US554707A - Machine for scrubbing or washing meat - Google Patents

Description

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w. w. MIGHNER.

MACHINE FOR SURUBBINGOR WASHING MEAT.

Patented Feb.. 18, 1896.

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' W. W. MIGHNER.

MACHINE FOR SGRUBBING 0R WASHING MEAT. No. 554,707. Patented Feb; 18, 1896.

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W. W. MIGHNER. MACHINE FOR SGRUBBING 0B WASHING MEAT.

Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

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ANPREW EGRANAM.HOTO-UTNQWASNINFTUKDC NITED STATES ATENT Fries.

WILLIAM IV. MICHNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,707, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed April 15, 1895. Serial No. 545,701. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. MICHNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Scrubbing or IVashing Pieces of Meat and other Articles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates more particularly to I machines for scrubbing or washing irregularshaped articles of any description; but it is more especially designed for scrubbing or washing irregular-shaped pieces of meat such, for example, as hams.

Owing to the irregular shape of a ham and to the wide variation of such shape in different hams, considerable difficulty has been experienced in scrubbing the ham all over uniformly, some of the parts being rubbed with excessive abrasion, while others are left uncleansed.

The primary object of my invention, therefore, is to provide means for quickly and effectually scrubbing or washing irregularshaped objects of the described nature on all sides,whereby especially such articles as hams may be rapidly and thoroughly cleansed of all foreign matter and scraps of loose meat which adhere to them prior to smoking.

IVith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of novelty by which the said object and certain other objects hereinafter described are attained, all as fully explained with reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View, partly broken away, of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the feeding end of the machine; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 2.

I In describing my improvements I will refer to the washing or scrubbing of meat and especially hams, as this is one of the most important uses to which my invention may be put; but it will nevertheless be understood indicated by the arrow 11.

though it is more especially designed for washing irregular articles.

In carrying out my invention I employ a number of brushes or other scrubbers, which are arranged to touch the ham or article to be scrubbed on all sides and between which the ham is carried by a carrier or endless conveyer of any suitable form andwhile streams of water are playing upon the brushes. The conveyer or carrier'is so constructed that it will first carry the ham into engagement with one of the brushes in one position, and after having carried it past such brush or scrubber will automatically change the position of the ham, so as to present a new surface to the next scrubber or brush.

The brushers or scrubbers are so arranged and constructed that they will have a surface movement in a direction contrary to the movement of the ham and at the same time will be deflectible bodily in the direction of movement of the ham, so that they may yield to accommodate themselves to unusual irregularities in the form of the 11am and while doing so engage with the forward and rearward sides of such irregularities.

Referring to the drawings, 1 2 represent a pair of chains running in a horizontal direction and having lugs 3 and constituting the initial carrier for conveying the ham 4 into engagement with the first upright brush or scrubber, 11, and first horizontal brush or scrubber, 5. These chains 1 2 run over two pairs of twin wheels 6 7, journaled in brackets 8 9, respectively secured to the under side of the table portion 10 of the machine or to any other suitable support. The ham to be washed or scrubbed is placed across these chains 1 2 in the manner shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, with the butt-end of the ham projecting over the chain on one side and the shank projecting over the chain on the other side. The lugs 3 will force the ham in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1 and carry the butt-end thereof first against the scrubber 11, which is mounted on a vertical axis and revolves about such axis in a direction con trary to the line of movement of the ham, as This brush or scrubber 11 will first engage the forward side of the butt of the ham, and as the ham moves forward the scrubber 11 will be deflected on an arc of a circle in the direction of movement of the ham, and by the pressure of the ham, so that the ham may pass the brush while the latter is revolving in contact therewith and without producing excessive abrasion, and it will be seen that before the 11am entirely leaves the brush the butt-end of the ham will have brought its rear rounded side as well as its forward side and extreme end into contact with the brush.

As a means of eifecting the described conduct or action of the brush or scrubber 11, I employ a pair of horizontally-swinging or oscillatory arms 12 13, in the inner ends of which the shaft 14 of the brush 11 is journaled and to the outer ends of which is socured by means of set-screws 15 a vertical shaft 16, whereby the brush may rotate and at the same time oscillate bodily with the arms 12 13. The shaft 16 is journaled in a box or sleeve 17 secured to the table 10 and is held against downward movement in any suitable manner, such as by means of a pin 18 resting upon the upper end of the box 1.7. Both the shafts 14 16 pass through the table 10 and are geared together by a pinion 19, rigidly secured to the shaft 14, and a gearwheel 20, loosely journaled on the shaft 16, whereby the shaft 14 may oscillate bodily around the shaft 16 while the pinion 19 is constantly in mesh with the gear-wheel 20, the table 10 being provided with a circular slot 21 for the movement of the shaft 14. Al'- ter the brush 11 is released by the ham it is returned to its normal position by any suit able meanssuch, for instance, as a spring 22, which may be coiled about the shaft 16 and secured to the box 17 and to such shaft in a well-known manner, so as to rotate the shaft 16 and carry the arms 12 13 with the brush 11 to their normal position, the rear end of the slot 21 acting as a stop to limit the return movement of the brush.

