Apparatus for cutting an extruded product

Claim 1

In a shaping device comprising an extruder means, a cutting means and a recovery means; the extruder means cooperating with the cutting means to transfer a heated, extruded food product to the recovery means, the improvement comprising: I. a cutting means consisting essentially of a rotatable plate to serve as a base for at least one blade: (a) said blade having a first end and a second end and being secured to said plate at the first end of said blade; (b) the second end of said blade comprising a cutting edge and extending beyond an edge of said plate; (c) said cutting edge rotatabley and movably positioned in slideable contact with an outlet of said extruder means said outlet being substantially horizontal; and (d) said cutting edge having a substantially upward stroke in relation to said outlet, said cutting edge and said outlet cooperating so that all of the extruded product is thrown in an upward direction upon cutting, said upward direction providing time for said cut product to cool; and II. an enlarged vapor permeable shroud communicating with and surrounding said rotatable plate and said at least one blade, and also communicating with atmospheric air; to thereby contain said product on said upward flight in said air and direct said product to said recovery means while permitting dissipation of heat and evaporated moisture directly into said air.