Abstract:
Apparatus and methods of modify a reciprocating mold plate patty-forming machine such that a mold plate for a smaller machine can be fit into a larger forming machine. A tooling set for the modification includes a dedicated drawbar configured to mount the smaller mold plate and modified wider spacers to closely meet the smaller mold plate within the forming machine. An adapter system selectively mounts either a first mold plate having a first set of keyholes or a second mold plate having a second set of keyholes, different than the first set of keyholes to a single reciprocating mold plate patty-forming machine. The adapter system can include first and second sets of adapters and a drawbar having provision for connection at opposite ends to driving rods of the drive system. The first set of adapters have keys corresponding to the first set of keyholes, and the second set of adapters having keys corresponding to the second set of keyholes, the first and second set of adapters being selectively attached to the drawbar.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application U.S. Ser. No. 60/881,410 filed Jan. 19, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Use of pre-processed foods, both in homes and in restaurants, has created a demand for effective high-capacity automated food processing equipment. That demand is particularly evident with respect to hamburgers, molded steaks, fish cakes, and other molded food patties. 
         [0003]    Food processors utilize high-speed molding machines, such as FORMAX®, MAXUM700®, F-6™, F-12™, F-19™, F-26™, or F-400™ reciprocating mold plate forming machine, available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A., for supplying patties to the fast food industry. High-speed molding machines are also described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,964; 4,372,008; 4,356,595; 4,821,376; 4,996,743, and published U.S. Patent Application 2005/0092187, U.S. Ser. No. 10/942,627 filed Sep. 16, 2004. 
         [0004]    The FORMAX® F-26™ reciprocating mold plate forming machine has enjoyed widespread commercial success for over 35 years. A typical FORMAX® F-26™ molding machine can operate at 90 strokes per minute and produce about 32,400 patties per hour based on the standard width mold plate for the F-26™ which is about 27 inches wide and can include 6 mold cavities. 
         [0005]    The mold plate for the FORMAX® F-26™ is mounted to the reciprocating driving mechanism by being keyed to a drawbar that is driven at opposite ends by the longitudinally reciprocating drive rods of the driving mechanism. The mold plate includes three spaced apart cylindrical holes that receive pins that are fixed to the drawbar. Side locks or cams rotate to overlie side recesses formed in the mold plate. 
         [0006]    The FORMAX® MAXUM700® reciprocating mold plate patty forming machine was introduced in 2003. It is a larger machine that can operate at 120 strokes per minute and produce about 43,200 patties per hour based on the standard width mold plate for the MAXUM700® which is about 28.5 inches. 
         [0007]    The mold plate for the FORMAX® MAXUM700® is also mounted to the reciprocating driving mechanism by being keyed to a drawbar that is driven at opposite ends by the longitudinally reciprocating drive rods of the driving mechanism. The mold plate includes two spaced apart oblong holes that receive oblong pins that are fixed to the drawbar. Side locks or cams rotate to overlie side recesses formed in the mold plate. 
         [0008]    Due to the difference in lateral dimensions between the F-26™ and MAXUM700® mold plates and the difference in the shape and number of keys, the F-26™ mold plates are not currently compatible with the MAXUM700® forming machine. 
         [0009]    A processing plant can be set up to run molding machines to mold patties of variable selected thickness, shape or food material content. Accordingly, the processing plant may already have an assortment of F-26™ mold plates to be fit into the F-26™ patty-forming machine. Currently, if the processing plant wishes to replace the F-26™ with a MAXUM700® machine, the F-26™ mold plates are not compatible. Additionally, some processing plants may wish to upgrade from one or more F-26™ machines to one or more MAXUM700® machines, or run a combination of F-26™ and MAXUM700® machines. 
         [0010]    The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable for a user of the MAXUM700® patty-forming to be able to reuse F-26™ mold plates, which the user may already have in inventory because of prior use of the F-26™ machine, in a MAXUM700® machine. 
