Abstract
A paper interleaver that is separate from the food patty molding machine for inserting a sheet of paper underneath a meat patty.
Claims
1. A method for placing a sheet of paper under a meat patty comprising: forming a patty by a patty forming machine; dropping said patty via knock out cups that push said patty out of a mold plate on to a conveyor; moving said patty away from said forming machine; conveying said patty to move between a series of blades top and bottom of a cuber; cubing or perforating top and bottom of said meat patty; conveying said patties to an interleaver infeed belt; triggering an activation switch by movement of said patties on conveyor belt which starts paper assembly process, including use of vacuum to hold said paper until vacuum is turned off so paper is moved into position so patty is conveyed onto paper; moving said patty and paper onto exit conveyor.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein velocity of an infeed belt is same or greater than velocity of a cuber belt.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein vacuum holds said paper onto bars with ports with an elastomer seal between said paper and said bars.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising rolling out a homestyle patty, and then centering it on said paper.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said forming machine comprises a double row mold plate.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said forming machine comprises a rotary former.
7. A method for placing a sheet of paper under a meat patty comprising: forming a patty by a patty forming machine; dropping said patty via knock out cups that push said patty out of a mold plate on to a conveyor; moving said patty away from said forming machine; conveying said patties to an interleaver infeed belt; triggering an activation switch by movement of said patties on conveyor belt which starts paper assembly process, including use of vacuum to hold said paper until vacuum is turned off so said paper is moved into position so said patty is conveyed onto said paper; moving said patty and said paper onto exit conveyor.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said forming machine comprises a double row mold plate.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein said forming machine comprises a rotary former.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of a meat patty molding machine, cuber and paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows a side view of an embodiment of a meat patty molding machine, cuber, and paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a side view of an embodiment of a cuber and paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows an internal view of an embodiment of a servodrive cabinet of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 5 shows an internal view of an embodiment of a servodrive cabinet of the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 6 shows a side view of an embodiment of the cuber of the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 7 shows a side view of an embodiment of the cuber and inbound paper interleaver conveyor belt of the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 8 shows a front view of an embodiment of the paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 9 shows front view of an embodiment of the paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0037] FIG. 10 shows a top view of an embodiment of the paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0038] FIG. 11 shows a top view of an embodiment of finger assembly of the paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 12 shows a top view of an embodiment of the paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 13 shows a rear view of an embodiment of the paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0041] FIG. 14 shows a front view of an embodiment of the paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 15 shows a front view of an embodiment of the paper interleaver of the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 16 shows a rear view of an embodiment of the paper interleaver of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0044] FIG. 1 shows a food patty molding machine 10 having a mold plate 12 that delivers patties to an inbound conveyor of the cuber 14 to the cuber 16. After the patties are cubed, they are provided to an outbound cuber conveyor 18, and then to an interleaver inbound conveyor 20, having an interleaver inbound conveyor motor 22. After the interleaver inbound conveyer is the paper interleaver 24 which has a paper hopper 26.
[0045] FIG. 2 shows the food patty molding machine 10 having a mold plate 12 that delivers patties to an inbound conveyor of the cuber 14 to the cuber 16. After the patties are cubed, they a provided to an outbound cuber conveyor 18 and then to an interleaver inbound conveyor 20, having an interleaver inbound conveyor motor 22. After the interleaver inbound conveyor is the paper interleaver 24 which has a paper hopper 26. At the end of the paper interleaver is the outbound interleaver conveyor 28. To the side of the paper interleaver 24 is guard 30.
[0046] FIG. 3 shows the inbound conveyor of the cuber 14, the cuber 16, the outbound cuber conveyor 18 and the interleaver inbound conveyor 20. The figure further shows the paper interleaver 24 having a paper hopper 26 and the outbound interleaver conveyor 28. FIG. 3 further shows the servo drive cabinet 32 that has controls for the inbound and outbound conveyor and belts of the interleaver and also controls the speeds, feeds and dwells of the fingers of the paper interleaver 24.
[0047] FIG. 4 shows the servo drive cabinet 32 having shuttle bracket 34 in the forward position. The shuttle bracket 34 is attached to the bar with fingers mounted on it. The shuttle bracket 34 is connected to guide shafts 36. Also in the servo drive cabinet 32 is an idler pulley 38, a drive sprocket 40, a servomotor 42, and a timing belt 44. The servo drive cabinet further comprises a motor 46 for the outbound paper interleaver conveyor. Also shown is the vacuum control valve 48 and 50 where the vacuum comes in from the vacuum control valve 48.
[0048] FIG. 5 shows the servo drive cabinet 32 of FIG. 4, except the only difference is the shuttle bracket 34 is in the retracted position.
