EP2532493A1 - Portioning machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The portioning machine has a longitudinal extrusion die (3) arranged at a circumferential location of a cutting position and moveable in a longitudinal direction (10). A cutting device is provided at a lower end of a forming tube revolver (1) with a rotating blade. An axial stop element is adjustable with respect to a distance from the revolver on a side of the blade, where the side is opposite to a forming tube (1a). A conveying device conveys the cut-off slices (2a). The blade is driven in rotation around an axis that is parallel to a rotation axis (10') of the revolver. An independent claim is included for a method for cutting strand-shaped cutting material into slices with identical volumes by portioning machine.

Description

I. Field of application

The invention relates to a portioning machine for cutting slices.

II. Technical background

If a strand-like material to be cut with always the same, shape-containing cross-section in equal slices or portions and it should accumulate as few residues, this is relatively easy if only slices of certain thickness must be cut.

For this purpose, there are so-called slicers, for example, a rod of sausage, cheese or the like, which always have the same cross-section and have sufficient own cross-sectional stability, are cut open.

The cutting material is sometimes pushed forward with its foremost end face against a - then fixed - stop plate whose distance relative to the plane of the cutting blade for varying the thickness of the discs is adjustable, and cut after each forward sliding by a rotating or oscillating knife a disc until the entire sliced food is sliced.

The individual slices are usually collected individually and removed. In a few cases, the slices remain arranged one behind the other on the cut side and in turn form a cut strand or rod. A residual minimization takes place by the strand z. B. the sliced sausage is made longer and longer.

On the other hand, it is problematic if the material to be cut on the one hand has a different cross-section in terms of size and shape, and moreover, this cross section is not overly dimensionally stable, as is the case for example when cutting fresh meat or fish, such as cutting a pork sack to steak or something similar.

In order to achieve slices of a given target weight or nominal volume, different methods are known:

One method is to measure the cross-section of the material to be cut at any point, for example, by an optical non-contact measuring method and on the basis of this determine the necessary current slice thickness to reach the desired target volume of the disc.

However, if the cross-section of the material to be cut changes rapidly, this results in very different thicknesses in the thickness, with the same nominal volume, which is usually not desired by the consumer.

This is also technically complex in terms of control and problematic in practice, since in this case the material to be cut is not in a completely enveloping container and deformed during cutting something, so that the separated disc by deformation is not exactly the target weight and has the desired uniform shape.

Another method, such as in the DE 10 2004 041 915 is described, the way to press the material to be cut in a forming tube with a predetermined cross section at least in the longitudinal direction of the forming tube so strong that the material to be cut completely fills the cross section of the forming tube and thus has a defined cross section, and starting from this then known cross section discs same Thickness be cut off.

In order to achieve this safely, the part of the material to be sliced forward over the knife plane is inserted into a portioning tube or portioning plate aligned with the forming tube and held there peripherally and on the front side, so that neither the currently separated slice nor the remainder of the material to be cut appreciable during cutting deform or dodge.

In this way extremely high-volume and volume-accurate portions are achieved. However, the mechanical effort for this is much greater than a simple slicer, on the one hand because of the necessary, applied with relatively large force pressing the material to be cut at least in the longitudinal direction, often in addition in the transverse direction, on the other hand because of the necessary mechanism on the side of the separated discs , which usually requires a movable stop in Portionierrohr or the Portionierplatte as a floor and thus designed similarly consuming, such as the cutting material side.

But above all, the cycle time for producing a disc is relatively high and depending on the material to be cut, the ejection from the Portionierrohr or the Portionierplatte may pose additional difficulties.

Such portioning machines are well suited for when one and the same cutting material, such as pork neck, in a row over a long period of time, very large quantities should be cut to the nearest weight and / or as free of residue as possible.

It is also known to accommodate at least the forming tube in a forming tube turret, in which then a plurality of forming tubes are arranged. The molding tubes may have a different cross section and a different size for different cutting material. Each mold tube cross-section is preferably present twice in the mold tube turret, namely with respect to the center, opposite one another.

This makes it possible to refill one of these two identical mold tubes with the same material to be cut, while being portioned out of the other mold tube out straight.

In the cutting material must also be distinguished whether it is cut material with or without hard ingredients, for example, meat strands with and without bone, as depending on the proportion and structure of the bone portion no longitudinal compression, but only a cross-pressing or no compression in the forming tube can take place, for example, when a chop strand is to be cut out of such a mold tube out.

Such machines are therefore less suitable for use in a medium-sized butcher or a medium-sized meat processing plant with constantly changing material to be cut and usually too expensive to buy.

III. Presentation of the invention a) Technical task

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a portioning machine that works very fast, offers a single disc tray and due to the simple structure is inexpensive to purchase and easy to maintain, yet can portion sufficient weight, and for very different designed cutting material.

b) Solution of the task

This object is solved by the features of claims 1 and 13. Advantageous embodiments will be apparent from the dependent claims.

By the cutting device consists of a rotating blade in a portioning machine, which rotates together with the stop plate as a stop element about the same axis, the structure of the machine on the Portionierseite is greatly simplified, and yet the benefits of pre-deformation of the material to be cut into a defined cross section and maintaining its volume determination by purely mechanical means.

In addition, if the axis of rotation of the knife and stop plate is identical to the axis of rotation, so the switching axis of the forming tube turret, this results in a particularly compact design of the machine, especially if the forming tube turret is vertical, and a low technical effort.

In this case, the knife is preferably disc-shaped with such a surface and extent in the radial and circumferential direction, that the cross-section of the forming tube in the cutting position after separation the disc is covered by the knife, and thus a forward sliding of the material to be cut in the forming tube is only possible if the rear edge of the knife in the cutting direction has left the cross section of the forming tube again.

As soon as this is the case, however, the stop plate rotating along with the knife, which covers the remainder of the circumference of the area of the forming tubes in the turret, is below the cutting position and serves as a support for the cutting material pushed forward again.

In certain cases, however, a knife may be advantageous, which has a substantially smaller extension in the circumferential direction relative to the forming tube turret than the material to be cut, whereby under certain circumstances, the forward sliding of the material to be cut can start earlier and thus the cycle time can be reduced.

