Method for producing ground meat patties

Abstract

A method for producing ground meat patties of beef and/or pork comprises a shaping plate that can be moved out of a filling position in a shaping station into an ejecting position outside the shaping station, the shaping plate having holes that are disposed offset relative to each other in moving direction in two rows, one behind the other, a device by means of which the ground meat can be supplied under pressure via filling slots associated to each hole into the holes on the underside, said holes being covered at the top by means of a ventilation plate, an antilipbar serving to reduce the excess pressure that is disposed in the delivery area of the shaping station and having a continuous longitudinal slit and an ejection device disposed outside the shaping station above the ejecting position of the shaping plate having ejection cups whose quantity and position is coordinated with the holes in the shaping plate.

The invention is claimed as follows:  
     
         1 . A method for producing meat patties comprising the steps of: 
 (a) sliding a shaping plate having at least one row of patty-forming holes over a source of pressurized meat;    (b) filling the holes substantially with meat; and    (c) relieving pressure from the meat over an entire open area of at least one of the holes.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , which includes performing steps (a) to (c) at least eighty times per minute.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , which includes the step of stamping the meat patties onto a conveyer belt.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein relieving pressure form the meat includes relieving air pressure from the meat.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , which includes using a single aperture to relieve air pressure from the meat over the entire open area.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the single aperture relieves pressure from the meat of each hole of the row.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the single aperture relieves pressure from the meat of at least one hole in a plurality of rows of holes.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the single aperture relieves pressure from the meat of a plurality of holes at the same time.  
     
     
         9 . A method for producing meat patties comprising the steps of: 
 (a) sliding a shaping plate having at least one patty-forming hole over a source of pressurized meat;    (b) filling the hole substantially with meat;    (c) relieving pressure from the meat of the hole using a first pressure relief device; and    (d) relieving pressure from the meat of the hole using a second pressure relief device.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein relieving pressure from the meat includes relieving air pressure from the meat.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , which includes relieving pressure from the meat of each of a plurality of the holes using the first and second devices.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the devices relieves pressure from the meat after filling the hole substantially with meat.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein one of the first and second devices is a single aperture.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein one of the first and second devices includes a plurality of vent slots.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the shaping plate has a plurality of rows of holes communicating with the first and second devices.  
     
     
         16 . A method for producing meat patties comprising the steps of: 
 (a) sliding a shaping plate having at least one patty-forming hole over a source of pressurized meat;    (b) filling the hole substantially with meat;    (c) relieving pressure from the meat of the hole on a first side of the shaping plate; and    (d) relieving pressure from the meat of the hole on a second side of the shaping plate.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , which includes relieving pressure after filling the hole substantially with meat.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , which includes relieving pressure while filling the hole with meat.  
     
     
         19 . A method for producing meat patties comprising the steps of: 
 (a) sliding in a direction a shaping plate having at least one patty-forming hole over a source of pressurized meat;    (b) filling the hole substantially with meat;    (c) relieving pressure from the meat of the hole using a first aperture extending substantially in a same direction as the direction of sliding; and    (d) relieving pressure from the meat of the hole using a second aperture extending substantially in a perpendicular direction from the direction of sliding.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , which includes using a plurality of the first apertures to relieve pressure.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , which includes using the second aperture to relieve pressure from the meat of a plurality of holes defined by the shaping plate.