Patent ID: 7984828

Claim:
A method of operating and cleaning a semi-solid food product metering device comprising the steps of: operating the semi-solid food product metering device in an operating position to meter semi-solid food product, the semi-solid food product metering device having an actuating device, a pair of rollers having a distal and a proximal end, two roller end plates at the distal end and the proximal end of the feed rollers and making a seal therewith, an at least one support bar having the end plates supported thereon and a central rod communicating with both of the two roller end plates and the actuating device; halting the semi-solid food product metering device from operating; activating the actuating device to move the semi-solid food product metering device into an open position, wherein in moving to the open position the actuating device moves the central rod which in turn moves at least one of the two end plates laterally along the at least one support bar away from the other end plate to the open position, disengaging the seal with at least one of the end plates and opening a gap; and cleaning the semi-solid food product metering device, the two rollers and the gap, in the open position and activating the actuating device to return the semi-solid food product metering device to an operating position.