         [0011]    The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable for a user of the MAXUM700® patty-forming machine to be able to use F-26™ mold plates, which the user already has in inventory because of current use of the F-26™ machine, interchangeably in a MAXUM700® machine. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention set forth different apparatus and methods of modifying a reciprocating mold plate patty-forming machine such that a mold plate for a smaller machine can be fit into a larger forming machine. According to one aspect, a tooling set for the modification includes a dedicated drawbar configured to mount the smaller mold plate and modified wider spacers to closely meet the smaller mold plate within the forming machine. According to another aspect, the smaller mold plate is reworked to include a key pattern identical to or similar to the key pattern of the mold plate for the larger forming machine, and wider spacers are also provided. 
         [0013]    According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an adapter system selectively mounts either a first mold plate having a first set of keyholes or a second mold plate having a second set of keyholes, different than the first set of keyholes to a single reciprocating mold plate patty-forming machine. The adapter system can include first and second sets of adapters and a drawbar having provision for connection at opposite ends to driving rods of the drive system. The first set of adapters have keys corresponding to the first set of keyholes, and the second set of adapters having keys corresponding to the second set of keyholes, the first and second set of adapters being selectively attached to the drawbar. 
         [0014]    The present invention provides a method of modifying a reciprocating mold plate patty-forming machine of the type having a drawbar for connecting a mold plate and a drive mechanism connected to the drawbar for reciprocating the drawbar, for mounting either a first mold plate having a first width or a second mold plate having a smaller second width. The present invention provides a method of modifying a reciprocating mold plate patty-forming machine wherein the first mold plate comprises plural keyholes in a first pattern and the second mold plate comprises plural keyholes in a different second pattern, and wherein the mold plate forming machine comprises side spacers that closely meet the side edges of the first mold plate. 
         [0015]    The inventive method includes the steps of: providing a first drawbar for the first mold plate and a second drawbar for the second mold plate, the first drawbar having first keys that correspond to the first pattern and the second drawbar having second keys corresponding to the second pattern; and providing replacement side spacers that have a width to closely meet the side edges of the second mold plate. 
         [0016]    Preferably, the first and second drawbar comprise a common bar member, wherein the first drawbar comprises at least one adapter having the first keys, the adapter connectable to the common bar member. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the second drawbar comprises at least one second adapter having the second keys, the second adapter connectable to the common bar member. 
         [0018]    Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, and from the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematical longitudinal cross-sectional view of a first patty-forming machine; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged sectional view taken from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a schematical longitudinal cross-sectional view of a second patty-forming machine; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3A  is a enlarged, fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view taken from  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3B  is a enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along line  3 B- 3 B in  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken generally along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of a first mold plate and associated spacers usable with the first patty-forming machine of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a second mold plate and associated spacers usable with the second patty-forming machine of  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of a first system for converting a first mold plate to be usable with the second patty-forming machine of  FIGS. 3-4 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a second system for converting a first mold plate to be usable with the second patty-forming machine of  FIGS. 3-4 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a plan view of a third system for converting a first mold plate to be usable with the second patty-forming machine of  FIGS. 3-4 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of a fourth system for converting a first mold plate to be usable with the second patty-forming machine of  FIGS. 3-4 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a drawbar according to the fourth system of  FIG. 10  set up to mount an F-26™ mold plate; 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a drawbar according to the fourth system of  FIG. 10  set up to mount a MAXUM700® mold plate; 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of one adapter used in the set up of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of one adapter used in the set up of  FIG. 12 ; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 15  is an exploded plan view of tooling used to convert a MAXUM700® machine to mount an F-26™ mold plate according to the fourth system of  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
         [0037]    FORMAX® F-26™ Patty-Forming Machine 
         [0038]    The high-speed food patty molding machine  20  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  generally illustrates a FORMAX® F-26™ patty-forming machine, available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S. This application incorporates by reference U.S. Pat. Nos. RE30,096; 4,996,743; 4,356,595; 4,821,376 and 4,182,003 which describe in more detail what is substantially a FORMAX® F-26™ patty-forming machine including improved configurations and operating controls. 
         [0039]    Molding machine  20  includes a machine base  21 , preferably mounted upon a plurality of rollers or wheels. Machine base  21  supports the operating mechanism for machine  20 , and contains hydraulic actuating systems, electrical actuating systems, and most of the machine controls. 