[0049] FIG. 6 shows an internal view of the cuber 16, having a cubing head assembly 60, and a conveyor belt 62 for moving the patties. The cuber 16 has an upper knife 64 which is used for scoring the top half of the patty and a lower knife 66 which is used for scoring the bottom haft of the patty. The cubing head assembly 60 further comprises stripper belts 68 and 70. The patties move in the direction of arrow 72. After the patties are cubed they follow outbound cuber conveyor 18.
[0050] FIG. 7 shows the cuber head assembly 60 followed by the outbound cuber conveyor 18 which is then followed by the inbound interleaver conveyor 20. The inbound interleaver conveyor 20 is comprised of conveyor belt 80 and a laser head assembly 82. The laser head assembly 82 determines when the paper interleaver releases the paper by sending signals to a computer/PLC. The laser head assembly 82 sends a laser beam from one side of the inbound interleaver conveyor 20 to the other side. It is a continuous beam, that when broken, signals the computer that a patty has passed through the laser beam.
[0051] FIG. 8 shows the paper interleaver 24 comprised of paper hoppers 26. The hopper 26 is attached to the baseplate 90 by a mounting bracket 92. Underneath the hopper is a guide plate 94 that is a guide for the fingers and holds the hopper 26 in place. In an embodiment, in front of the hopper is a spring clamp 96 that holds a spring 98 to a block 100. A bumper 102 is placed in front of the hopper 26 that protects components of the hopper. Also shown is a paper pusher 104 that holds the paper down in the hopper 26.
[0052] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment where the hopper 26 has a block 110 that holds a spring 98 to the hopper 26. The figure further shows slot 112 which is the opening where the paper comes out of the hopper.
[0053] FIG. 10 shows the hoppers 26 on top of the base plate 90. A mounting bracket 92 is on each end of the hoppers 26. A paper pusher 104 is placed on top of the paper 120. The paper pusher 104 adds weight to the paper 120. Also shown at the rear of the paper interleaver 24 are finger openings 122. Also shown in an embodiment is the guide plate 94, a spring 98 that releases the paper, and a spring clamp 96 that keeps pressure on the spring to keep it tight.
[0054] FIG. 11 shows a finger mounting bracket 130 having fingers 132. The fingers 132 are mounted to the finger mounting bracket 130 by tongues 134 that are inserted through O-rings 136 and into the finger mounting bracket 130. The fingers 132 have openings 138 in which O-rings 140 are placed. Vacuum is created in the openings 138. An O-ring gasket 142 seals vacuum drawn from openings in fingers 132. Vacuum is created by the vacuum pump that sends vacuum to shuttle bracket block 34 which is where the finger mounting bracket 130 is mounted. From the finger mounting bracket 130, the vacuum goes to the fingers 132.
[0055] FIG. 12 shows the paper interleaver 24 having hoppers 26 mounted between mounting brackets 92 at each end of the hoppers 26. The figure shows the finger mounting bracket 130 having lightning holes 150. The fingers 132 are shown in the retracted position.
[0056] FIG. 13 shows the paper interleaver 24 having hoppers 26 having mounting brackets 92 at each end of the hoppers 26. The figure shows the finger mounting bracket 130 having lightning holes 150. The fingers 132 are shown in the retracted position. The lightning holes 150 lessen the weight of the finger mounting bracket 130 so that the servo drive motor can move the finger mounting bracket 130 faster due to less weight. In the design shown in FIG. 13, all the fingers move together at the same time. In an alternate design, the fingers are not connected to a finger mounting bracket and can be separately moved, with potentially separate motors.
[0057] FIG. 14 shows the paper interleaver 24 having hoppers 26 within mounting brackets 92 at each end of the hoppers 26. The figure also shows the fingers 132 in the extended position. In an embodiment, each hopper 26 has two fingers 132 with it. The hopper 26 has bumper 102 in located in the front. The paper interleaver 24 has finger mounting bracket 130. The finger mounting bracket 130 and the fingers 132 move out and back from below the hopper 26. In an embodiment of the invention the fingers are made of aluminum.
[0058] FIG. 15 shows the paper interleaver 24 having hoppers 26 mounted within mounting brackets 92 located at each end of the hoppers 26. The figure also shows the fingers 132 in the extended position. Each hopper has two fingers 132 with it having the paper 200 which has been released by the hopper 26, and held on the fingers by vacuum coming from the openings 138.
[0059] FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of a paper hopper assembly 250 having hoppers 252 connected by fastening devices 254 to a support plate 256. At the ends of the hopper assembly 252 is mounting brackets 258. At the bottom of each hopper 250 is a guide plate 260. The guide plate 260 rests on wear guides 262. In front of the guide plate 260 and hopper 252 is located a patty bumper 264 and cap screw 266. Pin 268 holds the paper in the hopper 252 until a single piece of paper is released.
