Abstract:
A mold plate for use in a reciprocating mold plate patty-forming apparatus includes a flat body having a plurality of cavities for forming patties. The flat body has a fill side face and an opposite face. A grid pattern of grooves is formed on the second face extending longitudinally and laterally on the second face. The pattern extends a lateral distance that is about equivalent to an overall patty cavity field width. Longitudinal and lateral slots that penetrate though a thickness of the mold plate and flow connect fill side pressure and meat with the pattern of grooves on the second face to balance the pressure on the opposite faces of the flat body.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/844,789 filed Sep. 15, 2006. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Food patties of various kinds, including hamburgers, molded “steaks”, fish cakes, chicken patties, pork patties, potato patties, and others, are frequently formed in high-volume automated molding machines. Patty molding machines that can be successfully adapted to any of these food products are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,964, 4,329,828; 3,952,478; 4,054,967; 4,182,003; 4,608,731; 4,541,143; and PCT published applications WO 99/62344, WO 2005/027666 A3 and WO 2005/027667A3 or as FORMAX® F-6, F-12, F-19, F-26, F-400 or MAXUM700® reciprocating mold plate forming machine, available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A. 
   In a typical food patty molding machine, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,964, food material is pumped into mold cavities of a reciprocating mold plate that slides between a fill position and a discharge position. The mold plate slides between a support plate or fill plate and a breather plate. The fill plate includes a fill slot which is arranged to communicate the pressurized material into the mold cavities when the mold plate is in the fill position. The breather plate includes breather orifices and an air discharge channel and functions to relieve air from the mold cavities as the food material is pressurized into the mold cavities. 
   An apparatus for molding food patties that have essentially uniform texture and minimal shrinkage when cooked is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,595. The patties also hold their shape consistently after cooking. The apparatus includes a multi-orifice plate interposed in the outlet end of a fill passage extending from a food pump to a cyclically reciprocating mold plate. The food pump is preferably controlled so that the maximum fill pressure, desirable for consistent filling of the mold cavities, is used for only a limited part of each mold plate cycle. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,008 also discloses a multi-orifice fill plate and uses a stripper plate slidably mounted immediately adjacent the fill plate. The stripper plate has fill openings that align one-for-one with the fill plate orifices when the stripper plate is in a fill location. Once the mold cavities are filled, the stripper plate slides transversely of the direction of mold plate movement to cut food fibers along the fill side face of the fill plate. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,376 describes a food patty molding machine that comprises a multi-orifice fill plate, interposed in the fill passage immediately adjacent the mold plate and a stripper plate. The stripper plate has a multiplicity of fill openings aligned one-for-one with the fill orifices as extensions thereof when the stripper plate is in its fill location. The spacings between fill openings in the stripper plate, in the direction of the stripper plate path, are such that movement of the stripper plate to its discharge location seals off the fill orifices. 
   The multi-orifice tooling is commercially available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A under the trademark TENDER-FORM®. 
   For both a slot fill plate and a multi-orifice fill plate, the mold plate reciprocates between a fill plate and a breather plate within a close fitting sliding tolerance. Typical “running clearances” between a reciprocating mold plate and the stationary fill plate and stationary breather plate is 0.001 to 0.003 inches 
   The interface between the fill plate and the mold plate is lubricated by the food material pressurized into the mold cavities which is exposed to the fill plate surface as the mold plate moves longitudinally over the fill plate. The interface between the breather plate and a mold plate is lubricated by longitudinally arranged through-slots that extend through a thickness of the mold plate and are exposed to the pressurized food material from the fill slot during at least a portion of the reciprocating cycle of the mold plate. Laterally arranged depressions or grooves on the surface of the mold plate facing the breather plate are in communication with the longitudinal through-slots and serve to distribute the pressurized food material across the width of the mold plate. This food material is exposed to the breather plate and lubricates this interface as the mold plate longitudinally slides against the breather plate. 
   However, the filling pressure of product against the fill side of the mold plate can reduce the running clearance opposite the filling side, the clearance between the mold plate and the breather plate, to 0.000 inch clearance. This lack of clearance removes any room for the lubricating characteristics of food such as meat to keep the metal mold plate from rubbing the metal breather plate, and can cause galling between the mold plate and the breather plate, increased wear on the mold plate and breather plate, increased driving power requirements due to increased friction between the mold plate and the breather plate, and increased leakage due to the increase clearance between the mold plate and the fill plate. 
