GB2480480A - Food carving apparatus - Google Patents

Food carving apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2480480A
GB2480480A GB1008424A GB201008424A GB2480480A GB 2480480 A GB2480480 A GB 2480480A GB 1008424 A GB1008424 A GB 1008424A GB 201008424 A GB201008424 A GB 201008424A GB 2480480 A GB2480480 A GB 2480480A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
conveyor
carving
assembly
downstream
upstream
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1008424A
Other versions
GB201008424D0 (en
Inventor
Kenneth John Greene
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB1008424A priority Critical patent/GB2480480A/en
Publication of GB201008424D0 publication Critical patent/GB201008424D0/en
Publication of GB2480480A publication Critical patent/GB2480480A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D1/00—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor
    • B26D1/01—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work
    • B26D1/04—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a linearly-movable cutting member
    • B26D1/06—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a linearly-movable cutting member wherein the cutting member reciprocates
    • B26D1/10—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a linearly-movable cutting member wherein the cutting member reciprocates in, or substantially in, a direction parallel to the cutting edge
    • B26D1/11—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a linearly-movable cutting member wherein the cutting member reciprocates in, or substantially in, a direction parallel to the cutting edge with a plurality of cutting members
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
    • A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
    • A22C17/00—Other devices for processing meat or bones
    • A22C17/0006—Cutting or shaping meat
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
    • A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
    • A22C17/00—Other devices for processing meat or bones
    • A22C17/0006—Cutting or shaping meat
    • A22C17/0033—Cutting slices out of a piece of meat
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
    • A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
    • A22C17/00—Other devices for processing meat or bones
    • A22C17/02—Apparatus for holding meat or bones while cutting
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
    • A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
    • A22C21/00—Processing poultry
    • A22C21/0023—Dividing poultry
    • A22C21/003—Filleting poultry, i.e. extracting, cutting or shaping poultry fillets
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
    • B26D7/06—Arrangements for feeding or delivering work of other than sheet, web, or filamentary form
    • B26D7/0625—Arrangements for feeding or delivering work of other than sheet, web, or filamentary form by endless conveyors, e.g. belts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D2210/00—Machines or methods used for cutting special materials
    • B26D2210/02—Machines or methods used for cutting special materials for cutting food products, e.g. food slicers

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Forests & Forestry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)

Abstract

A food carving apparatus comprising: a lower conveyor belt 104; a carving assembly 106 disposed adjacent and above the lower conveyor belt and orthogonal the lower conveyor belt's direction of travel, the carving assembly comprising a vertically disposed array of spaced-apart reciprocating blades; and an upper conveyor assembly 108, which may be pivotable from a lowered in-use position, comprising an upstream conveyor 110 and a downstream conveyor 112, which may each comprise a driven roller and a smaller free-wheeling roller surrounded by a continuous belt, arranged such that the faces of the upstream and downstream conveyors are substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the face of the lower conveyor belt and located such that in use the carving assembly is located between the upstream and downstream conveyors. The downstream end of the downstream conveyor may be elevated relative the upstream end such that the conveyor's face is inclined relative to the face of the lower conveyor belt.

