Abstract:
An automated system combines the output from multiple food product producing machines, and formatting the combined output into a format for packaging. A combining conveyor has a first lane and a second lane adjacent to the first lane. Plural food product producing machines output food products onto the combining conveyor. At least one, and preferably more than one, of the food product producing machines outputs food product into an onload position in the second lane. One or more shifting mechanisms shift the food product from the second lane into the first lane. The first and second lanes move together along a conveyor moving direction and each shifting mechanism is located downstream in a conveyor moving direction from the onload position.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/033,062, filed Mar. 3, 2008. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to patty producing, fill and packaging apparatus. The invention relates to an apparatus that produces food products and places the food products in packaging. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In the production of packaged food products, a typical arrangement comprises at least one food product patty former, such as a FORMAX F26, F26 ULTRA or MAXUM700 food patty forming machine, a sheet interleaving device and an output conveyor to produce a stream of stacked patties with interleaved paper separators. Examples of such food product patty formers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,554 and 3,887,964 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/018,722, filed Jan. 23, 2008, all herein incorporated by reference. Examples of sheet interleaving devices and arrangements to interleave stacked patties are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,120; 3,126,683; 3,675,387; 3,952,478; 4,054,967 or 7,159,372, all herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0004]    To increase production of stacks of patties, it is known to use multiple forming machines in a patty production plant. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,542, herein incorporated by reference discloses an apparatus for loading food product into open top trays arranged in a row and movable into a loading station. The apparatus includes a conveyor having a retractable and extendable or movable conveying surface, the conveying surface arranged above the loading station and having an end region positionable over the row of trays and retractable to deposit food products into the trays; and a pushing assembly arranged above the row of trays and adapted to push food product into the row of trays as the conveying surface end region is retracted. The apparatus includes a guide assembly arranged with the pushing assembly, the guide assembly arranged to capture the food products on the conveyor, the pushing assembly arranged to push food products from within the guide assembly into the row of trays. 
         [0006]    The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable to provide a system for combining the output from multiple patty forming machines and automating the packaging of the combined output of patty stacks. 
         [0007]    The present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing a system wherein the output from multiple patty forming machines can be efficiently packaged by a single packaging machine. 
         [0008]    The present inventors have recognized that it would be advantageous to automate the packaging of food products, particularly stacked food products from multiple patty forming machines. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The invention provides an automated system for combining the output from multiple food product producing machines, formatting the combined output and loading the combined output into packaging. The invention is particularly adapted to effectively load food product stacks into packaging. 
         [0010]    Although the system of the invention is particularly useful for food patty forming machines, the system of the invention could also be useful for food loaf or food slab slicing machines. 
         [0011]    The invention provides an automated system for combining the output from multiple food patty forming machines, formatting the combined output and loading the combined output into packaging. The invention is particularly adapted to effectively load formed patty stacks, each stack having patties separated by interleaved sheets, into packaging. 
         [0012]    The system includes multiple patty forming machines having output conveyors. The patty forming machines are configured to output rows of stacked patties separated along the output conveyor transport direction. The output conveyors are arranged to transport the rows onto a combining conveyor. 
         [0013]    The combining conveyor moves the rows of patties in a moving direction at an angle to the transport direction of the output conveyors, preferably at a substantially perpendicular angle. The combining conveyor includes a first lane and a second lane adjacent to the first lane. Both lanes are moved together in the moving direction. For at least one of the output conveyors the rows are sequentially deposited into the second lane at an onload position against a first stop and are thereafter moved in the moving direction in the second lane. The rows sequentially move in the moving direction and are stopped at a shifting position by a second stop aligned against a shifting mechanism. When there is clearance in the first lane adjacent to the row that is against the shifting mechanism, the shifting mechanism shifts the row from the shifting position to a merging position in the first lane, into the clearance. A third stop can be located adjacent to a far side of the first lane wherein the row can be shifted by the shifting mechanism against the third stop to accurately place the row onto the first lane. The row then continues in the moving direction, now in the first lane. 
         [0014]    A releasable fourth stop can be provided between the first and second stop to delay the arrival of the row from the onload position to the shifting position. 
         [0015]    Multiple output conveyors can feed into the combining conveyor along a length of the combing conveyor in this manner. Rows collected from multiple output conveyors can be arranged along the moving direction in the first lane in a single column by filling merging positions in the first lane using plural shifting mechanisms. 
         [0016]    The single column of patties is moved into a formatting station. In the formatting station a second shifting mechanism alternately shifts groups of stacks in the single column into a third lane and an adjacent fourth lane. The third and fourth lane merge closely together and are transported into an accumulating and separating station that groups a grid of stacks having two columns and plural rows and transports the grid onto a loading conveyor in a loading station. 
         [0017]    The loading station is arranged above open top trays arranged to accept the grid of patty stacks in one or more trays, preferably two side-by-side trays. The loading conveyor has a retractable and extendable or movable conveying surface, the conveying surface is arranged above the open top trays and has an end region positionable over the trays and retractable to deposit food products into the trays and a guide assembly arranged to capture the stacks of food products on the conveyor. A pushing assembly can be arranged within the guide assembly and arranged to push food products from within the guide assembly into the trays after the conveying surface end region is retracted. 
         [0018]    The guide assembly can comprise a plurality of spaced-apart guide plates movable from an elevated position to a first lowered position to capture the food products on the conveyor, and to a second lowered position below the conveyor and adjacent to the row of open top trays. 
         [0019]    Each guiding device can comprise a pair of guide plates that are displaceable away from each other, that are movable to open up a clearance between the facing guide plates at a bottom of the guiding device. 
         [0020]    The apparatus can comprise movable plungers within each guiding device, the movable plungers being movable from an elevated position within the guiding device to a lowered position with respect to the guiding device to expel food product from the guiding device. 
         [0021]    The apparatus can receive food patties from a food patty-molding machine or slices from a food product-slicing machine. 
         [0022]    The apparatus of the invention allows for rapid loading of food products, particularly stacks of food products into product packaging. The apparatus of the invention allows for maintaining a neat verticality of the stacks being loaded into the packaging. 
