Small ball forming machine

Abstract

A small ball forming machine comprises a barrel-shaped forming mold and a funnel-shaped feeding hopper, a gear ring synchronously rotating is fixed to the periphery of the forming mold, the upper end of the forming mold is communicated with a discharging port in one side of the lower end of the feeding hopper through a vertical feeding pressure adjusting pipe, and a vertical auger paddle is arranged in the feeding hopper; the lower end opening of the forming die is covered with a plate-shaped cutter arranged in a left-right sliding mode, the left cutter and the right cutter are each provided with a discharging notch deviating towards the opposite side, and when the left cutter and the right cutter are close to the minimum distance, the discharging notches of the left cutter and the right cutter are overlapped and aligned and are aligned to the lower end of the forming die; the driving gear penetrates through the upper end of a fixed motor rotating shaft to drive the auger blades to rotate, and the driving structure drives the left cutter and the right cutter to move inwards or outwards at the same time. The ball making machine is simple in structure, small in size, low in energy consumption, easy to operate, easy to clean and sanitary after being used, very suitable for making balls in commercial shops, farmer markets and families, high in processing efficiency and more attractive in forming.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of meatball processing technology, specifically a small meatball forming machine. Background Technology

[0002] Meatball forming machines are mainly used to process raw materials such as minced meat, fish paste, and vegetable puree into meatball-shaped food products, such as fish balls, meatballs, and vegetable balls, replacing traditional manual production and significantly improving production efficiency. They are highly automated and suitable for large-scale production, producing 200-600 meatballs per minute (the specific speed varies depending on the model). In addition, some models can also produce stuffed meatballs (such as beef meatballs and cheese-stuffed meatballs) and special-shaped products (such as plum blossom strips and fish fillets).

[0003] The working principle, basic structure, and process of a pellet forming machine include a hopper, a pushing device (such as an auger or piston pump), a forming mold, and a cutting device. After the raw material enters through the hopper, it is extruded and pushed into the mold by the pushing device. Under the constraint of the mold, it forms a pellet shape, which is then cut by the cutting device to complete the forming of individual pellets. Alternatively, there is extrusion forming, where the raw material is compressed by the spiral of a pushing device (such as an auger), generating pressure that forces the slurry through the mold holes to form pellets. The cutting device (such as a rotating blade) simultaneously cuts the slurry flow, ensuring uniform size.

[0004] However, the meatball forming machines currently on the market are all large-scale industrial production equipment due to their structural design. They are bulky, complex in structure, and cumbersome to operate. They also waste a lot of energy (water, gas, electricity) in terms of meatball slurry, making them unsuitable for the production needs of stores and home operations. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a small-scale meatball forming machine.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows: a small meatball forming machine, comprising a cylindrical forming mold and a funnel-shaped feeding hopper, a synchronously rotating gear ring fixed around the periphery of the forming mold, the upper end of the forming mold being connected to the discharge port on one side of the lower end of the feeding hopper via a vertical feeding pressure regulating pipe, a vertical auger blade being provided inside the feeding hopper, a plate-shaped cutter being covered by the lower opening of the forming mold and slidably disposed on the left and right, and the left and right cutters being respectively provided with feeding cuts biased to opposite sides, when the left and right cutters approach to the minimum distance, the feeding cuts of the left and right cutters overlap and align with the lower end of the forming mold, a drive gear meshing on one side of the gear ring, the drive gear passing through the upper end of a fixed motor shaft to drive the auger blade to rotate, and the drive structure driving the left and right cutters to move inward or outward simultaneously.

[0007] Furthermore, the upper end of the feeding pressure regulating pipe is provided with an opening, and a pressure regulating plug with a bottom height higher than the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper is inserted into the opening. The outer edge of the pressure regulating plug is provided with multiple tensioning protrusions, so that the pressure regulating plug is interference-fitted into the upper end opening of the feeding pressure regulating pipe. When the pressure regulating plug is at the top, the feeding pressure regulating pipe is fully connected to the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper. When the pressure regulating plug is at the bottom, the pressure regulating plug blocks the connection between the feeding pressure regulating pipe and the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper.

[0008] Furthermore, the lower end of the pressure regulating plug is covered with a slurry cleaning plug, and a slurry cleaning rod is fixed on the upper surface of the slurry cleaning plug, which passes through the pressure regulating plug and is interference-fitted through the pressure regulating plug, so that the slurry cleaning rod is fixedly connected to the pressure regulating plug by friction.