The gear-wheel 20, after rotating the scrubber 11, may be driven in any suitable way. I have shown such gear-wheel as provided with a beveled pinion 23, which is geared to the driving-shaft 24 by means of a longitudinal shaft 25 having a bevel-pinion 26 at one end meshing with the pinion 23, and a similar pinion 27 at its other end meshing with a bevel-pinion 28 on the shaft 24, the shaft 25 being supported below the table 10 by any suitable hangers 29, as shown in Fig. 2. The driving-shaft 24 derives its motion from a sprocket 30 secured thereon, which is driven by a belt (not shown) from any suitable source of power.

After the ham passes the first brush or scrubber 11, it is brought into engagement with the first horizontal brush or scrubber 5, which rotates against the ham and brushes or scrubs the major part of the forward side as well as the top and rear side of the ham.

This scrubber 5 is journaled in the lower ends of a pair of swinging arms 31, which are rigidly secured by set-screws 32 or otherwise to a rocker-shaft mounted in standards or pillow-blocks 34, whereby the brush 5 may swing on the are of a circle and thus permit the ham to raise and deflect it. As the brush comes down on the rear side of the ham while the ham is receding from the brush, it will, of course, scrub that side as far down as the periphery of the brush extends, notwithstanding the receding movement of theham.

The brush 5 is rotated on its own axis by means of a gear-wheel 41 journaled loosely upon the shaft and meshing with a pinion 39 of the shaft 40 of the brush 5, the gearwheel 41 being independent of the shaft 33, but concentric therewith, whereby the two may rotate independently, and at the same time the pinion 39 willremain in contact or engagement with the gear-wheel 41, notwithstanding the oscillation or revolution of the brush 5 about the shaft The gear-wheel 41 is driven by a chain-belt or other suitable means 42 passing over a sprocket-wheel 44 secured to the gear-wheel. 41. by means of a hollowjournal or sleeve 43, the latter being journaled in the pillow-block 34. The gravitation of the brush 5 to its normal position may be accelerated in any well-known manner-such, for instance, as by means of a spring, which may be in the form of a coil 45 surrounding and being secured to the rocker-shaft 2-53 at one end and at its other end to the standard 34 or some other stationary member-and the downward oscillation of the arms 31. may be limited by means of a stop 46 secured to one of the standards 34 and projecting into the path of one of the arms 31, as shown in Fig. 6.

The chain-carriers l 2, after conveying the ham edgewise past the brush 5, pass clownward through openings 35 in the table, and consequently cease to propel the ham forward. The forward movement of the ham is continued from this point 011, however, by means of a second carrier or conveyer 36, consisting preferably of an ordinary chain, which, like the chains 1 2, is provided with lugs or hooks 37 or other means of attachment to the ham. The lugs 3 are turned or inclined rearwardly, so that when passing around the forward wheels 8 and leaving the ham they will not dig into the meat, but the hooks or lugs 37 are turned forwardly in order that the thong or string usually secured in the shank of the ham may be placed over the hook 37 for compelling the ham to follow the carrier 36 beyond the terminal of the chains 1 2. Another purpose of the hooks 37 is to prevent the ham from being pushed endwise when it comes into engagement with the first brush 11. It will thus be seen that when the ham reaches the terminal of the chains 1 2 the carrier 36 will continue its movement end on along the table 10 toward the succeeding scrubbers or brushes. The first of these succeeding scrubbers or brushes are preferably arranged in pairs in a horizontal position transversely of the line of movement of the carrier 36, and one above the other, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 6. The upper one, 38, of the scrubbers of this pair is, like the brushor scrubber 5, journaled in a pair of swinging arms 31 secured by set-screws or other suitable devices 32 to a rocker-shaft 33 journaled in standards or pillow-blocks 34 mounted upon the table 10 or other part of the machine, and, like the brush 5, said brush 38 is rotated by means of a pinion 39 secured to the shaft 40 thereon and meshing with a gearwheel 41, which is journaled loosely upon the shaft 33 or otherwise mounted so as to be independent of such shaft and yet be concentric therewith, whereby the brush 38 may revolve or oscillate about the shaft 33 without disengaging the gears 39 41, as before described with reference to the brush 5. The gear-wheel 41 is driven by the same chain 42 which drives the sprocket-wheel 44, such gear 41 being provided with a neck or hollow journal 43 journaled in. the pillow-block 34 and carrying a sprocket-wheel 44 at its outer end, with which the chain 42 engages. Gravity is assisted in returning the brush 38 to its normal position by means of a spring 45 secured to the shaft 33 in the manner before described with reference to the spring 45, and the downward movement or oscillation of the arms 31 is limited by a stop 46 secured to one of the standards 34.

Mounted immediately below the brush 38 is a second brush or scrubber 47, which, however, is mounted in stationary bearings 48 below the table 10 in an opening 49 formed in the table, the brush being so arranged that a considerable portion of its upper periphery will project through such opening 49 above the table and come in contact with the ham for cleansing the under side thereof as the carrier 36 pulls the ham between the two brushes 38 47. The brush 47 is rotated, however, like the brush 38 and in the same directionthat is to say, opposite to the line of movement of the ham, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2. This rotation of the brush 47 may be conveniently effected by providing the shaft 50 of the brush with a sprocket 51, with which engages the lower fold of the sprocket-chain 42, the chain being held taut and in engagement with the sprocket 51 by means of a spring-actuated or other suitable belt-tightener 52.

