Food article filling head

摘要

A filling head for loading food articles such as franks into individual packaging trays is adapted for quick connect to a power system and a loader parent machine. The filling head comprises an open frame, at least two spring loaded flapper doors hingeably attached to the frame, and a pusher bar unloading system capable of operable connection to the power system of the parent machine to intermittently discharge food articles from the filling head to the individual packaging trays positioned below the flapper doors. The pusher bar unloading system includes a drive rod which can be connected to the periphery of a flywheel by quick connect means to run in an smooth continuous reciprocating motion to deliver an up and down motion to a horizontal shaft slideably mounted on the frame and an associated set of pusher bars and elongated pusher members. The elongated pusher members at the bottom of the drive rod stroke forces food articles in the filling head to open the flapper doors and drop the food articles into the packaging trays. The filling head has quick connect features which allows the use of different filling heads constructed to deliver different food article arrangements into packaging trays.