Patent ID: RE44744

Claim:
A molding mechanism, comprising: a multiple-cavity, cyclically operable mold plate which requires a given volume of food material in each cycle of operation mounted on a housing for longitudinal movement between a receiving position at which a plurality of mold cavities are aligned with an inlet and a discharge position at which the mold cavities are clear of the housing; a mold cover positioned over said mold plate; a knockout apparatus mounted on the mold cover; a series of knockout cups operated by the knockout apparatus; said knockout cups are aligned over said mold cavities when the molding mechanism is in the discharge position; a servo drive motor operatively connected to a reducer gearing; a motion transfer mechanism operatively connected between the reducer and a center pivot shaft, the center shaft is journaled to pivot and is arranged horizontally and also transverse to the movement of the mold plate, two rocker arms fixedly connected to the center pivot shaft and operatively connected to the mold plate, the rocker arms swing about the center pivot shaft between a forward and rearward position; and the motion transfer mechanism rotates the center pivot shaft between a rearward position and a forward position to swing the rocker arms longitudinally between the forward and rearward position about the center pivot shaft to move the mold plate between the receiving position and the discharge position.