Patent ID: 9635866
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: A21C,A22C,A23L,A23P,A47J

Claim:
1. A method for moulding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass, wherein use is made of a moulding installation for moulding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass, which installation comprises: a frame, an elongated mould drum having an outer circumferential drum surface and a longitudinal drum rotation axis, the drum being rotatably supported by the frame to revolve about the drum rotation axis, wherein the mould drum has in the drum surface multiple mould cavities, each having a fill opening for the introduction of foodstuff mass into the mould cavity, wherein the mould cavities are arranged in the drum surface in a mould cavities pattern with cavities at four or more longitudinal positions when seen in longitudinal direction of the drum and at multiple circumferential positions when seen in circumferential position of the drum, the drum not having rectilinear rows of mould cavities that are parallel to the drum rotation axis; a mould drum drive coupled to the drum to drive the drum in a rotation direction, a mass feed member arranged at a fill position relative to the drum surface, said mass feed member having a single chamber with an inlet for foodstuff mass to introduce said foodstuff mass into the chamber and with a mouth facing said drum surface, said mouth being embodied as a closed contoured singular straight slot that is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum and which is adapted to sequentially transfer mass into passing mould cavities of the rotating mould drum when the filling opening of one mould cavity only is in communication with the mouth at said fill position, said mass forming a food product in said mould cavity, a pump connected to the inlet of the mass feed member and adapted to feed foodstuff mass under pressure into the chamber of the mass feed member, wherein the method comprises: driving the drum in said rotation direction in a continuous, non-interrupted manner; operating the pump so as to feed foodstuff mass to the mass feed member and establish a foodstuff mass pressure in the chamber of said mass feed member, transfer of pressurized foodstuff mass via the mouth into each passing mould cavity in a corresponding mould cavity filling event that is defined by the moment of first flow of foodstuff mass into the mould cavity and the moment wherein the mould cavity has been fully filled and flow of foodstuff mass therein is terminated, release of moulded products from the mould cavities, and wherein the operation of the pump and the rotation of the mould drum are controlled in combination with the design of the mould cavities pattern on the drum and of the mouth of the mass feed member such that, in the method, all mould cavity filling events during a revolution of the mould drum are performed in sequential order such that only one mould cavity is filled at the time.