Food stacking loading apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for loading stacked food product into packages. Open top containers are arranged in rows and movable into a loading station. A shuttle conveyor has a retractable and extendable conveying surface, the conveying surface having an end region extendable to a position arranged above the containers of a row of the containers. A guiding and pushing apparatus is arranged above the row and includes guides that are lowered to capture a row of stacked food products on the conveying surface, and plungers within the guides that lower and press a top of the stacks. When the conveying surface is retracted from beneath the guides and the row of containers, the guides are lowered further, adjacent to the containers, and the plungers are lowered with respect to the guides to push the stacks into the containers.

1 . An apparatus for loading food product into open top containers movable into a loading station, comprising: 
 a conveyor having a circulating conveying surface, said conveying surface having a moveable end region positionable over a container and movable to deposit food product into said container; and    a pushing device arranged above the container and adapted to push food product into the container as said conveying surface end region is moved.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a guiding device arranged with said pushing device, said guiding device arranged to capture said food product on said conveyor, said pushing device arranged to push food product from within said guiding device into said container.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus for filling food product into a row of open top containers movable into a loading station, comprising: 
 a conveyor having a circulating conveying surface, said conveying surface having a movable end region positionable over a container and movable to deposit food product into said container; and    a guiding device arranged above the container and adapted to guide food product into the container as said conveying surface end region is moved.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to claim  4 , wherein said guiding device comprises a guide cylinder, said guide cylinder movable from an elevated position to a first lowered position to capture said food product on said conveying surface, and to a second lowered position below said conveying surface and adjacent to the container.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said guide cylinder comprises a pair of facing concave guides that are displaceable away from each other to open up a clearance between said facing concave guides at a bottom of said guide cylinder.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising a movable plunger within said guide cylinder, said movable plunger movable from an elevated position within said guide cylinder to a lowered position with respect to said guide cylinder to expel food product from said cylinder.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for loading food products into packaging, comprising: 
 a food product producing device;    a conveyor having a frame supporting a conveying surface formed by an endless circulating belt, said conveying surface having a movable lead end, said food product producing device having an outlet that delivers food products onto a base end of said conveying surface, said conveying surface delivering said food products from said base end to said lead end and beyond said lead end;    a guiding device arranged above said conveying surface adjacent said lead end, said guiding device comprising a guide frame supporting a guide cylinder above said conveying surface at said lead end when said lead end is in a first position, wherein said guide cylinder is movable vertically past said lead end of said conveying surface when said lead end of said conveying surface is moved to a second position with respect to said guide cylinder; and    a pushing device comprising a plunger mounted within said guide cylinder, said plunger vertically movable from a raised position within said guide cylinder to a lowered position to expel food products from within said guide cylinder when said lead end is in said second position.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said guide cylinder comprises opposing concave guide plates, said guide plates tiltable away from each other to open up said guide cylinder at a bottom thereof and tiltable toward each other to reorient said guide plates to a vertical orientation.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising a splash plate supported by said frame and located below said conveying surface and having an opening corresponding in a vertical alignment with said guide cylinder, said opening sized and shaped to receive a bottom portion of said guide cylinder when moved downward.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising a supply of open top containers movable to register an open top container beneath said guide cylinder to receive food product from said guide cylinder.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said food product producing device comprises a food pafty-molding machine.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said food product producing device comprises a slicing machine.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said guide cylinder has a substantially circular cross section.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said guide cylinder has a substantially rectangular cross section.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said guide cylinder comprises opposing concave guide plates, said guide plates tiltable away from each other to open up said guide cylinder at a bottom thereof and tiltable toward each other to reorient said guide plates to a vertical orientation, and comprising a pair of pivot bars, wherein each guide plate is mounted on a pivot bar, said pivot bars pivotally mounted, and a lever mounted to each pivot bar, and at least one pivot pneumatic cylinder, said pivot pneumatic cylinder operatively connected to said pivot bars, said pivot pneumatic cylinder operable to displace said levers to pivot said pivot bars.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said guiding device comprises a center plate, said pivot bars pivotally mounted to said center plate, said center plate supporting said guide cylinder.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said guiding device comprises: 
 a center plate rotatably supporting said pivot bars;    a main pneumatic cylinder; and    an elevated plate supported by said main pneumatic cylinder between an elevated position and first lowered position, said center plate supported by said elevated plate wherein said guide cylinder is moved down onto said conveying surface.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said guiding device comprises: 
 an intermediate plate connected to said center plate and supported by said elevated plate via a guide pneumatic cylinder, actuation of said guide pneumatic cylinder moving said center plate such that said guide cylinder is moved from an elevated position above said conveying surface to a second lowered position wherein an end of said guide cylinder is below said conveying surface.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said pushing device comprises a rod connected to said plunger, said rod extending axially into said guide cylinder and slidable with respect to said guide cylinder, said rod connected to a pusher drive plate, said pusher drive plate connected to said elevated plate via a pusher pneumatic cylinder, actuation of said pusher pneumatic cylinder moving said plunger with respect to said guide cylinder.