WO2005099459A1

WO2005099459A1 - Method and system for processing carcase sides of hog carcases

Info

Publication number: WO2005099459A1
Application number: PCT/DK2005/000260
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Krüger
Original assignee: K.J.Maskinfabriken A/S
Priority date: 2004-04-16
Filing date: 2005-03-15
Publication date: 2005-10-27
Also published as: EP1740052A1; DK200400603A

Abstract

A method and a system for conveying and processing carcase sides (100, 102) of hog carcases, where the carcase sides are conveyed by means of an overhead conveyor (108, 110) having hooks (104, 106) of the type having an orientation which is not fixated relatively to the direction of movement, e.g. 'EURO Haken'. The carcase sides are released from the hooks of the overhead conveyor at a transfer station, the carcase sides being temporarily supported by gripping means (114, 116) at the transfer station, the gripping means fixating the carcase sides. The sinews are cut through while the carcase sides are supported by the gripping means, and subsequently the hind toes may be automatically cut off by the gripping means moving the heel joints of the carcase sides past cutting means (126, 128).

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING CARCASE SIDES OF HOG CARCASES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and a system for processing carcase sides of hog carcases.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to convey such carcase sides by means of an overhead conveyor provided with hooks of the type having an orientation which is not fixated relatively to the direction of movement, e.g. hooks according to German standard DIN 5047, where the hook is rotatable about an axis which is arranged at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the overhead conveyor, and at least substantially parallel to the hams of the carcase sides when these are suspended from the overhead conveyor, i.e. normally vertically. On such hooks, often designated "EURO Haken", the carcase sides are suspended from one or more sinews. The carcase sides can be released from the hooks at a transfer station, where the carcase sides are, e.g., put down on a conveyor belt for further processing, including, as a first step, primary processing. "EURO Haken" and other similar hooks of the above mentioned type are, besides their lack of fixation relatively to the overhead conveyor, normally also characterised by a relatively steep angle between the pointed end of the hook and a horizontal plane, since this angle is normally 30°-40°, which is larger than the corresponding angle for hooks of traditional gambrels.

Putting down the carcase sides from the hooks as described above is, however, often imprecise in the sense that positioning of the carcase sides on the conveyor belt is non- uniform . This is because the carcase sides are not fixated relatively to the overhead conveyor during putting down because the above mentioned hooks are not. Even if the hooks of the overhead conveyor are possibly positioned in the same place relatively to the conveyor belt each time a carcase side is to be put down, it can not be guarantied that the carcase sides will be positioned uniformly on the conveyor belt, because the movement of the hooks, and thereby of the carcase sides, relatively to the overhead conveyor during putting down results in considerable variations in the positions of the carcase sides on the conveyor belt. These variations are undesired since the primary processing requires that the exact position of the carcase sides relatively to the conveyor belt is known. A possible solution to this problem could be to adjust the positions of the carcase sides on the conveyor belt subsequently to the putting down, either manually or automatically by means of a camera controlled correction system . However, this would either require personnel for the correction with the risk of errors in the positioning, or expensive correction systems which will additionally be very difficult to calibrate and commission.