         [0040]    Molding machine  20  includes a supply means  24  for supplying a moldable food material, such as ground beef, fish, or the like, to the processing mechanisms of the machine. Supply means  24  comprises a large food material storage hopper  25  that opens into the intake of a food pump system  26 . The food pump system  26  includes two food pumps that continuously pump food, under pressure, into a manifold  27  connected to a cyclically operable molding mechanism  28 . 
         [0041]    In the operation of machine  20 , a supply of ground meat or other moldable food material is dumped into hopper  25  from overhead. The floor of hopper  25  comprises a conveyor belt  31  for moving the food material longitudinally of the hopper toward the other components of the food material supply means  24 . 
         [0042]    At the forward end of hopper  25 , the right hand end of the hopper as seen in  FIG. 1 , the food material is fed downwardly by supply means  24  into the intake of the reciprocating pumps constituting pumping system  26 . The pumps of system  26  operate in overlapping alteration to each other; at any given time when machine  20  is in operation at least one of the pumps is forcing food material under pressure into the intake of manifold  27 . 
         [0043]    The manifold  27  comprises a valving system for feeding the food material, still under relatively high pressure, into the molding mechanism  28 . Molding mechanism  28  operates on a cyclic basis, first sliding a multi-cavity mold plate  32  into receiving position over manifold  27  and then away from the manifold to a discharge position aligned with a series of knockout cups  33 . When mold plate  32  is at its discharge position, knockout cups  33  are driven downwardly, discharging the hamburgers or other molded products from machine  20 , as indicated by arrow A in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0044]    The conveyor belt  31  extends completely across the bottom of hopper  25 , around an end roller  35  and a drive roller  36 . A chain drive is provided for drive roller  36 , driven by an electric motor (not shown). 
         [0045]    The forward end of hopper  25  communicates with a vertical pump feed opening  39  that leads downwardly into a pump intake chamber  41 . A U-shaped frame  42  is mounted on machine base  21 , extending over hopper  25  adjacent the left hand side of the hopper outlet  39 . A mounting bracket  43  is affixed to the upper portion of frame  42 , extending over the pump feed opening  39  in hopper  25 . 
         [0046]    Multiple electric feed screw motors  45  (one shown), are mounted upon bracket  43 . Motor  45  drives a feed screw  51  that extends downwardly through opening  39  in alignment with a pump plunger  88 . 
         [0047]    When machine  20  is in operation, one or more of the feed screw motors are energized whenever one plunger is withdrawn to the left in  FIG. 1 , so that feed screws supply meat from hopper  25  downwardly through opening  39  and into one side of the intake  41  of the food pumping system  26 . Similarly, one or more of the feed screw motors actuate feed screws to feed meat to the other side of intake  41  whenever the other plunger  68  is withdrawn. In each instance, the feed screw motors are timed to shut off shortly after the plunger is fully retracted, avoiding excessive agitation of the meat. As the supply of food material in the outlet  39  of hopper  25  is depleted, conveyor belt  31  continuously moves the food forwardly in the hopper and into position to be engaged by feed screws. 
         [0048]    The food pump system  26  comprises two reciprocating food pumps  61  (one shown) mounted upon the top  63  of machine base  21 . The first food pump  61  includes a hydraulic cylinder  64  having two ports. The piston  64   a  in cylinder  64  is connected to an elongated piston rod  67 ; the outer end of piston rod  67  is connected to a large plunger  68 . Plunger  68  is aligned with a first pump cavity  69  formed by a pump cavity enclosure  71  that is divided into two chambers by a partial central divider wall  72 . The forward wall  74  of pump cavity  69  has a relatively narrow slot that communicates with the pump manifold  27  as described more fully hereinafter. The second food pump is essentially similar in construction to pump  61 . 
         [0049]    The pump feed manifold  27 , comprises a manifold valve cylinder  101  fitted into an opening in housing  71  immediately beyond the pump cavity walls. The valve cylinder is selectively rotatable to direct food product from either pump cavity to a slot  111  in housing  71  that constitutes a feed passage for molding mechanism  28 . 
