EP0657218B1 - Meat cutting device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for cutting frozen pieces of meat. According to the invention, provision is made for the said pieces of meat to be cut continuously in a set of rotating cutters into pieces of between 2 to 8 mm with as little heat absorption and emulsification as possible. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device for cutting lumpy edible products, especially from on about -9ºC frozen pieces of meat.

Known shredding machines include bowl or Bowl cutters, meat grinders, impact mills, fine grinding machines as well as cube cutters.

In the above cutter works in a rotating, circular, trough-like bowl with a knife set different, but high speeds. The one in the hollow Material turns again and again due to the bowl rotation fed to the knife set. The disadvantage of this device is primarily that they are only operated discontinuously can.

In contrast, meat grinders work continuously and are growing up the market for large tonnages and also for crushing frozen Meat offered. That from screw conveyor, cutting knife and perforated disc existing cutting system has a relative high friction, so that the crushing process to a higher energy input and thus heating the product leads to the beginning of emulsification, that is, product binding has the consequence.

Impact mills are used especially in chemistry and pharmacy also for processing core goods such as B. cocoa beans. The product to be shredded is moving at high speed hurled onto fixed or rotating hard grinding tools. Pieces of meat would be more likely in such impact mills torn and crushed, but not cut.

They are continuously working fine shredding machines become known (see e.g. DE-PS 28 23 245) with a non-contact, high-speed rotating rotor-stator system are provided. These high-speed rotating cutting systems are for cutting as well as for emulsification designed. Usually when using these machines Desired proportion of emulsifier in the product created can be do not avoid. These fine crushers will be particularly for products with a particle size below 2 mm used.

FR-A-2 589 754 discloses a meat grinder, i.e. a device for cutting or chopping pieces of meat. There is a horizontally positioned one under an upper filling opening Screw conveyor provided, the cutting knives are arranged downstream, which rotate in a cutter housing and with a clear axial Distance from each other rotatably fixed on a horizontal shaft are passed through the hollow shaft of the screw conveyor and is driven at high speed compared to the only slow rotating screw conveyor. The discharge opening for the shredded material is through the largely open front wall of the Housing formed. The knife edges should be on the inner wall along the cylindrical cutter housing. The feed of the material to be shredded and its discharge by the opening at the front is only possible under the influence the screw conveyor. With regard to the process or the process products it is stated in this prior publication that no heating of the goods should take place by friction, and that the minced meat pieces on their way through the device be mixed well so that the end product is a homogeneous Color shows, so no fat inclusions can be seen. in the The rest of the meat should not be crushed but crushed become.

CH-A-294 009 discloses a crushing device in particular of raw animal tissue. A coarse cutter with a 2 to 3 mm perforated disc is above a horizontal feed screw a fine cutter downstream with a knife shaft, which rotates at about 3000 revolutions. This knife shaft is equipped with double knives, the different radial lengths have, and which are each associated with annular housing ribs are a local contraction of the axially advanced Are intended to cause cutting material. Cuffs are said to have this contraction effect reinforce. The outlet is followed by a outlet pipe leading below. Each knife edge of the double knife is in the form of an eccentric to the knife shaft Circular arc, so that the knife edges at least run approximately spiral to the knife shaft. All knives are ground on the side to which the feed of the Good to cut. Regarding the product produced stated in the prior publication that this is from the outlet port emerging crushed goods a pasty to pasty Has consistency.

DE-A-24 32 112 discloses a cutter knife, in particular for Meat shredders for the production of sausages. The inner, d. H. the cutting edge section closest to the axis of rotation of the knife and the outer, d. H. that of the knife axis of rotation the most distant cutting section are from the same side and that from the in the conveying direction of the Side of the knife to be cut sharpened while the middle cutting section is ground on both sides. All cutting edges of the cutting sections are ground spherically. The cutting edge of the inner cutting section consists of two in the knife blade level at an obtuse angle to each other, however in straight sections.

The invention has for its object a cutting device to develop with yourself in a continuous Run frozen pieces of meat with an edge length 250 x 250 x 250 mm with the lowest possible heat absorption with the lowest possible proportion of emulsifier to a grain size of Have 2 to 8 mm (meat grain) cut.

