Patent ID: 7125245
Filing Date: 2006-10-24
Classification: A22C,A23P

Abstract:
1. A delivery system for food product in a reciprocating mold plate, patty-forming apparatus, the system delivering pressurized food product into cavities of a mold plate, comprising: a first pump having an inlet in communication with a supply of food product and a first pump outlet; a second pump having an inlet in communication with the supply of food product and a second pump outlet; a valve manifold having a first manifold inlet and a second manifold inlet in respective flow communication with said first and second pump outlets and a manifold outlet centrally located between said first and second manifold inlets in a lateral direction; an inlet chamber having an chamber inlet in communication with said valve manifold outlet and a chamber outlet arranged to deliver pressurized food product into cavities of said mold plate; and a tube valve arranged sealingly within said valve manifold and having an elongated cylinder that is received into said valve manifold, said cylinder having a first inlet port and a second inlet port, said inlet ports being offset rotationally around a circumference of said cylinder, and two rows of progressively sized outlet ports, wherein each row corresponds to one of said first and second inlet ports such that food product flows from a selected one of said first and second inlet ports to its corresponding row of outlet ports, wherein said progressively sized outlet ports are smallest axially closest to the respective corresponding inlet port and largest axially furthest from said corresponding inlet port.