WO2018011728A1

WO2018011728A1 - Cutting device

Info

Publication number: WO2018011728A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/054204
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marcello Quadrana
Original assignee: Marcello Quadrana
Priority date: 2016-07-13
Filing date: 2017-07-12
Publication date: 2018-01-18
Also published as: IT201600073257A1

Abstract

Cutting device (1) comprising a metal body (2) with a central hole (5) suitable to be engaged with the rotating shaft of the plant, said metal (2) being provided with radial arms (3) suitable to be reversibly engaged with the corresponding cutters (4); said device (1) characterised in that each radial arm (3) is provided, at the distal end thereof, with a hole (3.a); each of said cutters (4) being constituted by a curved body (6) provided with divergent and opposite blades (7-7'); said curved body (6), being characterised by an inner profile provided with slightly bigger dimensions with respect to the outer profile of the corresponding radial arm (3), suitable to be engaged with said radial arm (3) so as to enable said cutter (4) a freedom of rotation comprised between -4° and + 4°, overall 8°; said blades (7-7') being separated by a groove (8), arranged in the area in which said blades (7-7') diverge, suitable to confer freedom of movement to the blades (7-7'); said cutting device (1) also being provided with a plurality of locking pins (10) arranged at the distal end of each radial arm (3), each one of which is suitable to be inserted into a corresponding hole (3.a).

Description

"Cutting device"

Description Technical field

The present invention refers to the mechanical industry. More in detail, the present invention refers to a distinctive cutting device to be used in industrial plants suitable for processing animal meat for producing sausages, typically for producing mortadella. State of the art

Sausages, and swine cold cuts in general, are currently one of the food-stuffs most produced, sold and bought by consumers worldwide today. Swine cold cuts and in particular sausages, are generally raw or cooked meat-based food-stuffs containing salt, animal fat, spices, preservatives (if any), and that are inserted into closed containers, conventionally constituted by animal intestines. Among the most known and consumed sausages worldwide, mortadella is definitely at the forefront. This pork cold cut is a very ancient food-stuff, probably dating back to the 1 st century, but certain production thereof dates back to late middle age, in Italy and the city of Bologna in particular, as proven by various sources including some drawings, paintings and engravings of the day. This pork cold cut is a pink and slightly spiced cylindrical or oval-shaped cooked sausage. Anciently, meat from various animal species including swine, bovine and equine were used for producing mortadella. Given the production difficulty and the length of the process, characteristics that also made it rather costly, it was considered a prestigious product. The technology for producing this pork cold cut has developed a lot over the years and today mortadella is a product exclusively constituted by noble cuts of pork meat and it is prepared following a strict process.

The mortadella production process is known and it is absolutely particular. Modern technology provides for that fresh meat reaches the production plant in separately frozen anatomic pieces of swine. After reaching an ideal temperature for processing thereof, this meat is minced and turned into a creamy emulsion through various stages in special meat mincing machines. Fat cubes measuring about one cubic centimetre and obtained from the neck fat, the hardest and most prestigious fat and from the lard obtained from the back part of the pork, are be prepared separately. The thin emulsion is then mixed with the fat cubes and then salt, water and spices (or flavours in form of powder or solution) are added. Additives are added subsequently and the mixture thus obtained is stuffed into the casing at the desired amounts. As a matter of fact, mortadella comes with different sizes ranging from 500 g up to more than 100 kg. The casings used for stuffing can be natural or artificial and the latter are usually used for the smaller dimensions. In addition, the sausage is subjected to cooking using special dry air ovens, within times that vary from a few hours up to a whole day depending on the amount and it is important that the internal temperature reaches 70°C. Then their follows sprinkling using cold water and storage in a cooler to stabilise the product. The quality of a sausage, and mortadella specifically, mainly depends on factors such as the quality of the raw material utilised due to the composition thereof, the chemical- physical characteristics and microbiological characteristics, the additives utilised, storage, distribution of the finished product definitely as well as the production technology applied. Though it can be deemed advanced, the latter reveals some drawbacks lying in the need for performing specific process steps by means of components and systems that can - at times - entail problems regarding the damage and early wear of the very components and which often affect the properties of the finished product. More in detail, the rubbing of the cutters or the meat cutting devices against the fixed discs for the extaision of mortadella often causes the release of metal material with high content of iron and other metals in the product being processed. This rubbing is rather consistent if we consider the very high quantities, such as pressure and force, acting on the components of the plant. The release and presence of these metal substances in the minced product actually causes subsequent oxidation- reduction mechanisms that occur when these substances come to contact with the meat thus altering the final properties thereof. The current utilised cutters or cutting devices are substantially disc-shaped, rotating around a central axis. The cutters are constituted by a support, suitable to support the blades and by a plurality of variously shaped blades but which are usually rectangular. These cutters are positioned between two fixed extrusion discs, thus generating an alternating sequence of discs and cutters in the cutting unit. The cutters, alongside the support and blades thereof, are arranged so as to have - both in inoperative and operative condition - the upper and lower surfaces arranged at contact with the surfaces of the neighbouring extrusion fixed discs. This structural and configuration characteristic causes strong rubbing of the contact surfaces when the plant is running. More in detail, the rubbing occurs when the passage of considerable amount of meat, pressed towards the cutting blades by the auger, causes the occurrence of high pressure on the circular surfaces of the elements involved in the process. In addition, the pressure that develops is not distributed uniformly over all points of the surfaces but it is higher in proximity of the central areas of said surfaces. The effect of this aspect determines the occurrence of deformations and concavities in the central areas of the fixed discs and cutters. Besides the aforementioned consequences regarding the release of metal material into the processing product, these deformations trigger the undesired rubbing phenomena between the surfaces of the cutters and the surfaces of the fixed discs.