         [0050]    The upper surface of the housing  71  that encloses the pump cavities and the manifold  27  comprises a support plate  121  that projects forwardly of the housing, and that affords a flat, smooth mold plate support surface. The mold plate support  121  may be fabricated as a separate plate bolted to or otherwise fixedly mounted upon housing  71 . It includes the upper portion of the manifold outlet passage  111 . 
         [0051]    Mold plate  32  is supported upon plate  121 . Mold plate  32  includes a plurality of individual mold cavities  126  extending across the width of the mold plate (See  FIG. 5 ) and alignable with the manifold outlet passageway  111 . A cover plate  122  is disposed immediately above mold plate  32 , closing off the top of each of the mold cavities  126 . A housing  123  is mounted upon cover plate  122 . The spacing between cover plate  122  and support plate  121  is maintained equal to the thickness of mold plate  32  by support spacers  402 ,  404  ( FIG. 5 ) mounted upon support plate  121 ; cover plate  122  rests upon spacers  402 ,  404 ,  406  when the molding mechanism is assembled for operation. Cover plate  122  is held in place by mounting bolts. 
         [0052]    Mold plate  32  is connected to two spaced apart drive rods  128  via a drawbar  127 . The drive rods  128  extend alongside housing  71  and are each connected at one end to a swing link  129 . The other end of each link  129  is pivotally connected to a rocker arm  131  which, with a respective second arm  132 , forms a crank pivoted on a fixed shaft  133 . The free end of crank arm  132  is provided with a lost motion connection, entailing a pin  134  in an elongated slot  135 , to a connecting rod assembly  136  that includes a hydraulic shock absorber  137 . Shock absorber  137  is connected to a mold plate crank arm  138  having a crank pin  139  linked to the output shaft  141  of a gear reducer  142 . Gear reducer  142  is driven through a variable speed drive, represented in  FIG. 2  by a pulley  143 , actuated by a mold plate drive motor (not shown). 
         [0053]    Molding mechanism  28  further comprises a knockout apparatus. The knockout apparatus comprises the knockout cups  33 , which are affixed to a mechanism within the housing  123  that is driven by the machine motor via chains and sprockets. The details of the knockout mechanism can be found in U.S. Pat. RE30,096, herein incorporated by reference. The mechanism reciprocates the knockout cups in synchronism with the movement of the mold plate. Knockout cups  33  are coordinated in number and size to the mold cavities  126  in mold plate  32 ; there is one knockout cup  33  aligned with each mold cavity  126  and the mold cavity size is somewhat greater than the size of an individual knockout cup. 
         [0054]    FORMAX® MAXUM700® Patty-Forming Machine 
         [0055]    The high-speed food patty molding machine  200  illustrated in  FIGS. 3-4  substantially illustrates a FORMAX® MAXUM700® patty-forming machine. This application incorporates by reference published U.S. patent application 2005/0092187, U.S. Ser. No. 10/942,627 filed Sep. 16, 2004, herein incorporated by reference, which describes in more detail what is substantially a FORMAX® MAXUM700® patty-forming machine. 
         [0056]    Molding machine  200  includes a machine base  221  which supports the operating mechanisms of the machine and contains hydraulic actuating systems, electrical actuating systems, and most of the machine controls. 
         [0057]    The food patty molding machine  200  includes a supply mechanism  224  for storing and supplying a moldable food product, such as ground beef, fish, pork, chicken, potatoes, or the like, to the processing mechanisms of the machine. Supply means  224  includes a large food product storage hopper  225  that supplies food product to a food pump system  226 . System  226  includes two food pumps operating in alternation; other machines typically include only a single food pump. The two food pumps continuously pump food, under pressure, into a valve manifold  227  connected to a cyclically operable molding station  228 . 
         [0058]    Molding station  228  includes a mold plate  232  that moves cyclically between a fill position, shown in  FIG. 3  and a discharge position in which its mold cavities are outside of station  228 , within a knockout station  240  aligned with a set of knock-out cups  233 . Details of the knockout mechanism can be found in U.S. Ser. No. 10/942,627 filed Sep. 16, 2004, herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0059]    Food supply means  224  includes a conveyor belt  231  that extends completely across the bottom of hopper  225 . The forward end of hopper  225  communicates with a vertical hopper outlet  239  that leads downwardly into two pump chambers; only one pump chamber  241  is shown. One or more feed screws  238  are driven in rotation to deliver food product through the outlet  239  to the pump chamber  241 . The conveyor belt  231  is driven in circulation to deliver food product in the hopper  225  to the feed screw  238 . 
