JPS59205931A - Apparatus and method for aligning irregular stacked block ofsliced food - Google Patents

Abstract

Means for turning the directions of the slices fed from a feeder are attached to a conveyor along its length. The turning means have projecting members arranged with spaces, each suited to hold the slice. The projecting members are coupled with a drive for rotating each member and move it vertically and then horizontally. The members are followed by means for sending out the slices. -

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for automatically organizing irregular stacks of sliced food, and more particularly to:
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for arranging the flow of uneven stacks of sliced food products during transport along a path for directing them into the containers in which they are packaged. Over the years, food processing operations have become increasingly mechanized and automated in order to reduce labor in processing operations while creating packaged foods with uniform consistency and a clean, unblemished appearance that increases consumer confidence in the product. One type of food product that has received a great deal of interest in this regard is snack meat slices that are packaged as stacks of slices. In this type of work, the snack meat is made into large no-sage sticks or chunks by utilizing the vertical duality of the grain scale, and this large product is then loaded into an automatic slicer to thinly slice the snack meat. The meat is then collected into a rough stack of sliced meat for packaging. Known slicing devices automatically weigh the cut from a bar or block and place a mass of slices of desired size and weight on a conveyor to form a continuous stream of stacks of sliced food.

Traditionally, processors set up conveyor belts to receive this flow of sliced meat stacks, and workers organize each stack to place the neat sliced meat stacks into packaging containers or platter utensils. Transfer and complete the packaging of thinly sliced snack meat. Optimized methods have also been proposed to perform these functions. Typically, the mechanical tidying operation is performed by stacking individual meat slices in the stack one on top of the other while the stack of food products is oriented generally horizontally.

When the stack is oriented horizontally, the weight of each slice in the stack is applied to the slices below it, increasing the frictional force between the inner slices in proportion to the number of slices in the stack. Therefore, a worker or machine organizing a stack of sliced food must overcome these gravitational and frictional forces that are unevenly distributed across each stack; There is more dog at the bottom than at the bottom.

Sometimes, the procedures or equipment used to tidy such stacks are insufficient to completely tidy the stacks, and as a result, some stacks may stack somewhat unevenly on the packaged product and cause undesirable results. will be done. When this happens, the final packaged product has an inconsistent appearance or the meat slices are damaged during packaging. Some of such packaged products end up being rejected, resulting in inefficiency and waste.

Accordingly, there is a need for a system that reliably organizes stacks of food slices in a consistent manner and performs such functions substantially regardless of the degree of crowding of the food slices.

According to the present invention, such a feature redirects a series of irregular stacks of food slices that are being conveyed in a generally horizontal orientation, from a generally horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation, and then back to a generally horizontal delivery orientation. To do this. Reorientation is accomplished by an assembly having an outwardly projecting stack receiver member that rotates generally about a generally horizontal axis. It is preferred to position a taming rod assembly near a generally vertical orientation point, the taming rod assembly contacting the generally vertical edges of the stack of sliced food products to keep the stack of sliced food products tidy relative to one another. Arrange vertically.

Accordingly, one general object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for automatically organizing stacks of sliced food products.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for receiving a conveyed stream of irregularly stacked food slices and reorienting these slices into a continuous stream of organized food slices. The goal is to provide the following.

Another object of the present invention is to receive a stack of manufactured products from an automatic slicing machine and to orient the stack in order to minimize the frictional force between each sliced product 1, thus tidying the stack. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for transporting piled goods in an orderly manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for arranging stacks of sliced food products by poking the edges of the stacks while vertical. It is to provide.

The above-mentioned objects and objects of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The method and apparatus of the present invention feed a stack of food product slices into an assembly that rotates about a generally horizontal axis through an orientation that vertically positions each food product product slice along one edge thereof as the assembly rotates. It moves and then rotates generally in a semi-circle to return to a horizontal orientation, orienting the stack for smooth, undisturbed transfer into a generally horizontal path.

