Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
  • B26D1/00—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor
  • B26D1/56—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which travels with the work otherwise than in the direction of the cut, i.e. flying cutter
  • B26D1/60—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which travels with the work otherwise than in the direction of the cut, i.e. flying cutter and is mounted on a movable carriage
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
  • B26D3/00—Cutting work characterised by the nature of the cut made; Apparatus therefor
  • B26D3/30—Halving devices, e.g. for halving buns
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
  • B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
  • B26D7/01—Means for holding or positioning work
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
  • B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
  • B26D7/06—Arrangements for feeding or delivering work of other than sheet, web, or filamentary form
  • B26D7/0625—Arrangements for feeding or delivering work of other than sheet, web, or filamentary form by endless conveyors, e.g. belts

Definitions

• the invention relates to a machine for dividing a product into equal parts, and is particularly useful for portioning sacked food products such as mortadella, known also as Bologna, salami, cooked ham and suchlike.
• mortadella known also as Bologna, salami, cooked ham and suchlike.
• Sacked meat products are sold in packages obtained by cutting a whole form of a product into halves and then separately packaging the two halves.
• the cut is normally done by hand, and. being usually imprecise, results in the production of two halves which are not of equal weight and size, sometimes significantly so. This leads to the need to weigh both pieces obtained after the cutting operation.
• the main aim of the present invention is to provide a process and a machine with which the cutting procedure can be carried out very accurately and simply.
• An advantage of the invention is that there are no significant imperfections and irregularities in the cut or in the resulting product, such as for example fatty cutting shavings spread over the cut surfaces.
• a further advantage is that it enables a perfect and regular cut of the product, even when the blade comes into contact during the cutting action, with small hard objects, such as peppercorns and the like, which can be contained in the product itself, and which are liable to be dragged along by the blade, leading to grooving, scuffing and other imperfections in the final cut product.
• the invention enables a practically perfect cut to be made, with the resulting halves more or less equal in length and weight, with only relatively tiny margins of error, in the range of 10-20 grams weight and 0.5-1 mm. length.
• a further advantage of the invention is that if so desired an unequal cut can be made, according to predetermined measurements, either in weight or in length.
• figure 1 is a plan view from above; figure 2 is a lateral view from below of figure 1; figure 3 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of figure 2 in a different operative configuration; figure 4 is a side view from the left of figure 3; figure 5 is a vertical-elevation view of a detail of the machine in two successive operative configurations; figure 6 is a vertical-elevation view of a detail of the machine, with some parts removed better to evidence others.
• 1 denotes in its entirety a machine for cutting a product into equal parts.
• the machine 1 is applied to cutting sacked meat products in half, especially mortadella 2, but can also be applied more generally to cutting various other types of products.
• 3 denotes the base structure of the machine 1.
• the machine 1 is provided with a storage container, not illustrated, for the mortadellas 2, which is constituted by a container in which the mortadellas 2 are stocked in piles.
• a supply line 4 leads from the container and advances the mortadellas 2 in a straight line, indicated in the figure by arrow 5.
• the supply line 4 comprises a plurality of supports 6, successively aligned along the line itself, each of which supports 6 carries a mortadella 2.
• Each support 6, in the example shown, is provided with two rests 7 for the mortadella 2.
• the supports 6 are constrained to at least one flexible endless element: in the example the supports 6 are fixed to two chains 8 situated on opposite flanks of the machine 1 and ring-wound about relative pairs of horizontal-axis pulleys 9.
• Means, not illustrated, are provided in the proximity of the storage container, for positioning the mortadellas 2 one-by-one on the supports 6 as they arrive at the exit point of the containers.
• Each support 6 is mounted on a relative slide 10 coupled slidably along a corresponding straight horizontal guide 11, perpendicular to the advancement direction 5 of the supports 6.
• the opposite ends of each straight guide 11 are fixed to the transport chains 8.
• Each support 6 is thus able not only to afford an advancement movement, but also lateral displacements in one direction, indicated by an arrow 12, perpendicular to the advancement direction 5.
• Means are provided for laterally displacing the supports 6 operating along the supply line 4, which, in the embodiment illustrated, comprise a mobile guide element 13, slidably coupled to straight guides 14. solidly constrained to the base structure 3 of the machine 1, parallel to the above-mentioned lateral displacement 12 of the supports 6.
• Each support 6 bears, solidly constrained thereto, a guided element 15 provided with a cylindrical body 20 couplable to the guide element 13.
• the guide element 13 is positionable on the straight guides 14 using a small step motor 16 connected to the guide element 13 by means of a coupling between a cogwheel 17 and a rack 18.
