NZ248930A - Removing meat from bone by frenching a rack of ribs removed from an animal carcass - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number £48930 ^*8y3Q No: 248930 Date:12 October 1993 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION i IMPROVEMENTS IN AND REIATING TO A METHOD AND MEANS OF REMOVING MEAT FROM BONE We, THE MEAT INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND (INCORPORATED), an incorporated jioaxot^-. organized 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:- ' 2 ^4 8 y j This invention relates to a method and means of mechanically removing meat from the bone of an animal carcass. More particularly the invention relates to a method and means of mechanically frenching a rack.

In a meat processing works the preparation of a frenched rack is a labour intensive operation as well as being one which involves a high degree of skill on the part of the worker. Furthermore the appearance of the frenched rack tends to be dependant on the skill of individual workers. As a consequence there is a tendency for a lack of uniformity in appearance of the finished frenched rack.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of mechanically effecting a frenching operation on a rack taken from an animal carcass.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide mechanical means for processing a rack taken from an animal carcass into a frenched rack.

The method of frenching a rack removed from an animal carcass according to the present invention is characterised by including the steps of applying by mechanical means a transverse cut in the muscle/fat on the ribs of the rack at the location from where said muscle/fat is to be removed and applying a mechanical force to the muscle/fat to force same from the ribs. 3 Broadly in one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of frenching a rack removed from an animal carcass the method comprising the steps of supporting the rack and by mechanical means forming a transverse cut in the muscle/fat on the ribs, mechanically cutting muscle/fat still on the ribs in the vicinity of said transverse cut after completion of said transverse cut and applying a mechanical force to muscle/fat below said transverse cut to move same from the ribs.

According to another broad aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for frenching a rack removed from the carcass of an animal said apparatus comprising support means for said rack, cutting means for applying at least a transverse cut in the muscle/fat on the ribs and force applying means whereby a mechanical force can be applied to the muscle/fat to that side of the transverse cut where the free end of the ribs are located to force said muscle/fat from the ribs.

In the following description of the invention reference will be made to the) accompanying |drawings in which:- Figure 1 is an elevation view of a machine able to effect mechanical frenching of a rack taken from an animal carcass, Figure 2 is a plan view of a mark down knife station of the machine in Figure 1, 4 Figure 3 is an end elevation view of the mark down knife station of Figure 2, Figure 4 is an elevation view of the mark down knife station, Figure 5 is a plan view of a "ring barking" station of the machine as shown in Figure 1, Figure 6 is an end elevation of the ring barking station of Figure 5, Figure 7 is an elevation view of the ring barking station of Figure 5, Figure 8 is a plan view of the intercostal work up station of the machine as shown in Figure 1, Figure 9 is an end elevation view of the intercostal work up station of Figure 8, Figure 10 is an elevation view of the intercostal work up station of Figure 8, Figure 11 is a plan view of the clamping station of the machine of Figure 1, Figure 12 is an end elevation of the clamping station of Figure 11, Figure 13 is an elevation view of the clamping station of Figure 11, Figure 14 is an elevation view of a rack conveyor element of the machine of Figure 1, Figure 15 is an end elevation of the rack conveyor and adjacent engagement mechanisms of the machine of Figure 1, Figure 16 is a detailed view of the clamping elements of the clamping station engaging with the 24 8 93 ribs of a rack during completion of a frenching operation, and Figure 17 is a detailed view of a clearing comb of the clamping station.

The french rack machine according to the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1. The machine includes a loading station 11, a mark down knife section 12, a "ring barking" section 13, an intercostal work up station 14 and a clamping section 15. These stations are all mounted on a base 10 which houses operative elements as will hereinafter be described. Extending upwardly from base 10 are uprights 16 which support an overhead frame including a conveyor arrangement 17. Cabinets 18 house computer control equipment as well as control valves for pneumatic rams.

At each work station 12, 13, 14 and 15 there is a mechanism located each side of guide rail 20 (referred to below) such that simultaneously an operation is carried out on each set of ribs of the rack, ie. on both sides of the rack. In the following description, however, reference will only be made to one mechanism 12a, 13a, 14a and 15a at each station 12, 13, 14 and 15. While the machine in its preferred form has a mechanism each side of rail 20 a less preferred form could have only a single mechanism at each work station. This would be suitable when a split rack was being processed.