         [0060]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the food pump system  226  comprises two reciprocating food pumps  261 ,  262 . Food pumps  261 ,  262  are driven by hydraulic cylinders  264 ,  284 , respectively. The piston in each cylinder is connected to a piston rod that is in turn connected to a large pump plunger  266 ,  268  respectively. The respective plunger  266 ,  268  is aligned with and extends into a pump cavity  269 ,  289 , which is substantially enclosed by a housing  271 . The forward wall  274  of each pump cavity  269 ,  289  includes a respective slot  273 ,  293  that communicates with the valve manifold  227 . 
         [0061]    As shown in  FIG. 3A , valve feed manifold  227  includes a valve cylinder  301  fitted into an opening in housing  271  immediately beyond wall  274 . Valve cylinder  301  includes two intake slots  307 ,  308 . One slot  307 ,  308  is alignable with a corresponding outlet slot  273 ,  293  in pump cavity wall  274 , depending on which pump  261 ,  262  is in use. Rotation of cylinder  301  is effective to move one slot  307 ,  308  into alignment and one slot  307 ,  308  out of alignment with corresponding slots  273 ,  293  depending on which pump is in operation and which is being refilled. Valve cylinder  301  also includes outlet slots  309  aligned with a slot  311  in housing  271  that comprises a fill passage for the molding station  228 . 
         [0062]    As best illustrated in  FIGS. 3B and 4 , mold plate  232  is connected to a drawbar  329  that is connected to drive rods  328  that extend alongside housing  271 . The mold plate  232  includes oblong keyholes  430   a ,  430   b  ( FIG. 6 ) that receive oblong keys  431   a ,  431   b  that are fastened to the drawbar  329  from below the drawbar  329  by two fasteners threaded into threaded holes in the keys  431   a ,  431   b . The other end of each drive rod  328  is pivotally connected to a connecting link  331  via a coupling plate  331   a  and a pivot connection. The connecting link  331  is shown in two positions (one solid, one dashed). 
         [0063]    Each drive rod  328  is carried within a guide tube  332  that is fixed between a wall  334  and a front bearing housing  333 . The connecting links  331  are each pivotally connected to a crank arm  342  ( FIG. 3 ). The crank arm  342  is fixed to, and rotates with, a circular guard plate  335 . 
         [0064]    The crank arms  342  are each driven by a right angle gear box  336  via a “T” gear box  337  having one input that is driven by a precise position controlled motor  338  such as a servomotor, and two outputs connected to the gearboxes  336 . The “T” gear box  337  and the right angle gear boxes  336  are configured such that the crank arms  342  rotate in opposite directions at the same rotary speed. 
         [0065]    A tie bar  339  is connected between the rods  328  to ensure a parallel reciprocation of the rods  328 . As the crank arms  342  rotate in opposite rotational directions, the outward centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the crank arms  342  and the eccentric weight of the attached links  331  cancels, and separation force is taken up by tension in the tie bar  339 . 
         [0066]    During most of each cycle of operation of mold plate  232 , the knockout mechanism remains in the elevated position, with knockout cups  233  clear of mold plate  232 . When mold plate  232  reaches its extended discharge position the knockout cups  233  are driven downward to discharge the patties from the mold cavities. 
         [0067]      FIG. 3A  illustrates the upper surface of the housing  271  that encloses the pump cavities and the manifold  227  comprises a support plate  381  that affords a flat, smooth mold plate support surface. The mold plate support  381  may be fabricated as a separate plate bolted to or otherwise fixedly mounted upon housing  271 . It includes the upper portion of the manifold outlet passage  311 . 