[0009] Furthermore, a vertical slot is opened on the upper end face of the motor shaft, and horizontal retaining grooves are provided at both ends of the bottom of the slot, arranged around the center line of the motor shaft, so that the two ends of the slot form an L-shaped opening structure. The lower end of the auger blade shaft is a cylindrical structure, and a retaining post is fixed inside the cylindrical structure, passing horizontally through the center line of the cylindrical structure. The cylindrical structure is fitted onto the upper end of the motor shaft, and the retaining post passes vertically through the slot and is locked in the retaining groove at both ends.

[0010] Furthermore, the lower end of the forming mold is rotatably set in the central opening of the upper blade clamping plate, and the lower blade clamping plate is fixed on the lower surface of the upper blade clamping plate. The left and right cutting blades are respectively slidably set in the cutting blade grooves formed between the upper blade clamping plate and the lower blade clamping plate. The upper blade clamping plates on the left and right sides of the forming mold are respectively opened with long strip-shaped grooves, and the push columns that are vertically fixed on the upper surface of the left and right cutting blades are respectively located in the long strip-shaped grooves and slide left and right.

[0011] Furthermore, a hopper fixing cylinder is provided around the lower straight cylinder discharge end of the feed hopper. An L-shaped groove extending vertically downward and to one side is opened on the upper edge of the hopper fixing cylinder. A fixing block for engaging the L-shaped groove is fixed around the lower straight cylinder of the feed hopper. One side of the hopper fixing cylinder is connected to the feeding pressure regulating pipe.

[0012] Furthermore, the drive structure consists of L-shaped shift forks positioned on the left and right. The bent parts of the L-shaped shift forks are fixed by a fixed pin, allowing the L-shaped shift forks to rotate around the fixed pin as a fulcrum. One end of each of the left and right L-shaped shift forks is rotatably connected together and rotatably connected to an eccentric shaft on one side of the lower surface of the drive gear via a pull rod. The forks of the left and right L-shaped shift forks are respectively fitted onto the corresponding push columns on the left and right.

[0013] Furthermore, the upper and lower blade clamps are fixed inside the machine housing by a forming blade holder, and the motor shaft passes through the reducer of the geared motor and is driven to rotate by the geared motor and reducer. The geared motor and reducer are located inside the machine housing.

[0014] Furthermore, the upper tool holder, lower tool holder, L-shaped shift fork, and drive gear are all covered with protective covers.

[0015] Furthermore, the upper end of the auger blade's rotating shaft is provided with a ring-shaped handle, and the spiral blades of the auger blade gradually widen from bottom to top, so that the outer periphery of the spiral blades fits against the inner wall of the funnel-shaped feed hopper, and the forming mold has a funnel-shaped structure that gradually narrows from top to bottom.

[0016] Through the above structural optimization, this utility model has a simple structure, small size, low energy consumption, and is easy to operate. It can be carried by one person and can be directly powered by a 220V household power supply. It is easy to place on a workbench or stovetop and is easy to clean after use. It is very suitable for commercial shops, farmers' markets, and home-based meatball making. Moreover, it has high processing efficiency and produces more beautiful results. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional cross-sectional structure of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the material supply pressure regulating pipe and the upper and lower blade clamps of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the interaction between the drive gear and the forming mold of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the auger blade of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0023] like Figure 1-5 As shown, a small meatball forming machine includes a cylindrical forming mold 1 and a funnel-shaped feeding hopper 2. A synchronously rotating gear ring 3 is fixed around the outer periphery of the forming mold 1. The upper end of the forming mold 1 is connected to the discharge port on one side of the lower end of the feeding hopper 2 through a vertical feeding pressure regulating pipe 4. A vertical auger blade 5 is provided inside the feeding hopper 2. The lower opening of the forming mold 1 is covered by a plate-shaped cutter 6 that slides left and right. The left and right cutters 6 are respectively provided with feeding cuts 7 that are biased to opposite sides. When the left and right cutters 6 are close to the minimum distance, the feeding cuts 7 of the left and right cutters 6 overlap and align with the lower end of the forming mold 1. A drive gear 8 is meshed on one side of the gear ring 3. The drive gear 8 passes through the upper end of a fixed motor shaft 9 and drives the auger blade 5 to rotate. The drive structure drives the left and right cutters 6 to move inward or outward simultaneously.

