The Jimmy Dean Meat Company, Inc.

Other

Swift Company

Vincent E Bernard

Wayne F Everman

A meat grinder includes a pump (12) that feeds meat particles into a mixing chamber (32) at a constant flow rate. The meat exits into a frusto-conical shaped collection chamber (36) for passage to a grinder plate (38). A rotating knife (40) with radially extending blades (50) is rotated by a hydraulic motor (42) at a variable rate. The variable flow rate of the particles to chamber (36) and the variable speed of the knife (40) results in a variable particle size output by the grinder plate (38).

Variable speed meat grinder

The specification discloses a system and process for producing discrete chilled products having preselected weights from a semi-fluid mixture. The semi-fluid mixture is pumped along a distribution path to an extruding manifold which extrudes a plurality of parallel continuous lengths of the mixture. The continuous lengths are directed through a chilling station in a parallel relationship in order to chill and firm the lengths such that the lengths maintain their extruded cross-sectional configuration. A cutter periodically severs the continuous lengths at predetermined intervals to provide a plurality of discrete products having predetermined weights. The pumping rate, rate of travel through the freezer and periodic severing of the continuous lengths may be selectively varied in order to maintain any desired weight of the discrete products.

Process for extruding and forming portion controlled frozen food products

Process for extruding and forming portion controlled frozen food

The specification discloses a heated extruder nozzle for extruding semi-fluid material such as ground meats and other food products. The nozzle includes a chamber having a baffle wall dividing the chamber into a first and second baffle area with these baffle areas in fluid communication by an opening through the baffle wall. A plurality of extruder tubes extend through the first and second baffle areas and receive the semi-fluid product therethrough. An inlet extends from the first baffle area and permits the introduction of heated fluid, such as water or steam, into the first baffle area. A return outlet is attached from the second baffle area for discharging heated fluid therefrom. The inlet and outlet communicate with the first and second baffle areas, respectively, on opposite sides of the extruder tubes from the opening in the baffle wall through which fluid is communicated from the first baffle area to the second baffle area.

Method of extruding semi-fluid material through a heated extruder nozzle

The specification discloses a system and process for producing discrete chilled products having preselected weights from a semi-fluid mixture. The semi-fluid mixture is pumped along a distribution path to an extrusion manifold which extrudes a continuous sheet of the mixture. The continuous sheet is directed through a chilling station where it is chilled and firmed such that the sheet maintains its extruded cross-sectional configuration. A plurality of slicers continuously slice the continuous sheet of material into continuous lengths. A cutter periodically severs the continuous lengths at predetermined intervals to provide a plurality of discrete products having predetermined weights. The pumping rate, rate of travel through the freezer and periodic severing of the continuous lengths may be selectively varied in order to maintain any desired weight of the discrete products. In an alternative embodiment, the continuous sheet of material is divided into discrete products by stamping the sheet with a plurality of cutters. In another embodiment, a rotatable cutting drum, having a pluraity of equally spaced circumferential slicing disks and equally spaced longitudinal blades, severs the continuous sheet of material into discrete products.

Portion controlled frozen food

The specification discloses a system and process for producing discrete chilled products having preselected weights from a semi-fluid mixture. The semi-fluid mixture is pumped along a distribution path to an extrusion manifold which extrudes a continuous sheet of the mixture. The continuous sheet is directed through a chilling station where it is chilled and firmed such that the sheet maintains its extruded cross-sectional configuration. A plurality of slicers continuously slice the continuous sheet of material into continuous lengths. A cutter periodically severs the continuous lengths at predetermined intervals to provide a plurality of discrete products having predetermined weights. The pumping rate, rate of travel through the freezer and periodic severing of the continuous lengths may be selectively varied in order to maintain any desired weight of the discrete products. In an alternative embodiment, the continuous sheet of material is divided into discrete products by stamping the sheet with a plurality of cutters. In another embodiment, a rotatable cutting drum, having a plurality of equally spaced circumferential slicing disks and equally spaced longitudinal blades, severs the continuous sheet of material into discrete products.

Portion controlled frozen food dispenser with pump control

Food patties are severed from logs and fed into magazines. A plurality of logs may be processed simultaneously; and the severed patties may be simultaneously fed in columns into one or more magazines. Under certain conditions columns of patties are moved through a transition means to separate same prior to entering the magazines. Thereafter successive magazines are moved to a position where the patties are sequentially deposited from the magazines onto a divider web and conveyor.

Apparatus for assembling items

The specification discloses a system and process for producing discrete chilled products having preselected weights from a semi-fluid mixture. The semi-fluid mixture is pumped along a distribution path to an extruding manifold which extrudes a plurality of parallel continuous lengths of the mixture. The continous lengths are directed through a chilling station in a parallel relationship in order to chill and firm the lengths such that the lengths maintain their extruded cross-sectional configuration. A cutter periodically severs the continuous lengths at predetermined intervals to provide a plurality of discrete products having predetermined weights. The pumping rate, rate of travel through the freezer and periodic severing of the continuous lengths may be selectively varied in order to maintain any desired weight of the discrete products.

Growing community of inventors

Richardson, TX, United States of America

Vincent E Bernard