AU733832B2 - Fresh meat compressor - Google Patents

Description

t 1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 PETER ALBERT LAGERLOW

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Fresh meat compressor The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- Technical Field The present invention relates to a device that allows for the ready production of controlled portions of soft foods, including fresh chilled meat.

Background Art Food caterers often have to provide significant quantities of certain foods with each portion being a similar size. This can be a time consuming activity and often leads to wastage of food as the portions are trimmed or shaped to the desired size. One example of where large numbers of food portions of standard sizes have to be prepared is for in-flight meals on aircraft where large numbers of meals must be prepared and the food products must meet certain size criteria to allow for ready storage on the aircraft prior to consumption.

While frozen or hard foods can be readily easy to portion into similar sizes, soft foods such as chilled fresh meat are more difficult to readily portion into controlled sizes by mechanical means.

The present invention provides a means of readily producing controlled portions of soft foods, such as fresh chilled meat, with little or no waste.

2 Disclosure of Invention 20 According to a first aspect, the present invention comprises a device for producing portions of a food product each of substantially similar dimensions, the device including a housing adapted to at least partially surround the food product, and a compressing means adapted to compress a food product placed in the housing, the housing having a plurality of slots 25 formed therein to allow access of a cutting means into the housing and so cut a compressed food product in the housing.

The present inventor has determined that by placing a food product in a housing having a plurality of slots and putting the food under pressure, it is possible to readily insert a knife or other cutting implement through the slots 30 and so produce portions of the food product each of similar dimensions.

In one embodiment, the housing can be elongate and substantially symmetrical about its longitudinal axis. The housing can be any shape to suit the type of food product and the desired shape required in any particular circumstance. In one preferred embodiment, the housing can have a substantially cylindrical portion and an outwardly extending flange portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the housing is fabricated from stainless steel, however, other suitable materials can be readily envisaged.

The housing can be formed from two members that can be brought relatively together to bring the housing to at least a partially closed condition. In the case of a substantially cylindrical housing, the housing can be formed from two hemicylinders that are brought together to at least partially surround the food product. If made from two members the members can be brought together by a ram mechanism that moves the members relatively towards each other. In another embodiment, the two members can relatively rotate about a common hinge means and be locked together about the food product loaded therein.

The compressing means preferably comprises at least one ram having a head adapted to move relative to and inside the housing. In one embodiment, the housing has a closed end with the ram extending through and into the housing from its other end. In another embodiment, rams extend into the housing from each end to so compress the food product in the housing therebetween:' The head of the ramn is preferably shaped to fit the shape of the interior of the housing when in its closed condition.

20 Accordingly, if the housing is cylindrical, the rain head is preferably circular in cross-section and sized to just relatively slide up the inside of the housing when in its at least partially closed condition. The ramn head is preferably removable to allow different ramn heads to be fitted on the ram depending on the shape of the housing employed in a particular application.

The ram can be hand-operated or moved relative to the housing by 25 pneumatic, hydraulic or other mechanical means. In a preferred embodiment, the action of the rain is controlled by an air compressor.

Each of the slots preferably extend fully about the housing with the slots also being regularly spaced substantially along the entire length of the housing. Where the housing comprises a substantially cylindrical portion 30 and an outwardly extending flange portion, the slots preferably extend about the circumference of the cylindrical portion and at least partially along the flange portion. The formation of the slots in the outwardly extending flange portion readily allows a knife to be passed through the slots and then brought into contact with a food product that has been placed in the housing. Each of the slots preferably define an imaginary plane lying at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The slots can be formed in the housing by a laser cutter or other suitable means.

The cutting means used to portion the food product can simply comprise a hand-held knife or other cutting implement that will fit within the slots formed in the housing. In another embodiment, the knife can be under the control of a mechanical actuator that draws the knife through the food product compressed in the housing. In another embodiment, the cutting means can comprise a plurality of knives or other cutting implements adapted to cut through the food product simultaneously. In a still further embodiment, the cutting means can comprise a plurality of circular saws that can be passed through the slots to portion the food product.

The present invention is particularly useful in producing controlled portions of soft foods such as chilled fresh meat. The meat can comprise cuts of beef, lamb, mutton or fish, and in the case of beef can include cuts such as tenderloin, striploin and beef rib eye roll or scotch fillet.