In case the system should be able to cut off the hind toes from the carcase sides automatically, positioning on the conveyor belt is not less critical. DK/EP 0607744 describes a system for automatically cutting off hind toes, wherein the carcase sides are conveyed to a transfer station suspended from a traditional gambrel, the hooks of which a re fixated relatively to the remaining parts of the conveyor. Thereby the hind toes can be automatically cut off by means of cutting means, such as circular saws, cutting through the heel joints of the carcase sides, while the carcases are still suspended from the gambrel, the release of the carcase side from a gambrel thereby being provided by the cut performed by the cutting means. The system according to DK/EP 0607744 can, however, not be appl ied in connection with hooks of the type mentioned above, including "EURO Haken", because the hooks are not fixated relatively to the overhead conveyor. Danish patent No. 174515 Bl describes an alternative system for automatically cutting off hind toes, where gripping means are provided which actively grips the heel joints of the carcase sides and lift them out of the gambrel, and the hind toes are subsequently cut off. However, this system is also not readily applicable in connection with overhead conveyors with hooks of the above mentioned type, e.g. "EURO Haken", since the gri pping means can not readily lift the carcase sides out of the hooks, i.a. due to the relatively steep angle between the hooks and a horizontal plane.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, thus, an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system which makes it possible to put down carcase sides from hog carcases from "EURO Haken" and similar hooks with great precision, at the same time making automatic cutting off of hind toes possible. According to the present invention this is provided by a method of the previously mentioned kind, characterised in that the carcase sides in the transfer station are temporarily supported by support means fixating the carcase sides relatively to the overhead conveyor, and in that the sinew(s) from which the carcase sides are suspended from the hook, is/are cut while the carcase sides are supported by the support means. While the support means ensures that the carcase sides are fixated relatively to the overhead conveyor and/or to an underlying conveyor belt or table, the cutting of the sinew(s) ensures that the carcase side in question is released from the hook. In other words, it is not the gripping means alone which causes the release of the carcase side from the hook as in DK 174515 Bl, neither is it a hind toe saw which releases the carcase side from the gambrel as in DK/EP 0607744. Rather, the carcase sides are released from the hooks while they are supported by the support means, since the cutting operation in a preferred embodiment is performed by one or more sinew cutting means for cutting the sinew(s) from which the carcase side is suspended. Subsequently, i.e. when the sinews have been cut and the carcase side is fixated by the support means, the support means may lift the carcase sides away from the hooks, and the hind toes may be cut off, e.g. by means of a traditional hind toe saw like the one shown in DK/EP 0607744. When the carcase side has been released from the hook and the hind toe has possibly been cut off, the carcase side is released from the support means, which - due to the well defined position of the support means - results in a precise putting down of the carcase side.

The support means, which may be gripping means like the ones shown in DK 174515 Bl, is preferably designed in such a way that the weight of the carcase sides does not load the hooks and the overhead conveyor while the carcase sides are supported by the support means.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention right and left carcase sides are conveyed in pairs to the transfer station by each their overhead conveyor, in such a way that a rig ht and a left carcase side arrive simultaneously to the transfer station. The left and right carcase sides may thereby be processed simultaneously at the mentioned steps at the transfer station. The carcase sides are normally conveyed to the transfer station from a supply unit, such as a killing floor or a supply storage. The conveying by the two overhead conveyors is preferably controlled in such a way that the right and the left carcase sides reach the transfer station simultaneously.

Further preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention will appear from the description below of the system according to the invention, the system comprising an overhead conveyor adapted to convey the carcase sides in a direction of movement. The overhead conveyor comprises a number of hooks of the type described above, e.g. "EURO Haken", where on each hook a carcase side can be suspended at the hind toe, whereby the carcase side may be suspended from the hook from one or more sinews. The system further comprises a transfer station at which the hog carcases can be released from the hooks of the overhead conveyor to a table or a conveyor belt arranged beneath the overhead conveyor. According to the invention the system is characterised in that support means for supporting the carcase sides and fixating them relatively to the overhead conveyor is arranged at the transfer station, and in that sinew cutting means for cutting the sinew(s) from which the carcase side is suspended from the hook is provided, the sinew cutting means being control by control means adapted to control the sinew cutting means to cut the sinew(s) while the carcase sides are supported by the support means.

As it appears from the above discussion of the method according to the invention, hind toe cutting means for cutting the hind toes from the carcase sides may be provided, the hind toe cutting means being controlled by the control means, the control means being adapted to control the hind toe cutting means to cut the hind toes while the carcase sides are supported by the support means. The system may comprise two overhead conveyors of the mentioned type for simultaneously conveying a right and a left carcase side to the transfer station in such a way that a right and a left carcase side arrive simultaneously to the transfer station. In this case the system preferably comprises two support means, two sinew cutting means and possibly two hind toe cutting means for simultaneous processing of a right and a left carcase side.

