A PATTY-FORMING APPARATUS WITH RECIPROCATING MOLD PLATE AND ROTARY PUMP

A food product forming machine comprising, a food supply configured to contain food mass, a positive displacement pump connected to the food supply and configured to pump food mass at a pressure, a molding mechanism having a mold plate, the mold plate including a cavity and being reciprocated by a mold plate drive between a cavity fill position and a cavity discharge position, and a manifold including an inlet and an outlet, wherein the manifold is configured to receive food mass from the positive displacement pump through the inlet and food mass is configured to pass through the outlet toward the mold plate for filling the cavity of the mold plate, wherein the manifold has a truncated triangular cross-section.