Abstract: Blocks of curd, solidified and formed in open tank-like trucks, are transferred to a brine tank by overhead monorail and floated in brine to withdraw moisture. The blocks are moved along the tank by a floating boom and/or an air-induced circulation of the brine solution, and are removed at one end of the tank by an inclined, partially submerged, conveyor. The blocks are conveyed from the tank, seal in an evacuated bag, weighed, and conveyed to a crating station where a crate is placed up side down over the block and the block and crate are rotated vertically by a tiltable portion of a conveyor to invert the crate and block for further handling, storage and curing.

Abstract: A device for extracting the stone of a drupe and simultaneously injecting a filling into the stone cavity comprises a claw member comprised of three to four hollow prongs through which a flowable filling can be injected. The prongs are adapted to be jabbed into a drupe such as a peach, to be closed about the stone thereof to firmly grip it, and to extract or tear the stone from the drupe while a filling is being injected via the prongs into the drupe.

Abstract: A pizza topping device to apply ingredients to a pastry shell including first apertured conveyer means to receive a pre-formed pastry shell and convey the shell in a selected direction, applicator spray means including nozzle means disposed at a selected location above the first conveyer means to spray a selected, fluid, sauce-like material onto the pastry shells traveling on the first conveyer where the sauce-like material which oversprays the pastry shell flows through the apertures of the conveyer to sauce accumulator means, hopper means disposed above the first conveyer means to receive selected particulate topping substances to be applied to the sauce carried on the pastry shell where the hopper means includes a second conveyer means which is imperforate and is disposed in the bottom of the hopper where the topping material is carried on the second conveyer means in the same direction of travel as the direction of travel of the first conveyer, topping retention and mixing means disposed in the hopper to

Abstract: A stuffing apparatus for a machine having a stuffing station and adapted successively to deliver objects, having cavities to be stuffed, to the stuffing station, the apparatus having a magazine housing individual segments of stuffing material; a plunger assembly borne by the machine for movement along a path of travel through the magazine to drive one of the segments from the magazine and into the cavity of an object in the stuffing station; and a mechanism for synchronously indexing the magazine transversely of the path of travel of the plunger assembly to position one of the segments in the path prior to each movement of the plunger assembly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for introducing and distributing meat additives into bodies of meat are described. The apparatus includes a cylindrical container having a detachable pointed tip for piercing the body of meat and may also include a plunger to fit inside the container to force the additives to deposit along a uniform path in the meat when the cylindrical container is withdrawn.

Abstract: An apparatus for topping a succession of regularly spaced pizzapie crusts on a conveyer with sliced topping material, such as cheese, comprising slicing means to cut blocks of the material on the conveyor into slices of appropriate shapes and sizes, and an automatic weighing means to supply appropriate amounts of the sliced material to the pizzapie crusts. The apparatus further includes an electrical control means which controls the operations of the above-mentioned means so that the operations will have a timed relationship with the movement of the pizzapie crusts, thereby placing each amount of sliced material on top of the corresponding pie crust with accuracy and without loss.

Abstract: An improved apparatus is provided for depositing pepperoni slices which may have a relatively high fat content and grated cheese on a series of pizza pie shells made of pastry. The apparatus includes a main conveyor which is continuously operated to sequentially move pizze pie shells along a path extending through a food processing station. A carriage at the food processing station moves a stick of pepperoni relative to a rotating blade to slice pieces of pepperoni from the stick. A secondary conveyor receives the slices of pepperoni and positively moves the slices of pepperoni toward a pastry shell being moved by the main conveyor. The secondary conveyor includes surfaces which apply forces to opposite sides of the pepperoni slices to grip the slices and positively move them toward the main conveyor. At another food processing station, a body of cheese is sliced into elongated pieces by a grater. A second cutter severs the elongated pieces of cheese into relatively short lengths.

Abstract: A stuffing apparatus for a machine adapted to deliver objects having cavities to be stuffed successively to a stuffing station, the stuffing apparatus having a feeding head borne by the machine in juxtaposition to the stuffing station; a slicing assembly mounted on the feeding head; a conveyor assembly for feeding a ribbon of stuffing material to the slicing assembly for successive severing into segments of the material; an assembly disposed between the feeding head and stuffing station for successively dilating the cavities of objects in the stuffing station; and a plunger mechanism adapted to thrust successive segments from the slicing assembly and feeding head and into the cavities of objects in the stuffing station.

Abstract: An olive pitting and stuffing machine has a drum rotatable about an axis and provided with opposing pairs of clamping members angularly equispaced about the axis and respectively engageable with opposite ends of olives fed in succession generally tangentially to the drum. The drum also comprises respective tubular cutters axially aligned with each pair of clamping members and displaceable to cut an end out of the olive, a plunger axially aligned with each pair of clamping members on the opposite side of the drum adapted to pierce the olive through the other end and push out the olive pit, and a pimento inserter also aligned with the clamping members and effective to insert a folded piece of pimento as the stuffing in the interior of the olive.

Abstract: An olive pitter and stuffer comprising a machine structure which includes two sets of pitting plungers disposed along one side each of respective chains for carrying the olives into alignment with these plungers. On the other side of each chain is an olive-opening device aligned with the pitting plunger for cutting an opening through which the pit is ejected by the plunger. The olives are then transported by the plunger to a pair of stations at which mechanisms maintain the opening of the olives while further plungers insert respective stuffings in the olives. According to the invention, a pair of mechanisms are provided with respective chains, all operated by a synchronous drive so that the output of the machine is doubled.

Abstract: A turntable with olive cups is advanced stepwise by a suitable Geneva movement. At a feed station unpitted olives are delivered into the cups. Between the feed station and the pitting station the cups are vibrated to properly orient the olives for pitting. After pitting, the olives are stuffed with pimento, the pimento feed system including toothed drive means for a continuous pimento strip, a feed chute which serves to fold the strip in half along its lengthwise centerline, and cut-off knives to sever the strip into sections for stuffing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the food processing device for producing cylindrically shaped foods having pasty flavors therein.

Abstract: In a larding needle comprising a hollow shank for receiving a strip of bacon and for piercing the meat, a longitudinally displaceable pusher arm within the shank rides up a ramp at the front of the needle to eject a leading end of the strip of bacon.