Patent US4060998A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4060998A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Portion controlled frozen food
Assignee: Jimmy Dean Meat Co Inc
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Filing: 1975-11-19
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Granted: 1977-12-06
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Expires: 1995-11-19
Abstract
Abstract The specification discloses a system and process for producing discrete chilled products having preselected weights from a semi-fluid mixture. The semi-fluid mixture is pumped along a distribution path to an extrusion manifold which extrudes a continuous sheet of the mixture. The continuous sheet is directed through a chilling station where it is chilled and firmed such that the sheet maintains its extruded cross-sectional configuration. A plurality of slicers continuously slice the continuous sheet of material into continuous lengths. A cutter periodically severs the continuous lengths at predetermined intervals to provide a plurality of discrete products having predetermined weights. The pumping rate, rate of travel through the freezer and periodic severing of the continuous lengths may be selectively varied in order to maintain any desired weight of the discrete products. In an alternative embodiment, the continuous sheet of material is divided into discrete products by stamping the sheet with a plurality of cutters. In another embodiment, a rotatable cutting drum, having a plurality of equally spaced circumferential slicing disks and equally spaced longitudinal blades, severs the continuous sheet of material into discrete products.
Inventors
- 👤 Vincent E. Bernard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 03:54
CPC Classifications
A; A22; A22C; A22C7/00; A22C11/00; A22C11/001; A23; A23B; A23B4/00; A23B4/06; A23B4/062; A23B4/064
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A system for forming a plurality of discrete products having preselected volumes and weights comprising: means for receiving a quantity of semi-fluid material, a pump for pumping said material at a selected rate, an extruder associated with said pump and having an inlet to receive said pumped material and having an outlet for outputting said pumped material, conduits connected to said outlet for conveying a continuous uniform thickness sheet of said material, a chilling station located at the remote end of said conduit for receiving said continuous sheet of said material and for chilling said continuous sheet to an extent that said sheet maintains its extruded cross-section, a plurality of equally spaced parallel rotatable cutting disks located at the outlet of said chilling station for continuously slicing said chilled sheet into continuous lengths and means for periodically severing the continuous lengths to form a plurality of products having the preselected volume and weight, said means for severing including an elongated cutting blade disposed above and normal or said continuous lengths, and means for moving said blade downwardly for simultaneously severing all of said continuous lengths while moving said blade in the direction of travel of said continuous lengths and at the same speed of travel of said continuous lengths.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
209 words
A system for forming a plurality of discrete products having preselected volumes and weights comprising: means for receiving a quantity of semi-fluid material, a pump for pumping said material at a selected rate, an extruder associated with said pump and having an inlet to receive said pumped material and having an outlet for outputting said pumped material, conduits connected to said outlet for conveying a continuous uniform thickness sheet of said material, a chilling station located at the remote end of said conduit for receiving said continuous sheet of said material and for chilling said continuous sheet to an extent that said sheet maintains its extruded cross-section, a plurality of equally spaced parallel rotatable cutting disks located at the outlet of said chilling station for continuously slicing said chilled sheet into continuous lengths and means for periodically severing the continuous lengths to form a plurality of products having the preselected volume and weight, said means for severing including an elongated cutting blade disposed above and normal or said continuous lengths, and means for moving said blade downwardly for simultaneously severing all of said continuous lengths while moving said blade in the direction of travel of said continuous lengths and at the same speed of travel of said continuous lengths.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said chilling station comprises: a chamber defining a linear chilling path, a conveyor extending through said chamber for carrying said continuous sheet along the linear chilling path at the same rate as said continuous sheet is extruded, and freezer means for lowering the temperature in said chamber such that the semi-fluid material passing therethrough is frozen.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
213 words
A system for forming a plurality of discrete products having preselected weights comprising: a hopper for receiving a quantity of warm semi-fluid material, a feed line, a pump for pumping said material through said feed line at a selected rate and pressure, an extruder manifold having an inlet connected at the end of said feed line and including an outlet with a smaller dimension than said inlet, a flexible conduit extending from said manifold outlet and including an end nozzle to form a continuous extruded sheet of material, a metering pump mounted in series with said flexible conduit to meter the flow of said material therethrough, a chilling chamber mounted adjacent said end nozzle, a conveyor for receiving said continuous sheet from said end nozzle and for carrying said continuous sheet through said chilling chamber to chill and firm said continuous sheet, a plurality of rotatable slicing disks, each said disk having a cutting edge along the circumference thereof and mounted at the outlet of said chilling chamber for slicing said continuous sheet into parallel continuous lengths of equal widths, and a cutting blade mounted downstream of said slicing disks and movable in synchronism with said conveyor for severing said continuous lengths to form a plurality of discrete products having the selected weight.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
213 words
A system for forming a plurality of discrete products having preselected weights comprising: a hopper for receiving a quantity of warm semi-fluid material, a feed line, a pump for pumping said material through said feed line at a selected rate and pressure, an extruder manifold having an inlet connected at the end of said feed line and including an outlet with a smaller dimension than said inlet, a flexible conduit extending from said manifold outlet and including an end nozzle to form a continuous extruded sheet of material, a metering pump mounted in series with said flexible conduit to meter the flow of said material therethrough, a chilling chamber mounted adjacent said end nozzle, a conveyor for receiving said continuous sheet from said end nozzle and for carrying said continuous sheet through said chilling chamber to chill and firm said continuous sheet, a plurality of rotatable slicing disks, each said disk having a cutting edge along the circumference thereof and mounted at the outlet of said chilling chamber for slicing said continuous sheet into parallel continuous lengths of equal widths, and a cutting blade mounted downstream of said slicing disks and movable in synchronism with said conveyor for severing said continuous lengths to form a plurality of discrete products having the selected weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said semi-fluid material comprises: pre-rigor pork sausage having a temperature of at least 80° F.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said chilling chamber is chilled by nitrogen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said conveyor conveys said continuous lengths along a linear path at the same rate as said continuous sheet is extruded.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said extruder manifold comprises: a housing having a cone shaped end with said inlet connected in the region of the apex of the cone and a rectangular end with said outlet disposed therein for extruding a rectangular sheet of said semi-fluid material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said end nozzle is mounted along an elongated housing and oriented downwardly towards said conveyor, and means for attaching said nozzle to said elongated housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 8 and further comprising: means operable to raise and lower said end nozzle out of and into orientation with said conveyor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 3 and further comprising: guide means associated with said conveyor for maintaining the cross-sectional shape of said continuous sheet until said continuous sheet is chilled.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said conveyor is adapted with longitudinal indentions corresponding to the cutting edges of said slicing disks for facilitating the slicing of said continuous sheet.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-12-05 | 1981-06-06 | 1981-12-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-12-05 | 1985-06-06 | 1985-12-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-12-05 | 1989-06-06 | 1989-12-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |