GB2098463A - Apparatus for cutting foodstuffs - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for cutting a piece of foodstuff into substantially square sectional strips comprises a first conveyor 8, cutting means 7 in the path of said conveyor for cutting the piece of foodstuff into a plurality of slices as it passes along the conveyor, means for delivering the sliced piece of foodstuffs to a second conveyor 12 which returns the sliced piece of foodstuff adjacent to the inlet to the first conveyor whereafter the piece of foodstuff may be placed onto the first conveyor and passed through the cutting means a second time having been rotated through substantially 90 DEG . <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for cutting foodstuffs The present invention relates to apparatus for cutting foodstuff and in particular provides an apparatus for the cutting of food into smaller sizes, in particular meat products.

In the preparation of sausages and similar products made from meat which are blended with herbs, flour and similar filling materials it is necessary first to cut sides of meat into small portions whereafter the meat may then be placed into a bowl cutter of conventional construction and cut into smaller portions and mixed with the necessary herbs and other filling ingredients. If the pieces of meat which are placed into the bowl cutter are too large the meat then has to stay in the bowl cutter and be subjected to a longer period of cutting and pulverising which may in some instances result in the meat becoming emulsified which results in a lower quality of ultimate product.

It is desirable that the meat shall retain its fibrous nature after being -cut into the size necessary to form the ultimate produce i.e. the sausage.

The present invention provides a multi-blade cutting apparatus for cutting of meat or other foodstuffs into square or substantially square sectional strips.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for cutting a piece of foodstuff into substantially square sectional strips, which comprises a first conveyor, cutting means in the path of said conveyor or cutting the piece of foodstuff into a plurality of slices as it passes along the conveyor, means for delivering the sliced piece of foodstuffs to a second conveyor which returns the sliced piece of foodstuff adjacent to the inlet to the first conveyor whereafter the meat may be placed onto the first conveyor and passed through the cutting means a second time having been rotated through substantially 900.

In particular the invention provides for a first conveyor which may conveniently be a chain conveyor and in the path of the chain conveyor a shaft having a plurality of rotating cutting blades is located so that as the meat passes beneath the cutting blades an anvil in the form of a rotating wheel having portions which extend between the links of the chain engage either side of the rotating cutting blades and so ensure that the meat is adequately cut. At the end of the first conveyor the meat falls on to a second conveyor which returns it to the inlet of the first conveyor.

Desirably, means are provided for rotating the shaft carrying the plurality of cutting blades at a predetermined speed faster than that of the conveyor carrying the meat to said cutting blades.

In order that the present invention may be better understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view thereof; and Figure 3 is a perspective part-sectional view showing the cutting blades, the rotating anvil and the chain link conveyor all according to the present invention.

In the Figures a housing 1 is supported on legs and houses a chain conveyor 8 which moves around an end idler roller 10 and sprocket wheel 4. The wheel 4 is driven from a motor 2 through a chain 3 running round the wheel 4 and round a second sprocket wheel 6 mounted on a shaft having mounted thereon a plurality of cutting blades or discs 6. Located adjacent the end of the conveyor 8 is a second conveyor supported in a housing 11 and including a conveying belt 12 which is driven from a motor 1 3 by belt or chain drive 14 to a sprocket wheel 1 5 so that meat indicated generally at 5 in Figure 3 may be moved in the directions of the arrows.The meat is illustrated diagrammatically as having been cut into strips at the end of the chain conveyor 8 and start of the belt conveyor 12 the meat is then returned to the start of the chain conveyor for a second time and passing beneath the cutting blade 7. The meat on the second occasion is then cut into substantially square sectional strips as indicated schematically at 5a.

The chain link conveyor 8 is formed from a plurality of substantially U-shaped members 19 bent from strip material, desirably stainless steel material, having a recessed portion 20 formed at the base of the U and joined and pivotted together by a plurality of laterally extending rods 18 as seen in Figure 3. Such a construction forms a series of chain links adapted to recieve sprockets indicated by the apertures 1 9a and 1 9b.

The cutting discs 7 are arranged to operate in gaps 21 formed between adjacent members 19 of the chain and in said units sprocket sections 1 6 of a drum 9 located beneath the chain engage said sprocket sections 1 6 which have a slit 17 between the rotating cutting disc engages so that the sprockets 1 6 form an anvil in which the cutting disc 7 rotates to ensure adequate cutting of the meat on the chain conveyor. Desirably the elements of the apparatus which come into contact with the foodstuff are of stainless steel so that they may be sterilised. The wheel with the sprockets 1 6 desirably is of a material which is resilient to the foodstuff and to the cutting disc 7 and may also be subject to sterilisation; such a material for example is nylon.

The drive motor 2 and drive mechanism previously described is conveniently housed in the sides of the frame 1 and sealed therein so that the whoie unit may be subjected to a sterilisation process, such as a steam sterilisation process, without damage being occasioned to the motor 2.

It is also convenient for safety inter-lock devices to be provided such that it is impossible to operate the apparatus until such time as guard covers have been closed over the frame 1 leaving only sufficient access to the chain link conveyor 8 for placing thereon of the foodstuff to be cut.

Such covers 22 are hinged at 23 and provided with a safety key device so that only after the covers have been locked in position and the key removed and placed into another socket is power to the motor 22 switched on. Removal of the key from the socket switch immediately interrupts the supply of power to the motor 2 and the interlock is such that it is impossible to open the covers 22 to gain access to the rotating cutting blades 7 except by the removal of the key from the socket switch.

It is thought that the present invention provides a useful apparatus which will be cut a foodstuff into square sectioned strips or, if the foodstuff is again fed through the cutting means, cubes preferably of uniform width. If the cutter blades are placed 50 mm apart then the foodstuff in the nature of meatlor meat fat will be cut into approximately uniform 50 mm cubes, and by having a uniform meat size then a more uniform product in the nature of sausage meat will be obtained when such squares are placed into a bowl cutter and mixed with the herbs and other filling material to form the sausage meat.

Claims (6)

Claims

1. Apparatus for cutting a piece of foodstuff into substantially square sectional strips, which comprises a first conveyor, cutting means in the path of said conveyor for cutting the piece of foodstuff into a plurality of slices as it passes along the conveyor, means for delivering the sliced piece of foodstuffs to a second conveyor which returns the sliced piece of foodstuff adjacent to the inlet to the first conveyor whereafter the meat may be placed onto the first conveyor and passed through the cutting means a second time having been rotated through substantially 90 .

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the second conveyor is arranged so as to deliver the sliced piece of foodstuff to a position to one side of said inlet to enable an operative to stand in linewith the first conveyor.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein both the first and second conveyors have a line or upper run, the longitudinal axis of the first conveyor being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the second conveyor.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim and wherein the first conveyor is a chain conveyor, an anvil being provided beneath the first conveyor for co-operation with the cutting means to support the foodstuff as it passes through the cutting means.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein the cutting means includes a plurality of side by side rotary blades and the anvil includes a plurality of sprocket wheels, each sprocket wheel cooperating with an individual rotary blade to provide a support surface for the foodstuff as it passes through the cutting means.

6. Apparatus for cutting foodstuffs substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.