GB2025883A - Mechanically removing gambrels from carcasses by conveying means causing relative movement between gambrel and carcass - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method of mechanically removing gambrels 1 from carcasses 2, carcasses are conveyed in succession to a removal station R, the carcasses being suspended from the hooks of gambrels, and each carcass when at the removing station is moved in the axial direction of the prongs of the hooks of the associated gambrel, while movement of the gambrel is restrained, so that the carcass slides off the hooks. There is also disclosed apparatus 10 for removal of gambrels from carcasses essentially by this method, the apparatus including various systems 12, 13 for manoeuvring each carcass and gambrel into a particular position facilitating removal of the gambrel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of and apparatus for removal of gambrels from carcasses The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for removal of gambrels from carcasses.

Conventionally, in abattoirs and other meat processing plants, operations such as preparing, dressing and freezing carcasses take place with the carcasses suspended from gambrels, the gambrels being hooked into the hind legs of the carcasses and generally retained in place even when the carcasses are frozen. When the carcasses are frozen ready for storage or consignment the gambrels must be removed, which is usually carried out manually. In a plant with a large daily output, manual removal of gambrels constitutes a labour intensive operation, added to which the gambrels can be difficult to extract from frozen meat. As the.weight of a carcass depends from the gambrel during the freezing stage, the gambrel becomes locked in place and considerable force is required to enable it to be freed.

The principal object of the invention is therefore to provide a method enabling mechanical removal of gambrels from carcasses and also apparatus for carrying out such removal.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of mechanically removing gambrels from carcasses, the method comprising the steps of conveying carcasses in succession to a removal station, each carcass being suspended from the hook or hooks of an individual gambrel, and so moving each carcass when at the removing station substantially in the axial direction of the prong of the or each hook of the associated gambrel, while restraining movement of the gambrel with the carcass, as to cause the carcass to slide off the or each hook.

Preferably, each carcass and gambrel are so oriented at the removal station that the carcass is slidable off the gambrel hook or hooks by being moved laterally with respect to the conveying direction. In addition, the carcass is preferably slidable off the gambrel hook or hooks by being moved in a substantially horizontal direction, to which end each gambrel may be tilted at the removal station until the axis of the prong of the or each hook thereof is approximately horizontal. The tilting of each gambrel can be achieved by arresting the associated carcass but continuing conveying movement of the gambrel thereby to cause the gambrel to pivot relative to the carcass.

For preference, each carcass and the associated gambrel are conveyed towards the removal station with the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extending generally parallel to the conveying direction. Each carcass and the associated gambrel may then be turned during their approach to the removal station until the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extends in a predetermined direction which is at an angle to the conveying direction. In the case where each gambrel comprises two hooks each engaged in a respective one of the two fore or two hind legs of the associated carcass, the carcass and gambrel may be turned by guiding said two legs of the carcass along separate paths diverging from a common paths.Expediently, each carcass is stopped from further movement in the conveying direction once the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the associated gambrel extends in said predetermined direction.

The above-described method may be employed with particular advantage in the removal from carcasses of gambrels which possess two hooks having prongs which extend slightly out of the plane of the rest of the gambrel, gambrels of this type being in widespread use in the meat handling and processing industries.

The present invention also provides, in accordance with a second aspect thereof, apparatus for removing gambrels from carcasses, the apparatus comprising conveying means for conveying carcasses in succession to a removal station of the apparatus, each carcass being suspended from the hook or hooks of an individual gambrel, displacing means for moving each carcass relative to the associated gambrel while at the removal station, and restraining means for restraining movement of the gambrel with the carcass when moved by the displacing means, the displacing means being operable to so move each carcass generally in the axial direction of the prong of the or each hook of the associated gambrel while restrained by the restraining means as to cause the carcass to slide off the or each hook.

Preferably, the displacing means is operable to move each carcass at the removal station laterally with respect to the conveying direction of the conveying means. The displacing means may comprise, for example, pusher means engageable with each carcass when at the removal station.

For preference, the apparatus further comprises tilting means arranged at the removal station to cause each gambrel to be tilted until the axis of the prong of the or each hook thereof is approximately horizontal. Expediently, the tilting means comprises stop means to arrest each carcass at the removal station while theassociated gambrel is still conveyed by the conveying means, thereby to cause the gambrel to pivot relative to the carcass.