In one embodiment, two loins, such as tenderloins, can be placed in the housing side by side and compressed by the compressing means. In this case, a suitable food-grade adhesive can be applied to the adjoining ends of .oo.

the loins prior to their compression in the housing.

20 According to a further aspect, the present invention comprises a method of producing portions of a food product each of similar dimensions comprising the steps of: placing the food product in a housing that at least partially surrounds the food product; (ii) compressing the food product; and (iii) cutting the food product into the portions using a cutting means that can pass through slots in the housing.

In a preferred embodiment of this further aspect, the food product can o e comprise chilled meat including beef cuts such as tenderloin and striploin.

Brief Description of Drawings The following description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided as an example of the invention and is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a simplified side elevational view of the device according to the present invention depicted in a closed condition; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device depicted in Fig. 1 but depicted in its opened condition; Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention A device that allows for the ready production of portions of a food product, such as fresh chilled meat, is depicted generally as 10 in Figs. 1 and 2.

The device 10 comprises a substantially cylindrical stainless steel housing 11 comprised of two hemnicylinders 12,13 joined together at the base through two hinges 14. The two heinicylinders 12,13 articulate about the hinges 14 and can be moved from the opened condition depicted in Fig. 2 to the closed condition depicted in Fig. 1 as required.

Each hernicylinder 12,13 has an upstanding flange portion 15 topped by an outwardly extending flange 16. The respective flanges 16 can be used to hold the hemicylinders 12,13 in the closed condition around the meat placed therein by sliding a locking plate over the respective flanges 16.

Each heinicylinder 12,13 and corresponding upstanding portion 15 has a plurality of slots 17 formed therein with the respective slots 17 being aligned when the cylindrical housing 11 is brought to the closed condition.

Extending into the housing 11 from each end is a pneumatic ram 18 20 controlled by an air compressor not depicted in Figs. 1 and 2. Each pneumatic ram 18 has a disc 19 of circular cross-section which is adapted to be slidable within the housing 11 when it is in the closed condition.

In operation the housing 11 is opened and a chilled but fresh cut of meat, such as a tenderloin, is placed in the housing 11. The hemicylinders 12,13 are then relatively articulated about hinges 14 such that the flanges 16 can be locked together using a locking plate, clamp or other suitable device.

The rams 18 are then each moved inwardly under the control of an air compressor up to a pressure between about 6Opsi and 1O0psi to compress the meat within the housing 11. While held in the compressed condition, a V 30 hand-held knife can be inserted into each slot 17 in the upstanding portion and then brought downwardly through the meat. At the point at which the knife is brought downwardly through the meat pressure in the air compressor is reduced to between about 20psi and 25psi. This reduction in pressure prevents the cut meat from being forced through the slots 17. By cutting through the meat at each slot 17, it is possible to rapidly produce a plurality of steaks each of similar dimiensions with little or no leftover meat.

If thicker steaks are required, the knife can simply cut through the meat at each alternate slot 17. Other combinations of cuts to produce different portion sizes can also be readily envisaged. Once the meat has been portioned, the rams 18 are withdrawn and the housing 11 is opened to allow removal of the cut meat at which time the process can be repeated with a new cut of meat.

In a further embodiment the device is again comprised of a substantially cylindrical housing which comprises two substantially hemicylindrical portions each having a plurality of slots. In this embodiment, as the device is adapted to house beef striploin the portions are separated by a base plate. After placement of the striploin on the base plate the two hemicylindrical portions are brought towards each other by a hydraulic ram. In operation, the engagement arms of the hydraulic ram are brought relatively towards each other until they engage the respective upstanding portions attached to each hemicylindrical portion. The arms are then brought closer together to move the portions into tight engagement with the striploin.

The pneumatic rams each having substantially rectangular heads to match the dimensions of the interior of the housing formed by the 20 hemicylindrical portions and base plate are then brought relatively towards each other to compress the striploin in the housing. Once the meat is suitably compressed, the pressure is maintained whilst a plurality of circular knives the position of which are also controlled by a pneumatic ram are passed through the slots to slice the compressed striploin into a plurality of steaks each of a substantially similar size.

