JP2013017452A - Method and apparatus for separation of sternal keel cartilage area - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To dramatically enhance working efficiency of a work for separating a sternal keel cartilage area (abbreviated as Yagen in the following) from a sternal keel carried out by manpower, by automating the work with a machine.SOLUTION: The invention comprises followings. The sternal keel 130 is applied on an upper face (horizontal base plane h) of a work positioning guide 20 at a work throw in section A and a work w is conveyed to a Yagen cutting section B while keeping the work w at reference height. The Yagen 132 is cut by a first cutting blade 24 in a horizontal direction at the Yagen cutting section B. A second cutting blade 26 is lunged into inside of the Yagen 132 and cuts a membrane 146 attaching between the Yagen 132 and inside branch bone 144 in a vertical direction. Wherein the Yagen 132 is pinched between the second cutting blade 26 and a press bar 30 arranged on the outside of the second cutting blade 26 and held on the outside of the second cutting blade 26 until the membrane 46 is completely cut. Consequently the Yagen 132 is completely separated from the work body.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sternum crest cartilage site from a carcass with a neck called a “gara” after separating a leg, a winged breast and a fillet from a chicken or a duck carcass such as a duck. The present invention relates to an automated method and apparatus for separation.

  The applicant has been working on the development of automatic deboning technology for poultry carcass for many years. In this development process, for example, an automatic splitting into a lower body including the leg and part of the back of the hollow carcass from which the internal body has been removed, and an upper part including the chest, including the neck, wings, ribs, and part of the back. A deboning technique has been completed (Patent Document 1). In addition, an automatic deboning technique for the thigh region has been completed (Patent Document 2), and an automatic deboning technique for separating the winged breast and fillet from the upper body has been completed (Patent Document 3).

  FIG. 11 shows a chicken skeleton. The chicken skeleton 100 is connected to a bone corresponding to the spine from the skull 102 through the cervical vertebra 104 and the thoracic vertebra 106 to the caudal vertebra 108 and the caudal bone 110. The wing 112 includes a humerus 114, an ulna 116, and the like. The clavicle 122, the ostium bone 124, and the scapula 126 are connected to the shoulder together with the wings 112. A sternum 128 is connected to the rib 118, a sword-shaped sternum crest 130 exists below the sternum 128, and a sternum crest cartilage site 132 exists below the sternum crest 130. The leg 136 includes a femur 138 connected to the sciatic bone 134, a tibia 140 connected to the femur 138, and the like. In the poultry carcass, the space between the sternum crest 130 and the medial branch bone 144 adjacent to the sternum crest 130 is covered with a film 146.

  In the automatic deboning process of the edible carcass, first, the leg 136 and the sciatic bone 134 are divided from the upper half of the removed edible carcass by the automatic deboning device disclosed in Patent Document 1. Next, the winged breast and the fillet are separated from the upper body by the automatic deboning device disclosed in Patent Document 3. The carcass w with a neck from which the winged breast and the fillet are separated is commonly referred to as “gala”. The carcass w with a neck is cut by a cutting line b shown in FIG. 11 by hand, and cut and separated from a carcass body 142 with a neck and a thoracic skeleton 120 commonly called “kappa”. The clavicle 122, the ostium bone 124 and the scapula 126 are attached to the thoracic skeleton 120.

  Since the separated carcass main body 142 with the neck and the thoracic skeleton 120 are still attached with meat, the attached skeleton is separated by hand and used for food, and the remaining skeleton is chicken tuna soup, etc. Used for The sternum crest cartilage portion 132 is commonly called “Jagen”, and is manually cut from the sternum crest 130 along the cutting line c and tasted as a grilled chicken, or is said to be effective for osteoarthritis and rheumatism. It is used as a raw material.

JP 2002-223694 A JP 2002-10732 A JP 2008-307064 A

  The operation of separating the carcass (gara) w with the neck into the carcass body 142 with the neck and the thoracic skeleton (kappa) 120 and the operation of separating the sternum ridge cartilage site (bevel) 132 from the sternum crest 130 are still hands. It is done by work and is not automated by mechanization. Therefore, these operations require a lot of manpower and time.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to automate the separation operation of the sternum crest cartilage site (bevel) from the sternum crest, which is performed manually, by a machine, and to dramatically increase the work efficiency. To do.

  In order to achieve such an object, the method for separating the sternum crest cartilage site of the present invention is to insert a carcass with a neck after separating a leg and a winged breast from a poultry carcass into a cone and use the sternum crest as a reference. A carcass throwing process for fixing the carcass against the reference plane set at the position, a transporting process for transporting the cone with the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck held at the reference position set by the reference plane, and the cone A first cutting step of cutting the sternum ridge cartilage portion of the carcass with neck that is being transported from the sternum ridge with a first cutting blade fixed facing the transport path of the corn, and transporting the cone after the first cutting step Facing the road, the second cutting blade fixed toward the axial direction of the sternum crest cartilage site is stabbed inside the sternum crest cartilage site of the carcass with neck that is being conveyed, A second cutting step of cutting the film adhered between the second cutting blade and the second cutting blade A membrane separation step of sandwiching the sternum crest cartilage site with a presser bar arranged side by side on the outside of the cutting blade and holding the sternum crest cartilage site at a position outside the second cutting blade to cut the membrane. is there.

