DE29723638U1 - Device for portioning a piece of meat - Google Patents

Description

15.08.1997 Vo/Ni &igr;

MAJA-Machine Factory. 77694 Kehl Device for portioning a piece of meat

State of the art

The invention relates to a device for portioning pieces of meat.

Such devices are used in large kitchens and in the production of assembled and packaged meals. Individual slices, especially quick-cooked pieces such as schnitzel, steaks or medallions, are cut from a large piece of meat. It is important that the individual slices of meat have a specified thickness and weight. The slices must be portioned as precisely as possible so that their cooking time is the same, the individual portions are not too different and the weight can be indicated on a pre-printed package.

For portioning pieces of meat, cutting systems are known that cut a piece of meat into slices of equal thickness

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A disadvantage is that these slices of meat have to be weighed after the cutting process and then manually cut off a part to bring them to the desired weight. This is very labor-intensive, and it also creates a large number of inferior cuts that cannot be reused and can amount to up to 35% of the original piece of meat that was to be cut.

It is known from the production of breaded pieces of meat and frozen products that meat can be portioned precisely. To do this, however, the meat must be pre-frozen and formed under very high pressure of up to 80 bar in order to then be cut into slices of appropriate thickness depending on the weight. A disadvantage is that such devices are expensive and complex due to the low temperature and high pressure required. In addition, when portioning fresh meat, especially if it is subsequently prepared, it is not desirable to freeze the meat first.

It is also known that the piece of meat is first measured optoelectronically and a computer then determines the cutting path based on the data determined and the specific weight of the piece of meat. The devices that work according to this method are complex and expensive. Depending on the precision of the cutting path determined by the computer, relatively high weight tolerances must also be accepted.

The invention and its advantages

In contrast, the device according to the invention for portioning a piece of meat according to the characterizing features of the main claim has the advantage that the weight

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is determined by the volume. For this, the piece of meat is introduced into an insertion and pre-pressing unit and pressed together with a pressure of typically 3 to 4 bar. Due to its high water content and its anatomical composition, fresh meat can be shaped down to -4°C without any loss of quality. By pressing together, the piece of meat takes on a shape with a fixed cross-section. The insertion and pre-pressing unit presses the piece of meat into the container of a calibration unit, which specifies the thickness and volume of the individual slices. The piece of meat is pressed into a container in the calibration unit in such a way that it completely fills the container. The cross-section of the container in the calibration unit corresponds to the cross-section of the insertion and pre-pressing unit. The volume and, due to the constant density of the piece of meat, the weight of the individual slices are precisely determined via the fixed cross-section and the fixed thickness. It is not necessary to weigh the individual slices. With the help of a cutting unit, the part of the piece of meat pressed into the calibration unit is separated from the rest of the piece of meat. This slice of meat is then ejected from the calibration unit and returns to its natural shape. The cutting process is repeated until the entire piece of meat is divided into slices of exactly the same weight. The deviation in the weight of the individual slices is very small. Only the last slice of the piece of meat remains as a cut. Freezing, measuring or deforming at very high pressures or even subsequent weighing and post-treatment is not necessary with the device according to the invention. The piece of meat can be cut into slices of the same thickness and weight quickly and easily with high precision without creating a large amount of unusable cut pieces.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the insertion and pre-pressing unit has an elongated container for

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The piece of meat to be portioned is held in place. A pressing ram that can be moved in the axial direction is arranged on one end of the container. The container is open on the opposite end. The cross-section of the container is adapted to the piece of meat to be portioned. For example, different containers are used for fillets and roasts. The piece of meat is pressed together using the pressing ram, filling the entire remaining volume of the container. The cutting unit and the calibration unit of the device are connected to the open end of the container.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the container has an opening on a longitudinal side, which can be closed with a lid. In this way, the piece of meat to be portioned can be easily placed in the container.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the calibration unit is arranged on the front side of the insertion and pre-press unit facing away from the press ram. The calibration unit has a container that is open on one side, the open side matching the open front side of the container of the insertion and pre-press unit in shape and size. In addition, the container is similar in cross-section to the container of the insertion and pre-press unit and its depth is matched to the specified thickness of the slices. The container can take two positions. In a first position, it is arranged as an extension of the container of the insertion and pre-press unit and its open side faces the open side of the container of the insertion and pre-press unit. In a second position, the container or parts of the container of the calibration unit are pivoted or moved away from the insertion and pre-press unit and point downwards with an open side. With the help of a