Since, especially for the cutting of soft components, the pulling cut is preferred, the untoothed knife edge is formed as an inside spiral outward edge with increasing radius of curvature, preferably with such a configuration that when cutting with this cutting edge per cm depth of cut at least 3, better to go through 4 cm cutting length.

In addition, at the opposite edge of the blade of the end face of the forming tube cylinder, a leading edge made of steel or other material can be provided, which constantly grinds the knife sliding over it.

Although the unit of knife and stop plate rotates continuously, but not at a constant rotational speed:

In order to give the press ram sufficient time to push the material to be cut forward in the longitudinal direction against the stop plate, the rotational speed reduced after the knife has completely left the cross-section of the cut-to-cut material. This reduction in speed can also begin in advance, namely as soon as the blade of the knife has completely passed through the material to be cut.

The forward sliding of the material to be cut should preferably be completed when there is still about 90 ° Drehabstand until the next impact of the cutting edge on the material to be cut to give the material to be cut for setting processes and the unit of knife and stop plate to re-accelerate to cutting speed.

A controller controls depending on the rotational position of the unit of blade and stop plate both their rotational speed and the axial movement of the ram.

To keep the knife directly on the cutting-side end face of the forming tube turret, the knife can either be so thick and held so stable that it rests due to inherent stability with the necessary bias on the forming tube turret, or in a less stable knife, this is achieved by a Support plate, which supports the knife on the side facing away from the mold tube turret and biases against the mold tube turret. For this purpose, the support plate has directed against the knife, resilient elements that cause this bias. So that the cutting process is not complicated, the support plate - which of course has to rotate with the knife - has a smaller footprint than the knife and is opposite the cutting edges of the knife everywhere sufficiently far behind.

Also and in addition to an axial guidance of the radially outermost edge of the knife in the forming tube turret or a co-rotating with the knife sleeve outside the forming tube turret is possible.

In the bottom of the knife facing away from the turret further recesses may be arranged so that the underside of the knife to which the discs could adhere, preferably only consists of webs or punctiform elevations of the full thickness, and in that case the webs in particular in the direction of rotation. By reducing the contact surface this also minimizes the risk of sticking a disc.

The conveyor belt can be adjustable in its axial distance from the forming tube cylinder, either synchronously with the distance setting of the stop element, or in a certain ratio for moving the stop element or freely adjustable by means of its own control.

The construction of the machine is further simplified in that the rotary drive of the blade and cutting plate on the one hand and the rotary drive of the forming tube turret on the other hand coaxially by means of the same drive shaft, the z. B. concentric with each other in running tubes, is realized, on which the corresponding drive motors are arranged.

This avoids transmission and power diversion and simplifies the mechanical design.

In this case, the innermost tube of the drive shaft - which may also be a massive shaft - rotatably connected to the forming tube turret, while concentrically arranged around the outer tube rotatably coupled to the knife and the stop plate.

Drive shaft and associated motors are located on the opposite side of the cutter, so below the forming tube turret, since the cutting device is located at the lower end of the forming tube turret to use for discharging the separated discs gravity. Only the axial distance adjustment between the stop plate and knife is located eccentrically outside the axis of rotation and displaces the outer tube, which preferably rotatable relative to the motor driving him but longitudinally displaceable, z. B. via a splined profile is coupled.

The entire drive unit is housed as well as the controller in a housing whose top is located approximately at waist height of an operator standing in front and stands on the top of the mold tube turret vertically or obliquely upstanding.

As a result, the upper end of the forming tube, in which new material to be cut must be introduced, at a height that can still be reached by the operator.

Still higher up the protruding from the upper end of the forming tube turret from above protruding pressing unit, usually a servo cylinder, however, can be folded down to simplify maintenance and cleaning around its lower end relative to the support frame, which fixes it to housing ,

Furthermore, the housing has a base whose depth is approximately equal to the diameter of the forming tube turret and whose length is essentially determined by the discharge device, usually a conveyor belt, on which the separated slices fall below the cutting position and is transported away from this in the direction of further processing ,

In this way, results in a very small footprint of the portioning, which can also be placed next to each other in a multi-arrangement also close, as a filling not only from the broad side, but also from the narrow side, namely the side remote from the discharge device narrow side , is possible.

In order to perform the knife as thin as possible, it is supported on its peripheral edge on a guide ring of the housing, while the stop plate from its underside by struts, etc. may be sufficiently stable and does not require such support.

The construction and replacement of the forming tube turret are as simple as possible:

The forming tube turret sometimes needs to be changed, either for cleaning purposes or because a forming tube turret with other forming tube cross sections is needed.

As a main application in a medium-sized butcher's shop a turret with as many different form tube cross sections is preferably used for different applications.

If, in contrast, some pieces of always the same cutting material z. B. pork neck, to be cut one behind the other, it is recommended to use a forming tube turret, in which a suitable Formrohrquerschnitt is present at least twice in the mold tube turret, preferably on each other with respect to the axis of rotation opposite sides, as a result, the dead times of the machine can be reduced.

While one of the two identical mold tubes is filled and already cut into slices, the other of the two identical mold tubes can be filled with the next material to be cut.

However, for a large amount of the same cutting material and a Formrohrrevolver makes sense in which all Formrohröffnungen are the same size and the same size, because then the operator can fill all of the forming tubes of the revolver, which are then cut automatically in succession, so that the operator only has to refill after a relatively long period of time.

To cheapen the production of the forming tube turret, this is composed of axially juxtaposed turret discs, which all have the same aligned through holes as forming tubes and are positively coupled with each other in the direction of rotation by engaging mating elements.

In the longitudinal direction of the turret discs are pressed in the mounted state against each other by means of a support rod, the contact pressure in relation to the pressing pressure of the ram is chosen so that excess air and meat juice can be pressed from the filled form tube through the joints between the turrets to the outside, so that air and liquid inclusions are avoided in the longitudinal compression in the forming tube, which would lead to deviations of the actual volume of the generated discs from the target volume.

The forming tube turret has except the eccentric to its center through holes as molding tubes a central opening through which a support rod for compressing the turret discs can be introduced from above, with its front, then lower, end in the upper end of the drive shaft for the forming tube turret fixed, z. B. is screwed, which ends just below the forming tube turret.