In einem Schneidgehäuse rotieren Messer, die mit lichtem axialen Abstand voneinander drehfest aber leicht austauschbar auf dem horizontalen oder gegenüber der Horizontalen geneigten Wellenstumpf eines Drehstrom-Motors befestigt sind,

der radiale Abstand der Enden der umlaufenden Messer von der Innenwandung des Schneidgehäuses beträgt etwa 2 bis 4 mm,

jedes Messer weist eine axiale Förderkomponente auf,

zumindest einige Messer sind als Doppelmesser ausgebildet,

die beiden Flügel des Doppelmessers sind an ihrer vorlaufenden Schneide mit einem Schrägschliff mit einem Schliffwinkel von etwa 25° bis 30° versehen, wobei sich an den Schrägschliff eine ballige Förderfläche anschließt,

die Messer rotieren mit Drehzahlen zwischen 500 und 3000 U/min,

das Schneidgehäuse weist in seinem tiefsten Bereich eine nach unten offene Austragöffnung für einen kontinuierlichen Fleischkörnung-Austrag unter Schwerkrafteinwirkung auf,

in Förderrichtung gesehen ist der Austragöffnung des Schneidgehäuses ein Messer nachgeordnet, das von dem vorgeschalteten Messer einen zumindest einer Teilgröße der Austragöffnung entsprechenden axialen Abstand sowie eine der Förderrichtung entgegengerichtete Förderkomponente aufweist,

dem Schneidgehäuse ist in axialer Richtung gesehen eine kontinuierlich arbeitende Zufuhreinrichtung für die Fleischstücke vorgeschaltet, die den Fleischstücken eine gegen die Umlaufebene des ersten Messers gerichtete Förderkomponente verleiht.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the following features:

Knives rotate in a cutting housing, which are fixed at a small axial distance from one another in a rotationally fixed but easily replaceable manner on the horizontal or inclined shaft stub of a three-phase motor,

the radial distance of the ends of the rotating knives from the inner wall of the cutting housing is approximately 2 to 4 mm,

each knife has an axial conveying component,

at least some knives are designed as double knives,

the two blades of the double knife are provided on their leading cutting edge with a bevel cut with a bevel angle of approximately 25 ° to 30 °, with a spherical conveying surface adjoining the bevel cut,

the knives rotate at speeds between 500 and 3000 rpm,

the cutting housing has in its deepest area a discharge opening which is open at the bottom for a continuous meat grain discharge under the action of gravity,

Seen in the conveying direction, the discharge opening of the cutting housing is followed by a knife, which has an axial distance from the upstream knife that corresponds to at least a partial size of the discharge opening and a conveying component opposite to the conveying direction,

Seen in the axial direction, the cutting housing is preceded by a continuously operating feed device for the pieces of meat, which gives the pieces of meat a conveying component directed against the plane of rotation of the first knife.

As far as the claims refer to meat, So this is only a product specification, for example, which also includes offal. Other types of products such as B. Core material, fruit, vegetables or the like are conceivable. Under "Edible products" should also include animal feed, such as. B. petfood, to be understood.

An essential feature of the invention lies in the continuous Way of working. The cutting machine according to the invention can thus in existing, continuously working lines simply integrate. Grain is also essential to the invention of the supplied frozen meat pieces to a proportionate small grain size, this cutting process performed with as little energy input as possible so that the end product is granular to free-flowing and has an almost defined grain size. Different from the known methods and devices thus becomes a product made with the lowest possible emulsifying content.

The pieces of meat forming the starting product usually have a smaller edge length than that cited above Maximum specification; there may also be a so-called dust component. The starting product can also reach temperatures down to Have near freezing, so that the material as thawed.

To change the product throughput and / or the fineness the cutting tools can according to the invention in terms of speed, diameter, geometry, number and / or axial distance from one another are modified. This also allows the exactness of the cut or Influence the cutting process. Therefore it is advantageous if the cutting tools are easy to replace.

The supply of the product pieces in the area of the rotating Knife sets are carried out continuously via a screw conveyor, a conveyor belt or a gravity conveyor. Here can also be adjusted by adjusting the delivery rate Influence the fineness of the end product.

As a drive for the screw conveyor or the conveyor belt a three-phase motor can also be provided, as well like the three-phase motor for the knife sets with an upstream Drive for speed control can. However, taking into account the Pohl numbers two or three different speeds even without converter realize.

When using a screw conveyor, product throughput can be reduced and quality, i.e. fineness and granularity of the produced End product, by changing the speed of the Influence the screw diameter and / or the screw pitch.

The device according to the invention can be because of its simple conception very quickly by exchanging knives and Adapt the speed change to the end product requirements of the customer. The machine is simple in construction and therefore only a little susceptible. It meets the hygiene requirements in food processing, fits well into existing lines integrate, is compact in its dimensions and can also parallel or - if very high levels of shredding are required are - to be arranged in tandem. The concept is special for high throughputs of e.g. B. 40,000 kg each Suitable hour, but also leaves much lower performances from Z. B. only 1000 kg / h. Price-performance ratio to the machines on the market is conceptual conditionally very cheap.

