Armour and Company

Rodney D Wicklund

Gerald J Orlowski

Walter W Weibler

Richard D Sandlas

An indexing conveyor system wherein a feed conveyor section receives items, which are rapidly dispensed from a source thereof, and transports the items, one behind the other, on a plurality of endless belts to a pivotal conveyor section. A counter counts the items moving on the pivotal conveyor section and effects rapid pivotal movement of the pivotal conveyor section when a predetermined number of items have been counted. The distal end of the pivotal conveyor section pivots between positions aligned first with one and then the other of a pair of elongated receiving conveyor sections arranged in tiers and each having a plurality of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced endless belts. A guard conveyor section closely overlies the pivotal conveyor section, is movable in unison therewith, and prevents items from being thrown off of the pivotal conveyor section when the latter pivots between its respective positions. A plurality of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced rods are disposed between the upper portions of the endless belts of each receiving conveyor section and rotate in the same direction about their longitudinal axes. Vertically shiftable, plate-like members associated with each receiving conveyor section alternately elevate and depress the upper portions of the endless belts thereof so that the rotating rods of each receiving conveyor section are alternately rendered effective and ineffective to change the direction and transport items transversely off of the receiving conveyor section in a row and onto an adjacent take-off conveyor section. The takeoff conveyor sections transport and alternately deposit the rows of items onto a final conveyor section, which extends in the same direction as the take-off conveyor sections.

Indexing conveyor system

A molding apparatus and method are provided for forming patties from an agglomerable edible material such as meat. The apparatus includes a turret which rotates between a feed station where the edible material is fed upwardly under pressure into one of a plurality of mold cavities and a discharge station where each formed patty is ejected by a piston. An improved sealing means is provided for effecting sealing engagement of a feed spout assembly with the bottom surface of the rotating turret. An improved cut-off band is also provided for separating the formed patties from the turret at the discharge station. Reciprocation of the piston in each mold cavity is regulated by a control means which includes means for limiting the free upward movement of the piston until the cavity opening is fully aligned with a feed opening in the feed spout assembly.

Apparatus and method for molding meat patties

An improved molding apparatus is provided for forming patties from an agglomerable edible material, particularly meat in frozen flake cut form. The apparatus includes a rotating turret with a plurality of mold cavities and reciprocable pistons. The turret rotates between a feed station where the edible material is fed upwardly under pressure into the mold cavities and a discharge station where the formed patties are ejected and separated by a continuous cut-off band. An improved cut-off band is also provided in which the band is disposed at a slight angle to facilitate its entry into the interfaces between the bottom surfaces of the pistons and the formed patties. The leading corners of the pistons are chamfered to receive the blade. The band is looped between a pair of pulleys on adjustable supports for providing the desired inclination of the band. Scrapers and spray nozzles are provided to maintain the cleanliness of the band and the pulley grooves.

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Denver, CO, United States of America

Rodney D Wicklund