The apparatus may also comprise orientation means to impart to each carcass and associated gambrel a predetermined orientation at the removal station, preferably an orientation in which the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extends in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the conveying means.

Preferably, the conveying means is adapted to convey each carcass and gambrel towards the removal station with the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extending generally parallel to the conveying direction, and the-orientation means comprises guide means so engageable with each carcass during its approach to the removal station as to turn the carcass and asociated gambrel until the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extends in said direction transverse to the conveying direction. In the case where each gambrel comprises two hooks each engaged in a respective one of the two fore or two hind legs of the associated carcass, the guide means may comprise two guides so arranged as to guide said two legs along separate paths diverging from a common path.In a preferred embodiment, the displacing means comprises a member provided with passages defining said two guides, the member being displaceable relative to the conveying path to slide each carcass off the or each hook of the associated gambrel. For preference, the member is provided with stop surfaces at ends of said passages remote from entrances to the passages, the stop surfaces being engageable by said two legs of each carcass to prevent further conveying movement of the carcass.

In addition, the apparatus may comprise realignment means operable to realign any carcass and gambrel conveyed by the conveying means towards the removal station otherwise than with the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel pointing towards the removal station. The realignment means may comprise an element operable to so engage and move any such carcass as to cause it to turn through an angle in the range of substantially 900 to substantially 1 800.

An example of the method and an embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of.apparatus according to the said embodiment, showing one carcass (on the right) approaching a removal station for removal of gambrels and another carcass (on the left) at the removal station; Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 (with the overhead conveyor omitted for the sake of clarity) showing various positions of carcasses and associated gambrels in the approach to and at a removal station of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing only the lefthand part of the apparatus, with a carcass being removed from a gambrel at the removal station;; Fig. 4 is a side elevation, to an enlarged scale, of the gambrel and attached slide supporting the righthand carcass in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a front end view of the gambrel and slide of Fig. 4, the gambrel and slide being shown in their tilted attitude at the removal station.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an apparatus 10 for removing gambrels 1 from carcasses 2, the carcasses being of sheep, cattle or other animals and being suspended in a frozen state from the hooks of gambrels engaging in the hind legs 3 and 4 of the carcasses.

The gambrels 1 each consist of a first hook 5 and a second hook 6, the prongs 5a and 6a of the hooks being bent to extend at a slight angle to the plane of the rest of the gambrel, as can be seen in Fig. 5. The gambrel 1 is attached to a hooked link 7 which is rotatably connected to a slide 8, the slide having a tongue 9 which aliows the slide to engage a support rail.

The apparatus 10 basically comprises a conveyor system 11 for conveying carcasses 2 in succession to a removal station R, each carcass 2 being conveyed with its hind legs 3 and 4 engaged by, respectively, the prongs 5a and 6a of the hooks of a respective gambrel 1; realignment means 12 for ensuring correct alignment of the gambrels at the beginning of the approach to the removal station R; orienting means 1 3 for imparting to the carcasses and gambrels a desired orientation in the course of their approach to the removal station R; and diplacing means 14 for removing the carcasses from the gambrels at the station R. The realignment means 12, orienting means 13 and displacing means 14 are arranged in that order in the downstream direction of the conveyor system 11, the conveying direction of which is indicated by the arrow C.

The conveyor system 11 comprises a rail 1 5 on which the.slides 8 are slidably engageable by their tongues 9 and an endless chain 16, which is arranged above the rail 1 5 and is provided with a series of pusher elements 1 7 adapted to engage behind the slides 8 and to push the slides, together with the associated gambrels 1 and carcasses 2, in the conveying direction C.

In the vicinity of the removal station R, the upper surface of the rail 1 5 has a downward step, the purpose of which is to disengage each gambrel slide 8 from its respective pusher element 17, and a downwardly inclined section 18 for discharge of gambrels and slides removed from carcasses.

