Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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B~C~GROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field: The invention is in the field of apparatus for extruding
composite food products, for exa.mple, consolidating and sha.ping normally
unattractive and commercially una.ccepta.ble pieces of flesh a.nd fat into
5 attractive and commercially a.ccepta.ble meat shapes.
State of the Art Loa.ves and other shapes of meat materials
have long been prepared by ma.nually arranging different meat pieces
together9 with or witho~t binders, and by consolidating such pieces under
pressure to form a product which is commercially attractive and can be
10 sliced. Some attempts have been ma.de heretofore to simulate cuts of
meat, such as bacon slabs by this technique. Also, ground or emulsified
mea.t a.nd fat mixtures have been extruded and cut to simulate known
commercia.l cuts. Various types of app~ratus ha.ve been developed here-
tofore for extruding different ma.terials, such as soap of differen~ colors,
15 and consolidating the different ma.terials as a final unitary productO .
Objective: The present invention has a.s its primary objective
to eliminate time consuming a.nd expensive ma.nua.l fabrication of commer- .
cially a.ccepta.ble meat shapes having desirable striation of different meat
ormeatandfatcha.racteristics, especiallysimulatedbaconslabs, by
20 apparatus that effectively accomplishes the purpose and can be quickly
a.nd easily disassem~led for cleaning and rea.ssembled for further use~
BRIEF SUMM~RY OF T~IE INVENTION
In accomplishing the objective of the invention, ingredients for
the respective striations are fed to and extruded through different portions
25 of a compound die. The respective extrusions are interleaved as they
emerge from the different portions of the die into a common discharge
area thereof, where they a.re comp:ressed into a coherent column and
discha.rgecl as a continuous colurnn. The column may have a.ny desired
shape, a.s, For exa.mple~ a slab, and is cut tra.nsversely in desired lengths
to :Eorm the fina.l product, e g., ba.con slabs.
Suitable binders, for e~ample, mineral salts that chemically
5 affect superficial surfaces of meat to provide protein adhesive coatings
thereon, are usually included with meat pieces or fragments fed to the die,
thereby firmly binding such pieces or fragments together under the
pressures encountered cluring extrusion. :~
The opera.tion is a.dva.ntageously carried out under conditions
10 of deaera.tion of the feed materials, thereby insuring against the occurrence
of undesira.ble voids in the resulting product.
When the product is ba.con, the die may be configurated to pro-
duce striations of random thicknesses and positions closely simulating
those of natura.l bacon. The extruded column rna.y be cooled preparatory
15 to the imr~lediate slicing of bacon strips from the column, or the extruded
column may be exposed to microwaves -Eor prot:ein coagulation a.nd then
case hardened and tempered in the usual :manner for slicing.
The apparatus includes an extrusion assembly comprising a die
ha.ving a housing within which extend a plurality of individual die conduits
20 from a. front wa.ll provided with openings lea.ding into the die conduits. The
space surrounding the die conduits within the housing form die passages
interleaved with the die conduits. Means are provided for extruding a food
material through the front wall openings and through the die conduits into
a convergent discharge conduit removably a.ttached to the housing. Separ-
25 able supply conduits connect a pressure source of supply of a differentfood material with the housing at opposite sides thereof as well a.s between
such opposite sides. The supply conduits inclucle an elongate manifold
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conduit extencling transversely of the housing, a pair of substa.ntially semi-
circular conduit fittings for connecting opposite ends of the manifold
conduit with the opposite sides of the housing, respectively, a.nd at least
one conduit for connecting the manifold conduit intermediate its ends with
the housing between the opposite sides thereof. The die conduits prefer-
ably extend in cantilever fashion from individual headers which are
clamped together in the a.ssembled apparatus, so one or more of the die
conduits can be ea.sily replaced with other die conduits of different shape
or sha.pes. One or more plug means for changing materia.l flow capacity : ~:
of selected conduit sections is preferably provided. ~ .
THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of appa.ratus representing the best modes
presently contemplated for carrying out the invention in actual practice
are illustra.ted in the a.ccompanying dra.wings, in which:
.
Fig. 1 is a view in top plan of appara.tus for forming bacon
slabs, the apparatus being a.rranged to discharge into a. belt conveyor
which is shown fragmentarily;
Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of
Ei ig. 1 and drawn to a considerably larger sca.le;
Fig. 3, a. fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line ~ .
