Patent ID: 7621805
Filing Date: 2009-11-24
Classification: A22C

Abstract:
1. A meat tenderizing device, comprising: a supporting bed for pieces of meat to be processed, said supporting bed comprising a plurality of parallel longitudinal members that are suitably spaced and fixed to the structure of the device and arranged in a direction of translational motion of said pieces of meat such as to form a supporting surface of the pieces of meat, and said supporting bed further comprising a plurality of toothed rods, each of which is comprised in a gap between two contiguous longitudinal members, said toothed rods being connected to one another so as to form a deck provided with a first movement means for giving said deck a motion that is composed of two synchronized motions: a reciprocating motion in the direction of translation of the pieces of meat and a reciprocating motion in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction of translation of the pieces of meat between an upper end position in which the teeth of said rods protrude from said supporting surface, and a lower end position, in which said teeth are in a position that lies below said supporting surface; a head arranged above the supporting bed of the pieces of meat, said head having a plurality of knives arranged in aligned rows and adapted to enter spaces comprised between the longitudinal members of said supporting bed such that said knives are arranged laterally with respect to the toothed rods that are present thereat, said head being provided with a second movement means for moving said head between an upper end position, in which the blades of the knives are at such a height as to not interfere with the pieces of meat to be processed, and a lower end position, in which said blades are inserted in the meat, said second movement means further comprising means for providing a selected stroke of the knives including selecting the lower end position of the knives in two height locations including at least one first height location that lies above said supporting bed, and at least one second height location that lies below said supporting bed.