grill with minute-pressure has an upper and lower comal group, and a minute-pressure mechanism. The minute-pressure mechanism comprises: a rotary carrying rod having two back carrying rods and a front carrying rod. The two back carrying rods are fixed to the upper comal group, the front carrying rod arms are rotatably connected to the two back carrying rods and rotate along the two sides of the upper comal group, two pressure springs and two pressing buckles that are arranged inside the front carrying rod ends and can drive the pressure springs in the front carrying rod arms, and two locating pins are arranged at the front carrying rod arms; two curved guide rails, arranged at the lower comal group sides and used for clamping the pressing buckles; and two groups of locating slots, are arranged at the lower comal group sides and used for fixing the locating pins.

Abstract: A food press utensil is disclosed that varies incrementally as needed a weight of the utensil for pressing and cooking different food items on a cooking surface, wherein weight adjustment of the food press, by stacking of a plurality of food presses or other compatible weights, results in even heat distribution on the food to allow for uniform cooking and browning. The food press further can comprise a plurality of apertures through the body of the food press, to allow steam to vent and thus to prevent the food from becoming soggy as it cooks. The food press also can be made to accommodate a surface area of the food that exceeds a surface area of the food press, and thus can be used in any pan or griddle. The invention further can comprise a scraper surface to effect debris removal and preparation of the food cooking surface.

Abstract: A minute pressure grill includes an upper grill unit and a lower grill unit. It further includes a U-shaped lift pole, which is rotately connected to the two sides of the upper grill unit. The two ends of the U-shaped lift pole are separately disposed with a first cavity. The first cavity is disposed with a pressure spring and a J-shaped lock catch to drive the pressure spring to compress or release. A pair of arc lead rails are disposed separately on the two sides of the lower grill unit. With the rotation of the J-shaped lock catch inside the U-shaped front pole and the J-shaped lock catch is compressed tightly to the arc lead rails, the food is pressed by the upper grill unit. The food is pressed with the cooperation of the pressure spring and the lock catch.

Abstract: The invention concerns a centre arm for holding an upper contact grilling or roasting plate, the centre arm having a substantially vertical supporting section and a holding section which is arranged pivotably on the vertical supporting section and to which is attached the contact grilling or roasting plate, and in the holding section being arranged a device for weight relief for the upper contact grilling or roasting plate to be fitted on the holding section, the device for weight relief including at least one guide means which is constructed and designed at one end for pivotable mounting and on which is movably arranged a sliding element, a return element arranged on the free end of the guide means and secured by a stop means between the sliding element and the stop means, and also an adjusting device which can be actuated by means of an actuating element for varying the distance between the sliding element and the stop means in the longitudinal direction of the guide means, which is distinguished in that th

Abstract: A food press utensil is disclosed that varies incrementally as needed a weight of the utensil for pressing and cooking different food items on a cooking surface, wherein weight adjustment of the food press, by stacking of a plurality of food presses or other compatible weights, results in even heat distribution on the food to allow for uniform cooking and browning. The food press further can comprise a plurality of apertures through the body of the food press, to allow steam to vent and thus to prevent the food from becoming soggy as it cooks. The food press also can be made to accommodate a surface area of the food that exceeds a surface area of the food press, and thus can be used in any pan or griddle. The invention further can comprise a scraper surface to effect debris removal and preparation of the food cooking surface.

Abstract: An oven and method of processing products such as fish and shellfish are disclosed. The oven may include a chamber that may be heated to ultra-high temperatures, such as within a range of about 600-2500° F. (315-1371° C.). A burner may heat the chamber from an exterior of the chamber such that the chamber may provide a uniform radiant heat inside the chamber. The products may be carried through the chamber on a conveyor belt to heat a surface of the products to brown and denature the surface, destroy microorganisms, and place grill marks on the products. The products may then be packaged in a microwavable package or boil-in-the-bag film such that the products may be cooked at a later time in a microwave oven or boiling water bath.

Abstract: A device for slicing the tip from an elongated food product having an elongated housing with a longitudinally extending channel open at one end and closed at its second end. The channel is dimensioned to receive the food product through the first open end of the housing. A plunger assembly is slidably mounted to the housing adjacent the second end of the housing and in the direction transverse to the channel axis. The plunger assembly includes a blade moveable between a retracted position in which the blade is retracted from the channel and an extended position in which the blade extends across the channel.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for pressing and cooking and/or chilling food product logs. The apparatus and method comprise or use a tower press which has vertically compressible tiers and is positioned and mounted at one location for selectively elevating and lowering the tower press. The apparatus and method further comprise or use a container positioned at the same location such that the tower press can be lowered into the container for cooking and/or chilling the food product logs. The tower press can also be elevated out of the container for loading and removing food product logs from the vertically compressible tiers.