Description

"A FOOD CARVING APPARATUS"
INTRODUCTION
The present invention relates to a food carving apparatus. In particular it relates to a food carving apparatus suitable for carving cooked chicken breasts.
Cooked meats, such as ham, chicken and turkey are popular food products and are often sold to consumers in a pre-carved or pre-sliced format. Chicken is a very popular product and chicken breast is one of the most popular chicken products. Portions of pre-sliced chicken breast are highly desirable, and furthermore, chicken breast that appears hand-carved is more popular, as it increases the home-made' sense of the product.
The industrial preparation of pre-cooked chicken involves many steps, including cooking, de-boning, slicing, packaging and labeling; each of which has particular issues associated therewith.
Given the irregular shaped of chicken breasts it can be difficult to provide an industrial process that will provide good quality carved slices of chicken breast in an efficient manner. Some of the known problems include providing a slicing tool that can handle a sufficiently high through-put of chicken breasts; the manner in which the chicken breasts are presented to the slicing tool; and the manner in which the carved slices are outputted from the slicing tool.
It is an object therefore of the present invention to provide a food carving apparatus that overcomes at least some of the above-mentioned problems
STATEMENTS OF INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a food carving apparatus for carving cooked chicken breast comprising a support frame mounting an elongate, substantially horizontal, lower conveyor belt having a direction of movement; a carving assembly disposed slightly above the elongate lower conveyor belt and orthogonal to the direction of movement thereof, the carving assembly comprising a vertically disposed array of spaced-apart reciprocable blades; and an upper conveyor assembly comprising an upstream conveyor which, in use, is located above the lower conveyor belt upstream of the carving assembly, the upstream conveyor having a conveyor face which, in use, is substantially parallel to, and spaced apart from, the lower conveyor belt; the upstream conveyor being adjacent to a downstream conveyor which, in use, is located above the lower conveyor belt downstream of the carving assembly, the downstream conveyor having a conveyor face which, in use, is substantially parallel to, and spaced apart from, the lower conveyor belt, such that, in use, the carving assembly is located between the upstream conveyor and the downstream conveyor.
In this way, chicken breasts may be loaded into the apparatus by placing them on the lower conveyor belt which will bring them towards the carving assembly. As the chicken breasts approach the carving assembly, they encounter the upstream conveyor of the upper conveyor assembly. The upstream conveyor slightly compresses the chicken breasts and holds them in place. The combination of conveyors therefore feeds the chicken breasts into the carving assembly wherein the reciprocating array of blades carves the chicken breasts into a plurality of slices, similar to those that would be obtained by carving a roast chicken by hand. As the first part of the chicken breasts pass though the carving assembly and onwards, they will encounter the downstream conveyor, which compresses the carved chicken breasts, holding the slices in place.
Therefore, for a standard sized chicken breast, the first part thereof will have been sliced and contained between the downstream conveyor of the upper conveyor assembly and the lower conveyor belt before the end part of the chicken breast has stopped being contained by the upstream conveyor and lower conveyor belt. In this way, when the carved chicken breasts travel beyond the downstream conveyor, they retain the overall shape of a chicken breast, allowing for ease of handling in the later stages of the chicken breast processing, such as transfer to further stations and division into portions for packaging. Furthermore, the carving assembly comprising the vertically disposed array of spaced-apart reciprocating blades carves each chicken breast into a plurality of slices as it the chicken breast passes through it, providing for very efficient carving. The upstream and downstream conveyors resist any tendency for the carved slices of chicken breast to be spread out by the reciprocating motion of the carving assembly.
In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a food carving apparatus in which the conveyor face of the downstream conveyor has an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the conveyor face is inclined to the horizontal such that the downstream end is slightly more elevated than the upstream end thereof. In this way, the pressure on the chicken breasts is reduced as they pass through the upstream conveyor.
In another embodiment of the invention there is provided a food carving apparatus in which the upstream conveyor and downstream conveyor each comprise a pair of rollers surrounded by a continuous belt, the pair of rollers comprising a driven roller and a free-wheeling roller, the free-wheeling roller being of smaller diameter than the driven roller being situated, in use, closest to the carving assembly. In this way, the upstream and downstream conveyors may be driven conveniently at an appropriate speed to convey the chicken breasts through the apparatus, while also ensuring that sufficient pressure is placed on the chicken breasts on each side of the carving assembly so as to assist the chicken breasts in resisting the sideways movement imparted by the carving assembly.
