ES2293838B1 - PROCEDURE AND MACHINE FOR THE CUTTING OF PRODUCTS IN ROLLS IN SPECIAL FROZEN OR ULTRACONGED FOODS. - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure and machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods. The machine of the invention has a horizontally designed endless saw cutting element that moves between two large pulleys, a saw that intersects with an adjustable support table whose height with respect to the saw defines the thickness of the rolled part. Centrally to this support table there is a circular support that has radial arms where the supports of the pieces to be cut are anchored that move towards the cutting area for rolling in successive passes of the product. The invention also includes the cutting process. This machine is adapted to cut food products such as meats, fish, etc ... and non-food, such as wood, aluminum, etc ..., whether frozen food products, deep-frozen or at room temperature.

Description

Procedure and machine for cutting sliced products especially frozen foods or deep-frozen

Object of the invention

The object of the present invention relates to a procedure and a machine for cutting products in slices and especially food and therefore the sector of Application of the present invention is the cutting of products food especially frozen or deep-frozen sliced, not being disposable any other type of products.

A usual way of consuming products such and as meat and fish is sliced consumption so operations of filming these products have been developed in the state of the art for a long time, resulting in numerous more or less ingenious embodiments thereof.

Background of the invention

They are known in the state of the art food cutting machines such as meat, fish etc., formed by vertical saws through which it is made pass to frozen fish or meat, dividing said product into smaller portions.

These cutters have limitations or disadvantages that the elements to be cut in a way are introduced individual towards the sierra, so the production is not very high. They have the added problem of insecurity that they cause in the manipulator of such machines with what is usually they cause accidents among operators due to carelessness or excess operator confidence in the tasks performed.

In large fish or pieces of meat are extracted or cut these large pieces into smaller portions that are the  finally filmed, for example in the big bluefin tunas they are cut lengthwise in order to be able to do more manageable and be able to get a few slices more easily consumables

These products usually come from fishing boats that freeze them offshore in order to that they do not lose any nutritional value and can reach high conservation periods.

Low temperatures are not useful for sterilization, since, although there are some bacteria that die from freezing, for example the pathogenic species of Neisseria , the effect of this treatment on many others is, above all, bacteriostatic, not counting those psychrophilic organisms or psychrotrophs, that is, those that are lethargic in their growth but not destroyed.

For slicing frozen fish what is to be done is to raise its temperature, leaving it approximately around -5 ° C, temperature at which will produce slicing of the product.

At these temperatures two effects occur negative for the product, the first and most pernicious is that some bacteria no longer remain lethargic, producing a rapid bacterial contamination of the product in a short time and by another part at these temperatures the product cut causes a very high waste due to the fact that fish fibers or meat is frayed having significant losses this product.

The German patent is known DE-9005796.1 of the firm NORDISCHER MASCHINENBAU RUD BAADER GMBH & Co. KG relating to device for cutting in Slices a rigid food product, especially for cutting Frozen fish fillets. This device is constituted by middle of a conveyor that advances frozen fish towards pairs of blades that are in the way of the advance of frozen fish less and less separated and placed from stepwise. This stepped form is made in order that the machine does not get clogged when cutting the entire piece of fish at the same time and also avoid excessive energy expenditure when cutting All fish at once.

European patent is known EP-0235322 by FRISCO-FINDUS AG referred to a procedure and an automatic cutting device in Portions of meat and fish. This procedure and apparatus is based to deposit the piece on parallel conveyor belts of meat or fish to be cut so that the weight that is recorded rest on each one of them and with it the placement of the circular saw to cut said product. The purpose of the invention is to cut these products in  portions with similar weights suitable for freezing.

European patent is known Signature EP-0586721 FRISCO-FINDUS AG referred to a method of cutting frozen blocks in portions to make small portions of frozen fish. This device has as its characteristic an axis  Carrier of multiple parallel blades that define the thickness of the cut product.

The European patent is also known EP-0278309 describing a traditional saw of sliced fish cut that requires great force to apply about the fish blocks to cut and that leads frequently due to the time kept in the cut that they end partially defrosted affecting product quality and waste that occurs when cutting, since it they release a large number of fibers that are dragged during the cut.

