Process and apparatus for shaping frozen flesh

Abstract

Abstract A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A PRE-SHAPED FOOD PRODUCT, PARTICULARLY FISH, AND THE PRE-SHAPED FOOD PRODUCED THEREBY ARE DESCRIBED. THE METHOD INCLUDES THE STEP OF FORMING INDIVIDUAL PORTIONS OF THE FLESH, EACH BEING OF PREDETERMINED SIZE AND BEING AT LEAST IN A PARTIALLY FROZEN CONDITION, INTO A PREDETERMINED SHAPE BY FORCING THE FLESH PORTIONS INDIVIDUALLY INTO A FORMING DIE CAVITY ADAPTED TO IMPART THE PREDETERMINED SHAPE TO EACH PORTION. THE VOLUMEOF EACH PORTION PRIOR TO THE FORMING STEP EQUALS THE VOLUME OF EACH CORRESPONDING FORMED FOOD PORTION. THE FROZEN PRE-SHAPED EDIBLE FLESH FOOD PRODUCT HAS A SMOOTHLY CONTOURED MARGINAL OUTLINE IN PLAN VIEW, WITH THE FLESH ADJACENT THE MARGINAL EDGE BEING IN A DEFORMED CONDITION RELATIVE TO THE FLESH IN THE CENTRAL REGION OF THE PRODUCT. THE APPARATUS INCLUDES A FORMING STATION HAVING A FORMING DIE ALL ARRANGED TO ENGAGE AND FORM PORTIONS OF FLESH FED THERETO. A DEVICE FOR FEEDING INDIVIDUAL PORTIONS OF THE FLESH TO THE FORMING STATION IS PROVIDED AS WELL AS MECHANISM FOR EFFECTING ACTUATION OF THE FEEDING DEVICE AND THE FORMING DIE IN TIMED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER TO EFFECT FORMING OF THE FLESH PORTIONS. THE FORMING STATION INCLUDES A FIXED PLATEN WITH THE FEEDING DEVICE BEING ARRANGED TO FEED EACH FLESH PORTION TO POSITION INTERMEDIATE THE FORMING DIE AND THE PLATEN WHEN THE DIE IS IN A RETRACTED POSITION. WHEN THE FORMING DIE IS ADVANCED THE FLESH PORTIONS ARE ENGAGED IN PRESSURIZED RELATION BETWEEN THE DIE AND THE PLATEN. THE FEEDING DEVICE INCLUDES AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR BELT DEFINING A PATH OF TRAVEL WHICH EXTENDS OVER THE FIXED PLATEN AND THE CONVEYOR BELT IS DRIVEN IN STEP-BY-STEP FASHION TO BRING SUCCESSIVE FLESH PORTIONS INTERMEDIATE THE FORMINGDIE AND THE FIXED PLATEN TO PERMIT THEM TO BE FORMED IN SEQUENTIAL FASHION. EJECTING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIE FOR POSITIVELY EJECTING THE FORMED FLESH THEREFROM WHEN THE DIE IS RETRACTED ARE ALSO PROVIDED.

Inventors

• 👤 I Langlands

Bibliographic Details