         [0023]    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, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a fragmentary, plan view of a food product forming and packaging system incorporating the invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a continuation of the fragmentary, plan view of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of the apparatus of  FIG. 2  taken along line  3 - 3 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a schematic sectional view taken generally along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged fragmentary plan view taken from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5A  is a sectional view taken generally along lines  5 A- 5 A of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  but in a further stage of operation; 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  but in a further stage of operation; 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged fragmentary plan view taken from  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 8A  is a sectional view taken generally along line  8 A- 8 A of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged fragmentary plan view taken from  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged fragmentary plan view taken from  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view taken from  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view taken from  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 13  is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view taken from  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 14  is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view taken from  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0040]      FIG. 15  is a sectional view taken generally along line  15 - 15  of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 15A  is an enlarged view taken from  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0042]      FIG. 16  is an enlarged view taken from  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0043]      FIG. 17  is an enlarged schematic view similar to  FIG. 15A  but showing two positions of moving parts; 
           [0044]      FIGS. 18A-18D  are schematical representations showing moving parts in progressively different positions; 
           [0045]      FIG. 19  is a schematical cross section showing functional components of a patty forming machine; 
           [0046]      FIG. 20A  is a schematical, elevational view of a portion of the patty forming machine of  FIG. 19 ; 
           [0047]      FIG. 20B  is a schematical, sectional view of a portion of the patty forming machine of  FIG. 19 ; 
           [0048]      FIG. 21  is an elevational view showing a patty forming machine and sheet interleaver forming patty stacks; 
           [0049]      FIG. 22  is a sectional view taken generally along line  22 - 22  of  FIG. 21 ; 
           [0050]      FIG. 23  is a plan view of an alternate embodiment to the arrangement shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0051]      FIG. 24  is a plan view of an alternate arrangement to the arrangement in  FIG. 2  and is a continuation of  FIG. 23 ; 
           [0052]      FIG. 25A  is an enlarged portion of  FIG. 23  in a first mode of operation; and 
           [0053]      FIG. 25B  is an enlarged portion of  FIG. 23  in a second mode of operation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0054]    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. 
         [0055]    The Overall System 
         [0056]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate a food product producing and packaging system  10  of the present invention. The illustrated system  10  includes four food patty molding machine  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 . The machines  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  feed a combining conveyor  24 . The combining conveyor  24  feeds a formatting station  26 . The formatting station  26  feeds a product loading station  28  that is arranged above a packaging machine  30 . The components  26 ,  28  and  30  comprise a formatting and packaging system  802 . 
         [0057]    Although the system is described using patty forming machines it could also be adapted for use with slicing machines. The slicing machine can be of a type as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,649,463; 5,704,265; and 5,974,925; as well as patent publications EP0713753 and WO99/08844, herein incorporated by reference. The slicing machine can also be a commercially available FORMAX FX180 machines, available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A. 
         [0058]    The Combining Conveyor 
         [0059]    Each machine  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  outputs space-apart rows  34  of patty stacks  36 , such as six patty stacks, that are aligned along the x-direction and the rows  34  are spaced apart along the y-direction. The x and y directions are indicated on the various figures. As illustrated, the stacks  36  are formed by square-shaped patties  37 , although other shapes are also encompassed by the invention. The rows  34  are moved along the y-direction away from the machines  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  by output conveyor  16   a ,  18   a ,  20   a ,  22   a.    
         [0060]    The output conveyors  16   a ,  18   a ,  20   a ,  22   a  transport the rows  34  of patty stacks  36  onto the combining conveyor  24 . 
         [0061]    The combining conveyor is illustrated in detail in FIGS.  1  and  5 - 7 . The combining conveyor  24  includes a first section  46  that receives rows  34  from the output conveyor  16   a . The rows  34  are transported in the y direction until abutting a stationary stop  56  above a continuously moving conveyor surface  46   a  which transports the rows  34  in the x direction. 
         [0062]    In all the Figures it should be noted that although the rows  34  are drawn having stacks  36  spaced apart by gaps, once the row  34  encounters a stop in the conveyor longitudinal moving direction, the gaps will be closed as the moving conveyor continues to move the stacks  36 . Also, in this regard, the stacks  36  are formed on a bottom most interleaving sheet  618  that has a coefficient of friction with the conveyor surface that allows the stack  36  to remain stationary while the underlying conveyor surface continues to move without disturbing the stack  36 . 
         [0063]    The output conveyor  18   a  transports rows  34  onto a second section  48  of the combining conveyor  24 . The second section  48  has a moving conveyor surface  48   a  that has a width that accommodates two lanes. A first lane  50  is in alignment with the conveyor surface  46   a  along the x direction. A second lane  52  is parallel to and adjacent to the first lane  50  and near to the output conveyor  18   a . A stationary stop  56  is arranged above the conveyor surface  48   a  between the two lanes  50 ,  52 . Rows  34  transported onto the surface  48   a  from the output conveyor  18   a  abuts the stop  56  and are transported by the conveyor surface  48   a  in the x direction until abutting a movable stop or gate  60 . The gate  60  holds the row  34  from moving in the x direction by the conveyor surface  48   a  until a preselected time elapses or a control signal releases the gate  60  and the row  34  held thereby. 
         [0064]      FIG. 5A  shows the gate  60  being raised or lowered by an actuator  61  supported by a bracket  62  supported by the machine frame. 
         [0065]    At the correct time, the row  34  is released by raising the gate  60  and the row  34  travels in the x direction until abutting a fixed stop  64  and is held adjacent to a shifting mechanism  66 . The shifting mechanism  66  includes a plate  70  that is configured to be moved in the y direction and has a length equal to a length of the row  34  of patty stacks  36 . A linear actuator  76 , such as a servomotor linear actuator or a pneumatic cylinder, is selectively actuated to move the plate  70 , and the row  34  aligned against the plate  70 , in the y direction until the row abuts a stationary stop  72  above the conveyor surface  48   a . The row  34  is thereby shifted from the lane  52  to the lane  50 . 
         [0066]    A pair of photo eyes  77 ,  78  are arranged adjacent to ends of the stop  72  in the x direction. The photo eyes  77 ,  78  are spaced to detect a necessary clearance in the x direction of patty stacks  36  traveling within the first lane  50  from the upstream section  46  before the actuator  76  is permitted by machine control to shift the row  34  from the second lane  52  into the first lane  50 . The gap between the eyes  77 ,  78  is set back from the ends of the stop  72  to account for the velocity of stacks in the x direction on the moving surface  48   a.    