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The container can be moved from the first to the second position and vice versa using a swivel device or a sliding device. In the first position, which is an extension of the container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit, the piece of meat to be portioned is pressed into the container of the calibration unit. After the slice has been separated from the piece of meat, the container is moved to its second position, in which the slice is ejected and transported away.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the container of the calibration unit forms a fixed unit and can be swung away from the insertion and pre-pressing unit as a whole. In the case of a horizontally arranged insertion and pre-pressing unit, this fixed container must be swung to transport the separated disc away so that the container faces downwards with its open side.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the container of the calibration unit consists of a calibration plate provided with an opening and a base plate arranged on the calibration plate. The cross-section of the opening corresponds to the cross-section of the insertion and pre-pressing unit. The thickness of the calibration plate corresponds to the specified thickness of the slices. The calibration plate can be moved between the cutting unit and the base plate. In the case of a vertically arranged insertion and pre-pressing unit, the calibration unit can be arranged on the front side pointing downwards. To press the piece of meat into the container of the calibration unit, the opening of the calibration plate is located in the extension of the insertion and pre-pressing unit. The piece of meat is pressed by the pressing stamp against the base plate closing the container of the calibration unit. After the slice has been separated by the cutting element, the calibration plate containing the piece of meat is placed between the now fixed

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Cutting element and the fixed base plate are moved so that the opening of the calibration plate is accessible from below. Due to the force of gravity, the disk falls downwards out of the opening. This can be supported by a stamp that engages the opening from above.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cutting device has a cutting element which is arranged in a first position between the container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit and the container of the calibration unit and completely closes the container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit on this side. In a second position, the cutting element completely exposes the front side of the container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit and allows the piece of meat to be moved into the container of the calibration unit. When moving from the second to the first position, the part of the piece of meat pressed into the calibration unit is separated from the rest of the piece of meat. Since the container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit is completely closed by the cutting element in its first position, the piece of meat can be pressed together again with the help of the pressing stamp while the slice is being transported away by the calibration unit, in order to be pressed back into the container of the calibration unit when the cutting element moves to its second position. This process is repeated until the entire piece of meat is divided into individual slices.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the piece of meat can be compressed in the container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit with a pressure of between 3 and 4 bar. Such pressures are sufficient to pre-form the piece of meat in a reliable manner so that it completely fills the predetermined volume and no cavities form.

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According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cutting element is a knife with a cutting edge that runs at an angle to the direction of movement of the cutting element. Such a knife separates the slice from the piece of meat in the manner of a guillotine and makes a pulling cut. Such knives have the advantage over knives that perform a sawing movement that the meat does not follow the periodic sawing movements and no dead spots occur when cutting.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cutting element is a knife with a sickle-shaped cutting edge, wherein the knife is arranged to be pivotable or rotatable about an axis.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, several cutting elements are arranged parallel to one another in the axial direction on the cutting unit. The distance between two cutting elements corresponds to the specified thickness of the slices. In this way, several slices can be cut off from the piece of meat at the same time. This speeds up the portioning of the piece of meat. However, several insertion and pre-pressing units and several calibration units can also be arranged next to one another. The common cutting element then cuts off several slices from different pieces of meat in one cutting process.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the side opposite the open side of the container of the calibration unit has recesses to which pressure lines are connected on the outside of the container. In this way, a negative pressure can be generated inside the container of the calibration unit, which helps to ensure that the piece of meat completely fills the volume of the container. When the separated slice is transported away, the slice

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initially held in the container of the calibration unit by the negative pressure until the container has reached its final position above the transport unit. As soon as the container has reached this final position, an overpressure is generated in the container by the pressure line. This supports the ejection of the slice from the container and also prevents meat residues from remaining in the recesses.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, stamps are arranged on the calibration unit outside the container so that they can be moved, and in the second position of the container or parts of the container they can be pushed into the interior of the container. These stamps also support the ejection of the separated slice from the container of the calibration unit. The stamps can, for example, reach through the recesses in the container of the calibration unit. In this case, the recesses are also cleaned of meat residues by the stamps. The stamps can also reach through the opening in the calibration plate.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the depth of the container of the calibration unit is adjustable. In this way, the specified thickness and weight of the disc can be varied.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a transport device is provided on which the slices can be placed by the calibration unit. The transport device, for example a conveyor belt, can feed the portioned slices for further processing.

Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the following description, the drawings and the claims.

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drawing

Embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are shown in the drawing and described in more detail below. Show:

Fig. 1 device according to the invention in a side view,

Fig. 2 Part of the device shown in Fig. 1, with the container of the calibration unit located in the extension of the insertion and pre-pressing unit,

Fig. 3 Part of the device shown in Fig. 1, with the container of the calibration unit in a downwardly pivoted position,

Fig. 4 Cutting unit and insertion and pre-pressing unit in a view in axial direction,

Fig. 5 Container of the calibration unit in an axial view,

Fig. 6 Another embodiment of a device according to the invention in a side view

Fig. 7 Device according to Fig. 6 after cutting off the meat slice.

