FR2817833A1 - MACHINE FOR CANNING A FOOD PRODUCT, SUCH AS TUNA AND THE LIKE - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a machine for canning a food product such as tuna and the like. This machine conveys the food product (2) in a compression and shaping device comprising a knife (11) cutting portions of the product. food (2) and a compression channel (7) closed at one end by a shaping element (8) and at the other by a compactor (9). Two openings (14) are made in the bottom wall of the compression channel (7) for the passage of two dies (16) and two ejector pistons (15) which close the openings (14). The pistons (15) perform a cyclic movement comprising a backward movement relative to the compression and shaping device, a forward movement through the openings (14) and a return movement to the initial position. applicable to machines for canning food products.

Description

The present invention relates to a machine for canning a

  food product, such as tuna and the like, comprising a conveyor belt capable of carrying the food product in a compression and shaping device comprising a knife capable of cutting substantially parallelepiped portions of the food product, and a compression channel closed at one end by a shaping element and at the other end by means of a compactor sliding in the compression channel, two openings being formed in the bottom wall of the compression channel to allow the passage of a pair of dies and a pair of ejector pistons which, in their initial position, close the openings without protruding from a

  importantly in the compression channel.

  The present invention therefore relates to an improved canning machine, and particularly to a machine which is suitable for slicing, forming and canning a product.

  food such as tuna and the like.

  We know that tuna canning poses a certain number of problems because of the intrinsic nature of this food and especially because of its irregular consistency which makes it necessary to compress it to bring it to a predetermined density. and to keep the weight within acceptable limits

  of the product introduced into each box.

  Machines for cutting, compressing and canning tuna are already known. For example, US Pat. No. 5,203,141 in the name of the same applicant describes a machine in which the portions of tuna obtained by cutting the product are pushed into a compression channel which is closed at one end by a shaping element having two concavities semicylindrical. The tuna portions which are then compacted against the shaping elements are cut by two dies, thus forming pairs of cylindrical blocks. These are transferred into boxes by ejection pistons which enter the compression channel by passing through suitable openings in the bottom wall of the channel. In the rest position, the ejection pistons are already partially inserted in the openings and close them, thus preventing the food product from leaving the channel itself while it is subjected to the stages of

compression and shaping.

  However, a problem with the known machine is that the blocks of tuna which can be obtained by using it are characterized by poor surface quality. In fact, the pressure exerted on the portion of tuna during the stage of shaping the masses or blocks causes the food to stick to the walls of the compression channel and particularly to the surface of the ejection pistons. When the piston blocks are detached, fibers from the foodstuff stick to the pistons themselves. Consequently, the surfaces of the blocks thus obtained are imperfect, in addition the ejection pistons are covered with a crust and cannot be cleaned with

less stop the machine.

  The present invention therefore relates to the production of a machine which is free of

disadvantages mentioned.

  This object is achieved according to the invention by a canning machine of the type indicated at the beginning in that the ejection pistons have a cyclic movement comprising a rear movement relative to the compression and shaping device, a movement forward through the openings and a movement back to the initial position. The ejection pistons therefore carry out a cyclic movement comprising a rear movement with respect to the compression channel at the moment when the excessive pressure exerted on the blocks of

  tuna would cause sticking to be avoided, mentioned above

  above. According to an embodiment of the invention, the compression and shaping device can also comprise a pair of lateral shaping elements arranged in a sliding manner inside two wings of a sliding channel which perpendicularly crosses the compression channel, each lateral shaping element having one end having a semi-cylindrical concavity able to penetrate the compression channel by sliding between a matrix and the bottom of the shaping element, the outlet of the two wings of the sliding channel on the compression channel having flaps which can

be open.

  Finally, according to another embodiment of the invention, the rear movement of the ejection pistons takes place at the same time as the lateral shaping elements

  enter the compression channel.

  The invention will be better understood, and other aims, characteristics, details and advantages thereof

  will appear more clearly during the description

  Explanatory which will follow made with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings given solely by way of example illustrating an embodiment of the invention and in which: - the single figure is a simplified perspective view of the central core of the machine according to the mode

for carrying out the invention.

  Referring to the single figure, it can be seen that the machine according to the present embodiment of the invention comprises in a known manner a conveyor belt 1 capable of transporting a food product 2, for example tuna, through a opening 3 of a compression and shaping device, where the food product is brought to the required density. The compression and shaping device comprises a front block 4, a rear block 5 and two side elements 6 which connect said front and rear blocks and form the side walls of a compression channel 7 positioned in the middle of said device. The compression channel 7 is closed at one of its ends by a shaping element 8 and at the other end by a compactor 9 which slides in the compression channel 7

  under the pressure of a pneumatic piston 10.

