Apparatus for removing an adhered fragile food product from a support surface

Claim 1

Apparatus for removing a strip of food product from a horizontal support tray having an array of apertures therethrough, the strip of food product having been previously deposited onto a flat surface of the tray and then processed on the tray, during which prior processing the underside of the food product sticks to said flat surface of the tray, the apparatus comprising: first and second tray conveyor belts for supporting and moving the tray in a horizontal position along the longitudinal axis of the tray; and a releasing station interposed between the tray conveyor belts, the releasing station including at least one releasing roller that extends laterally across the side of the tray opposite the surface of the tray to which the food product is initially adhered, said releasing roller having protrusions thereon extending radially outwardly from said releasing roller and projecting vertically through the apertures of the tray to contact and lift the food product away from the tray as the tray passes said releasing roller and said releasing roller turns, and at least two back-up rollers that extend laterally across the surface of the tray opposite the side thereof to which the food product is initially adhered and displaced horizontally on opposite sides of said releasing roller along the direction of movement of the tray on said tray conveyor belt, the back-up rollers contacting the surface of the food product opposite the tray surface to which it is adhered thereby preventing gross vertical movement of the tray and the food product while allowing the strip of food product to be urged away from the tray by said releasing roller, thereby releasing at least a portion of the food product from the tray, with said tray being in substantial contact with the tray conveyor belts during release of the food product therefrom.