In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, various solutions have been proposed over the last years, most of which represent the patent application contents, (with the applicant in question as the designated inventor) which revealed to be efficient at overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks observed in the processing of the meat, for producing the sausages and mortadelia in this specific case.

For example, document WO2014188320, describes a cutter holder for a cutting unit of a meat mincing plant. Such cutter holder comprises a central body and a plurality of radial arms extending therefrom. Each radial arm has a pair of V-shaped cutters in which each cutter of the pair has blades that can be adapted to the body of the radial arm due to the insertion thereof into a special groove that ensures the oblique spatial orientation thereof. The blades are held in said orientation due to a threaded pin and they are such to be deformed and folded independently with respect to each other under the effect of the pressure exerted by the meat being processed.

Document W()2() 14162225 describes a cutting device comprising a support also having a plurality of radial arms suitable to support a respective plurality of blades. Each blade is connected to the radial arm thereof thanks to a pin to be housed in a channel that extends longitudinally into the body of each blade. Said housing does not coincide with the longitudinal axis of the blade but it is offset with respect to the latter so as to define two asymmetric portions for each blade. This characteristic enables generating an oscillating motion of the blade with respect to the inner pin thereof and reduce friction between the blades and the neighbouring extrusion discs under the action of the pressure exerted by the meat being processed. The entirety reducing friction and the release of metal material into the meat being processed.

Document WO2014162222 describes an improved cutter holder machine, for processing meat. In particular said document refers to a cutter holder rotor with improved cutters for a machine for processing meat for producing mortadella. The rotor comprises a central hub from which various radial arms integrally joined with said central hub extend, in addition, the ends of such radial arms, opposite to the central hub, are connected to radial cutters by means of a connection appendage or mounting appendage. The latter is preferably integrally joined to the corresponding cutter, substantially forming the base thereof that can be inserted and bolted into a respective recess obtained in the end of the radial arm. One of the main characteristics of the rotor subject of the aforementioned document lies in that said appendage bears a groove in the material it is made of. Such groove confers a given degree of elastic yieldability which enables a given degree of oscillation of the cutters that adapt to the deformations of the neighbouring fixed disc due to the pressure exerted by the meat being processed. The entirety reducing friction and the possibility of releasing metal material into the meat being processed and thus into the finished product in this case too.

The solutions outlined above, provided by the devices described in the aforementioned documents, reveal drawbacks regarding the sophistication level of the elements that characterise them. In particular, besides having to be structurally flawless, these elements require frequent maintenance capable of guaranteeing the wholeness thereof and compliance with the model they represent. Failure to which the functionality thereof would be ineffective.

Regarding this, an object of the present industrial invention patent application, described in detail hereinafter, is to provide a new and innovative cutting device that not only efficiently overcomes the problems described above but that is also of easy construction and maintenance.

