FR2537401A1 - Machine for automatically manufacturing meat, vegetable or other kebabs - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the invention relates, particularly, to the technical field of forming or processing food products. The machine comprises, in combination, suitably mounted on a frame S, a sliding support plate 1 disposed axially at the base of the container 7 and mounted with the capability for guided vertical movement, being coupled to a control member, the said plate 1 having a removable slide 4 arranged in order to permit the removable vertical positioning of a plurality of skewers 6 with a view to their being driven into the various layers during action on the abovementioned control member; a cutting device or cutting devices is or are coupled to a means for control in terms of back and forth horizontal translation mounted with guided sliding relative to the frame S and perpendicular to one at least of the faces of the container 7 with a view to slicing the layers of meat and/or vegetables; the skewering and cutting devices are controlled in synchronism from one and the same control point. The invention is used, in particular, for producing meat and/or vegetable kebabs entirely automatically.

Description

 The subject of the invention is a machine for the automatic manufacture of skewers of vegetable or other meat.

 The object of the invention relates in particular to the technical sector of the shaping or processing of food products.

 We know of shaped machines for performing the calibrated cutting of the different layers of meat and / or vegetables, as well as the skewering of these different layers. Generally, this type of machine has a basket or tray into which are introduced, in superimposed rows, the layers of meat and / or vegetables.

The base and the lid of this basket are equipped with guides for sliding the pins intended to be inserted into the different layers, while the walls of this basket are provided with vertical slots for the passage of one or more cutting blades.

 Skewering is done either manually, which is long and tedious, or in a semi-automatic manner. In the latter case, the means proposed to date are ill-suited and still require manual intervention. In addition, when different layers of meat or vegetables are too hard, the skewering means, by their conformation, do not allow the pins to be pushed in. We often have to resort to additional organs.

 This results in a relatively long implementation time, and incomplete automation.

 Cutting layers of meat or vegetables can be done manually or mechanically.

 In the case of manual cutting, the user successively introduces a sharp blade into the vertical slots of the basket by manually exerting a low pressure on the blade, which is long and generates relatively significant muscle fatigue.

 Mechanical cutting devices most often comprise a plurality of cutting blades coupled to a motor member so as to be simultaneously subjected to an alternating movement back and forth, combined with a vertical downward movement of the entire device. There are therefore necessarily two combined movements, which increases the manufacturing cost and decreases the yield.

 The aim of the invention is set, in a particularly simple and advantageous manner, the production of a machine which allows a fully automatic manner, requiring almost no human intervention, other than loading and unload the basket, both skewering and cutting different layers of meat and / or vegetables in order to make kebabs.

 To this end, the machine comprises in combination, suitably mounted on a frame (S), a sliding support plate (1) disposed axially at the base of the tank (7) and mounted with the ability of vertical displacement guided by being coupled to a member. control, said plate having a removable drawer arranged to allow removable vertical positioning of a plurality of pins for their insertion into the different layers during an action on the aforementioned control member; one or more cutting devices being coupled to a means for controlling the forward and backward horizontal translation by being mounted in sliding guided with respect to the frame (S) and perpendicular to at least one of the faces of the tank (7) in view of '' slicing layers of meat and / or vegetables; the skewering and cutting devices being controlled synchronously from the same control point.

 These characteristics and others will emerge from the following description.

To fix the object of the invention, without however limiting it, in the accompanying drawings
Figure l is a front view of the machine.

 Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1.

 Figure 3 is, on a small scale, a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the machine.

 Figure 4 is a schematic view showing the automatic spindle changing device.

 FIGS. 5 to 11 are diagrammatic front and plan views showing the different phases of automatic skewering and uncoupling.

 In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is now described in a nonlimiting manner with reference to the exemplary embodiments of the figures of the drawings.

 It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the machine according to the invention comprises, in combination, mounted on the same support frame (S), an automatic skewering device (E) and an automatic cutting device (C). The device (D) for automatically changing the pins (Figure 4) is mounted on the frame (S) or is independent of the latter.

 The skewering device (E) implements a support plate (l) mounted to slide freely and guided on vertical columns (2) that has the frame (S). This plate (l) is attached to the rod of a double-acting cylinder (3), to be moved vertically along the guide columns (2) -.

