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 patty forming machine configured to mold food products, and its method of use, is provided. The patty forming machine includes a stripper plate through which food product is configured to pass when the stripper plate is in a fill position, a sensor configured to determine positions of the stripper plate, a movable mold, and a sensor configured to determine positions of the mold. A processor is operatively coupled with the sensors. The processor is configured to receive information from the sensors and to determine when the stripper plate is to be moved from the non-fill position to the fill position relative to a determined position of the mold.

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 patty forming machine is configured to mold food products. The machine includes a stripper plate through which food product is configured to pass when the stripper plate is in a fill position, a sensor configured to determine positions of the stripper plate, a movable mold, and a sensor configured to determine positions of the mold. A processor is operatively coupled with the sensors. The processor is configured to receive information from the sensors and to determine when the stripper plate is to be moved from the non-fill position to the fill position relative to a determined position of the mold.

A system for forming all variants of hamburger steaks, without being dedicated to a single variant, from a mass of meat comprises a mold including at least one cavity for forming hamburger steak, a channel for supplying the meat mass to the mold, and an element for forming an interface between the channel for supplying the meat mass and the mold. The element for forming an interface includes a pipe length having a first end connected to an outlet of the channel for supplying the meat mass and an opposite second end connected to an inlet of the mold, a grinding plate, and edges for holding the grinding plate in a cross section of the pipe length, the edges for holding the grinding plate being discretely distributed along the pipe length.

Disclosed herein is a press mechanism for a griddle to mold a steak burger puck into a formed steak burger patty. The press mechanism can include an arm connected to a hinge. The hinge can be attached to a griddle surface. The platen can be connected to the arm and can include a concave surface to receive a steak burger puck. A platen heater can be connected to the platen to heat the platen to an operating temperature less than approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

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.

An apparatus for forming a meat patty includes heating a ground meat product to a temperature T1, wherein T1>32 F. The ground meat product is formed into an uncooked patty at temperature T1. 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 T1. 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 T2.

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.

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.