The realignment means 1 2 comprises a downstream section of a guide member 19, which is supported by three posts 20, and a semicircular pusher element 21, which is pivotally mounted on the downstream section of the member 19 and which is movable by a piston-cylinder unit 22 between an inoperative position, shown in solid lines, and an operative position, shown in dotted lines. Adjacent to the pusher element 21, the downstream section of the member 1 9 includes a recess 23 and a guide surface 24 which forms a ramp leading towards the axis A-A of the conveyor system 11. The purpose of the realignment means 12 is to ensure that any gambrel 1 approaching the removal station R otherwise than with its hook 5 foremost and the hook prongs 5a and 6a generally pointing towards the removal station R will be turned by rotation of the gambrel link 7 relative to the slide 8 until its hooks are in the desired orientation. This orientation is illustrated by the righthand gambrel 1 in Fig. 1, the gambrel having passed through the realignment means 12.

The turning of a gambrel 1 may be effected by bringing the pusher element 21 into engagement with the leading leg of the associated carcass 2 and operating the element 21 to swing the carcass through approximately 900, whereafter the guide surface 24 will effect a further 900 turning of the carcass in the course of its onward movement by the conveyor system 11.

The downstream section of the guide member 1 9 also includes a lead-in ramp 25, which is so arranged as to ensure that each carcass 2 will approach the pusher element 21 with one of its legs 3 and 4 preceding the other, thus with the axes of the prongs 5a and 6a of the hooks of the associated gambrel generally parallel to the conveying direction C.

The orienting means 1 3 arranged downstream of the realignment means 11 is provided in two sections, the first of which comprises an upstream section of the guide member 1 9 and the second of which also forms part of the displacing means 1 4.

The upstream section of the member 1 9 includes a guide surface 26 which is a continuation of the guide surface 24 and which passes from the same side of the axis A-A as the surface 24 over to the opposite side and then back to the first-mentioned side, where it leads relatively abruptly away from the axis A-A. The second section of the orienting means consists of a pivotable member 27 provided with slots which form guide passages 28 and 29 diverging from the axis A-A the guide passage 29 communicating with the guide surface 26 when the member 27 is in the position shown in Fig. 2. The guide passages 28 and 29 serve to guide the hind legs 3 and 4 of a carcass 2 conveyed by the conveyor system 11 and to turn the carcass, as will be subsequently explained.

The member 27 is mounted for horizontal pivotal movement on a vertical axle 30, the axle being offset to one side of the axis A-A of the conveyor system 11. The member 27 is pivotal between the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 by means of a suitable displacing drive, such as a pneumatic piston-cylinder unit 31. The piston of the unit 31 is pivotally connected to the member 27 and the cylinder of the unit is pivotally.

connected to one of the posts 20.

At the removal station R there is arranged a restraining element 32 so engageable with each gambrel 1, when the gambrel is tilted as shown in Fig. 1, as to resist movement of the gambrel in the direction of pivotal movement of the member 27 from its Fig. 2 position to its Fig. 3 position. for this purpose, the restraining element 32 has a foot 33 which bears on the upper surface of the hook 5 of each gambrel.

In operation of the apparatus 10 hereinbefore described, carcasses 2 retained by gambrels 1 are loaded onto the conveyor system 11 and conveyed in the direction C by this system. As each gambrel and carcass being their approach to the removal station R, the lead-in ramp 25 contacts the leg 3 or leg 4 of any carcass not specifically aligned with one leg preceding the other, and imparts this alignment to the carcass, as represented by 3a and 4a. However, if the leg 4 precedes the leg 3, i.e. if the prongs of the gambrel hooks point away from rather than towards the removal station R, the carcass must be turned through 1800.To this end, as the leading leg of an incorrectly aligned carcass -- represented by 3b and 4b - passes into the region of the recess 23, the incorrect alignment is sensed by an extension on the hook of the link 7 of the gambrel slide and the pusher element 21 is moved from its inoperative position to its operative position so as to engage the leading leg of the carcass and move this leg into the recess. The carcass is accordingiy pivoted through 90 , the pivotal movement being accommodated by the rotatable connection of the associated gambrel to its slide. A carcass turned by this means through 900 is shown at 3c and 4c.

As conveying of the carcass continues, the leg 4 in the recess 23 is brought into contact with the guide surface 24, as shown by 3d and 4d, and onward movement of the carcass results in pivotal movement of the carcass through a further 900 so that the leg 3 proceeds the leg 4.

