IE60289B1

IE60289B1 - "Device for preserving fresh meat"

Info

Publication number: IE60289B1
Application number: IE177287A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Vesten Ag
Priority date: 1986-07-03
Filing date: 1987-07-03
Publication date: 1994-06-29
Also published as: CN1017959B; ATE64822T1; GR3002273T3; PT85251B; PT85251A; EP0250911B1; DK343387D0; AU599113B2; ES1005871Y; DE8617814U1; DK164568B; DK164568C; DE3771133D1; AU7505087A; NZ220876A; ES1005871U; CA1261672A; BR8703372A; EP0250911A1; DK343387A

Abstract

Apparatus for storage and maturing of fresh meat under mechanical pressure with pressure-conditioned outflow of the meat juice during pressing consisting of a container (1) with an interior open at the top for receiving the meat, a lid (9), which may be inverted into the container interior (7) from above and the area of which is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional area of the container interior (7) and a pressure-application apparatus for pressing the lid (9) into the container interior, the container (1) being made of a material having such an elasticity and thermal expansion coefficient that temperature- dependent volume changes of the meat are compensated by contraction or expansion of the container (1). <IMAGE>

Description

DEVICE FOR PRESERVING FRESH MEAT The invention relates to a device for preserving and maturing fresh meat under mechanical pressure, with the juice of the meat emerging as a result of pressure during the pressing procedure, comprising a container having an upwardly open interior space for receiving the meat, a lid which may be introduced into the container interior space from above, and whereof the surface area is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional surface area of the container interior space, and a pressure-applying apparatus pressing the lid into the container interior space.

A device of this type is known from the European patent application with the Publication Number 0 114 176. Fresh meat, especially de-boned meat which is still warm from the slaughter, is placed in the container and the lid is placed on the meat from above. The lid is pressed into the container by means of the pressure applicator, whereby the meat is compressed in such manner that the juice escapes upwardly out of the meat. The greater part of the air located between the pieces of meat is also pressed out by this procedure, so that the meat is practically sealed off against atmospheric oxygen. In this way long storage lives of up to six weeks are attained even without freeze-cooling or rapid cooling, at temperatures of about 2*-5 °C. without ii!Dair’nc the aual’fy o ? toe meat. In fact, ar improvement in quality can even be attained, since the meat can ripen when the temperature is slowly lowered with exclusion of oxygen .

V It has been found in practice, however, with the known 05 device, that when the meat is cooled to a temperature of about 2o-5°Cjthe container, which usually consists of refined steel, contracts to a lesser extent than the meat, so that the pressure within the container falls. Furthermore, a filled container is often subject to great v ar i 10 ations in temperature, as when for example it is stored in the cold room by night and placed on display in a salesroom for removal of meat by day. The refined steel container used to date is not capable of compensating for the changes in volume of the meat over an extended time, caused by temperature changes; this is because fatigue reduces its elasticity. Furthermore, the temperature transition on cooling a container of refined steel takes place too rapidly so that water condenses, which can have a disadvantageous effect on the quality of the meat and on the yield.

A problem which the invention seeks to solve, therefore, is to improve the known device described in the introduction hereto, in such a way that, as far as possible, constant pressure conditions prevail within the container at all times, and the formation of condensate water is avoided.

This is achieved in accordance with the invention, in the container comprises a material which has an elasl (city such hat expansion/ that changes in vo1ume in the meat, effected by changes in temperature.,,are compensated by..,. .. so that pressure conditions as consfarft as possible are always present-within the contraction or expansion of the container,,/ It is moreover container advantageous if the container material has a low the^ma1 conductivity. For this reason a plastics material is suitable, namely a glass fibre-reinforced olas tics material, which exhibits not only an extremely good elastic behaviour under changes of temperature but also a low thermal conductivity. Cooling the container and its contents takes place so slowly as a result, that there is no question of the formation of condensate water. The container in accordance with the invention, when allowed to stand in a cold room, exerts moreover a contraction pressure on its contents, since it is elastically expanded, ie pre-tensioned by the application of pressure, and because the contraction of the material used, as determined by its coefficient of thermal expansion, is greater than the contraction of the meat. In this way the container advantageously exerts an increasing pressure on the meat by means of its walls, so that over a period of some days, any air still remaining between the pieces of meat is expelled by the elastic shrinkage behaviour of the container. This leads to a further prolongation of the possible shelf life of the meat, without any danger that the meat might deteriorate through the effect of atmospheric oxygen.

