Method and apparatus for flavoring and surface treatment of meat products

Claim 2

Apparatus for imparting surface treatment such as searing and branding to a food product comprising a frame, a housing on said frame and having an inlet and an outlet serving to permit the receiving and discharging of the product with respect to said housing; horizontally spaced apart, inlet and outlet conveyor means extending respectively into said housing inlet and outlet, branding means movably arranged in said housing between said spaced apart inlet and outlet conveyor means to receive the product discharged from said inlet conveyor means and serving to convey the product horizontally within the housing for treatment and to discharge the product upon said outlet conveyor means, said branding means remaining at all times within said housing and including a first branding mechanism serving to mark the top side portion of the product, and a second branding mechanism serving to mark the bottom or underside portion of the product and to support the product and move the same from said inlet to said outlet conveyor means, each said branding mechanisms comprising an endless belt structure formed of spaced apart parallel, interlinked rod-like branding elements, first and second drive means serving to drive in synchronism said first and second branding mechanisms respectively, the drive means for said first branding mechanism serving to support the top run of the endless belt structure for the first branding mechanism and permitting the bottom run of said belt structure to drape downwardly for engagement with the top surface of the product flame heating means in said housing to cause flame to impinge upon such food product and upon said rod-like branding elements as the food product is moved by the branding means from said inlet to said outlet conveyor means, and power means serving to drive said inlet and outlet conveyor means and said first and second drive means for the branding means.

Claim 3

The apparatus defined in claim 1 and including hold-down means engaging the bottom run of the endless belt structure of the first branding mechanism and serving to insure engagement of said rod-like branding elements with the food product.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said endless belt structure of said first branding mechanism has a length so that its lower run is slack whereby its lower run overlies said meat product for a substantial distance along the path of travel of the meat product through said housing.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flame heating means is positioned so that flames therefrom project through the spaces between the spaced apart rod-like elements in the endless conveyor belt structures and serve to heat the same and to sear the product.

Claim 6

In apparatus for rapidly imparting meat-searing marks to a meat product prior to final cooking of the same, a housing having inlet and outlet openings, means mounted in said housing for conveying meat products through said housing and having portions thereof extending through said inlet and outlet openings of said housing so that meat products can be placed on and removed from said means exterior of the housing, branding grille means in said housing for conveying the product horizontally within the housing and for placing meat-searing marks on said meat products while in said housing, and means for driving said conveying means and branding grille means, said branding grille means including heat retaining elements operative for repeatedly engaging said meat products in said housing while they are in said housing, said heat retaining elements being positioned in and remaining at all times within said housing and means in said housing for heating said elements to a sufficiently high temperature so that when they engage the meat products the meat products are seared and have formed thereon searing marks corresponding to the configuration of the heat retaining elements, said branding grille means in said housing including an upper endless loop formed from interconnection of a plurality of said heat-retaining elements and means cooperative with said drive means for moving upper portions of said upper loop and moving the heat-retaining elements sequentially into engagement with said meat products, the lower portions of said upper loop having a length to drape downwardly from said last named means to form a catenary, the bottom segment of which rests upon and engages the upper surfaces of the meat products for a substantial distance within the housing, said branding grille means additionally including a lower endless loop formed from interconnection of a plurality of others of said heat-retaining elements, and means cooperative with said drive means for moving upper portions of said lower endless loop and said other heat-retaining elements substantially horizontally in supporting engagement with said meat products, said heat-retaining elements of said upper and lower endless loops engaging upper and lower surfaces of said meat products to rapidly and simultaneously form searing marks thereon while horizontally conveying the same through said housing.

Claim 7

In apparatus for rapidly imparting meat-searing marks to a meat product prior to final cooking of the same, a housing having inlet and outlet openings, means mounted in said housing for conveying meat products through said housing and having portions thereof extending through said inlet and outlet openings of said housing so that meat products can be placed on and removed from said means exterior of the housing, branding grille means in said housing for conveying the product horizontally within the housing and for placing meat-searing marks on said meat products while in said housing, and means for driving said conveying means and branding grille means, said branding grille means including heat retaining elements operative for repeatedly engaging said meat products in said housing while they are in said housing, said heat retaining elements being positioned in and remaining at all times within said housing and means in said housing for heating said elements to a sufficiently high temperature so that when they engage the meat products the meat products are seared and have formed thereon searing marks corresponding to the configuration of the heat retaining elements, said branding grille means in said housing including an upper endless loop formed from interconnection of a plurality of said heat-retaining elements and means cooperative with said drive means for moving upper portions of said upper loop and moving the heat-retaining elements sequentially into engagement with said meat products, the lower portions of said upper loop having a length to drape downwardly from said last named means to form a catenary, the bottom segment of which rests upon and engages the upper surfaces of the meat products for a substantial distance within the housing, said branding grille means additionally including a lower endless loop formed from interconnection of a plurality of others of said heat-retaining elements, and means cooperative with said drive means for moving upper portions of said lower endless loop and said other heat-retaining elements substantially horizontally in supporting engagement with said meat products, said heat-retaining elements of said upper and lower endless loops engaging upper and lower surfaces of said meat products to rapidly and simultaneously form searing marks thereon while horizontally conveying the same through said housing.