Description of the invention

The present invention refers to a new and innovative cutting device that can be used for processing animal meat for the industrial production of sausages and pork cold cuts and, more specifically, for producing mortadella. More in detail, the cutting device 1 subject of the present industrial invention patent application represents one of the components comprised in animal meat processing plants for producing mortadella. Even more specifically, said cutting device 1 represents one of the components that intervene in the step for cutting and extruding/mincing the meat being processed to obtain a mixture subsequently subjected to other processing steps. Given that it is a preferably industrial use, it should be observed that the plants for producing mortadella use a plurality of devices designated for cutting/extruding/mincing meat. Thus, in such type of plant, the device in question is used combined with other identical devices. Specifically, said cutting devices 1 should be arranged coaxially to each other and so as to be spaced by meat extaision discs. The surfaces of the extrusion discs and surfaces of the neighbouring cutting devices come into contact and when the plant is running, such contact is so consistent under the action of the pressure exerted by the considerable amount of meat that there occurs high frictions leading to unwanted consequences both as regards the characteristics observable in the finished product and as concerns the wholeness of the plant components themselves. The cutting device 1 subject of the present invention overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks thanks to the distinctive shape of the cutters 4 comprised therein and their easy mode of assembly to the body 2 of said device. The cutting device 1 in question, appears as a radial structure in which a plurality of radial arms 3 connected to the cutters 4 depart from a central metal body 2. The cutting device 1 in question is characterised by the distinctive upper-case Omega "Ω" shape of the cutters 4 and the simplicity by which said cutters 4 can be each reversibly connected to the respective radial arm 3. Thus, this facilitates the maintenance of the device, and the cutters 4 in particular, if required.

Advantageously, the device in question reveals an elastic behaviour as concerns the characterising elements thereof, thus the cutters 4, under the action of strong mechanical stresses. Thus, serving the purpose of the invention.

Even more in detail, each cutter 4 of the cutting device 1 in question, has two diverging and opposite blades 7-7' similar to the diverging legs of the "Ω''-like shape that characterises them. The central and circular body of the "Ω" is similar to the central curved body 6 of the cutter, whose inner profile is a channel that adapts to the outer profile of the radial arm 3 to which the cutter is reversibly connected in a complementary fashion. As a matter of fact, each cutter 4 is assembled to a predefined radial arm 3 by inserting the latter into the aforementioned channel.

Advantageously, each radial arm 3 is provided, at the distal end thereof, with a hole 3. a. Preferably and more advantageously, said hole 3. a will be provided with a thread corresponding to the thread present on the outer surface of a locking pin 10, suitable to be inserted into said hole 3. a so as to prevent the cutter 4 from slipping off from the corresponding radial arm 3.

Advantageously, said central curved body 6 of each cutter 4, is characterised by an inner profile provided with slightly greater dimensions with respect to the outer profile of the corresponding radial arm 3, so that the constraint created by these two components enables a free rotation of said cutter 4 comprised between -4° and + 4°, for a total overall of 8°.

Even more in detail, the configuration of the inner profile of the curved body 6 is such that, during said rotation comprised between -4° and +4°, the upper part of said inner profile of said curved body 6 remains at contact with the upper part of said outer profile of said radial am 3, while the lower part of said inner profile of said curved body 6 is free to incline within the pre-established limits.

While the inner profile of said curved body 6 must necessarily have a shape similar to the outer profile of the radial arm 3, so as not to represent a hindrance to the rotation, the outer profile of said curved body 6 may also be polygonal-shaped.

For the sake of comprehension of the present invention, which will be more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments and from observing the attached figures, it should be observed that when the meat processing plant is running, the cutting device 1 in question is spatially configured in a manner such that the two blades 7-7' of each cutter 4 are faced one towards the underlying extrusion disc and the other towards the overlying disc. Thus, with respect to said underlying and overlying coaxial and parallel extrusion discs, the "Ω''-like profile of the mutually interposed cutters 4 of the cutting device, is more specifically spatially configured to form an "Ω''-like element rotated by 90° clockwise (or anticlockwise depending on the rotation direction of cutting device 1). This spatial configuration of the cutters 4 is such to contribute to reducing the frictions that arise between the blades 7-7' of the cutters and the surfaces of the extrusion discs under the considerable pressure of the meat. Advantageously, the central groove 8, observable between the two blades 7-7' in the area where said blades diverge, enables conferring a given degree of "clearance" to said blades 7-7' when subjected to pressure. Thus, when the plant is running said blades 7-7' will tend to come to contact right at the points where they diverge in inoperative condition.

Advantageously, each blade 4 is made of a material such to elastically respond to the stresses. This offers the advantage lying in the fact that, between all portions of the components subjected to strong direct or indirect mechanical stresses there will be no rubbing such to damage the components and the ensuing release of metal material into the product being processed. Optionally and preferably, inserts 9 made of material different from the main material, such as for example ceramic material or a food-grade hard metal, are present in each cutter 4. Said inserts 9 increase resistance against frictions further and contribute to preventing the release of metal chips into the meat.