To change the orientation of the food slices from a horizontal infeed orientation to a vertical orientation, the leading edge of the stack is brought into contact with a rigid support member along a generally semicircular point of rotation, thereby aligning the leading edge with the plane of the support member. However, the stack need not be oriented transversely to the flow of the stack along the length of each food slice. When the food slices are generally vertically oriented during rotational movement, each food slice is easily movable generally along its length until its lateral edges are substantially aligned with each other.

When the food slices are rectangular, the substantially vertical edges of the food slices in the stack line up.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus includes an infeed assembly, generally designated 21, a redirection assembly, generally designated 22, and an infeed assembly, generally designated 23. Includes assembly. A taming assembly 24 is also preferably included generally juxtaposed with the turning assembly 22. Although this combination of assemblies is intended for processing various stacks of thin products, the illustrated embodiment is preferably used for processing stacks of sliced food products, many of which are particularly round in shape. It is a thinly sliced food such as a snack meat product that is thinly sliced from an elongated stick or chunk of snack meat with a rectangular cross section.

A typical slicer 25 is shown above the infeed assembly 21. If desired, a diverting member 26 or the like may be included to direct the flow of the stack of sliced product from the slicer 25 or the like to the infeed assembly 21.

Infeed assembly 21 typically includes a conveying device, such as the illustrated elongated belt 27.

Infeed assembly 21 is used to redirect product stack 29α from its generally horizontal orientation to its generally vertical orientation.
includes a downwardly projecting ramp 28 in generally mating relationship with the deflection assembly 22. uneven stack 2
As 9a slides from the infeed assembly 21 onto the deflection assembly 22, the leading edge 31 of the uneven stack engages the rigid support member 62 of the deflection assembly 22, causing the leading edge 31 to engage the rigid support member 62 of the deflection assembly 22. They are partially aligned in a plane that substantially coincides with the surface to form an ordered stack 29b.

For square articles, the rigid support member 32 forms a base reference surface on which the square article rolls as it slides down the ramp 28 onto the support 32.

The turning assembly 22 generally rotates about its axis to move the stack 29b therealong and vertically orients the stack 29b as the turning assembly 22 rotates, where the volume stack 29b is horizontally oriented. Each product slice in a vertical stack is supported by a narrow edge rather than by its surface. Vertically oriented sliced products do not sit on top of other vertically oriented sliced products, making organization easier.

The turning assembly 22 includes a plurality of outwardly projecting supports or 37 such that the stack of products is attached to the turning assembly 22.
These are also positioned between 67 while on top. In the specific example shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 and 9, the support or 3
7 forms an endless track, generally designated 36, mounted on one or more suitable rotating shafts 8. The embodiment of FIG. 9 has a circular endless track and a substantially semicircular stack conveying path. The embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 has an elliptical endless track, which is an elongated circular endless track with an elongated semicircular stack conveying path.

The taming assembly 24 includes a plurality of taming plates 51 that tap or poke the vertically disposed edges of a prior stack 29h to form a vertical stack 29C. The vibrating assembly 52 performs this tidying work.
This vibrating assembly 52 helps the product stack 29
C preferably includes a vibrating rail 56 that applies low amplitude high frequency shocks to the stack while it moves through the vibratory assembly 52. In addition, the final assembly 2
4 may include a tamping plate that vibrates to contact the sliced product and tamper it, compromising efficiency.

At the point of interaction between the redirection assembly 22 and the delivery assembly 2, a tidy product stack 29 is created.
Rotate C from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation.

The support or 67 is the endless belt 66 of the delivery assembly 26.
To transport a stack 29C which is tidy and almost fits together without disturbing it too much. Each organized product stack 29
In order to avoid contact between C and the immediately following support or 37, the delivery assembly 26 transports the ordered product stack 29C away from the fit point before the subsequent support or 37 enters the fit point. It is preferable to exercise at a speed that

In detail, the infeed assembly 21 is equipped with an electronic iron assembly 5 shown for controlling the turning assembly 22 by indicating that a stack of products 29α is positioned thereon.
For example, the shirt 6380 rotation causes the eye assembly 52 to indicate that it is absent from the stack 29a of the rear turning assembly 2.
2 can be controlled to stop its movement at a predetermined time.