[0024] To facilitate adjustment of the feed rate, the upper end of the feed pressure regulating pipe 4 is provided with an opening, and a pressure regulating plug 10 with a bottom height higher than the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper 2 is inserted into the opening. The outer edge of the pressure regulating plug 10 is provided with multiple tensioning protrusions, so that the pressure regulating plug 10 is interference-fitted into the upper end opening of the feed pressure regulating pipe 4. When the pressure regulating plug 10 is at the top, the feed pressure regulating pipe 4 is fully connected to the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper 2. When the pressure regulating plug 10 is at the bottom, the pressure regulating plug 10 blocks the connection between the feed pressure regulating pipe 4 and the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper 2. This makes it easy to adjust the size of the opening of the connection between the feed pressure regulating pipe 4 and the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper 2. The higher the pressure regulating plug 10 is, the larger the opening is, and the greater the extrusion rate is, and vice versa.

[0025] To facilitate cleaning of the feed pressure regulating pipe 4, the lower end of the pressure regulating plug 10 is covered with a slurry cleaning plug 11. A slurry cleaning rod 12 is fixed on the upper surface of the slurry cleaning plug 11, which passes through the pressure regulating plug 10. The slurry cleaning rod 12 passes through the pressure regulating plug 10 with an interference fit, so that the slurry cleaning rod 12 is fixedly connected to the pressure regulating plug 10 by friction. When the slurry cleaning rod 12 and the slurry cleaning plug 11 are pushed down (in the figure, it is in the downward cleaning state), the material on the inner wall of the feed pressure regulating pipe 4 can be completely discharged into the molding mold 1, which is convenient for subsequent cleaning.

[0026] To facilitate disassembly of the auger blade 5, an annular handle 30 is provided at the upper end of the shaft of the auger blade 5. The spiral blades of the auger blade 5 gradually widen from bottom to top, so that the outer periphery of the spiral blades fits against the inner wall of the funnel-shaped feed hopper 2. The forming mold 1 has a funnel-shaped structure that gradually narrows from top to bottom. A vertical groove 13 is opened on the upper end face of the motor shaft 9. Horizontal baffles 1 are provided at both ends of the bottom of the groove 13, arranged around the center of the axis of the motor shaft 9. 4. The two ends of the slot 13 are respectively formed into L-shaped opening structures. The lower end of the shaft of the auger blade 5 is a cylindrical structure 15. A locking post 16 is fixed inside the cylindrical structure 15, which passes horizontally through the axis of the cylindrical structure 15. The cylindrical structure 15 is sleeved on the upper end of the motor shaft 9. After the locking post 16 passes vertically through the slot 13, both ends are locked in the retaining groove 14. In this way, the locking post 16 and the retaining groove 14 can be used to easily remove or install the auger blade 5, which is convenient for subsequent cleaning and transportation.

[0027] The lower end of the forming mold 1 is rotatably set in the central opening of the upper blade clamping plate 17. The lower surface of the upper blade clamping plate 17 is fixed with a lower blade clamping plate 18. The left and right cutters 6 are respectively slidably set in the cutter grooves formed between the upper blade clamping plate 17 and the lower blade clamping plate 18. The upper blade clamping plates 17 on the left and right sides of the forming mold 1 are respectively opened with long strip-shaped grooves. The push columns 19 vertically fixed on the upper surface of the left and right cutters 6 are respectively located in the long strip-shaped grooves and slide left and right. The driving structure is the prior art, such as the driving structure is an L-shaped shift fork 20 set on the left and right. The bent part of the L-shaped shift fork 20 is rotatably fixed by a fixed pin, so that the L-shaped shift fork 20 rotates with the fixed pin as the fulcrum. One end of the left and right L-shaped shift forks 20 is rotatably connected together, and is rotatably connected to the eccentric shaft 22 set on one side of the lower surface of the drive gear 8 through the pull rod 21. The forks of the left and right L-shaped shift forks 20 are respectively fitted into the corresponding push columns 19 on the left and right.

[0028] To facilitate the assembly of the feeding hopper, a hopper fixing cylinder 23 is provided around the lower straight cylinder discharge end of the feeding hopper 2. An L-shaped groove 24 extending vertically downward and to one side is opened on the upper edge of the hopper fixing cylinder 23. A fixing block 25 for engaging the L-shaped groove 24 is fixed around the lower straight cylinder of the feeding hopper 2. One side of the hopper fixing cylinder 23 is connected to the feeding pressure regulating pipe 4.