Advantageously, the thickness of said curved body 6 of each cutter 4 varies between 1 mm and 4 mm, preferably and more advantageously comprised between 2 mm and 3mm, Thus, the cutter can be suitably dimensioned based on the elasticity required by the type of meat to be minced.

Even more advantageously, this dimensioning of the length of the curved body 6 with respect to the length of the blades 7-7' also constitutes a major design feature that makes each cutter 4 more or less elastic. More in detail, the elasticity of the cutter 4 will reduce proportionally to the increase of the length of the curved body 6 and vice versa. Preferably, said curved body 6 will have a length equivalent to 2/3 of the length of the relative blades 7- 7', but lengths comprised between ½ the blades 7-7' and a length similar to that of the blades 7-7' are admissible.

Advantageously, the elastic behaviour of the cutters 4 enables greater durability of the efficiency of the cutter 4 over time, in that the blades 7-7' will not wear out very easily.

Advantageously, the aforementioned characteristic enables reducing the number of maintenance interventions required normally.

Advantageously, the structure, and the omega-shaped characteristic in particular, enables making the connection, removal and/or replacement of ail cutters 4 quicker and easier with respect to the same operations if applied to known cutters observable in the field of application of the invention.

The entirety enabling the cutting device 1 in question to considerably efficiently serve the purpose of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

- FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of the cutting device 1 subject of the present industrial invention patent application. The figure in question shows the cutting device 1 without cutters 4 and, in particular, it shows the central metal body 2 from which a plurality of radial arms 3 depart. The metal body 2, similarly to the prior art devices, centrally has a hole 5 suitable for the passage of the rotating central shaft of the plant portion designated for cutting/mincing the meat,

FIGURE 2 shows a new perspective of the cutting device 1 in which, besides the central metal body 2 and the radial anns 3, some holes 3, a arranged on the distal ends of the radial arms 3 are shown.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a three-dimensional view of the cutting device 1 complete with cutters 4 which have a distinctive "Ω" profile. Each one of them comprises a central curved body 6, suitable to define a channel to be adapted to the respective radial arm 3. The adaptation occurs by introducing the radial arm 3 into said channel. Besides said central curved body 6, each cutter 4 comprises two diverging and opposite blades 7-7' separated - in the points where they diverge - by a central groove 8 suitable to confer a discrete degree of freedom to the blades 7-7' when they are subjected to pressure when cutting/mincing the meat. In addition, the hole 3. a suitable for receiving the locking pin 10 - not represented in the figure - is shown on the distal end of each radial arm 3.

FIGURE 4 shows an enlarged and detailed view of a cutter 4 connected to one of the radial arms 3 of the cutting device 1. The figure better shows the central curved body 6, the blades 7-7' and the central groove 8 defined between said blades 7-7' when the device 1 is inoperative; also shown is the locking pin 10 which, inserted into the corresponding hole 3. a, prevents the cutter 4 from slipping off from the respective radial arm 3 leaving said cutter 4 the freedom of rotation to be better described by the following figures.

FIGURE 5 shows a perspective view of the cutter 4 with a characteristic "Ω''-like profile, seen with the central curved body 6 facing downwards and with the blades 7-7' and the central groove 8 facing upwards. - FIGURE 6 shows a cutter 4 of the cutting device 1 in front view. The figure in question highlights the possibility of the cutter 4 to rotate with respect to the radial arm 3 to which it is connected, in this particular embodiment, the central curved body 6 of the cutter 4 has a polygonal outer profile, while the inner profile is at contact with the outer profile of the radial arm 3 only at the upper part, leaving space for rotation towards the lower part, near the blades 7-7'. The dashed lines, show the outer profile of the cutter 4 when it rotates up to a maximum of 4° clockwise and 4° anticlockwise, for an overall freedom of rotation of 8°, The figure also shows the inserts 9 or inclusions made of ceramic material or food-grade hard metal.

Description of the preferred embodiments

In the preferred embodiment thereof, the cutting device 1 subject of the present industrial invention patent application, appears as a radial structure comprising a central metal body 2 from which a plurality of radial arms 3, each connected to a cutter 4, depart. Thus, said cutting device 1 will have as many cutters 4 as the radial arms 3.