  In the method of the present invention, a carcass with a neck is inserted into a cone, and the sternum crest is fixed to a reference plane set at a reference position. In the transport step, the sternum crest is applied to the reference surface, and the sternum ridge is transported while maintaining the reference position. Accordingly, the relative position of the sternum crest with respect to the cutting blade can be positioned at a desired position in a post-process cutting area provided in the cone conveyance path. Next, the cone is conveyed, and the sternum crest cartilage site is cut and separated at the cutting region. The cutting part of the sternum crest cartilage part can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the cutting blade provided in the cutting region with respect to the reference position.

  In a 1st cutting process, the sternum crest cartilage site | part of the carcass with a neck part conveyed is cut | disconnected from a sternum crest with the 1st cutting blade fixed in parallel with the reference plane. In the second cutting step, the second cutting blade fixed in the axial direction of the sternum crest cartilage site is attached between the sternum crest cartilage site and the medial branch bone 144 adjacent to the sternum crest cartilage site (see FIG. 11). The membrane 146 is cut. Meanwhile, the sternum crest cartilage site is sandwiched between the second cutting blade and a presser bar arranged side by side outside the second cutting blade, and the sternum crest cartilage site is held at the outer position of the second cutting blade.

  Since the second cutting blade is fixed in the axial direction of the sternum crest cartilage site, the membrane can be cut without damaging the sternum crest cartilage site. In addition, while the membrane is completely cut by the second cutting blade, the sternum crest cartilage site can be held outside the second cutting blade without being pulled by the membrane, so that the sternum crest cartilage site is completely pulled away from the carcass with the neck. be able to. According to the method of the present invention, the separation of the sternum crest cartilage site can be automated by a machine, so that the personnel required for this can be greatly reduced and the working time can be greatly shortened.

  In the method of the present invention, in the carcass throwing step and the transporting step, the reference surface is a horizontal reference surface set to a reference height, and the cone is transported with the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck held at the reference height. The first cutting blade may be inclined downward by 15 to 20 ° with respect to the horizontal plane in the first cutting step, and the second cutting blade may be arranged vertically in the second cutting step. By setting the reference surface as the horizontal reference surface, installation (positioning) and transportation of the carcass with a neck on the reference surface and the arrangement of the first and second cutting blades with respect to the reference surface are facilitated. In addition, by inclining the first cutting blade downward by 15 to 20 ° with respect to the horizontal plane, cutting along the boundary line of the sternum ridge cartilage can be performed, and the volume of the sternum ridge cartilage can be increased.

  Further, in the first cutting step, the blade portion of the first cutting blade is disposed so as to form an obtuse angle with respect to the conveyance direction of the cone, and the sternum ridge cartilage site is directed from the outside to the inside of the sternum ridge with the first cutting blade. It is better to cut. Thus, only the sternum crest cartilage site can be cut without cutting the inner branch bone 144 adjacent to the sternum crest cartilage site. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove the inner branch bone 144 from the cut sternum crest cartilage site.

  Further, in the second cutting step, the second cutting blade forms a wedge-shaped plate that becomes wider toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the cone, and is formed on the inclined side of the wedge-shaped plate according to the conveyance of the carcass with the neck. The film 146 may be cut with a sharp blade. Thereby, a film | membrane can be automatically cut | disconnected with conveyance of the carcass with a neck part.

  In the method of the present invention, after the second cutting step, a separation step of separating the thoracic skeleton from the carcass with a neck may be performed by a separation device provided on the downstream side in the transport direction of the second cutting blade. Thereby, the separation of the sternum crest cartilage site and the separation of the thoracic skeleton from the necked carcass can be performed at a time by simply transporting the carcass with the neck along one transport path. Therefore, the time required for these two operations can be greatly shortened, and since these two operations can be automated, the number of workers can be greatly reduced.

  In addition, the separation apparatus for the sternum crest cartilage site of the present invention that can be directly used for the implementation of the method of the present invention is to insert and fix the carcass with the neck after separating the leg and the winged breast from the poultry carcass. Fixed to the cone with a plurality of cones attached, a conveying device attached to the plurality of cones, and conveying the plurality of cones at equal intervals, and the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck on the reference plane set at the reference position A fixing device, a frame that is arranged along the conveyance direction of the cone and forms a reference plane, and a sternum ridge cartilage portion of a carcass with a neck that is fixed and conveyed facing the conveyance path of the cone A first cutting blade that cuts from the first cutting blade, and a sternum ridge cartilage of a carcass with a neck that is transported to the downstream side of the first cutting blade, facing the conveyance path of the cone and fixed in the axial direction of the sternum ridge cartilage site Pierce inside the part, carcass with neck and sternum crest cartilage part A second cutting blade that cuts the membrane adhering to the outer periphery, and an outer side of the second cutting blade, the sternum crest cartilage site is sandwiched between the second cutting blades, and the sternum crest cartilage site is positioned outside the second cutting blade And a presser bar that holds and cuts the membrane.

