Patent ID: 6601499
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: A22C,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for flattening meat without piercing nor shredding the meat, comprising:a substantially horizontal first roller set, each roller in said first roller set having non-sharpened outer edges; a substantially horizontal second roller set, each roller in said second roller set having non-sharpened outer edges, the first roller set directly opposing and being spaced and fully separated from the second roller set, said first and second roller sets together having a product in-feed end into which meat pieces are drawn and having a product out-feed end at which flattened meat pieces are expelled from between said first and second roller sets; adjusting means for adjusting the spacing between the first roller set and the second roller set, wherein meat passing between the first and second roller sets is substantially flattened but not pierced nor shredded; an out-feed conveyor belt assembly at said out-feed end, comprising a substantially horizontal out-feed conveyor belt and rolling means for rolling said out-feed conveyor belt in a direction to advance meat pieces placed on said out-feed conveyor belt away from said out-feed end; and a finisher conveyor belt assembly at said out-feed end, said finisher conveyor belt assembly having a substantially horizontal finisher conveyor belt generally parallel with, opposing and spaced apart from said out-feed conveyor belt and rolling means for rolling said out-feed conveyor belt in a direction to advance meat pieces placed on said out-feed conveyor belt away from said out-feed end; such that meat pieces expelled from between said out-feed end pass and are carried between said out-feed conveyor belt and said finisher conveyor belt by the rolling of said out-feed conveyor belt, and finisher conveyor drive pulley drive means, said finisher conveyor belt comprising smoothing means for smoothing said product.