         [0068]    Preferably a separate fill plate  381   a  is fixed to the manifold housing  271 . The fill plate  381   a  includes a plurality of openings  381   b  for passing food product into the mold cavities  126 . A reciprocal stripper or seal-off plate  383  is sliding carried by the fill plate  381   a . The function, configuration and structure of the fill plate and stripper and seal-off plate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,376, herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0069]    Mold plate  232  is supported upon plate  381  and  381   a . Mold plate  232  includes a plurality of individual mold cavities  126  extending across the width of the mold plate (See  FIG. 6 ) and alignable with the manifold outlet passageway  311 . Cover plate  122  is held in place by mounting bolts. 
         [0070]    A breather plate  390  can be arranged above the mold plate  232  closing off the top of each of the mold cavities  126 . The spacing between the breather plate  390  and support plate  121  is maintained equal to the thickness of mold plate  232  by support spacers  402 ,  404 ,  406  ( FIG. 6 ) mounted upon support plate  381 . The breather plate  390  includes air apertures  391  that communicate air into passages  392 ,  393 ,  394 ,  395  and  396  into the opening  239  and pump cavity  241 . The passages  394  are through the rear spacer  406 . 
         [0071]    A cover plate  322  is disposed above the breather plate  390 . A housing  323  which contains the knockout mechanism is mounted upon cover plate  322 . 
         [0072]    FORMAX® F-26™ Mold Plate and FORMAX® MAXUM700® Mold Plate 
         [0073]      FIG. 5  illustrates the mold plate  32  used in the forming machine  20  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Additionally, side spacers  402 ,  404  and rear spacer  406  are shown. The mold plate  32  is of conventional design for use in a FORMAX® F-26™ reciprocating mold plate patty forming machine. The mold plate includes the mold cavities  126 , food product pressure balance grooves  410  opened to pressure balance slots  412 , and food particle drop slots  416 . To mount the mold plate  32  to a drawbar, three cylindrical key holes are provided through the mold plate  32 : a center keyhole  420   a , a left keyhole  420   b  and a right keyhole  420   c . Additionally, a left corner recess  422   a  and a right corner recess  422   b  are provided. A conventional F-26™ mold plate has a width W 1  equal to about 27 inches and a length L 1  equal to about 19.5 inches. 
         [0074]      FIG. 6  illustrates the mold plate  232  used in the forming machine  200  of  FIGS. 3-4 . Similar components or configurations to the arrangement in  FIG. 5  are given the same reference number even though the components may be of different size in practice. The mold plate  232  is of typical design for use in a FORMAX® MAXUM700® reciprocating mold plate patty forming machine. The area marked  431  provides slots and grooves configured as described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/844,789, filed Sep. 15, 2006. Alternately the mold plate, the breather plate and spacers can be as described in U.S. patent application 2005/0092187, U.S. Ser. No. 10/942,627 filed Sep. 16, 2004, both herein incorporated by reference. To mount the mold plate  32  to a drawbar, two oblong or rounded rectangular keyholes: a left keyhole  430   a  and a right keyhole  430   b  are provided through the mold plate  232 . Additionally, the left corner recess  422   a  and the right corner recess  422   b  are provided. A conventional MAXUM700® mold plate has a width W 2  equal to about 28.5 inches and a length L 2  equal to about 20.375 inches. 
       Using FORMAX® F-26™ Mold Plate on a FORMAX® MAXUM700® Machine 
       [0075]    As stated in the background of the invention, the present inventors have recognized that it would be advantageous to be able to mount an FORMAX® F-26™ mold plate onto a FORMAX® MAXUM700® patty forming machine. 
         [0076]    One system of providing this compatibility is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . According to this embodiment, a new drawbar  450  set up to be mounted in a FORMAX® MAXUM700® machine includes lock cams set inward to correspond to the width W 1  of the F-26™ mold plate. Furthermore, the drawbar  450  includes cylindrical pins  456   a ,  456   b ,  456   c  that fit within the cylindrical keyholes through the mold plate  32 , keyholes  420   a ,  420   b ,  420   c , respectively. Wider side spacers  460 ,  462  and a wider end spacer  464  (see  FIG. 15 ) would also be required due to the smaller dimensions of the F-26™ mold plate. If a perforated fill plate and seal off stripper are used, replacement fill plates and seal off stripper plates to accommodate the different mold cavity number and pattern, may also be required. 