• the guide element 13 exhibits two parallel lateral walls 19, while the guided element 15 comprises the cylindrical body 20 which can be inserted between the walls 19 of the guide element 13.
• the distance between the parallel guide walls 19 is practically equal to the diameter of the guided cylindrical body 20.
• the guide element 13 exhibits a positioner 21 located in the zone comprising the cylindrical body 20 of the guided element 15.
• the positioner 21 is made of two lateral guide walls 22 set in an open V-type configuration, with the parallel guide walls 19 forming the near- meeting point of the V.
• the cylindrical body 20 of the guided element 15 solidly constrained to the support 6 enters the positioner 21 constituted by the guide walls 22. and is then forced to pass through the parallel walls 19 of the guide element 13.
• the guide element 13 operates in such a way as to position the support 6 with respect to the normal advancement direction.
• Upstream of the mobile guide element 13 is a fixed guide element 23. destined to act upon the cylindrical body 20 of the guided element 15 of the support 6.
• the fixed guide element 23 like the mobile guide element, exhibits two parallel guide walls, situated at a reciprocal predetermined distance and having a widened positioner entrance.
• the fixed guide element 23 has the task of centring the supports 6 in transit along the supply line 4 in a known reference position.
• the support When a support passes through the fixed guide element, the support itself is centred in a position (according to a horizontal axis perpendicular to the advancement direction) which represents, so to speak, the "zero " of lateral displacements of the support 6, as will be better explained herein below .
• Located downstream of the mobile guide element 13 along the supply line 4 is a position sensor 24. which reads the position of the lateral ends 2a. 2b, of the mortadella 2 borne on the support 6.
• the sensor 24 is optic and comprises two fixed optic sensors 25 positioned on opposite sides of the support 6 transiting on the supply line 4. Each optic sensor 25 is predisposed to read off a lateral end 2a, 2b of the product.
• the position data supplied by the sensors 25 enable a calculation of the length of the mortadella 2 to be made, according to the horizontal advancement direction 12 (perpendicular) thereof.
• this data enables a calculation of the half-line of the mortadella 2 to be made, i.e. the vertical plane which is equidistant from the lateral ends 2a, 2b of the mortadella itself. This plane can be considered more or less perpendicular to the line conjoining the lateral ends 2a, 2b, of the mortadella 2 and passing through the halfway point of said conjoining line.
• a cutting device 26 is arranged along the supply line 4, downstream of the optic sensors 25. which cutting device 26 operates according to a vertical cutting plane, perpendicular to the direction 12 of the lateral displacements the support 6 can make and thus parallel to the advancement direction 5.
• the data read off by the optic sensors 25 is processed by a control and command unit, not illustrated, which compares said data, inasmuch as it indicates the position of the lateral ends 2a, 2b of the mortadella 2, with preimposed reference values which are indicators of the cutting plane position along which the cutting device 26 works.
• This data comparison enables the relative position of a mortadella 2 passing through the sensors 25 to be known as well as the distance between the halfway line thereof and the cutting plane of the cutting device 26.
• the two planes can be made to coincide.
• the cutting device 26 comprises a frame 27 which is mobile along straight guides 28 which are parallel to the advancement direction 5 of the supports 6 along the supply line 4.
• the cutting device 26 comprises a single blade 29 mounted on the frame 27 and constrained to move along the vertical cutting plane according to an oblique cutting direction with respect to the horizontal advancement direction 5 of the supports 6 and the relative mortadella 2.
• the angle of inclination of the cutting direction can be widely varied: in particular, a 90° angle can be chosen for angle .
• the angle a is preferably 45° and the blade 29, which is horizontal, is stretched on a frame 30 able to move parallel to itself in the cutting direction.
• the frame 30 of the blade 29 is coupled on straight sliding guides 31 and its movements are controlled by a linear actuator, for example a hydraulic cylinder 32.
• the blade 29 is preferably straight and horizontally disposed.
• Figure 3 shows (broken line) the blade-bearing frame 30 in the lowered position, that is, the position it assumes after cutting the mortadella 2,
• the cutting device 26 further comprises tvo presses 33 for blocking the mortadella 2 during the cutting operation. Two hydraulic cylinders control the lowering of said presses 33 on the mortadella 2 and raising same both before and after the cutting operation.
• the blade 29 exhibits a sharp lower edge 35, destined to cut the product and an upper edge 36. also sharp.
• the fact that the upper edge 36 is also sharpened means that the blade does not dirty or damage the cut surfaces of the product during the return run after the cut has been performed.
• other cutting devices can be employed instead of the blade 29.
• steel or other-material wires or bands might be used, fixed or having their own cutting motion.