   The present inventors have recognized that the longitudinal through-slots are less effective to deliver food material to the interface between the mold plate and the breather plate when using a multi-orifice fill plate because of the limited flow area of the limited number of orifices that are aligned to pass by the longitudinally arranged through-slots. 
   The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable to provide a mold plate that was configured to supply an increased amount of pressurized food material to the interface between the breather plate and the mold plate for a machine that supplied food material through a multi-orifice filler plate. 
   The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable to provide a mold plate that was configured to have a sufficient food material flow area between the fill plate and the breather plate through a thickness of the mold plate for both a slot fill plate and a multi-orifice fill plate. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This present invention is an improvement to a forming machine mold plate and to a forming machine having a mold plate that reciprocates between a fill plate and a breather plate. 
   The invention relates to “floating” or “counterbalancing” a reciprocating mold plate that will reduce the force required to move the mold plate, reduce the possibility of galling between the running surfaces or interface between the mold plate and the breather plate, and reduce product leakage that occurs due to running clearances associated with reciprocating mold plate machines. 
   The present invention mold plate “floats” the mold plate or keeps product between these running surfaces. Food product under fill pressure effectively reaches the opposite side of the mold plate and distributes this pressure (meat) onto, across and between the running surfaces. 
   The mold plate of the present invention advantageously accommodates both types of fill techniques:
     1. Slot fill. Typically a slot that is about ⅜ to ½″ in width that extends across the entire mold plate.   2. Multi-orifice fill. Typically holes about ¼″ in diameter that are closely spaced throughout a 6″×entire mold plate width. In the case of a MAXUM700® machine commercially available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A., that would be 6″ front to back×700 mm side to side; approximately 970 holes.   

   In the case of a slot fill operation, the counterbalancing can use fill pressure and residual pressure that remains in the pumping chamber after fill is turned off. 
   In the case of multi-orifice fill with a seal-off stripper, the residual pressure that remains in the numerous orifices can be effectively used for this counterbalance operation. 
   The mold plate of the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises lateral through-slots advantageous for multi-orifice filling operations. The lateral through-slots go through the mold plate and collect or scrape off the residual meat that is under pressure from the orifices to provide lubrication to the top side of the mold plate. These lateral through-slots extend laterally across the mold plate to collect as much pressure (meat) as possible from the multitude of small orifices. The lateral through-slots are in communication with at least one lateral groove on a side of the mold plate that faces the breather plate to distribute the pressure (meat) uniformly between the mold plate and the breather plate. Preferably, the at least one lateral groove comprises a groove grid that includes a plurality of lateral grooves intersected by a plurality of longitudinal grooves. 
   As a further aspect of the invention, the preferred embodiment of the present invention can also include provisions for the slot fill technique. In this way, the mold plate can be a universal part that can be used for either a multi-orifice fill technique or a slot fill technique. 
   According to this embodiment, a plurality of spaced-apart longitudinal through-slots are also provided. The longitudinal through-slots run front to back to collect the meat under residual pressure from the fill slot of the fill plate. The longitudinal length of the through-slots ensures sufficient exposure time with the laterally extended fill slot during reciprocation of the mold plate. The longitudinal through-slots are in communication with at least one lateral groove on the side of the mold plate that faces the breather plate to distribute the pressure (meat) uniformly between the mold plate and the breather plate. Preferably, the at least one lateral groove comprises the aforementioned groove grid that includes the plurality of lateral grooves intersected by the plurality of longitudinal grooves. 
   The mold plate configuration of the invention should reduce the galling between the mold plate and the breather plate, reduce the mold plate drive current (force) and reduce meat leakage. The mold plate configuration of the invention should achieve a counterbalance of forces between the breather plate and the fill plate and an even “split” of the available clearance of 0.001 to 0.003 inches, between each side of the mold plate. 
   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 
       FIG. 1  is a sectional elevation view of the molding mechanism of a food patty molding machine of one type to which the present invention can be applied, specifically the molding machine of Richards U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,964; 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the food patty molding machine of the invention with a mold plate in a knock out position; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged sectional view of the food patty molding machine of  FIG. 2  with the mold plate in a filling position; 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of a mold plate taken from  FIG. 3  with a superimposed location of the fill slot of the patty-molding machine; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken generally along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken generally along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view, like  FIG. 1 , illustrating a modification of the machine of  FIG. 1  as in Sandberg U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,376, with a stripper plate in a fill position; 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view like  FIG. 7  but with the stripper plate in a seal off position; and 
       FIG. 9  is a plan view of a mold plate taken from  FIG. 7  with a superimposed location of the fill orifices of the patty-molding machine. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   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. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a high volume food patty molding machine  20  of the type described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,964. The food patty-forming apparatus can be generally configured as disclosed in any of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,964, 4,329,828; 3,952,478; 4,054,967; 4,182,003; 4,608,731; 4,541,143; or PCT published applications WO 99/62344, WO 2005/027666 A3 and WO 2005/027667A3, all incorporated by reference or as a FORMAX® F-6, F-12, F-19, F-26, F-400 or MAXUM700® reciprocating mold plate forming machine, available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A. 