  In the device of the present invention, first, a carcass with a neck is fitted into a cone, and the sternum crest is fixed by being brought into contact with a reference plane formed by a frame. Then, the cone is transported while being maintained at the reference position set by the reference plane, and the sternum crest cartilage site is cut from the sternum crest with the first cutting blade. As a result, the desired position of the sternum crest cartilage can be reliably cut. Next, the membrane attached between the carcass with the neck and the sternum crest cartilage is cut with the second cutting blade. At this time, the sternum ridge cartilage site is sandwiched between the second cutting blade and the presser bar, and the sternum ridge cartilage site is held on the outer surface of the second cutting blade without being pulled by the membrane. It can be completely separated from the body. Further, since the second cutting blade is fixed toward the axial direction of the sternum crest cartilage site, the membrane can be cut without damaging the sternum crest cartilage site.

  According to the apparatus of the present invention, since the separation process of the sternum crest cartilage site can be automated, the efficiency can be greatly improved as compared with manual work. Further, since no drive device other than the transfer device for transferring the cone is required, the power can be reduced to a minimum, and a complicated control device for controlling the drive device is not required. Therefore, the device configuration can be simplified and reduced in cost.

  In the apparatus of the present invention, the reference plane is a horizontal reference plane set at a reference height, and the cone is transported in a state where the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck is held at the reference height by the transport device, and the first cutting blade It is good to incline 15-20 degrees below with respect to a horizontal surface, and to arrange | position a 2nd cutting blade perpendicularly | vertically. By setting the reference surface as the horizontal reference surface, installation and transportation of the carcass with a neck on the reference surface and the arrangement of the first and second cutting blades are facilitated. In addition, by tilting the first cutting blade downward by 15 to 20 ° with respect to the horizontal plane, the sternum crest cartilage site can be cut along the boundary line of the sternum crest cartilage site, and the volume of the sternum crest cartilage site can be increased. Can do.

  In the device according to the present invention, the second cutting blade is a wedge-shaped plate that becomes wider toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the cone, and the blade is formed on the inclined side of the wedge-shaped plate according to the movement of the carcass with the neck. It is good to be comprised so that a film | membrane may be cut | disconnected by. Thereby, according to conveyance of the carcass with a neck part, a film | membrane can be automatically cut | disconnected with a 2nd cutting blade.

  In the device of the present invention, the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade may be attached to one cutter unit, and the relative position of the cutter unit with respect to the reference surface may be adjustable. Thereby, the cutting position of the sternum crest cartilage can be easily adjusted.

  In the device of the present invention, at least one of the fixing devices is rotatably attached to the cone, and is connected to a pair of arms sandwiching the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck fitted into the cone from both sides and the rotatable arm. Cam, a spring that biases the pivotable arm in the opening direction, and a guide that is horizontally disposed along the conveying direction of the cone and operates the cam in the opening direction. And a rail. Thus, by providing the guide rail, no drive device for opening and closing the pair of arms and a control device for controlling the drive device are not required. Further, the opening / closing timing of the pair of arms can be adjusted to a desired timing only by determining the arrangement region of the guide rail.

  In addition to the above configuration, the sandwiching surfaces of the pair of arms may be L-shaped. Thereby, the carcass with the neck including the sternum crest can be stably fixed to the cone. Therefore, the sternum ridge can be stably held on the reference plane, and the sternum ridge cartilage site can be reliably cut at a desired position by the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade.

  In the device of the present invention, a separation device for separating the chest skeleton from the necked carcass may be disposed on the downstream side of the second cutting blade so as to face the conveyance path of the cone. As a result, the separation of the sternum crest cartilage site and the thoracic skeleton from the carcass with the neck can be performed continuously only by being transported through one transport path. Therefore, the time required for these two operations can be greatly shortened, and since these two operations can be automated, the number of workers can be greatly reduced.

  According to the method of the present invention, the carcass with the neck after separating the leg and the winged breast from the poultry carcass is inserted into the cone, and the sternum crest is fixed to the reference plane set at the reference position. A carcass throwing process, a transporting process for transporting the cone with the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck held at the reference position set by the reference plane, and a first fixed facing the transport path of the cone A first cutting step of cutting the sternum ridge cartilage site of the carcass with neck that is conveyed by a cutting blade from the sternum crest, and an axial direction of the sternum crest cartilage site facing the cone conveyance path after the first cutting step A second cutting step of piercing the inside of the sternum ridge cartilage site of the carcass with neck that is transported with the second cutting blade fixed toward the head, and cutting the membrane attached between the carcass with neck and the sternum crest cartilage site And the sternum with a second cutting blade and a presser bar arranged side by side outside the second cutting blade And a membrane separation step for cutting the membrane while holding the sternum crest cartilage site at the outer position of the second cutting blade with the cartilage site sandwiched between the sternum crest cartilage site and the sternum crest cartilage site. Can be cut accurately at the position. In addition, the separation of the sternum crest cartilage site can be automated by a machine, the working time can be greatly shortened, and the labor required for this can be greatly reduced.

  Further, according to the device of the present invention, a plurality of cones for fitting and fixing a carcass with a neck after separating legs and winged breasts from a poultry carcass, and a plurality of cones are attached. Are arranged along the conveyance direction of the cone, a conveyance device that conveys the cone at a regular interval, a fixing device that fixes the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck to the reference surface set at the reference position, and a reference device A frame that forms a surface, a first cutting blade that cuts a sternum ridge cartilage portion of a carcass with a neck that is fixed and transported facing a conveyance path of the cone, and a downstream side of the first cutting blade The cervical cartilage site is fixed in the direction of the axis of the sternum crest cartilage, and is pierced inside the sternum crest cartilage site of the carcass with neck that is being transported, between the carcass with neck and the sternum ridge cartilage A second cutting blade for cutting the film adhering to the surface, and the outside of the second cutting blade And a presser bar that sandwiches the sternum crest cartilage site with the second cutting blade and holds the sternum crest cartilage site at the outer position of the second cutting blade to cut the membrane. The same effects as the inventive method can be obtained.

