A cut-off device is used for providing a deposit of known portion weight of the ground meat or paste. This deposit is dropped accurately onto a conveyor belt for transport to a press wheel the height of which, from the conveyor, can be adjusted to provide a finished product of correct thickness. The press wheel has a system of vacuum ducts around the circumference in four chambers that pull paper from a de-nesting tray situated at the top of the press wheel, at the correct interval as to meet up with the deposit at the base of the wheel. This results in the deposit being pressed to the required thickness onto the conveyor, with the interleave paper attached to the top of the now formed patty.