Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MULTI-ROW FOOD PATTY-MOLDING APPARATUS
Technical Fiel'd of the Invention
The present invention relates to food patty-molding machines. The invention
particularly relates to food patty-molding machines which incorporate a
reciprocating
mold plate having patty-forming cavities which are cyclically filled to form
patties, and
then emptied, the patties being discharged to a patty-receiving area.
Background of the Invention
Food patty-forming or molding machines are described, for example, in U.S.
Patents 3,887,964; 4,372,008 and 4,821,376. A typical food patty-forming
machine or
apparatus 20 is illustrated in Figure 1. This machine is described in detail
in U.S.
Patent 3,887,964 and has been marketed as the FORMAX 26 * machine by Formax,
Inc., of Mokena, Illinois. Molding machine 20 includes a machine base 21 which
supports the operating mechanisms of the machine and contains hydraulic
actuating
systems, electrical actuating systems, and most of the machine controls.
The food patty-molding machine 20 includes a supply means 24 for storing and
supplying a moldable food product, such as ground beef, fish, pork, chicken,
potatoes,
or the like, to the processing mechanisms of the machine. Supply means 24
includes a
large food product storage hopper 25 that supplies a food pump system 26.
System 26
includes two alternately operating food pumps (one shown); other machines
typically
include only a single food pump. The two food pumps continuously pump food,
under
*
"FORMAX 26" is used as a common law trademark in the United States of America
and Canada
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pressure, into a valve manifold connected to a cyclically operable molding
station 28.
Molding station 28 includes a multi-cavity mold plate 32 that moves cyclically
between a
fill position, shown in Figure 1, and a discharge position in which its mold
cavities are
outside of station 28, aligned with a set of knock-out cups 33.
Food supply means 24 includes a conveyor belt 31 that extends completely
across the bottom of hopper 25. In Figure 1, a limited supply of food product
38 is
shown in hopper 25; a much greater supply could be stored in the hopper
without
exceeding its capacity. The forward end of hopper 25 communicates with a
vertical
hopper outlet 39 that leads downwardly into two pump chambers; only one pump
chamber 69 is shown. Three motors drive three vertical feed screws. Only one
motor
47 and one feed screw 53 are shown in Figure 1.
The upper part of a pump housing 71 comprises a plate 81 that supports the
mold plate 32. The mold plate 32 includes a plurality of individual mold
cavities 86
distributed in a single row across the width of the mold plate; mold cavities
86 are
alignable with the manifold outlet fill passage 79. A mold cover 82 is
disposed
immediately above mold plate 32, closing off the top of each of the mold
cavities 86.
The mold cover 82 may include a conventional breather plate. Suitable spacers
(not
shown) are provided to maintain the spacing between the cover 82 and the
support
plate 81, essentially equal to the thickness of the mold plate 32. A housing
88 is
positioned over the cover plate 82. The housing 88 encloses the operating
mechanism
(not shown) for the knock-out cups 33.
In the operation of the patty-molding machine 20, a supply of ground meat or
other moldable food product 38 is placed into the hopper 25, and is advanced
toward
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the hopper outlet 39 by the conveyor 31. Whenever one of the food pump
plungers,
such as the plunger 68, is retracted to expose a pump cavity (e.g., the cavity
69), the
vertical feed screws 53 aligned with that pump cavity are actuated to feed the
food
product into the pump cavity.
In Figure 1, pumping system 26 is illustrated with the mold plate 32 in its
fill
position, and with the pump 61 pumping the moldable food product through the
manifold 27. The pump 61, as shown, has just begun its pumping stroke, and has
compressed the food product in pump cavity 69, forcing it under pressure into
the
manifold 27. As operation of the machine 20 continues, the plunger 68 advances
and
food product flows into the mold cavities 126, there is a relatively constant
pressure on
the food product and chamber 69, manifold 27, fill passage 79, and cavities
86.
In describing the operation of molding mechanism 28, and particularly the mold
plate 32, it is convenient to start with the mold plate 32 in the fill
position in Figure 1. In
each molding cycle, mold plate 32 remains in this fill position for a limited
dwell interval.