 A removable drawer (4) is housed in the thickness of the plate, being arranged to allow positioning and guiding of the pins. For example, the drawer (1) has an overflow of a plurality of hollow rods (5) arranged vertically. These rods are intended to receive the pins (6) and are positioned on the drawer (4), in an orderly manner so as to correspond to the arrangements of the tray (7) shaped to receive the different layers of meat and / or vegetables to be skewered and then cut. The length of the rods is less than that of the pins.

 For this purpose, the tank (7) is mounted on a part of the support frame (S) while being positioned axially to the rod holder assembly (5). For example, the tank (7) is fixed in a removable manner on a base ^ - or support plate (8) having axially an opening (8a) for the passage of all the rods (5), said opening being closed concentrically to a corresponding opening (Sa) of the frame.

 As indicated in the following description, the support plate (8) is mounted on the frame in a fixed manner or in a rotary manner depending on the means of implementation of the cutting device.

 In a known manner, the lower part of the tank (7) has a guide (7a) pierced with a plurality of holes in number corresponding to the number of pins (6) for the linear guidance of the rod assembly (5) - pins (6). The opposite upper part of the tray receives a guide (7b) for positioning the pointed ends of the pins (6). The walls of the container (7) are provided with a plurality of vertical slots for the passage of the knives.

 When the support plate (8) is rotatably mounted, the latter is centered on a circular friction lever (9) positioned fixed.

lying on the frame. In the same way as the support base (8), the ring (9) has an axial opening (9a) for the passage of the rod-pin assembly. It therefore follows that the tank (7) is capable of being driven in a circular movement.

 According to the invention, it was desired to index in rotation the plate (8) according to a circular movement of very substantially 90 ". For this purpose, the periphery of the plate (8) has an overhanging finger (10) disposed axially to the device. section (Figure 2). At the end of this finger is coupled, freely rotating, the free end of the rod (11a) of a jack (11). For example, the end of the jack rod has a load (lob) in which the finger (10) is articulated. This cylinder barrel is angularly arranged on the frame (S) by being fixed to its free end in an articulated manner, in a horizontal plane. when the jack (1l) is ac tisoned, the rod (lia) of the latter creates on the finger (10) a pushing force which rotates the plate (8) and the tank (7) circularly, to a position stop which corresponds to a circular movement of 90ode the tray-tray assembly.

 It is pointed out that in the indexing position at 90th of the plate, an end of travel stop (not shown) can act on the jack (11) in order to cut off its supply. The jack (11) is suitably angularly positioned on the support frame (S), so that the rod (11a), during its movement, does not come into contact with the assembly of the plate and the container (7 ) (Figure 10).

 The slicing device (C) is mounted to slide freely and guided on the frame (S) while being disposed opposite one of the vertical faces of the tank (7), and in a plane perpendicular to the skewering device described above. -above.

 The device (C) comprises a set of knives (12), the number of which corresponds to that of the slots in the container (7). The rear part of the knives (12) is integral with a coupling block (13) which is connected to the rod (14a) of a double-acting cylinder (14) in order to apply to the entire block knife holder, a horizontal translational movement back and forth. In the illustrated mounting example, the jack is fixed in a stirrup (15) while the knife holder block (13) is present near its lateral edges, columns (16) which cooperate, via sleeve (17), with horizontal guide rods (18) mounted on the frame (S).

 In a particularly interesting manner, the cutting part (12a) of the blade of the knives (12) is bevelled, and the height (L) of this blade corresponding very substantially to the distance between the upper (7a) and lower (7b) guides. ) of the skewering tank (7). The length of the blades depends on the dimensions of the tank (7). The cutting edge (12a) of each of the blades is bevelled so that the horizontal side (12b) of greater length is located in the upper part.

 It is therefore understandable that when the jack (14) is actuated, one set of blades (12) gradually penetrates into the different layers of meat and / or vegetables in order to slice them in a single operation.

 The operation of the machine according to the invention should now be explained with particular reference to Figures 5 to 11 of the drawings.

- The drawer (4) is put into place in the support plate (1), the pins (6) being engaged in the hollow rods (5), the point directed upwards. The tray (7) is lined internally with the different layers (not shown) of meat and / or vegetables (Figure 5).

