The present disclosure describes an ultrasonic rotary molding system that is used to form edible compositions or food products as they move along a conveyor belt. The food products are formed by an ultrasonic rotary wheel that includes one or more cutting tools that cut, and perhaps three dimensionally mold, food product strips. The system may include a movable backing plate that is located below the point where the ultrasonic rotary wheel cuts the food product strips. The movable backing plate may be spring loaded and it may exert force upwards against the conveyor belt and in turn against the food product.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for cutting flatbread. One of the systems includes a lifting platform configured to move in a first direction to remove a flatbread stack from a conveyor along an axis, which conveyor transports the flatbread stack along a longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular to the axis; a transport arm configured to a) move in a first direction along the longitudinal axis to remove the flatbread stack from the lifting platform, and b) move in a second direction along the longitudinal axis to place the flatbread stack on a cutting pedestal; and the cutting pedestal configured to receive the flatbread stack from the transport arm and to support the flatbread stack for a subsequent cutting operation.

A vending machine system for loading and dispensing pre-baked unpackaged food including a fixed cartridge disposed in a refrigerator of a vending machine, and a transport cartridge adapted to removably attach to the fixed cartridge, the transport cartridge operable for holding trays of unpackaged food and loading the trays of unpackaged food from the transport cartridge into the fixed cartridge, wherein, when the transport cartridge is removably attached to the fixed cartridge, a front opening of the transport cartridge aligns with a front opening of the fixed cartridge, and wherein the rack of the transport cartridge aligns with the conveyor system of the fixed cartridge such that trays of unpackaged food within the transport cartridge can simultaneously be transitioned from the rack to the conveyor system.

Various aspects of this disclosure relate to a method of trimming a cone-shaped wafer, wherein the trimming is performed with an ultrasonic knife. The cone-shaped wafer may be an ice cream cone such as a waffle cone. In some specific embodiments, the cone-shaped wafer is trimmed to a length of no greater than 117 millimeters.

Various aspects of this disclosure relate to a method of trimming a cone-shaped wafer, wherein the trimming is performed with an ultrasonic knife. The cone-shaped wafer may be an ice cream cone such as a waffle cone. In some specific embodiments, the cone-shaped wafer is trimmed to a length of no greater than 117 millimeters.

A lock nut blade assembly includes a shaft mounting a circular blade via a lock nut hub subassembly in an assembled configuration. The blade assembly is particularly configured for multi-blade slicers in production lines for sliced bread products such as buns, rolls, bagels, hoagies and chibatas. The blade assembly can be easily disassembled with hand tools for replacing or repairing worn and dull blades or shafts, while retaining other blade assembly components for continued service.

A lock nut blade assembly includes a shaft mounting a circular blade via a lock nut hub subassembly in an assembled configuration. The blade assembly is particularly configured for multi-blade slicers in production lines for sliced bread products such as buns, rolls, bagels, hoagies and chibatas. The blade assembly can be easily disassembled with hand tools for replacing or repairing worn and dull blades or shafts, while retaining other blade assembly components for continued service.

A modular pastry packaging carousel is disclosed, which provides the ability to individually store wedge-shaped pastry slices in a respective wedge-shaped pastry module. In a version of the application, the modular pasty packaging carousel generally comprises a bottom plate, a top plate, and a spacer positioned between the bottom plate and the top plate, providing a radial gap therebetween. The modular pastry packaging carousel further provides a plurality of wedge-shaped pastry modules, each comprising a sector-shaped removable base. The sector-shaped removable base includes a means for engaging the pastry module with the base tray radial connection channels. In certain versions, a radial pastry slicer assembly, which has a plurality of radially positioned slicers, is provided.

A modular pastry packaging carousel is disclosed, which provides the ability to individually store wedge-shaped pastry slices in a respective wedge-shaped pastry module. In a version of the application, the modular pasty packaging carousel generally comprises a bottom plate, a top plate, and a spacer positioned between the bottom plate and the top plate, providing a radial gap therebetween. The modular pastry packaging carousel further provides a plurality of wedge-shaped pastry modules, each comprising a sector-shaped removable base. The sector-shaped removable base includes a means for engaging the pastry module with the base tray radial connection channels. In certain versions, a radial pastry slicer assembly, which has a plurality of radially positioned slicers, is provided.

A portioning device for cutting or leveling a food product includes a blade configured to cut the food product, a first leg section and a second leg section configured to support the portioning device on a surface, and a handle section configured to be manipulated by a user. Each of the first and second leg sections include a leg, a blade holder configured to connect with the blade, and a leg lock operatively mounted to the leg and configured to selectively lock the leg in a position at a selected height of the leg to adjust a distance between the blade and the surface. The blade is a wire. The handle section is foldable about the central portion thereof to place the device in a collapsed configuration.