Finally the patent must be mentioned Spanish ES-2,169,702 by Basilio Ayala Pauner relating to an installation for continuous cutting of a product in portions, whose purpose is sliced fish frozen or any other food product. This installation has a conveyor that carries means of frozen product support that makes it go through multiple continuous saw type cutting devices. A feature of this installation is the inclination of these saw means and therefore of the product when it passes through the cutting means. This installation resembles cold cuts because they have inclined to facilitate said cutting and exit of the cut product. First of all it is an installation of large dimensions in which a large number of cutting elements for cutting the piece of fish, which causes either a quick defrosting of the product if the conveyor has to be turned several times or excessive number of cutters so that in a single turn you can cut everything the product. There are also feeding problems and displacement of the piece to be cut since with such an inclination of the cutting elements and the product to be cut is difficult a Slip by the weight of the piece to be cut and more when that piece turns out to be small in weight and dimensions.

Description of the invention

Trying to obviate the problems of the state of The aforementioned technique has been developed invention, in which the following elements stand out, such as fundamental but not exclusive elements of the aforementioned machine:

- The cutting element is endless saw, of horizontal design, which is held between two large pulleys, one of them driven and the other driven, having an automated saw tensioning system that guarantees everything moment that the saw is tense at the time of cutting, already that a release of the same can cause the defective cut of the frozen product or that the saw leaves the pulleys causing an accident or breakage of some organ of the machine.

- Secondly there is a table where they go supporting the pieces of frozen product to be cut during all Machine operations This support piece is mobile, it goes placed below the place where the saw produces the cut and the distance between the saw and this table defines the thickness of the slices of cut product, therefore this table is equipped with the possibility of vertical displacement that regulates the thickness of the slices to be cut.

- Thirdly there is a circular support carrier of the fastening system of the pieces to be cut in whose periphery are subject to the aforementioned systems of subject each adapted to the product in question that moment of cutting that forces each of the products retained in said system to move to the cutting station, so that in subsequent passes proceed to the total cut of the product.

Subsequently there are means incorporated in the machine used to offer greater safety, comfort and reliability in the cut that will be explained throughout the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Throughout the description when talking about Product filming will refer to cutting them in a certain thickness although its shape once cut is not what it usually understood by slice.

Likewise the description of the invention and the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention will focus on cutting frozen food products or deep-frozen, serving the same machine for cutting any solid product, even in a non-freezing state such as could be pieces of wood, aluminum, etc., with the only observance of adapting the cutting means and cutting speed to the material that is being worked on at all times.

The method of operation of this machine and invention consists of the following phases operational:

- feeding at least one piece to be cut into at least one jaw attached to the circular support, resting on a support table.

- Vertical clamping of the frozen piece to be cut to ensure cutting parallelism, as well as avoid  vertical upward movement and ensure progress, all until the end of the cutting process in the different stages.

- Lateral clamping of the frozen piece to be cut to prevent lateral displacement or rotation.

- Frozen piece passing through the station cutting at different feed rates, depending on size, cutting resistance of the product to be cut and degree of freezing.

- Removal of the portion cut from the table support.

- Opening of the lateral clamping element and  consequent advance of the frozen piece until it stops with the Support table.

- Lateral pressing of the frozen piece

- Introduction of the frozen piece in the cutting station, to be cut again.

- Repeat the successive steps to the cut until you finish slicing the entire frozen product.

The circular support for clamping the jaws of the pieces to be cut has the characteristic that the larger its diameter is greater stations of positioning of pieces to cut  will have and therefore higher production will have the machine in question.

The clamping jaws of the pieces to be cut they will have different forms each adapted to the morphology of the piece to be treated and of the different forms they adopt the pieces to be cut.

Brief description of the figures

To complete the description that is being performing and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical realization of it, is accompanied as part member of that description, a set of drawings where with illustrative and non-limiting nature has been represented next:

Figure 1 represents a general view of the cutting machine.

Figure 1A represents a view of the system of clamping and feeding of the cutting machine.

Figure 2 represents a front view of the pulleys or steering wheels where the band saw that comes to the  Frozen sliced product.