         [0077]    Two cam locks  454  are used to hold the mold plate  32  to the drawbar  490 . To mount or remove a mold plate the cams are turned with flat sides inward. To lock down a mold plate to the drawbar, the cam locks are tuned to overlie the recesses. A friction washer prevents the cam locks from turning once in locked position. 
         [0078]    One drawback to this method is that a different drawbar would be needed to thereafter re-mount a FORMAX® MAXUM700® mold plate to this FORMAX® MAXUM700® forming machine. In effect, an F-26™ mold plate compatible-drawbar and a FORMAX® MAXUM700® mold plate-compatible drawbar would be required to run both types of mold plates on this FORMAX® MAXUM700® machine. 
         [0079]    Another method of providing this compatibility is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . According to this system, the mold plate  32  is modified to include a left oblong keyhole  466   a  and a right oblong keyhole  466   b  for receiving a left oblong key  468   a  and a right oblong key  468   b  that are fastened to a drawbar  470  by screws that extend from a bottom side of the drawbar  470 . The oblong keys  468   a ,  468   b  provide sufficient shear strength of the connection between the mold plate  32  and the drawbar  470 . The key holes  420   a ,  420   b ,  420   c  are retained for the purpose of reusing the mold plate  32  in an FORMAX® F-26™ molding machine. The oblong keyholes  466   a ,  466   b  and the oblong keys  468   a ,  468   b  cannot be located in the correct position to also mount a mold plate  232  according to this embodiment if the keyholes  420   a ,  420   b ,  420   c  are to be retained. Therefore, according to this system a designated drawbar must be used for the mold plate  32  which is incompatible with mounting the mold plate  232 . 
         [0080]    Wider side spacers  460 ,  462  and a wider end spacer  464  (see  FIG. 15 ) would also be required due to the smaller dimensions of the F-26™ mold plate. If a perforated fill plate and seal off stripper are used, replacement fill plates and seal off stripper plates to accommodate the different mold cavity number and pattern, may also be required. 
         [0081]    Two cam locks  454  are used to hold the mold plate  32  to the drawbar  490 . To mount or remove a mold plate the cams are turned with flat sides inward. To lock down a mold plate to the drawbar, the cam locks are tuned to overlie the recesses. A friction washer prevents the cam locks from turning once in locked position. 
         [0082]    Another method for providing this compatibility is shown in  FIG. 9 . According to this system, the mold plate  32  is modified wherein oblong key holes  466   a ,  466   b  are cut through the mold plate  32  at the same positions as required for the mounting of the mold plate  232  on the keys  431   a ,  431   b  ( FIG. 3B ). According to this system, either the mold plate  32  or the mold plate  232  can be mounted to a common drawbar  490  that has oblong keys  431   a ,  431   b  fastened thereto and inserted into either the oblong keyholes  466   a ,  466   b  of the mold plate  32  or the oblong key holes  430   a ,  430   b  of the mold plate  232  ( FIG. 6 ). A drawback of the system is that once the mold plate  32  is so modified, it cannot be re-installed into an F-26™ machine. 
         [0083]    Wider side spacers  460 ,  462  and a wider end spacer  464  (see  FIG. 15 ) would also be required due to the smaller dimensions of the F-26™ mold plate. If a perforated fill plate and seal off stripper are used, replacement fill plates and seal off stripper plates to accommodate the different mold cavity number and pattern, may also be required. 
         [0084]    Two cam locks  454  are used to hold the mold plate  32  to the drawbar  490 . To mount or remove a mold plate the cams are turned with flat sides inward. To lock down a mold plate to the drawbar, the cam locks are tuned to overlie the recesses. A friction washer prevents the cam locks from turning once in locked position. When the wider mold plate  232  is used, the cam locks  454  are relocated to a wider position to accommodate the wider mold plate  232 . In this regard, four holes are provided in the drawbar  490  for the installation of the cam locks in the desired position, two inner holes  454   a ,  454   a  and two outer holes  454   b ,  454   b.    