Abstract: A pressing mold for receiving a foodstuff, such as ham pieces, as it is being cooked and pressed in a hermetically sealed wrap, comprises a cover to press the foodstuff being cooked and to allow the foodstuff to expel an exudate. The mold comprises at least one transverse partition bounding, inside the mold, a main pouch of the wrap. The main pouch carries the foodstuff. The wrap includes at least one lateral pouch connected to the main pouch by a bridge including passages through which the exudate flows during cooking. The lateral pouch fits into a space in the mold between the partition and an end wall of the mold. A space is provided between the upper edge of each partition and a cover of the mold. The space is such as to prevent pinching of the passages during cooking and pressing of the foodstuff.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the fixing of pieces of meat under pressure during a smoking or heating process, comprising a number of perforated elements arranged as layers above one another, and where holding elements are mutually connected by links which permit mutual displacement to a maximum distance between the layers. On three sides between adjacent layers, the holding elements are provided with fixed, perforated walls, and from at least one holding element, preferably more, the walls extend from two opposing sides from the bottom of the holding element(s) down towards the underlying holding element, and from the upper side from the same holding element(s) the walls extend towards the overlying holding element. There is hereby created a chamber for the insertion of each individual piece of meat, which due to the perforations in the chamber walls not only permits an optimum smoking of the pieces of meat during the smoking process, but also ensures a well-demarcated insertion space for the meat.

Abstract: A tortilla making device for flattening dough into tortillas. A base is included that has a lower pressing surface and a first heat source for heating the lower pressing surface. A pressing plate is pivotally coupled to the base; the pressing plate has an upper pressing surface and a second heat source for heating the upper pressing surface. A thermally insulated handle is coupled to the pressing plate for manually pivoting the pressing plate both toward and away from the base between a raised and lowered position. A lever arm is pivotally coupled to the base for engaging the pressing plate when the pressing plate is in the lowered position and for advancing the pressing plate from the lowered position to a pressed position. In another embodiment, the invention takes the form of a method for making tortillas using a single device that flattens dough into tortillas. The method includes the steps placing a portion of tortilla dough upon a lower pressing surface between the base and the pressing plate.

Abstract: A pressing device comprised of stackable moulds for cooking and shaping hams into an oval cross-section. Each mould comprises transverse sides, longitudinal sides, crosspieces extending between the longitudinal sides, and a plurality of fixed troughs extending between the transverse sides. Below each trough (3), there is suspended from the transverse sides, a cover which is formed by a longitudinal plate, two end plates and two longitudinal sides. The end plates of the cover can slide against the faces of the transverse sides, each end plate being furnished with longitudinal pins which are directed toward vertical slots positioned along the transverse sides. Finally, a spring is disposed and compressed between the cover and the base of the trough.

Abstract: A contact grill apparatus, having at least two grill plates for laying on the food to be grilled, is designed to be particularly effective and efficient in use and easy to handle and operate. At least one of the grill plates is formed in the manner of a sandwich plate and comprises an aluminium core having at least one layer of high-grade steel on the side of the plate facing towards the food. The resulting grill surface thus has both a hard surface constitution and smoothness allowing easy cleaning, while the grill plate itself has excellent heat distribution properties.

Abstract: A pressure adjustment mechanism for a top side cooker head includes an adjustable element secured to the top side cooker head arm. In one embodiment the element is adjustable in discrete one-half turn increments of a screw and in another embodiment is continuously adjustable. Both embodiments change the moment arm of a pneumatic cylinder ram that applies a counterbalance force to the cooker head. The invention permits adjustment of the force applied to foodstuffs on the griddle surface from 0 to the weight of the cooker head.

Abstract: A wire grill cooking pan that may be used to cook more than one type of food at a time on different levels of the pan while retaining the juices that are released during the cooking process. The wire grill cooking pan has a wire grill that is hinged to a pan and secured with a latch. Different food items may be placed below the wire grill for cooking while other food items are placed on the wire grill to be cooked. The pan may then be heated from either the top or the bottom to cook the food while retaining the juices that are released for collection or redistribution to the food.

Abstract: A meat mold cover assembly that is simple in construction, easy to engage and disengage from the mold, adds only a small additional volume to the space occupied by the product, and promotes the production of a molded product having uniform dimensions is provided by the use of an internally biased cover assembly that uses points of supports spaced along the length of at least one side of the mold to allow easy release and attachment of the cover assembly to the mold and integral biasing means acting on the lid along at least two lines of action to provide a balanced pressure on the meat. In a more specific form the cover assembly provides these benefits by using at least three spring assemblies that act directly on and within the periphery of the lid on at least two lines of action. The springs are counter acted by a cover support. The support is attached to at least two opposite sides of the mold through one or more hold down bars and pivotable links to engage each side of the mold.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus has two plates which apply heat and pressure to cook an initial food material, wherein one plate is movable toward the other plate manually to close a cooking space, then is moved by a drive to apply a pressure to the food material, and is urged to an open position by a spring.

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: An apparatus for cooking food has two plates which can be heated and of which one plates is movable relative to the other to apply heat and pressure to an initial food material for cooking the same, wherein a drive for moving the one plate is formed as a magnetic drive located laterally outside the contours of the plates.