This type of configuration is used when it is desired to feed a stack of products 29α to each support or 67 when the supports or 37 are mated with the infeed assembly 21.

The infeed assembly 21 may also include a pair of rotating side bolts 56 for first organizing the product stack 29a. In the preferred construction of such side belts 56, the movement of the elongated belts 27 is such that each belt minimizes drag on the sliced product at the point where the individually moving sliced product contacts the side belt. move at approximately the same speed. Each of the pair of side belts 56 is oriented such that the spacing between the belts decreases to become progressively narrower in the distal direction.

The taming assembly 24 shown in FIG. 6 is particularly suitable for stacks of square slices, but may also be satisfactorily used for stacks of round slices. In this assembly 24, the taming roots 51 have a generally flat working surface that contacts the sides of the individual slices of the product stack.

The taming assembly 24 includes an arm 49 that pivots the taming plate 51 along a pivot shaft 54. A follower 55 protrudes from each arm 49 (each follower 55 moves approximately horizontally, up and down in FIG. 3), and the arm 49 and the taming plate 51 attached thereto similarly move the stack 29. Contact with 6 or move away from it,
When vibrating, it moves almost horizontally.

Suitable biasing means, such as springs 57, bias plate 51 generally away from assembly 22 and product stack 29b. A cam assembly 58 biases the plate 51 against the biasing member 57 and generally redirects the assembly 22 and product stack 29. B and direction are intermittently pressed. The illustrated cam 58 includes a disk 59 mounted on a rotating shaft 61 and having a plurality of cam members circumferentially mounted on the disk. As the shaft 61 rotates,
・The cam member 62 sequentially engages with the follower 55 and the plate 51
gives vibration, or reciprocating motion.

An alternative taming assembly 24α is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The taming assembly 24a includes a taming plate 51α having inwardly projecting rails 65. The taming assembly 24α is particularly suitable for stacking round sliced products 129. The filling plate 51α reciprocates or vibrates in a substantially horizontal direction,
The almost flat working surface of each filling plate 51α is the thinly sliced product 1
29 at a circumferential point approximately along its horizontal diameter. This action applies a substantially horizontal force to the sliced product 169. At the same time, each rail 66 is connected to the sliced product 12
90 of the circumference, this point is below the point between the respective taming plate 51 and the sliced product 129. More specifically, the point of engagement between each rail 66 and sliced product 129 lies along the circumference of sliced product 1290 between its horizontal and vertical diameters. When the rails 66 are so engaged, they exert a force on the sliced product 129 that includes vertical and horizontal components to retain the sliced product 129 as the sliced product 129 moves about the length of the redirection assembly 22 . While lifting it, the product 129 is dropped when the plate 51a moves away from the product.

The tidying system shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 includes an infeed assembly 21b, a redirection assembly 22b,
It includes a delivery assembly/prep 25b, and preferably a taming assembly 24b.

In this example, the feed assembly 21b and the feed assembly 23h are connected to each other and the rotating shaft 71
This is a type of a plurality of endless belts 27b that rotate between the belts. The feed assembly IJ 21b includes a sloped portion 28b having an endless running section 27b between the upper rotating shaft 72 and the rotating shaft 38 of the reversing assembly 22h.

In this embodiment, the support or 37A is mounted circumferentially on the rotary shaft and the redirection assembly 2 of the second embodiment.
2b minimizes the longitudinal displacement of the stacks 29z, 2qb, 29c as they are turned over a substantially semicircular path between a substantially horizontal orientation, a vertical orientation and again a horizontal orientation. Make it.

