Food applicator

Claim 1

A food applicator for applying a shredded meat to a base member passing therethrough, comprising a transfer means having an apertured conveying means and a shredded meat conveying means above said conveying means for carrying of shredded meat and depositing thereof onto said apertured conveying means, shredded meat supply means for transfer of meat to said meat conveying means at an elevated temperature, cooling means associated with said meat conveying means to cool the meat carried thereby and establishing a continuous granulated meat to the conveyor means, a leveling drum mounted above the shredded meat conveying means to level the shredded meat, a first bladed metering member rotatably mounted adjacent the shredded meat conveying means immediately forwardly of the leveling drum and in closely spaced relation to the shredded meat conveying means and the drum, said metering member rotating in the opposite direction as the movement of said conveying means to establish blades adjacent the conveying means which move opposite the movement of the conveying means and pick up the shredded meat, a second bladed metering member rotatably mounted forwardly of the first metering member and in mesh therewith, said second bladed metering member rotating in the same direction of said first metering member to pick up the shredded meat and establishing a falling column of granulated meat for covering the base members passing thereunder.