A system for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials which are suitable for consumption, in particular human consumption, has a production device having a frame, a mould member provided with at least one mould cavity, the frame supporting the mould member, mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mould cavities of the mould member. The system also has at least one cleaning device for cleaning one or more parts of the production device which come into contact with the mass. The mould member is removable from the frame. The system has a storage device for storing a plurality of mould members, which may be provided with an identification, has recognition means for recognizing the identification of a mould member, and may have a memory for storing at least one history of a mould member.

Device for dispensing a food item into a hot fluid comprises a bowl having a permanent base and a movable plate positioned about the permanent base. A bottom of the bowl defines an opening for receiving a shaft extending therethrough. The shaft is coupled to the movable plate. A shank is selectively engaged with the bowl, the shank having a handle at a proximal end thereof. A lever is pivotably attached to the shank. The pivotal attachment is spaced apart from the bowl. The lever is detachably coupled to the shaft to impart translation of the movable plate. During operation, the lever is manipulated from a first position to a second position to push the shaft to move the movable plate to thereby eject the food item out of the bowl and into a hot fluid.

A system for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials which are suitable for consumption, in particular human consumption, has a production device having a frame, a mould member provided with at least one mould cavity, the frame supporting the mould member, mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mould cavities of the mould member. The system also has at least one cleaning device for cleaning one or more parts of the production device which come into contact with the mass. The mould member is removable from the frame. The system has a storage device for storing a plurality of mould members, which may be provided with an identification, has recognition means for recognizing the identification of a mould member, and may have a memory for storing at least one history of a mould member.

The food product machine with a food supply, a rotary food pump connected to the food supply, a molding mechanism having a mold plate and a knockout drive, and a mold plate reciprocating between a fill and a discharge position. The knockout drive reciprocates a knockout plunger to discharge molded food products from the mold plate, the mold plate being reciprocated between a cavity fill position and a cavity discharge position. The machine includes a manifold connected an outlet of the food pump and having an outlet passageway connected to an inlet of the molding mechanism for filling the cavity of the mold plate. The machine can further include a fill plunger system for increasing the fill pressure of the food mass prior to filling the mold cavities. Plungers extend into the manifold to displace food mass volume and increase the pressure in the manifold.

A system that includes a mould drum having one or more product cavities, a first front end, and a second front end; a forming apparatus, which utilizes the mould drum to form food products from a food mass; a cleaning apparatus, which cleans the mould drum after forming the food products, the cleaning apparatus is remote from the forming apparatus; a movable unit that is configured to transport the mould drum from the forming apparatus to the cleaning apparatus, and vice versa; and a support structure and a spindle, which are reversibly attached to the forming apparatus during production and reversibly attached to the movable unit during the transport of the mould drum.

A method of moulding products from a mass of food stuff. The method includes providing a pump, which pumps the mass towards a mould member, providing detection means, which detects unwanted objects in the mass, removing a portion of the mass via a valve in case an unwanted object is detected, moving a mould cavity, which is part of the mould member past a feed channel, wherein the feed channel is connected to a feed pump, filling the mass into the mould cavity to form a product until a predetermined filling pressure is reached, ejecting a gas through a porous sidewall and/or a porous bottom of the mould cavity to eject the product, wherein no ejection gas is provided when the predetermined filling pressure has not been reached.

The present invention relates to a food forming drum comprising a multitude of rows product cavities, each row comprising a multitude of product cavities, wherein the product cavities are provided as one or more at least partially porous members made from a porous material with interconnecting pores. The present invention further relates to a food forming apparatus comprising a food forming drum and a porous member. Additionally, the present invention relates to a movable unit to transport a drum and a method to change a drum or clean the food forming apparatus.

A rotary molding system for molding food products, mold cavities formed when a mold shell rotates mold shapes disposed along the mold shell into a fill position between a fill plate and a wear plate. Molded food products are removed from mold cavities using knock-out cups, the use of air pressure, or the use of a vacuum source disposed below the mold cavity, without the need to slow the rotation of the mold shell. Knock-out cups may be used with a heating system to reduce accumulation of unwanted materials on the knock-out cups. The rotary molding system can also be used to form products with contoured surfaces. A smart tagging system can be used to ensure that compatible sets of mold shells and knock out cups are being used. A vacuum region may be disposed upstream of the fill position to remove air within the mold cavity prior to filling.

One or more embodiments of the disclosure relates a food processing machine utilizing components using a variety of servo motors. The combination of the servo motors provides for a food processing machine without the need for complex hydraulics or gearboxes such that durability and compactness can be realized.

One or more embodiments of the disclosure relates to an electrical servo knock out assembly for use with knock out cups in a food forming machine using an electrical linear servo motor and a return spring. The combination of the linear servo motor and return spring provides for a knock out assembly without the need for complex hydraulics or gearboxes.