As the mold cavities 86 move into the fill position, one of the two food pumps
of
machine 20 pumps food product through manifold 27 and fill passage 79, filling
the
mold cavities. To assure complete filling of the mold cavities, the food pump
must
apply a substantial pressure to the food product.
Following the fill dwell interval, mold plate 32 is moved outwardly, to the
right
from its fill position, as shown in Figure 1, until it reaches a discharge
position with its
mold cavities 86 aligned with knock-out cups 33. As mold plate 32 moves toward
its
discharge position, mold cavities 86 all move clear of fill passage 79 before
any part of
those cavities projects out of mold station 28, beyond support plate 81 and
cover 82.
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Thus, the food pump in machine 20, as shown in Figure 1, remains sealed off at
all
times. A second dwell interval occurs at the discharge position of mold plate
32, during
which knock-out cups 33 move downwardly through the mold cavities, discharging
the
molded food patties onto a patty-receiving area, e.g. a take off conveyor (not
shown).
Following discharge of the molded food patties, mold plate 32 is moved back
toward its fill position so that mold cavities 86 can again be filled with
food product.
Again, mold cavities 86 are completely inside molding mechanism 28, sealed
off, before
they come into alignment with fill passage 79.
Although a single fill passage 79 is shown in Figure 1, it is also known to
provide
multiple fill orifices which together are substantially coextensive with the
area of the
cavities, such as described in U.S. Patents 4,356,595; 4,821,376 and
4,372,008.
The present inventor has recognized that the throughput (quantity of patties
per
time period of machine operation), of food patties formed by the
aforementioned food
patty-forming machine is limited by the speed of the machine and the number of
cavities that can be aligned across the single row. The present inventor has
recognized
that it would be desirable that the throughput of such a machine be increased,
while
maintaining a consistent quality of the patties formed by such a machine.
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Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides an improved food patty-forming apparatus of the
aforementioned type having a reciprocating mold plate, and which includes two
or more
rows of cavities, for example, forward and rearward rows, which are
substantially
aligned along a reciprocation direction of the mold plate. The two or more
rows of
cavities are filled with food product from two or more corresponding forward
and
rearward rows of fill openings, which communicate food product through one
face side
of the respective cavities.
According to one aspect of the invention, a valve plate is arranged to
reciprocate
between an open and closed position, to control food product flow between food
product fill openings and the cavities. The valve plate reciprocates to open
the two
rows of cavities to respective two rows of fill openings in a synchronized
fashion such
that the two rows of cavities are supplied with food product in identical,
consistent
fashion. In this regard, the rearward row of cavities is not thereby exposed
to the open
forward fill openings during retraction of the rearward cavities during mold
plate
reciprocation. Thus, the forward row of cavities is exposed to only the open
forward fill
openings during the filling interval; and the rearward row of cavities is
exposed to only
the open rearward fill openings during the filling interval. In this way, the
rearward row
of cavities which pass over the forward fill openings is not over-filled or
over-pressured
by being exposed to the forward fill openings before or after filling by the
corresponding
rearward fill openings.
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According to another embodiment of the invention, a mold plate assembly is
provided for a patty-forming apparatus that includes a reciprocating mold
plate having
patty-forming cavities, with at least two rows of cavities substantially
aligned in a
longitudinal direction. The mold plate reciprocates between a cavity fill
position and a
patty discharge or knock-out position. The mold plate includes a fill hole.
The
assembly includes a top fill plate structure and a bottom fill plate arranged
facing
opposite sides of the mold plate. Front and rear outlet slots are arranged
through the
top fill plate structure to fill food product into the mold cavities when the
mold plate is in
the fill position. During filling of food product into the cavities, a
pressurized food
product flow distribution path is established through the bottom fill plate,
through the fill
hole of the mold plate, through the top fill plate structure, through the
outlet slots, and
into the cavities. The fill hole is reciprocated between an open and a closed
position
with the reciprocating mold plate, to either allow food product into the mold
cavities
when the mold plate is in the fill position, or to prevent pressurized flow
through the fill
openings when the mold plate is in the closed position.