  Further, since no drive device is required other than the transport device for transporting the cone, the power can be reduced to the minimum. Furthermore, since a complicated control device for controlling the drive device is not required, the device configuration can be simplified and reduced in cost.

1 is an overall front view of an automation apparatus according to an embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the cone of the separation device. It is a front view of the workpiece | work insertion part of the said separation apparatus. It is a side view of the workpiece fixing device of the separation device. It is a front view of the bevel cut part of the said separation apparatus. It is a front view of the cutting blade of the said bevel cut part. It is a side view of the said bevel cut part. It is a front view of the Kappa separation part of the separation device. (A) is a perspective view of the said Kappa isolation | separation part seen from the apparatus back side, (B) is a perspective view which shows the positional relationship of a cone and a 1st round bar front-end | tip part. (A) shows the carcass main body with a neck part isolate | separated with the said automation apparatus, (B) shows a kappa, (C) is a perspective view which shows a bevel. It is a side view which shows the skeleton of a chicken.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the component parts described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to that unless otherwise specified.

  An embodiment in which the method and apparatus of the present invention are applied to the separation of a chicken sternum crest cartilage site and a thoracic skeleton will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the carcass with the neck after separating the leg and the winged breast from the carcass of chicken is called “work”, the chest skeleton separated from the work is called “kappa”, and the chest side The sternum crest cartilage site, which is the lower region of the sternum crest associated with the skeleton, is referred to as “bevel”.

  In FIG. 1, in the automation device 10 of this embodiment, an endless chain 12 is wound between a drive sprocket 14 and a driven sprocket 16 and arranged in a horizontal direction. The endless chain 12 is moved in the direction of arrow a by the drive sprocket 14. A number of cones 18 are mounted on the endless chain 12 at equal intervals. The cone 18 is erected on the outward path from the workpiece input part A to the bevel cut part B and the kappa removal part C, and is inverted on the return path from the kappa removal part C to the work input part A. An operation panel 23 is provided at the upper end of the central column 21. A discharge conveyor 70 is provided below the drive sprocket 14.

  In FIG. 2, the cone body 180 into which the workpiece is inserted is fixed in an upright state on a base plate 182 fixed to the endless chain 12. A pair of fixed arms 184 and a movable arm 186 are mounted on both side surfaces of the cone body 180. The fixed arm 184 and the fixed arm 184 are provided with presser plates 184a and 186a for pressing the work from both sides. The fixed arm 184 is fixed to the side surface of the cone body 180. The movable arm 186 is connected to the rotation shaft 188. A cylindrical cam 190 is rotatably mounted on the rotating shaft 188 on the back side of the cone body 180, and a receiving plate 192 is integrally connected thereto.

  A screw shaft 194 is erected on the base plate 182, and the screw shaft 194 is inserted into a hole formed in the receiving plate 192. A nut 196 is screwed to the upper end of the screw shaft 194. A coil spring 198 is interposed between the base plate 182 and the receiving plate 192, and the receiving plate 192 is pushed upward by the spring force of the coil spring 198 and is locked to the nut 196. In this state, the movable arm 186 is retracted from the fixed arm 184, and the presser plates 184a and 186a are separated from each other. The upper end of the presser plate 186a has an L shape, and the upper end of the presser plate 184a has a planar shape that is inclined rearward with respect to the presser plate 186a. The shape of these presser plates increases the clamping force for the work and strengthens the work.

  The surface 180a of the cone body 180 on the side where the work is gripped by the pressing plates 184a and 186a is formed in a flat shape. By abutting the workpiece against the flat surface 180a, the workpiece is stably held. A lower flat surface 180b that is recessed by one step is formed below the flat surface 180a. As a result, a round bar 22 and a second cutting blade 26, which will be described later, can be disposed close to the cone body 180. A cutout portion 180 c is formed at the upper end of the cone body 180 so that a tip portion 44 a of a first round bar 44 described later can be disposed close to the upper portion of the cone body 180.

  3 and 4 show the workpiece input unit A. FIG. In the workpiece loading part A, a workpiece positioning guide 20 and a round bar 22 are arranged in the horizontal direction on the front side of the cone 18. The operator inserts and fixes the workpiece w to the cone 18. That is, the neck portion n is turned up and the sternum ridge 130 is placed on the front side, that is, the presser plates 184a and 186a, and is inserted. The upper surface of the workpiece positioning guide 20 forms a horizontal reference plane h, the sternum crest 130 hits the horizontal reference plane h, and the bevel 132 hits the round bar 22, whereby the workpiece w is positioned in the vertical direction. In this state, the chain 12 is operated, the cone 18 is conveyed in the direction of arrow a, and the workpiece w is conveyed to the bevel cut portion B on the downstream side while being positioned in the vertical direction. The workpiece positioning guide 20, the round bar 22, the fixed arm 184 and the movable arm 186 constitute a fixing device 19.

