Hormel Foods Corporation

John P Hotek

Allan D Olson

John K Buckles

Jeffrey J Morrison

John T Hays

Gary D Westland

Patrick Filbrandt

Matthew L Solomonson

Joseph C Gray

A product cutter that includes a plurality of blades, a conveyer, a cutting adjustment assembly and a frame is provided. The plurality of blades are designed to cut an elongated product into a plurality of cut product portions having generally equal lengths. The plurality of blades includes a pair of outer blades and at least one inner blade positioned between the outer blades. The conveyor is used to move the elongated product to the blades. The cutting adjustment assembly is configured and arranged to adjust distances between the respective blades while maintaining cut product portions of generally equal lengths. The at least one inner blade is held stationary in relation to the conveyer during activation of the cutting adjustment assembly. The frame is configured and arranged to hold at least the plurality of blades and the cutting adjustment assembly.

Product cutter

A metering product delivery pump system that includes a product accumulator assembly, at least one controlled product dispensing assembly and a rotary gate valve assembly for each controlled product dispensing assembly is provided. The product accumulator assembly is coupled to receive product. The at least one controlled product dispensing assembly outputs product to a product package. Each rotary gate valve assembly is coupled to selectively pass product between the product accumulator system and an associated controlled product dispensing assembly. Each rotary gate valve assembly includes a rotary gate valve and at least one blade configured and arranged to engage the rotary gate valve to cut solid product as the rotary gate valve is rotated.

Metering product delivery pump system

A method and apparatus for high-pressure pasteurization utilizes a basket () for holding food packages (). The basket () is transported on a cart () from a loading station (), to the high-pressure pasteurization processing apparatus () and back to an unloading station (). Two robots () are utilized to reduce cycle time of the high-pressure pasteurization vessels ().

Method and apparatus for material handling for a food product using high pressure pasteurization

Growing community of inventors

Austin, MN, United States of America

John P Hotek