Bacon hanger

A hanger designed for supporting pork bellies during handling and processing into slabs of bacon characterized by support member, and a generally rectangular base frame with a top bar and a bottom bar, and a series of generally L-shaped prong members attached to the base frame and defining a prong assembly extending laterally from the base frame. The prong members may be at different elevations to ensure engagement with the cutaneous trunci muscle. The hanger structure may be stabilized by a generally vertical rod connecting the base frame and the support member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to equipment for supporting and handling articles, particularly meat products, in manufacturing and for supporting pork bellies during processing to form slabs of bacon.

In the slaughtering or butchering of hogs the various portions or cuts into which the animal carcass is divided are prepared for marketing by meat packers and processors according to the type of cut and the form in which it is desired to present it to the consumer. Generally, cuts known as pork bellies are processed by suspending them for a predetermined time in a processing area, such as a smoke house, or similar curing area, where they are converted into slabs of bacon which may be supplied to the consumer in a solid piece or cut into slices after sizing and packaged to provide the familiar sliced bacon package.

In the conventional slaughtering and processing operation, pork bellies are transported from the receiving or cutting area to an area where they are located onto bacon hangers, which serve to support the bellies on a tree or rack while they are being processed. When the processing or curing is completed, the bacon slabs are removed from the hangers enabling reuse of the latter.

The bacon hangers which have been provided heretofore have been formed with pointed prongs or teeth arranged as in a comb on a common plane and mounted on a frame depending from a bracket member which is shaped or otherwise formed for engaging an overhead rail, track bar, smokestick or the like. Generally, the hangers have been constructed so that the hanger teeth or prongs can be readily inserted into the relatively soft area along the top ends (typically called the brisket end) of the bellies by pressing the teeth into the same. Some portion of the frame may serve as a handle for gripping the hanger while guiding the teeth into the meat. The end points of pointed prongs of the previous bacon hangers were generally in the same plane.

The top end of the pork bellies consists mostly of fat and a muscle called the cutaneous trunci (CT) muscle. This muscle extends through a substantial part of the length of the pork belly. The CT muscle is relatively small at the top portion of the belly becoming larger as it extends down the length of the belly. The amount of the CT muscle that appears in the final sliced product determines whether or not the product meets a lean specification. Most often, the prongs of the present hangers are arranged in a common plane such that when they are inserted into the top end of the pork belly they fail to engage the CT muscle, engaging mostly fat. Because the CT muscle extends for most of the length of the pork belly and is stronger and more denser than fat, it is desirable that at least one pair of prongs penetrate the CT muscle thus providing support for the entire belly. Additionally, during processing, the CT muscle shrinks affecting the amount of muscle in the final product, thus affecting yield. Without engaging the supporting CT muscle, the CT muscle shrinks and the pork bellies elongate on the hangers as they are processed. This elongation is undesirable because it causes a higher density of fat in the top section. This higher density of fat causes this top section to fail to meet the lean specifications established for the final processed product, resulting in a section with minimal or no commercial value, therefore, reducing product yield. Further, the elongation of the pork bellies on the hanger causes physical clearance problems as the bellies move along during processing.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a hanger such that the device is not disposed to the disadvantages of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved structure for use in handling cuts of meat, particularly pork bellies, following slaughtering operations and during subsequent handling and processing operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved hanger structure of the type having a plurality of spaced prongs for insertion into pork bellies and removal from pork bellies or similar cuts so as to support the same during handling and/or processing wherein the hanger may be provided with a gripping area arranged relative to the prongs.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved bacon hanger structure having meat penetrating prongs arranged to extend in planes at an angle to the plane of an elongate support frame, with the frame being adapted to be disposed in a substantially vertical plane and the prongs constituting end portions of leg formations on rod members which are bent into “U” shape and which are part of the vertically disposed support frame or which are secured to the support frame by the portions of the leg formations which adjoin the bight forming portion of the “U” shape.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a bacon hanger that is specially adapted to ensure that the CT muscle is purposefully engaged by at least one pair of prongs to maintain the CT muscle in the upper portion of the pork belly, reduce CT muscle shrinkage and subsequent pork belly elongation during processing and transportation of the meat thus resulting in higher yield from the pork belly or meat product.

Another object of the invention to provide a new and improved hanger structure that is especially adapted for suspending pork bellies and removal of the hanger from the bellies so as to facilitate handling, storage, retrieval and processing to convert the bellies into slabs of bacon.