  5 to 7 show the bevel cut portion B. FIG. In the bevel cut portion B, the first cutting blade 24 is provided on the upstream side in the transport direction facing the transport path of the workpiece w, and the second cutting blade 26 is provided immediately downstream of the first cutting blade 24. . The workpiece positioning guide 20 and the round bar 22 are arranged just before the conveying direction of the first cutting blade 24. A guide rail 28 is disposed in the horizontal direction along the conveying path of the cone 18 in the bevel cut portion B and the kappa removal portion C located on the downstream side thereof. The guide rail 28 is disposed from immediately upstream of the first cutting blade 24 to above the drive sprocket 14.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the first cutting blade 24 has a trapezoidal plate shape and is arranged in the horizontal direction. The blade 24a of the first cutting blade 24 is disposed obliquely with respect to the conveyance path of the workpiece w. As a result, the workpiece w is conveyed in the direction of the arrow a, so that the blade 24a gradually approaches the workpiece w and cuts the bevel 132 located below the sternum ridge 130. In this case, the blade 24a gradually approaches the bevel 132 from the front side in FIG. 6 to cut the bevel 132 in the horizontal direction. Initially, an experiment was conducted in which the bevel 132 was cut with a wedge-shaped plate-shaped cutting blade (blade shape indicated by a two-dot oblique line 24a ′ in FIG. 6) with the blade edge directed in the direction opposite to the arrow a direction.

  However, it has been found that this cutting blade may cut the inner branch bone 144 adjacent to the bevel 132 simultaneously with the bevel 132. When the inner branch bone 144 is cut, the inner branch bone 144 is mixed with the cut bevel 132, so that it is necessary to remove the inner branch bone 144. On the other hand, only the bevel 132 can be cut by using the blade 24a.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the first cutting blade 24 is arranged so as to have an angle θ (15 to 20 °) with respect to the horizontal plane H. If the 1st cutting blade 24 is arrange | positioned in the horizontal direction, the bevel 132 will be cut | disconnected by the line c of FIG. On the other hand, in this embodiment, since the 1st cutting blade 24 has angle (theta), the bevel 132 can be cut | disconnected by the line c1. Since the bevel 132 has a boundary along the line c1, the volume of the bevel 132 can be increased by cutting the bevel 132 along the line c1.

  In FIG. 7, the guide rail 28 pushes the cam 190 downward at a position immediately upstream of the first cutting blade 24, rotates the movable arm 186, closes the press plates 184a and 186a, and moves the sternum crest 130 from both sides. The sternum crest 130 is pinched and fixed. Then, on the downstream side of the kappa removing portion C, the press of the cam 190 is released, the press plate 186a is retracted, and the press of the sternum ridge 130 is released. The kappa 120 falls onto the kappa discharge conveyor 70 when the endless chain 12 is reversed above the drive sprocket 14.

  The second cutting blade 26 is arranged in the vertical direction, has a wedge-shaped plate shape that becomes wider toward the downstream side in the conveying direction of the cone 18, and a blade 26 a is formed on the lower side in the oblique direction. By transporting the workpiece w in the direction of arrow a, the tip of the second cutting blade 26 is inserted inside the bevel 132, that is, the membrane 146 attached between the bevel 132 and the inner branch bone 144. The film 146 is cut off by the second cutting blade 26 along with the conveyance of the workpiece w and cut down downward.

  On the front side of the second cutting blade 26 (the front side of the second cutting blade 26 in FIG. 6), a presser bar 30 made of a round bar is disposed along the arrow a direction. The presser bar 30 is arranged in parallel with the second cutting blade 26 so as to sandwich the bevel 132, and gradually increases the distance from the second cutting blade 26 toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the workpiece w. Is arranged. A bevel discharge chute 32 is provided below the second cutting blade 26 and the presser bar 30. With this configuration, in the first half of the presser bar 30, while the film 146 is being cut by the second cutting blade 26, the bevel 132 is placed outside the second cutting blade 26 with the second cutting blade 26 and the presser bar 30 sandwiching the bevel 132. In the second half of the presser bar 30, the film 146 is separated by the second cutting blade 26, and the bevel 132 can be dropped onto the bevel discharge chute 32.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the 1st cutting blade 24 and the 2nd cutting blade 26 are connected with the flame | frame 34 arrange | positioned in the horizontal direction, and these comprise the cutter unit 36 united. Both ends of the frame 34 are supported by guide bars 38a and 38b arranged in the vertical direction so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. A central portion of the frame 34 is connected to a screw shaft 40 arranged in the vertical direction. The height of the cutter unit 36 can be adjusted by turning a nut 42 connected to the frame 34 and screwed onto the screw shaft 40. Thereby, the cutting positions of the first cutting blade 24 and the second cutting blade 26 with respect to the horizontal reference plane h can be adjusted, and the position of the cutting line c that cuts the bevel 132 can be adjusted.

  The round bar 22 is integrally connected to the workpiece positioning guide 20 via a frame, and the workpiece positioning guide 20 and the round bar 22 are configured to be lifted and lowered by a mechanism similar to the lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the frame 34. . Thereby, the relative heights of the workpiece positioning guide 20 and the round bar 22 with respect to the first cutting blade 24 and the second cutting blade 26 can be adjusted.

