Patent ID: 6626643
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: A22C,F04C

Abstract:
An apparatus for dispensing predetermined amounts of a meat product, comprising:(a) a pump housing having an inlet opening, an outlet opening and a hollow interior, with a pump axis being centrally located in said hollow interior and surrounded by a side wall of said housing; (b) first and second vanes located in said hollow interior and rotatable about said pump axis, each of said vanes having a proximal edge proximate the pump axis and a distal edge proximate the side wall of the pump, said vanes dividing said hollow interior into a pair of chambers which are substantially sealed from one another, said chambers each having a volume which varies with relative rotation of the vanes; (c) drive means for rotating said first and second vanes independently of one another; (d) valve means associated with said outlet opening for opening and closing said outlet opening; (e) pressure sensing means for sensing a pressure in at least one of said chambers; (f) volume determination means for measuring a volume in at least one of said chambers; (g) control means for controlling rotation of said vanes and operation of said valve means in response to pressure and volume information generated by said pressure sensing means and said volume determination means; and (h) a stuffing horn associated with the valve means to receive said predetermined amounts of meat product from the valve means.