Marlen Research Corporation

William R Wright

Richard G Powers

Lewis F Alley

James E Anderson

Wendell E Dennis

Kevin F Cooper

A dual-piston pump apparatus includes a pair of reciprocating sleeves within which a pair of reciprocating pistons are disposed. The pistons and sleeves are each supported on a frame for independent reciprocating movement along a line angled relative to horizontal by an angle of less than about 60.degree.. The apparatus also includes a piston construction including a removable face which permits the piston to be broken down for cleaning. Each piston is normally restricted by a stop from extension beyond the end of the corresponding sleeve, but an actuator is provided for freeing the piston relative to the sleeve so that the piston may be extended beyond the sleeve and the sleeve may be withdrawn from a pump chamber of the apparatus.

Dual-piston pump apparatus

An improved, rapid clean-out valve assembly (36) is provided which is especially adapted for use on a food pump (10) or similar device. The assembly (36) includes a stationary valve body (38) presenting a pair of inlets (44, 46) as well as an outlet (50) and adapted to receive a pivotal valve rotor (52) therein; the rotor (52) is selectively pivotal via an actuator (60) between alternate flow-directing positions respectively communicating each inlet (44 or 46) with outlet (50). Rapid clean-up of the assembly (36) is afforded by means of structure (42) permitting manual translational movement of the internal valve rotor (52) from its operational position within housing (48) to a lowered, clean-out position outside of the confines of the housing (48). The structure (42) includes apertured slider blocks (76, 78) secured to an actuator housing (68), with the blocks (76, 78) receiving corresponding stationary guides (80, 82). A pair of pivotally interconnected links ( 88, 90) are used to selectively raise and lower the housing (68) and thereby rotor (52), through the medium of manually operable handle (92).

Rapid clean-out valve assembly

Apparatus (20) for successively supplying substantially equal portions of a flowable comminuted product such as sausage from a source thereof to a delivery zone is disclosed wherein dual product portioning chambers (80, 88, 82, 90) are provided which function such that as meat to be portioned is directed into a first chamber which increases in volume to a predetermined extent, portioned meat is delivered from the other chamber as it decreases in volume to the same predetermined extent. Means (114) is provided externally of the chambers for substantially equalizing the increase and decrease of the effective product-receiving volume of each of the chambers.

Growing community of inventors

Overland Park, KS, United States of America

William R Wright