Figure 3 shows a detail of the coupling of the bandsaw with the flywheel and the device Built-in steering wheel cleaner.

Figure 4 represents a detail of the station of cutting of the machine of the invention.

Figure 5 represents a detail of the drive the circular support of the clamping jaws of Frozen pieces to be cut.

Figure 6 represents a view of the support of Frozen pieces to cut.

Figure 7 represents a detail of the element horizontal clamping incorporated in a feeder support that It can have any form appropriate to the product to be cut.

Figure 8 represents a later detail of the actuation element of the horizontal support of the figure previous.

Figure 9 represents a detailed view of the vertical clamping element of frozen parts.

Figure 10 represents a detail of the support of the support table of the frozen pieces.

Figure 11 represents a detail of the piece of drag of the circular support carrier of the system subjection.

Figure 12 represents a detail of the support circulate at the height of the cutting device.

Figure 13 represents a detail of the cut and output station of sliced material frozen.

Figure 14 shows a detail of the arm tilting pusher of the slices that causes them to fall towards the product withdrawal conveyor belt.

Figures 15 to 17 represent three views of pneumatic switches for actuating devices horizontal fixing of the frozen pieces to be cut.

Figure 18 represents the end switch of stroke of the device of vertical fixation of the pieces Frozen to be cut.

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Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

A general view is shown in figure 1 of the cutting machine where the external details of the aforementioned machine such as the bench (42) that includes the pulleys or steering wheels (not visible) between which the saw is maintained cutting, the support table (2) that includes height adjustment with with respect to the cutting saw to set the cutting width of the products, the circular support (3) of frozen products which through the arms (6) attached to the jaws (7) of the pieces to cut. In position (43) the panel of control and governance of the cutting machine of the invention.

Figure 1A shows a view of the cutting machine of the invention where the three elements stand out fundamental of it as they are, the cutting element (5), the support table (2) and the circular support (3) of the clamping system of frozen pieces to be cut.

This figure shows the arms (4) of support table support (2). On top of the machine you can see the circular support (3) from which they come out perimeter and radially the arms (6) on which join the jaws (7) that carry the frozen product until cutting station These jaws will be described in greater detail. in the following figures.

In this figure 1A is observed as the support circular (3) when turning displaces the jaws (7), in whose bosom Frozen bodies are introduced to make slices. These bodies rest on the table (2) and are moved to the cutting station, where the saw (5) proceeds to cut a slice of the frozen product which is evacuated from the machine, consequently proceeding to turn a new lap from which will go through the cutting station again by starting a new one frozen body slice and so on until it finishes shooting Frozen whole body.

Figure 2 shows a detail of the type of employee saw, formed by two pulleys, the pulley conductive (8) and driven pulley (9). The driving pulley is moved by an engine, hidden from the aforementioned representation, joining both pulleys by means of a saw (10), whose upper part is crosses over the support table (2), resulting in its crossing to the cutting station (11) where the frozen product is filmed

The driven pulley (9) incorporates a device Automatic tensioning of the saw, not shown, which maintains the tensioned saw within an appropriate value for cutting these frozen products.

In Figure 3 a further detail is observed Approximate the driven pulley (9). There is a piece (13) that rests on the tread (12) of the flywheel or pulley (9) preventing the dirt that could drag the saw from insert between the steering wheel and the saw blade, avoiding the tensioning of the saw blade.

Figure 4 shows the cutting station (11) where the cutting blade (10) passes at a certain height of the support table (2), defining between the saw blade and the table surface (2) the thickness of the slice that is cut from the frozen product introduced into the machine. On the support table (2) there is a recess (14) forming a bridge, which allows the vertical displacement of the support table (2) and with it the slice thickness of frozen product by variation of the distance between the saw (10) and the table (2).

Figure 5 represents a detail of the circular support (3) of the jaws imprisoned frozen pieces to be cut. He displacement occurs by driving a motor, not represented, which transmits its turn to a pinion (15) and like this one gear with a toothed crown (16) that is attached to the support circular (3).