I 6 Base 10 mounts a chassis 19 and supported thereabove is a longitudinally extending guide 20 of V shape cross section along which a rack from an animal carcass can be supported and slidingly moved therealong. During operation of the machine a rack can be located over guide 20 such that the spine of the rack slides in the V with the ribs extending downwardly each side of the guide rail 20.

At the loading station 11 a pair of pivoted arms 21 are located either side of guide 20. The arms 21 are coupled at their outer or free ends to a linear actuator 22 in the form of a pneumatic ram. Accordingly the arms 21 can be pivoted upwardly to receive a rack.

Each of the arms 21 has at its free end an upwardly extending projection which provides a means of locating the leading end of the rack. A rack when placed on the pivoting arms 21 is either positioned with the leading rib of each side of the rack engaged against the respective projection or in the case of a long rack each projection can be engaged in the recess between the leading and next following rib.

Conveyor 17 includes a plurality of conveyor elements 23 as illustrated in Figure 14. Each conveyor element 23 includes an inclined plate 24 with downwardly projecting spikes 25. A mount 26 extending upwardly from plate 24 is pivotally coupled about pivot 27 between a pair of 7 plates 28. Resilient means (not shown) act against pivotir.g movement of mount 26 so that it is biased toward the neutral position as shown. This permits plate 24 to move in accordance with profile variations of individual racks.

Plates 28 are mounted at each end to guide elements 29 and medially to a linear actuator 30. As a consequence spike plate 24 can be lowered relative to carriage 23a so that the spikes 25 dig into the rack along the line of the uppermost spine portion of the rack.

Thus with a rack placed on pivoted arms 21 (which are elevated at their free end by ram 22) the conveyor element 23 is lowered so that the spikes 25 dig into the rack. Ram 22 is then or simultaneously retracted so that the rack is supported by the underside of the spine portion of the rack fitting into the V-shaped guide rail 20. When the conveyor 17 operates the conveyor elements 23 move and hence also move the rack from the loading station 11 to the mark down knife station 12.

Upon the rack arriving at mark down knife station 12 engagement mechanisms 31 (see Figure 15) are lowered so that pads 32 thereof engage with the rack either side of spike plate 24. Upon the pads 32 coming into engagement with the rack the spiked plate 24 is raised whereupon the conveyor indexes the conveyor elements 23 back to their starting position. The conveyor elements 23 (except for 8 9 $ that at the loading station 11) are then once again lowered into engagement with the rack located below whereupon the engagement mechanisms 31 retract.

Each of stations 12, 13, 14 and 15 are at an incline to guide rail 20 so that as the mechanisms operate they follow the generally inwardly tapering shape of the rack. Each station mechanism is mounted such that it can be raised and lowered and also moved inwardly and outwardly relative to the guide rail 20. This is achieved by vertical guides (not shown) being provided within base 10 for each mechanism at each station with a carriage (not shown) slidingly movable on the guides. The carriage is moved upwardly and downwardly relative to guide rail 20 by a pneumatic ram. Each mechanism is mounted on an arm (not shown) which is pivotally coupled at its lower end to the carriage. A further pneumatic ram is operable to move the arm such that the working element of the work station mechanism can move toward or away from guide rail 20.

Thus when a rack is positioned at the mark down knife section the mark down knife mechanism is raised and then moved toward guide rail 20 such that a fixed clamping plate 33 locates behind the ribs of the rack. A movable clamp 34 then moves toward the ribs so that the ribs are clamped between plate 33 and clamp 34. In the preferred form clamp 34 is formed by inverted L shaped sections (located side by side) with the ends of the foot %4 8 9 ^ of the L shape engaging with the rack. The line of the feet of the L shaped sections is located just below the intended line of the mark down cut.

With the ribs so clamped a mark down knife is operated such as to form the aforementioned cut in the muscle and fat transverse to the line of the ribs. This cut defines the point on each rib from which muscle/fat will be removed to effect frenching of the rack.

