NZ212106A - Apparatus for engaging and locating hind legs of animal carcass - Google Patents

Description

212.106 N.Z. No. aiaiot> |fc Macj I<?£S NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION APPARATUS FOR LOCATING AND HANDLING THE HIND LEGS OF AN ANIMAL CARCASS We, THE MEAT INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND (INC.), a body incorporated and existing under the laws of New Zealand of East Street, Hamilton, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement - 1 - (Followed by 1A) I - • 212106 This invention relates to an apparatus for entrapping and securely locating the hind legs of a slaughtered animal carcass to facilitate further processing.

During the processing of slaughtered animal carcasses it is often necessary to perform various dressing operations such as gambrelling, ringing, mechanical pelting, evisceration or carcass inversion, with the carcass supported by its forelegs. Such operations usually require that the rear trotters be removed from the carcass also with the carcass supported by its forelegs. This operation is normally carried out manually and can be an awkward and time consuming task.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that will automatically entrap and securely locate the hind legs of a carcass to facilitate further processing, such as, for example/ hock removal, gambrelling, ringing and/or carcass inversion.

According to a broad aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for entrapping and securely locating the hind leg(s) of a slaughtered animal carcass to facilitate further processing, which carcass is suspended by its forelegs on a conveying chain, said apparatus comprising: a substantially horizontally disposed arm pivotally mounted, at a point along its length, on a support, - 1 A - 212106 r* ;one end of said arm affixed to a leg hook, the other end being coupled to a bias means to counter a loading on said leg hook, the support including means so as to permit vertical travel thereof to enable said hook to entrap and locate the or each hind leg of a carcass at a point above its hock. ;In a preferred embodiment the bias means comprises a counterweight affixed to one end of the arm. This can also be achieved with a controlled pneumatic cylinder. The pivot expediently includes a stop to maintain the arm in a substantially horizontal disposition when the hook is unloaded. ;The leg hook preferably comprises a pair of spaced apart U-shaped members disposed transverse to said arm, the free ends of each member diverging to thereby define leg entrant portions. Further, the inner free ends preferably adjoin to thus form a single hook. The inner ends may be angled toward the pivot with respect to the U-shaped portion. ;The means to permit vertical travel may comprise a track or channel, and an associated carriage member coupled to or forming the support for the said pivot. ;- 2 - ;The aforementioned bias means is of a degree to permit secure engagement of the hind legs within the U-shaped member of the hook whilst allowing the arm to pivot through substantially 90° during upward travel thereof to thereby present the legs in a securely located manner for the required operation. ;In further describing the invention reference will be made to the accompanying drawings which depict the essential components of the apparatus, and in which:- ;Figures 1-7 are schematic side elevations showing the sequence of positions in operation of the apparatus, and ;Figure 8 is a schematic end elevation of a hook arrangement suitable for use with the apparatus. ;Referring to Figures 1-7 of the drawings the animal carcass C is suspended on a processing chain or rail R by its forelegs by fore-hock holders H as is known. ;The apparatus comprises an arm 10 pivotally mounted at 11 to a slide (not shown) housed in a vertical channel, rail or similar member. This member is schematically depicted by the broken 1ine 12. ;One end of the arm 10 is affixed by bolts, welding or the like to a hind leg engaging hook 13 and the other end of the arm 10 being affixed to a counterweight 14. ;212106 ;f* The pivot 11 includes a stop (not shown) to permit the arm-counterweight and hook to assume a substantially horizontal disposition when at rest, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 8 of the drawings the leg hook 13 comprises two spaced-apart substantially U-shaped portions 13a, mounted transversely with respect to the arm 10, the outer limbs 13b of which diverge away or outwardly as depicted. The inner limbs 13c also diverge away but inwardly as depicted and conveniently adjoin with each other. The cross-sectioned circles L represent the legs of the carcass. Portions 13d define leg entrances for entrapping and drawing the legs into the U-shaped portion of the hook, and further serve to support the larger part of the hind leg when the same is securely located therein.

The apparatus is used as follows. It will be noted from Figure 1 of the drawings that hook 13 is disposed to lie with its longitudinal axis slightly behind the hock of the hind legs of the carcass.

Figure 2 of the drawings shows the pivot raised such that the hind legs are entrapped by and enter the entrances 13d of the hook. 21210G i^ Figure 3 of the drawings shows the pivot raised yet further whereby the weight of the legs overcomes the turning moment of the counterweight (or a pneumatically controlled cylinder) which serves to ensure that the legs are firmly located in the U-shaped portions of the hook.

Figure 4 of the drawings shows the pivot raised yet further wherein the arm has pivoted 90° and the U-shaped portions of the hook have engaged behind each hock to thus present the leg to a hock cutter (in the embodiment depicted comprising a hydraulically powered hock cutter but could comprise a hydraulically powered saw) prior to removal.

Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings show the pivot raised to its maximum height and removal of the rear trotters.

Figure 7 of the drawings shows the full lowering of the pivot and the disengagement of the hooks from the hind legs. The hook may be sterilized prior to repositioning to a-wait the next carcass.

It will be appreciated that this apparatus is able to entrap and locate hind legs of a carcass irrespective of the length of the carcass.

The invention has been described by way of example only and is open to modification without departing from the scope thereof. One such area of modification is the aforementioned substitution of the counterweight 14 with a simple controlled pneumatic cylinder.

Claims (9)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. I. An apparatus for entrapping and securely locating the hind leg(s) of a slaughtered animal carcass to facilitate further processing, which carcass is suspended by its forelegs on a conveying chain, said apparatus comprising: a substantially horizontally disposed arm pivotally mounted, at a point along its length, on a support, one end of said arm being affixed to a leg hook, the other end being coupled to a bias means to counter a loading on said leg hook, the support including means so as to permit vertical travel thereof to enable said hook to entrap and locate the or each hind leg of a carcass at a point above its hock.
2. 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bias means comprises a counterweight affixed to said other end of the arm.
3. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bias means comprises a controlled pneumatic cylinder which acts on the said other end of the arm.
4. 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said pivot includes a stop to maintain the arm in a substantially horizontal disposition when the hook is unloaded. - 6 - !{^j ^ v ll- o; 19 JUN1987m t n
5. 5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the leg hook -comprises a pair of spaced apart U-shaped members disposed transverse to said arm, and in which the free ends of the member diverge to thereby define leg entrant por tions.
6. 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the inner ends adjoin to thus form a single hook.
7. 7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the means to permit vertical travel comprises a track or channel, and an associated carriage member coupled to, or forming the support for the said pivot.
8. 8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the bias is of such a degree as to permit secure engagement of the hind legs within the U-shaped member of the hook whilst allowing the arm to pivot substantially 90° during upward travel thereof, to thereby present the legs in a securely located manner for the required processing operation.
9. 9. An apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. THE MEAT INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND (INC.) 7