The taming assembly 24b includes a pair of opposed taming frames 51h mounted on respective taming arms 49b that are pivotally connected to a pivot shaft 54h. A follower 55'b is attached to each arm 49b. A suitable biasing member, such as spring 57b, normally biases each arm 49h in a direction away from assembly 22h and stack 29b. A cam assembly 58b intermittently pushes arm 49b and taming frame 51h in a direction that would normally change direction and toward assembly 22b and product stack 29h. More specifically, the cam assembly 58b is connected to a rotating disk 59b.
and a plurality of circumferentially positioned cam members 62b such that the disc 59b is connected to the shaft 38b.
While rotating around , it sequentially engages with the follower 55h. A set screw 7 is used to adjust the motion amplitude of the arm 49b.
A filter can be provided. Since deflection assembly 22b and taming assembly 24b are both mounted on shaft 68b, both assemblies are driven by one drive assembly 74.

The system shown in FIG. 9 includes infeed assembly 21C and outfeed assembly 26C, which assemblies are substantially identical to infeed assembly 21b and outfeed assembly 23b, respectively. This system includes a plurality of elongated belts 27C arranged in substantially the same manner as belt 27b.
A taming assembly 24C similar to 4h can also be provided.

Redirection assembly 22C includes a plurality of supports or 67 attached to support shaft 38, which supports or 37 are generally similar to those in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6. However, the redirection assembly (+) 22h has no longitudinal dimension, and the supports or 37 are arranged circumferentially and are mounted to rotate in a circle concentric with the rotating shaft 38.

Since the invention may be embodied in various forms, it is limited only by the scope of the claims.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 is a plan view showing a mechanical schematic diagram of the apparatus and method of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the mechanical schematic diagram of the present invention shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a detailed plan view of a modified taming assembly preferred for organizing stacks of round food slices; FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the taming assembly of FIG. 4; FIG. , FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a modified embodiment of the redirection assembly, section 7 is a top view of the redirection assembly shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is approximately the axis of rotation of the redirection assembly of FIG. FIG. 9 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the redirection assembly. 21... Feeding means, 22, 22α, 22C...
Direction changing means, 23, 23α, 23b... feeding means, 24°24α, 2/lk? −・Method of finding out,
28,281Z, 28/l - = slope, 62... support member, 66... track, 37, 37a. 37b... Projection member, 38, 38α, filter 8b... Rotating means or shaft, 55.55a, 55b... Pushing member, 55... Follower, 58, 58α, 58b
...Cam means, 59°59 (L, 59b...Camtisf, 66...Rail. Patent applicant: Oscar Mayer Furano Corporation (5 others) Continued from page 1 ■Inventor: Daniel Lloyd Orlov '1118 Woodland Way, Madison 53711, Rice Consin, USA

