Abstract:
A peeling system and device that eliminates the need for a steam tube and/or air blasts by moving the position of a cutter blade or the use of a pincher wheel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention is directed toward a peeling machine and more particularly a peeling machine that eliminates the need to use steam and/or air separation to peel a food product. 
         [0002]    Peeling machines for food products are well known in the art. Typically, the process of peeling encased food product begins by stuffing meat emulsion into a continuous cellulose casing and then twisting the casing to form individual links on a strand of food product. The strand is then cooked in an oven and subsequently chilled, using a shower of cold water, to reduce the product temperature to acceptable packaging and storage levels, where the strands are manually fed into a peeling machine as a cold product. 
         [0003]    The strand first enters a steam tube where the product is surrounded by steam to both hydrate and warm the cellulose casing causing expansion and separation from the surface of the cooked emulsion. As the strand is discharged from the steam tube, the strand is transported by a plurality of gripper wheels which propel the strand toward and past a cutter blade which is positioned adjacent and in-line with a rearward transport wheel. Shortly after the cutter blade makes a cut in the casing of the link, a blast of air from a nozzle connected to a source of compressed air hits the sliced casing to aid in opening the casing away from the surface of the food product. 
         [0004]    Immediately after the cutter blade and air nozzle, the product is transported past a vacuum point where airflow is sucked down through a vacuum wheel, forcing the loose casing away from the product. The vacuum wheel, which rotates in the same direction as the product flows, strips the casing from the product as the product is discharged from the peeling machine and drops the spent casing into a hopper. The speed that the product is transported through the machine is sufficient to throw the product out of the machine and into a holding bin or take away conveyor for bulk removal. While the speed permits a high rate of throughput, the product becomes disoriented when discharged from the machine requiring reassembly or collating into a vacuum packaging machine for final packaging, requiring a separate loader. The product is also susceptible to damage from this process. 
         [0005]    In addition, not only is the use of steam expensive, but steam may leak from the steam tube creating condensation that drips on the machine and food product. Presently, the condensation is wiped away manually. Also, due to exposure to the air in the plant, preservatives added to the food product are needed to maintain an acceptable shelf life. Thus, desired is a peeling device that addresses these deficiencies. 
         [0006]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a peeling device that eliminates the need for steam. 
         [0007]    A further objective of the present invention is to provide a peeling machine that eliminates the need for an air blast. 
         [0008]    A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a peeling machine that controls a link after peeling for loading on a conveyor. 
         [0009]    Another objective is to provide a peeling machine that reduces or eliminates the need for preservatives. 
         [0010]    These and other objectives will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art based upon the following written description, drawings, and claims. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    A peeling system and machine wherein the peeling machine has a first set and a second set of transport wheels for transporting a strand of food product through a transport path formed between the transport wheels. A cutting blade is positioned adjacent the first set of transport wheels to cut a casing from the food product. At least one, and preferably two air nozzles are positioned to provide a blast of air to the cut casing to aid in the removal of the casing from the food product. 
         [0012]    Alternatively, a pincher wheel having a groove with inwardly extending lips receives a cut food product from a cutter wheel. As the cut casing is pushed into the groove the lips aid in removing a cut casing from the food product. By controlling the peeled food product with the pincher wheel, the product can be deposited on a conveyor or loader for packaging. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a partial side view of a peeling machine; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an end view of a set of transport wheels for a peeling machine; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of a vacuum chamber; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a peeling machine; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5A  is a partial end view of a pincher wheel; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5B  is a partial end view of a pincher wheel; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5C  is a partial end view of a pincher wheel; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5D  is a partial end view of a pincher wheel; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a peeling machine; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a peeling machine; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a peeling machine; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view of a peeling system; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a decontamination system; and; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a peeling machine. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a peeling device  10  includes a first set  12  and second set  14  of transport wheels  15  that form a transport path  16  for a strand of food product  18 . The transport wheels  15  are rotatably mounted to a frame  20  with preferably the top wheel of each set being an idler wheel and the bottom wheel of each set being driven by a motor (not shown). A cutting blade  22  is mounted to the frame  20  adjacent the first set  12  of transport wheels  15  such that the blade  22  engages and cuts the casing on a food product  18  before or as the food product  18  moves through the transport path  16 . 
         [0028]    Alternatively, the cutting blade  22  is a floating blade  22  and is spring mounted to the frame  20  or is imbedded in a wheel  15 . The imbedded blade  22 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is mounted to a central shaft  23  between a pair of half wheels  15 A. The half wheels  15 A have an outer edge  15 B and an arcuate surface  15 C that extends from the outer edge  15 B to an inner edge  15 D. When the half wheels  15 A mounted such that the inner edges  15 D are adjacent to one another, the arcuate surfaces  15 C form a transport chamber  15 E. The imbedded blade  22  extends beyond the arcuate surfaces  15 C to engage the strand of food product  18  to cut the casing. As the food product  18  is transported through the transport chamber  15 E, the outer edges  15 B compress the food product  18  which stresses the casing making the casing easier to cut and reducing runs. 