  When the food product 2 has passed through the opening 3, it is cut by a knife 11 which cuts a portion 12 of the tuna which is inserted into the compression channel 7 to be brought to the required density. The knife 11 shown in the figure is of the type with two opposite blades, but it can be of any other

type suitable for this purpose.

  The portion of tuna 12 which is essentially of a parallelepiped shape, is compressed by the compactor 9 against the shaping element 8. The shaping element 8 has a substantially flat bottom, with a wedge 13 at its center, able to divide the portion of tuna 12 essentially into two parts. The separating corner 13 advantageously has an enlarged base by which it is connected to the shaping element 8 and has lateral profiles which are appropriately arched like quarter circles. On the bottom of the compression channel, alongside the separating corner 13, two openings 14 of circular shape are provided. During the compression step, the openings 14 are closed by the ejector pistons 15 which are inserted inside the opening without making

  protrusion in the interior of channel 7. In description

  remaining and the claims, the "initial position"

  pistons will indicate the position which has just been described, occupied by the pistons during the compression step. The pressure exerted on the portion of tuna 12 during the compression step is generally not high enough to cause sticking to be avoided.

  food product with ejection pistons 15.

  The portion 12 is then subjected to a slicing step carried out by two dies 16 having cutting edges arcuate like quarters of a circle and positioned behind the rear block 5 of the compression and shaping device. Thus, two blocks of semi-finished tuna are separated which are made cylindrical during a next shaping step carried out by means of the lateral shaping elements 17 arranged in a sliding manner inside the two wings d 'a channel 18 which crosses the compression channel perpendicularly 7. The ends of the lateral configuration elements 17 which are turned towards the compression channel 7 have concavities of a substantially semi-cylindrical shape. The two wings of the channel 18 are obtained in a suitable manner inside the lateral elements 6 of the compression and

shaping.

  According to the invention, at the same time as the shaping step, the ejection pistons 15 come out of the openings 14 and move back with respect to the compression and shaping device, far from it. The aim of this rearward movement of the ejection pistons is to relieve the pressure of the food product on their surfaces so as to prevent

collage not wanted.

  When the compression, slicing and shaping steps described above are completed, the tuna blocks are ejected from the compression and shaping device by the ejector pistons 15 which again approach the compression device and shaping, which enter the compression channel through the openings 14 and push the tuna blocks into two boxes 18 which are arranged at two openings 19 formed in the front block 4. A sliding shutter 20 which aims prevent the food product from leaving channel 7 during the compression and shaping steps, is raised to

allow the blocks to be ejected.

  Consequently, the cyclic movement of the ejector pistons 15 first comprises a backward movement starting at the initial position, then a frank forward movement to pass through the openings 14 and then returning to the initial position. This cyclic movement can be controlled by a cam (not shown in the figure) which is driven, for example, by the movement of the shaping elements

side 17.

  Other advantages and characteristics can be brought by a person skilled in the art to the present embodiment described and illustrated while remaining within

the scope of the invention.

Claims (3)

RESELL I CATIONS   1. Machine for canning a food product (2) such as tuna and the like, comprising a conveyor belt (1) capable of transporting a food product (2) in a compression and shaping device, comprising a knife (11) capable of cutting substantially parallelepiped portions (12) of the food product (2) and a compression channel (7) closed at one end by a shaping element (8) and at the other end by a compactor (9) capable of sliding in the compression channel (7), two openings (14) being formed in the bottom wall of the compression channel (7) to allow the passage of a pair of dies (16) and d 'a pair of ejection pistons (15) which, in their initial position, close said openings (14) without projecting significantly into the compression channel (7), characterized in that said ejection pistons (15) perform a cyclic movement including a movement towards the rear relative to the compression and shaping device, a forward movement through said openings (14) and a movement back to the position initial.   2. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said compression and shaping device also comprises a pair of lateral shaping elements (17) arranged in a sliding manner inside the two wings d '' a sliding channel (18) which perpendicularly intersects the compression channel (7), each lateral shaping element   (17) having an end having a semi-concavity   cylindrical capable of entering the compression channel (7) by sliding between a die (16) and the bottom of the shaping element (8), the outlet of the two wings of the sliding channel (18) on the channel compression   (7) being provided with flaps which can be opened.   3. Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the rearward movement of the ejection pistons (15) takes place at the same time as the penetration of the lateral shaping elements (17) in the channel compression (7).