According to this aspect of the invention, the rearward row of cavities is not
thereby exposed to pressurized food product from front outlet slots during
retraction or
extension of the rearward cavities during mold plate reciprocation. Thus, the
forward
row of mold cavities is exposed to only the pressurized front outlet slots
during the filling
interval; and the rearward row of cavities is exposed to only the pressurized
front outlet
slots during the filling interval. In this way, the rearward row of cavities
which pass by
the front outlet slots is not over-filled or over-pressured by being exposed
to pressurized
front outlet slots before or after filling by the corresponding rear outlet
slots.
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According to any embodiments of the invention, the production of food patties
by
the patty-forming apparatus per operating period is effectively doubled
compared to an
apparatus with a single row of mold cavities. The mold plate assembly allows
for the
use of multiple rows of cavities in the mold plate and ensures consistent
filling in both
the rearward and forward rows of cavities. Each row of cavities is filled
simultaneously
without any row of cavities being over-filled, or over-pressured. The
resultant food
patties will have a consistent quality and density, and a resultant consistent
cooking
time.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become
readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and
the
embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a prior art food patty-molding
machine;
FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a first embodiment food patty-
forming apparatus according to the present invention, with the apparatus mold
plate in
a knock-out position;
FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE
2, but with the apparatus mold plate in a filling position;
FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, diagrammatic sectional view taken
generally along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;
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FIGURE 5a is an enlarged, fragmentary, diagrammatic sectional view of the
apparatus shown in FIGURE 2 with the apparatus mold plate at an intermediate
position between the knock-out position and the filling position;
FIGURE 5b is a fragmentary, enlarged, diagrammatic sectional view of the
apparatus shown in FIGURE 2 with the apparatus mold plate in a filling
position;
FIGURE 5c is an enlarged, fragmentary, diagrammatic sectional view of the
apparatus shown in FIGURE 2 with the apparatus mold plate shown in an
intermediate
position between the filling position and the knock-out position;
FIGURE 6 is a chart of the mold plate and valve plate cycles for the apparatus
of
FIGURE 2; and
FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a second embodiment food patty-
forming apparatus according to the present invention, with the apparatus mold
plate in
a knock-out position;
FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of the mold insert plate, mold valve
plate
and mold plate of FIGURE 7, with the mold plate in the knock-out position;
FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the food patty-forming apparatus
of FIGURE 7, with the apparatus mold plate in a retracted position;
FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic plan view of the mold insert plate, mold valve
plate and mold plate of FIGURE 9, with the mold plate in the retracted
position;
FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken approximately as indicated
by lines 11-11 in FIGURE 8, with the valve plate in a closed condition; and
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FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken approximately as indicated
by lines 12-12 in FIGURE 10, with the valve plate in an open condition.
FIGURE 13 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a third embodiment patty-
forming apparatus according to the invention, the apparatus mold plate shown
in a
knock-out position;
FIGURE 14 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the patty-forming apparatus of
FIGURE 13 with the apparatus mold plate retracted a distance rearwardly toward
a fill
position;
FIGURE 15 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the patty-forming apparatus of
FIGURE 14, with the apparatus mold plate moved a further distance, nearing a
fully
retracted position;
FIGURE 16 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the patty-forming apparatus of
FIGURE 15, moved a further distance, with the apparatus mold plate at a fully
retracted
position;
FIGURE 17 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the patty-forming apparatus of
FIGURE 16 with the apparatus mold plate moved a distance toward the knock-out
position; and
FIGURE 18 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the patty-forming apparatus of
FIGURE 17 with the apparatus mold plate moved a further distance toward the
knock-
out position.
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Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms,
there
are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific
embodiments
thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered
as an
exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to
limit the invention
to the specific embodiments illustrated.
FIGURE 2 illustrates a first embodiment food patty-forming apparatus 120 of
the
present invention. Except as otherwise described herein, the apparatus 120 is
of a type
such as described in U.S. Patents 3,887,964; 4,372,008 and 4,821,376.
