GB2064306A - A machine for cutting frozen meat in two stages - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine is disclosed for cutting up large pieces of frozen meat in two stages, namely a first stage in which the meat is cut up into fairly large lumps and a second stage in which these lumps are converted to particles of smaller size. The machine, in one form, comprises a rotor 5 rotatable in a casing part 1, rotor shaving radially projecting knives 6 and vanes 7 which, in cooperation with anvils 4 cut the meat into lumps and pass the lumps, via an outlet 3 to an extruder screw 10 which forces the meat through apertures in a die plate 11 to divide the meat into smaller particles. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A machine for cutting frozen meat in two stages THIS INVENTION relates to a machine for cutting up frozen meat.

In view of the increasing use of frozen meat, even in the preparation of sausages or salami orthe like, a demand has arisen for a machine by means of which frozen meat, supplied in large pieces can be cut into smaller pieces suitable for subsequent treatment.

It is an object of the invention to provide such a machine which is capable of cutting frozen meat in two stages, i.e. coarse cutting followed by fine cutting, but without discontinuity.

According to the invention there is provided a machine for cutting frozen meat in two stages, which comprises a primary cutter comprising knives for coarse cutting and a screw extruder for fine cutting, the screw extruder being arranged to receive cut meat passing from the primary cutter so that the meat is processed continuously.

Embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa view in vertical longitudinal section of a machine embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a view in section along line A-A in Figure land Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal vertical section of an alternative embodiment.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, reduced to its essential structure, a machine for cutting frozen meat in two stages comprises a rotary primary cutter for initial or coarse cutting and a screw extruder for subsequent or fine cutting, disposed in series with the primary cutter. The machine comprises a stationary casing, a part 1 ofwhich, associated with the primary cutter, has a hemicylindrical lower end portion with a horizontal axis, has a wide loading hopper 2 at the top of said part 1, and has a discharge outlet 3 at the bottom of said part 1, five prismatic, identical, parallel anvils 4 being disposed within the hemicylindrical lower end portion, spaced apart in the direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the hemicylindrical portion, each anvil having an upwardly facing flat face inclined at an angle to the horizontal, as shown in Figure 2, and extending generally radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of said hemicylindrical portion.

A rotor 5 is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said hemicylindrical portion and bears three radially projecting knives 6 secured to the rotor and offset from one another by 120% The rotor also bears three radially projecting vanes 7, each associated with a respective one of the aforementioned blades 3 but offset at an angle therefrom. Rotor 5 is driven by an electric motor with the interposition of a known multi-speed or variable speed transmission (omitted from the drawings for simplicity) whereby the transmission ratio, and thus the speed of rotor 5, can be varied in dependence on the quality and tempera ture of the meat being processed.The knives 6 and vanes 7 are spaced apart axially of the rotor in such a way that each anvil 4 is disposed at a position, reck oned in the axial direction, which is between the pos ition of a respective knife 6 and the position of a respective vane 7. Each of the aforementioned knives 6 coarsely cuts the meat by striking against the material when the material is held by the anvils and the vanes 7. The vanes extend a smaller radial distance than the knives 6 and are suitably inclined (in screw fashion, as shown in Figure 1) relative to the outlet aperture 3 so as to limit the cutting height of the knives 6 and remove the cut material and convey it towards the outlet 3.

A supply means 8 comprising rotating sectors is disposed within the casing under the discharge outlet 3 and is adapted to convey a continuous flow of cut meat from the primary cutter to a screw extruder disposed underneath the primary cutter. Known means are provided for driving the supply means 8 in rotation from the same electric motor which drives the rotor 5, using an appropriate transmission ratio.