At the lower end of the forming tube turret, the holding rod in this case also passes through an adapter disc, which is non-rotatably connected due to their non-circular outer contour with the lowermost turret disc of the forming tube turret and rotatably connected in the assembled state with the drive shaft for the forming tube turret.

The support rod has at the top of a widened head so that they widened when screwed down into the drive shaft with this Head, which rests against the top disc, the revolver discs pressed down against the drive shaft and / or the housing and thus sufficiently compress the turret discs.

The adapter plate is preferably fixed longitudinally fixed to the lower end of the support rod, so that for removing the forming tube turret from the portioning machine, only the holding rod at the top of the mold tube turret protruding end grabbed and released, z. B. must be rotated in the release direction until the fixation (eg bayonet lock, clamping lever, etc.) is released at the bottom opposite the drive shaft.

Then, the support rod together with the adapter plate can be taken up out of the mold tube turret, whereupon the mold tube turret can be moved radially and removed from the portioning machine.

Depending on the choice of the currently used forming tube, in which the material to be cut is to be pressed in the longitudinal direction, a matching punch must be mounted at the lower end of the longitudinal pressing device, which is usually a servo cylinder, whose cross section corresponds to the cross section of the used forming tube.

The change can be done manually by pressing die and pressing device have matched locking devices, so that the press ram only from z. B. the side has to be postponed and locked and then already has its correct position in the transverse direction relative to the used forming tube.

This change of ram can be partly or fully automated:

In a first variant, the various ram are slidably mounted on a stationary ring, the center of which is away from the axis of rotation the forming tube turret is located, and the ring portion at the cutting position is part of the press punch recording of the press ram.

Instead, the various rams can also be arranged at fixed positions of the ring and the ring can be rotatable about its center.

The ram on the ring or the rotatable ram ring is then operated by hand or by the controller, z. B. by means of a positive drive star, always rotated together with the forming tube so that at the cutting position of the forming tube turret, at which the longitudinal press unit such as the servo cylinder is always located to the local forming tube press ram.

This can now be picked up manually or automatically by the longitudinal pressing device and used for longitudinal pressing.

The control, which sets the servo cylinder in motion after cutting each disc and moves by a defined path in the longitudinal direction, is also able to determine the initial longitudinal compression of the material to be cut by determining the position of the servo cylinder, the length and thus the total volume of the material to be cut and Depending thereon - taking into account user-specified marginal parameters such as bandwidth of the weight or volume of the discs or the like - to specify an optimal slice thickness in order to minimize the residual portion or leave no rest at all.

Such a portioning machine can additionally be changed and supplemented in a variety of ways.

In order to press out excess gas or liquid from the forming tube to the outside during the pressing process, this takes place in the case of a forming tube turret constructed from individual circumferentially closed turret discs in that from the radial region of the forming tube openings to outwardly the revolver discs with a small distance of a few 1/10 millimeters lie on each other.

Normally, the lowest turret disc does not differ from the overlying turret discs, or at most in their thickness.

Because between the bottom turret plate and the next turret disc an intermediate plate is inserted, which only at the cutting position has a through hole for the material to be cut, while the forming tubes are closed at all other positions of the forming tube turret through this intermediate plate.

The intermediate plate thus represents the lower stop for cutting material, which is inserted for the purpose of filling the forming tubes from above into the forming tubes.

Thus, the mold tube turret after setting a certain form of pipe to cutting position is also reliably held in this rotational position, it can either verrastest positively against the housing in each switching position or it is rotated via a self-locking drive, either from the central axis or from one on the outer circumference of the forming tube turret attacking self-locking drive.

Another option is to increase throughput by having multiple, e.g. B. two, forming tube revolver side by side, of which the discs of both Formrohrrevolver of the same common cutting device, ie, a single common, rotating knife, are separated.

In addition, devices such as stop plate, portioning plate or portioning turret etc. are in turn available.

Of course, the blade then does not rotate about the axis of rotation of one of the mold tube turrets, but about an axis spaced from all axes of rotation of the mold tube turrets, but spaced such that the knife passes over the cutting position of each of the mold tube turrets at each revolution.

To proceed with a portioning machine, the cut material is not pressed directly after inserting into a forming tube in the cutting position of the longitudinal plunger against the lower stop element and started immediately with the slicing, but it takes place first a pre-pressing of the material to be cut, and not against the z. B. stop plate as a lower frontal stop, but against the mold tube closing intermediate plate, which must be brought for this purpose in each case in a corresponding, closing rotational position.

This has the advantage that the material to be cut is then completely enclosed in contrast to the pre-pressing against the stop plate, where there is then a gap between the stop plate and the lower end of the forming tube, at least corresponding to the thickness of the knife.

Subsequently, the longitudinal plunger is moved back again, serving as a stop intermediate plate rotated so that it releases the mold tube opening, and the longitudinal plunger further moved forward so that he pushes the material now for the final compression further down against the stop plate and pressed and with the cutting can be started.

Preferably, when Vorverpressen also takes place a volume determination of the material to be cut by the position of the longitudinal press die the length of the pressed material to be cut and based on the known cross section of the mold tube used, the volume of the material to be cut automatically calculated by the controller and preferably from the same required slice thickness is determined depending on the target weight and / or from the standpoint of Resteminimierung.

To avoid trapped air or liquid inclusions when pressing the material to be cut in a forming tube, the turret discs of the forming tube turret can be stacked on each other virtually without joint, if the pressure of the individual turret discs axially against each other is chosen so that it is less than that occurring during longitudinal compression in the forming tube Pressure, so that air and liquid from the forming tube through the gap between the turret discs can escape to the outside.

c) embodiments

Fig. 1:

die Portioniermaschine perspektivisch und in Schnittdarstellungen,

Fig. 2:

Darstellungen des Schneidvorganges,

Fig. 3:

den Pressstempel im Detail,

Fig. 4:

die zusätzliche Portionierplatte,

Fig. 5:

besondere Ansichten der Portioniermaschine,

Fig. 6:

eine Portioniermaschine zum schräg schneiden,

Fig. 7:

eine andere Messergestaltung,

Fig. 8:

ein abgestütztes Messer,

Fig. 9:

eine andere Bauform der Portioniermaschine, und

Fig. 10:

spezielle Schneidsituationen.