The apparatus 120 includes a supply apparatus 124 for storing and supplying a.
moldable food product, such as ground beef, fish, pork, chicken, potatoes, or
the like to
the processing mechanism of the apparatus. The supply apparatus 124 includes a
storage hopper (not shown) and a food pump system 126. The supply apparatus
can
be as disclosed in U.S. Patents 4,356,595 and 4,372,008. The apparatus
includes a
mold plate 132 that moves cyclically between a discharge or knock-out position
shown
in FIGURE 2 and a fill position shown in FIGURE 3. In the discharge position,
two rows
of food patties 140a, 140b which occupy two rows of mold cavities, front mold
cavities
142a, and rear mold cavities 142b, respectively, within the mold plate 132,
are
discharged by downward movement of two rows of knock-out cups 146a, 146b,
respectively. The food patties can be delivered to a take-off conveyor such as
shown
in Figure 7.
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The mold plate 132 is guided for reciprocation between a support plate 158 and
a cover plate or breather plate 164. The cover plate 164 provides breather
holes 168
and an associated air channel 169 flow connected to the breather holes for
allowing the
expulsion of air during filling of the two rows of mold cavities 142a, 142b.
Breather hole
locations and patterns are disclosed in U.S. Patent 6,416,314.
A fill plate 172 is fit within the support plate 158 and includes a top
surface 173
which is planar with a contiguous top surface 174 of the support plate 158.
The fill plate
172 includes a forward row of fill openings, such as fill slots 176, and a
rearward row of
fill openings, such as fill slots 178, where "forward" and "rearward" refer to
the
reciprocation direction L of the mold plate 132 from the fill position toward
the discharge
position.
A valve plate 190 is arranged beneath the fill plate 172. The valve plate 190
is
reciprocatable along the reciprocation direction L of the mold plate 132. In
this regard,
a pair of reciprocation mechanisms 208 are used to precisely reciprocate the
valve
plate 190. The valve plate 190 includes forward and rearward rows of valve
openings
such as forward valve slots 216, and rearward valve slots 218. The slots are
oblong in
the transverse direction, having substantially the same size and shape as
corresponding overlying fill slots. The valve slots include flared bottom
edges. In the
valve plate position shown in FIGURE 2, the slots 216, 218 are effectively
closed at
their top ends by the fill plate 172.
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Each reciprocation mechanism 208 includes a vertically disposed shaft 226
which has a horizontally disposed cam 230 connected thereto at top end of the
shaft
208. The cam 230 is positioned within a circular bearing 236 fit within the
valve plate
190. Rotation of the shaft 226 causes rotation of the cam 230 and
reciprocation of the
valve plate 190. In the disclosed exemplary embodiment, the shaft 226 is
oscillated
over an arc of 180 , rather than being continuously rotated.
A housing 250 of the food product delivery system 126 underlies and supports
the support plate 158. Food product is pumped under pressure through a
delivery
channel 254, and then through a valve cylinder 256. Food product from the
valve
cylinder is pressurized into an expanded fill passage 260. In the discharge
position
shown in FIGURE 2, no food product can be delivered from the fill passage 260
through
the valve plate 190 due to the solid features of the overhead fill plate 172,
when the
mold plate 132 is in its discharge or knock-out position.
The apparatus 120 is shown in FIGURE 3 with the mold plate 132 in the
completely retracted, fill position. At this position, the fill slots 176, 178
are in registry
with the two rows of cavities 142a, 142b respectively. Additionally, in the
fill position
illustrated, the reciprocating mechanism 208 has moved the valve plate 190 to
the left
to cause a registry between the respective fill slots 176, 178 and the valve
slots 216,
218. Thus, pressurized food product can flow from the expanded fill passage
260
through the valve slots 216, 218, the fill slots 176, 178 and into the two
rows of cavities
142a, 142b.
FIGURE 4 illustrates the fill plate 172 overlying the valve plate 190. The two
rows of cavities 142a, 142b of the mold plate 132 are shown in phantom in the
fill
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position over the feed slot plate 172, for reference. According to the
embodiment, two
rows of cavities 142a, 142b are utilized, each row having six cavities. It is
of course
encompassed by the invention that more rows, and/or more or less cavities per
row,
could be used.
The direction of reciprocation L is indicated on the left side of FIGURE 4.
The
fill plate 172 is fixedly connected to the support plate 158 by a plurality of
fasteners
270. The valve plate 190 is shown dashed and located below the fill plate 172.
The
reciprocation mechanism 208 includes two shafts 226 connected respectively to
the two
cams 230.
