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.

A system for molding 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 mold member provided with at least one mold cavity, the frame supporting the mold member, mass feed means for feeding the mass to the one or more mold cavities of the mold 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 mold member is removable from the frame. The system has a storage device for storing a plurality of mold members, which may be provided with an identification, has recognition means for recognizing the identification of a mold member, and may have a memory for storing at least one history of a mold 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.

An apparatus for making patties with a ground food product includes a housing including an inlet for receiving the ground food product. A mold plate is positioned at least partially within the housing and includes first and second mold cavities. The mold plate is rotatable about an axis to first and second mold positions. In the first mold position, the first mold cavity is positioned within the housing for receiving the ground food product and the second mold cavity is positioned outside the housing for removing a patty formed therein. In the second mold position, the second mold cavity is positioned within the housing for receiving the ground food product and the first mold cavity is positioned outside the housing for removing a patty formed therein.

The present invention relates to a mold drum for molding products from a mass of food starting material. The mold drum comprises one or more cavities with a mold cavity wall having at least partially a porous structure, whereas each cavity is connected to a passage. The present invention further relates to a cleaning apparatus for the inventive mold drum with supporting means for supporting the axis of the drum. Additionally, the present invention relates to a process for cleaning the inventive drum.

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 the mold plate configured to be driven to reciprocated between a fill and a discharge position. The knockout drive is reciprocating a knockout plunger to discharge molded food products from a cavity in the mold plate, the mold plate being reciprocated by a mold plate drive between a cavity fill position and a cavity discharge position. The machine further 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.

A moveable mould member is configured for use in an installation for moulding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass. The mould member has a permeable mould body with an outer surface forming at least part of the outer mould member surface, which outer surface of the permeable mould body is fluid tight; mould cavities and a permeable volume defining fine openings opening out at the mould cavities, such that each mould cavity of the permeable mould body is delimited at least in part by a permeable volume. In addition, the mould drum has, for each group of mould cavities from which food products are to be ejected simultaneously, an ejection fluid inlet allowing the entry of pressurized fluid, and one or more channels extending from the associated ejection fluid inlet to the one or more permeable volumes of the group of mould cavities.

An apparatus for making patties with a ground food product includes a housing including an inlet for receiving the ground food product A mold plate is positioned at least partially within the housing and includes first and second mold cavities. The mold plate is rotatable about an axis to first and second mold positions. In the first mold position, the first mold cavity is positioned within the housing for receiving the ground food product and the second mold cavity is positioned outside the housing for removing a patty formed therein. In the second mold position, the second mold cavity is positioned within the housing for receiving the ground food product and the first mold cavity is positioned outside the housing for removing a patty formed therein.

The present invention relates to a mold drum for molding products from a mass of food starting material. The mold drum comprises one or more cavities with a mold cavity wall having at least partially a porous structure, whereas each cavity is connected to a passage. The present invention further relates to a cleaning apparatus for the inventive mold drum with supporting means for supporting the axis of the drum. Additionally, the present invention relates to a process for cleaning the inventive drum.

A system and a method for moulding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass include a mould member having an outer surface. One or more recessed mould cavities are provided. An ejection fluid inlet opening of the mould member is arranged relatively movable with respect to an outlet opening of the ejection fluid source. Ejection fluid is allowed to enter the mould member when an outlet opening overlaps an ejection fluid inlet opening.