   Molding machine  20  includes a machine base  21  which supports the operating mechanisms of the machine and contains hydraulic actuating systems, electrical actuating systems, and most of the machine controls. 
   The food patty molding machine  20  includes a supply means  24  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  24  includes a large food product storage hopper  25  that supplies a food pump system  26 . System  26  includes two food pumps (one shown) operating in alternation. The two food pumps continuously pump food, under pressure, into a valve manifold connected to a cyclically operable molding station  28 . Molding station  28  includes a multi-cavity mold plate  32  that moves cyclically between a fill position, shown in  FIG. 1  and a discharge position ( FIG. 2 ) in which its mold cavities are outside of station  28 , aligned with a set of knock-out cups  33 . 
   The mold plate is reciprocally driven by a motor arrangement  35   a  (shown schematically) in a timed, controlled cycle. The motor arrangement can be a servomotor  36   a  that drives a cam or crank arrangement  37   a  that drives parallel drive rods  38   a  that are connected together by a transverse drive bar  34  ( FIG. 2 ). The mold plate  32  can be fastened to the drive bar  34  to be reciprocated thereby. 
   The motor arrangement  35   a  is not described in detail herein but is described in detail in WO 2005/027666 A3 and WO 2005/027667A3, both incorporated by reference. A detailed description of different types of motor arrangements can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,964, 4,329,828; 3,952,478; 4,054,967; 4,182,003; 4,608,731; 4,541,143; or PCT published applications WO 99/62344, all incorporated by reference. 
   Food supply means  24  includes a conveyor belt  31  that extends completely across the bottom of hopper  25 , around a tensioning roller  35  and a drive roller  36 . In  FIG. 1 , a limited supply of food product  38  is shown in hopper  25 ; a much greater supply could be stored in the hopper without exceeding its capacity. The forward end of hopper  25  communicates with a vertical hopper outlet  39  that leads downwardly into two pump chambers; only one pump chamber  69  is shown. A frame  42  mounted on machine base  21  extends over the top of hopper  25 , above the hopper outlet  39 , and a bracket  43  affixed to frame  42  supports a plurality of motors that drive a plurality of vertical feed screws. Only one motor  47  and one feed screw  53  are shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   A level sensing mechanism at the outlet end of hopper  25  comprises a sensing element  55  affixed to a shaft  56  that extends downwardly into the forward end of hopper  25 . As food product moves forwardly in the hopper, it may accumulate to a level at which it engages sensor  55 . When this occurs, shaft  56  is rotated and actuates a limit switch (not shown) to interrupt the drive for conveyor roller  36 . This makes it possible to maintain the accumulation of food product at a safe level at the outlet end  39  of food hopper  25 . 
   In machine  20 , as noted above, the food pump system  26  comprises two reciprocating food pumps; only one pump  61  is illustrated. Food pump  61  includes a hydraulic cylinder  64 . The piston  60  in cylinder  64  is connected to a piston rod  67  in turn connected to a large pump plunger  68 . Plunger  68  is aligned with and extends into pump cavity  69 , which is enclosed by a housing  71 . The forward wall  74  of pump cavity  69  includes a slot  73  that communicates the pump manifold  27  as shown in the enlarged view of  FIG. 2 . 
   Pump feed manifold  27  includes a valve cylinder  101  fitted into an opening in housing  71  immediately beyond wall  74 . Valve cylinder  101 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , includes two intake slots; only one intake slot  107  is illustrated. Slot  107  is alignable with the outlet slot  73  in pump cavity wall  74 , and this is the position employed when pump  61  ( FIG. 1 ) is in use. Rotation of cylinder  101  is effective to move slot  107  out of alignment with slot  73  when the other pump of machine  20  is in operation. Valve cylinder  101  also includes an elongated outlet slot  110  aligned with a slot  111  ( FIG. 2 ) in housing  71  that comprises a fill passage for the molding mechanism of station  28 . 