Referring to FIGURES 2 and 4, the shafts 226 are connected to gears 276
arranged below the cams 230. A two-way cylinder 280 is provided below the fill
plate
172 and arranged extending laterally. The two-way cylinder 280 includes a
first output
shaft 282 and an opposite, second output shaft 284. The output shafts 282, 284
are
fastened to an internal piston (not shown) of the cylinder 280 and are
fastened
externally thereof to racks 288, 290 respectively. The racks 288, 290 have
toothed
regions 291, 292 that are respectively enmeshed with the gears 276. Thus, when
the
piston within the cylinder 280 and the shafts 282, 284 move from right to
left, the racks
288, 290 move from right to left which causes counterclockwise rotation of the
gears
276, counterclockwise rotation of the shafts 226, and counterclockwise
rotation of the
cams 230. The cams 230 rotate within the bearings 236 which causes
corresponding
translation of the plate 190 along the reciprocation direction L. When the two-
way
cylinder 280 reverses direction and moves from left to right, the opposite
translation of
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the valve plate 190 occurs. The cylinder 280 is controlled by the apparatus
control C
for synchronized oscillation.
As shown in FIGURE 4, the fill slots 176, 178 are not in registry with the
valve
slots 216, 218. The mold plate 132 shown in FIGURE 4 is in the knock-out
position or
discharge position, as also shown in FIGURE 2. When the reciprocating
mechanism
rotates the cams 230 180 from the position shown, the valve slots 216, 218
will be in
registry with the fill slots 176, 178 respectively, and the cavities 142a,
142b will be
located as shown in phantom.
For simplicity, the valve slots 216 carry the same reference number across the
transverse row of valve slots, and the valve slots 218 carry the same
reference number
across the second row of valve slots. Likewise, the fill slots 176 use the
same
reference number across the first row of fill slots, and the fill slots 178
carry the same
reference number across the second row of fill slots.
FIGURE 5a illustrates the mold plate 132 after having the patties 140a, 140b
removed by the cups 146a, 146b and being retracted toward the fill position,
at the last
moment before the fill slots 176, 178 begin to register with the valve slots
216, 218, by
action of the cams 230. At this point, a trailing edge 142c of the rearward
cavity 142b
has just passed the forward fill slot 176. The mold plate 132 is moving from
right to left
in FIGURE 5a.
FIGURE 5b illustrates the fill position wherein the mold plate has moved from
the
position shown in FIGURE 5a to its most retracted fill position of FIGURE 5b.
During
the travel from the position shown in FIGURE 5a to the position shown in
FIGURE 5b,
the valve slots 216, 218 have moved to become fully in registry with the fill
slots 176,
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178 and pressurized food product has passed into the cavities 142a, 142b.
After a
dwell time in the position shown in FIGURE 5b, the mold plate begins to
translate
toward the knock-out or discharge position.
In FIGURE 5c the mold plate 132 is moving from the fill position toward the
knock-out position. By the time the mold plate 132 has moved to the extent
that the
edge 142c of the rearward mold cavity 142b has reached the fill slot 176, the
valve
plate 190 has been shifted from left to right by the cam 230 such that the
valve slot 216,
218 are closed off from the fill slots 176, 178, respectively. In this way,
the rearward
food patty 140b is not again subjected to a filling pressure from the fill
slot 176 as it
passes thereby.
As set forth in U.S. Patents 4,356,595 and 4,821,376, and 4,372,008, the
quality
of the molded food patties can be improved by relieving the pressure on the
food
product and the pump cavity and in the fill passage throughout a substantial
portion of
the molding cycle. The valve plate 190 is also used to facilitate the control
of the food
product pressure. The preferred pressure relationship of the embodiment is
illustrated
in FIGURE 6 as a function of the mold plate cycle timing.
In FIGURE 6, the phantom line curve 321 shows the cyclic movement of the
mold plate 132. The solid line curve 322 illustrates the pressure applied to
the food
product in the fill passage 260 of the apparatus 120.
