초록 ▼

Apparatus and a method for filling packages with cooked or blanched foods in the form of sticky masses containing water wherein the foods are first placed in a hopper and caused to gravitate into pockets on the outer periphery of a drum rotatable about a generally horizontal axis above a conveyor ca

Apparatus and a method for filling packages with cooked or blanched foods in the form of sticky masses containing water wherein the foods are first placed in a hopper and caused to gravitate into pockets on the outer periphery of a drum rotatable about a generally horizontal axis above a conveyor carrying a number of open packages. As the drum rotates, a mass of the food product is received in each pocket as the pocket moves beneath the hopper. The food product mass in each pocket is retained therein until the pocket approaches the conveyor below the drum. At this point, the food product mass gravitates from the pocket into a package aligned with the pocket and carried by the conveyor. The gravitational movement is assisted by a shiftable piston at the radially inner end of the pocket. The leading part of the food product mass enters the package first, followed by the trailing part, so that the product is uniformly placed in the package and, when so placed, is more pleasing in appearance to the consumer when the package is later opened after being closed and moved through a freezing station. The drum continues to rotate, the pockets continue to receive the food product, and packages are continually filled in the foregoing manner.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of packaging a wet, sticky, pre-cooked food product comprising: depositing a volume of the food product in a confined region having a lower opening; successively moving a plurality of spaced pockets along a first path and into registry with the opening; allowing a mass of the food product t

A method of packaging a wet, sticky, pre-cooked food product comprising: depositing a volume of the food product in a confined region having a lower opening; successively moving a plurality of spaced pockets along a first path and into registry with the opening; allowing a mass of the food product to gravitate into and substantially fill each pocket, respectively, as the same moves into registry with said opening; moving a number of spaced, open packages along a second path convergent with said first path with the speed of movement and the spacing of the packages being correlated with the speed of movement and the spacing of the pockets; holding each food product mass in the respective pocket as the latter moves away from said opening and toward said second path; progressively removing the holding action on each food product mass as it approaches and moveS into registry with a respective package on said second path; depositing each food product mass in the respective package in the form of a mat as the holding action on the food product mass is progressively removed and as the food product mass is in registry with the respective package; and closing and freezing each package with the food product mass therein.