- The actuator (3) is actuated, the rod of which pushes the whole of the plate (1), which has the effect of causing the progressive sinking of the pins (6) and the rods (5) in the different layers of meat and / or vegetables, until the pins (6) are positioned in abutment in the guide (7b) of the container (7). The cylinder (4) is stopped (Figure 6).

- The cylinder (4) of the cutting device is actuated to cause the translational movement of the knife block (12), the blades of which gradually penetrate into the different layers of meat or vegetables in order to cut them entirely in one single movement (Figures 7 and 8). We note that all of the rods and pins can remain pressed into the different layers, the knife blades passing in this case between all of said rods and pins, or else, the rod support plate being lowered is recalled by position.

- The rod (14a) of the jack (14) is returned to the blade release position (12a), the jack (3) being, if not already done, actuated in the opposite direction to lower the plate (1) and all of the hollow guide rods (5), the pins (6) remaining inserted in the cut layers of meat and / or vegetables (FIG. 9).

- Then actuate the jack (it) allowing indexing to 90 "of the tray and the tray (7) (Figure 10), in view of a second cut in the layers of skewered meat or vegetables, perpendicular to the first cut I1 suffices for this to act on the jack (14) for the translational movement of the knife block (12).

 The jack (14) is then brought back to the erasing position, which makes it possible to dismantle the tank (7) and remove the skewers.

 It is obvious that the different jacks are controlled synchronously, from a single control point.

 In a particularly advantageous manner, the machine according to the invention is equipped with a device allowing the automatic loading of the pins (6) into the guide rods (5) which the removable drawer (4) has in overflow.

 For this purpose, a large number of pins (6) is arranged in a box (9), the heads of said pins being positioned in the upward direction. The internal volume of the box is then reduced, by means of a jack (20) which pushes one of the transverse sides (19a) of said box (19). Then acts on the control of a vibrating bowl (21) disposed at the base of the box (19), which has the effect of positioning a number of pins in holes (22) that has the base of the box. These holes are temporarily closed by a drawer (23) pierced right through with a plurality of holes (23a) in number corresponding to the holes (22). This drawer (23) is slaved to a double-acting cylinder (24) to be controlled in translation in order to close or release the holes (22).

 The drawer (4) pre-equipped with hollow rods (5) is automatically positioned opposite the holes (23a) of the drawer (23) and close to the latter. The drawer (4) can for example be controlled in height by means of a jack (25).

 The drawer (23) is then moved in translation by the jack (24) so as to match the holes (22 and 23a). The drawer (4) continues to rise and automatically takes care of the pins (6) which fall by gravitation into the rods (5) of the drawer (4). The actuator (25) is then actuated in the opposite direction to lower the drawer (4) which is fully furnished with the pins (6). The jack (24) returns the drawer (23) to the closed position of the holes (22) to start another operation (Figure 4).

 In an alternative embodiment, the support plate (8) on which is mounted the skewering and cutting tank (7), is positioned on the machine frame in a fixed manner. The machine in this case has two cutting devices (C1 and C2) (Figure 3), shaped as indicated above. These two devices are therefore mounted to slide freely and guided on the frame (1), being arranged 90 "relative to each other, to cooperate with two angled faces of the tank (7) of skewering.

 The operation of the machine remains very much the same as that indicated above, the two cutting devices being put into operation one after the other after the various layers of meat and / or vegetables have been racked.

 In a particularly advantageous manner, it is emphasized that, according to the invention, it is possible to garnish in advance several drawers (4) equipped with overflow of the hollow guide rods (5). As a result, as soon as the cycle is finished, that is to say that the layers of meat and / or vegetables are skewered and then cut, it suffices to remove the drawer (4) for positioning and guiding the pins and replace them with a pre-trimmed pin drawer, while filling the tray (7) with other layers of meat and / or vegetables. A continuous manufacturing sequence is therefore carried out without practically any interruption.

 The advantages emerge clearly from the description, in particular it underlines - The simplicity of realization.

- The reduced cost price.

- Total automation of skewering and cutting of the various layers of meat and / or vegetables on the same machine.

- One person is necessary and sufficient to operate the empty container on the one hand with a pre-filled container and, on the other hand, the drawer receiving the pins. In fact it is possible, during the course of the machine's operating cycle (skewering and slicing of the layers of meat and / or vegetables), which is carried out in a fully automatic manner without any minute intervention, to fill several bins in meat and / or vegetables and to equip several drawers with spits.

