US3099037A - Mock chicken leg machine - Google Patents

Description

July 30, 1963 F. H. BLAKE ET AL MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE Filed July 10, 1961 FIG 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY y 1963 F. H. BLAKE EI'AI. 3,099,037

MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE Filed July 10, 1961 l1 Sheets- Sheet 2 ,42 Fl e 2 I;

a I I 5 7 5e so I? I A +77A 5 57 s1 '1 6 780 m 7 C 75 4I 77 5 74 I0 I L;

FREDERICK M.THORBURN FlG 9 FREDERICK H. BLAKE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY y 1963 F. H. BLAKE ETAL 3,099,037

MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE Filed July 10, 1961 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 F le 3 i L 6 resc J -l- I IO 0 a 78c A Q a 55 58 56a 57 65 68 s so I an I VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE FREDERICK M. THORBURN FREDERICK H. BLAKE E INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY July 30, 1963 Filed July 10, 1961 F. H. BLAKE ETAL MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE ll Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG 5 FREDERICK M.THORBURN FREDERICK H. BLAKE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY July 30, 1963 F. H. BLAKE ET AL MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE Filed July 10 1961 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 H6 8 FREDERICK M. T HORBURN FREDERICK H; BLAKE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY July 30, 1963 F. H. BLAKE ETAL 3,099,037

MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE Filed July 10, 1961 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 F|e lO FREDERICK M. THORBURN FREDERICK H. BLAKE INVENTOR.

DRAG BRAKE I ATTORNEY y 0, 1963 F. H. BLAKE ETAL 3,099,037

' MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE Filed July 10, 1961 ll Sheets-Sheet 7 FREDERICK M. THORBURN F E F I G 3 V REDERIOK El gkgl BY g ATTORNEY y 1963 F. H. B-LAKE ETAL 3,099,037

MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE Filed July 10, 1961 11 Sheets-Sheet s FREDERICK M. THORBURN FREDERICK H. BLAKE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY y 1963 F. H. BLAKE ET AL 3,099,037

MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE Filed July 10, 1961 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 FREDERICK M. THORBURN FREDERICK H. BLAKE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY July 30, 1963 F. H. BLAKE ET AL MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE Filed July 10, 1961 NO 3 NC 11 Sheets-Sheet 1O SUPPLY IIO V A0 N0 NORMALLY CLOSED N0 NORMALLY OPEN 0AM a MIcRo SWITCH TIME 1. OLD FDELAY lg RELAY RELAY SINGLE REVOLUTION E CLUTCH cAM menu 75 SWITCH sTI0I suns lcYcLE STOP SWITCH sTIcK GATE MEAT OLD a L MEAT METERING (RSELAY :0. TYPE) 36 sTATIoN t TRANSFER Q RELAY (LATcII TYPE) Q L i OUTLINE STEM MICRO STICK UNLDG.

FlG |8 GEN EVA HOT WATER GEAR DRIVE HEATER TAKE OUT MoToR AND PUMP N Y R FREDERICK M. THORBURN FREDERICK H. BLAKE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY JuIy 30, 1963 Filed July 10, 1961 F. H. BLAKE ET A].

MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 START 6' STATION TRANSFER RELAY UNLATCHES FOR CYCLE CAM MICRO No.2 CLOSES GENEVA GEAR -L MOVES STATION TRANS. CONVEYOR TO I/4 SECOND NEXT STATION E gEIXRVA CLUTCH @CAM MICRO No.2 OPENS DRIVE PAWL CAM MICRO NO.| CLOSES SHAFT T DROP? (MOLD RELAY CLOSES- STATION TRANSFER 'ru s 1 OUT RELAY LATCHES OUT) OOMPLETE sT|cK LIFT REVQLUHON NEW STICK DRIVES a STOPS COMPLETED LEG UNLOADS- E VA GE KNIFE OPENS CAVITY- g R GTIME DELAY COIL ENERGIZED P E E MEAT METERING STARTS REVOUTION 5 e CAM MICRO NO.I OPENS 5 MOLD FILLING TIME I/Z SECOND TIME D ELAY RELAY OPENS KNIFE CLOSES RELAY MOLD OPENS STICK LIFT DROPS STATION TRANSFER LO RELAY UNLATCHES FOR NEXT CYCLE SECONDS FREDERICK M. THORBURN FREDERICK H. BLAKE INVENTOR.