In a preferred embodiment the support means is in the form of one or more gripping means movable between a first position in which the gripping means can not reach the hog carcases, and a second position in which the gripping means can grip the carcase sides below their heel joint in such a way that the heel joint engages an upper surface of the gripping means, and wherein the gripping means is controlled by the control means in order to move the gripping means from the first to the second position when a carcase side has arrived at the transfer station, and in order to move the gripping means back to the first position after the cutti ng of said sinew(s). Thereby a precise and controlled movement of the carcase sides away from the hooks is obtained, and at the same time the gripping means enable precise cutting of the hind toes, since the upper side of the gripping means may be used as a reference point for the cutting, thereby ensuring a uniform cutting at the thickest point of the heel joint, thereby minimising waste at cutting.

In systems comprising hind toe cutting means this is preferably arranged in such a way relatively to the gripping means that the heel joint during the movement of the gripping means back to the first position hits the hind toe cutting means, thereby cutting off the hind toe of the carcase side in question. In such an arrangement cost incurring elements for translational movement of the cutting means can be avoided.

Each gripping means may comprise two mutually movable parts, e.g. jaws, the mutual movement of which is controlled by the control means in such a way that they may close around the carcase sides below their heel joint, thereby gripping the hog carcases when the gripping means is in said second position, and they may be opened again when the gripping means has been moved back to the first position, thereby releasing the hog carcase from the gripping means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, where Fig. 1 shows an end picture of a transfer station, where a right and a left carcase side 100 and 102 are suspended from "EURO Haken" hooks 104 and 106, connected to respective overhead conveyors 108 and 110. The carcase sides rest pa rtly on a conveyor belt 112 which may comprise fixating straps for putting down like the ones shown in DK 174515 Bl, the conveyor belt conveying the carcase sides to the primary processing. The carcase sides 100 and 102 are supported by gripping means 114 and 116 which in Fig. 1 are shown in said second position, i.e. the position where they actively grip the heel parts of the carcase sides. Control and drive means 118 and 120 are provided causing movement of the gripping means 114, 116 between their two positions, and simultaneously positioning sinew cutting means, in the form of knives 122 and 124, relatively to the carcase sides. When the knives 122, 124 have released the carcase sides, the gripping means and the arms (see reference numeral 134 in Fig. 2) in which they are mounted, are raised, and the gripping means are simultaneously turned outwards, i.e. away from the centre l ine shown in Fig. 1. In the shown embodiment the heel joints of the carcase sides are thereby moved towards hind toe cutting means, shown as circular saws 126, 128, driven by motor u nits 130, 132.

Fig. 2 shows an illustration of the system as shown in Fig. 1 in a plane perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 1. It is clear that the overhead conveyor 108 has a tapered section, the weight of the carcase side 100 thereby being partly transferred to the conveyor belt 112 when the carcase is moved along the tapered section of the conveyor. The gripping means grip around the heel joint, just below the thickest point of the joint, while the carcase side is still attached to the hook 104. The knife 122 releases the carcase side from the hook 104. The knife 122 and the gripping means 114 are mounted on the arm 134, which, as described above, causes the movement of the carcase side towards the circular saw 126 (see Fig. 1).

Claims

1. A method for conveying and processing carcase sides (100, 102) of hog carcases, in which method:

carcase sides are conveyed by an overhead conveyor (108, 110) having hooks (104, 106) of the type having an orientation which is not fixated relatively to the direction of movement, the carcase sides being suspended from the hooks in such a way that each carcase side is thereby suspended from a hook from one or more sinews;

the carcase sides are released from the hooks of the overhead conveyor at a transfer station;

characterised in that

the carcase sides (100, 102) at the transfer station are temporarily supported by support means (114, 116) fixating the carcase sides relatively to the overhead conveyor (108, 110);

the sinew(s) from which the carcase side is suspended from the hooks is/are cut through while the carcase sides are supported by the support means.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the support means (114, 116) lift the carcase sides (100, 102) away from the hooks (104, 106) after cutting through the sinews.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hind toes are cut off from the carcase sides (100, 102) after cutting through the sinews.

4. A method according to any of claims 1-3, wherein right and left carcase sides (100, 102) are conveyed in pairs to the transfer station by each their overhead conveyor (108, 110), in such a way that a right and a left carcase side arrive simultaneously to the transfer station, and wherein the left and right carcase sides are processed simultaneously at the mentioned steps at the transfer station.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the carcase sides are conveyed to the transfer station from a supply unit or from a supply storage, and wherein the conveying by the two overhead conveyors (108, 110) is controlled in such a way that the right and the left carcase sides reach the transfer station simultaneously.