  The workpiece w after the bevel 132 has been cut is conveyed to the kappa removal portion C. 8 and 9 show the kappa removal portion C. FIG. FIG. 8 is a view as seen from the front side of the automation apparatus 10, and FIG. 9 (A) is a view as seen from the back side. Hereinafter, the configuration of the kappa removal portion C will be described. A tip portion 44 a of the first round bar 44 is disposed above the downstream portion of the second cutting blade 26 in the transport direction. The first round bar 44 is arranged along the direction of arrow a on the conveyance path of the workpiece w. The tip end portion 44a of the first round bar 44 is bent obliquely toward the workpiece conveyance path, and is disposed at a position inserted in a non-contact manner into the cutout portion 180c of the cone body 180 being conveyed. In the workpiece w being conveyed, the tip portion 44a of the first round bar 44 is pierced between the position indicated by the circle d in FIG.

  A round bar 46 is connected to the second half of the first round bar 44 in an oblique direction. The first round bar 44 and the round bar 46 form a widening forming body 48 that widens in the vertical direction. The puncture hole formed in the workpiece w by the first round bar 44 is enlarged in the vertical direction by the widening formation body 48 as the workpiece w is conveyed. Thus, the rib 118 and the sternum 128 begin to separate at the cutting line b in FIG.

  A round bar 50 is connected to the frame 54 via a support bar 52 above the widening body 48. The round bar 50 is directed in the direction of the arrow a, and is arranged in parallel with the first round bar 44 at a position spaced from the first round bar 44. The upstream end portion 50a of the round bar 50 is inclined obliquely upward and toward the front side with respect to the conveyance path of the workpiece w. The round bar 50 has an effect of directing the neck portion n of the workpiece w in the state of being stabbed into the first round bar 44 toward the back side of the automation device 10 as the workpiece w is conveyed.

  A second round bar 56 is disposed on the downstream side of the round bar 50 via the support bar 58 so as to face obliquely downward. A fourth round bar 66 is provided in parallel with the second round bar 56. The fourth round bar 66 is connected to the first round bar 44 and is arranged in parallel with a predetermined interval so that the second round bar 56 and the carcass body with neck 142 separated from the kappa 120 can pass through. The second round bar 56 has an action of pushing down the neck n directed toward the back side by the round bar 50. Therefore, the neck portion n is pushed downward while passing between the second round bar 56 and the fourth round bar 66. Therefore, the workpiece w is gradually separated from the carcass main body 142 with the neck and the kappa 120 fixed to the cone 18.

  A third round bar 60 is disposed above the second round bar 56 via a support bar 62. The third round bar 60 is arranged in the direction of arrow a. Above the first round bar 44, the first round bar 44 is arranged in parallel with the first round bar 44 at a constant interval. The distance between the first round bar 44 and the third round bar 60 is such that the pair of scapulas 126 attached to the kappa 120 can enter. While the neck n is pushed down by the second round bar 56, the brace 120 is fixed to the cone 18, and the scapula 126 associated with the brace 120 is between the first round bar 44 and the third round bar 60. It will be in the state caught on the stick | rod 44. FIG.

  The third round bar 60 presses the scapula 124 and the clavicle 122 so that the scapula 124 and the like do not go to the neck side to prevent breakage. With the above-described configuration and the conveyance of the cone 18, the workpiece w is peeled off by the carcass body 142 with the neck and the knot 120 along the cutting line b in FIG. 11.

  The carcass main body 142 with the neck portion thus separated from the kappa 120 falls onto the discharge chute 64 and is discharged. The kappa 120 is fixed to the cone 18 and conveyed in the direction of arrow a. As shown in FIG. 1, the end of the guide rail 28 is located above the drive sprocket 14. Here, when the cam 190 is released from the press of the guide rail 28, the movable arm 186 moves backward, and the kappa 120 is released from the fixation of the cone 18. By reversing the cone 18 above the drive sprocket 14, the kappa 120 falls onto the kappa discharge conveyor 70 provided below the drive sprocket 14 and is carried out. The cone 18 is conveyed while being inverted on the return path of the endless chain 12, and returns to the workpiece input unit A.

  FIG. 10 shows the carcass body 142 with the neck, the knot 120 and the bevel 132 separated by the automatic deboning apparatus 10. The kappa 120 is accompanied by a clavicle 122, a heel bone 124 and a scapula 126. The carcass body 142 with the neck and the kappa 120 remove the attached meat manually, the removed meat is used for food, and the remaining skeleton is used for chicken broth soup and the like. The bean 132 is used as a raw material for glucosamine or the like that is tasted as a yakitori or is said to be effective for osteoarthritis and rheumatism.

  According to the present embodiment, when the workpiece w is inserted into the cone 18 in the workpiece insertion portion A, the upper surface of the frame 20 arranged in the horizontal direction is set as the horizontal reference plane h, and the sternum ridge 130 is applied to the frame 20 In addition, the workpiece w can be positioned by applying the bevel 132 to the round bar 22 arranged in the horizontal direction, and the workpiece w can be moved in the horizontal direction while being positioned toward the bevel cut portion B. In addition, the first cutting blade 24 and the second cutting blade 26 are mounted on the cutter unit 36 so that the height of the cutter unit 36 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the relative height between the horizontal reference plane h and the round bar 22. it can. Therefore, the cutting line c1 (see FIG. 11) of the bevel 132 can be adjusted to a desired position in the vertical direction.