In a further embodiment of the invention there is provided a food carving apparatus in which the upper conveyor assembly is pivotable from a lowered, in-use position to a raised, access position. In this way, the upper conveyor assembly may be raised to allow access to the carving assembly and the lower conveyor belt. Similarly, the upper conveyor assembly may be accessed more easily for maintenance and cleaning while in the raised position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention will now be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Fig. I is a diagrammatic representation of the side view of the apparatus according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the side view of an exemplary conveyor used in the apparatus according to the invention; Figs. 3(a), (b) and (c) are side, plan and front view of the carving assembly used in the apparatus according to the invention.
Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figs. I and 2 thereof, there is shown a food carving apparatus indicated generally by the reference numeral 100, the food carving apparatus 100 being suitable for carving a cooked chicken breast 150 and comprising a support frame 102 mounting an elongate, substantially horizontal, lower conveyor belt 104 having a direction of movement indicated by arrow A. The support frame 102 further mounts a carving assembly 106 disposed slightly above and extending across the elongate lower conveyor belt 104, orthogonal to its direction of movement. Finally, the support frame 102 mounts an upper conveyor assembly, indicated generally by the reference numeral 108. The upper conveyor assembly 108 comprises an upstream conveyor 110 and a downstream conveyor 112. The upper conveyor assembly 108 further comprises a cranked arm 114 which is pivotably mounted on the support frame 102, so that the upper conveyor assembly 108 may be pivoted from a lowered in-use position to a raised access position. Fig. I shows the upper conveyor assembly 108 in the in-use position. The upstream conveyor 110 and downstream conveyor 112 are mounted on the cranked arm 114, such that in the in-use position, the upstream conveyor 110 is located above the lower conveyor belt 104 before the carving assembly 106 in the direction of movement of the lower conveyor belt 104, and the downstream conveyor 112 is located above the lower conveyor belt 104 and after the carving assembly 106.
Each of the upstream conveyor 110 and downstream conveyor 112 comprises a driven roller 202 and a free-wheeling roller 204 with an endless belt 206 secured around the rollers, wherein the driven roller is larger in diameter than the free-wheeling roller, by a factor of between three to five times.
Referring now to Fig. 3, in which like parts have been given the same reference numerals as before, there is shown a diagrammatic representation of the carving assembly 106 used in the apparatus of the invention, in side, plan and front views. The carving assembly 106 comprises a vertically disposed array of spaced-apart reciprocable blades 302, in this case four blades. In use, the blades reciprocate longitudinally, orthogonally to the direction of movement of the lower conveyor belt 104. The carving assembly 106 is mounted slightly above the lower conveyor belt 104 such that the distance between the surface of the lower conveyor belt 104 and the lowest blade 302 of the carving assembly 106 is similar to the distance between the blades 302. Using a carving assembly of four blades 302 will therefore carve a cooked chicken breast into six slices of approximately equal thickness.
In use, an operator loads cooked de-boned chicken breasts 150 onto the lower conveyor belt 104 at point X. The movement of the lower conveyor belt 104 carries the chicken breasts 150 downstream, that is, in the direction of movement indicated by arrow A. The chicken breasts 150 will then come into contact with the upstream conveyor 110, which slightly compresses the chicken breasts 150 and further assists in conveying them downstream. Just after the chicken breasts 150 begin to pass out from under the upstream conveyor 110, the forward part of the chicken breasts 150 will encounter the blades 302 of the carving assembly 106. The blades 302 are driven such that they reciprocate swiftly so as to carve through the chicken breasts 150. As the forward part of the chicken breasts 150 pass on from the carving assembly 106 they engage the downstream conveyor 112 which once again compresses the chicken breasts 150 and assists in keeping the slices in place. Once the chicken breasts 150 exit at the downstream end of the downstream conveyor 112, they are removed by an operator for further processing.
The conveyors 110, 112 of the upper conveyor assembly 108 may be parallel to the lower conveyor belt 104 or may be angled slightly, of the order of 10 -50, such that the ends thereof closest to the carving assembly are slightly lower than the outer ends. In this way, there is increased pressure on the chicken breasts adjacent the carving assembly.
In the specification the terms comprise', comprises', comprised' and comprising' or any variation thereof and the terms include', includes', included' or including' or any variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be afforded the widest possible interpretation.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment herein described, but may be varied in both construction and detail within the terms of the claims.

