GB706437A - Apparatus for treating meat - Google Patents

Abstract

706,437. Injecting meat: AVERY, F. J. Aug. 29, 1951, No. 20410/51. Class 49 Apparatus for injecting curing liquid into meat comprises a head member mounted for up and down movement on a frame arranged over a support for the meat, a plurality of hollow needles spaced from each other at a distance less than the width of the piece of meat to be treated, which needles are supplied with curing liquid; extend downwards from the head member, and are provided with discharge openings at their lower ends, mechanism for moving the head member to and from the meat support in order to effect penetration by the needles into, and removal of the needles from, the meat, mechanism controlled in conjunction with movement of the head member to force curing liquid from the needles into the meat each time the needles penetrate the meat, and, connected with the mechanism for moving the head member, means to advance the meat support under the head member a predetermined distance less than the length of the piece of meat each time the head member is moved to and from the meat support. With the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 the head 12 is moved downwards on posts 11 towards a piece of bacon on the carrier 33 by means of a pair of levers 14 operated by a handle 17 on a shaft 15, and, on release of the handle 17, the head moves upwards by reason of springs 13 compressed on the downward movement. The hollow needles 18 extending from the head 12 are adjacent to presser feet 28, which are mounted for sliding vertically with respect to the head 12 against springs 39, and, upon engagement of the presser feet with the bacon, their further downward movement is stopped; continuing downward movement of the head to force the needles into the bacon causes tilting of levers 31 to press down pistons 26 in cylinders 22 of curing liquid, and so. drive curing liquid through the discharge openings of the needles into the bacon; subsequent upward movement of the head causes withdrawal of the needles from the bacon and then lifting of the presser feet from the bacon, and also causes upward movement of the pistons 26 to recharge the cylinders 22 with curing liquid from a source of supply thereof. Upward movement of the head 12 also brings about operation of the levers 14 to rotate the shaft 15 and so cause arms 38 thereon to slide pawls 35 and advance the bacon carrier 33 one step.