   As seen in  FIG. 1 , the upper part of the pump housing  71  comprises a plate  121  that supports a mold plate  32 . Mold plate  32  includes a plurality of individual mold cavities  126  distributed across the width of the mold plate; mold cavities  126  are alignable with the manifold outlet, fill passage  111 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . A mold cover  122  is disposed immediately above mold plate  32 , closing off the top of each of the mold cavities  126 . Mold cover  122  includes a breather plate  123 ; see  FIG. 2 . Suitable spacers (not shown) are provided to maintain the spacing between breather plate  123  and support plate  121  essentially equal to thickness of mold plate  32 . A housing  127  is positioned above cover plate  122 ,  FIG. 1 . Housing  127  encloses the knock out operating mechanism  128  ( FIG. 2 ) for the knock-out cups  33 . 
   In the operation of patty molding machine  20 , a supply of ground meat or other moldable food product  38  is put into hopper  25 , and is advanced toward hopper outlet  39  by conveyor  31 . Whenever one of the food pump plungers, such as plunger  68 , is retracted to expose a pump cavity (e.g., cavity  69 ), the vertical feed screws  53  aligned with that pump cavity are actuated to feed the food product into the pump cavity. 
   In  FIG. 1  pumping system  26  is illustrated with mold plate  32  in its fill position and with pump  61  pumping the moldable food product through manifold  27 . The second food pump of the machine, at this time, may be receiving a supply of the food product for a subsequent pumping operation. Pump  61 , as shown, has just begun its pumping stroke, and has compressed the food product in pump cavity  69 , forcing it under pressure into manifold  27 . As operation of machine  20  continues, plunger  68  advances and food product under pressure flows into mold cavities  126 . 
   In describing the operation of molding mechanism  28 , and particularly mold plate  32 , it is convenient to start with mold plate  32  in the fill position shown in  FIG. 1 . In each molding cycle, mold plate  32  remains in this fill position for a limited dwell interval. As the mold cavities  126  move into the fill position, one of the two food pumps of machine  20  pumps food product through manifold  27  and fill passage  111 , filling the mold cavities  126 . To assure complete filling of the mold cavities, the food pump must apply a substantial pressure to the food product. In machine  20  the fill pressure on the food product may be well over one hundred pounds per square inch, subject to variation in accordance with the requirements of the food product being molded into patties, the sizes of the mold plate cavities  126 , and other related factors. In other machines, different fill pressures may be required. 
   Following the fill dwell interval, mold plate  32  is moved outwardly, to the right from its fill position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , until it reaches a discharge position with its mold cavities  126  aligned with knockout cups  33  ( FIG. 2 ). As mold plate  32  moves toward its discharge position, mold cavities  126  all move clear of fill passage  111  before any part of those cavities projects out of mold station  28 , beyond support plate  121  and cover  122 . Thus, the food pump in machine  20 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , remains sealed off at all times. A second dwell interval occurs at the discharge position of mold plate  32 , during which knockout cups  33  move downwardly through the mold cavities, discharging the molded food patties  125  onto a takeoff conveyor (not shown). 
   Following discharge of the molded food patties, mold plate  32  is moved back toward its fill position so that mold cavities  126  can again be filled with food product. Again, mold cavities  126  are completely inside molding mechanism  28 , sealed off, before they come into alignment with fill passage  111 . 
   The knock out apparatus  128  is mounted above the breather plate  34 . The knockout apparatus  128  is not described in detail. A detailed description of different types of knock out apparatus can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,964, 4,329,828; 3,952,478; 4,054,967; 4,182,003; 4,608,731; 4,541,143; or PCT published applications WO 99/62344, WO 2005/027666 A3 and WO 2005/027667A3, all incorporated herein by reference. The knock out apparatus  128  causes the knock out cups  33  to reciprocate vertically according to a timed, controlled cycle. The knock out cups  33  are adapted to register with the mold cavities  126  in the mold plate  32 . Food patties  140 , formed in the mold cavities  126 , as described below, are thereby pushed from the cavities to be deposited below the mold plate and/or conveyed to a remote location. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates the machine  20  of  FIG. 2  with the mold plate  32  retracted (to the left) to a cavity filling position. In this position, the cavities  126  are located above the cavity fill passage  111  of the food product filling apparatus  27 . Food product  39  is pumped by the plunger  68 , through the cylinder  69 , and into the tube valve  101 . The tube valve  101  is used to switch between the cylinder  69  and an alternate cylinder (not shown) for switching food product supply. Food product  39  passes from the fill passage  111  into a delivery slot  151  of the support plate  121 . The delivery slot  151  is partly closed by a fill slot insert plate  152  fastened to the support plate  121  which defines the fill slot  156 . 