The mark down knife 35 is pivotally coupled to a mount 36 which is carried by the piston rod of a ram 37. Ram 37 is mounted for sliding movement along a pair of guides 38. Movement of the ram 37 along the guides 38 is achieved by a pneumatic ram 39. Thus as ram 39 extends and ram 37 is moved along guides 38 the knife 35 comes into contact with and cuts the muscle/fat covering ribs but due to the pivot mounting thereof tends to angle rearwardly away from the line of movement. Upon retraction of the ram 39 the knife again pivots in the other direction so as to trail at an angle from the mount 36.

The movable clamp 34 is operated by a small pneumatic ram 34'. As clamp 34 is constructed from a plurality of L-shaped sections it engages snugly with the muscle/fat on the ribs and thus ensures that in combination with clamping plate 33 full support of the ribs is achieved. 2 4 8 Ram 37 applies a restoring torque so as to ensure that knife 35 cuts through the muscle/fat down to the rib bone. This torque also ensures the knife reverts to its rest position once cutting has been completed. The force applied by the ram is preferably adjustable by a manual pressure adjustment knob adjacent the control panel 40.

The mark down knife mechanism 12a also includes a further pneumatic ram 41 which is operable so as to release the L-shape finger unit 34 such that it can be removed for cleaning and/or maintenance purposes. For the same purpose the other mechanisms 13a, 14a and 15a include a similar ram 41.

Upon the rack being cut by the mark down knife the clamps 33 and 34 retract and the mark down mechanism 12a is lowered away from the rack. The conveyor 17 is then once again operated such that the rack is moved by conveyor elements 23 to the "ring barking" section 13. Prior to this the operator will have placed a further rack into the loading station 11 and manually operated the conveyor element 23 at that station into engagement with the rack. With the arms 21 lowered the rack can, upon actuation of conveyor 17, move to the mark down knife station 12.

Once the racks have reached the appropriate stations the engagement mechanisms 31 are once again operated so as to maintain the racks in correct orientation at stations 12 and 13 so that the conveyor can "retract". This action is n %4 8Q then followed by the conveyor elements once again being lowered and the engagement mechanisms retracted as previously described.

The so called "ring barking" station 13 has a mechanism 13a which also includes a clamping arrangement formed by a fixed clamp plate 33a and a clamping unit 34a with a plurality of inverted L-shaped fingers. the fingers are, however, formed from rod or some suitable thin elongate material. Thus upon the ring bark mechanism 13a being raised the clamping unit 34a and clamp plate 33a operate as previously described so as to clamp and firmly support the ribs just below the mark down cut. The greater number of fingers ensure even closer following of the contours of the external surface of the muscle/fat cover over the ribs.

A carriage 42 mounted on guides 43 is operable by a ram 44.

A pair of plates 45 are mounted by carriage 42 these plates being spaced apart by a distance greater than the thickness of the ribs of the rack. Pivotally mounted on each plate 45 is a pair of hook shaped knives 46 which are "staggered" relative to the knives on the other plate 45 (Figure 5). As can also be seen from Figure 5 the knives 46 on each plate 45 curve in opposite directions. Knives 46 are only ground on the inner edge of the hook shape. 12 24893 Knives 46 are coupled to extensions 47 which are pivotally coupled to a link 48. Link 48 is in turn coupled to biasing means (located beneath plate 45) these biasing means being formed by a pneumatic arrangement or springs.

Thus as ram 44 is operated carriage 42 moves along guides 43 such that the knives 46 pass either side of the ribs. The leading two knives 46 engage with the individual ribs as they pass thereby and so form a cut in the muscle/fat on the leading edge and across the ribs. The following knives simply ride over the ribs. However, as ram 44 retracts the now leading pair of knives 46 (which are hooked in an opposite direction to the aforementioned knives 46) engage and cut into the muscle/fat on the other but now leading edges of the ribs and then over the ribs. Consequently knives 46 during the back and forth movement of carriage 42 effect a ring barking action about the entire peripheral surface of the ribs so as to cut through to the bone that muscle/fat not previously cut by the mark down knife.

With the ring barking action having been completed the rack is moved by conveyor 17 in the same manner as previously described to the intercostal work up station 14. Simultaneously the following rack which has been cut by the mark down knives is moved into the ring barking section 13 while a new rack having been loaded at 13 loading station 11 is moved to the mark down knife station 12.