         [0067]    For example,  FIG. 5  illustrates a condition wherein the actuator  76  could shift the row  34  to the stop  72  there being clearance of patty stacks between the eyes  77 ,  78 .  FIG. 6  illustrates a condition where machine control would not allow shifting by the actuator  76  because of the presence of patty stacks  36  between the eyes  77 ,  78 .  FIG. 7  illustrates the row  34  shifted by the actuator  76  from the lane  52  to the lane  50 . After the shift, the plate  70  is retracted to its position shown in  FIG. 5  and the gate  60  is then raised to transport a new row  34  on the conveyor surface  48   a  to the stop  64  against the plate  70 . 
         [0068]    The section  48  feeds in the x direction into a section  80  of the combining conveyor  24 . The section  80  of the combining conveyor receives rows  34  from the output conveyor  20   a . The section  80  of the combining conveyor feeds in the x direction into a section  84 . The section  84  receives rows  34  from the output conveyor  22   a . The configuration and operation of the section  80  and the output conveyor  20   a  and the section  84  and the output conveyor  22   a  are identical to the configuration and operation of the section  48  and the output conveyor  18   a . The same respective parts and components carry the same reference numbers and their operation need not be described. 
         [0069]    The first lane  50  of the last section  84  feeds into a single lane conveyor  90 . The single-lane conveyor  90  can have sections along its length that can be operated at progressively slower speeds between the combining conveyor  24  and the formatting station  26  to more closely space the rows  34  of patty stacks received thereon in a single column. 
         [0070]    An end of the single-line conveyor  90  feeds patty stacks  36  in a substantially continuous column, onto an input conveyor  91  between stationary guides  91   a ,  91   b  in the formatting station  26 . 
         [0071]    The Formatting Station 
         [0072]    The formatting station  26  is shown in  FIGS. 8-12 . Formatting station  26  formats the single column of patty stacks from the conveyor  91  into two columns. The conveyor  91  is continuously driven by a motor  89 . The single column of stacks from within the guides  91   a ,  91   b  is stopped by a stop  92  on a moving format conveyor  114 . A sweep mechanism  106  reciprocates in the x direction and alternately pushes groups of patty stacks into parallel, spaced apart lanes  110 ,  112  of the format conveyor  114 . Although in this illustrated embodiment the groups of patty stacks comprise four stacks each, other numbers for the groups such as five patty stacks are encompassed by the invention. The sweep mechanism  106  includes a linear actuator  107 , such as a servomotor linear actuator, that drives an overhead rod  108  that moves a vertically oriented sweep plate  109 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 8A , the rod  108  moves the plate  109  from position A to position B to move the group of stacks  36  from a center lane  111  of the conveyor  114  into the lane  112  and thereafter from position B to position C to position D to move a new group of stacks  36  into the lane  110 . The plate  109  is alternately moved back and forth to form two columns of stacks  36  such as by four stacks at a time. The conveyor  114 , including the lanes  110 ,  111 ,  112 , is driven at a common speed by a gearbox and motor  113 . The lanes  110 ,  112  thereafter converge in the x direction by way of stationary guides  110   a ,  110   b.    
         [0073]    A first staging conveyor  118  has a first lane  120  driven by a motor  122  and a second lane  124  driven by a motor  126 . After the first lane  120  receives the group of stacks  36  from the lane  110  of the conveyor  114 , the motor  122  stops until the group of stacks  36  are received on the second lane  124  from the lane  112  of the conveyor  114 . Thereafter, a motor  128  drives a second staging conveyor  130  which, along with the operating motors  122 ,  126  and the conveyor  118 , receives the two groups of stacks  36  from the lanes  120 ,  124  in a closely arranged array  129  or grid pattern onto the conveyor  130 . 
         [0074]    A motor  132  then drives an off load conveyor  138  that, together with the motor  128  and conveyor  130  receives the grid  129  of eight stacks onto the off load conveyor  138  spaced apart from a previous grid  129  of eight stacks  36 . 
         [0075]    Cleanup and maintenance positions of the off load conveyor  138  are shown as  138   a ,  138   b.    
         [0076]    Package Loading Station 
         [0077]      FIGS. 12-18D  illustrate the loading station  28 . 
         [0078]    In the loading station  28 , a shuttle conveyor  140  having a conveying surface  140   a  retracts to an upstream position and receives the grid  129  of patty stacks from the output conveyor  138 . The off load conveyor  138  and the shuttle conveyor  140  are circulated at a same speed to off load the grid  129  row by row from the off load conveyor  138  onto the conveyor  140 . Once the grid  129  is received on the conveyor surface  140   a , the conveyor  140  shuttles forward to a position wherein the grid  129  is in a position such that each longitudinal column of the grid  129  containing four stacks  36  is above an open tray  160  of the packaging machine  30 . 
         [0079]    Guides  144 ,  146  are descended to support the respective two columns of four patty stacks on the surface  140   a  and the conveyor is then shuttled rearward to remove the conveyor  140  from beneath the grid  129 , wherein the two columns of stacks are prevented from falling by being gripped on sides thereof by the guides  144 ,  146 . The guides  144 ,  146  are further descended to hold the columns of stacks just above the open faces of the trays  160  and the pushers  148  are then descended within the guides  144 ,  146  to push the columns of patty stacks into the open trays  160  of the packaging apparatus. The guides and the pushers are then retracted upwardly to an elevated position above the space allocated for the conveyor  140 . In the meantime a new grid  129  of patty stacks is off loaded from the conveyor  138  onto the conveyor  140 , the conveyor  140  is shifted forwardly and the tray loading process is repeated. 
         [0080]    The conveyor  140  includes a frame  140   d  that is connected by members or brackets  149   a ,  149   b  to carriages  150   a ,  150   b . The carriages  150   a ,  150   b  are guided for shuttling, sliding movement along linear bearings or rails  151   a ,  151   b  which allow the conveyor  140  to shift between a forward position for loading the grid  129  into trays  160  and a retracted position with the end  140   b  being adjacent to the end  138   c  of the off load conveyor  138  for loading a new grid  129  onto the conveyor  140 . The carriages  150   a ,  150   b  are connected by clamp fasteners  152   a ,  152   b  to indexing belts  154   a ,  154   b  by that are selectively circulated together by a servomotor (not shown) to translate the carriages  150   a ,  150   b , and hence the conveyor  140  longitudinally in either selected direction. 
         [0081]    In operation, the indexing belts  154   a ,  154   b  driven by a motor are circulated to move the conveyor  140  to the right in  FIG. 12  until an input end  140   b  is adjacent to an output end  138   c  of the output conveyor  138  as shown in  FIG. 12 . The conveyor surface  140   a  is circulated to receive a grid of stacks from the circulating output conveyor  138 . The indexing belts  154   a ,  154   b  are operated in reverse to shift the shuttle conveyor  140  to the left from the position shown in  FIG. 12  to the position shown in  FIG. 16 . At these positions, the loading apparatus  168  can cause the guides  144 ,  146  to descend and clasp the two columns of stacks. 
         [0082]    The shuttle conveyor is similar to the shuttle conveyor described in  FIG. 13  and related description in U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,542. 
         [0083]    One loading apparatus  168  is shown in  FIGS. 14-16  arranged above the conveying surface  140   a  and the open trays  160  provided by the packaging apparatus  30 . If the loading apparatus is desired to load both trays  160  always at the same time, only one loading apparatus  168  is needed. It would be possible to provide an independent loading apparatus if desired for each column of stacks of the grid  129 , and for each tray  160 , but only one loading apparatus  168  is herein described. The loading apparatus  168  of the preferred embodiment is similar to the loading apparatus described in  FIGS. 15-20  and related description in U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,542 except that only two guide plates  170 ,  172  are used instead of four guide arms, for each guide; the guide plates are longitudinally elongated compared to the guide arms of U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,542; the guide plates guide and clamp to support a column of stacks  36 ; plural guides are not needed to be actuated in sequence row by row; a single pusher  148  pushes plural stacks out from between the guides; and the loading apparatus is oriented 90 degrees in a horizontal plane with respect to the conveying direction of the shuttle conveyor from the orientation of the loading apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,542. Otherwise, the components for raising and lowering the guides and pusher  148  are substantially similar. 
         [0084]    The loading apparatus  168  is arranged above the open top trays  160 , shown in  FIGS. 14-16 . The machine housing includes walls  188 ,  189  that are connected by a base plate  190 . An elevated support plate  191  is fixedly supported by posts  192 ,  193  from the base plate  190 . Two main pneumatic cylinders  194 ,  195  are mounted to the elevated support plate  191  and include rods  196 ,  197  that are fastened to a movable intermediate plate  198  by fastener plate assemblies  199 ,  200 . The fastener plate assemblies  199 ,  200  can include length adjustable connections between the rods  196 ,  197  and the movable intermediate plate  198 . 
         [0085]    A movable drive plate  202  is located below the intermediate plate  198 . Two guide cylinders  204 ,  206  are mounted to the intermediate plate  198  and include rods  205 ,  207  fastened to the drive plate  202  by fastener plate assemblies  208 ,  209  that can include length adjustable connections between the rods  205 ,  207  and the drive plate  202 . 
         [0086]    A plunger drive plate  210  is located above the intermediate plate  198 . A plunger cylinder  211  is mounted to the plunger drive plate  210  and includes a rod  212  fastened to the drive plate  202  such as by a length adjustable fastener plate assembly  213  similar to the fastener plate assemblies  208 ,  209 . 
         [0087]    Within each guide  144 ,  146  is a reciprocal plunger  148 . Each plunger  148  is preferably an elongated element that is supported on two spaced-apart plunger rods  214 ,  216 , the plunger rods fastened at upper ends to the plunger drive plate  210 . The rods  214 ,  216  are arranged to slide vertically through bearings fit into the plates  202 ,  190 . 
         [0088]    The guiding devices  144 ,  146  are arranged side-by-side and each are supported by a support plate  220 . Each support plate  220  is fixed to bottom ends of a pair of rods  222 ,  224  by fasteners. The rods  222 ,  224  are connected at top ends thereof by fasteners to the drive plate  202 . The rods  222 ,  224  are arranged to slide vertically through bearings fit into the base plate  190 . 
         [0089]    A lift plate  226  is arranged above each support plate  220 . A pair of vertical rods  230 ,  232  are fastened to each lift plate  226 . The rods  230 ,  232  are arranged to slide vertically through bearings fit into the base plate  190 . 
         [0090]    Each pair of rods  230 ,  232  extend up and are connected to a pair of pneumatic cylinders  234 ,  236  which act on the rods to selectively lift or lower the rods  230 ,  232 . The pneumatic cylinders  234 ,  236  are fastened to the drive plate  202  to move therewith. 
         [0091]    Each guide plate  170 ,  172  has three lugs  237  welded thereto and spaced apart along a length of the guide plates  170 ,  172 . The lugs  237  are pinned to the support plate  220  and to the links  238 . The links  238  are pinned to the lift plate  226 . 
         [0092]    The guides  144 ,  146  include opposing guide plates  170 ,  172 . The guide plates have a length equal to a column length of four stacks  36 . The guide plates spread apart before being lowered to capture a column of four stacks  36  on the conveyor belt surface  140   a , and thereafter are closed against the column of stacks  36  and lowered further to guide the stacks into open trays  160 , assisted by the plungers  148  and arranged within and between the guide plates  170 ,  172 . 
         [0093]      FIG. 17  illustrates the operation of the guide device, which is typical of both guide devices  144 ,  146 . On the right side of  FIG. 17  the guide device is shown with the guide plate in a closed orientation such as when a stack has been captured on the conveyor belt. In this orientation, the pneumatic cylinders  234 ,  236  have lowered the rods  230 ,  232  and the lift bar  226  is at a lowered position with respect to support plate  220 . To open up the guide plates  170 ,  172 , and viewing the left side of  FIG. 17 , the pneumatic cylinders  234 ,  236  raise the rods  230 ,  232  which raises the lift bar  226  as shown. Once the lift bar is raised, the links  238  are pulled upwardly and angled to the orientation shown. The links  238  pivot and draw inward the top ends of the lugs  237  which open up the guide plates  170 ,  172 . The guide plates pivot about pins to be spread apart at bottoms thereof. 
         [0094]    It should be noted that in  FIGS. 17 ,  8 B and  8 C the guide plate  172  or guide plates  170 ,  172  appear to overlap the stack  36  held thereby. In actuality, the guide plate only grips an outside of the stack  36 , the overlap is shown to demonstrate a range of motion of the guide plate. The actual clamping force of the guide plates  170 ,  172  on the column of stacks is determined by a pressure regulator on the actuator. 
         [0095]    In operation, as shown in FIGS.  16  and  18 A- 18 D, the guide plates  170 ,  172  of each guide device  144 ,  146  are spread open at their bottom ends by action of the pneumatic cylinders  234 ,  236  driving the lift bar  226  vertically away from the support plate  220  as seen in  FIG. 18A . 
         [0096]    The main cylinders  194 ,  195  then lower the guide plates  170 ,  172  and the plunger  148  together to capture a longitudinal column of food product stacks  36  on the conveyor belt  140  as seen in  FIG. 18B . The guide plates  170 ,  172  and the plunger  148  are driven downward by action of the pneumatic cylinders  194 ,  195  extending their respective rods  196 ,  197  to drive the plate  198  a distance from the vertical position of the elevated support plate  191 . 
         [0097]    After the shuttle conveyor  140  is retracted from below the stacks  36 , the guide plates  170 ,  172  hold the stacks elevated above the trays  160 . The guide cylinders  204 ,  206  are then actuated to drive the drive plate  202  further from the intermediate plate  198  and in so doing drives the guide plates  170 ,  172 , the captured column of stacks  36  and the plunger  148  together below the elevation of the vacated conveying surface  140   a  and close to an open top of the tray  160  as seen in  FIG. 18C . 
         [0098]    The plunger  148  is then driven with respect to the plates  170 ,  172  and further downward to dispense the stacks  36  out from between the guide plates  170 ,  172 , to place or push the stacks  36  into the open top tray  160  as seen in  FIG. 18D . The plunger  148  is driven by action of the pneumatic cylinder  211 , wherein the rod  212  is retracted into the cylinder  211  to drive the cylinder  211  and the plate  210  downward with respect to the drive plate  202 . 
         [0099]    The plunger drive plate  210  vertically passes the plate  198 . This passing is made possible by the plate  198  having a rectangular void on a back side thereof which allows the plate  210  to pass vertically behind the plate  198 . 
         [0100]    Once the guide plates  170 ,  172  clasp the column of stacks, the conveyor  140  can be retracted to the right to remove support for the columns of stacks  36  which are momentarily supported by being clasped by the guide plates  170 ,  172 . The guides  144 ,  146  with the columns of stacks held thereby then descend and subsequently the plungers  148  descend to push the stacks into the open trays  160  as illustrated in  FIGS. 18A-18D . 
         [0101]    As can be seen in the figures, wherever rods penetrate plates and are movable with respect thereto, a plastic bushing, sleeve, bearing or guide is provided to reduce friction and noise, and to ensure smooth operation of the apparatus. 
         [0102]    Although pneumatic cylinders are used in the exemplary embodiments to cause movement of the guide cylinders and plungers, such pneumatic cylinders could be replaced with a variety of types of drives all within the scope of the invention. Servo motor drives, hydraulic drives, linear actuators, and other drives are all encompassed by the invention. 
         [0103]    A central controller can be used to coordinate the loading apparatus, particularly the movements of the guide plates and the plungers instigated by the pneumatic cylinders. An electronic-to-pneumatic interface is pneumatically connected to the pneumatic cylinders, and electronically signal-connected to the central controller. Based on a precise positioning attributes of the servomotors, the pneumatic cylinders can be precisely triggered by the central controller to be in synchronism with the position of the stacks  36  being transported on the shuttle conveyor  140 . The central controller also can communicate with the packaging apparatus  30  coordinating movement of the web to deliver new open top trays  160  to the filling station  28 . 
         [0104]    The Packaging Apparatus 
         [0105]    The packaging apparatus  30  comprises a reel system  240  that dispenses a plastic web  242 , a tray forming station  250 , and a tray loading position  258 . The tray loading position is located within the package loading station  28 . The plastic web  242  is continuous through the tray loading position  258 . In the tray forming station  250  two side-by-side trays are formed, for the illustrated example two trays for holding a pair of columns of four patty stacks are formed. After the trays  160  are sufficiently solidified or cooled after forming in the forming station  250 , the web  242  is indexed to remove filled trays from the loading position  258  and to position empty trays  160  from the tray forming station  250  to the loading position  258 . 
         [0106]    A tray top sealing station  266  applies a film lid  268  over the trays  160  after stacks  36  have been loaded into the trays. The film lid  268  is produced from a plastic web  270  dispensed from a reel system  272 . 
         [0107]    The Patty Forming Machines 
         [0108]    The patty molding machines  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  can be of known types including those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,554 and 3,887,964 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/018,722, filed Jan. 23, 2008, all herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0109]    A well-known patty-forming machine  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  will be described and illustrated in  FIGS. 19-22 . The machine  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  includes a food supply means  300  and an associated hopper  302 . A conveyor belt  306  extends completely across the bottom of the hopper  302 , around an end roller  310  (or  312 ) and a drive roller  312  (or  310 ), the lower portion of the belt being engaged by a tensioning idler roll  314 . A drive is provided for drive roller, driven by an electric motor (not shown). 
         [0110]    In  FIG. 19  a limited supply of meat  320  is shown present in hopper  302 . A much greater supply of meat could be stored in hopper without exceeding its capacity. 
         [0111]    The forward end of the hopper  302  communicates with a vertical pump feed opening  326  that leads downwardly into a pump intake chamber  328 . A frame  332  is mounted on a machine base  338 , extending over hopper adjacent the opening  326 . A mounting bracket  340  is affixed to the upper portion of frame  332 , extending over the pump feed opening in hopper. 
         [0112]    When machine is in operation, feed screw motors  344  are energized whenever a food pump plunger  350  is withdrawn, so that feed screws  354  and supply meat from the hopper  302  downwardly through opening  326  and into the intake of the food pumping system. As the supply of food material in the outlet of hopper is depleted, conveyor belt  306  continuously moves the food forwardly in the hopper and into position to be engaged by feed screws  354 . 
         [0113]    A typical pump system comprises two reciprocating food pumps  360  (one shown) mounted upon the top of machine base  338 . The pumps  360  are operated alternately so that when food material is depleted in one pump the alternate pump can be operated to ensure a substantially continuous production. Each food pump includes a hydraulic cylinder  364 . The piston in cylinder (not shown) is connected to an elongated piston rod; the outer end of piston rod is connected to a large plunger  350 . Each plunger  350  is aligned with a pump cavity  370  formed by a pump cavity enclosure  372  that is divided into two chambers by a partial central divider wall. The forward wall of pump cavity  370  has a relatively narrow slot  376  that communicates with a pump manifold  380 . 
         [0114]    The operating pump compresses the food product in pump cavity  370 , forcing the moldable food material through slot  376  into manifold  380 . As operation of molding machine continues, the hydraulic cylinder  364  advances the plunger  350  to compensate for the removal of food material through the manifold  380 . The pump feed manifold  380  comprises a manifold valve cylinder  386  fitted into an opening in housing immediately beyond the pump cavity walls. The valve cylinder  386  is controlled to pass pressurized food product alternately from only one of the two food pumps at a time. 
         [0115]    The upper surface of the housing that encloses the pump cavities  370  and the manifold  380  comprises a support plate  400  that projects forwardly of the housing, and that affords a flat, smooth mold plate support surface  401 . A mold plate  420  is supported upon mold plate support surface  401 . The mold plate  420  includes a plurality of individual mold cavities  426  extending across the width of the mold plate and alignable with the manifold outlet passageway  430 . The cavities  426  are preferably square-shaped and are arranged in a row of six across the mold plate  420 . However, any other number, size or shape of cavity is also encompassed by the invention. 
         [0116]    A cover plate  434  is disposed immediately above the mold plate  420 , closing off the top of each of the mold cavities  426  for much of the travel of the mold plate. A housing  438  is mounted upon cover plate. The spacing between cover plate and support plate is maintained equal to the thickness of mold plate by support spacers mounted upon support plate; cover plate rests upon spacers when the molding mechanism is assembled for operation. 
         [0117]    The mold plate  420  is connected to a pair of drive rods  450  (one shown) that extend alongside the housing and are connected at one end to a pair of swing links  452  (one shown). The other ends of the links  452  are pivotally connected to rocker arms  456  which form a crank pivoted on a shaft  460 . The free end of a crank arm  462  is provided with a lost motion connection, entailing a pin in an elongated slot, to a connecting rod assembly  466  that includes a hydraulic shock absorber. Shock absorber is connected to a mold plate crank arm  468  having a crank pin  470  linked to the output shaft  474  of a gear reducer  480 . Gear reducer is driven through a variable speed drive actuated by a mold plate drive motor (not shown). 
         [0118]    The molding mechanism further comprises a knockout apparatus  500 . The knockout apparatus comprises knockout cups  506 , which are affixed to a carrier bar  510  that is mounted upon a knockout support member  511 . Knockout cups are coordinated in number, shape and size to the mold cavities  426  in mold plate  420 ; there is one knockout cup aligned with each mold cavity and the mold cavity size is somewhat greater than the size of an individual knockout cup. 
         [0119]    Knockout support member is carried by two knockout rods  512 . Each knockout rod is disposed in a housing and is pivotally connected to its own knockout rocker arm  516 . 
         [0120]    Each knockout rocker arm  516  is pivotally mounted upon a shaft  520 . There, one or more springs  522  are connected to each knockout rocker arm  516 , biasing the arm toward movement in a clockwise direction. Clockwise movement of each rocker arm is limited by a stop  526  aligned with a bumper mounted in housing. 
         [0121]    Each rocker arm  516  is normally restrained against counterclockwise movement by engagement with a knockout cam  530 ; the two cams each have a notch  532  aligned with the corresponding notch on the other cam. Cams  530  are affixed to a knockout cam shaft  534 . Shaft extends across housing to a right angle drive connection leading to a knockout cam drive shaft that has a driving connection (not shown) to the mold plate drive gear reducer output shaft. 
         [0122]    In each cycle of operation, knockout cups are first withdrawn with cams pivoting knockout rocker arms to their elevated positions to lift the knockout cups. The drive linkage from gear reducer to mold plate then slides the mold plate from the full extended position to the mold filling position, with the mold cavities aligned with passageway. In the retracted cavity filling position for mold plate, drive rod is shown in the dash line position; the other drive components are in the positions indicated by swing link, crank arms, and connecting rod. The lost motion connections in the drive linkage assure some dwell time at the discharge or knockout position of mold plate, so that the knockout cups have time to enter and leave the mold cavities while mold plate is at rest. Some dwell at the cavity filling position may also be provided. Hydraulic cushion allows crank to pick up the mold plate load over several degrees of rotation, gradually overcoming the mold plate inertia. The lost motion connections and the hydraulic cushion incorporated in the drive linkage for the mold plate thus reduce wear and tear on both the mold plate and its drive, assuring long life and minimum maintenance. 
         [0123]    During most of each cycle of operation of mold plate, the knockout mechanism remains in the elevated position, with knockout cups clear of mold plate. When mold plate reaches its extended discharge position, however, the notches in the cams are brought into alignment with the knockout rocker arms. At this point in the molding cycle, the two knockout rocker arms are pulled rapidly downwardly by the springs, pivoting the two rocker arms in a clockwise direction. This movement of the rocker arms drives the knockout rods downwardly, moving the knockout cups through the mold cavities to discharge molded food patties, such as the patty  550 , from the mold plate. 
         [0124]    The Sheet Interleaver 
         [0125]    Each patty molding machine  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  is outfitted with a sheet interleaving device  600  such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,120; 3,126,683; 3,675,387; 3,952,478; 4,054,967 or 7,159,372, all herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0126]      FIGS. 21-22  illustrate the sheet interleaver device  600  connected to the output side of each food patty-molding machine  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 . 
