Food handling equipment and method of use

Claim 1

A machine for automatically and continuously forming a taco food product comprising: a frame having a continuously moving belt thereon, a reservoir on the frame for holding a supply of taco meat filler therein, metering means connected to said reservoir for supplying a predetermined amount of filler from said reservoir to a tortilla positioned on said belt, and signal means on said frame being responsive to the positioning of a tortilla on said belt at a preselected position to activate said metering means and supply the predetermined amount of meat filler to the tortilla, said metering means including a housing having a rotary valve therein, said rotary valve having at least two metering chambers therein, a floating piston in each of said metering chambers in fluid pressure engagement therewith and movable between a discharging position and a displacement position, said floating piston being moved from the discharging position to the displacement position as the meat filler is supplied to said metering chamber, drive means connected to said rotary valve member, said drive means being responsive to the signal means to move said rotary valve member and said metering chambers from a first position permitting the receiving of the meat filler from said reservoir to a second position permitting the discharge of the meat filler therefrom, and actuation means on said housing including a push rod engageable with said floating piston when in the dischaRge position, said actuation means and push rod being responsive to the signal means upon the positioning of the metering chamber at the second position to engage and move said floating piston in a direction to discharge the meat filler from said metering chamber onto the tortilla positioned on said belt and a pair of rollers on opposite sides of said belt predeterminately spaced apart, the belt being passed between said rollers for folding and pressing the tortilla after the meat filler has been supplied thereto.