Molding device for molding three-dimensional food products from a mass of foodstuff which can be transferred by pumping, for example a meat mass of minced meat. The device comprises a molding drum (16) having a peripheral surface containing multiple series of cavities (44) extending in the peripheral direction. The device comprises a mass feed device which is arranged in a filling position with respect to the peripheral surface of the molding drum. The peripheral surface is embodied as a profiled peripheral surface having a shaping profile. Multiple shoe segments (42) are provided which are arranged next to one another and which have a profiled inner side with a profile which is in meshing engagement with the shaping profile. The shoe segments have freedom of movement with respect to one another, at least in the direction of the rotation axis, in order to each remain individually aligned with respect to the profile of the section with which the inner side of the shoe segment is in meshing engagement.

The present invention relates to a food forming drum comprising a multitude of rows of cavities. The present invention further relates to the process of manufacturing the inventive drum.

The purpose of this invention is to take a given food product such as loose hamburger meat and form it into multiple patty shapes with the use of a compacter within a container and a cutter. The patties should be formed without the user having any direct contact with raw meat.

A system for forming a food product, that includes a mould member with cavities, each of the cavities have an opening with a geometrical shape; a feed channel that feeds the food mass into the cavities, the feed channel has an exit channel for each of the cavities in one of the rows, the exit channel has a cross section with a geometrical shape that corresponds with a geometrical shape of each of the cavities; and an exchangeable insert positioned inside of the feed channel that includes a sloped wall that tapers in a direction opposite a flow direction of the food mass so that the width of the feed channel, in a region of the feed channel where the insert is positioned, reduces along the flow direction of the food mass, and the insert has a straight wall downstream of the sloped wall in the flow direction.

A system includes a food dispenser, a cooking surface, and an arm assembly. The arm assembly is configured to receive a food product from the food dispenser and transport the food product to the cooking surface. The arm assembly includes an arm portion, an actuator, a cylinder, and a piston. The actuator drives rotation of the arm portion about a first rotational axis. The cylinder is attached to the arm portion and is rotatable relative to the arm portion about a second rotational axis. The piston is axially movable within the cylinder. The piston includes multiple stages. At least one of the stages is movable axially relative to another of the stages between a first position and a second position.

A tray apparatus includes an elongated platform and a tray mechanism. The tray mechanism includes a plate disposed onto the platform and an arm assembly coupled to the plate and including a post and an arm. The post is coupled to the plate and extends upwardly therefrom. The arm is rotatably coupled to the post between a first position and a second position. The plate receives a box containing foodstuffs from a conveyance apparatus. The plate moves in a first direction when moving from a first state toward a second state. The arm is configured to contact the box and rotate from the first position toward the second position when the plate is moving in the first direction. The arm is configured to contact and move the box in a second direction opposite the first along the platform when the plate moves from the second state toward the first state.

A cold forming process for forming a meat patty includes heating a ground meat product to a temperature T.sub.1, wherein T.sub.1≤40° F. The ground meat product is formed into an uncooked patty at temperature T.sub.1. The uncooked patty is precooked to form a precooked patty having a skin of depth D comprising denatured protein. The skin is formed on at least an area on the outside of the precooked patty. At least a first portion of the meat product disposed beneath said skin is at approximately T.sub.1. The precooked patty is cooked to form a cooked patty, wherein said at least a first portion of the meat product is at a temperature T.sub.2. The cooked patty is then frozen and then packaged.

A method is provided for cleaning food product molding inserts that have been temporarily detached from a movable mold member of a molding device that is configured for molding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass.

An apparatus and method for creating a venturi effect in a food product molding machine. The venturi effect accelerates food product in order to cause the product to be stretched aligning the fibers of the product.

A system for forming a product from a food mass that includes: a hopper with a rotating feeder; a mould drum with cavities to form products; a feed pump having a moving member; and a divider located between the feed pump and the mould drum and configured to distribute the food mass over an axial length of the mold drum, the divider is directly connected to a housing of the feed pump or is integral with the housing of the feed pump, the divider has at its inlet side a slightly sloped sidewall, having an angle of between 10 degrees to 30 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the divider and a height of 20 mm to 40 mm, to distribute the food mass and a seal provided between the divider and the mould drum downstream of the divider and in contact with a surface of the mould drum.