Similarly, to the prior art cutting devices for the same applications addressed by the present invention, the cutting device 1 has a central hole 5 observable in the metal body 2, suitable for the passage of the rotating shaft of the plant portion designated to cut/mince animal meat. Thus, said cutting devices 1 will be arranged one on the other and spaced by the extrusion discs used for the aforementioned application.

As mentioned, the cutting device 1 in question is characterised by the distinctive profile and structure each having cutters 4, which are such to enable solving the addressed problem thus becoming essential characteristics of the invention. As a matter of fact, said cutters 4 enable minimising the rubbing of the components involved in the mincing of the meat and maintaining the staicture thereof whole over time, thus becoming more resistant to wear or, more precisely, more elastic to stresses. Furthermore, the characteristic profile of the cutters 4 is such to enable facilitating the maintenance/replacement of the cutters 4 by an operator, given that they are easy to assemble and remove from the body of the cutting device 1. More in detail, the cutting device 1 is characterised by the distinctive three-dimensional "Ω"- like profile of each of the cutters 4. Even more in detail, in the three-dimensional structure of each cutter 4 the following are identified: the central curved body 6, similar to the circular central portion of the Ω, suitable to serve as a channel to be adapted to the radial arm 3 to which the cutter 4 is connected, and two diverging and opposite blades 7-7' similar to the lateral legs observable in the profile of letter Ω. The two blades 7-7' of each cutter 4 do not come to contact in the central groove 8 interposed therebetween and in which said blades 7- 7' diverge similarly to the aforementioned lateral legs of the Ω due to which an aperture is observed centrally. The central groove 8 is such to contribute to the elastic behaviour observed in each cutter 4; as a matter of fact, it confers a discrete clearance and freedom of movement to the two blades 7-7' under the action of the consistent pressure exerted by the meat being processed. It should be observed that in the plant for producing sausages, mortadella specifically, the cutting devices 1 should be spatially configured so that the two blades 7-7' of each cutter 4 are faced one towards the overlying extrusion disc and the other towards the underlying disc. This orientation of the cutters 4 is more precisely represented by an "Ω" rotated by 90° on which the pressure, exerted by the meat from up downwards, acts. Such pressure, forces the two blades 7-7' to come to contact right at said central groove 8 in which said blades 7-7' are not at contact in inoperative conditions. Thus, such central groove 8 enables each cutter 4 to respond to the mechanical stresses it is subjected to without leading to deformations therein and without the occurrence of rubbing consistent enough to cause the release of metal material into the meat being processed. Furthermore, with the aim of contributing to the elastic response of the cutter 4 to the exerted pressure, the central curved body 6 of each cutter is obtained with a thickness varying between 1 mm and 4 mm, preferably between 2 mm and 3 mm, with the aim of obtaining the appropriate elasticity as a function of the type of meat to be minced. By way of non-limiting example, said central curved body 6 is made of elastic metal material such as food-grade steel. Furthermore, still by way of highlighting the elastic behaviour of the cutter 4, both due to the distinctive profile thereof and the chemical-physical property of the materials it is made of, said central curved body 6 is characterised by a length equivalent to 2/3 of the length of the corresponding blades 7-7', or a length comprised between ½ the length of the blades 7-7' and a length similar to that of the blades 7-7'. It should be observed that, the overall elasticity of the cutter 4 will proportionally reduce as the as the length of said curved body 6 increases. The entirety contributing to the wholeness of each cutter 4. As extensively represented in FIG. 6, each cutter 4 can be obtained with inserts 9 or inclusions made of ceramic material or food- grade hard metal or any other material suitable to increase the resistance against the frictions of the cutter 4 thus preventing the release of metal material into the meat.

As mentioned, the central curved body 6 of each cutter 4, has a channel-like profile to be adapted to the profile of the radial arm 3. The adaptation preferably but not exclusively occurs by introducing each radial arm 3 into the corresponding channel defined by said central curved body 6 of the cutter 4.

One of the distinctive characteristics of the cutter 4 of the present invention, consists in the type of constraint that occurs with the corresponding radial arm 3. As extensively represented in FIGURE 6, the inner profile of the curved body 6 of the cutter 4 is only at contact with the upper part of the outer profile of the radial arm 3 to which said cutter 4 is connected, said contact point constituting the rotation centre of the cutter 4 with respect to the radial arm 3 due to the strong pressures exerted by the meat to be minced reaching the cutting device 1. The residual space between said inner profile and said outer profile of the radial arm 3 increases as the lower part of the inner profile of said curved body 6 approaches towards said blades 7-7'. Such configuration, enables the cutter to rotate freely by 8°, more precisely by 4° clockwise and 4° anticlockwise.