FlG l9 ATTORNEY htates This present invention relates to a machine of the type used for preparing ground meats and meat admixtures in specific shapes or forms and applying them to a wooden stick for easy eating, particularly when they are hot. More specifically this invention relates to a machine which accepts ground meats under pressure and measures it into convenient serving portions. The meat is then formed into some particular and acceptable shape. During the forming of the meat into its predetermined shape, as a chicken leg for instance, the meat is formed around a stationary stick and thereby forms a good union with the stick without any danger of the stick creating internal stresses that might cause the compacted meat to split during a subsequent cooking operation.

It is well known that a large amount of our meat products are served as snack foods, normally without the benefit of plate or formal table setting. Eating of this kind occurs a great deal in homes where there are a number of children, at picnics and at recreational resorts as well as in certain types of eating establishments where the diner accepts his food on a paper plate or in a basket and takes it to his car or other convenient place removed from the source of the food. This form of eating has made it desirable to provide mechanical equipment for the formation or molding of such meat products prior to their cooking and this present invention is created to supply this market.

In the past a great deal of this type of food, particularly where the meat is mounted on a stick, has been laboriously hand formed and hand mounted on the stick which was a very slow operation and did not yield a uniform product that could be depended upon to function the same each time a new batch was being cooked. Such hand labor on small pieces of food added a great deal to its cost. In this present machine two ounce meat servings for example can be formed in different shapes and applied to a stick in a uniform manner at the rate of approximately one per second. Such a machine, of necessity, requires a synchronized sequential operation and certain of the steps require a momentary stoppage of the flow of materials through the machine. This is particularly true of the step where the meat products are formed upon a wooden skewer or stick. It follows that if high speed of operation is to be maintained a number of steps must be sequentially arranged so as to spread the activity over a considerable length of a moving chain belt so that the completed number of unit-s will be up to the capacity required. This present machine is believed to meet these exacting requirements.

A principal object of this present invention therefore is to provide a method and means for forming individual meat servings which are stick mounted for subsequent cooking and use.

A further object of this invention is to provide an intermittently driven chain belt which will provide the means for transporting a skewer or mounting stick through the machine and stopping the same for a succession of operations.

A further object of this invention is to provide means whereby an accurately measured amount of ground meat and admixtures thereto can be measured at a high cyclic rate and discharged into a mold.

atent A further object of this invention is to provide a two piece mold for the reception of meat products which will form them into a desirable shape around and secured to a meat skewer.

A further object of this invention is to provide intermittent drive means which will move the chain belt through the machine at a relatively high average speed but which will slow the belt down to a stop and start it again, both operations with a very gradual movement so as not to dislodge any of the meat products previously formed upon the skewers which are being carried through the machine to the delivery point.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mechanical means for molding individual servings in some acceptable form as in the shape of a mock chicken leg and to so handle these servings that they will be uniform in texture and density so that they can be so uniformly handled in cooking operations that they will give a uniform end product.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from the description and disclosure in the drawings or may be comprehended or are inherent in the device.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of one exemplary embodiment of this invention and showing the same as in operation with the meat holding sticks in their proper positions but with no meat applied thereto.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the machine of FIGURE 1 taken from the motor drive end.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the machine of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an increased scale, taken along the line 44 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view on an increased scale taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3, and showing the stick feeding means and hopper therefor.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the stick handlingmeans shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE '8 is a top plan View similar to FIGURE 7 but illustrating an advanced position in the operational cycle.

FIGURE 9 is a bracket view, on an increased scale, showing the stick carrying means in cross section and the ejector element employed in coaction therewith.

FIGURE 10 is a partial cross-sectional view in elevation of a portion of this machine with certain parts shown in section as taken along the line 1010 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 11 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken along the line 11-41 of FIGURE 10, the same being shown on the increased scale.

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation showing a face view of one half of the compressing mold and certain of the operational elements therewith taken along the line 12-12 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary view showing certain of the elements of FIGURE 10 in sectional view, taken along the line 13-13 of FIGURE 10 and on the same scale, with the mold closed and showing the power means for operating the meat metering means.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line I i-14- of FIGURE 3 and illustrating one type of meat metering or measuring means and the actuating means therefor.