As indicated in FIGURE 6, a given maximum fill pressure 323 is applied to the
food product in fill passage 260 during the fill dwell interval 326, to assure
complete
filling of the mold cavities 142a, 142b. Immediately following the fill dwell
interval 326,
in a succeeding transition interval 327 in which mold plate 132 is moving away
from its
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fill position but a part of each mold cavity 142 remains in communication with
the fill
slots, the pressure on the food product is reduced to an intermediate pressure
324
much less than the fill pressure 323. Typically, pressure 324 may be
approximately
20% of fill pressure 323, though this value may vary depending upon the nature
of the
food product and the size and configuration of the mold cavities. Intermediate
pressure
324 should be sufficient to preclude back flow of food product from the mold
cavities
into the fill passage 260 during the transition interval 327. This requirement
can be met
by maintaining intermediate pressure 324 in a range of about 10% to 50% of the
maximum fill pressure 323, in most instances.
As also indicated in FIGURE 6, the pressure on the food product is preferably
retained at or below the intermediate pressure 324 during the remainder of the
cycle.
That is, during extended interval 325 until near the end of the mold cycle,
pressure on
the food product remains at, or below, intermediate pressure 324. The pressure
relief
interval 325 may be maintained through a major portion of the mold plate
cycle.
FIGURES 2 through 5c illustrate the apparatus 120 having a fill plate 172 with
a
single oblong fill slot 176, 178 per each mold cavity 142a, 142b, and a valve
plate also
with a single oblong opening 216, 218 per each mold cavity 142a, 142b.
However, for
some food products, a multi-orifice fill opening into the molding cavities is
preferred in
order to achieve uniform patty texture and subsequent minimal cooking
shrinkage.
Accordingly, it is also encompassed by the invention to use a multi-orifice
fill plate with
an underlying multi-orifice valve plate as illustrated in FIGURES 7 through
12.
FIGURES 7 through 12 illustrate a second embodiment apparatus 330. The
apparatus utilizes a perforated, multi-orifice fill plate 332 having fill
orifices 333,
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recessed within slots 335, in lieu of the slotted fill plate 172 of the first
described
embodiment. The fill plate 332 is located in a position below the mold plate
132 and at
least partially within a recess 337 on the support plate 158. The fill
orifices 333 are
open (via the slots 335) to a face of the cavities 142a, 142b in the fill
position. A valve
plate 340 is supported for horizontal reciprocal movement by the support plate
158
beneath the fill plate 332. The valve plate 340 includes valve orifices 342
which are
registerable with the fill plate orifices 333 in a fill position of the valve
plate 340.
Whereas in the first illustrated embodiment the valve plate190 was arranged to
translate longitudinally (along the direction of mold plate reciprocation),
the valve plate
340 of the alternate embodiment is arranged to be translated laterally to
register the
valve orifices 342 with the fill orifices 333 or alternately to close the fill
orifices 333 with
solid portions of the valve plate 340.
It is however also encompassed by the invention to arrange the valve plate 190
of the first embodiment to reciprocate laterally, and to arrange the valve
plate 340 of the
second embodiment to reciprocate longitudinally.
To move the valve plate from a fill or open position to a closed position, a
hydraulic cylinder 350 (shown schematically in FIGURES 8 and 10) can be used
which
is operationally connected to the valve plate 340. The hydraulic cylinder can
be
pneumatically driven or hydraulic fluid driven. The valve plate is guided to
reciprocate
horizontally between the fill plate 332 and the support plate 158, by force
from the
hydraulic cylinder 350. The hydraulic cylinder is controlled to create a
cyclic or
oscillating lateral force on the valve plate 340, synchronized with the
reciprocation of
the mold plate 132. In this regard, the hydraulic cylinder can be a
bidirectionally acting
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cylinder ("two way cylinder") or can be a single direction cylinder ("one way
cylinder")
combined with a return spring. Alternatively, instead of a single hydraulic
cylinder,
multiple hydraulic cylinders can be used. Furthermore, other motive devices
can be
used such as a cam arrangement driven hydraulically or driven by an electric
motor, or
by a linear electric motor or positioner, or other known device. The operation
and timing
of the valve plate 340 is effectively the same as the operation described
above
associated with FIGURES 5a through 6.
