Conveyor apparatus for handling emulsified meat products

Claim 1

In an apparatus for processing sausage and like meat products, in combination, an emulsifier for producing and directly discharging therefrom an unconfined blended mixture of said product in the form of a continuous paste-like extrusion of predetermined diameter, a conveying mechanism having a continuously moving endless belt having an upper conveying surface onto which said extrusion in its unconfined condition is continuously deposited and moved to a processing station remote from said emulsifier, said conveyor belt being of a transverse width substantially greater than the transverse dimension of said extrusion, means for effecting deposit of said continuous pastelike extrusion of meat directly from said emulsifier onto the central portion of the conveying run of the belt at the receiving end thereof for uninterrupted conveyance of the meat extrusion along the longitudinal center line of said conveyor belt in substantial spaced relation to the opposite side edges of the belt, said last mentioned means including a relatively short discharge outlet extending from said emulsifier in overlying relation to the receiving end of said conveyor belt with its discharge axis disposed in the vertical plane of the longitudinally extending center line of said belt, and scraper means engaging the bottom return surface of the conveyor belt immediately adjacent the discharge end thereof for directing any residue of the conveyed product adhering to said conveyor belt at said discharge end toward the center of said bottom return surface of the belt whereby to maintain said latter surface free of any accumulated deposit thereon of the emulsified meat product, said scraper means including a scraper extending transversely across and engaging substantially the full width of the bottom return surface of the belt, said scraper being Vshaped and disposed with its apex presenting toward and in line with said emulsifier outlet whereby any residue of the conveyed product adhering to said conveyor belt at the discharge end thereof is directed as aforesaid toward the center of the bottom return surface of the belt for discharge therefrom into a storage vessel disposed beneath the discharge end of the conveyor mechanism.