         [0127]    The sheet interleavor device  600  illustrated is more completely described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,372. The interleavor device  600  includes a vacuum transfer shuttle  602 . The vacuum transfer shuttle includes a sheet-receiving vacuum bar  604  which extends between, and is fastened to, shuttle carriages via mounting plates. The shuttle vacuum bar defines a row of openings  606  through the shuttle. Suction grippers are located on the upper surfaces of the vacuum bar and more or less surround the periphery of each opening. The suction grippers are formed by outlets connected to vacuum channels extending within the vacuum bar. The vacuum channels are connected at inlets to vacuum supply lines. The location of the vacuum grippers thereon are such that the vacuum grippers and projections will support the corners of thin, flexible sheets  618  placed on the vacuum shuttle while allowing passage of patties  550  produced by the food patty-molding machine through the openings  606 . 
         [0128]    A sheet feeder  620  is equipped with a number of inclined hoppers, one for each patty cavity in the mold plate. In this embodiment, there are six hoppers, corresponding to the six food patty cavities  426 . A stack of thin, flexible sheets  618  is stored in each hopper with the sheets  618  substantially standing on edge at an angle to vertical and held in the hopper by stops located at each corner and on the sides of an open face at the lower end of each inclined hopper. Blades at the top and bottom of this open face engage the top and bottom center of the end sheet. 
         [0129]    A sheet transfer mechanism  626  is arranged for placing thin, flexible sheets  618  from the hoppers onto the vacuum transfer shuttle in alignment with the rectangular groupings of the vacuum grippers, to cover the openings. 
         [0130]    A number, in this case six, of releasable sheet holders or suction devices each remove a single sheet each cycle from a hopper and deposit the sheets on the vacuum transfer shuttle. The sheet holders each include a pair of suction or vacuum cups. The vacuum cups are formed of a soft flexible material, such as soft rubber. Each cup is mounted on the end of a common suction plate. The suction plate is clamped at opposite ends to a cross shaft. The suction cups are spaced in pairs along the plate so that two suction cups will engage each sheet at the open face of each hopper, with the suction cups contacting the bottom portion of the sheet, wherein each cup is located above the lower stops and outwardly of the knives. Alternately four suction cups in a grid pattern can be used to engage each sheet. 
         [0131]    The row of knock-out cups  506  are mounted above the vacuum sheet applicator with each cup aligned with a cavity  426  in the mold plate, when the mold plate is in its outwardly extended, knock out position. Upon downward movement, the cups  506  force the food patties  550  out of the cavities  426  of the mold plate. While following these paths, each food patty engages a sheet  618 , moves through an opening  606  of the vacuum bar, and lands with the supporting sheet on the respective conveyor  16   a ,  18   a ,  20   a ,  22   a  or on a previously deposited patty  550  on the conveyor, eventually forming a completed stack  36 . When the stack is completed, the output conveyor  16   a ,  18   a ,  20   a ,  22   a  transports the stacked patties  36  with interleaved sheets to the combining conveyor  24 . 
         [0132]    During operation, the individual movements of the suction plate, the shuttle and the mold plate are substantially as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,478. However, in that patent, the movements of the suction cups, and the shuttle that transfers the sheets to the knock out station, are mechanically linked to the movement of the mold plate and the knockout cups. Alternately the movements of the suction cups and the shuttle can be driven by one or more servomotors as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,372. 
         [0133]    The servomotor or servomotors drive the shuttle  602  into reciprocation in reverse synchronism with the reciprocating mold plate  420 . The shuttle  602  with sheets  618  carried thereby is placed below the knockout cups  506  and knocked out patties  550  pass through the shuttle  602  carrying away the sheets  618  down to the respective conveyor  16   a ,  18   a ,  20   a ,  22   a , and thereafter the shuttle  602  is reciprocated away from the mold plate  420  to receive new sheets  618  from the mechanism  626  which has removed new sheets  618  from the sheet supply hopper  620 . This process is then repeated. In this way stacks of patties  36  with interleaved sheets are formed on the output conveyor  16   a ,  18   a ,  20   a ,  22   a.    
         [0134]    The motors described herein can all be servomotors to precisely coordinate movements of conveyors and apparatus. A central control can be programmed to control the traffic of stacks  36  from the patty formers, on the output conveyors, the formatting conveyors and formatting apparatus, the loading conveyors and loading apparatus, and the packaging machine by closely controlling and coordinating the speeds of servomotors or servo-actuators on all the equipment. In this way it is possible that some stops, such as the stop  60  and perhaps the eyes  77 ,  78  could be eliminated or only used as back up control. 
         [0135]      FIGS. 23-2B  illustrate a further embodiment of the invention. This embodiment incorporates the description above with respect to  FIGS. 1-22  except as described herein. 
         [0136]    In this embodiment, a modified combining conveyor  800  feeds patty stacks to a pair of formatting and packaging systems  802 ,  804 . The system  802 ,  804  operate as described above and include a formatting station  26 , a loading station  28  and a packaging apparatus  30 . 
         [0137]    The forming machines  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  include the output conveyors  16   a ,  18   a ,  20   a ,  22   a , that feed the modified combining conveyor  800  that is also fed by output conveyors  816   a ,  818   a ,  820   a  of patty forming machines  816 ,  818 ,  820 . As illustrated, the machines  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  form rows  34  of six patty stacks  36 . The machines  816 ,  818 ,  820  form rows  834  of five patty stacks  836 . For example, the patty stacks  36  can comprise 1.8 ounce square meat patties while the patty stacks  836  can comprise 4.0 ounce square meat patties. 
         [0138]    The combining conveyor  800  includes sections  846 ,  848 ,  850 ,  852  that transport rows  34  to the right in  FIG. 23  to the formatting and packaging system  802  in a first mode of operation, and sections  860 ,  862 ,  864  transport rows  834  to the left in  FIG. 23  to the formatting and packaging system  804  in the first mode of operation. 
         [0139]    Rows  34  are transported onto the conveyor  90  to the formatting station  26  as described above. The formatting station  26  is configured to format the incoming single column of stacks  36  into a two column, five row array or grid  190  for packaging into two side-by-side trays  160 , as described above. The formatting station  26  feeds the grid  129  to a loading station  28  as described above. 