FIGURE 15 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 15--l5 of FIGURE 14 showing the cut-off knife.

FIGURE 16 is a partial sectional view in elevation and 3 on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 1616 of FIG- URE 3 and illustrating the leg ejection means.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary elevation in section and on an increased scale with certain parts shown in section and illustrating a typical power timing means and the cam actuating means therefor, taken along the line 17 I7 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 18 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric wiring diagram and with certain timing elements employed therewith being shown in diagrammatic exploded form.

FIGURE 19 is a time and sequence diagram of one cycle of operation of this machine which graphically illustrates and states in words the various steps and shows the time required for each.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, the numeral generally designates the structural steel framework of this machine. The height of this framework is preferably such that the operational parts are largely at a level for convenient observation, particularly the meat forming dies and the translation chain. A plurality of vertical frame members are provided with longitudinal connecting frame members, one on each side of the machine, and various other connecting frame members as required for the proper support of the various elements of the equipment. Disposed upon a secondary framework is the meat metering device shown generally at 16, together with the power cylinder 18 for operating the metering device. This equipment is particularly well illustrated in FIGURES 10, 13 and 14 and generally in FIGURES 1 and 3.

Ground meat in a semi-fluid state is placed in the pressure cylinder 26, to which air pressure is then applied from a suitable source which may be supplied from an Xternal source or may be separately power driven and attached to the machine. The same is not illustrated. The ground meat is forced by air pressure through meat transport hose 21 into the upper housing 22. From here it is admitted through suitable ports to the rotary metering means 24. The rotary movement is effected by the rack gear operated backwards and forwards by fluid cylinder 18 and 'the rack engaging spur gear 26 secured to and revolving the metering element 24-. A suitable metering means, for which no specific claim is made, is shown in FIGURE 14 in which the metering valve 24 is rotated 90 degrees alternately in each direction by rack 25 and gear 26 to align first the diametrically disposed ports 17, only one of two is shown, and the ports 19 and 19a. The semi-fluid meat under pressure is forced through each set of ports in turn to fill the receiver 23. As shown in FIGURE 14, the flow is arrested by the knife valve 27 having the valve opening 28 which sequentially is momentarily opened by fluid cylinders 36 which operate together. Adjustment for the weight or volume of the meat charge is efiected by changing the distance between the meat measuring pistons 32 and 33. The pistons alternately abut the central wall 34 of valve portion 24- and their individual travel distance effects the volume of the metered meat.

In the operation of this present machine it is necessary to have fast operation of the various parts in order that the output of the machine will be adequate to make it economical for commercial use. It is therefore necessary that various power operating means be provided, each of which is sequentially timed to perform its operation at a certain instant. Referring to FIGURE 1, a control panel is provided within housing 36 which provides for the conversion of sensing intelligence into operational movement control. This control unit is preferably remotely positioned from the machine and the various sequential operations are sensed through suitable cables 38 and the necessary operational intelligence sent to the various positions on the machine so that the sequential operations will be keyed one to the other with keying devices, not illustrated, but which are well known and which themselves function in time intervals measured in milli-seconds.

Operatively positioned below the metering means 24 are the meat compressing and forming mold members 44) and 41. Mold members 49 and 41 are brought together to complete a mold by the fluid cylinders 42. It is further necessary that these mold members be mantained at a temperature which will insure that the meat mixture being compressed into a mock chicken leg will free itself from each half as the mold members are withdrawn to the position as indicated in FIGURE 14, leaving the meat compressed and supported by a wooden stick or skewer 44 which serves as a handle in carrying and eating the meat. Inasmuch as the stick 44 travels in a straight line it is necessary that both the mold members be withdrawn from the path of the compacted meat. One convenient means for maintaining an optimum temperature in molds 4-9 and at is to form these with mold heating chambers as 45 and to circulate fluid of the desired temperature through the two sets of tubes 46 and 47 which move with mold elements 4t} and 41 and are guided and positioned by blocks 48.

It naturally follows that the stick 44 must be motionless when the meat is compressed around it. It is then desirable that the molds be retracted quickly which calls for sensing means. A convenient sensing means is a plurality of limit switches as 52 and 53, which will definitely indicate to panel 36 when the two halves 4i and 41 of the mold are retracted, thus making it possible for the meat laden stick to be moved on sequentially in a step-bystep movement along its course.