The invention as disclosed and claimed herein comprises a typical bacon hanger which will generally include horizontal support bar members adapted to be disposed in generally vertical planes, a plurality of spaced article engaging prongs extending generally normal to the planes of the frame having weld positions under compression while under stress caused by the weight of the belly and/or stress caused by extracting the hanger prongs from the processed pork belly, at least one pair of prongs disposed in a plane at a different elevation than other prongs and a stabilizing member connected between the support member and the support frame. Examples of typical bacon hangers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,938,522, 6,506,108, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/965,427, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The aforesaid and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the preferred form of the hanger structure which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are identified by the same numerals throughout the views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in the drawings, hanger10is designed particularly for use in suspending pork bellies for transportation and during processing or curing, such as a smoke house, cooking oven, curing or cooling area. The hanger is designed so that it may be hung on a tree, on a truck, rail or rack and moved to or through the processing area or system where it may be supported in the same manner or carried on a conveyor, or the like, during the processing and subsequent handling.

To the extent that the hangers depicted in the accompanying figures retain common or comparable elements from figure to figure, the same reference numerals will be applied to such elements, which will not always be separately explained for such figure.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, hanger10comprises a support structure made up of a top support frame bar79, backside cross bar25, lower transverse bar28, a backside intermediate bar36, and bottom bar30. Cross bar25, bar28, bottom bar30and intermediate bar36are in spaced parallel relation below top bar79so as to form support for prong assembly16of meat engaging prongs18which extend in a plurality of planes generally normal to the support structure.

Member20may be formed by bending a section or length of bar or rod material into a U-shaped configuration with spaced apart leg formations32,32′ which are further bent to provide a pair of prongs18and the assembly is mounted on the frame bars or rods25and79. Specifically, leg formations32,32′ are attached to the backside of top frame bar79, prong side of the crossbar25, and prong side of intermediate bar36. Bottom bar30is attached where the leg formations32,32′ transition from vertical to generally horizontal to form prongs18. The bight portion33of member20is spaced above the top frame bar79. In some embodiments, member20may be spaced a sufficient distance above top bar79to accommodate fingers in grasping the same. The leg formations32,32′ may also be bent at intermediate points to provide the desired distance between the resulting prongs.

On either side and in between the two leg formations32,32′ are prongs18formed in pairs. The two pair of prongs18on the outside of leg formations32,32′ are attached to the backside of top frame bar79and prong side of crossbar25. The pair of prongs18inside of leg formations32,32′ are attached to top frame bar79, crossbar25, intermediate bar36, and bottom bar30. Each pair of prongs18is formed from a section or length of rod or bar stock by bending it into U-shape to provide a bight portion19and spaced parallel leg formations21. It is contemplated that parallel leg formations21may be of different lengths. Leg formations21are further bent intermediate to their ends to provide a pair of prongs18. Prongs18extend in a plane at an angle to the plane of the balance of the member. The U-shaped members on either side of leg formations32,32′ of member20are secured on frame bar79so that portions of leg formations21adjoining bight portion19span the area from top frame bar79and crossbar25. U-shaped member between the leg formations32,32′ of member20is secured on frame bar79so that portions of the leg formations21adjoining bight portion19span the area from the top frame bar79and bottom bar30.

As will be well understood by those skilled in the art, the welds attaching leg formations21to the plurality of support structure bar members are under compression when hanger10is engaged in supporting a pork belly or when hanger10is being extracted from a pork belly.

Transverse bar28is attached to the prong side of leg formations21of the U-shaped members outside of leg formations32,32′ of member20. Bar28is attached at or near the point where leg formations21of the U-shaped members bend from vertical to horizontal.

Intermediate bar36is preferably spaced in a parallel relation below crossbar25and above bottom bar30and is attached to the backside of leg formations32,32′ and leg formations21of the intermediate U-shaped member. Bottom bar member30is attached to the prong side of leg formations32,32′ and the U-shaped members that form prongs18that is in between leg formations32,32′ at or near the point where the leg formations32,32′ and the U-shaped members leg formation21bend from the vertical to the generally horizontal plane.

Hook-forming bracket14, which is provided to mount to support top frame bar79, crossbar25, and intermediate bar36from a rack or support bar as indicated in phantom line at40, is formed from a length or section of bar or rod stock which is best shown to provide a downwardly opening hook42at the top and a straight terminal end section44for spanning the space between the top bar79and crossbar25and ending with intermediate bar36. Intermediate portion43is bent to position the hook42in a vertical plane substantially parallel to the plane of the frame bar79for better balance in handling. Intermediate portion43is preferably attached to the prong side of bar79. End section44is preferably attached to the backside of crossbar25and intermediate bar36. End section44may include a lateral offset.