With the racks at their new stations the conveyor once again cycles as previously described prior to the intercostal work up station and other stations becoming operative.

The intercostal work up station has a plurality of hollow knives 49 which operate to clear intercostal muscle which may still be on the leading few ribs.

As with the preceding stations a support plate 33b engages behind the ribs so as to support the ribs. The knives 49 (which according to one preferred form are of stainless steel material) essentially form a plurality of fingers have a narrow leading end so that they can engage between adjacent ribs. Knives 49 are also resilient and widen back to a width which is greater than the space between the ribs. Accordingly as the knives move between the ribs they tend to be compressed ensuring good contact between the knives 49 and the side edges of the ribs.

A main ram 50 moves knives 49 into engagement between the ribs. The piston rod 51 of ram 50 pushes against the piston rod 52 of a smaller ram 53. With the knives in position the small ram 53 then oscillates so that the knives move inwardly and outwardly. At the same time a further ram 54 coupled to mounting plate 55 (for rams 50 14 8 and 53 and knives 49) which is pivotally coupled at 56 to support 57 extending vertically up from a mount 58 increases the tilt of plate 55. As a result the knives 49 are moved downwardly for part of the length of the ribs. As a consequence of this oscillating and incremental downward movement of the knives a clearing action is achieved whereby intercostal muscle between the ribs is cleared.

Upon this step being completed the conveyor 17 once again recycles thereby advancing the racks into the next station and a fresh rack into the mark down knife station. The rack under discussion for the purposes of describing the operation of the machine is consequently moved to the clearing station 15.

The clearing station also has a clamping arrangement but this time it engages with the edge of the muscle/fat below the line of the cut formed by the mark down knife. Unlike the preceding stations the back clamp plate 33b is formed from a plurality of thin fingers 59. The clamping unit 34b is formed by a plurality of thin L-shaped fingers 60 which are mounted in a frame 61 which is moved forwardly by a ram 62.

Accordingly the fingers 60 and 61 engage about the ribs R (as shown in Figure 16) and on the edge of the separated muscle/fat. The mount 62 of the clearing mechanism is then lowered and as it does so the fingers follow the %4 8 contours of the ribs and pushes downwardly on the muscle/fat around the rib. The muscle/fat is thus pushed down to cleanly clear from the ribs.

At the completion of the clearing action the fingers are moved apart such that the removed meat drops down onto the table 63 formed by or on the upper horizontal surface of base 10.

A comb 64 is located behind the L-shaped fingers 60. When the frame 61 retracts alternate fingers come into engagement with the ends of the prongs 65 of comb 64 whereupon ram 62 retracts further back so that the other fingers are pulled back into the comb (ie. between prongs 65) while the other fingers are held stationary. The ram 62 then oscillates back and forth so that alternate fingers move relative to each other to thereby disengage any meat/fat caught therebetween.

During the next operation of conveyor 17 the now fully processed rack is moved to the end of the rail 20 and drops into a receptacle, conveyor or the like. Alternatively a pick and place mechanism could engage with the rack and place this into the entry part of a chine bone removal machine of the type described in our New Zealand patent specification 235820.

In the preferred form of the machine the upper frame includes a pair of spaced apart longitudinal beams 66. 16 These carry the cabinets 18, Located between beams 66 is a conveyor beam 70 (Figure 15) attached to a rail 67 which is slidingly supported by a pair of spaced apart bearing members 69. A pneumatic drive ram (not shown) mounted with a beam 66 or one of the cabinet frames has the piston rod thereof coupled to the rail 67.

Upon extension of the piston rod the rail 67 is caused to move for a distance equal to that between each work station. Consequently for each cycle of this drive ram the conveyor elements 23 (being mounted by the conveyor beam 70) are moved from one work station to the next and back again.

The conveyor beam 70 carries with it the pneumatic rams 30 and mounts 26 for each conveyor element 23. A flexible conduit 71 houses pneumatic lines from cabinets 18 and valving therein to the rams of the conveyor elements. Other lines 72 to operative elements in base 10 can pass down uprights 16.

The engagement mechanisms 31 with their rams 31' are mounted to beams 66 in fixed positions at each of work stations 12, 13, 14 and 15.