Further features of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and are combined with other benefits of Invention explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments.

Figur 1

- eine Schneidemaschine in einem lotrechten Längsschnitt;

Figur 2

- die Darstellung gemäß Figur 1 in Draufsicht;

Figur 3

- die Darstellung gemäß den Figuren 1 und 2 in Stirnansicht;

Figur 4

- die Darstellung gemäß der Figur 1 in Seitenansicht;

Figur 5

- eine abgewandelte Ausführungsform in einer Darstellung gemäß Figur 1;

Figur 6

- eine weiterhin abgewandelte Ausführungsform in einer Darstellung gemäß Figur 1;

Figur 7

- die Darstellung gemäß Figur 6 in Draufsicht;

Figur 8

- die Darstellung gemäß Figur 6 in Stirnansicht;

Figur 9

- die Schneidemaschine gemäß Figur 6 in Seitenansicht;

Figur 10

- in vergrößertem Maßstab einen Querschnitt durch ein Schneidgehäuse mit einem in diesem umlaufenden Doppelmesser;

Figur 11

- in noch einmal vergrößertem Maßstab einen Querschnitt durch den Flügel eines Doppelmessers;

Figur 12

- in Vorderansicht einen aus drei mit axialem Abstand hintereinander angeordneten Doppelmessern bestehenden Messersatz und

Figur 13

- eine abgewandelte Ausführungsform in einer Darstellung gemäß Figur 1.

Some exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing. Show it:

Figure 1

- A cutting machine in a vertical longitudinal section;

Figure 2

- The representation of Figure 1 in plan view;

Figure 3

- The representation according to Figures 1 and 2 in front view;

Figure 4

- The representation of Figure 1 in side view;

Figure 5

- A modified embodiment in a representation according to Figure 1;

Figure 6

- A further modified embodiment in a representation according to Figure 1 ;

Figure 7

- The representation according to Figure 6 in plan view;

Figure 8

- The representation according to Figure 6 in front view;

Figure 9

- The cutting machine according to Figure 6 in side view;

Figure 10

- In an enlarged scale, a cross section through a cutting housing with a rotating double knife in this;

Figure 11

- In a further enlarged scale, a cross section through the wing of a double knife;

Figure 12

- A front view of a knife set consisting of three double knives arranged one behind the other with axial spacing and

Figure 13

- A modified embodiment in a representation according to Figure 1.

The cutting machine shown in Figures 1 to 4 includes a three-phase motor 1 with a horizontally aligned Shaft stub 2, on the knife 3.3a but non-rotatable are easily interchangeably attached in a cutter housing 4 circulate. In the bottom of the cutting housing 4 is immediate in front of the motor shield 5, a discharge opening that is open at the bottom 6 provided.

A screw housing 7 is connected upstream of the cutting housing 4, in which a screw conveyor 8 rotates with the Knife set bearing stub shaft 2 is aligned and as a drive also has a three-phase motor 9. The Snail housing 7 is aligned with its lower edge with the Lower edge of the cutting housing 4 and has in its front Top of an inlet funnel 10 for the to be cut Product on. Whose wall facing the cutting housing 4 forms with the upper wall of the screw conveyor housing 7 a cutting edge 10a for coarse pre-crushing large Pieces of meat.

In particular, Figure 1 shows that in this embodiment the diameter of the screw conveyor 8 approximately Diameter of the knife corresponds to 3.3a.

Each of the two three-phase motors 1, 9 can be connected upstream Drive for speed control.

The lumpy product to be shredded, e.g. B. frozen Pieces of meat with a maximum edge length of 250 x 250 x 250 mm, is in a continuous product flow in the Inlet funnel 10 and thereby in the conveying area of the screw conveyor 8 headed. Oversized product pieces are made by the screw conveyor 8 pre-shredded. Otherwise, the Product pieces in the form of a product strand directly the rotating knives 3,3a, each with axial sit a short distance from each other on the stub shaft 2, the cross section of the discharge opening 6 largely keep clear. There is only one in the area of the discharge opening 6 Knife 3a provided. The screw conveyor 8 runs at 20 to 200 rpm around, while the knives 3,3a in opposite Rotate direction at speeds between 500 and 3000 rpm. Those fed by the screw conveyor 8 to the knives 3,3a Product pieces are in the cutting housing 4 under the least possible Lump-free emulsification to a grain size of 2 cut up to 8 mm.

The embodiment shown in Figure 5 differs differs from that of FIG. 1 only in that the screw housing diameter d only about half the cutter housing diameter D corresponds. The diameter of the screw conveyor 8 thus corresponds approximately to the radius of the knife sets 3, 3a.