One convenient means of starting the conveyor, which carries stick 44 in a manner to start it without jar and which will accelerate it quickly is the Geneva wheel 55 operatively driven by pin 79 secured to crank 79A which is fixedly secured to the driving shaft 77. The Geneva wheel 55 is mounted upon shaft 56 which carries two laterally spaced drive sprockets 57 which, in turn, drive link chains 59 in an intermittent manner to transmit intermittent motion to shaft 56a through laterally spaced sprockets 57a, all as is best shown in FIG. 3. FIGURE 18 gives a diagrammatic arrangement of the essential electric circuit involved and also illustrates diagrammatically the various mechanisms and the control and operating means therefor, providing the step-by-step intermittent cycling of this equipment.

As a separate stick 44 must be provided for each individual mock chicken leg, means is provided to sequentially feed a single stick in the position where it can be seated in the stick holder 64 on one of the spaced carrier bars 65. The sequence of operations involving the stick 44- are illustrated in FIGURES 6, 7, 8 and 16. As a large number of sticks are employed, a suitable hopper is first provided as indicated at 58. Hopper 58 is provided with a shaking means 60 which is further illustrated in FIG- URE 4-. In following the stick handling sequence, attention is first directed to FIGURE 6 in which a groove is provided at 62 to engage the stick 44 which, through vibration hopper 58 as illustrated in FIGURE 6 and of hopper 58 is supplied with given proper orientation and alignment. As stick 44 seats in groove 62 of the reciprocating stick carrier 63 this carrier moves the individual stick to the position in FIGURE 7 where the stick is in alignment with stick holder 64, illustrated in FIGURE 9 and also shown in the various views. Holder 64 is preferably made of plastic material and provided with a plurality of slits so it will resiliently grip sticks 44. A housing 61 encloses the holder member and a lock sleeve 71 completes the unit and provides means for securing the clutch assembly on carrier bars. Holders 64 are carried on spaced carrier bars 65, each end of which is secured to the parallel link chains 59. These chains are sequentially controlled by suitable means to be generally described later. The stick seating power means 67 seats the stick in holder 64 when the various parts are in proper relationship. This final seating is achieved by the forward movement of plunger 68, as will be noted in FIGURE 8. When the meat has been formed around stick 44 in the compression cavity provided by mold members 40 and 41 and conveyed to the end of the conveyor provided by chains 59, the means shown in FIG- UREl6 is employed wherein the stick ejector element 69 is moved by the power means 70 to eject stick 44 which will now normally be covered with the compressed meat. The finished mock chicken leg will then be deposited upon the conveyor belt 72 which will carry it to the packing area.

Sequence of Operations The main conveyor 59 on which the mock chicken legs are formed is moved from station to station by the Geneva gear mechanism shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The drive shaft 56 of this Geneva gear 55 is connected by chain 82 of a variable speed gearing of the driving motor 74 through an air controlled single revolution clutch 75 of conventional design, the structural details of which are not illustrated in full. On a reduced diameter extension 77A of the Geneva gear pawl driving shaft 77 are located two cam-operated micro switches. The micro switch 76 initiates the function of the mold cycling. Cam micro switch 78 operates the stick slide 63 which picks up a new stick 44 from the hopper 58 and positions it ready for driving into one of the main conveyor stick holder units 64.

In describing the operation of the electrical control system, it is assumed that the initial point of operation is where the machine normally stops when it is shut down in proper sequence. This is when the Latch Circuit of the station transfer relay is opened, preventing the relay from unlatching. The molds will be open and the Geneva gear driving pawl 79 will be just ready to enter the next Geneva gear slot.

This starting point is the drop-out point of the single revolution clutch 75 when it is in the de-energized state. At this point, if cycling is initiated by closing the station transfer relay latch circuit, indicated in FIGURE 18 at 85, the single revolution clutch 75 is energized by the normally closed contacts of the station transfer relay 85. Also, the stick gate 80 which holds the stick in place for driving is pulled back out of the way by cylinder 81 so that the conveyor can move the stick 44 and holder 64 to the next station. The sequence of operation will be best understood by a study of FIGURES 6, 7 and 8. The two guide rods 63a are used to position stick slide 63 during and at the end of its movements.