The mechanical method and means as described in the present specification enables a rack removed from an animal carcass to be frenched in a fully mechanical manner. 8 9 In a less preferred form of the invention certain of the mechanical stations could be combined with manual operations on the part of a meat processor. For example, the mark down cut, coupled with the so called ring barking and possible clearing of the intercostal muscle could be completed manually whereupon the machine would provide the clearing action for the muscle/fat from around the ribs. In a further arrangement the intercostal work up station could be omitted. If omitted clearing of intercostal muscle could be achieved manually though it is envisaged that the rack would still need to be located in a clamped position clear of the knife stations 12 and 13 and the clamping station 15 in order to enable a worker to carry out any intercostal clearing which may be required.

The method and means of mechanically frenching a rack as described herein removes the labour intensive manual work at present carried out and provides better and cleaner clearing of the muscle/fat from around the ribs thereby resulting in a french rack of better and uniform appearance. The throughput of a machine according to the present invention is more than sufficient to cope with the demands of modern meat processing chains yet requires only one labour unit for operation thereof. The operator furthermore does not need to possess the butchering skills of workers carrying out a manual frenching operation. ?4 8

Claims (14)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A method of frenching a rack removed from an animal carcass, said method being characterised by including the steps of applying by mechanical means a transverse cut in the muscle/fat on the ribs of the rack at the location from where said muscle/fat is to be removed and applying a mechanical force to the muscle/fat to force same from the ribs.

2. A method of frenching a rack removed from an animal carcass, the method comprising the steps of supporting the rack and by mechanical means forming a transverse cut in the muscle/fat on the ribs, mechanically cutting muscle/fat still on the ribs in the vicinity of said transverse cut after completion of said transverse cut and applying a mechanical force to muscle/fat below said transverse cut to move same from the ribs.

3. A method as claimed in claim l or 2 wherein the mechanical force is achieved by a clearing device having engagement means which engages the muscle/fat in the vicinity of the transverse cut there being moving means for moving the engagement means in a longitudinal direction relative to the length of the ribs.

4. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein prior to the step of applying mechanical force to the muscle/fat to force same from the ribs a plurality of

I « . *;19;mechanically operated knives are inserted at least between adjacent of the leading ribs of the rack to clear intercostal muscle from the ribs.;5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the intercostal muscle removal knives are moved by operating means to oscillate transverse to the length of the ribs and move in an incremental longitudinal movement relative to the ribs.;

6. A method of frenching a rack removed from an animal carcass substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.;

7. Apparatus for frenching a rack removed from the carcass of an animal, said apparatus comprising support means for said rack, cutting means for applying at least a transverse cut in the muscle/fat on the ribs and force applying means whereby mechanical force can be applied to the muscle/fat to that side of the transverse cut where the free end of the ribs are located to force said muscle/fat from the ribs.;

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including further cutting means for applying an additional cut where necessary in the muscle/fat about the periphery of the ribs such that said transverse cut extends about the ribs.;s;

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said further cutting means comprises a plurality of hook shaped knives mounted for movement transverse to the length of the ribs, at least one of said hook shaped knives applying a cut as the hook shaped knives are moved transversely by moving means to the ribs and at least a second hook shaped knife applying a cut as the hook shaped knives are moved in a reverse direction.;

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9 further including a plurality of intercostal muscle removal knives controlled by operating means to have an oscillating movement in a transverse direction between adjacent ribs of the rack and be incrementally movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the ribs.;

11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein engagement means operable to engage with the muscle/fat to be removed from the ribs are mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the ribs to thereby apply said mechanical force to strip the muscle/fat from the ribs.;

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the engagement means is formed by two sets of a plurality of thin fingers which are engageable with the rack from either side of the ribs such that the fingers engage about each of the ribs in the vicinity of the transverse;21;*4 8g3 cut and follow the contours of the ribs during the longitudinal movement thereof.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 further including a comb engageable with the fingers of at least one of said set of plurality of fingers upon said mechanical force for removing the muscle/fat having been completed, said comb interacting with said fingers to separate the fingers there being means to apply an oscillating movement to the fingers to dislodge any muscle/fat caught between the fingers.

14. Apparatus for frenching a rack removed from a carcass of an animal substantially as herein described with reference to the] accompanying\drawinsfe. THE MEAT INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF By D01 Per: