PROCEDURE FOR THE CUTTING UP OF TWO HALF CARCASSES OF PIGS

Abstract: By the cutting up of two half carcasses of pigs these are conveyed situated longitudinally perpendicularly to the direction of conveyance (4) horizontally to saws (5, 6, 7, 8) by conveyors (1, 2, 3). While the conveyors are stationary data are coded by means of position plotters (9', 9") into a control cycle determining the position of the desired cutting surfaces of one half of the carcass and the displacement between the two half carcasses. On the basis of the data input first one and later the other half of the carcass are moved by shifting perpendicularly to the carrying direction (4) by one of the conveyors in such a manner that the desired ham cutting surface remains positioned on level with the stationary ham saw (9). Simultaneously the other saws (5, 6, 7) will be shifted perpendicular to the carrying direction (4) until they remain situated in the desired respective cutting surfaces. Thus the laborious and straining manual work of removing the half carcasses of pigs can be avoided.

Description: PROCEDURE FOR THE CUTTING UP OF TWO HALF CARCASSES OF PIGS. ________ The invention relates to a procedure for the cutting up of two half carcasses of pigs, which by means of convey¬ ors are . carried situated horizontally in longitudinal direction perpendicular to the direction of conveyance on to saws for hind toe, head, fore-end, and ham respec¬ tively, and relates furthermore to a sawing system in¬ tended for the exertion of the said process. In known sawing systems of the said character the four saws are stationary, and the half carcasses of pigs are moved by an operator on the conveyors until they are correctly situated in relation to the saws. This moving operation is laborious and time-ccnsuming and a straining work for the operator. According to the invention it is suggested that data by means of position plotters in a control cycle while the conveyors are stationary are coded in determining the position of the desired cutting surfaces of one half of a carcass and the displacement between the two half car¬ casses, and that on basis of the data input, partly by the shifting perpendicularly to the carrying direction of one of the conveyors first one and later the other half carcass in such a manner that the desired cutting surface of the ham will remain positioned on level with the ham saw, and partly by shifting perpendicularly to the carrying direction of the other three saws to place these in the desired respective cutting surfaces. By this procedure elaborate and straining manual work is avoided. When the two half carcasses are placed on the entry end of the conveyor, the operator will mark out one half carcass. The position plotters are moved longi¬ tudinally with the half carcass, and off the desired cut¬ ting lines the operator will activate a button, and data of the position of the cutting surfaces will be coded in¬ to the control cycle. Furthermore data of the mutual dis- placement of the two half carcasses will be coded in.The said marking out will take place while at least the carrying conveyor is stationary. After the marking out the half carcasses are directed to the adjustable con¬ veyor. The control cycle will move the said conveyor in such a manner that the desired cutting surface of first one and later the second half carcass will remain positioned on level with the ham saw. The other three saws will further*- more be shifted in accordance with the input data resul¬ ting from the marking out. As mentioned the invention also relates to a sawing me¬ chanism for the exertion of the said procedure. A sawing complex of this character comprises a hind tow saw, a head saw, a fore-end saw, and a ham saw, and besides, end to end situated, conveyors on which the half cacasses are conveyed, placed in longitudinal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction, on to the saws. It is accor¬ ding to the invention suggested that the ham saw remains stationary, whereas the other saws and at least one of the conveyors are shiftable perpendicularly to the carry¬ ing direction, for which purpose the plan incorporates a control cycle provided with position plotters designating the position of the desired cutting surfaces for one half carcass and the displacement between the two half carcas¬ ses, which said control cycle will direct the movement of the said conveyor and of the other saws in such a manner that the cutting surface of the ham will remain positio¬ ned on level with the stationary ham saw, and the other saws in the desired respective cutting surfaces. It is of course a condition of correctly positioned cut¬ ting surfaces that the longitudinal direction of the half carcasses is accurately perpendicular to the carrying di¬ rection of the conveyors. This is according to the inven¬ tion achieved in that the first conveyor consists of at least three next to each other placed conveyor belts, and that in between the belts are inserted contact appliances having two vertical contact surfaces perpendicular to the conveyor belts and movable between a position below the belts and a position having the contact surfaces protru¬ ding above the belts. V/hen the two half carcasses are placed on the first con¬ veyor, they are placed back to back and leaning on each one of the two contact surfaces. In that the contact appliances are also provided with oblique guidance planes on which the half carcasses are sliding down towards the contact surfaces, it is accomplished that the correct position is attained without intervention of the opera¬ tor. In the following the invention will be described in de¬ tail with reference to the drawing in which Fig. 1 shows schematically a sawing mechanism according to the invention, seen from above, and fig. 2 a vertical section of the first conveyor of the plant. The sawing complex comprises a number of conveyors 1, 2 and 3 situated end by end on which two half carcasses of pigs can be conveyed laid horizontally with their longitudinal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction 4 to a hind tow saw 5, a head saw 6, a fore- end saw 7, and a ham saw 8. The ham saw 8 is stationary, while the other saws 5, 6 and 7 are movable perpendicularly to the carrying di¬ rection 4. Also one of the conveyors 2 positioned be¬ fore the saws is shiftable perpendicular to the carry¬ ing direction 4. These movements are controlled by a not shown control cycle on the basis of data input co¬ ded in by an operator by means of perpendicularly to the carrying direction 4 two movable position plotters 1 and 9" situated at the entry end of the conveyors. When the two half carcasses are placed on the first conveyor 1 in longitudinal direction perpendicular to T- the carrying direction, the socalled marking out will take place, while the conveyor 1 is at a standstill. The operator will move the position plotters 9* and 9" in relation to one of the carcasses. When the position . plotters 9* and 9" pass a desired cutting surface of the said half carcass, a button is activated, and data stating the position of the cutting line coded into the control cycle. When the marking out is finished, data of the displacement of the second half carcass in relation to the former is coded in. Now the half carcasses are directed to the conveyor 2, which is displaceable perpendicularly to the carrying direction 4. V/hen the half carcasses have passed on to this .conveyor, the conveyor will be shifted in such a manner that the desired marked-out ham cutting surface will remain on level with the stationary ham saw 8, and the half carcasses will be conveyed on toward the fol¬ lowing conveyor 3. When the marked-out half carcass reaches the following conveyor 3, the carrying movement of the shiftable con¬ veyor 2 is brought further forward to the saws. The displaceable saws 5, 6 and 7 have in the meantime by the control cycle been moved to position for the re¬ spective cutting surfaces. On basis of the pertinent in—coded input the displace¬ able conveyor 2 is moved again in such a manner that the ham cutting surface of the second half carcass remains positioned on level with the ham saw before the conveyor 2 is restarted and transports the half carcass towards the following conveyor 3 and the saws. By the cutting up of the second half carcass the saws will remain in the positions, in which they were found at the cutting up of the first half carcass. Figure 2 shows how it is possible to ensure that the longitudinal direction of the half carcasses remains accurately perpendicular to_ the carrying direction. The first conveyor 1 consists of at least three next to each other situated conveyor belts. In the space between thes belts the contact appliances 10 are inserted. These con¬ tact appliances 10, which from the shown position can be moved to a position below the conveyor, have two vertical contact surfaces 11' and 11" placed perpendicularly to the conveyor belts, and two oblique guidance planes 12' and 12" on which the half carcasses when reaching the sawing arrangement from above will slide down towards the contact surfaces in such a manner that the backs of the two half carcasses will remain back to back against the contact surfaces. Before the conveyor 1 is started the contact appliances 10 will be lowered so that the trans¬ port can take place unhindered. It is obvious that the described procedure and the sawing mechanism can be modified in such a manner that e.g. the fore-end saw can be stationary, whereby the position of the fore-end cutting surface will decide the movement of the displaceable conveyor perpendicularly to the carrying direction.