   The breather plate  123  includes breather orifices  157  that open into breather depressions  158  that are open into breather channels  159  that lead back to the hopper flowing in the direction A. A more detailed description of breather plates can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,314 or PCT published applications WO 99/62344, WO 2005/027666 A3 and WO 2005/027667A3, all herein incorporated by reference. 
     FIGS. 4-6  illustrate the mold plate  32  in more detail. A top side of the mold plate  32  is shown. At a front end of the mold plate  32 , oblong key slots  160   a ,  160   b  are located at each side. The key slots  160   a ,  160   b  are fitted with oblong keys  162  ( FIG. 2 ) to fix the mold plate to the drive bar  34  ( FIG. 2 ). Oblong drain slots  162   a ,  162   b  are arranged inboard of the key slots  160   a ,  160   b . The drain slots  162   a ,  162   b  allow any materials or fluid collected on top of the plate  32  to drain into a collection area (not shown) on the machine  20 . Corner recesses  164   a ,  164   b  are provided outside of the key slots  160   a ,  160   b . The corner recesses  164   a ,  164   b  receive a hold down finger or clamp device (not shown) that is carried by the drive bar  34  ( FIG. 2 ) to retain the mold plate down on the drive bar. 
   At a trailing end of the mold plate  32  a first line of spaced-apart transverse through-slots  172  extends across the plate  32 . A second line of spaced-apart transverse through-slots  174  is arranged longitudinally spaced from the first line of transverse though-slots  172 . The transverse through-slots  174  are aligned with transverse gaps  172   a  between the through-slots  172 . The through-slots  174  have a transverse length  174   a  that equals the transverse gap  172   a  between the through-slots  172 . 
   A plurality of transversely spaced-apart, longitudinal through-slots  178  are formed with each transverse through-slot  174 , forming a “t” shape therewith. 
   A groove grid  184  is formed into a surface  186  of the mold plate  32  that faces the breather plate  123 . The groove grid  184  includes three transverse grooves  188   a ,  188   b ,  188   c  and nine longitudinal grooves  190 . The longitudinal grooves  190  have a flared shape toward the trailing end of the mold plate  32  to reduce flow resistance longitudinally through the grooves  190 . The longitudinal grooves  190  connect the transverse grooves  188   a ,  188   b ,  188   c . The through-slots  172  are in flow communication with the groove grid  184  via a first set of alternate grooves  190 . The through-slots  174  are in flow communication with the groove grid  184  via the grooves  188   c . The through-slots  178  are in flow communication with the groove grid  184  via a second set of alternate grooves  190 . 
   Food product passing through or pressurizing the slot  172 ,  174 ,  178  moves through, or pressurizes, the groove grid  184  to spread food product or food product pressure evenly over a transverse extent of the mold plate  32 , and a longitudinal extent, at least of the groove grid  184 . 
   The fill slot  156  of the fill plate  152  is superimposed on the view of the mold plate  32  shown in  FIG. 4 . It is to be understood that the fill slot  156  would be below the mold plate  32  as shown in  FIG. 4  and that the mold plate  32  moves longitudinally in a direction of arrow L with respect to the fill slot  156 . 
   When the mold plate moves longitudinally over the fill slot  156 , food material passes through the slots  172 ,  174 ,  178 . Because the longitudinal slots  178  are exposed to the fill slot  156  for a greater time during movement of the mold plate  32 , the slots  178  are believed to be more effective than the lateral slots  172 ,  174  at receiving food product or pressure from food product. 
   As the mold plate  32  reciprocates against the breather plate  123  the food product, particularly meat, lubricates the interface between the breather plate  123  and mold plate  32 , and by food product pressure, maintains a running clearance between the mold plate  32  and the breather plate  123 . It is believed that the through-slots and the groove grid  184  provide sufficient area to ensure that the running clearance between the breather plate and the mold plate is substantially equal to the running clearance between the mold plate  32  and the support plate  121 . 
   As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,356,595 and 4,372,008, herein incorporated by reference, the quality of molded food patties can be improved by relieving the pressure on the food product in the pump cavity and in the fill passage throughout a substantial portion of the molding cycle. Specifically, quality of the molded food patties may be materially improved if the pressure is relieved substantially during the time interval in which the mold plate is moving away from its fill position but a part of the mold cavity remains in communication with the fill passage. 