The apparatus 330 includes a cover plate 360 overlying a top breather plate
362
and a bottom breather plate 364. The breather plates 362, 364 include breather
holes
368, 370 arranged to register with the cavities 142a, 142b, respectively
during filling of
the cavities with food product, and breather channels 372, 374 in flow
communication
with the respective breather holes 368, 370. The breather holes 368, 370 and
channels 372, 374 are used to remove air from the cavities during filling of
the cavities
with pressurized food product.
FIGURES 7, 8 and 11 illustrate the apparatus 330 with the mold plate 132 in
the
discharge or knock-out stage or position. The knock-out cups 146a, 146b are
shown in
a downward position, having just discharged patties 140a, 140b from cavities
142a,
142b, respectively. The patties 140a, 140b can be deposited on a product
conveyor
375 to move to a collection area for packaging. The fill plate orifices 333
(shown in
FIGURE 8 as open circles) are out of registry with the valve plate holes 342
(shown
schematically in FIGURE 8 as solid circles), i.e., the valve plate 340 is in
the closed
position.
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FIGURES 9, 10 and 12 illustrate the apparatus 330 with the mold plate 132
retracted in the fill stage or position. The valve plate 340 has been shifted
laterally
inwardly (upwardly in FIGURE 10) by a distance x, and all of the valve plate
holes 342
now register with, or are superimposed by the fill plate orifices 333. This
shift
establishes a flow path of pressurized food product from the fill passage 260,
through
the valve plate 340, through the fill plate 332, and into the cavities 142a,
142b.
FIGURE 11 illustrates the relationship between the valve plate 340 and of the
fill
plate 332. The valve plate holes 342 are not in registry with the orifices 333
of the fill
plate, i.e., the valve plate is in the closed position.
FIGURE 12 illustrates the relationship between the valve plate 340 and of the
fill
plate 332 wherein the mold plate 132 is in the retracted position, and the
valve plate is
in the open position. The valve plate 340 has been shifted and the valve plate
holes
342 to are in registry with the fill plate orifices 333.
FIGURE 13 illustrates a third embodiment food patty-forming apparatus 1120 of
the present invention. Except as otherwise described herein, the apparatus
1120 is of
a type such as described in U.S. Patents 3,887,964; 4,372,008 and 4,821,376
The apparatus 1120 includes a supply apparatus 1124 for storing and supplying
a moldable food product, such as ground beef, fish, pork, chicken, potatoes,
or the like
to the processing mechanism of the apparatus. The supply apparatus 1124
includes a
storage hopper (not shown) and a food product pump system 1126. The supply
apparatus can be as disclosed in U.S. Patents 4,356,595 or 4,372,008 The
apparatus
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CA 02439105 2007-05-16
includes a mold plate 1132 that moves cyclically between a discharge or knock-
out
position shown in FIGURE 13 and a fill position or stage shown in Figures 15
and 16.
In the discharge position, two rows of food patties 1140a, 1140b which occupy
two
rows of mold cavities, front mold cavities 1142a, and rear mold cavities
1142b,
respectively, within the mold plate 1132, are discharged by downward movement
of
two rows of corresponding knock-out cups 11146a, 1146b, respectively. The food
patties can be delivered onto a take-off conveyor 1175
According to the embodiment, two rows of cavities, front cavities 1142a and
rear
cavities 1142b, are utilized, each row having six cavities (not shown). It is
of course
encompassed by the invention that more rows, and/or more or less cavities per
row,
could be used.
The mold plate 1132 is guided for reciprocal movement by a support plate
1158, a bottom fill plate 1172, and a top fill plate structure 1162. A cover
plate 1164
overlies the top fill plate structure 1162. The top fill plate structure 1162
includes a top
fill plate 1168, and a breather plate 1174. The breather plate 1174 includes
breather
holes 1180, 1182 in air communication with the front and rear cavities 1142a,
1142b
respectively, and with lateral air channels 11 83a, 1184a and longitudinal air
channels
1183b, 11 84b, respectively. The breather holes are recessed in dished areas
11 80a,
1182a. Breather hole locations and pattems are disclosed in U.S. Patent
6,146,314.