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. Show it:

Fig. 1:

the portioning machine in perspective and in sectional views,

Fig. 2:

Illustrations of the cutting process,

3:

the press stamp in detail,

4:

the additional portioning plate,

Fig. 5:

special views of the portioning machine,

Fig. 6:

a portioning machine to cut at an angle,

Fig. 7:

another knife design,

Fig. 8:

a supported knife,

Fig. 9:

another design of the portioning machine, and

Fig. 10:

special cutting situations.

The FIGS. 1a and 1b show the entire portioning machine once in perspective view and once in vertical section, wherein Figure 1c and 1d enlarged views of the vertical section through the lower area are.

How best FIG. 1b shows is the core of the portioning an upright, here perpendicular standing, forming tube turret 1 with eccentrically distributed over the circumference, up and down respectively open through holes as molding tubes 1a, b.

In a forming tube z. B. 1a, a strand-like material to be cut 2 is inserted from above and then about its longitudinal direction 10 as a rotation axis 10 'rotatable Formrohrrevolver 1 rotated so far that the filled forming tube under the arranged only at a peripheral point, the cutting position 11, the forming tube turret 1 servo cylinder which represents the longitudinal press stands.

At the lower end of the servo cylinder 4, a press ram 3 is fixed, whose outer contour of the inner contour of the filled molded tube, for. 1 a, so that the cutting material 2 located therein is compressed in the longitudinal direction 10 by retracting the press ram 3 by means of the servo cylinder 4 into the corresponding filled forming tube with corresponding force, since the sliced products 2 emerge from the lower open end of the forming tube only up to the stop plate 9 can.

In this longitudinal compression and the cross section of the not completely dimensionally stable material to be cut 2, which was smaller than the free cross section of the forming tube when inserting into the forming tube 1 a, as far as radially apart pressed so that it completely fills the cross section of the forming tube and thus has a defined cross-section in this longitudinally compressed state.

How best Figure 1c can detect, just below the lower free end of the forming tube turret 1, a knife 8 rotates about the same axis of rotation 10 'about which the turret 1 is rotatable, and thereby cuts from the downwardly from the forming tube projecting cutting material 2 from a disc whose Thickness the distance 17 in the longitudinal direction 10 between the knife 8 and the underlying, adjustable in their distance from the knife 8, stop plate 9 corresponds.

For this purpose, the knife protrudes 8 - as best in Figure 2d to recognize - only in an angular segment from the axis of rotation 10 'to over the cross sections of the forming tubes, in particular to the radially outer end of the turret 1, outward and is there with its outer edge on a guide ring 20 in the housing 21, so that the knife 8 may be formed as thin as possible.

The knife 8 has in the direction of rotation facing a front and a rear edge as a cutting edge 8a, 8b, of which one cutting edge 8a is straight and the other arcuately convexly curved.

Both are preferably ground on one side with the phase on the underside, ie the side facing away from the forming tube turret 1 page.

In this case, the straight cutting edge 8a is used for cutting soft material 2 without bones and cartilage, the curved cutting edge 8b, which may also be wavy or toothed, on the other hand, for cutting material 2 with hard portions, for example with bone. Accordingly, the direction of rotation of the blade 8 can be selected.

Figure 2d shows further that the stop plate 9 seen in the plan view has a recess which is slightly larger in the circumferential direction than the surface of the knife 8 - viewed in the longitudinal direction 10 - but otherwise the bottom of the forming tube turret 1 at least over the radial region of the forming tube openings 1a ... beyond and optionally also axially supported on its outer periphery as the knife. 8

Knife 8 and stop plate 9 remain - viewed in the direction of rotation - always in the Figure 2d shown relative position to each other and rotate together, which - as best in the FIGS. 2a and b shown in a view from the bottom of the revolver 1 - one after the other at each revolution a single slice 2a is cut from the cutting material 2.

Shortly after the separation of the disc 2a, the most plate-shaped blade 8 supports the lower end face of the material to be cut 2, since its surface is larger than the surface of the respective mold tube located in the cutting position 11.

Upon further rotation of the knife 8 and stop plate 9 ends after a certain angle of rotation, the overlapping of the plate-shaped knife 8 with the cutting material 2. It is then only the opposite the knife 8 deeper stop plate 9 in the peripheral region located in the cutting position 11 cutting material 2, so that during this time, the rotation of the knife 8 and stopper plate 9 of the servo cylinder 4 controlled by a defined distance moves forward and the cutting material 2 further pushes down until it rests again with the lower, front end of the stop plate 9.

This must be completed before the corresponding cutting edge 8a or 8b of the knife 8 has again reached the outer circumference of the cutting material 2 projecting from the forming tube and begins to separate the next slice. Knife 8 and retaining plate 9 rotate after the beginning of the cutting process continuously, so that the controller 24 of the machine in response to the rotational position of the unit of knife 8 and stop plate 9, the servo cylinder 4 controls the right time and at the right way the cutting material in the longitudinal direction 10 must push forward.

Knife 8 and stopper plate 9 can rotate at a constant rotational speed, but preferably the rotational speed is slowed down as soon as the knife 8 has completely left the material to be cut 2 in order to give sufficient time for the feed material 2 to be pushed forward again and to be pressed against the stop plate 9.

The fact that the knife 8 and the stop plate 9 rotate about the same axis of rotation 10 ', which is also the forming tube turret 1 indexed and eccentrically this only functionally the servo cylinder 4 is directed with its press axis 11 to the cutting position, this results in a particularly compact and above all, slim shape of the portioning machine and a simple structural design.

As the FIGS. 1 show, the forming tube turret 1 sits on the top of a housing 21 so that it is with its lower end face approximately at waist height of an operator standing in front, which is thus still capable of the next cutting material 2 in the upper end of an open forming tube hineinzustecken.