 The invention is in no way limited to that of its modes of application any more than to those of the embodiments of its various parts having been more especially indicated; on the contrary, it embraces all its variants.

Claims (12)

 -1- Machine for the automatic manufacture of skewers of meat and / or vegetables, equipped with a cutting and skewering tank (7) receiving the different layers of meat and / or vegetables, characterized in that it comprises in combination, suitably mounted on a frame (S), a sliding support plate (1) disposed axially at the base of the tank (7) and mounted with vertical displacement capacity guided by being coupled to a control member, the so-called plate (1) having a removable drawer (4) arranged to allow the removable vertical positioning of a plurality of pins C6) for their insertion into the different layers during an action on the aforementioned control member; one or more cutting devices being coupled a control means in horizontal translation back and forth by being mounted with guided sliding relative to the frame (S) and perpendicular to at least one of the faces of the tank (7) in order to slicing layers of meat and / or vegetables; 1 skewering and cutting devices being controlled synchronously from the same control point. -2- Machine according to claim 1 wherein the lower part of the tank (7) has a guide (7a) pierced with a plurality of holes in number corresponding to the number of pins (6), the upper opposite part of the tank ( 7) receiving a guide (7b) for positioning the pointed ends of the pins, characterized in that the removable drawer (4) has an overflow a plurality of hollow rods (5) arranged vertically and intended to receive the pins (6), said rods (5) being positioned on the drawer (4) in an orderly manner so as to correspond to the spacings of the tank (7) in particular cooperating with the guide strands (7a) to ensure the linear guidance of the rod assembly (5) - pins (6) when they are inserted into the different layers of meat and / or vegetables. -3- Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the tank (7) is fixed in a removable manner on a support plate (8) having axially an opening (8a) for the passage of all the rods (5), said opening (8a) being formed concentrically with a corresponding opening (Sa) presented by the frame (S). -4- Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the plate (8) is mounted on the frame in a rotary manner, being in dexed to 90 "in rotation. -5- Machine according to claims 1 and 4 together, characterized in that the periphery of the plate (8) has an overhanging finger (10) disposed axially to the cutting device, the free end of said finger being coupled with free rotation to the rod of a jack (11) whose barrel is angularly arranged on the frame while being fixed therein in an articulated manner in a horizontal plane so that, under the effect of the thrust exerted by the rod of the jack (11 ), the tray (8) - tray (7) assembly rotates circularly by 90 "to a stop position. -6- Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, charac tersée in that it has a slicing device (C) available opposite one of the vertical faces of the tank (7) having a series of vertical slots, and in a plane perpendicular to the skewer device. -7- Machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the device (C) comprises a set of knives (12) whose rear part is secured to a coupling block (13) which is connected to the rod a double-acting cylinder (14) for applying a horizontal translational movement back and forth to the whole of the knife block. -8- Machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the cutting part (12a) of the knife blade (12) is bevelled so that the horizontal side of greater length is located in the upper part, the height (h) of this blade being very substantially equal to the distance between the guides (7a and 7b) of the tank (7). -9- Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the plate (8) is mounted on the frame (S) in a fixed manner. -10- Machine according to claim 9 and any one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that it has two slicing devices (C1 and C2) located in a plane perpendicular to the skewer device and arranged at 90 " one with respect to the other to cooperate with two angled faces of the skewering tank (7). -11- Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with a device allowing the automatic change of the pins (6) in the corresponding arrangements of the drawer (4). -12- Machine according to claim 11, characterized in that the device comprises a box (19) in which the pins (6) are arranged, the heads being directed upwards; a jack (20) is coupled to one of the transverse sides of the box (19) in order to reduce its volume while a vibrating bowl (21), arranged at the base of the box (19), ensures the positioning of a certain number of pins in holes (22) that has the base of the box, these holes being capable of being temporarily closed by a drawer (23) pierced right through with a plurality of holes (23a) in number corresponding with the holes in the box, said drawer (23) being slaved to a double-acting cylinder (24) to be controlled in translation in order to close or release the holes (22); the drawer (4) is automatically positioned opposite the holes (23a) of the drawer (23) and close to the latter, being controlled in height by means of a jack.