The single revolution clutch 75 imparts driving motion to the driving pawl 79 which moves the Geneva gear to the next station. As the driving pawl leaves the slot in the Geneva gear, cam micro switch 76 closes which causes two things to happen: (1) is closes the mold relay and (2) it closes the station transfer relay. The various relays are housed in cabinet 36 with certain control valves which are not shown but are indicated in FIGURE 18. The first action of the mold relay is to energize the mold cylinder valves 42 which closes molds 4t?- and 4-1 which are the forming mold or meat forming cavity. the second is to lock itself in, through its own points and the normally closed points on the time relay or mold filling time relay which are indicated in the drawings as N.C. The second action of course makes the mold relay lock-in dependent upon the time delay relay, and cam micro switch 76 can be opened without affecting the mold relay.

The station transfer or main coil in circuit 85 is mechanically latched down and the N.C. points which control the pawl of clutch 75 and stick gate 80 will be locked open until such time as the latch is released on the station transfer relay.

Although the pawl of clutch 75 is de-energized as the Geneva gear driving pawl 79 is just emerging from the ,u '33 slot when the cam micro switch '76 makes contact, the

clutch 75 remains mechanically locked-in until it has .finished its complete revolution back to its starting point.

It waits at the starting point again until the latch on the station trasfer relay is again energized. This allows the meat molding operation to commence just as soon as the main conveyor 5? is stopped on its new station, but moves the Geneva gear driving pawl 79 to a point where it starts the conveyor in motion as quickly as possible after station transfer relay latch is released. This helps to reduce cycle time to a minimum. Cam micro switch 76 opens just before clutch 75 releases and the driving pawl and driving shaft 77A, on which the cams 76c and 780 are mounted, stops. This is so that the mold relay and station transfer relay are under control of the time delay relay and latch respectively rather than the cam micro switch 76. It should also be noted that the latch release on the meat metering relay 86 is locked out by the N.C. contacts of the mold relay 52 being opened. This prevents the latch from being operated momentarily or try ing to open when molding head micro limit switch 52 normally open (designated as N.C. in the drawings) contacts are being held closed by the molding heads being all the way open as shown in FIGURE 10.

As the mold starts to close, the circuit to the latch opens and the stick lift 7 3 operates from the N.C. contacts of this micro switch closing. This stick lift causes the chicken leg to be formed about A; inch higher than the normal position of the conveyor by shoe 66, shown in FIGURE 12, forcing conveyor chains vertically upwlard /s inch, as indicated in FIGURE 11 at 77L. Then, when stick lift cylinder 73 is dc-energized, the formed chicken leg will drop A3 inch clear of the upper part of the mold, making it possible to move it Without scraping the inside top of the mold cavity. As the mold further closes, it closes another micro switch 53, a normally open circuit, just as the two mold heads 45 and 41 come together.

This circuit closure performs the following functions:

(1) It energizes the stem micro switch which is just under the forming mold heads and disposed so that the pin that protrudes out of each stick holder bottom, when a stick is properly in place, closes the ND. contacts. This stem micro switch 55, shown in FIGURE 10, furnishes power via N.C. contacts of the time delay relay to the knife 27 through the knife valve opening 28, then opens to admit a new charge of meat into the mold cavity and it also energizes the meat metering relay and meat metering cylinder 24 in one direction to push 2 ounces, the assumed normal weight or" meat, into the mold. If no stick is in position, switch 50 will not be opened and filling will be by-passed. This prevents putting meat into the mold when there is no stick to hold it.

(2) It operates the stick unloading cylinder '75 which pushes out the chicken leg onto the take-out conveyor 72 by pressing on the protruding pin sticking out of the stick holder.

(3) It operates the stick driving cylinder 67 which drives a new stick 44 into an empty stick holder 64 at the head end of the machine. It should be noted that the opening of cam micro switch 78 has tie-energized the stick slide 63 at a sufficient interval before this time to bring the new stick 44 into loading position before stick driving cylinder 67 acts.

(4) It energizes the coil of time delay relay 76a (mold filling time) causing it to start timing approximately the /2 second interval required for filling the mold with meat.