The invention is described in greater detail with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view of a container as well as a lid of the device according to the invention, Fig 2 is a perspective view of a pressure applicator and Fig 3 a and 3b are cross-sectional views along the line 111 - III in Fig 1, of two different embodiments of the lid. or preserving A device according to the invention for storing/fresh meat consists of a container 1 for receiving meat which is not The container 1 is, in the illustrated formed with rectangular cross-section having 4, 5 and 5. The container 1 is In its interior 7, limited by the walls 3 to 6, a lid 9 is insertable from above in the direction of the arrow 11 ana can be pressed home by means i11ustrated embod iment, a base 2 and sidewalls 3 upwardly open, moreover. of a pressure applicator 12 (Fig 2), whose function will be described below. The lid 9 has an area which is marginally smaller than the cross-sectional area of the container interior 7, so that a gap is always present between the lid 9 and at least one of the walls 3 to 6, through which (gap) the meat juice escaping from the meat on the application of pressure can flow, and the air can exit. Pressure is applied for as long as is necessary for the lid 9 to be covered with juice.

According to the invention the container 1 consists of a material which has an elasticity and a coefficient of thermal expansion such that changes in the volume of the meat, caused by changes in temperature, are compensated by contraction or expansion of the container 1, ie of its base as well as its walls 3, 4, 5, 6. The material used exhibits furthermore a low thermal conductivity. A plastics material is particularly suitable for this, namely a glass fibre-reinforced plastics materials, which in addition to the required elasticity and the low thermal conductivity also exhibits good mechanical strength, so that even high pressures cause no problems. Advantageously the container 1 consists^pf an outer layer of polyester matting, resin and glass fibre / onto which an inner covering layer based on polyester resin, which may contain admixed colour pigments, is applied. A container composKi^n^ of about 60% polyester re.sin, about 30% glass fibre / and J or coating ' about 10% coveringylayer (percentages by weight in each case) has proved advantageous. The container 1 according to the invention is easy to clean, hygienic and inert to foodstuffs, and additionally exhibits an adequate mechanical strength so that the necessary pressures of up to 0.04 kg/cm can prevail with a guarantee that cracks or other injuries can not arise.

The main raw material used ’s polyester resin based on o-phthalic acid polyester resin with 35% monostyrene having a viscosity of 1000 mp. w'th which is mixed 0.8 to 1% of a _ 5 _ cobalt accelerator, consisting of a solution of styrene with 1% cobalt naphthenal, as well as 2% methyl ethyl ketone peroxide as a hardener, the latter consisting of a normally active solution of about 9% active oxygen, dissolved in phthalic acid ester ^t^n^et arder , and a g 1 yc o-de r i v at i ve .

Endless glass fibre / with weights of 450 to 600 g/vn^ are used as reinforci nq. The nominal diameter of the basic or coating fibre is 15 p. The covering/1ayer consists of iso-phthalic acid polyester resin with standard glycol and dispersed silicic acid as well as monostyrene and colour pigments of titanium oxide, as well as the above mentioned amounts of cobalt accelerator and hardener.

The container 1 manufactured from this material has a very good and long-lasting capacity for expansion and contraction on change of temperature without any tendency to fatigue. For example a container which holds 80 kg of meat at a temperature of 18’C is 620 mm high, 470 mm wide and 580 mm long. At this temperature of 18’C the empty container has a periphery of 160.35 cm measured at a height of 25 cm above the base. The filled and pressurized container at 15 C then has a periphery of 164 cm and at 3’C one of 163.5 cm, so that even after cooling a sufficient pressure is guaranteed in every case. This follows from the fact that, in the warm condition, the container can be elastically stretched by the application of pressure, so strongly that on cooling, a constant or even rising presssure in the interior of the container is produced, firstly by this elastic pre-tensioning and afterwards, in certain cases, also by the temperature-related contraction of the container as determined by the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material used. The container 1 in accordance with the invention can be manufactured in any size and shape. In particular, there are provided four different standard sizes, ie for 45 kg, 80 kg, 150 kg and 300 kg of meat. . 6 .

According to the invention the interior 7 of the container 1 becomes wider from its base 2 upwards. The lid 9 is preferably congruent with the area of the base 2. This design guarantees a very good de-aeration of the meat.

Even when the quantities of meat are small, the lid 9 is spaced apart .from the container walls 3 to 6, so that the meat juice and air can escape. Moreover the outwardly widening shape of the interior 7 is also advantageous for manufacturing the container 1, since as a result there are no problems with its removal from the mould.

In order further to improve the de-aeration, ie the squeezing out of air from the interstices of the meat, it is advantageous if the cover 9 comprises a raised portion 16 (Fig 3a) or 17 (Fig 3b) on its underside 15 which faces the base 2 of the container 1, centrally disposed for preference. The raised portion 16 has a trapezoidal cross-section which tapers aw,ay from the underside 15 of the lid 9, while in the alternative design according to Fig 3b the raised portion 17 is designed as a convex bulge. It is moreover within the scope of the invention to design the entire underside 15 of the lid 9 as a convex dome. In every case the pressing of the meat begins in the middle, so that the air is pressed out laterally from the inside to the outside. The lid 9 illustrated in the drawing has a handle 19 on its upper side 18 which faces away from the base 2 of the container, the handle being eccentrical ly disposed, and this facilitates the removal of the lid 9, which can stick to the meat because of the action of adhesive forces. It is advantageous moreover if the lid 9 is bevelled on its edges 21 in such a way that the underside 15 has a smaller area than the top side 18. This also contributes to the ability of the air to escape easily between the lid 9 and the walls 3 to 6.