3-3 of Fig. 2 and drawn to the same scale;
Fig. 4, an exploded perspective view showing the various pa.rts
of the apparatus and indicating their positional interrela.tionship;
Fig. 5, a. view in elevation taken from the standpoint oi the
line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and showing the front fa.ce of the compound die, the
view being drawn to a considerably larger scale;
Fig. 6, a view corresponding to the die portion of Fig. 2 but
showing a different die formation, the view being drawn to the larger
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scale oE Fig. 5;
Fig. 7, a view corresponding to that of Fig. 5 but showing a
still different die formation and being drawn to a somewhat smaller scale;
E;ig. 8, a transverse vertical section through the die of Fig. 7
5 looking in the same direction as for the view of Fig. 7; and
Fig. 9, a transverse vertical section through the meat product
produced by the die of Figs. 7 and 8, looking in the same direction as for
the views of Fig. 7 and 8;
Fig. 10, a view corresponcling to that of Fig. 4 but showing a
10 now preferred embodiment of the apparatus;
Fig. 11, a vertical section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10; and
Fig. 12, a vertical section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11.
DET~IL,ED DESCRIPTION OF IL,LUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
.. ....
In the form illustrated in Figs. 1-9, the apparatus of the
15 invention comprises a compound die 10 of broaclly rectangular configura-
tior. thro~lgh which respective components oE the final product are
differentially extrudecl. Since naturally formed and processed bacon
slabs are made up of random striations of fat and lean pork as they occur
in pork bellies, the materials fed to die 10 in the pr~sent instance are
20 rninced lean pork trimmings and fat pork trimmings, respectively, and the
apparatus includes means for continuously feeding these materials to
respectively different, non-communicating portions 10a and 10b of the die.
The feeding means comprise in this embodiment of the invention
twin screw, mixer feeders 11 and 12, respectively, which may be of any
25 suitable type, but are preferably as disclosed and claimed in McFarland
U.S. Patent No~ 3, 825,231, granted July 23, 1974, and entitled "lbvin Screw
Continuous Processing Machines". Each comprises a hopper, lla and 12a,
respectively, and twin screw conveyors, llb and 12b, respectively. The
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discharge from mixer feeder 11 leads through conduit 13, food pump 14,
riser 15, a.nd cond~it 16 .o the front of die 10 a.nd into individual conduit
portions 10a. thereof by wa.y of plenum fitting 17, while discharge from
mixer feeder 1~ leads through conduit 1~, food pump 19, riser 20, conduit
21, a.nd heade:r or rnani-fold 22 into rectangular die housing 23 surrounding
the die conduits lQa and forming therewith the intercommunicating die . .
passages 10b. Part of such discharge pa.sses through the top wall of die
housing 23 by wa.y of nipple members 23a and b thereof and into interior
passa.ge portions 10b thereof that surround but a.re not in communication
with the passage portions 10a of the die. Other parts of such discharge ,: ~ .
pass out of respectively opposite ends 22a a.nd b of header 22, through
substantially semi-circular conduit t`ittings 24 and 25, respectively~ and
through respective side wa.lls of die housing 23 by way of nipple members
23c a.nd d thereof, respectively, a.nd into the same interior passage
portions lUb thereof into which nipple members 23a. and b discharge, but
a.t opposite ends of such passage portions 10b so as to insure complete
filling thereof with the material to be extruded therethrough and there-
from.
Portions 10a of die 10 are rigidly secured in front wall 23e of
die housing 23 and extend bacl~wardly in cantilever fashion through the :~;
interior of such die housing to terminate in a common area at the open
rear of the hcusing which forms discha.rge orifice 10c, Figs. 3 and Ds, of ;:
the die. Non-communicating die passages 10a and 10~ of the die ha.ve
discharges in common at die discharge orifice 10c, so that the discharged
extrusion product is a continuous column of the different materials from
hoppers lla and 12a interleaved as random striations.
Means are provided at the common discharge area of die 10
for applying consolidating pressure to the extruded column that emerges
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from die 10 through discha.rge orifice 10c. In this illustrated instance, a
convergent conduit 26 having substa.ntially the cross-sectiona.l shape of
the extruded column is provided as a continua.tion of die 10, so the ..
extruded column is compressed as the extrusion process continues within
a.nd through conduit 26. The final extrusion emerges through a discharge `
plate 27, which is provided in this insta.nce as a. cover for the recessed
discharge end 26a, see Figso 3 and 4, of conduit 26 to accommodate a
cut-off knife (not shown) if desired -for ma.king either slab or strip cuts
a.s desired. Discha:rge of ba.con strips, slabs, or of a continuous column
for la.ter cutting, is preferably directly onto a belt conveyor 28, Fig. 1.