[0029] The upper blade clamp 17 and the lower blade clamp 18 are fixed inside the machine body shell 27 by the forming blade holder 26. The motor shaft 9 passes through the reducer of the reduction motor 28 and is driven to rotate by the reducer of the reduction motor 28. The auger blade 5, the drive gear 8 and the two left and right L-shaped shift forks 20 can be driven simultaneously by one reduction motor 28. The reduction motor 28 and the reducer are set inside the machine body shell 27. The upper blade clamp 17, the lower blade clamp 18, the L-shaped shift forks 20 and the drive gear 8 are covered by a protective cover 29.

[0030] The working principle of this utility model is as follows: Meatball slurry is fed into the feed hopper 2. The auger blades 5 rotate to generate thrust, forcing the slurry through the feed pressure regulating pipe 4 into the forming mold 1. A drive gear 8 meshes with one side of the outer gear ring 3 of the forming mold 1. The drive gear 8 drives the slurry inside the forming mold 1 to rotate. Simultaneously, under the pressure of the auger blades 5, the slurry continues to be extruded from the forming mold 1. The pull rod 21 is rotatably connected to the eccentric shaft 22 provided on one side of the lower surface of the drive gear 8. The drive gear 8 and the eccentric shaft 22 form an eccentric drive structure, thereby driving the pull rod 21 back and forth. The movement drives the left and right L-shaped forks 20 to move in a straight line (the forks operate on the lever principle), which in turn drives the left and right cutters 6 to move in a straight line within the cutter groove formed between the upper cutter clamp 17 and the lower cutter clamp 18 through the push column 19. They also move outward or inward synchronously, thereby intermittently cutting the extruded slurry. Because the slurry is rotated and cut during the extrusion process (the upper and lower cross sections are hemispherical, while direct cutting without rotation results in a conical shape), the meatballs are formed more smoothly and beautifully. The processed meatballs can be directly dropped into water to cook.

[0031] In addition, the size of the pellets can be changed by replacing the forming mold 1. If the inner diameter is smaller, the pellets will be smaller. The length of the pellets can be controlled by adjusting the height of the pressure regulating plug 10 at the upper end of the feeding pressure regulating pipe 4 and thus controlling the amount of slurry extruded.

[0032] This invention is mainly used for producing round meatballs, fishballs, vegetable balls, vegetarian balls, and other similar products; it can produce 100 balls per minute. Furthermore, the food contact parts are made of 304 stainless steel or engineering plastics. Sealing structures, such as sealing rings, are installed at the connection points where the slurry passes through, meeting sealing requirements. These are common in food processing equipment and will not be elaborated further. Through the above structural optimization, this invention can be easily processed into a compact device (approximately 500mm long × 288mm wide × 660mm high), lightweight (approximately 30kg), and energy-efficient (220V, 0.55KW). It is simple in structure, easy to operate, and can be carried by one person. It can be directly powered by a 220V household power supply and can be placed on a workbench or stovetop for easy ball production anytime, anywhere. It is easy to clean, and the external parts that require disassembly and washing are connected by snaps or screws, requiring no tools for assembly or disassembly. It is very suitable for commercial shops, farmers' markets, and home-based ball production.

[0033] The above description is merely an illustrative embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Any equivalent changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the concept and principles of this utility model should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A small-scale meatball forming machine, comprising a cylindrical forming mold (1) and a funnel-shaped feeding hopper (2), characterized in that: A gear ring (3) is fixed around the outer periphery of the forming mold (1) and rotates synchronously. The upper end of the forming mold (1) is connected to the discharge port on one side of the lower end of the feeding hopper (2) through a vertical feeding pressure regulating pipe (4). A vertical auger blade (5) is provided inside the feeding hopper (2). The lower end opening of the forming mold (1) is covered by a plate-shaped cutter (6) that slides left and right. The left and right cutters (6) are respectively provided with a feeding cut (7) that is biased to the opposite side. When the left and right cutters (6) are close to the minimum distance, the feeding cuts (7) of the left and right cutters (6) overlap and align with the lower end of the forming mold (1). A drive gear (8) is meshed on one side of the gear ring (3). The drive gear (8) passes through the upper end of the fixed motor shaft (9) and drives the auger blade (5) to rotate. The drive structure drives the left and right cutters (6) to move inward or outward at the same time.