Claims (5)

  1. CLAIMS1. A food carving apparatus for carving cooked chicken breast comprising a support frame mounting an elongate, substantially horizontal, lower conveyor belt having a direction of movement; a carving assembly disposed slightly above the elongate lower conveyor belt and orthogonal to the direction of movement thereof, the carving assembly comprising a vertically disposed array of spaced-apart reciprocable blades; and an upper conveyor assembly comprising an upstream conveyor which, in use, is located above the lower conveyor belt upstream of the carving assembly, the upstream conveyor having a conveyor face which, in use, is substantially parallel to, and spaced apart from, the lower conveyor belt; the upstream conveyor being adjacent to a downstream conveyor which, in use, is located above the lower conveyor belt downstream of the carving assembly, the downstream conveyor having a conveyor face which, in use, is substantially parallel to, and spaced apart from, the lower conveyor belt, such that, in use, the carving assembly is located between the upstream conveyor and the downstream conveyor.
  2. 2. A food carving apparatus as claimed in claim I in which the conveyor face of the downstream conveyor has an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the conveyor face is inclined to the horizontal such that the downstream end is slightly more elevated than the upstream end thereof.
  3. 3. A food carving apparatus as claimed in claim I or 2 in which the upstream conveyor and downstream conveyor each comprise a pair of rollers surrounded by a continuous belt, the pair of rollers comprising a driven roller and a free-wheeling roller, the free-wheeling roller being of smaller diameter than the driven roller being situated, in use, closest to the carving assembly.
  4. 4. A food carving apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the upper conveyor assembly is pivotable from a lowered in-use position to a raised access position.
  5. 5. A food carving apparatus as hereinbefore described in relation to the accompanying drawings.
GB1008424A 2010-05-20 2010-05-20 Food carving apparatus Withdrawn GB2480480A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1008424A GB2480480A (en) 2010-05-20 2010-05-20 Food carving apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1008424A GB2480480A (en) 2010-05-20 2010-05-20 Food carving apparatus

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201008424D0 GB201008424D0 (en) 2010-07-07
GB2480480A true GB2480480A (en) 2011-11-23

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GB1008424A Withdrawn GB2480480A (en) 2010-05-20 2010-05-20 Food carving apparatus

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2014104532A (en) * 2012-11-27 2014-06-09 Amatake Co Ltd Breast meat slicing method
EP2946668A1 (en) * 2014-05-22 2015-11-25 Giorgio Grasselli An industrial slicer
IT201900010182A1 (en) * 2019-06-26 2020-12-26 Grasselli S P A Floating tape perfected

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108477278B (en) * 2018-05-18 2023-03-17 好为尔机械(山东)有限公司 Miter saw

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH02124056A (en) * 1988-11-04 1990-05-11 Kiichi Kitano Thin shaver for meats
WO2003031127A1 (en) * 2001-10-11 2003-04-17 Equimex Holding B.V. Device and method for cutting meat

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH02124056A (en) * 1988-11-04 1990-05-11 Kiichi Kitano Thin shaver for meats
WO2003031127A1 (en) * 2001-10-11 2003-04-17 Equimex Holding B.V. Device and method for cutting meat

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2014104532A (en) * 2012-11-27 2014-06-09 Amatake Co Ltd Breast meat slicing method
EP2946668A1 (en) * 2014-05-22 2015-11-25 Giorgio Grasselli An industrial slicer
US9751233B2 (en) 2014-05-22 2017-09-05 Grasselli S.P.A. Industrial slicer
IT201900010182A1 (en) * 2019-06-26 2020-12-26 Grasselli S P A Floating tape perfected
EP3756467A1 (en) * 2019-06-26 2020-12-30 Grasselli S.p.A. Improved floating belt

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Publication number Publication date
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