   Given that the duration of pressurized food product from the fill slot may be time limited during the mold plate cycle, the mold plate of the present invention provides sufficient flow area and slot and groove shapes, positions and orientations to achieve this counter-balancing of the mold plate. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates a modification of the patty molding machine  20  as described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,376, herein incorporated by reference. The size of the fill passage  311  of the molding mechanism is increased, as compared with the fill slot  111  in the construction shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Fill passage  311  encompasses substantially the entire surface area of all of the mold cavities  126 . A fill plate  312  is interposed in the outlet end of fill passage  311 , immediately adjacent mold plate  32 . A multiplicity of fill orifices  313  are distributed, preferably in staggered rows, throughout substantially the entire surface area of fill plate  312 . By way of example, each orifice may have an outlet diameter of about 0.25 inch (6.35 mm) with an inlet diameter of about 0.31 inch (7.87 mm), or that relation may be reversed. Straight, untapered holes may also be used. In a typical construction, the angle of taper may be of the order of twenty degrees, but substantial variation is acceptable. The orifices can also be as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/408,248, filed Apr. 20, 2006 and herein incorporated by reference. 
   A stripper plate  331  is slidably mounted in fill passage  311  immediately adjacent the side of fill plate  312  opposite mold plate  32 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . In fact, stripper plate  331  is disposed in surface-to-surface contact with orifice plate  312 . Stripper plate  331  includes a multiplicity of fill openings  332  distributed throughout substantially its entire surface area and aligned one-for-one with fill orifices  313 , so that each fill orifice  313  is an extension of one fill opening  332  when stripper plate  331  is in its fill position as shown in  FIG. 7 . Fill orifices  313  and fill openings  332  may be aligned in parallel rows with equal center-to-center spaces between the orifices (and fill openings) in the direction of the orifice rows. 
     FIG. 8  shows the stripper plate  331  at the end of a discharge position wherein the stripper plate has been moved to block or seal off the fill orifices  313 . 
     FIG. 9  illustrates the same mold plate as shown in  FIGS. 4-6  except with the fill plate  312  of  FIGS. 7 and 8  shown superimposed on the mold plate  32 . It is to be understood that the fill plate  312  would be below the mold plate  32  as shown in  FIG. 9  and that the mold plate  32  moves longitudinally in a direction of arrow L with respect to the fill plate  312 . 
   When the mold plate  32  moves longitudinally over the orifices  313 , food material from the orifices  313  passes through the slots  172 ,  174 ,  178 . Because the lateral slots  172 ,  174  are exposed to a greater number of orifices  313  during movement of the mold plate  32 , the slots  172 ,  174  are believed to be more effective than the longitudinal slots  178  at receiving food product or pressure from food product. 
   Food product passing through or pressurizing the slot  172 ,  174 ,  178  moves through, or pressurizes, the grid  184  to spread food product or food product pressure evenly over a transverse extent of the mold plate  32 , and a longitudinal extent, at least of the groove grid  184 . 
   As the mold plate  32  reciprocates against the breather plate  123  the food product, particularly meat, lubricates the interface between the breather plate  123  and mold plate  32 , and by food product pressure, maintains a running clearance between the mold plate  32  and the breather plate  123 . It is believed that the through-slots and the groove grid  184  provide sufficient area to ensure that the running clearance between the breather plate of the mold plate is substantially equal to the running clearance between the mold plate  32  and the support plate  121 . 
   As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,356,595 and 4,372,008, herein incorporated by reference, the quality of molded food patties can be improved by relieving the pressure on the food product in the pump cavity and in the fill passage throughout a substantial portion of the molding cycle. Specifically, quality of the molded food patties may be materially improved if the pressure is relieved substantially during the time interval in which the mold plate is moving away from its fill position but a part of the mold cavity remains in communication with the fill passage. 
   Given that the duration of pressurized food product from the fill slot may be time limited during the mold plate cycle, the mold plate of the present invention provides sufficient flow area and slot and groove shapes, positions and orientations to achieve this counter-balancing of the mold plate. 
   Although in the illustrated embodiments, the support plate  121  is located below the mold plate  32 , and the breather plate  123  is located above the mold plate  32 , such is not a required orientation. In some cases, for example, the breather plate, functioning also as a support plate, can be located below the mold plate and a fill plate can be located above the mold plate. The mold plate reciprocally slides between the fill plate and the breather plate. This orientation of plates is also encompassed by the invention. 
   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.