The separated from the knife 8 slices 2a .. fall on an approximately horizontally extending, ending under the cutting position 11 conveyor belt 18, which is preferably driven by the motor 14 for the rotational drive of the knife 8 and stop plate 9 and the discs falling thereon from under the revolver 1 out transported to further processing.

Above all, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt 18, the machine is very narrow - how best the FIG. 5b in this view shows - because the width barely exceeds the diameter of the forming tube turret 1.

In this way, several portioning machines can be placed side by side, since the filling of the turret 1 is not necessarily as in FIG. 1a shown must take place from the longitudinal side, but also from the narrow, the conveyor belt 18 opposite, back can be made.

FIG. 5a shows in this connection that the servo cylinder 4, which protrudes far above the upper end of the revolver 1 upwards, can be folded around its lower end for maintenance and repair purposes.

The arranged in the side view of the revolver 1 and above the conveyor belt 18 input unit 19 - with a screen and z. B. buttons as input elements - with the help z. B. the mold tube to be operated is selected, the disc thickness is specified and the like, can also be operated from the front end side.

FIG. 2a shows in a plan view in the longitudinal direction 10 of the forming tube turret 1, which may contain these forming tubes 1a to 1f, which in this case each have a different contour and size for different cutting material.

Thus, the forming tube 1a can be used for slicing large chips, the forming tube 1 b, however, rather for slicing a pork chop.

The slot-shaped smaller forming tubes 1c and 1d are used to cut meat strands of smaller cross-section than the products to be used in Fig. 1a.

The round cross section of the forming tube 1e is used for so-called balls, a special, almost spherical muscle strand.

The rectangular forming tube 1 f is preferably used for slicing meat cubes, which are produced by lattice-like in cross-section existing knives, which are either fixed in the lower end of the forming tube 17 or in a radially insertable between knife 8 and stop plate 9 portioning 12th

In practice, it has also proven to be useful that of the differently shaped and dimensioned forming tubes 1a ... each two matching in the same Formrohrrevolver 1 are present, and preferably with respect to the axis of rotation 10 'on opposite sides.

This makes it possible that during the slicing of a material to be cut in one of these two identical mold tubes lying off the cutting position 11 other, identical mold tube can already be filled with the next material to be cut.

Nevertheless, depending on the application or for cleaning reasons, the mold tube turret 1 must sometimes be removed from the portioning machine, which may be a difficult task given the weight of the turret, which is usually plastic, of 70 to 80 kg.

To facilitate this, different measures have been taken:

On the one hand, the turret 1 consists of a plurality of longitudinally superposed turrets 5a, b, c ..., each of which is approximately 10 cm thick and with respect to the through holes as forming tubes 1a ... identical.

Put on each other, the turret discs 5a, b ... positively secured in the direction of rotation against each other by axially intermeshing fitting elements.

In the longitudinal direction 10, the turret discs 5a, b are pressed against each other by means of a central opening 22 penetrating over the entire length support rod 7, which rests with its widened end on the upper face of the turret 1 and with its lower end via an adapter disc 6 with the the upper end of the drive shaft 23 is connected, which is located on the axis of rotation 10 'in alignment below the forming tube turret 1 and on the concentric causes both the rotary drive of the knife 8 and stop plate 9, as well as the rotating switching movement of the revolver. 1

The screwed-in support rod 7 thus presses the turrets 5a, b in the longitudinal direction 10 against each other, so that after loosening the screw of the support rod 7, in which one takes her upper, from the revolver 1 upwardly projecting end and turns, the support rod 7 together with the adapter disc 6 - which causes the transmission of the rotation of the drive shaft 23 to the lower end of the forming tube turret 1 - can pull up and then the mold tube turret 1 with respect to the axis of rotation 10 'can slide radially to the side of the housing 21.

So when filling a new material to be cut 2 in an empty form tube z. B. 1 c, ie away from the cutting position 11, the material to be cut does not slip out of the lower open end of the forming tube to the housing, an intermediate plate 26 is provided between the bottom turret plate 5 a and the next above turret disc 5 b, as for example in FIG. 1f is shown as a separate component.

This intermediate plate 26 normally closes all Formrohröffnungen except for that in the cutting position 11, which is why the intermediate plate 26 has only a single through hole, just normally in the Cutting position 11 and corresponds to the largest existing in a forming tube turret through hole.

Preferably, however, the intermediate plate 26 is not rotatably connected to the rest of the forming tube turret 1, but on the z. B. on its outer periphery shown toothing independently of the forming tube turret 1 about the axis of rotation 10 'of the forming tube turret 1 rotatable.

This can be z. B. are rotated so that it closes the mold tube opening in the cutting position, which is useful, for example, for the purpose of Vorverpressens a material to be cut in the cutting position before the start of slicing the material to be cut.

The controlled rotary drive via the teeth on the outer circumference then takes place via an engaging therein, not shown pinion, which is driven by a motor and controlled by the control of the machine.

The Figures 1b and 3 show further that the press ram 3 can be moved out completely with the help of the servo cylinder 4 from the upper end of the respective mold tube and removed from the servo cylinder 4 to him against another ram - each matching the shape and size of the currently used form tube of the forming tube turret 1 - exchange.

The FIGS. 1b to 1d show the drive technology in the housing 21 below the forming tube turret 1:

The drive shaft 23 consists of two concentric nested tubes 23a, b, which are arranged in the longitudinal direction 10 on the axis of rotation 10 'and are each separately rotatable about its axis of rotation 10' driven.

The inner tube 23a is non-rotatably connected at its upper end to the adapter disc 6, which is non-circular, in particular star-shaped, on its outer circumference and positively engages in a corresponding inner circumference of the lowermost disc of the forming tube turret 1 and transmits the rotation of this inner tube 23a thereto for advancing the forming tube turret 1 to bring another forming tube into the cutting position 11, below the servo cylinder 4.

For this purpose, the inner tube 23a is driven by the motor 15 for the rotation of the revolver 1, which sits concentrically on the axis of rotation 10 '.

The outer tube 23b is rotatably connected to the interchangeable blade 8 on the one hand and the stop plate 9 on the other hand and is rotated by the motor 14 for blade rotation, which is also centrally on the axis of rotation 10 'is arranged and at the same time the rotary drive for the conveyor belt 18 for discharging the separated slices 2a may represent ..., which only has to move, if by means of the rotating blade 8 and slices 2a ... are separated.