The mechanism thus described, it will be seen, will clean both the top and bottom sides as well as the butt of the ham, and will partially clean its edges, and nowin order that the edges of the ham may be thoroughly scrubbed before leaving the machine, I cause the ham to pass between a pair of Vertically-arranged brushes or scrubbers 53 54, which are arranged in close proximity on opposite sides of the carrier 36, so as to come in engagement with the narrowest part of the shank as well as the wider portions of the ham. These brushes 53 54 like the brush 11 rotate about their axis against the ham and in a direction opposite to the line of movement to the latter, and are also deflectible or movable with and outwardly from the ham, whereby the wider portions thereof may pass between them without being severely abraded.

The brushes 53 54 and their means of operation are similar in construction and operation to the brush 11 and its operating mechanism, as will be more clearly seen upon reference to Fig. 3. Each of these brushes 53 54 is driven by a bevel-pinion 23, journaled loosely upon a shaft 16, and being secured to a gear 20 meshing with a pinion 19 secured to the shaft 14 of the brush, the shaft 14 being, like the shaft 14 of the brush 11, journaled in the arms 12 13, which are rigidly secured to the shaft 16, the latter being journaled in a vertical sleeve 17 secured to the table 10. The shaft 14 of the brushes 53 54 pass through circular slots 21 in the table. The brushes are returned to theirnormal positions by springs 22 mounted and arranged like the springs 22.

Rotation is imparted to the pinions 23 in opposite directions by means of beveled gears 55 secured to the driving-shaft 24, which latter also drives the chain 42 by means of a sprocket 56.

The carrier 36 passes over a pair of sprocketwheels 57 58 mounted at opposite ends of the machine, and projecting upwardly through slots in the table 10, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 5. The rear sprocket-wheel 58 at the feeding end of the machine is mounted upon the same shaft 59 which carries the sprocket-wheel 7, while the other one of these wheels, 57, is mounted upon a shaft 60, which derives its motion from the driving-shaft 24 through the intermediary of a cross-shaft 61 having a miter-gear 62 at each end meshing with the gear 28 on the driving-shaft 24 and a gear 63 on the shaft 60, respectively.

Tater or other cleansing liquid is supplied to the brushes by means of spray-pipes 64 leading thereto from a common supply-pipe 65 and being supported at the rear side of each brush in any suitable manner. In order that the water and foreign substances washed from the meat may be readily carried off, the table 10 is slightly inclined toward the feeding end of the machine, as indicated in Fig. 2, and such end is provided with a transverse trough 66 for catching and carrying oi the refuse. with flanges or side pieces 67.

If desired, a shield 68 may be projected partly across the first brush 11 in order to guide the ham to the proper position in the event it should not be accurately placed upon the carrier 1 2 in the first instance.

At the delivery end of the machine is arranged a shield consisting of two plates 69,

The sides of the table are providedone on each side of the carrier 36. These plates 69 project from the table upwardly and downwardly around the Wheel 57, so that when the ham reaches the delivery end of the table it will be elevated from the chain 36 and shielded from damage, and at'the same time the thong will be released from the hooks 37 and the ham permitted to drop off, or, if desired, to be removed by hand.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A machine for the purpose described, having in combination a number of scrubbers arranged at different intervals, means for conveying the article to be scrubbed past one scrubber and a second conveying device continuing beyond said first conveying means and also beyond the succeeding scrubbers and having means of attachment to the article, substantially as set forth.

2. A machine for the purpose described, having in combination a number of scrubbers arranged at diiferent intervals, a carrier for conveying the article to be scrubbed past one of said scrubbers, and a second carrier having means for attachment to the end of said article for conveyingit past the succeeding scrubbers in a different relative position, substantially as set forth.

A machine for the purpose described,

having in combination a number of scrubbers,

past the succeeding scrubber, substantially as set forth.

4. A machine for the purpose described, having in combination a pair of scrubbers, an endless carrier having rearwardly-projcct ing lugs for conveying the article to be scrubbed past the first scrubbers, a second carrier having forwardly-projecting hooks traveling in unison with the first carrier and continuing beyond the succeeding scrubbers, substantially as set forth.

5. A machine for the purposedescribed, having in combination a table, a vertically arranged, rotating, bodily-oscillatory brush arranged at one end of said table, a horizontally arranged rotating, bodily oscillatory brush arranged across said table, a carrier extending past said brushes, a pair of horizontally-arranged rotating, bodily-oscillatory brushes arranged. above and below the table respective y, and transversely thereof, a pair of vertically-arranged, rotating, bodily-oscillatorybrnshes arranged beyond said first pair of brushes, and a carrier extending beyond said first carrier and beyond said pairs of brushes, substantially as set forth.

6. A machine for the purpose described,

W. XV. MICIINER. \Vitnesses F. A. lIoPKINs, EDNA B. J OHNSON.

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