AU650129B2

AU650129B2 - Meat slicing apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU650129B2
Application number: AU16027/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Zhihui Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-04-10
Filing date: 1992-05-04
Publication date: 1994-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 2012-05-04
Also published as: WO1993020984A1; AU1602792A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patent Act 650 29 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published:

D

1 r c Priority: Related Art: s r s Names(s) of Applicant(s): Zhi Hui LIN Actual Inventor(s): Zhi Hui LIN 4, Vlk 10 Lar Our Address for service is: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street MELBOURNE, Australia 3000 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: MEAT SLICING APPARATUS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): 0804N 0804N MEAT SLICING APPARATUS This invention relates to a device for slicing meat, in particular to a device for cutting meat into a plurality of slices simultaneously.

In restaurants and sandwich bars it is often necessary to cut meat into slices. This is generally done manually using a sharp knife or with a meat slicer.

Commercially available meat slicers generally operate by means of a rotating disc blade against which the meat to be sliced is pressed. Some meat cutting devices also include a pressing member for pressing the meat into contact with the cutting blades. It would be desireable to provide a reat slicer which utilizes gravity to press the meat against the cutting blades.

olo Special difficulties are encountered in the slicing of raw meat, due to the texture and consistency of the Q meat. To slice raw meat into thin slices using commercially available meat slicers it is usually necessary to freeze the meat prior to slicing. Rotating disc blades are especially unsuitable for slicing raw unfrozen meat into thin slices since the meat tends to adhere to the flat surface of the disc or discs.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least alleviate one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages of the prior art.

Accordingly the invention provides a device for slicing meat into a plurality of slices simultaneously, said device including: a support frame, a rack of spaced parallel blades, said rack supported in a substantially horizontal orientation on said support frame to provide an upper cutting surface, reciprocating means for reciprocating said rack in a 39 horizontal direction, causing said blades to perform a WDN 2 slicing action, and hopper means having an inlet and an outlet for locating meat to be sliced on said upper cutting surface.

In a preferred embodiment the hopper is provided with meat retaining means for substantially preventing the meat from being carried laterally with the reciprocating blades during slicing. The meat retaining means may include a plurality of teeth located at the outlet of the hopper projecting between the blades to substantially prevent lateral movement of the meat during slicing.

The hopper is preferably manufactured from a hard durable material such as stainless steel and may be supported abo the rack of blades by the support frame.

For this purpose the hopper may be provided with support members which are shaped and configured to rest on the support frame. Preferably the hopper is easily removable for cleaning purposes.

2to o The rack of blades may comprise a plurality of parallel spaced blades mounted in a frame. The frame may S be slidably supported on the support frame to allow the rack of blafles to slide in a horizontal direction throughout the reciprocating movement. The blades are preferably mounted on the frame so as to be easily removed for sharpening, replacement or cleaning. Preferably the mounting frame includes a pair of slide members on opposite sides thereof lying parallel to the blades and being slidably supported on the support frame. Each slide member may include an elongate rod or beam. Each slide member is preferably supported on the supporting frame by a pair of supporting arms connected to or integrally formed with the supporting frame. The supporting means may include recesses which act to guide the slide members throughout the reciprocating movement of the rack. Preferably the rack of blades is supported on the support frame in such a way that it can be easily removed for cleaning.

39 WDN 3 The blades may be normal slicing blades or may be provided with saw teeth depending on the type of meat to be sliced. Saw tooth blades are preferable if bone is to be cut. The distance between the blades depends on the thickness of the slices required.

The device may include collecting means for collecting the sliced meat. Preferably the collecting means includes a removable tray.

The device according to the invention is especially suitable for bench top use in restaurants and sandwich bars and accordingly the dimensions of the device ar-. generally quite compact, although larger free standing devices could also be manufactured if required for a particular application. The device is preferably manufactured so as to be readily disassembled for ease of cleaning or repair.

It will be convenient to further describe the Q invention by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention are possible, and consequently the particularity of the accompanying drawings is not to be S understood as superceding the generality of the preceding description.

Figure 1 shows an assembled meat slicer according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the meat slicer shown in figure i.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, legs 2, 3, 4 and 5 are interconnected by intermediate cross members 6, 7, 8 and 9 and upper cross members 10, 11, 12 and 13 to form stainless steel supporting frame i. Rack of blades 14 is supported on supporting frame 1 in a horizontal orientation.