It is desirable, and a feature of the invention advantageously
included in a.ll instances, tha.t the operation be carried out under conditions
of deaereation of the feed ma.teria.l, whereby voids a.re prevented in the
final product. To this end, pumps 14 a.nd 19 are constructed to substan-
tially eliminate a.ir from the feed material that is pa.ssed from hoppers
lla. a.nd 12a. to extrusion die 10. Such pumps are preferably oî rota.ry, vane
type, e.g., simila.r to that shown by UOS. Patent No. 2,968,253 of January
17, 1971. For deaeration purpOSeS, pipes or hoses 14a and 19a are passed
through the face pla.tes of the respective pumps to pressure areas adjacent
20 the respective axes of such pumps and extend to discharge above or within
the respective feed hoppers lla and 12a so tha.t any solid material discharged -
with the air or other ga.s will be recycled.
The several parts of the apparatus above-described are
preferably made a.s separate pieces, as shown in Fig. 4, a.nd removably
25 secured together by bolts, screws, cla.mps, or the like with interposed
ga.skets, as indicated, to prevent leaka.ge and to permit easy clea.ning after
use~
In Figo 6 is shown a. varia.tion of the bacon striation pattern for
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the die.
In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown still a.nother variation of the bacon
striation, the consolidated extrusion product therefrom being shown in
Fig. 9 with the interleaved materials designated 29 a.nd 30, respectively.
For consolidation purposes, suitable binders such as mineral
salts which chemically affect superficial surfa.ces of meat to provide
protein adhesive coatings thereon, may be introduced with the meat .
materials, and the resulting composite extrusions may be exposed to
microwaves for protein coagulation prior to case hardening and tempering ` . :. -
in the usua.l manner to facilitate slicing. ..
Die configuration can, of course, be varied and die construction
will be as required for pa.rticula.r types of proclucts, the illustrated
embocliment being suitable for the type of interleaving that produces
stria.tions resembling bacon. For other products, it may be desirable to
have more than two different materials a.nd it rnay be desirable to have
:regula:r stria.tions or laminations, rather than the random ones found
desirable to simulate baco~l.
In producing simulated bacon by the extrusion process previou~ly:
described, it is not necessary to use pork as the feed meat materials.
Other meats and/or vegetable materials, such as bee:f, lamb, goat, sea
foods, poultry, meat substitutes of vegetable origin, cereals, etc. may be
extruded through the same die arrangement. Also7 as previously indicated,
the extrusion die arrangement may be such a.s to produce a variety of
simulated shapes and cuts other than bacon.
~5 A somewhat later embodiment of the appa.ratus of the invention
as specifically employed for the production of simulated ba.con slabs is
now preferred and is illustra.ted in Fig. 10 in exploded form corresponding
to the showing of the original embodiment in Fig. 4.
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~,.
In this form of the invention, individual die conduits, as a.t . -~
31 and 32, or individual conduit die sets, a.s at 33a. and 33b, extend in
cantilever fashion from respective hea.ders, 34, 35, and 36, which are
adapted to be clamped together as a single unit by mea.ns of a cla.mp- ;~
5 ing device, 37.
For stability during use and for ea.se of assembly, die
conduit hea.ders 34 a.nd 35 are grooved a.s at 34a a.nd 35a, respectively,
a.nd die conduit header 36 is grooved as at 36a and 36b for ma.ting with
the grooves 34a and 35a.. A1SOJ clamping device 37 is providec~ with ~ ;
10 upper and lower cha.nnels 37a and 37b, respectively, for ~he insetting
thereinto oE tlle assembled die conduit headers 34, 35, and 36 prior to
cla.rnping them into place by means of cla.mping screws 37c and 37d .
and cla.mping nuts 37b a.nd 37f.
As so assembled a.nd cla.mped together a.s a unit, the die
15 concluit hea.ders are properly aligned with respective extrllsion entry
openings 38, 39, 40a a.nd 40b of front wall 41 of die housing 42 by ~ ~
sets of pins 43 projecting from the respective hea.ders for reception ~ ~:
by correspondingly placed holes 4a~ in die housing front wall 41 and by
correspondingly placed holes 45 in securement flange 46a of plenum
20 fi~ting 46.
