Apparatus for forming food patties having mold plate with oblong keys

Abstract

A mold plate for a food patty-forming apparatus for forming food patties from pressurized food product, the apparatus having a food product delivery configured to deliver pressurized food product into a fill opening of the mold plate, a drive mechanism operatively connected to the mold plate to reciprocate the mold plate between a fill position and a discharge position in a longitudinal direction, includes at least one oblong opening for receiving a key for connecting the mold plate to the drive mechanism. Particularly, the mold plate includes two spaced apart transverse openings for receiving two keys for connecting the mold plate to the drive mechanism.

1 . A food patty-forming apparatus for forming food patties from pressurized food product, comprising: 
 a frame;    a first plate carried by said frame;    a second plate carried by said frame, said second plate spaced from and facing said first plate;    a mold plate guided to reciprocate in a longitudinal direction between said first and second plates between a fill position and a discharge position, said mold plate having a cavity, said first plate having a fill opening in communication with said cavity when said mold plate is in said fill position during reciprocation of said mold plate, and when said mold plate is in said discharge position, said cavity being exposed outside said first plate;    a drive mechanism operatively connected to said mold plate to reciprocate said mold plate between said fill position and said discharge position;    a food product delivery configured to deliver pressurized food product into said fill opening; and    at least one oblong drive key for connecting the mold plate to said mechanism.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one oblong drive key comprises two spaced apart oblong drive keys.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said oblong drive keys are elongated in a direction tranverse to the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said oblong drive key is elongated in a direction tranverse to the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said oblong drive key is located adjacent to a front end of the mold plate, the front end leading in the longitudinal direction when the mold plate travels to said discharge position.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said oblong drive key is located adjacent to a front end of the mold plate, the front end leading in the longitudinal direction when the mold plate travels to said discharge position.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said first plate is arranged above said mold plate and said second plate is arranged below said mold plate.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said first plate is arranged below said mold plate and said second plate is arranged above said mold plate.  
   
   
       9 . A mold plate for a food patty-forming apparatus for forming food patties from pressurized food product, the apparatus having a food product delivery configured to deliver pressurized food product into a fill opening of said mold plate, a drive mechanism operatively connected to said mold plate to reciprocate said mold plate between a fill position and a discharge position in a longitudinal direction, the mold plate comprising: 
 a cavity for molding a food patty, said cavity arranged to be in communication with the food product delivery when said mold plate is in said fill position during reciprocation of said mold plate in the longitudinal direction, and when said mold plate is in said discharge position, said cavity arranged to be exposed, and at least one oblong opening for receiving a key for connecting said mold plate to the drive mechanism.    
   
   
       10 . The mold plate according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one oblong opening comprises two spaced apart oblong openings.  
   
   
       11 . The mold plate according to  claim 10 , wherein said oblong openings are elongated in a direction tranverse to the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       12 . The mold plate according to  claim 9 , wherein said oblong opening is elongated in a direction tranverse to the longitudinal direction.