• the blade 29 ran and the press 33 motion are adjustable according to the dimensions of the product to be cut, so that the machine avoids disproportionate cutting runs with respect to the strictly necessary run for the cut needed.
• Means are provided for connecting the frame 27 and the support 6 bearing the mortadella 2 solidly one to another during advancement of the mortadella 2 towards the cutting operation.
• the means for solidly connecting guarantee that during the cutting operation the frame 27 holding the blade 29 and the mortadella 2 advance solidly, so that the relative motion between the cutting element and the product to be cut is in substance an obliquely-directed translation (inclined by an angle a) with respect to the horizontal.
• the means for connecting are evidenced in figure 5. They comprise a lever 37 having an end pivoted to the frame 27 on a pivot 38 having a horizontal axis. The opposite end of the lever 37 exhibits a hook 39 which can interact strikingly with a vertical projection 40 solidly constrained to a support drawing chain 8. A jack 41 lowers the lever 37 into a lower engaging position in which the projection 40 can meet the hook 39 and raises the lever 37 into an upper disengaging position.
• Figure 5 shows the lever 37 in the two positions, respectively in continuous and a broken lines.
• a mortadella 2 is placed on a support 6 transiting on the supply line 4, drawn by the transport chain 8.
• the support first passes by the fixed guide element 23.
• the support 6 is practically centred with respect to the blade 29 with the aim of reducing the corrective intervention on the part of the guide element 13.
• the optic sensors 25 read off the positions of the lateral ends 2a, 2b, of the mortadella 2.
• the control and command unit calculates the displacement of the halfway line of the mortadella 2 from the cutting plane of the cutting device 26, and commands a lateral displacement of the mobile guide 13. either left or right by operating the step motor 16 so that the lateral displacement, normal to the cutting plane, of the mobile guide element 13 is equal to the distance calculated between the cutting plane of the machine 1 and the halfway line of the mortadella 2.
• the support 6 passes across the mobile guide element 13 and is laterally displaced by the correct distance.
• the halfway line of the mortadella 2 will coincide with the cutting plane of the machine 1.
• the lever 37 is lowered into the position where it can engage with the porjection 40 associated to the support 6 which bears the mortadella 2 to be cut; the transport chain 8 thus draws both mortadella 2 and frame 27.
• the presses 33 lower to block the product.
• the blade 29 lowers along the cutting plane and divides the mortadella 2 into two parts, cutting along a section which coincides with the median plane of the mortadella 2.
• the blade 29 rises, crossing the cut product, with the upper sharp edge 36 penetrating into the cut between the two halves without dirtying or damaging the cut surfaces thereof; then the presses 33 are raised and the frame 27 displaces slightly forwards with respect to the projection 40 on the chain 8; the lever 37 is also raised, disengaging the frame 27 which can then return backwards into the start position for the next cycle.
• the machine 1 follows a process comprising the following phases: advancing the product along a supply line 4; reading off the positions of the lateral ends of the product, said positions being indicators of the length and the position of the product; comparing the positions read off with reference data indicating the position of a fixed cutting line along which the means for cutting can operate; laterally displacing the production the basis of the comparison so as to bring a preferred product cutting plane into line with the fixed cutting line; cutting the product according to the fixed cutting line.
• the weight and length differences between the two pieces of mortadella thus obtained will be respectively less than 10-20 grams and 0.5-lmm.
• a product can also be cut into three or more equal parts.
• a product can even be cut into unequal parts, but according to a predetermined relationship (size or weight).
• the control and command unit can be programmed to align, with the cutting plane of the machine, a predetermined section of mortadella 2 completely independently of the half-line.
• the cutting device could be made capable of lateral displacements in a normal direction to the product supply line.
• the cutting device having received the position of the ends of the product predisposed on the support, the cutting device is laterally displaced so that a predetermined cutting plane of the device itself can coincide with a predetermined cutting section of the product.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Confectionery (AREA)
• Turning (AREA)
• Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
• Shovels (AREA)
• Details Of Cutting Devices (AREA)
• Finish Polishing, Edge Sharpening, And Grinding By Specific Grinding Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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• 1997
  • 1997-02-17 IT IT97MO000020A patent/IT1292668B1/it active IP Right Grant
• 1998
  • 1998-02-12 WO PCT/IT1998/000023 patent/WO1998035796A2/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-02-12 EP EP98905609A patent/EP1024932B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-02-12 AT AT98905609T patent/ATE209558T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-02-12 DE DE69802709T patent/DE69802709T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-02-12 DK DK98905609T patent/DK1024932T3/da active
  • 1998-02-12 AU AU61136/98A patent/AU6113698A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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