Figure 6 represents a view of one of the Jaws (7) of frozen pieces to be cut. Circular support (3) the arms (6) come out and they are held on one hand by the jaws (7) of frozen pieces and on the other the upper arm (17) that supports a piston (18) responsible for driving a tracer (19) whose support surface is pushing and also has a series of fixing tines (20) to prevent the leakage of frozen product of the action of the mentioned treadmill.

The treadmill (19) as the product is cut frozen is introduced into the cavity defined in the jaw (7) until you have completely finished lowering the trampler and the Last portion of frozen product has been cut. This treadmill (19) driven by the pneumatic piston (18) guarantees a perfect support on the table of the frozen product to be cut, providing an ideal cut of the same.

In the front part of the support (7) it is observed a tilting door (21) driven by a second piston tire that horizontally imprisons the frozen product when it is introduced into the cavity of the jaw (7).

Figure 7 represents a detail of the element horizontal clamping incorporated in a jaw (7). It is noted the tilting door (21) on whose inner face has some barbed or knurled that facilitates the retention of the frozen product when it is introduced inside the jaw (7). This tilting door revolves around the tilting axis (23) which joins through a connecting rod and a drive arm (24) to the second pneumatic drive pistons.

It must be mentioned that this restraint horizontal should be maintained when the frozen product approaches and passes over the cutting station preventing the attack from the  saw can swing that frozen piece and slices are made not uniforms in the aforementioned cutting station. In this figure you can see one of the support arms (4) of the support table (2) and as it emerges from the elongated slot (25) that allows the vertical displacement of the same and therefore of the support table (2).

In position (26) the piece that shows the leading edge of a piece whose distance to the upper edge of the saw is graduated, being able to be of plastic or nylon and that will push the frozen product to achieve A better cut of it.

Figure 8 represents a later detail of the actuation element of the horizontal support of the figure above, composed of it by means of a second cylinder tire (27) that drives the connecting rod and arm assembly drive (24) indicated in the previous figure. This piston pneumatic (27) rotatably joins the support arm (28) that It is rigidly attached to the jaw where the frozen product (7) to cut. This figure shows the arm (6) leaving the circular support (3), being on said arm Flanged the upper arm (17) and the jaw (7).

The part (26) shows the part fake whose lower leading edge and which was seen in the figure Previous was responsible for supporting the frozen product in its cut.

Figure 9 represents a detailed view of the vertical clamping element of frozen parts, constituted by a pneumatic piston attached to the upper arm (17), a piston whose drive rod ends in a treadmill (19) in which, of the lower face emerge some fixing spikes that grip more Sure the frozen product. This representation shows the button (29) whose drive lowers the piston until it is taken Contact with the frozen product. Referring to the figure 18 the same piston (18) defined above and as attached to it is a control rod (30) actuated together with the piston of the pneumatic cylinder. This rod of control (30) includes a piece (31), adjustable in height over the control rod and that is in charge of making contact with the piston control switch that will reverse the passage of air to pneumatic piston (18) lifting the treadmill (19) unequivocal signal that the frozen product of that gag will have already been fully cut, lifting the treadmill and allowing it to fill in the space defined in the jaw (7).

Figure 10 represents a detail of the support of the support table (2) of the frozen pieces, as well as one of the arms (4) for supporting the support table (2). In this figure another type of jaw (7) of the frozen parts is shown formed by a cylindrical body on whose side the tilting door (21) that holds the body horizontally Frozen to be cut.

The form adopted by this jaw (7) may be anyone who fits the frozen body that is to Be sliced.

Figure 11 represents a detail of the piece of drag and support (26) of the frozen parts coupled in the back of each jaw of frozen pieces, in this case for example by means of three screws. This piece is scarce millimeters of the saw (10) in the area of the cutting stage (eleven).

Figure 12 represents a detail of the support of the carrier carriage (33) at the height of the cutting station (11). This support is formed by a fixed skate that comes into contact with a second skate (34) coupled to the circular support of the jaws With this provision it is possible to avoid the possible balancing the circular support at the time of cutting that can cause said support to be cut by the saw since passes a few millimeters from it. This car holder is it is fixedly anchored to the machine frame.