Once the circular knives are withdrawn, the rams are withdrawn and flanges released to allow the hemicylindrical portions to move relatively away from each other and so allow removal of the produced steaks from the housing. The process can then be repeated with a new striploin as required.

While embodiments of the invention having substantially cylindrical or substantially rectangular housings are depicted in the drawings, it will be readily appreciated that other shapes could be utilised as desired. Rather than using two rams that can move relatively towards and away from each other, it will also be readily appreciated that one end of the housing can simply comprise a stop against which the meat is compressed by a ram extending into the housing from a end of the housing distal the stop.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

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Claims (29)

1. A device for producing portions of a food product each of substantially similar dimensions, the device including a housing adapted to at least partially surround the food product, and a compressing means adapted to compress a food product placed in the housing, the housing having a plurality of slots formed therein to allow access of a cutting means into the housing and so cut a compressed food product in the housing.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing is elongate and substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis.

3. The device of claims 1 or 2 wherein the housing is formed from two members that when relatively brought together bring the housing to at least a partially closed condition.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein when the housing is in the at least partially closed condition it comprises a cylindrical portion and an outwardly extending flange portion.

The device of claim 4 wherein the housing is formed from two hemicylinders that can move relative to each other to at least partially surround the food product, each hemicylinder having an outwardly :o extending flange, the flanges being adapted to come into substantial alignment when the housing is in a closed condition.

6. The device of any one of claims 3-5 wherein the two members are oo.. moved relative to each other by a ram mechanism.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the two members relatively rotate about a common hinge means and lock together when brought to the at least partially closed condition.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the housing is fabricated from stainless steel.

9. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein the o compressing means includes at least one ram having a head adapted to move 30 relative to and inside the housing.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the housing has a closed end with the ram extending through and into the housing from its other end.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein rams extend into the housing from each end to so compress the food product in the housing therebetween.

12. The device of any one of claims 9 11 wherein the head of the ram is shaped to match the shape of the interior of the housing when in a closed condition.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein if the housing is cylindrical, the ram head is circular in cross-section and sized to just relatively slide up the inside of the housing when the housing is in at least a partially closed condition.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the ram head is removable to allow different ran heads to be fitted on the ram depending on the shape of the housing employed in a particular application.

The device of claim 14 wherein the ram is hand-operated or moved relative to the housing by pneumatic, hydraulic or other mechanical means.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the action of the ram is controlled by an air compressor.

17. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein each of the slots extend fully about the housing with the slots also being regularly spaced substantially along the entire length of the housing.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein where the housing comprises a substantially cylindrical portion and an outwardly extending flange portion, the slots extend about the circumference of the cylindrical portion and at "least partially along the flange portion.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the formation of the slots in the outwardly extending flange portion readily allows a knife to be passed through the slots and then brought into contact with a food product that has been placed in the housing.

The device of claim 19 wherein each of the slots define an imaginary plane lying at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

21. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein the cutting means used to portion the food product is a hand-held knife or other cutting 30 implement that will fit within the slots formed in the housing.

S22. The device of any one of claims 1 20 wherein the knife is under the control of a mechanical actuator that draws the knife through the food product compressed in the housing.

23. The device of any one of claims 1 20 wherein the cutting means is a plurality of knives or other cutting implements adapted to cut through the food product simultaneously.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein the cutting means is a plurality of circular saws that can be passed through the slots to portion the food product.

The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein the food product is chilled fresh meat.

26. The device of claim 25 wherein the meat includes cuts of beef, lamb, mutton or fish, and in the case of beef can include cuts such as tenderloin, striploin and beef rib eye roll or scotch fillet.

27. A method of producing portions of a food product each of similar dimensions, the method including the steps of: placing the food product in a housing as described in any one of the preceding claims that at least partially surrounds the food product; (ii) compressing the food product; and (iii) cutting the food product into the portions using a cutting means that can pass through slots in the housing.

28. A device for producing portions of a food product each of substantially similar dimensions substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

29. A method of producing portions of a food product each of similar 20 dimensions substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Dated this seventeenth day of July 1998 PETER ALBERT LAGERLOW Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: FB RICE &CO 79672spc.bal