         [0029]    A first air nozzle  24  is mounted to the frame  20  and is positioned between the first set  12  and second set  14  of transport wheels  15 . The first air nozzle  24 , connected to a source of compressed air (not shown) provides a blast of air upon the cut casing to open and separate the casing from the cooked food product  18 . A second air nozzle  26  is mounted to the frame  20  downstream of the transport wheels  15 . Preferably, the second nozzle  26  is positioned above a vacuum chamber  28  that may or may not include a vacuum wheel  30  rotatably mounted within the chamber  28 . The second air nozzle  26 , connected to a source of compressed air (not shown) aids in opening the casing away from the surface of the food product  18 . The casing is then vacuumed into chamber  28  and transported away by vacuum wheel  30  while the food product  18  is discharged from the machine  10 . For example, in one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the vacuum chamber  28  has a vacuum wheel  30  with a shoe  29  mounted adjacent the vacuum wheel  30  and a second wheel  31  mounted adjacent shoe  29 . After the air blast from the second nozzle  26 , the vacuum wheel  30  captures the cut casing and transports the casing toward a vacuum tube  33 . The shoe  29  shucks the casing from the vacuum wheel  30  where the second wheel  31  transports the cut casing to the vacuum tube  33 . Alternatively, after the second blast from nozzle  26 , the vacuum tube  33  has a sufficient suction to capture the cut casing. 
         [0030]    In an alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 4-8 , the transport wheels  15  are replaced by a cutting wheel  36  and a pincher wheel  38 . The transport path  16  is formed between a plurality of rollers  40  and the cutting wheel  36  and the pincher wheel  38  which are all rotatably mounted to the frame  20 . The cutting blade  22 , as previously described, is fixed to the frame, floating, or imbedded in the cutting wheel  36 . 
         [0031]    The pincher wheel  38 , as shown in  FIGS. 5A-5B  has a groove  42  formed about its outer periphery by a pair of flanges  44  that extend outwardly. At the outer edge  46  of the flange  44  are a pair of inwardly extending lips  48 . The lips  48  pinch the food product  18  as the food product  18  is pushed into groove  42 , which causes the casing to be separated and vacuumed away. The flanges  44  are adjustable and may be moved toward and away from one another to accommodate products of different diameter. 
         [0032]    Mounted to the frame  20  at the discharge point  50  of the pincher wheel  38  is an ejection shoe  52 . The ejection shoe  52  has a groove  54  around its outer periphery that is in-line and in communication with groove  42  of the pincher wheel  38 . The ejection shoe  52  receives the peeled food product  18  from the pincher wheel  38  and maintains the food product&#39;s  18  orientation as the food product is transported to a conveyor or loader  56 . The rotational speed and/or positioning of a buffer on the conveyor  56  is adjusted based upon the detection of the food product  18  by a proximity sensor  58  or the like which detects when the product  18  is ready for deposit. Alternatively, alignment of the loader  56  is based on the sensed spacing of the food product. A single cutting wheel  36  and pincher wheel  38  assembly may be used or multiple assemblies in parallel spaced relation may be used as shown in  FIG. 8 . The use of multiple assemblies permits food product  18  to be transferred to the loader at a slower rotational speed of the assemblies. 
         [0033]    Preferably, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the machine  10  and loader  56  are enclosed within a sealed housing  60 . The housing  60  has a water lock  62  such as a spray or dip at the product inlet  64  of the housing  60 . The housing also has an air inlet  66  that receives pressurized air to prevent outside air from entering the housing, and at least one exhaust  68 . 
         [0034]    Once packaged, as shown in  FIG. 10 , instead of cutting into individual packs, the packaged food products  18  exit the packaging machine  69  as a continuous web  70  through a water cooker  72  and subsequent chiller  74 . Alternatively, hot air or a microwave is used. Preferably, the web  70  is transported on a continuous serpentine conveyor  76  through cooker  72  and chiller  74  such that all product has surface exposure instead of being shielded by a pile of packs which reduces cooking/chilling times. The cooker  72  and a chiller  74  have a plurality of inlets  78  that allow for different flow streams across product  18  on the conveyor  76  so that heat transfer may be maximized. Upon exiting the chiller  74 , the web  70  is transported to a web cutting station  80  or stacker where the web  70  is cut into individual packs. This process improves the appearance of the packaging as the edges do not curl, the product cooks better due to greater exposure, and because of the serpentine arrangement, a smaller footprint is needed for the unit. 
         [0035]    In yet another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 11 , a plurality of transport wheels  15  are rotatably mounted to a frame  20  with the first set  12  of transport wheels  15  have a cutting blade  22  mounted to the frame  20  therebetween. Positioned downstream of the transport wheels  15  is a shuck wheel  82  having a groove  84  that extends around the outer edge  86  of shuck wheel  82  to capture the cut food product  18 . The captured food product  18  is transported around shuck wheel  82  so as to engage a casing separator brush  87  that is mounted to the frame  20  and downstream of shuck wheel  82 . Brush  87  aids in separating the cut casing from the food product  18 . The peeled food product  18  is then transported along guide member  88  to an orientation shield  90  where the peeled food product is deposited onto a loader  56 . 
         [0036]    Thus, a peeler machine has been disclosed that at the very least meets the stated objectives. The use of steam is eliminated in part by moving the cutting blade to the first set of transport wheels. The use of air blasts has been eliminated in part by the use of a pincher wheel. The pincher wheel, along with the ejection shoe, control the peeled food product for delivery to a conveyor/loader. Finally, the sealed housing provides a sterile environment for peeling and reducing the need for preservatives.