The modified embodiment shown in Figures 6 to 9 differs from that of Figures 1 to 4 in essentially in two characteristics:

The three-phase motor 1 is opposite with its stub shaft 2 the horizontal is inclined by approximately 45 °; and instead a conveyor screw feeds the material to be shredded Product pieces using their gravity over a Inlet funnel 11 directly into the working area of the knife sets 3rd

Figure 10 shows that the knife 3 as a double knife are formed, the two wings at their leading Cut 14 with a bevel 15 with a grinding angle α of about 25 ° - 30 ° are provided (see also Figure 11). This bevel angle α corresponds to that to be cut Product selected. Blunt knives are made at this angle α reground. Figure 11 shows that the actual Bevel cut 15 is relatively short and then merges into a spherical conveying surface 16, which has a radius R and extends over the width x. This conveying surface 16 gives the product the above already mentioned funding component 13. The length of the Bevel 15 can be about 2 mm; the width x is in the range of 25 - 40 mm; the thickness S of a knife 3 can are between 6 and 10 mm.

A knife set preferably consists of 3 to 5 double knives, which - as can be seen in Figure 12 - against each other are arranged offset in circumference.

In the modified embodiment shown in Figure 13 the first section 4a of the cutting housing tapers 4 seen in the conveying direction 12 somewhat in diameter, so cause a jamming effect. With this proposed solution the first knife of the knife set thus has a larger one Diameter on than the following knife to make a consistent maintain a large radial distance a to the cutting housing 4.

Claims (12)

1. Device for cutting lumpy consumable products, in particular pieces of meat frozen to around -9°C having an edge length of 250 x 250 x 250 mm, with minimal heat absorption and a minimal degree of emulsification to a grain size of 2 to 8 mm (meat granulation), having the following features:

   rotating in a cutter housing (4) are blades (3, 3a), which are fastened at a clear axial distance from one another in a non-rotatable but easily exchangeable manner on the shaft butt (2) of a three-phase a.c. motor (1), said shaft butt being horizontal or inclined relative to the horizontal,

   the radial distance (a) of the ends of the rotating blades (3, 3a) from the inner wall of the cutter housing (4) is around 2 to 4 mm,

   each blade (3, 3a) has an axial feed component (13),

   at least some blades (3, 3a) take the form of double blades,

   the two wings of the double blades (3, 3a) are provided at their leading cutting edge (14) with an obliquely ground section (15) at a grinding angle (α) of approximately 25 to 30°, the obliquely ground section (15) being adjoined by a crowned feed surface (16),

   the blades (3, 3a) rotate at speeds of between 500 and 3000 rpm,

   the cutter housing (4) has in its lowest region a downwardly open discharge opening (6) for continuously discharging meat grains under the effect of gravity,

   disposed - viewed in feed direction (12) - downstream of the discharge opening (6) of the cutter housing (4) is a blade (3a), which is at an axial distance (b) corresponding to at least a fraction of the size of the discharge opening (6) from the upstream blade (3) and has a feed component (13) directed counter to the feed direction (12),

   installed upstream of the cutter housing (4), viewed in an axial direction, is a continuously operating feed device for the meat pieces, which imparts to the meat pieces a feed component directed towards the plane of rotation of the first blade (3).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the feed device is a conveyor worm (8).
3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the conveyor worm (8) rotates at 20 to 200 rpm.
4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the direction of rotation of the conveyor worm (8) is counter to that of the blades (3, 3a).
5. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the bottom edge of the housing (7) of the conveyor worm (8) is aligned with the bottom edge of the cutter housing (4).
6. Device according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the diameter (d) of the worm conveyor housing (7) corresponds approximately to half the cutter housing diameter (D). (Figure 5)
7. Device according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the housing (7) of the worm conveyor (8) at its top end has a downward shaft, inlet hopper (10) or the like, of which the wall facing the cutter housing (4) forms with the top wall of the conveyor worm housing (7) a cutting edge (10a) for effecting coarse preliminary disintegration of large meat pieces.
8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the feed device is a conveyor belt.
9. Device according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the drive of the feed device is a three-phase a.c. motor (9) with an upstream converter for speed variation.
10. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the feed device is a gravity conveyor which feeds the meat pieces by means of their own weight via a chute, an inlet hopper (11) or the like to the set of blades (3, 3a) rotating in an inclined plane. (Figure 6)
11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the three-phase a.c. motor forming the drive for the set of blades (3, 3a) has an upstream converter for speed variation.
12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first portion (4a) of the cutter housing (4) viewed in feed direction (12) tapers slightly in diameter (Figure 13).

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