A positioning cylinder 17, which is arranged eccentrically to the axis of rotation 10 ', displaces in the longitudinal direction 10, the outer tube 23b, with which the stop plate 9 and knife 8 are rotatably connected and which guided in the longitudinal direction 10 slidably on the inner tube 23a and with respect to the motor 14 is.

FIG. 4 shows in a plan view of the forming tube turret 1 from below the additional option of a portioning plate 12, which can be radially inserted from outside in the height range between the knife 8 and stop plate 9 at the cutting position 11, if necessary.

The portioning plate 12 has a continuous through opening from top to bottom as Portionieröffnung 13, whose contour corresponds at least to the shape and size of the contour in the currently used forming tube.

Such a portioning plate 12 is used when, due to the thickness of the desired slices and / or the lack of dimensional stability of the material to be cut 2, it is feared that the portion of the material to be sliced 2 protruding downwards out of the forming tube and thus no longer supported on the circumference will be before or at Disconnecting the disc 2a deformed too much, whereby the shape retention and volume content of the disc 2a would no longer be sufficient.

By the use of the portioning plate 12 - which of course should be in accordance with the number of differently shaped mold tubes in corresponding variants - this is prevented, of course, the thickness of the portioning plate 12 sets the minimum adjustable distance between the knife 8 and stop plate 9.

The below protruding part of the material to be cut 2 is thus not always enclosed on the entire height between the knife 8 and stop plate 9 of the portioning plate 12, but over the substantial part of each distance.

FIG. 6 shows a portioning machine, which differs from that of the FIGS. 1 differs in that the axis of rotation 10 'of the forming tube turret 1 and thus also the course of the servo cylinder 4 is inclined to the vertical, while the axis of rotation 10 "of the knife is still vertical.

As a result, slices are cut obliquely in the cutting position to the longitudinal direction of the material to be cut and thus achieves slices that are larger than the normal cross-section of the material to be cut.

To achieve this, a wedge plate 29 is arranged as compensation for the angular offset between the axis of rotation 10 'of the forming tube turret 1 and the axis of rotation 10 "of the knife 8 at the lower end face of the forming tube turret 1, which does not rotate with the forming tube turret 1, but is fixed, and viewed in the cutting position 11 in the side view is wedge-shaped and fills the intermediate angle between the lower end face of the forming tube turret 1 and the knife plane.

In this area, the wedge plate 29 also has a passage opening in alignment with the passage opening of standing in the cutting position 11 forming tube and the corresponding shape and size.

Accordingly, in this case, only mold tube turrets 1 can be used with either all the same mold tube openings, or a new wedge plate 29 with a corresponding through hole must be installed for each other mold tube opening used in the cutting position.

• Von den in Umfangsrichtung dicksten Stelle der Formrohröffnung aus radial außerhalb liegende Teil des Formrohrrevolvers 1 ist als separater, radial in Richtung Formrohröffnung ein- und ausfahrbarer, Querpressstempel 25 ausgebildet, der zum einen über den sonstigen Umfang des Formrohrrevolvers 1 radial vorsteht und des weiteren in seiner radialen Erstreckung unterteilt ist in zwei gegeneinander mittels Druckfedern 30 gegeneinander abgefederte Teile 25a, b.

Further, referring to FIG Figure 1e - The possibility of a cross-pressing of the material to be cut in a mold tube dargstellt schematically, in Figure 1e only realized on the forming tube 1f, but this could be present in each of the forming tubes of a forming tube cylinder 1:

• Of the thickest in the circumferential direction of the mold tube opening from radially outwardly lying part of the forming tube turret 1 is formed as a separate, radially in the direction of mold tube opening and extendable, cross-punch 25 which projects radially beyond the other circumference of the forming tube turret 1 and further in his radial extent is divided into two against each other by means of compression springs 30 against each other sprung parts 25a, b.

In the direction of rotation of the forming tube turret 1 is located just before and in the cutting position 11, a tangential to the outer periphery of the forming tube turret 1 approaching stop 28, when screwing in with a Transverse stamp 25 equipped mold tube 1f in the cutting position 11, the peripheral surface of the cross press die 25 pushes radially inward because of its inclination and thus pressed therein cut material in the radial direction, ie in the transverse direction of the material to be cut with a force that depends on the hardness of the compression springs 30 and the position of the stop 28.

Fig. 8 shows an asymmetrical shape of a plate-shaped knife 8, which is designed approximately elliptical with its axis of rotation 10 'outside the center.

On the knife 8, two cutting edges 8a, b are formed, both of which run convexly convex, but at the cutting edge 8b, which is usually the toothed cutting edge for bony material to be cut, with a constant radius of curvature, the cutting edge 8b at an acute angle to the radial direction.

By contrast, the cutting edge 8a is substantially longer, approximately twice as long, and has a decreasing curvature, that is to say an increasing radius of curvature, from its closest point of rotation to the outermost point. As a result, a pulling cut is effected when used in the material to be cut.

In the FIGS. 8 It is shown how the knife 8 can be pressed by means of a support plate 31 from below upwards against the lower end face of the forming tube turret 1. Fig. 8c shows in the vertical section only about the rotation axis 10 'rotating blade 8 and arranged underneath and with the knife 8 synchronously with rotating support plate 31, in the top spring elements 32 are formed, the knife 8 away from the solid support plate 31 upwards against Press the mold tube turret 1, not shown. In the distance below and also about the axis of rotation 10 'rotating turn the stop plate 9 can be seen.

In the FIGS. 8a and b is included in the supervision from above Fig. 8b represented in the disc recess of the stop plate 9 arranged knife 8, and in Fig. 8a It is clear that the support plate 31 has a smaller footprint than the knife 8 and compared to the cutting edges 8a, b is set back everywhere.

• Über die zentrale Antriebswelle 23 wird hier lediglich der Drehantrieb von Messer 8 und Anschlagplatte 9 bewirkt sowie die Einstellung deren axialen Abstandes zueinander. Der Drehantrieb des Formrohrrevolvers 1, von dem hier lediglich die unterste Revolverscheibe 5a dargestellt ist, erfolgt über eine Außenverzahnung an dieser Revolverscheibe 5a, in die ein Ritzel 38 eingreift, welches direkt von einem Motor 15 angetrieben wird.

Fig. 9 shows a z. B. Fig. 1d other design of the portioning machine, which concerns the rotary drive of the individual components:

• About the central drive shaft 23 only the rotary drive of knife 8 and stop plate 9 is effected here as well as the setting of their axial distance from each other here. The rotary drive of the forming tube turret 1, of which only the lowermost turret plate 5a is shown here, via an external toothing on this turret plate 5a, in which a pinion 38 engages, which is driven directly by a motor 15.

In the rear area, a further region 15 'is shown, which can drive a further pinion 38' controlled near the outer periphery of the forming tube turret 1, which serves for the rotary drive of the intermediate plate 26, not visible in this figure, which must be rotatable relative to the forming tube turret 1.

• Als Anschlagelement für das untere, aus dem Formrohr 1a des vorstehenden und aufzuschneidenden Schneidgutes 2 dient dabei ein Förderband 18, wobei es sich um ein endlos umlaufendes oder auch ein endliches, hin und her bewegbares, Förderband handeln kann.

The Figures 10 also show possibilities for compensating the thickness of the blade 8 penetrating the material to be cut 2:

• As a stop element for the lower, from the forming tube 1a of the above and aufzuschneidenden cutting material 2 serves a conveyor belt 18, which may be an endlessly circulating or a finite, reciprocable, conveyor belt.

In order to serve as a stop element, the lower end face of the material to be cut 2 before the separation of a disc 2a on the top, the contact surface, of the conveyor belt 18.

If the knife 8, with its not insignificant thickness, penetrates laterally into the material to be cut 2, the already separated part of the disk 2a is displaced downwards by the thickness of the knife 8. To compensate for this, is in Fig. 10a in the top of the conveyor belt 18, a recess 37 is arranged, whose depth corresponds to the thickness of the blade 8. The cross-sectional shape corresponds to the cross section of the currently used forming tube 1a or the largest existing in the forming tube turret 1 form tube 1a. If now - in Fig. 10a from left to right - the knife 8 increasingly penetrates into the material to be cut 2, the conveyor belt 18 whose recess 37 was initially positioned completely left of the cutting material 2 is increasingly moved to the right, so that always such a proportion of the recess 37 is located below the forming tube 1a with the cutting material 2, which is congruent with the currently located in the cross section of the forming tube 1a part of the knife. 8

The disadvantage of this solution is that in this case a relative movement between the conveyor belt 18 and the already partially separated slice 2a is necessary, which can lead to a folding or discarding the separated part of the disc 2a.

This problem can be solved, for example, by the fact that the conveyor belt 18 - seen in the top view - consists of juxtaposed straps, and in the intervals between needles 35 project above the contact surface of the conveyor belt 18, in the cross-sectional area of the forming tube 1 a. The separated part of the disc 2a falls on these needles 35 and is held by them. The needles 35 do not move with the relative movement between the conveyor belt 18 and disc 2a with the conveyor belt 18, but are arranged at a fixed position, but in its extension direction down from the disc 2a retractable, which is necessary to remove them after complete separation of the disc 2a with the aid of the conveyor belt 18.

• In diesem Fall besitzt das Förderband 18 - welches hier ein endlos um zwei Umlenkrollen 36a,b umlaufendes Förderband 18 ist, was für diese Lösung jedoch nicht zwingende Voraussetzung ist - eine ebene Oberseite als Kontaktfläche, also ohne die Vertiefung gemäß Fig. 10a.

Fig. 10b shows a solution in which the serving as a stop element conveyor belt 18 during the separation of the disc 2a from the cutting material 2 with its contact surface no sliding movement relative to the disc 2a must perform:

• In this case, has the conveyor belt 18 - which here is an endless around two pulleys 36a, b circulating conveyor belt 18, which is not mandatory requirement for this solution - a flat top as a contact surface, ie without the recess according to Fig. 10a ,

The height compensation in the penetration of the knife 8 is created by the fact that the penetration of the knife 8, the conveyor belt 18 is first increasingly lowered on the Eindringseite the disc 2a until a reduction corresponding to the thickness of the blade 8 is reached, and then or temporally overlapping so that other end of the conveyor belt, which is the exit point of the knife 8 from the cutting material 2 closest, is also lowered until this reduction is achieved. In the present case, for this purpose, first the deflection roller 36a and then the deflection roller 36b are lowered in order to achieve this.

• In Fig. 10a sind in oder nahe der unteren Stirnfläche des Formrohrrevolvers 1 Magnete 33 eingelassen, die das Messer 8, welches in aller Regel aus magnetischem Material wie etwa Stahl besteht, ständig heranziehen und trotz Gleitbewegung entlang der Stirnfläche an dieser Stirnfläche des Formrohrrevolvers 1 halten.

Again, needles 35, which may be arranged in this case, directly on the contact surface of the conveyor belt 18 or project through the conveyor belt 18, be present, but this lack of relative displacement between the conveyor belt 18 and disc 2a during the separation of the disc 2a mostly is not necessary. If so, the needles 35 should be designed retractable from the disc 2a here too. The Figures 10 show further ways in which the knife 8 can be held on the lower end face of the forming tube turret 1, as possible can be held in abutment to prevent a cutting gap between them, and without requiring support of the knife 8 from the side facing away from the forming tube turret:

• In Fig. 10a are embedded in or near the lower end face of the forming tube turret 1 magnets 33, the knife 8, which usually consists of magnetic material such as steel, constantly attract and hold despite sliding movement along the end face on this end face of the forming tube turret 1.

The same purpose is fulfilled in Fig. 10b illustrated negative pressure openings 34, which constantly use the plate-shaped, so flat, knife 8 during suction of the cutting insert on the end face of the forming tube turret 1 by means of suction air and avoid a cutting gap therebetween.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Forming tube revolver

1a, b .....

Shaped tube, shaped tube opening

2

be cut

2a, b

disc

3

Longitudinal compression punches

4

servo cylinder

5a, b

turret disc

6

adapter disc

7

Handrail

8th

knife

8a, b

cutting edge

9

stop plate

10

longitudinal direction

10 ', 10 "

axis of rotation

11

Press axis, cutting position

12

portioning

12 '

Portionierrevolver

13

Portionieröffnung

14

Motor for knives

15

Engine for revolvers

16

Actuator cylinder disc thickness

17

distance

18

conveyor belt

19

input unit

20

guide ring

21

casing

22

central opening

23

drive shaft

23a, b

pipe

24

control

25a, b

transverse punch

26

intermediate plate

27

gap

28

attack

29

wedge plate

30

compression spring

31

support plate

32

spring element

33

magnet

34

Vacuum ports

35

needles

36a, b

guide rollers

37

deepening

38, 38 '

pinion

Claims (15)

Portioning machine for cutting a strand-like material to be cut (2) into slices (2a, b ..) with preferably the same volume with - an upwardly projecting, about a rotational axis (10 ') rotatable, forming tube turret (1), in which a plurality, in the longitudinal direction (10) of the forming tube turret (1) extending, top and bottom open mold tube openings (1 a, b, c) Receiving the cutting material (2) are arranged, - A longitudinally (10) acted upon by force and movable longitudinal plunger (3) at a peripheral location, the cutting position (11), for immersion in the forming tube (1a) and longitudinal compression and advancement of the therein cutting material (2) forward to the cutting side, - a cutting device at the lower end of the forming tube turret (1) with a about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation (10 ') of the forming tube turret (1) rotationally driven knife (8), - a removal device for the separated slices (2a, b ..) - characterized in that an axial abutment element for the material to be cut which is adjustable in its distance from the forming tube turret (1) is arranged on the opposite side of the knife (8) with respect to the forming tube (1), - The stop element is a stop plate (9) which is driven in rotation together with the knife (8) and about the same axis and at least in the region of the knife (8) has a Scheibenausnehmung, - Between a lowermost turret plate (5a) and the overlying part of the forming tube turret (1) is arranged independently of the forming tube turret (1) about the axis of rotation (10 ') of the forming tube turret 1 rotatable intermediate plate (26) having a through hole for the material to be cut (2), which is at least as large as the largest mold tube opening (1a ..) and in the cutting position (11) can be brought. Portioning machine according to claim 1,
characterized in that
the knife (8) rotates about the axis of rotation (10 ') of the forming tube turret (1). Portioning machine according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
at the edge of the end face of the forming tube turret (1) a starting edge for the knife (8) made of steel or a material sharpening the cutting edge of the knife (8) is arranged. Portioning machine according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the cutting edge of the knife (8) is a spiral shape with radially outwardly increasing radius, by means of the turning of the knife (8) a pulling section is effected, the per centimeter depth of cut has at least three, more preferably at least four centimeters cutting length. Portioning machine according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the knife (8) is held directly on the end face of the forming tube turret (1) - A the blade (8) supporting, stable support plate (31) on the side facing away from the forming tube turret (1) side of the knife (8) having a base area which is smaller than that of the knife (8) and of all cutting edges (8a, b ) of the knife (8) is set back inwards, - In particular on the knife (8) facing contact surface of the support plate (31) spring elements (32) are arranged, which press the knife (8) of the support plate (31) away. Portioning machine according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the mold tube turret (1) consists of plastic and is composed of a plurality of axially adjoining, in particular one-piece, turret discs (5a, b), which are held in the longitudinal direction (10) by a central support rod (7) pressed against each other and in the direction of rotation be held in alignment with each other by form-fitting intermeshing fitting elements with their mold tube openings. Portioning machine according to claim 6,
characterized in that
the individual turret discs (5a ...) from the region of the mold tube openings (1a ..) to the outside with a small gap (27) are spaced from each other for the escape of air or liquid from the forming tube (1a). Portioning machine according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
a controller (24) is present, which is able to determine the length of the material to be cut (2) after the longitudinal compression of the material to be cut (2) and before the start of the slicing and then to calculate a slice thickness which depends on further predetermined parameters Slicing of the material to be cut with minimally remaining remainder, ideally without residue, possible. Portioning machine according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the longitudinal plunger (3) is driven by a servo cylinder (4) and can approach exactly predetermined longitudinal positions, which the control in dependence of the between knife (8) and stop plate (9) set axial distance (17). Portioning machine according to claim 9,
characterized in that
the longitudinal plunger (3) on the servo cylinder (4) is changeable in adaptation to the cross section of the selected forming tube. Portioning machine according to claim 10,
characterized in that
the longitudinal plunger (3) is one of a plurality of longitudinal dies (3) on a ram punch, which rotates synchronously with the forming tube turret (1), but preferably about an axis laterally spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the forming tube turret, that die tube turret (1) and ram turret only in alignment in the cutting position (11) and a longitudinal plunger (3) is present only in the cutting position. Portioning machine according to claim 10,
characterized in that
the longitudinal plunger (3) is one of a plurality of longitudinal dies (3), which are displaceable along a rail and a portion of the rail in the cutting position is part of the servo cylinder (4). Method for cutting a strand-like material to be cut (2) into slices (2a), preferably of the same volume, by means of a portioning machine according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that - Pre-pressing of the material to be cut (2) by means of the longitudinal press ram (3) against an intermediate plate (26), - After Vorverpressen the intermediate plate (26) is rotated so that in the cutting position (11), the opening of the intermediate plate (26) with the forming tube (1 a) in the cutting position (11) is aligned and - Then the cutting material (2) in the cutting position against the stop plate (9) in the longitudinal direction (10) is pressed and cut. Method according to claim 13,
characterized in that
a volume determination of the material to be cut (2) by determining the position of the longitudinal press ram (3) in the forming tube (1a ...) during pre-pressing or final compression is performed. Method according to claim 13 or 14,
characterized in that
in one of individual turret discs (5a, b) existing Formrohrrevolver (1) the pressure of the individual turret discs (5a, b) against each other in the assembled state is selected so that during longitudinal compression of the material to be cut (2) in the forming tube (1a) trapped air or liquid through the joints (27) between the turret discs (5a, b) can escape to the outside.

Images