| 主权项 |
1. A method for moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of foodstuff suitable for human consumption using a moulding system comprising:
a drum rotatable about an axis of rotation, the drum comprising: i. an inner surface, a cylindrical outer surface, a wall thickness between the inner and outer surfaces, a longitudinal axis, and longitudinal ends; and ii. a plurality of mould holders provided in the drum; a plurality of removable moulds each defining a mould cavity, wherein the plurality of removable moulds comprises a first set of removable moulds each having a first mould cavity shape and a second set of removable moulds each having a second mould cavity shape different than the first mould cavity shape, wherein each removable mould has a mould cavity opening and is adapted to be positioned within a mould holder such that the mould cavity opening of the removable mould is exposed on the outer surface of the drum; a drum drive adapted to rotate the drum about the axis of rotation at a substantially constant rotational speed; a mass-feed component adapted to fill the removable moulds positioned within the mould holders with the mass of foodstuff via the mould cavity opening of each removable mould; a pump device coupled to the mass-feed component and adapted to continuously supply the mass under pressure to the mass-feed component; a closure component positioned downstream the mass-feed component, wherein the closure component is adapted to bear against the cylindrical outer surface of the drum to temporarily close the mould cavity openings of the removable moulds; at least one connecting passage that, when a removable mould is positioned within a mould holder, extends from the removable mould cavity of the removable mould, through the removable mould, through the wall thickness of the drum and to at least one of the longitudinal ends of the drum; a pressurized gas source in communication with the at least one connecting passage; and a conveyor extending beneath the drum, the method comprising: a. selecting at least some of the plurality of removable moulds; b. mounting each of the selected removable moulds in a mould holder on the drum; c. rotating the drum via the drum drive; d. supplying the mass of foodstuff under pressure to the mass-feed component with the pump device; e. filling at least a portion of the mould cavity of each of the selected removable moulds with the mass of foodstuff via the mass-feed component; f. after filling, temporarily closing with the closure component the mould cavity openings of the selected removable moulds; and g. discharging the mass of foodstuff from the mould cavity of each of the selected removable moulds onto the conveyor, wherein discharging involves supplying pressurized gas into the mould cavity via the at least one connecting passage. |