In Fig. 1, a device according to the invention for portioning a piece of meat is shown in a side view. The device essentially consists of an insertion and pre-pressing unit 1, a calibration unit 2 and a cutting unit 3. By means of an operating device 4, the

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Parameters and the steps to be carried out by the device can be set. The insertion and pre-pressing unit 1 consists of a container 5, a lid 6 that closes the container from above and a press stamp 8 operated by a cylinder 7. The press stamp closes the container 5 on the right-hand end and is moved in the axial direction to press the inserted piece of meat. The calibration unit 2 essentially consists of a container 9 and a tilting and swiveling cylinder 10 that swivels the container. In addition, pressure lines are connected to the container 9, although these are not shown in Fig. 1. The cutting unit 3 has a cutting element 11 with which the slice is separated from the piece of meat. The portioned meat slices are fed for further processing with the help of a conveyor belt 12.

Fig. 2 shows a section of the device according to Fig. 1 in a simplified representation. A hatched piece of meat 13 is placed in the container 5 of the insertion and pre-pressing unit 1 and is pressed against the cutting element 11 with the help of the pressing stamp 8. The cutting element 11 has just cut off the slice 14, which is pressed into the container 9 of the calibration unit 2.

Next, as shown in Fig. 3, the container 9 of the calibration unit 2 is pivoted downwards away from the insertion and pre-pressing unit 1 so that the open side of the container faces downwards. Finally, the slice of meat is ejected from the container 9 of the calibration unit 2 and placed on a conveyor belt 12.

In Fig. 4, the cutting unit and the container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit are shown in a view in the axial direction. The inward-facing part of the container 5 of the insertion and pre-pressing unit 1 is rounded in the lower area.

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The lid 6 that closes the container 5 from above is also rounded on the side facing the piece of meat. The piece of meat is thus pressed into a shape with an oval cross-section. The cutting element 11 of the cutting unit 3 is equipped with an oblique cutting edge 15 in the manner of a guillotine. To separate the slice from the piece of meat, the cutting element 11 is lowered from top to bottom, making a pulling cut. In its lower end position, the cutting element 11 completely covers the oval opening on the front side of the container.

In Fig. 5, the part of the calibration unit 2 facing the insertion and pre-pressing unit 1 is shown. The inward-facing part of the container 9 has the same oval cross-section as the interior of the container 5 of the insertion and pre-pressing unit 1 shown in Fig. 4. On the side of the container facing away from the insertion and pre-pressing unit, there are numerous oval recesses 16 through which stamps (not visible in the drawing) can reach in order to support the ejection of the separated slice of meat from the container. In addition, pressure lines can be connected to these recesses on the side facing away from the slice of meat, via which a negative or positive pressure can be generated in the container. In the case of a negative pressure, the slice of meat is sucked in and fills the entire interior of the container. The positive pressure in turn supports the ejection of the slice of meat from the container.

In Fig. 6 and 7, a further embodiment of a device according to the invention is shown. The container 17 of the calibration unit consists of a calibration plate 19 provided with an opening 18 and a base plate 20. The container 21 of the insertion and pre-pressing unit runs vertically above the calibration unit. The opening 18 has the same cross-section as the container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit. The press stamp 22 presses the piece of meat 23

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downwards into the container 17 of the calibration unit. The base plate has recesses 24 to which pressure lines not shown in the drawing are connected. In this way, a negative pressure is generated in the container 17, which helps the piece of meat 23 to completely fill the container 17. After the piece of meat has been pressed into the container 17, the cutting element 25 is moved by the cylinder 26 from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 7, thereby separating the slice located in the container 17 of the calibration unit from the piece of meat 23. The calibration plate 19 is then moved to the side and the slice of meat is pressed out of the opening 18 of the calibration plate using a stamp. The slice of meat falls downwards and is fed by a conveyor belt 29 for further processing.

The device shown in Fig. 6 and 7 can also be arranged in multiple versions next to each other. In this case, only one cylinder is needed to move the various cutting elements. With such a device, several pieces of meat can be portioned at the same time.

All features presented in the description, the following claims and the drawing can be essential to the invention both individually and in any combination with one another.

