GB524725A - Improvements in or relating to meat tendering apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

524,725. Tendering meat. JACKSON, J. P. Feb. 6, 1939, No. 3804. [Class 28 (ii)] The invention relates to apparatus for rendering meat tender, of the type in which a number of knives carried by a holder are arranged to be moved through a guide grid into a piece of meat placed beneath the grid, which is adapted to be locked by a ratchet device against upward movement so as to hold the meat down as the knives are withdrawn and thus act as a stripper device ; and consists in an improved automatic gridlocking device constructed and arranged to operate as follows. A knife holder d is connected to an operating hand-lever c<SP>1</SP>, c<SP>2</SP>, c<SP>3</SP> pivoted at c, and is slidably mounted above a guide grid e on vertical rods g under the control of springs g<SP>2</SP> in sleeves d<SP>1</SP>. Extending upwardly from the grid e is an integral arm h, which is pivotally connected by pairs of upper and lower parallel links j, k to lugs on a pillar b, the upper links j having extensions j<SP>1</SP> connected to retraction springs l. A gravity or spring-influenced lever p<SP>1</SP>, p<SP>2</SP> pivoted at o normally rests on the knife holder d, and is connected by a slot p<SP>3</SP> and pin q to a pawl r adapted to engage a toothed rack t. When the lever c<SP>1</SP>, c<SP>2</SP>, c<SP>3</SP> is operated, the lever p<SP>1</SP>, p<SP>2</SP> follows the downward movement of the knife holder d and grid e, and, when the latter is arrested by the meat, is turned to bring the pawl r into engagement with the rack t, thus locking the grid e until the knives f have been withdrawn from the meat during the upward movement of the parts.