The screw extruder comprises a cylindrical, hollow, axially horizontal body 9 afforded by the lowermost part of the casing and having its longitudinal axis parallel with that of rotor 5. The body 9 contains a screw 10 rotatable about the axis of body 9 and adapted to force meat therein against a fixed die 11 fitted in an aperture at one axial end of the body, the die 11 being formed with holes through which meat is forced from body 9 by screw 10. Body 9 also accommodates a knife 12 which is carried by and rotates with screw 10 against the inner face of die 11, for periodically cutting the meat.The screw, which advantageously moves faster than the rotor 5, is driven by the same electric motor, via transmission means, with an appropriate transmission ratio, which may be variable in such a way as to allow the speed of the screw 10 to be varied in relation to the speed of rotor 5, in such a way as to vary the ratio between said speeds, so that the screw 10 can be made to rotate faster than or more slowly than the rotor 5.

Figure 3 shows a variant machine comprising a rotor 25 rotatable in a casing part 21. The casing part 21 and rotor 25 are substantially the same as the casing part 1 and rotor 5 described hereinbefore with reference to Figures 1 and 2 but differ in the respects noted below.

The discharge outlet 23 is disposed at one axial end of the rotor 25 bearing the knives and vanes (referenced 26 and 27 respectively) that axial end of the rotor 25 being adjacentthe upstream axial end of a screw extruder 29 substantially similar to that previously described and illustrated with reference to Figure 1, exceptthatwhereasthe major part 29 of its body is in the form of a cylinder, an upstream end part 29' of its body is frusto-conical, widening in the direction of the casing part 2.The body is hollow and accommodates an extruder screw 20 the overall, or envelope, form of which is that of a cylinder, (defin ing the part received in the cylindrical body part 29) having attached to one axial end a coaxial frusto conical part, (defining the part received in diverging part 29' of the body.) The screw 20 comprises a sub stantially cylindrical root around which extends a helical flute affording the overall form referred to, the part of the flute disposed in the frusto-conical body part 29' forming a large-diameter end blade 30.

The screw 20 has a shaft 22 coaxial with and extending rotatably through the rotor 25 of the primary cutter, so that, if desired, the rotor 25 and screw 20 can be rotated at different speeds, e.g. via different transmissions from a common electric motor, said transmissions being preferably independent change-speed or variable speed transmissions.

Claims (14)

1. A machine for cutting frozen meat in two stages, which comprises a primary cutter comprising knives for coarse cutting and a screw extruder for fine cutting, the screw extruder being arranged to receive cut meat passing from the primary cutter so that the meat is processed continuously.

2. A machine according to claim 1, in which the primary cutter and the screw extruder are disposed in series with the interposition of a supply device comprising a rotary sector.

3. A machine according to claim 1, in which the primary cutter and the screw extruder are disposed in a continuous horizontal line.

4. A machine according to any preceding claim, in which the primary cutter comprises a rotor carrying said knives and rotatable in a casing and in which at least one longitudinal row of anvils projects from a hemicylindrical end of said casing, each anvil being disposed so as to oppose the rotation of the meat which is being processed.

5. A machine according to any preceding claim, in which the primary cutter comprises an axially disposed horizontal longitudinal rotor having secured thereto a plurality of angularly offset knives and driven by a motor with interposition of a known speed-varying means in a number of transmission ratios.

6. A machine according to claim 5, in which the rotor is hollow and receives, extended therethrough, a coaxial independent shaft for driving the screw of the screw extruder, the latter being disposed in line with the primary cutter.

7. A machine according to any preceding claim, in which the screw extruder comprises a screw driven by the same motor which drives the rotor of the primary cutter via a separate speed-varying means, so that the speed can be greater or less than that of the rotor.

8. A machine according to claim 7 wherein the screw of the screw extruder has a pitch which varies along its length.

9. A machine according to claim 7 wherein the screw of the screw extruder has a pitch which is constant along its length.

10. A machine according to claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein the screw extruder has one or more dies and one or more drawing apertures.

11. A machine according to claim 10 in which the screw extruder has one or more knives arranged to scrape the inner surface of a said die.

12. A machine for cutting frozen meat in two stages, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A machine for cutting frozen meat in two stages, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.