Machine for browning and forming solid meat

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR MOLDING AND EXTERNALLY SEARING CHUNKS OF FOOD SUCH AS MEAT, HAVING IN COMBINATION A STATIONARY, HEAT-CONDUCTIVE, ELONGATED TUBE HAVING A SMOOTH INTERNAL SURFACE AND AN OPEN DISCHARGE END, THE FORWARD END OF SAID TUBE HAVING AN ENTRANCE COMMUNICATING THEREWITH INTO WHICH CHUNKS OF MEAT MAY BE SUCCESSIVELY FED, MEANS FOR COMPRESSING THE CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSIONS OF SAID CHUNKS THROUGHOUT THE LENGTHS THEREOF AS THEY ARE SO FED TO OBTAIN SUBSTANTIAL PERIPHERAL CONTACT OF SAID CHUNKS WITH SAID TUBE, MEANS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY HEATING SAID TUBE AND MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE THEREOF AT A SEARING POINT AND DRIVEN PLUNGER MEANS SLIDABLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID TUBE FOR FORWARD LONGITUDINAL SLIDING TRAVEL THEREIN, SAID PLUNGER MEANS BEING SHAPED AND CONTOURED TO ENGAGE THE REAR PORTION ONLY OF A CHUNK OF FOOD HAVING A CROSS SECTIONAL AREA SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE CROSS SECTIONAL AREA OF THE TUBE TO FORCE THE CHUNKS OF FOOD FORWARDLY THROUGH SAID TUBE IN PERIPHERAL CONTACT AGAINST THE SMOOTH INTERNAL SURFACE THEREOF AND TO SUCCESSIVELY DISCHARGE THE MOLDED AND SEARED CHUNKS FROM THE FORWARD END THEREOF.