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) means for feeding a plurality of stacks of substantially horizontally oriented food slices into an apparatus, and receiving and orienting the stacks of food slices from the feeding means; and a turning means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced outwardly projecting members along the rotating turning path, the longitudinal spacing between the projecting members being suitable for accommodating a single stack. , means for rotating the redirecting means to move the projecting member along the redirecting path from a generally horizontal infeed orientation to a generally vertically oriented location and then to a generally horizontal unfeed orientation location; and a dispensing means for receiving the stack of food from a protruding member. 2) The arranging device of claim 1, further comprising a taming assembly substantially juxtaposed with the deflection means, said taming assembly engaging the stack while it is in a generally vertical orientation. the phantom feeding means includes a slope proximate to the turning means;
2. A tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the slope projects downward in a direction from the feeding means to the direction changing means. 4) A tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the feeding means and the redirecting means are in a substantially fitting relationship with each other. 5) A tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the projecting member is fitted with the feeding means. 6) A tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the feeding means and the redirecting means are in a substantially fitting relationship with each other. 7) a tidying device according to claim 1, in which the projecting member engages the delivery means; 8) a rotating rigid member in which the deflection means engages one of the stacks along a rotating deflection path; 2. A tidying device as claimed in claim 1, including a support member positioned between longitudinally spaced projecting members. 9) A tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the redirecting means includes a generally horizontal shaft about which the projecting member rotates. ]0) The tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the projecting member of the direction changing means is included in an endless track. 11) The tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the turning path is approximately semicircular. 12) The tidying device according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of taming members disposed substantially vertically, the pair of taming members being arranged along the turning path and substantially parallel thereto and facing each other. . 13) The tidying device of claim 1, wherein the deflection means includes a vibratory assembly. 14) A tidying device according to claim 1, further comprising a taming means substantially juxtaposed to the redirecting means, said taming means comprising a vibrating taming plate. 15) further comprising taming means for engaging the stacks in a generally vertical orientation, the taming means including a taming plate and cam means for vibrating the tamping plate into and away from each stack; A tidying device according to claim 1, comprising: 16) The tidying device of claim 15, wherein the cam means includes a rotating disc cam engaging a follower operatively connected to one of the taming plates. 17) further comprising taming means for engaging the stack while it is in a generally vertical orientation, the taming means including a taming member, at least one of the taming members having an inwardly projecting rail; Claim No. 1
Item tidying device. 18) A tidying device according to claim 17, wherein the inwardly projecting rails are substantially horizontal. 19) the tamping means is adapted to engage the stack of round product slices, and the inwardly projecting rail is positioned to engage around the circumference of each product slice at a point below the horizontal diameter of the product slice; A tidying device according to claim 17. 20) A tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the outwardly projecting member of the deflection means is operatively connected to a generally horizontal rotating shaft. 21) The tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the feeding means and the feeding means include a common endless belt. 22) The tidying device of claim 20, wherein the feeding means and the feeding means include a common endless belt rotatably engaged with a generally horizontal shaft of the deflecting means. 23) A tidying device according to claim 1, wherein the projecting members of the redirecting means are included in an endless, substantially circular track. 24) feeding a stream of a plurality of uneven stacks of thinly sliced food oriented approximately horizontally, and moving each stack of the fed stream of uneven stacks of thinly sliced food between longitudinally spaced protruding members; The stack of food slices received at and fed into the feed is turned by rotating a plurality of longitudinally spaced outwardly projecting members along a rotating turning path, and the stack of food slices fed during turning is turned. arranging each stack of sliced food products and delivering the ordered stack of food slices from a generally horizontal delivery orientation, the redirecting step moving the plurality of outwardly projecting members and the stack into a generally horizontal delivery orientation. A method for organizing an irregular stack of sliced food products comprising rotating from an infeed orientation to a substantially vertical orientation and then to a substantially horizontal delivery orientation. 25) The method of claim 24, wherein the redirection means rotates the projecting member about a substantially horizontal axis. 26) The method of claim 24, wherein the tidying step includes taming the edges of the food slices while the stack is in a generally vertical orientation. 27) The method of claim 24, wherein the redirecting step includes rotating the projecting member and the stack through a generally semicircular path. 28. The method of claim 24, wherein the redirecting step includes rotating the projecting member and the stack over a generally semicircular path including an elongated horizontal component. 29) The method of claim 24, wherein the receiving and turning step includes contacting the leading edge of each stack with a rigid support member, thereby aligning the leading edges in a plane. 30) The method of claim 29, further comprising arranging the edges of the food slices across a rotating redirection path. 31) Claim 24, wherein the feeding step includes sliding each stack down an incline into the rotating path.
How to organize sections. 32) The method of claim 24, wherein the receiving step includes fitting a plurality of projecting members into the feeding member. 33) Claim 24, wherein the feeding step includes fitting a plurality of protruding members into the member performing the feeding step.
How to organize sections. 34) The tidying method of claim 24, wherein the tidying step includes vibratory contact with the stack. 35) The arranging step comprises taming the edges of the food slices while the stack is in a substantially vertical orientation, the taming engaging the edges of the food slices at a point below the center of each slice. How to organize the scope item 24.