         [0085]    A further method of providing this compatibility is described in  FIG. 10 . According to this system a common drawbar  500  can be used for both mold plate  32 , and mold plate  232 . According to this embodiment the drawbar  500  is provided with a flat top surface  502  with rectangular recesses  504 ,  506 . To mount the mold plate  32 , a first set of adapters is installed. A left adapter  510  and a right adapter  512  include respective rounded rectangular adapter bases  510   a ,  510   b  that are fit snugly within the recesses  504 ,  506 . The adapter bases  510   a ,  512   a  are fastened to the drawbar  500  using fasteners which extend from a bottom surface of the drawbar  500  into threaded holes into the adapter bases  510   a ,  512   a  open on a bottom of each adapter base. In the illustrated embodiment, the adapter includes threaded holes for four (one being aligned with the pin) fasteners. 
         [0086]    Key pins  516 ,  518  extend upwardly from each respective adapter base  510   a ,  512   a . The recess and adapter are configured such that the key pins extend in registry with the mold plate keyholes  420   b ,  420   c . A fixed key pin  519  on the drawbar fits into the keyhole  420   a . The key pin  519  is preferably attached with a screw from below or can be formed with, machined into, welded to, fastened to, or otherwise connected to the drawbar  500 . 
         [0087]    Each adapter  510 ,  512 , including the adapter base and key pin, comprises a machined, unitary body, preferably composed of 17-4 stainless steel. 
         [0088]    Two cam locks  454  are used to hold the mold plate  32  to the drawbar  500 . To mount or remove a mold plate the cams are turned with flat sides inward. To lock down a mold plate to the drawbar, the cam locks are tuned to overlie the recesses. A friction washer prevents the cam locks from turning once in locked position. When the wider mold plate  232  is used, the cam locks  454  are relocated to a wider position to accommodate the wider mold plate  232 . In this regard, four holes are provided in the drawbar  500  for the installation of the cam locks in the desired position, two inner holes  454   a ,  454   a  and two outer holes  454   b ,  454   b  (see  FIG. 11 ). 
         [0089]    The system shown in  FIG. 10  also includes provision for mounting the wider mold plate  232 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , a second, different set of adapters, a left adapter  526  and a right adapter  528  are fit snugly within the recesses  504 ,  506 , respectively. Each of the adapters  526 ,  528  includes a rounded rectangular adapter base  526   a ,  528   a , respectively. An oblong key  532 ,  534  extends from each base  526   a ,  528   a . The adapter bases  526   a ,  528   a  are fastened to the drawbar  500  using fasteners which extend from a bottom surface of the drawbar  500  into threaded holes into the adapter bases  526   a ,  528   a  open on a bottom of each adapter base. In the illustrated embodiment, the adapter includes threaded holes for three fasteners. 
         [0090]    The oblong keys  532 ,  534  are located on the respective bases  526   a ,  528   a  in order to be in registry with the oblong keyholes  430   a ,  430   b  of the mold plate  232  when the mold plate  232  is mounted to the drawbar  500 . 
         [0091]    The center fixed key pin  519  may remain in most cases but is not used for mounting the mold plate  232 . Preferably, it is fastened in place and can be removed if necessary. Due to the shape of the mold plate  232 , the key pin  519  may not interfere with the mounting of the mold plate  232 . 
         [0092]    Each adapter  526 ,  528 , including the adapter base and oblong key comprises a machined, unitary body, preferably composed of 17-4 stainless steel. 
         [0093]    The drawbars illustrated above are preferably composed of 17-4 stainless steel. The spacers  460 ,  462 ,  464  are preferably composed of mild steel or 300 series stainless steel. 
         [0094]    According to this embodiment, by the use of selective adapters  510 ,  512 ,  526 ,  528 , a common drawbar can be used for both mold plates  32 ,  232  on a FORMAX® MAXUM700® machine. For setting up a FORMAX® MAXUM700® machine to use an FORMAX® F-26™ mold plate  32 , the tooling shown in  FIG. 15  may be needed. The tooling includes the drawbar  500 , a narrower fill plate  381   a , a narrower stripper or seal off plate  383 , wider spacers  460 ,  462 ,  464  to compensate for the narrower mold plate  32 , and the adapters  510 ,  512 . The adapters  526 ,  528  are used to return the tooling to a condition to mount a FORMAX® MAXUM700® mold plate  232  on the FORMAX® MAXUM700® machine. 
         [0095]    From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.