As the mold fills with meat the time delay relay operates at its timed interval to open both of its normally closed contacts. This opens the hold-in circuit on the mold relay 7 6 causing it to open which starts the opening of the mold members 40 and M. It also opens up the circuit to the knife cylinders 30 which closes to cut off meat in the filling chamber or receiver 23 and prevents dribbling of compressed meat into the open mold. It also deenergizes the meat metering relay so as to set it up for the next cycle which is in the opposite direction.

As the mold first parts, it opens the ND. micro switch points which retracts the stick driving cylinder 67 ready for the next cycle and also dc-energizes the stem micro switch.

As the mold is almost open it opens the NC. contacts of the other molding head micro switch, dropping the stick lift. This lowers the conveyor chains /8 inch by gravity, clearing the chicken leg from the top of the mold.

When the mold is completely open it closes the ND. contacts of this same micro switch which completes the circuit to the latch on the station transfer relay via the NC. points on the mold relay. This causes the station transfer relay 85 to open and complete the circuit to the single revolution clutch '75 and the stick holding gate 80 so that the next cycle can be initiated. All malfunction protection is incorporated in this latch circuit to prevent the latch from releasing and initiating the next cycle, if any type of misoperation occurs or if any portion of the cycle is not completed. Conveniently placed on the machine is a cycle stop switch S8 in the latch circuit. Opening this switch stops the cycling by preventing any movement of the single revolution clutch 75.

The cam micro switch 78 is set to be closed just after chain conveyor 55 starts to move stick .4 up to the next station and is in contact approximately 180 degrees of the revolution of the Geneva wheel. This allows the slide or reciprocating stick carrier 63 to return to the driving position with a new stick just before driving cylinder 67 starts to operate.

The circuits to the Geneva gear driving motor, the hot water heater 83, the pump 84, for heating molding heads, and the take-out finished leg conveyor '72 are connected to a power source at all times through proper protection circuits. All designs of the machine and control are based on approximately a one second cycle. This is adjustable to some extent by chain conveyor 59 cycling speed and by changing the amount of time delay in the mold filling time delay relay. Major changes can be made by the variable speed drive and driving motor 74 However, experience has borne out that a one second cycle is both possible and practical.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of mock chicken leg machine.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A mock chicken leg machine, comprising: aframework for supporting a plurality of transverse shafts; transversely spaced chain sprockets disposed in coacting pairs on said shafts; two spaced apart parallel chains operatively driven and supported by said sprockets and having the upper run of said chains at an easily observable level; an intermittent driving means for said chains arranged to stop said chains in synchronization with other elements of said machine; a plurality of longitudinally spaced carrier bars secured at opposite ends to each or" said chains; a stick clutch secured at substantially the midpoint of each of said bars for gripping the lower ends of said sticks and carrying them in a vertical posit-ion; a pair of coacting meat compressing cavity mold members with their cavities on the same level as the upper end of sticks carried by said bars; means for supplying ground meat and admixtures under pressure; a metering means for measuring a serving amount of said meat and pas-sing it downwardly in synchronization with the movement of said mold members; a transversely movable knife disposed between said metering means and said mold members to cut ofi a predetermined amount of meat; fluid operated means for operatively moving said knife; fluid operated means for sequentially closing said mold members for compressing a metered amount of meat on a stick handle; a conveyor belt for carrying the finished meat servings away from the machine; stick ejector means for ejecting the finished stick mounted servings from said carrier bars and power switching means for insuring sequential operation of the said coacting elements of said machine.

2. A mock chicken leg machine, comprising: a framework for supporting a plurality of transverse shafts; transversely spaced chain sprockets disposed in coacting pairs on said shafts; two spaced apart parallel disposed chains operatively driven and supported by said sprockets and having the upper run of said chain-s at an easily observable level; an intermittent driving means for said chains arranged to stop said chains in sequence with other elements of said machine during the forming of the meat serving; a plurality of longitudinally spaced carrier bars secured at opposite ends to each of said chains; a stick clutch secured at substantially the midpoint of each of said bars; a pair of coacting meat compressing mold members with their cavities on the same level as the upper end of sticks carried by said bars; means for supplying ground meat under pressure; a metering means for measuring a serving amount of said meat and passing it downwardly in synchronization with the movement of said mold memers; fluid operated means for sequentially closing said mold members for compressing a metered amount of meat on a stick handle; a conveyor belt for carrying the finished meat servings away from the machine; stick ejector means for ejecting the finished servings from said carrier bars and power switching means for insuring sequential operation of the said coacting elements of this machine.

