| 摘要 |
Apparatus for shaping blocks 3 of formable material (e.g. frozen foodstuff) comprises a rotatable drum carrying at least two outwardly facing cavities 2 therearound, a drive 10, 11, 13, 14, 20 for rotating the drum 1 from a loading position to a discharge position and a magazine 4 of blocks 3 of material in a stack at the loading position. Displacement means 5 shifts a block 3 from the stack into a cavity 2 as it registers with magazine 4 drum 1 rotates. Thrust means 6 with force derived from a linkage 8 forces the block 3 into the cavity 2 to shape it as drum 1 rotates towards the discharge position where collection means 16 receives the shaped block. With rotation of the drum, relative movement between linkage 8 and drum 1 causes thrust member 6 to be moved into and out of the cavity 2. The apparatus can be situated in a temperature controlled enclosure. The drum drive may be programmable whereby the speed of drum rotation is altered during each rotation. Fluid such as water may be sprayed onto some or all of the blocks, the cavities and the thrust member. |