  Further, on the upstream side of the first cutting blade 24, the cam 190 is pushed down by the guide rail 28, and the sternum ridge 130 of the work w is sandwiched between the movable arm 186 and the fixed arm 184, so that the sternum ridge 130 is securely fixed at a predetermined position. it can. Thereby, the cutting line c1 can be set to a desired position. Furthermore, the holding force of the sternum ridge 130 can be increased by making the upper end of the presser bar 30 of the movable arm 186 L-shaped. Moreover, the holding | maintenance of the workpiece | work w can be stabilized by making the contact surface 180a of the cone main body 180 which contacts the workpiece | work w into a plane. Further, since the lower step plane 180b is formed below the contact surface 180a, the round bar 22 and the second cutting blade 26 can be disposed close to the cone body 180.

  In addition, the boundary of the bevel 132 in the sternum crest 130 is shown by the line c1 of FIG. In this embodiment, since the 1st cutting blade 24 is arrange | positioned so that it may have angle (theta) (15-20 degrees) with respect to the horizontal surface H, the bevel 132 can be cut | disconnected by the line c1. Therefore, the volume of the bevel 132 to be cut can be increased to the maximum. Further, the first cutting blade 24 has a trapezoidal plate shape, and the blade 24a gradually approaches the bevel 132 from the front side of the paper surface in FIG. 6 and cuts the bevel 132 in the horizontal direction by the blade 24a. Only the bevel 132 can be cut, and the inner branch bone 144 adjacent to the bevel 132 is not cut. As a result, the inner branch bone 144 is not mixed into the bevel 132 after cutting, and therefore, the removal operation of the inner branch bone 144 is not required.

  Since the second cutting blade 26 is arranged in the vertical direction, that is, in the axial direction of the bevel 132, the cutting edge can be inserted into the membrane 146 without damaging the bevel 132. Moreover, the 2nd cutting blade 26 can cut down the film | membrane 146 automatically by conveyance of the workpiece | work w by making a wedge shape. Further, the bevel 132 is sandwiched between the second cutting blade 26 and the presser bar 30, and the bevel 132 is held on the outer surface of the second cutting blade 26 for a while, whereby the bevel 132 is pulled to the work body side through the film 146. Can be prevented. Thereby, the bevel 132 can be completely separated from the work body.

  In this way, in the bevel cut section B, the separation process of the bevel 132 can be automated, and the working time and personnel required for the work can be greatly reduced as compared with the manual work. Further, since a driving device is not required other than the conveying device for the cone 18, a control device for controlling the driving device is not required, and the device configuration can be simplified and reduced in cost.

  In the kappa removal portion C, the distal end portion 44a is disposed close to the cone main body 180 so that the distal end portion 44a of the first round bar 44 is disposed in the cutout portion 180c formed at the upper end of the cone main body 180. The first round bar 44 can be reliably pierced into a portion (circle d in FIG. 11) between the ostial bone 124 and the scapula 126 of the work w.

  Further, the neck n of the work w is directed from the conveyance path to the back side by the round bar 50, and the piercing hole of the first round bar 44 is widened by the widening formation body 48 following the first round bar 44, whereby the rib of the work w is obtained. By separating 118 and the sternum crest 130 and pushing down the neck n with the second round bar 56, the separation of the carcass body 142 with the neck and the kappa 120 can be started. Further, while the neck n is sandwiched between the second round bar 56 and the fourth round bar 66, the neck n is continuously pushed down, the scapula 126 is sandwiched between the first round bar 44 and the third round bar 60, and By holding the scapula 124 and the clavicle 122 on the side of the cone 18 with the third round bar 60, the skeleton carcass 142 with the neck and the kataka 120 can be reliably and easily separated while fixing the kataka 120 to the cone 18.

  Thus, the separation process of the carcass main body 142 with the neck and the kappa 120 can be automated even in the kappa removal part C. For this reason, it is possible to greatly reduce the work time and personnel required for the work as compared with the work by hand. Further, since a driving device is not required other than the conveying device for the cone 18, a control device for controlling the driving device is not required, and the device configuration can be simplified and reduced in cost.

  Since the bevel separation and the kappa separation can be automated simultaneously with a single device by the automation device 10 of the present embodiment, the work time can be greatly shortened and the efficiency can be improved compared to the manual work. For example, if the automatic deboning apparatus 10 is used, 4,500 birds can be processed in one hour. If this is done manually, at least two people are required. Furthermore, no drive device is required other than the drive device for driving the chain 12. Therefore, the power can be minimized, and a control device or the like is not required, and the device configuration can be simplified and reduced in cost.