3. The subject matter of claim 2 in which heating chambers are provided in both of said coacting mold members and means for circulating a. heated fluid through said chambers during their periods of use.

4. The subject matter of claim 3 in which lifting means are provided for lifting the stick, to which meat is to be attached, before the meat is secured to the stick.

5. The combination according to claim 2 wherein, limit switches are secured to various parts of said machine to give sensings when an operation is completed and to energize other operating circuits to insure sequential functioning of other coacting parts.

6. The combination according to claim 2 further having a reciprocating knife provided with an opening through which the metered meat passes during the charging of said coacting mold members.

7. The combination according to claim 2 wherein :a stick orienting and feeding means is provided with a storage hopper having a vibrating bottom with a stick discharge opening; a reciprocating stick carrier having a groove for receiving a single stick at a time and moving it into alignment with said stick clutch and power operated means for moving said stick into said clutch.

8. A machine for compressing a meat serving on the end of a stick handle, comprising: a framework for supporting a plurality of transverse shafts; a belt having supporting and driving means secured to said shafts; an intermittent driving means for said belt means arranged to stop said belt in synchronization with other elements of said machine during the compressing of each meat serving; a plurality of stick clutches secured at spaced intervals along said belt means; a pair of coacting meat compressing cavity mold members with their cavities disposed to intermittently enclose the meat receiving end of sticks positioned by said stick clutches; means for supplying ground meat under pressure; a metering means for measuring a serving amount of said meat and passing it downwardly in synchronization with the movement of said mold members; means for operatively closing said mold members for compressing a metered amount of meat on a stick handle and means for carrying the finished meat servings away from the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. A MOCK CHICKEN LEG MACHINE, COMPRISING: A FRAMEWORK FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE SHAFTS; TRANSVERSELY SPACED CHAIN SPOCKETS DISPOSED IN COACTING PAIRS ON SAID SHAFTS; TWO SPACED APART PARALLEL CHAINS OPERATIVELY DRIVEN AND SUPPORTED BY SAID SPROCKETS AND HAVING THE UPPER RUN OF SAID CHAINS AT AN EASILY OBSERVABLE LEVEL; AN INTERMITTENT DRIVING MEANS FOR SAID CHAINS ARRANGED TO STOP SAID CHAINS IN SYNCHRONIZATION WITH OTHER ELEMENTS OF SAID MACHINE; A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED CARRIER BARS SECURED AT OPPOSITE ENDS TO EACH OF SAID CHAINS; A STICK CLUTCH SECURED AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE MIDPOINT OF EACH OF SAID BARS FOR GRIPPING THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID STICKS AND CARRYING THEM IN A VERTICAL POSITION; A PAIR OF COACTING MEAT COMPRESSING CAVITY MOLD MEMBERS WITH THEIR CAVITIES ON THE SAME LEVEL AS THE UPPER END OF STICKS CARRIED BY SAID BARS; MEANS FOR SUPPLYING GROUND MEAT AND ADMIXTURES UNDER PRESSURE; A METERING MEANS FOR MEASURING A SERVING AMOUNT OF SAID MEAT AND PASSING IT DOWNWARDLY IN SYNCHRONIZATION WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID MOLD MEMBERS; A TRANSVERSELY MOVABLE KNIFE DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID METERING MEANS AND SAID MOLD MEMBERS TO CUT OFF A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF MEAT; FLUID OPERATED MEANS FOR OPERATIVELY MOVING SAID KNIFE; FLUID OPERATED MEANS FOR SEQUENTIALLY CLOSING SAID MOLD MEMBERS FOR COMPRESSING A METERED AMOUNT OF MEAT ON A STICK HANDLE; A CONVEYOR BELT FOR CARRYING THE FINISHED MEAT SERVINGS AWAY FROM THE MACHINE; STICK EJECTOR MEANS FOR EJECTING THE FINISHED STICK MOUNTED SERVINGS FROM SAID CARRIER BARS AND POWER SWITCHING MEANS FOR INSURING SEQUENTIAL OPERATION OF THE SAID COACTING ELEMENTS OF SAID MACHINE.

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