Abstract: A device for roasting meats having meat holding portion, a casing, a guide lever, a spring body, a roasting portion, and a lever for operation.In this device, the meat is roasted from both sides in the roasting portion and movement of the meat into and out of the roasting portion is performed by a remote control from outside of the casing. The roasting portion, grills, for roasting and guide rails which guide the grills to the roasting portion are secured in the casing. Further, a heating opening is provided at the upper surface of the casing so as to use the heat in the roasting portion to keep roasted meat warm.

Abstract: The grill frame includes a pair of elongated shaft members which are resiliently connected at their first ends so that upon the insertion of the first end into the abdominal cavity of the fowl, the shaft members may be urged against the opposite sides of the abdominal cavity with sufficient force to enlarge the abdominal cavity laterally and to disperse the meat of the fowl to substantially the equal plane. The method of insertion is such that the shaft members are held in substantially close proximity as the first end is inserted through the cavity and the shaft members are allowed to expand outwardly as the first end of the apparatus extrudes out of the rear of the cavity with the apparatus in position within the fowl.

Abstract: A product press, for supporting product during processing, and having a support frame, at least one fixed tray member fixed to the support frame, at least one movable tray movable towards and away from the fixed tray for holding product, biasing means urging the movable tray towards the fixed tray for applying pressure to product stored therebetween, and means for releasably holding the trays apart.

Abstract: This invention relates to a meat product press apparatus adapted to hold and compress ham members or the like during a meat packing plant processing procedures. The meat product press apparatus includes a lower press assembly interconnected by a main clamp assembly to a top press assembly. The lower and top press assemblies provide grate or grid type structures presented in spaced, parallel planes to clamp the meat product therebetween. The main clamp assembly includes an initial bias lock assembly to interconnect adjacent ends of the lower and top press assemblies and a pressure bias lock assembly to interconnect the spaced, opposite adjacent ends of the lower and top press assemblies. The initial bias lock assembly includes a pair of spaced spring members which are connectable to a cam lock member.

Abstract: An apparatus for closing a ham mold, in which at least one two-part mold, consisting of a container and of a cover that fits loosely into it, is positioned in a chamber that can be vacuumized. The cover can be moved in relation to the container in order to compress a ham that has been placed in the mold. The apparatus is equipped with a compression bridge consisting of a strut, compression springs and a securing arm and is positively or non-positively connected to at least one compresion-medium cylinder that is positioned on one wall of the chamber and forces the parts on the mold into one another. A compression beam is positioned in such a way that it can be raised and lowered on two pressure-medium cylinders and that has two points of compression positioned at a distance along the compression-bridge strut and operates non-positively in conjunction with the compression bridge.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for opening molds by automatically unlocking a pair of locking mechanisms which cooperate to lock a pair of mold sections together. There are also disclosed herein a method and apparatus for handling a removed mold section and an article ejected from another mold section.

Abstract: An improved attachment for securing food firmly in place on a skewer or spit, as the food is rotated over the burning coals of a motorized barbecue unit. The skewer attachment comprises a pair of end plates adapted to be mounted along a typical skewer member, the end plates being positioned to press against the opposing ends of the food when the food is centrally located on the skewer. A plurality of elongated coiled spring members are arranged either singularly or intertwined to be spirally wrapped about the food and secured at each opposite free end thereof to the respective end plates.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooking or otherwise heating food held in a container which includes upper and lower housing portions. Heating elements are located in the respective housing portions, and the opposed inner walls of the housing portions are adapted to be moved into contact with the food container. The heating elements are positioned immediately adjacent these walls, and these elements are substantially insulated from other portions of the housing. The intimate contact between the inner walls and the associated heating elements causes the food to act as a heat sink whereby the food is rapidly heated in a highly effective manner. The apparatus is particularly useful for the cooking of frozen food located in an appropriate container. Means are provided for retaining the upper housing in spaced apart relationship with the lower housing to permit baking and similar heating.

Abstract: A portable cage for compressing food articles during processing of the articles as by heating, smoking or the like. The cage includes means for moving a pair of trays toward each other to apply pressure on food articles between the trays and means for limiting the pressure so applied to a predetermined amount. The device is further capable of applying different predetermined pressures to articles on different trays, the amounts of such predetermined pressures being determined so as to offset the differences of the weights of the articles on the trays to thereby make the total pressures on the food articles on each tray more uniform. The mechanism is easily operable to open and close the cage for loading and unloading of the articles but is capable of developing substantial pressures when the trays are pressed against the food articles. Another feature of the improved cage is the provision of trays having spaced screens with mechanisms between the screens for bringing pressure on the food articles.

Abstract: A mold for processing a food material, including a plug and ratchet take-up mechanism for accommodating expansion and contraction of the food product. The plug is provided with ratchet arms having ratchet teeth and the take-up mechanism includes spring biased pins or pawls coacting with the ratchet teeth.

Abstract: In a coffee making machine having a support structure and a pressure lever pivoted thereon, a device to obtain regular pressure on ground coffee, irrespective of its volume and to stabilise said pressure lever in "up" and "down" positions, comprising an electromagnet mounted in the support structure, a mild steel plate integral with the lever, said plate being movable parallel to the electromagnet and being lockable by attraction when the electromagnet is energised.