Stabilizing member75, which is provided to transmit the forces from hook-forming bracket14to frame bar79and member20, is preferably formed from a length or section of bar or rod stock. Stabilizing member75preferably attaches on the backside of hanger10. Stabilizing member75has a first end76, an intermediate portion77and a second end78. The first end76of the stabilizing member75is preferably attached to the backside of intermediate portion43of the hook forming bracket14at a location above the point where the intermediate portion43is attached to bight portion33of member20. Stabilizing member75then extends in a downwardly direction away from opening hook42. Intermediate portion77of stabilizing member75preferably attaches to the prong side of bright portion33of member20. Stabilizing member75continues in a downwardly direction away from the opening hook42and second end78of the stabilizing member75preferably attaches to the top frame bar79on the backside. In sum, those skilled in the art will understand that the stabilizing member may be utilized with any prior art bacon hanger configuration.

In the form shown inFIG. 1, the angle of the prongs18relative to the angle of the hook42is so determined to have the prongs in a plane at a slight angle above horizontal. When a belly is on the hanger this eliminates the possibility of the belly slipping off the hanger. It is contemplated that individual pairs of prongs18may be at different elevations in relationship to each other. Further, the elevation of prongs18of leg formations32,32′ of member20and prongs18of the intermediate U-shaped member may be on a common plane lower than the plane of prongs18of the outside U-shaped members. It is contemplated that prongs18spaced below the common plane of the other prongs18will allow engagement of the cutaneous trunci muscle47by the lower disposed prongs.

FIG. 3shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Hanger10of the present invention comprises an elongate supporting frame12which is secured in vertically disposed depending relation on a hook-forming bracket14and carries a prong assembly16of meat engaging prongs18, which extend in a plurality of planes in a generally normal direction from one side of the vertical support frame12. Support frame12includes a crossbar25that is attached to the backside of leg formations26,26′ preferably below their midpoint and a bottom bar member30that is attached to the front side of the leg formations26,26′ at their lower end.

The elongate support frame12may be formed by bending a length of rod stock into a U-shape so as to form a relatively long bight portion, which serves as top bar24support frame12, and leg formations26,26′ which are further bent intermediate of their ends so as to provide the end prongs28,28′ prong assembly16. End prongs28,28′ extend in a plane at an angle slightly less than normal to the plane of support frame12. Crossbar25and bottom bar member30connect the two leg formations26,26′ and are in spaced parallel relation below top bar24so as to form a frame support for meat engaging prong assembly16.

Prongs18intermediate the two end prongs28,28′ are formed in pairs and attached to support frame12. Each pair thereof is formed from a section or length of rod or bar stock by bending it into U-shape to provide a bight portion19and spaced parallel leg formations21. Leg formations21may be different lengths depending on the particular U-shaped prong18. The leg formations21are further bent intermediate of their ends to provide a pair of prongs18. Prongs18extend in a plurality of planes at an angle to the plane of the balance of the member which is secured on support frame12so that portions of the legs formations21adjoining bight portion19span the area from the top bar24, crossbar25, and bottom bar member30of support frame12. Leg formations21are preferably attached to the backside of the top bar24, the prong side of crossbar25, and the backside of the bottom bar member30enabling a structure in which the welds of the legs of the support frame12and leg formations21of the prong assembly are under compression while supporting the weight of pork belly45or when hanger10is being extracted from the belly45.

The bottom-bar member30is welded to the prong side of leg formations26,26′ and the U-shaped members that form the remaining prongs18. The bottom bar member30is welded at or near the point where the leg formations26,26and the U-shaped members bend from the vertical to the horizontal. Bottom bar30includes an offset35, which extends in a downward vertical direction away from crossbar25and generally parallel to the plane of the base frame. At least one of U-shaped members leg formations21extends downward to engage bottom bar30at offset35and leg formations21are welded to bottom bar30at offset35where the U-shaped member bends from vertical to horizontal. It will be understood that prongs18extending from leg formations21of any U-shaped member attached to bottom bar30at offset35will generally be at an elevation below other prongs18.

The hook-forming bracket14, which is provided to mount the support frame12on a rack or support bar, indicated in phantom line at40, is formed from a length or section of bar or rod stock which is best shown to provide a downwardly opening hook42at the top and a formed terminal end section44for spanning the space between bight portion19of U-shaped prong18and offset35of bottom bar30. End section44is preferably attached to the prong side of crossbar25. Thus, all weld intersections are preferably under compression while supporting the weight of the pork belly45.

The several elements of the hanger structure10in the forms illustrated are fabricated from lengths of metal rod material, of suitable gauge, which are bent as shown and joined or connected by welding, or secured to each other in a similar manner. Preferably, the rod or bar material will be stainless steel to afford the most desirable sanitation before use.