6. A method according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the support means is in the form of one or more gripping means (114, 116) movable between a first position in which the gripping means can not reach the carcase sides (100, 102), and a second position in which the gripping means can grip the carcase sides below their heel joint in such a way that the heel joint engages an upper surface of the gripping means, and wherein the method comprises moving the gripping means from the first to the second position when a carcase side has arrived at the transfer station, and moving the gripping means back to the first position after the cutting of said sinew(s).

7. A method according to claims 3 and 6, wherein the heel joint during the movement of the gripping means (114, 116) back to the first position is moved towards a hind toe cutting means (126, 128), thereby cutting off the hind toe of the carcase side in question.

8. A method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein each gripping means comprises two mutually movable parts adapted to close around the carcase sides (100, 102) below their heel joint, thereby gripping the hog carcases when the gripping means is in said second position, and wherein the two parts are opened again when the gripping means has been moved back to the first position, thereby releasing the hog carcase from the gripping means.

9. A system for conveying and processing carcase sides (100, 102) of hog carcases, the system comprising:

an overhead conveyor (108, 110) adapted to convey the carcase sides in a direction of movement and comprising a number of hooks (104, 106) of the type having an orientation which is not fixated relatively to the direction of movement, wherein, from each hook (104, 106), a carcase side may be suspended at its hind toe, the carcase side thereby being suspended from the hook from one or more sinews;

a transfer station at which the hog carcases can be released from the hooks of the overhead conveyor to a table or a conveyor belt (112) arranged beneath the overhead conveyor;

characterised in that at the transfer station there is provided:

support means (114, 116) for temporarily supporting the carcase sides and fixating these relatively to the overhead conveyor (108, 110);

sinew cutting means (122, 124) for cutting through the sinew(s) from which the carcase side is suspended from the hook (104, 106), said sinew cutting means being controlled by control means in such a way that the sinew cutting means cut through the sinew(s) while the carcase sides are supported by the support means (114, 116).

10. A system according to claim 9, further comprising hind toe cutting means (126, 128) for cutting off the hind toes from the carcase sides (100, 102), said hind toe cutting means being controlled by the control means, the control means being adapted to control the hind toe cutting means to cut off the hind toes while the carcase sides are supported by the support means (114, 116).

11. A system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the hook (104, 106) is rotatable about an axis being at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the overhead conveyor and at least substantially parallel to the hams of the carcase sides when these are suspended from the overhead conveyor (108, 110).

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the hook (104, 106) is designed according to German standard DIN 5047.

13. A system according to any of claims 9-12, further comprising two overhead conveyors (108, 110) of the mentioned type for simultaneously conveying a right and a left carcase side (100, 102) to the transfer station in such a way that a right and a left carcase side arrive simultaneously to the transfer station, and wherein the system comprises two support means (114, 116), two sinew cutting means (122, 124) and possibly two hind toe cutting means (126, 128) for simultaneous processing of a right and a left carcase side.

14. A system according to any of claims 9-13, wherein the support means is in the form of one or more gripping means (114, 116) movable between a first position in which the gripping means can not reach the hog carcases (100, 102), and a second position in which the gripping means can grip the carcase sides below their heel joint in such a way that the heel joint engages an upper surface of the gripping means, and wherein the gripping means (114, 116) is controlled by the control means in order to move the gripping means from the first to the second position when a carcase side has arrived at the transfer station, and in order to move the gripping means back to the first position after the cutting of said sinew(s).

15. A system according to claims 10 and 14, wherein the hind toe cutting means is arranged in such a way relatively to the gripping means (114, 116) that the heel joint during the movement of the gripping means back to the first position hits the hind toe cutting means, thereby cutting off the hind toe of the carcase side in question.

16. A system according to claim 14 or 15, wherein each gripping means (114, 116) comprises two mutually movable parts, the mutual movement of which is controlled by the control means in such a way that they may close around the carcase sides below their heel joint, thereby gripping the hog carcases (100, 102) when the gripping means is in said second position, and they may be opened again when the gripping means has been moved back to the first position.