Figure 13 represents a detail of the cutting station (11) and output of sliced material frozen, to the extraction station (35) of the product cut, station that has an inclined plane that ends in a product collection conveyor and an arm articulated (36) that ejects the slices towards the periphery of the machine and with it to the extraction station (35). If it was very attached said slice would overcome the force of the lever (36) that would swing inwards, waiting until a new stage to be withdrawn in it.

Figure 14 shows a detail of the arm tilting (36) slicer pusher that makes them fall towards the product removal conveyor belt.

In figures 15 to 17 three are represented views of the pneumatic switches (37) horizontal fixing devices of frozen parts to be cut. These switches that reach and leave the pneumatic connections (39) have an articulated arm (38) that in certain positions of the machine they pass through guides (40) that open or close the pneumatic circuit by operating the doors swingarms (21) both for opening and closing. In the Figure can be seen as the guide (40) ends on a ramp (41) of gentle descent that is similar to that of ascent, not represented In those figures.

Claims (17)

1. Machine for cutting products in slices, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods that understands: - A cutter element. - A height adjustable support table where the frozen product pieces stand vertically. - A circular support holder of the jaws of the pieces to be cut on whose periphery are subject brackets adapted to the shape of the product in question cut. 2. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting element is an endless saw. 3. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the endless saw moves between two pulleys, one of them driven and the other driven, providing the driven of an automated tensioning system. 4. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claim 1, characterized in that the support table is movable being movable in height with respect to the cutter element with which the thickness of the slices to be cut from the frozen product. 5. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claim 1, characterized in that the circular support has radially arranged arms on which the supports of the pieces to be cut are anchored. 6. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that the radially arranged arms in the circular carriage serve as an anchor for the arms where the upper actuator piston of the thrust pin is held. Vertical frozen product. 7. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that the jaws that hold the products incorporate tilting doors on the inside of which have spikes or knurls that retain the frozen product horizontally . 8. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claim 7, characterized in that the actuation of the tilting door of the jaws is carried out by means of a pneumatic piston attached by a part to the support of the frozen products while the piston drive rod is connected by connecting rod to the tilting door. 9. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claims 1 and 6, characterized in that the upper actuator piston of the vertical thrust tracer of the frozen product has a rod attached to said tracer and movable with movement. of the piston that incorporates a drive part of the piston limit switch. 10. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it has pneumatic switches attached to the circular carrier carrying the jaws of the frozen parts operable at certain points in the trajectory of its route in charge of controlling the swinging side door for frozen products when they pass through the product cutting station. 11. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claim 10, characterized in that the actuation of the pneumatic switches is achieved by means of an articulated arm attached to the valve whose path is a fixed guide that moves the cited articulated arm. 12. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claims 1 to 11, characterized in that at the exit of the cutting station above the support table and cutting the path of the frozen pieces cut it has an articulated arm that separates the cut pieces from the table to deposit them on the cut slices extraction station. 13. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, in correspondence with the cutting station, a device is arranged that contacts the circular support when it passes through the cutting station avoiding bending of said circular support at that point in the path. 14. Machine for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that false pieces are placed on the support pieces or jaws of the frozen products, the lower edge of which is placed at a small distance from the saw blade when it passes over it and that constitutes a pusher element of the frozen piece for cutting. 15. Procedure for cutting products sliced, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods that understand the phases of - feeding at least one piece to be cut into at least one support attached to a path support circular, resting on a support table. - Frozen piece passing through the station cut. - Repeat the cutting process by successive steps of the piece frozen by the cutting station. - Removal of the portions cut from the Support table. 16. Procedure for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises before the frozen product passes through the cutting station a - vertical clamping of the frozen piece to be cut to ensure cutting parallelism, as well as avoid its  vertical upward movement and ensure progress, all until the end of the cutting process in the different stages. - Lateral clamping of the frozen piece to be cut to prevent lateral displacement or rotation. 17. Procedure for cutting sliced products, especially frozen or deep-frozen foods according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises at the exit of the cutting station the steps of: - Opening of the lateral clamping element and  subsequent movement of the frozen piece until it stops With the support table. - Adjustment of the vertical clamping stop with the frozen piece. - Lateral pressing of the frozen piece.