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Reference number list Insertion and pre-pressing unit 1 Calibration unit 2 Cutting unit 3 Control device 4 Container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit 5 Lid 6 cylinder 7 Press stamp 8th Calibration unit container 9 Tilt and swivel cylinders 10 Cutting element 1 1 Conveyor belt 12 piece of meat 13 Meat slice 14 Cutting 15 Recesses 16 Calibration unit container 17 opening 18 Calibration unit 19 Base plate 20 Container of the insertion and pre-pressing unit 21 Press stamp 22 piece of meat 23 Recesses 24 Cutting element 25 cylinder 26 Meat slice 27 Rubber stamp 28 Conveyor belt 29

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MAJA-Machine Factory. 77694 Kehl Device for portioning a piece of meat

Summary

A device for portioning a piece of meat into several slices of the same thickness and weight is proposed, in which an insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) is provided for receiving and pressing the piece of meat, in which a calibration unit (2) is provided for specifying the thickness and volume of the slices, and in which a cutting unit (3) for separating the slices (14) specified by the calibration unit (2) from the piece of meat (13) is provided between the insertion and pre-pressing unit.

Claims (1)

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15.08.1997 Vo MAJA-Machine Factory. 77694 Keh l Device for portioning a piece of meat Expectations 1. Device for portioning a piece of meat into several slices of the same thickness and weight characterized by the following features: that an insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) is provided for receiving and pressing the piece of meat (13, 2.3), that a calibration unit (2) is provided for specifying the thickness and volume of the disks (14, 27), and that between the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) and the calibration unit (2) there is a cutting unit (3) for separating the discs (14, 27) from the piece of meat (13, 23). 2. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to claim 1, characterized in that P3378 15.08.1997 Vo ² that the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) has an elongated container (5, 21) for receiving the piece of meat (13, 23) to be portioned, that the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) has a press ram (8, 22) that can be moved in the axial direction on one end face of the container (5, 21), and that the container is open at the end opposite the press ram (8, 22). 3. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to claim 2, characterized in that the container has an opening on a side running in the longitudinal direction, which can be closed with a lid (6). 4. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the calibration unit (2) is arranged on the front side of the insertion and pre-pressing unit facing away from the press ram (8, 22), that the calibration unit has a container (9, 17) open on one side, the open side matching in shape and size the open front side of the container (5, 21) of the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1), that the container (9, 17) corresponds in its cross-section to the container (5, 21) of the insertion and pre-pressing unit and in its depth to the specified thickness of the discs (14, 27), and that the container or parts of the container can be pivoted or displaced from a first position in the extension of the container (5, 21) of the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) into a second position facing away from the insertion and pre-pressing unit with an open side pointing downwards and vice versa. 5. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to claim 4, characterized in that the container (9) P3378
15.08.1997 Vo the calibration unit forms a fixed unit and can be pivoted away from the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) as a whole. 6. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to claim 4, characterized in that the container (17) of the calibration unit consists of a calibration plate (19) provided with an opening (18) and a base plate (20) arranged on the calibration plate, that the opening (18) in its cross section corresponds to the cross section of the insertion and pre-pressing unit, that the thickness of the calibration plate (19) corresponds to the thickness of the slices (27) and that the calibration plate (19) is displaceable between the cutting unit and the base plate (20). 7. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting unit (3) has a cutting element (11, 25) which in a first position is arranged between the container (5, 21) of the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) and the container (9, 17) of the calibration unit (2) and completely closes the container (5, 21) of the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) on this front side, and which in a second position completely exposes the front side of the container (5, 21) of the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) and allows the piece of meat (13, 23) to be moved into the container (9, 17) of the calibration unit (2). 8. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piece of meat (13, 23) can be compressed in the container (5, 21) of the insertion and pre-pressing unit (1) with a pressure of between 3 and 4 bar. P3378 15.08.1997 Vo ⁴ 9. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the cutting element (11, 25) is a knife with a cutting edge (15) that runs obliquely with respect to the direction of movement of the cutting element. 10. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the cutting element is a knife with a sickle-shaped cutting edge, and that the knife is arranged to be pivotable or rotatable about an axis. 11. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that several cutting elements are arranged on the cutting unit in the axial direction parallel to one another, and that the distance between two cutting elements corresponds to the predetermined thickness of the slices. 12. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to one of claims 4 to 11, characterized in that the side opposite the open side of the container (9) of the calibration unit (2) has recesses (16, 24) and that pressure lines are connected to these recesses on the outside of the container. 13. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to claim 10, characterized in that both negative pressure and positive pressure can be generated via the pressure lines at the recesses. 14. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that stamps (28) are arranged displaceably on the calibration unit outside the container (17) of the calibration unit, and that the stamps (28) in the second position of the P3378
15.08.1997 Vo Container or parts of the container (19) can be pushed into the interior of the container. 15. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to one of claims 4 to 14, characterized in that the depth of the container of the calibration unit is adjustable. 16. Device for portioning a piece of meat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a transport device (12, 29) is provided on which the slices can be placed by the calibration unit (2).