39 WDN 4 Rack of blades 14 includes a pair of parallel spaced blade mounting members 15 and 16, which together with slide rods 17 and 18 provide a supporting framework for cutting blades 19. Blades 19 are mounted in slots 20 on members and 16 in parallel spaced relation so as to provide an upper cutting surface 21. Slide rods 17 and 18 are interconnected at one end by cross member 39.

Reciprocating movement is imparted to rack of blades 14 by eccentric 22. Eccentric 22 includes electric motor 27 mounted on intermediate cross member 8 (mounting bracket not shown), crankshaft 23 and driving rod 24. Driving rod 24 is connected to cross member 39. Rack of blades 14 and its connection to eccentric 22 is shown more ee--y in 15 figure 2.

4 .i Support for rack of blades 14 on support frame 1 is provided by arms 25 mounted on intermediate cross members 6 and 9. Arms 25 include semi-cylindrical recesses 26 in which slide rods 17 and 18 are slidably supported.

When operating, motor 27 rotates crankshaft 23 at S" between 1400 and 1800 RPM, causing rack of blades 14 to follow a reciprocating motion of 10 mm per revolution of crankshaft 23, thereby causing blades 19 to perform a slicing action.

CC

Hopper support rods 28 and 29 are inset into upper cross members 11 and 13 so as to span support frame 1 adjacent upper support members 10 and 12. Hopper 30 is provided with support members 31 on front and rear outer surfaces 32 and 33. Support members 31 each include a semi-cylindrical recess 34 adapted to engage support rods 28 and 29, to support hopper 30 on support frame 1.

The construction of hopper 30 (with support members 31 detached) is shown more clearly in figure 2. Hopper includes an inlet 35 and an outlet 36. A plurality of teeth 37 depend from oppisite sides of outlet 36 so as to

C)

project between blades 19. Teeth 37 are integrally formed with hopper To operate the device, raw meat is placed in hopper 30, the weight of the meat forcing it against cutting surface 21 where the slicing action of the rack of blades 14 cuts the meat into slices. Teeth 37 act to hold the meat over the cutting surface and prevent lateral motion of the meat during slicing. After slicing, the meat falls into stainless steel tray 38. Hopper 30 and rack of blades 14 can be easily removed for cleaning.

Finally it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications or additions may be introduced into the device of the present invention previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

39 *39 WDN 6

Claims

1. A device for slicing meat into a plurality of slices simultaneously, said device including: a support frame, a rack of spaced parallel blades, said rack supported in a substantially horizontal orientation on said support frame to provide an upper cutting surface, reciprocating means for reciprocating said rack in a horizontal direction, causing said blades to perform a slicing action, and hopper means having an inlet and an outlet for locating meat to be sliced on said upper cutting surface.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the hopper includes meat retaining means for substantially preventing lateral movement of meat during slicing.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said meat 0"'Z retaining means includes a plurality of teeth located at the outlet of the hopper, said teeth projecting between said blades to substantially prevent4i- lateral movement of *4 meat during slicing. a

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said rack of blades includes a mounting frame on which a plurality of spaced parallel blades are mounted, said mounting frame having a pair of elongate slide members eeo6 on opposite sides thereof lying parallel to said blades and being slidably supported on said support frame to allow the the rack of blades to slide in a horizontal direction throughout said reciprocating movement.

A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said reciprocating means includes an eccentric operatively connected to said rack of blades to cause the blades to perform said slicing action.

6 A device according to any one of the preceding 7 claims wherein said blades are saw-tooth blades.

7. A device according to any one of further including collecting means for sliced meat.

8. A device according to claim 7 collecting means includes a removable tray. claims 1 to 6 collecting the wherein said

9. A device according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. DATED: 7 December 1993 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: S ZHI HUI LIN aOAdA.Ctp 4784N o. *9 a a a a 23 a a 39 WDN 8 ABSTRACT An apparatus for cutting meat into multiple thin slices is disclosed. The meat is placed in a hopper (1) and gravity fed to a rack of blades k2). The crank shaft driven by the motor results in the connecting rod imparting a reciprocating motion to the rack cutting the meat into thin slices which fall into the tray It (is particularly suitable for use in restaurants and sandwich bars. Il a 39 S S o• 39 WDN