         [0140]    The rows  834  are transported by conveyor  890  that functions identically to the conveyor  90  to combine the rows  834  into a single column of patty stacks  836  that are input into a second formatting station  26  that operates identically to the formatting station  26  except the formatting station  826  is configured to create two columns, four row array or grid pattern  929  for packaging into two side-by-side trays  160 , as described above. The formatting station  26  feeds the grid  929  to a loading station  28  as described above. 
         [0141]    The trays  160  filled with stacks from the grids  129 ,  929  are moved thought the lid applying station and then are further conveyed away to be boxed and/or for shipping. 
         [0142]      FIG. 25A  shows further enhancements which could also be incorporated as applicable to the embodiment described above in  FIGS. 1-22 . The section  846  will be described. The section  846  is configured substantially identically to the sections  848 ,  850 ,  852 ,  860 ,  862  and  864  except as noted. 
         [0143]    The section  846  includes a transport conveyor surface  846   a . Sections  848 ,  850 ,  852  each include a respect transport conveyor surface  848   a ,  850   a ,  852   a . The transport conveyor surfaces  846   a ,  850   a ,  852   a  together comprise the lane  50  as previously described that is in alignment with and moves stacks  36  to the conveyor  90 . Sections  860 ,  862 ,  864  each include a respect transport conveyor surface  860   a ,  862   a ,  864   a . The transport conveyor surfaces  860   a ,  862   a ,  864   a  together comprise a lane  880  that functions identically to lane  50  but moves stacks  836  but is in alignment with and moves stacks  836  to the conveyor  290 . 
         [0144]    Each of the output conveyors feeds a short transport conveyor that feeds a support adjacent to a shifting mechanism. 
         [0145]    A short transport conveyor  856  provided at an end of the output conveyor  16   a  is illustrated. The transport conveyor  856  moves rows  34  deposited thereon in the x direction onto a support  857  of closely-spaced free rollers, the rollers  858  have rotary axes parallel to the y direction. The support  857  is located adjacent to the shifting mechanism  66 . The row  34  is stopped by the stationary stop  64 . Once a row  34  is deposited on the support  857 , the actuator  76  can be actuated to shift the row  34  from the support  857  into the lane  50  against the stop  72 . The row is then transported on the lane  50  to the right in  FIG. 25A . 
         [0146]    An additional optical sensor  879  can be provided between the optical sensors  77 ,  78  that provides further reliability of sensing of patty stacks located on the lane  50 . 
         [0147]    A gate  60  can be provided between each of the stops  56  and the support  857  if needed. 
         [0148]    So far described, the sections  846 ,  848 ,  850 ,  852 ,  860 ,  862 ,  864  are identically configured except the sections  846 - 852  transport stacks to the right to the system  802  and the sections  860 - 864  transport stacks to the left to the system  804 . However, the sections  846 ,  860  include an additional feature. The sections  846 ,  860  are reversible in feed direction so that rows of stacks produced by the machine  16  can be transported to the system  804  or rows of stacks produced by the machine  816  can be transported to the system  802 . Thus production flexibility can be achieved depending on production demand for a particular size patty or for compensating for the occurrence of a particular machine being out of service. 
         [0149]    For example, if it was desired that patty stacks from the machine  16  be sent to the system  804 , before the section  846  is reversed in operation, the machine  16  is reconfigured to produce the same size patty in rows  834  as produced by the machine  816 , so that the patty is compatible with the formatting and packaging system  804 . The stop  56  would be reversed so that an end stop portion  56   a  would be moved to the right side. 
         [0150]    An alternate shifting mechanism  866 , to the left of the short transport conveyor  856 , identical to the shifting mechanism  66 , would be made operable. The conveying surface  846   a , of combining conveyor section  846 , would be reversed in direction of movement to transport rows to the left in the x direction and the conveyor  856  would also be reversed to move rows to the left in the x direction. A gate  60  can also be provided between the support  857  and the stop  56  if needed. 
         [0151]    Each row  834  from the output conveyor  16  would be moved to the left onto the support  857  until the row abuts the stop  64 . The actuator  76  of the shifting mechanism  866  shifts the row  834  onto the conveyor surface  846   a  into the lane  50  which would move to the left (for section  846  only). The row  834  moves onto the conveying surface  860   a , into the lane  880  and deliver stacks  836  to the system  804 . 
         [0152]    In a similar fashion, the machine  16  can remain configured as shown in  FIG. 25A  and the machine  816  could be configured to deliver patty stacks to the system  802 . 
         [0153]    The section  860  would be reversed as demonstrated in  FIG. 25B . As illustrated, the output of machine  816  is reconfigured to produce patty size compatible with the system  802 . The transport conveyor  856  fed from the output conveyor  860   a  is reversed to transfer rows  34  to the right in the x direction. The stop  56  is reversed for the end stop portion  56   a  to be on the left side. 
         [0154]    An alternate shifting mechanism  866 , to the right of the short transport conveyor  856 , identical to the shifting mechanism  66 , would be made operable. The conveying surface  860   a , of combining conveyor section  860 , would be reversed in direction of movement to transport rows  34  to the right in the x direction and the conveyor  856  would also be reversed to move rows  34  from the output conveyor  816   a  to the right in the x direction. A gate  60  can also be provided between the support  857  and the stop  56  if needed. 
         [0155]    Each row  34  from the output conveyor  816   a  would be moved to the right onto the support  857  until the row abuts the stop  64 . The actuator  76  of the shifting mechanism  866  shifts the row  34  onto the conveyor surface  860   a  into the lane  880  which would move to the right (for section  860  only). The row  34  moves onto the conveying surface  846   a , into the lane  50  and deliver stacks  36  to the system  802 . 
         [0156]    According to this embodiment, the conveying surfaces  846   a  and  860   a  are driven independently from the conveying surfaces  848   a ,  850   a ,  852   a ,  860   a ,  862   a ,  864   a , and are reversible. The short transport conveyors  856  are all driven independently and the two short transport conveyors  856  that are adjacent to the output conveyors  16   a ,  816   a  are reversible in operating direction. The rollers  858  need not be driven, they can be free rolling only. 
         [0157]    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.