The conveyed carcass now reaches the guide means 12, where the guide surface 26 engages the legs 3 and 4 and applies a slight bias to the carcass until the leg 3 reaches the point at which the guide surface leads relatively abruptly away from the axis A-A of the conveyor system 11. At this point, the bias against the leg 3 is relieved while bias is still maintained against the leg 4, which causes the carcass and gambrel to pivot about the respective gambrel slide and into the position represented by 3e and 4e.

The carcass is now positioned for entry of the legs 3 and 4 into the guide passages 29 and 28, respectively, this position being indicated by 3f and 4f. Movement of the leg 3 along its respective passage is arrested by the end surface of the passage ahead of corresponding arrest of the leg 4, with the result that continuing conveying movement of the carcass causes it to swivel around its leg 3 until it reaches the position indicated by 39 and 49.

In this final position, the carcass and gambrel have been turned to the extent that they now lie at an angle to the conveying direction C, with the gambrel hook prongs 5a and 6a in fact pointing generally transversely of, in particular at right angles to, the conveying direction C (as represented by the axis A-A in Figs. 2 and 3).

The slide 9 of the gambrel, however, continues to be pushed by the associated pusher element 17, which results in the slide and associated gambrel being tilted over as shown in Figs. 1 end 5. This tilting is accommodated by pivoting of the hook prongs 5a and 6a in the carcass itself. The gambrel slide then drops into the downward step in the rail 1 5 clear of the associated pusher element 1 7 of the chain 1 6, so that drive of the gambrel slide is discontinued. The step in the rail 15 also prevents the slide from any return movement opposite to the conveying direction.

With the gambrel thus tilted as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the axes of the prongs 5a and 6a extend substantially horizontally.

The piston-cylinder unit 31 is now actuated to displace the pivotal member 27 into the Fig. 3 position, the displacement of the member causing the carcass 2 to be moved on an arcuate path laterally of the conveying direction C. During this movement, the associated gambrel 1 is restrained from corresponding movement by means of the foot 33 of the restraining element 32 and the carcass is thus drawn off the prongs 5a and 6a of the gambrel. The foot of the restraining element also holds down the gambrel to prevent any tendency for it to kick up if one leg is drawn off its respective hook prong ahead of the other leg.

Once the carcass is free of its gambrel, it can fall onto a delivery conveyor or other transport or receiving means, and the pivotal member 27 is restored to its former position in readiness for the next carcass. The removed gambrels and slides can be discharged down the inclined section 1 8 of the rail 1 5.

It will be readily apparent that the apparatus hereinbefore described may be modified without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, for example the member 27 can slide rather than pivot, and the apparatus can be constructed to serve for the removal of various kinds of gambrels, whether with two hooks, a single hook or any other number of hooks and with or without a captive slide.

Such apparatus may permit efficient and rapid mechanical removal of gambrels from carcasses, thereby reducing the labour costs previously associated with this operation.

Claims (34)

1. A method of mechanically removing gambrels from carcasses, the method comprising the steps of conveying carcasses in succession to a removal station, each carcass being suspended from the hook or hooks of an individual gambrel, and so moving each carcass when at the removing station substantially in the axial direction of the prong of the or each hook of the associated gambrel, while restraining movement of the gambrel with the carcass, as to cause the carcass to slide off the or each hook.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each carcass and gambrel are so-oriented at the removal station that the carcass is slidable off the gambrel hook or hooks by being moved laterally with respect to the conveying direction.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein each carcass is so oriented at the removal station that the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extends generally at right angles to the conveying direction.

4. A method as claimed in either claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the carcass is slidable off the gambrel hook or hooks by being moved in a substantially horizontal direction.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein each gambrel is tilted at the removal station until the axis of the prong of the or each hook thereof is approximately horizontal.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein each gambrel is tilted by arresting the associated carcass but continuing conveying movement of the gambrel thereby to cause the gambrel to pivot relative to the carcass.

7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each gambrel is restrained from movement with the associated carcass at the removal station by engagement with a restraining member which is stationary at the removal station.

8. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each carcass and the associated gambrel are conveyed towards the removal station with the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extending generally parallel to the conveying direction.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein each carcass and the associated gambrel are turned during their approach to the removal station until the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extends in a predetermined direction which is at an angle to the conveying direction.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein each gambrel comprises two hooks each engaged in a respective one of the two fore or two hind legs of the associated carcass, the carcass and gambrel being turned by guiding said two legs of the carcass along separate paths diverging from a common path.

11. A method as claimed in either claim 9 or claim 10, wherein each carcass is stopped from further movement in the conveying direction once the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the associated gambrel extends in said predetermined direction.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the carcass is slid off the hook or hooks of the associated gambrel at the removal station by applying pressure to said legs of the carcass.

13. A method of mechanically removing gambrels from carcasses, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Apparatus for removing gambrels from carcasses, the apparatus comprising conveying means for conveying carcasses in succession to a removal station of the apparatus, each carcass being suspended from the hook or hooks of an individual gambrel, displacing means for moving each carcass relative to the associated gambrel while at the removal station, and restraining means for restraining movement of the gambrel with the carcass when moved by the displacing means, the displacing means being operable to so move each carcass generally in the axial direction of the prong of the or each hook of the associated gambrel while restrained by the restraining means as to cause the carcass to slide oft: the or each hook.

1 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the displacing means is operable to move each carcass at the removal station laterally with respect to the conveying direction of the conveying means.

1 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the displacing means comprises pusher means engageable with each carcass when at the removal station.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, further comprising tilting means arranged at the removal station to cause each gambrel to be tilted until the axis of the prong of the or each hook thereof is approximately horizontal.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the tilting means comprises stop means to arrest each carcass at the removal station while the associated gambrel is still conveyed by the conveying means, thereby to cause the gambrel to pivot relative to the carcass.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 18, further comprising orientation means to impart to each carcass and associated gambrel a predetermined orientation at the removal station.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the orientation means is adapted to so orient each carcass and gambrel at the removal station that the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extends in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the conveying means.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said direction of the axis of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel at the removal station is substantially at right angles to the conveying direction.

22. Apparatus as claimed in either claim 20 or claim 21, wherein the conveying means is adapted to convey each carcass and gambrel towards the removal station with the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extending generally parallel to the conveying direction, and the orientation means comprises guide means so engageable with each carcass during its approach to the removal station as to turn the carcass and- associated gambrel until the axis-of the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel extends in said direction transverse to the conveying direction

23.Apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein each gambrel comprises two hooks each engaged in a respective one of the two fore or two hind legs of the associated carcass and the guide means comprises two guides so arranged as to guide said two legs along separate paths diverging from a common path.

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the displacing means comprises a member provided with passages defining said two guides, the member being displaceable relative to the conveying path to slide each carcass off the or each hook of the associated gambrel.

25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the member is pivotable about a substantially vertical axis.

26. Apparatus as claimed in either claim 24 or claim 25, wherein the member is provided with stop surfaces at ends of said passages remote from entrances to the passages, the stop surfaces being engageable by said two legs of each carcass to prevent further conveying movement of the carcass.

27. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 26, further comprising realignment means operable to realign any carcass and gambrel conveyed by the conveying means towards the removal station otherwise than with the prong of the or each hook of the gambrel pointing towards the removal station.

28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the realignment means comprises an element operable to engage and turn any such carcass through an angle in the range of substantially 900 to substantially 1800.

29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein the element is operable to cause any such carcass to turn through approximately 900 and the realignment means further comprises a guide arranged to so engage each such carcass once turned by the element as to further turn the carcass until the prong of the or each hook of the associated gambrel points generally in the direction of the removal station.

30. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 29, wherein the restraining means comprises a restraining member engageable with each gambrel when at the removal station.

31. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 30, wherein each of the gambrels is attached to a slide and the conveying means comprises a guide track for the gambrel slides and drive means for driving the slides along the track.

32. Apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein the drive means comprises a plurality of entraining elements drivable to circulate on an endless path and each engageable with a respective gambrel slide to move the slide along the track.

33. Apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein the path of the entraining elements and the track for the gambrel slides diverge after the removal station thereby to cause the entraining elements to be disengaged from the gambrel slides.

34. Apparatus for removing gambrels from carcasses, the apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.