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WO 02/068172 PCT/US02/05353
into a top surface of the breather plate 1174, and the channels 1184a, 1184b
are
formed into a bottom surface of the top fill plate 1168. The top fill plate
1168 includes
an overhead fill cavity 1186 partly defined by the cover plate 1164. The
breather plate
1174 includes a fill opening 1190 and a front outlet slot 1192 and a rear
outlet slot
1194, all open to the fill cavity 1186 of the top fill plate 1168.
Below the mold plate 1132 is the bottom fill plate 1172. The bottom fill plate
1172 is fit on, and partly recessed within, the support plate 1158, and
includes a top
surface 1198 which is planar with a contiguous top surface 1204 of the support
plate
1158. The bottom fill plate 1172 is mounted to the support plate 1158 by a
plurality of
fasteners 1270. The bottom fill plate 1172 includes a fill delivery channel
1206 open at
an outlet 1207 at a top end, and flow connected at a bottom end to the pump
system
1126.
The mold plate includes a fill hole 208 located rearwardly of the two rows of
cavities 1142a, 1142b. In the position shown in FIGURE 13, a solid portion
1212 of the
mold plate 1132 is interposed between the fill opening 1190 and the fill
delivery channel
1206, blocking food product communication therebetween. When the mold plate
1132
is in the position shown in FIGURE 13, food product under reduced (or zero)
pressure
is effectively trapped above the mold plate 1132 within the fill opening 1190,
the fill
cavity 1186, and the front and rear outlet slots 1192, 1194 (indicated in the
FIGURES
by speckling).
For simplicity, only one longitudinally arranged pair of the cavities 1142a,
1142b
and one set of corresponding features, such as the knock-out cups 1 146a,
1146b,
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WO 02/068172 PCT/US02/05353
groups of breather holes 1180, 1182, channels 1183a, 1183b, 1184a, 1184b, fill
hole
1208, delivery channel 1206, fill inlet 1190, fill cavity 1186, and front and
rear outlet
slots 1192, 1194, are shown and described. Given that the front and rear
cavities
1142a, 1142b would advantageously be multiplied across the width of the mold
plate
1132, the corresponding features can also be multiplied across the apparatus
in like
fashion. Alternatively, some corresponding features, such as the cavity 1186,
could
possibly be shared by more than one pair of cavities 1142a, 1142b across the
rows.
A housing 1250 of the food product pump system 1126 underlies and supports
the support plate 1158. Food product is pumped under pressure through a
delivery
channel 1254, and then through a valve cylinder 1256. Food product from the
valve
cylinder is pressurized into an expanded fill passage 1260.
As the mold plate is retracted from right to left in the direction L, as
illustrated
progressively in FIGURES 13 through 16, the fill hole 1208 is eventually
positioned
between the inlet fill opening 1190 and the fill delivery channel 1206.
Pressurized food
product can then begin to pass (FIGURE 15) from the expanded fill passage
1260,
through the fill delivery channel 1206 and out of the outlet 1207, through the
fill hole
1208, through the fill opening 1190, into the overhead cavity 1186, through
the front
and rear outlet slots 1192, 1194 and into the mold plate cavities 1142a,
1142b.
As illustrated in FIGURE 17, the mold plate has begun to move toward the
knock-out position. Before the rear cavities 1142b are exposed to the front
outlet slot
1192, the mold plate solid portion 1212 closes off the fill opening 1190 from
the fill
delivery channel 1206. Thus, the strategic location of the mold plate fill
hole 1208, the
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WO 02/068172 PCT/US02/05353
delivery channel 1206 and the fill opening 1190 ensure that the rear cavities
1142b are
not subjected to pressurized food product from the front outlet slots 1192
when passin,g
thereby from either forward or reverse direction. The front cavities 1142a are
only fed
by pressurized food product by the front outlet slots 1192 and that the rear
cavities
1142b are only fed by pressurized food product by the rear outlet slots 1194.
FIGURE 18 shows the mold plate 1132 extended toward the knock-out or
discharge position, nearing the position shown in FIGURE 13, wherein the cycle
is
repeated.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and
modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of
the
invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the
specific apparatus
illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course,
intended to cover by
the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the
claims.
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