In order to contribute to the fixing of said cutter 4 on the corresponding radial arm 3, a locking pin 10 is suitabie to be inserted into a special hole 3. a, arranged at the distal end of each radial arm 3. An object of such pin 10 is to prevent the cutter 4 from slipping off from the radial arm 3, without limiting the possibility of rotation of said cutter 4. Preferably, said hole 3. a will have a threaded inner surface, complementary to the counter-thread present on the outer surface of said locking pin 10. Such characteristic shall be considered provided exclusively by way of non-limiting example with respect to other embodiments of said locking pin 10 and said hole 3. a, suitable to constrain the cutter 4 to the respective radial arm 3, preventing the slipping-off thereof but maintaining due freedom of rotation.

It should be observed that the cutter 4 of the cutting device 1 in question is specifical ly dimensioned and structured to be adapted on a radial arm 3 of a cutting device 1 like the one described, thus becoming functional to the pre-set purposes only if applied to such device.

Claims

1 . Cutting device (1) for processing animal meat comprising a metallic body (2) provided with a central hole (5), adapted to be engaged with the rotating shaft of the meat processing plant in the cutting/mincing step, said metallic body (2) being provided with a plurality of radial arms (3) adapted to be reversibly engaged with corresponding cutters (4); said cutting device (1) being characterised in that each radial arm (3) is provided, at the distal end thereof, with a hole (3. a); each of said cutters (4) being characterised by an upper-case omega-shaped profile "Ω", constituted by a central upper curved body (6), from which at least two blades (7-7') depart from the lower part that are divergent and opposite each other; said central upper curved body (6) being characterised by an inner profile provided with size slightly greater than that of the outer profile of the corresponding radial arm (3), suitable to be engaged with said radial arm (3) in a manner so as to allow said cutter (4) a freedom of rotation comprised between -4° and + 4°, overall 8°; said blades (7-7') being separated by a central groove (8), adapted to confer freedom of movement to the single blades (7-7'), one with respect to the other, during the process of cutting/mincing the meat; said cutting device (1) also being provided with a plurality of locking pins (10), arranged at the distal end of each radial arm (3), each of which is adapted to be inserted within a corresponding hole (3. a) in a manner so as to prevent the slipping off of the cutter (4) with respect to the relative radial arm (3) during operation.

2. Cutting device (1) according to the preceding claim characterised in that, the inner profile of the curved body (6) has, on the upper part, shape similar to the outer profile of the corresponding radial arm (3) but on the lower part is provided with greater size in proximity to the blades (7-7') such that, during said rotation comprised between -4° and +4°, the upper part of said inner profile of said curved body (6) remains at contact with the upper part of said outer profile of said radial arm (3), while the lower part of said inner profile of said curved body (6) remains free to be inclined within said provided limits.

3. Cutting device (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the length of the curved body (6) is analogous to or less than the length of said blades (7-

7'), as a function of the degree of elasticity to be assigned to said blades (7-7'), specifically with the increase of the length of said curved body (6), a corresponding increase is obtained of the work load necessary for obtaining a similar deformation of said blades (7-7').

4. Cutting device (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the length of said central curved body (6) is comprised between ½ of the length of said blades (7-7') and a length equal to the length of said blades (7-7'), preferably said central curved body (6) will have length equal to 2/3 of the length of said blades (7-7').

5. Cutting device (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the thickness of said curved body (6) varies in a manner such to reach the degree of elasticity required as a function of the type of meat to be minced.

6. Cutting device (1 ), according to the preceding claim 5, characterised in that the thickness of said curved body (6) is comprised between 1 mm and 4 mm, preferably between 2 mm and 3 mm.

7. Cutting device (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said hole (3. a) is provided with an inner thread corresponding to the thread present on the outer surface of said locking pin (10), in a manner such to make the connection between said radial arm (3) and the relative cutter (4) stable and reversible.

8. Cutting device (1 ), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said central curved body (6) can have polygonal or curvilinear profile,

9. Cutting device ( 1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is suitable to be used in industrial plants for producing sausages, preferably during the step of cutting/mincing the meat for the production of mortadella and various pork cold cuts,

10. Cutting device (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said cutters (4) can have inclusions or inserts (9) made of different materials of ceramic type or a common food-grade hard metal suitable to further increase the friction resistance by preventing the release of metal chips into the meat.