  According to the present invention, the bevel cutting and separating process can be automated by a machine, so that the work process can be greatly improved in efficiency compared to manual work.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Automation apparatus 12 Endless chain 14 Drive sprocket 16 Driven sprocket 18 Cone 180 Cone main body 182 Base plate 184 Fixed arm 184a, 186a Holding plate 186 Movable arm 188 Rotating shaft 190 Cam 192 Receiving plate 194 Screw shaft 196 Nut 198 Coil spring 19 Fixing device 20 Work positioning guides 34, 54 Frame 22 Round bar 24 First cutting blade 26 Second cutting blade 28 Guide rail 30 Presser bar 32 Bend discharge chute 36 Cutter unit 38a, 38b Guide bar 40 Screw shaft 42 Nut 44 First round bar 46, 50 round bar 48 widening forming bodies 52, 62 support bar 56 second round bar 58 support bar 60 third round bar 64 discharge chute 66 fourth round bar 70 kappa discharge conveyor 100 carcass with neck (gara)
120 Thoracic skeleton (kappa)
124 heel bone 126 scapula 130 sternum crest 132 sternum crest cartilage site (bevel)
142 carcass body with neck 144 inner branch 146 membrane b, c cutting line h horizontal reference plane n neck w work (carcass with neck)

Claims (12)

Inserting the carcass with the neck after separating the leg and winged breast from the poultry carcass into the cone, and fixing the carcass by placing the sternum crest against the reference plane set at the reference position, and
In a state where the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck is held at a reference position set by the reference surface, a transporting step for transporting the cone,
A first cutting step of cutting a sternum ridge cartilage site of a carcass with a neck that is conveyed from a sternum crest with a first cutting blade fixed facing the conveyance path of the cone;
After the first cutting step, on the inner side of the sternum crest cartilage site of the carcass with a neck that is transported by the second cutting blade that is fixed in the axial direction of the sternum crest cartilage site facing the conveyance path of the cone. A second cutting step of piercing and cutting the membrane attached between the carcass with neck and the sternum crest cartilage site;
A membrane that cuts the membrane while sandwiching the sternum crest cartilage site between the second cutting blade and a presser bar arranged side by side on the outside of the second cutting blade and holding the sternum crest cartilage site at a position outside the second cutting blade A method for separating a sternum crest cartilage site. In the carcass throwing step and the transporting step, the reference surface is a horizontal reference surface set to a reference height, and the cone is transported in a state where the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck is held at the reference height,
The first cutting blade is inclined downward by 15 to 20 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane in the first cutting step, and the second cutting blade is vertically disposed in the second cutting step. The separation method of the sternum crest cartilage site | part of description.   In the first cutting step, the blade portion of the first cutting blade is disposed so as to form an obtuse angle with respect to the conveying direction of the cone, and the sternum ridge cartilage site is directed from the outside to the inside of the sternum ridge with the first cutting blade. The method for separating a sternum crest cartilage site according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method is cut by cutting.   In the second cutting step, the second cutting blade forms a wedge-shaped plate that becomes wider toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the cone, and follows the conveyance of the carcass with a neck portion, on the inclined side of the wedge-shaped plate. The method for separating a sternum crest cartilage site according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the membrane is cut with the formed blade portion.   The separation step of separating the thoracic skeleton from the carcass with a neck is performed by a separation device provided downstream in the transport direction of the second cutting blade after the second cutting step. 3. The method for separating a sternum crest cartilage site according to 1 or 2. A plurality of cones for inserting and fixing the necked carcass after separating the leg and winged breast from the poultry carcass;
A conveying device to which the plurality of cones are attached and conveys the plurality of cones at equal intervals;
A fixing device for fixing to the cone in a state where the sternum crest of the carcass with a neck is applied to a reference plane set at a reference position;
A frame which is arranged along the conveying direction of the cone and forms the reference surface;
A first cutting blade that cuts the sternum crest cartilage site of the carcass with a neck that is fixed and transported facing the conveyance path of the cone from the sternum crest;
The neck is fixed on the downstream side of the first cutting blade so as to face the conveyance path of the cone toward the axial direction of the sternum crest cartilage site, and is pierced inside the sternum crest cartilage site of the carcass with neck that is conveyed A second cutting blade for cutting a membrane attached between the attached carcass and the sternum crest cartilage site;
A presser bar that is juxtaposed outside the second cutting blade, sandwiches the sternum crest cartilage site with the second cutting blade, holds the sternum crest cartilage site at the outer position of the second cutting blade, and cuts the membrane; An apparatus for separating a sternum crest cartilage site, comprising: The reference plane is a horizontal reference plane set at a reference height, and the cone is transported while the sternum crest of a carcass with a neck is held at the reference height by the transport device,
The apparatus for separating a sternum crest cartilage site according to claim 6, wherein the first cutting blade is inclined downward by 15 to 20 ° with respect to a horizontal plane, and the second cutting blade is arranged vertically.   The second cutting blade forms a wedge-shaped plate that becomes wider toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the cone, and the blade is formed on the inclined side of the wedge-shaped plate according to the movement of the carcass with a neck. The apparatus for separating a sternum crest cartilage site according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the apparatus is configured to cut a membrane.   The first cutting blade and the second cutting blade are attached to one cutter unit, and the relative position of the cutter unit with respect to the reference surface is configured to be adjustable. Separation device for the sternum crest cartilage.   The fixing device is rotatably connected to at least one of the cones, and is connected to a pair of arms sandwiching a sternum crest of a carcass with a neck fitted into the cone from both sides and a rotatable arm. A cam, a spring for biasing the pivotable arm in the opening direction, and a cam horizontally arranged along the conveying direction of the cone to operate the cam in the opening direction. A separation device for a sternum crest cartilage site according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a guide rail.   The separation device of the sternum crest cartilage site according to claim 10, wherein a sandwiching surface of the pair of arms has an L shape.   The sternum according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a separation device for separating the thoracic skeleton from the carcass with a neck is disposed on the downstream side of the second cutting blade so as to face the conveyance path of the cone. Separation device for ridge cartilage.

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