It should be noted that ~ront wall 41 of die housing 42 is
provided with continuous peripheral grooves, a.s a.t 47, surrounding
extrusion entry openings 38, 39, 40a., and 40b for the reception of
O-ring type of gaskets 48 and 49, respectively, and that pins 43 -
~5 proJect ba.ckwardly from front wall 34, as a.t 43a, for reception by
correspondingly placed openings S0 in a. securement flange 42a of
die housing 42 a.nd by correspondingly placed holes 51 in a gasket 52
which is interposed between the clamped die conduit hea.ders and such ~.
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:Ela.nge 42a of the die conduit housing.
It has been -found unnecessa.ry to rnake the die conduits as long
as indicated -for the previously described embodiment of Fig. 4.
Consequently, die housing 42 is shorter from front to back than is die
5 housing 23 of the first embodiment. As in the first embodiment, the
die conduits of the present embodiment extend entirely through die housing
42 and termina.te at a rea.r securement flange 42b of die housing 42. A
convergent discharge conduit (not shown) corresponding to the discharge
conduit 26 of the first embodiment, is removably attached to die ~onduit
10 housing 42, preferably by a second clamping device 53 engaging secure-
ment flange 42b of die housing 42 and a. similar securement flange (not
shown) on the discha.rge conduit along with a.n interposed gasket 54.
~ feed material simulating the lean rneat component of a ba.con
slab is fed under pressure and deaeration into plenum fitting 46 for
extrusion through entry openings 38, 39, and 40a a.nd 40b of front plate ~-
41 into a.ncl through die concluits 31, 32, and 33a a.nd 33b, respectively, in
the manner a.nd by the means previously described with respect to the
first embodiment.
~ s in ~he first embodiment, a food material simulating the fa~
20 component of a. ba.con slab is simila.rly fed under pressure a.nd deaeration
to the die passages surrounding the die conduits in the housing 42 when
the apparatus is assembled for use. Thus, such fat-sirnulating food
ma.terial is fed in~o elongate header or manifold 55 which extends trans-
versely of the die conduits and the die housing in the a.ssembled form of
25 the a!~pa.ratus similar to the showing in Figs. 2 and 3. Semi-circular
conduit fittings 56 and 57 are adapted to removably connect opposite ends ~: -
55a and 55b of manifold 55 with nipple members 42c and 42d, respectively
at opposite la.teral sides of die housing 42, thereby projecting the feed
:
material through the die passa.ges that are interleaved with the d;e
conduits.
Part of the feed ma.terial will, a.s in the first embodiment, be
projected into the interior of the die housing through a wall thereof that
extends between the opposite latera.l sides of such die housing. Here,
only one nipple member 42e is provided in the upper wa.ll of die housing
a~2 for connection with a. single nipple member 55c depending from manifold
55. The feed ma.terial is introduced into nipple member 55d of manifold
55 as described for the first embodirllent with respect tO feed conduit 21
thereof.
It ha~s been .~ound adva.ntageous to control the qua.ntity of feed
through one or more of the nipple members 55d, 55a, and 55b by means
Oe respective insertable a.nd removable plugs 58" Figs. 11 and 12, which
have a. substantia.lly semi-circula.r base 58a a.ncl which are tapered a.long
their lerlgths therefrom to a.n apex S8. Ea.ch pll~g is supported by a. pla.te
member 59 provided, as by welding, at the ba.se and partially across ~he
opening of a nipple member in its joinder to the die housing 42. To keep
the plug from turning or rota.ting in its nipple member when installed, a
boss 58c is provided at and projecting longitudinally from the forward
portion of ba.se 58a. for engagement with the forward margin of the
corresponding plate member 59.
The base of a plug 58 may be more or less than semi-circular
as circums~:ances may warrant in any pa.rticular use of the apparatus,
and, in each instance, the supporting plate 59 will be similarly dimen-
sioned to receive the protruding boss 58c of the plug. :
It should be rea.li2ed tha.t one or more of the plugs, or none,
ma.y be employed in any given instance of use of the appa.rat~ls as may be
deemed necessa.ry or desirable by the operator.
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Whe:reas this invention is here illustra.ted a.nd described with
specific reference to an embodiment thereof presently contempla.ted as `
the best mode of carrying out such inven~ion in actua.l practice, it is to be - ~ .
understood that various changes may be made in adapting the invention to ~ "
5 different embodiments without departing from the broader inventive
concepts disclosed herein and comprehended i y the claime that follow
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