2. The small-scale meatball forming machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the feeding pressure regulating pipe (4) is provided with an opening, and a pressure regulating plug (10) with a bottom height higher than the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper (2) is inserted into the opening. The outer edge of the pressure regulating plug (10) is provided with multiple tensioning protrusions, so that the pressure regulating plug (10) is interference-fitted into the upper end opening of the feeding pressure regulating pipe (4). When the pressure regulating plug (10) is at the top, the feeding pressure regulating pipe (4) is fully connected to the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper (2). When the pressure regulating plug (10) is at the bottom, the pressure regulating plug (10) blocks the connection between the feeding pressure regulating pipe (4) and the lower end discharge port of the feed hopper (2).

3. The small-scale meatball forming machine as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The lower end of the pressure regulating plug (10) is covered with a slurry cleaning plug (11). A slurry cleaning rod (12) that penetrates the pressure regulating plug (10) is fixed on the upper surface of the slurry cleaning plug (11). The slurry cleaning rod (12) passes through the pressure regulating plug (10) with an interference fit, so that the slurry cleaning rod (12) is fixedly connected to the pressure regulating plug (10) by friction.

4. The small-scale meatball forming machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end face of the motor shaft (9) has a vertical slot (13). The bottom two ends of the slot (13) are provided with horizontal baffles (14) arranged around the center of the motor shaft (9) axis, so that the two ends of the slot (13) form an L-shaped opening structure. The lower end of the shaft of the auger blade (5) is a cylindrical structure (15). A locking post (16) is fixed inside the cylindrical structure (15) and passes horizontally through the center of the cylindrical structure (15). The cylindrical structure (15) is fitted on the upper end of the motor shaft (9). After the locking post (16) passes vertically through the slot (13), both ends are locked in the baffles (14).

5. A small-scale meatball forming machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end of the forming mold (1) is rotatably set in the center opening of the upper blade clamp (17). The lower surface of the upper blade clamp (17) is fixed with the lower blade clamp (18). The left and right cutters (6) are respectively slidably set in the cutter groove formed between the upper blade clamp (17) and the lower blade clamp (18). The upper blade clamp (17) on the left and right sides of the forming mold (1) is respectively opened with a long strip groove. The push column (19) vertically fixed on the upper surface of the left and right cutters (6) slides left and right in the long strip groove.

6. A small-scale meatball forming machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that: A hopper fixing cylinder (23) is provided around the lower straight cylinder discharge end of the feed hopper (2). An L-shaped groove (24) extending vertically downward and to one side is opened on the upper edge of the hopper fixing cylinder (23). A fixing block (25) for inserting into the L-shaped groove (24) is fixed around the lower straight cylinder of the feed hopper (2). One side of the hopper fixing cylinder (23) is connected to the feeding pressure regulating pipe (4).

7. A small-scale meatball forming machine as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The drive structure consists of L-shaped shift forks (20) arranged on the left and right. The bent part of the L-shaped shift fork (20) is fixed by a fixed pin, so that the L-shaped shift fork (20) rotates with the fixed pin as the fulcrum. One end of the left and right L-shaped shift forks (20) is rotatably connected together and is rotatably connected to the eccentric shaft (22) arranged on one side of the lower surface of the drive gear (8) through the pull rod (21). The forks of the left and right L-shaped shift forks (20) are respectively fitted onto the corresponding push columns (19) on the left and right.

8. A small-scale meatball forming machine as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The upper blade clamp (17) and lower blade clamp (18) are fixed inside the outer shell (27) of the machine body by forming blade holder (26). The motor shaft (9) passes through the reducer of the geared motor (28) and is driven to rotate by the reducer of the geared motor (28). The geared motor (28) and reducer are set inside the outer shell (27).

9. A small-scale meatball forming machine as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The upper tool clamp (17), the lower tool clamp (18), the L-shaped shift fork (20), and the drive gear (8) are covered with protective covers (29).

10. A small-scale meatball forming machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the shaft of the auger blade (5) is provided with a ring-shaped handle (30). The spiral blades of the auger blade (5) gradually widen from bottom to top, so that the outer periphery of the spiral blades fits against the inner wall of the funnel-shaped feed hopper (2). The mold (1) has a funnel-shaped structure that gradually narrows from top to bottom.

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