The container 1 has an edge 23 near its top opening, which encircles the opening and is turned outwardly. This edge is thickened and reinforced in at least two diametrically (' opposed positions, for engagement by the pressure applicator 12. These reinforced locations lie advantageously in the mid-region of the edges 23 of two opposite walls 3, 5 or 4, 6. or pressure-applying apparatus The pressure app 1 i c ator/12 illustrated in Fig 2 has a U-shaped stirrup 25 with a bridge 26 and two parallel limbs 27, 28. The two limbs 27, 28 carry at their ends 29 grippers 31 which face each other, for grasping the container edge 23. A lifting jack 32 is secured to the bridge 26, in accordance with the invention, and has a lifting rod 33 which is vertically movable in the direction of the arrow 30. The lifting rod 33, at its lower end, preferably carries a pressure plate 34 for engagement against the lid 9. In the illustrated embodiment, the lifting jack 32 is a mechanical type, in which the lifting rod 33 can be moved vertically downwards by swivelling an operating lever 35 back and forth in the direction of the arrow 36, whereby the lid 9 is pressed into the interior 7 of the container by way of the pressure plate 34. In this connection it is advantageous if the lifting rod 33 of the lifting jack 32 is guided through a central bore in the stirrup bridge 26, so that the compression force is applied to the middle of the lid. The grippers which are secured to the limbs 27, 28 of the stirrup are made from angle rails, having (in crosssection) limbs which point towards each other and grasp the container edge 23. It is also of advantage if guide rollers 37 are arranged on the limbs 27, 28 spaced at a certain height above the angle rails, and come to rest on , 30 the upper side of the container edge 23. In this way the pressure applicator 12 can be applied sideways to the )·. containe» edge 23. In an alternative embodiment of the invention it is possible to form at least one of the stirrup limbs 27, 28 so as to pivot outwardly, whereby the pressure applicator 12 can also be applied to the container 1 downwardly from above.

Summarizing, the inventive design of the container 1 offers the following advantages: High mechanical strength with simultaneous good elasticity, low thermal conductivity, ie good thermal insulation, easy to clean, hygienic,, resistant to temperature and chemicals. contains neither dangerous nor unhealthy substances. In the storage of fresh meat a pH value of about 5.4 becomes established with time, as a result of the growth of lactic acid bacteria, and this is most useful for the ripening or maturing yof the meat. With the invention it is also possible to store together meats with different pH values, ie high and low values, whereby the pH values balance each other to yield an equilibrium value.

Claims

1. Device for preserving and maturing fresh meat under mechanical 5 pressure, with the juice of the meat emerging as a result of pressure during the pressing procedure, comprising a container having an upwardly open interior space for receiving the meat, a lid which may be introduced into the container interior space from above, and whereof the surface area is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional surface

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the container comprises a material of low heat conductivity.

3. Device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the container comprises a plastics, in particular a glass-fibre reinforced plastics. 25

4. Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the container comprises an outer layer of polyester resin and glass-fibre matting and an inner coating layer based on polyester resin, preferably with pigments mixed in. 30

5. Device according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, characterized in that the container comprises approximately 60% polyester resin, approximately 30% glass-fibre matting and approximately 10% coating layer.

6. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 5, character35 ized in that the interior space of the container, starting from

7. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the lid has on its underside facing the base of the container, a raised portion, preferably arranged centrally.

8. Device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the raised portion has a trapezoidal cross-section tapering away from the underside of the lid.

9. Device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the raised portion is of convexlv bulging construction.

10. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the lid has on its upper side remote from the base of the container, at least one handle arranged off-centre. 11. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the container has in the region of its upper opening, a rim which surrounds the opening, extends outwards and is constructed to be strengthened at least at two diametrically opposed points for gripping by the pressure-applying apparatus. 12. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the pressure-applying apparatus has a U-shaped stirrup piece having a web and two parallel legs, the legs bearing at their ends mutually facing grippers for gripping around the container rim, and there being secured to the web a jack which has a travelling rod movable vertically into the container interior space and preferably bearing at its lower end a pressure plate for bearing on the lid. 13. Device according to Claim 12, characterized in that the travelling rod of the jack is passed through a central bore of the stirrup-piece web. - 10 its base, widens towards the top, the lid preferably being approximately congruent with the surface of the base. 10 area of the container interior space, and a pressure-applying apparatus pressing the lid into the container interior space, characterized in that the container comprises a material which has an elasticity and a heat expansion coefficient such that changes in volume in the meat, effected by changes in temperature, are compensated by contraction or 15 expansion of the container, so that pressure conditions as constant as possible are always present within the container.

11. - 11 14. Device for preserving and maturing fresh meat under mechanical pressure, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 3rd day of July, 1987.