Claims: P A T E N T C L A I M S 1. Procedure for the cutting up of two half carcasses of pigs which by means of conveyors (1,2,3) are carried situated horizontally in longitudinal direction perpen¬ dicular to the -direction of conveyance on to saws (5,6, 7,8) for hind toe, head, fore-end and ham respectively, being c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that data by means of position plotters (9',9") in a control cycle while the conveyors are stationary are coded in determining the position of the desiredcutting surfaces of one half of the carcass and- the displacement between the two half carcasses, and that on basis of the data input, partly by the shifting perpendicularly to the carrying direction of one of the conveyors (2) first one and later the other half carcass in such a manner that the desired cutting surfaces of the ham will remain positioned on level with the ham saw (8), ' nd partly by shifting perpendicularly to the carrying direction of the other three saws (5,6,7) to place these in the desired respective cutting surfaces. 2. Sawing complex for the exertion of said procedure according to claim 1 and comprising a hind tow saw (5), a head saw (6) a fore-end saw (7) and a ham saw (S), and besides, end to end situated, conveyors (1,2,3) on which the half carcasses are conveyed, placed in longitudinal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction to the saws, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the ham saw (8) remains stationary, whereas the other saws (5,6,7) and at least one of the conveyors (2) are shi table per¬ pendicularly to the carrying direction (4), for whichpur¬ pose the plant incorporates a control cycle provided with position plotters (9',9") designating the position of the desired cutting surfaces for one half carcass and the displacement between the two half carcasses, which said control cycle will direct the movement of the said con¬ veyor (2) and of the other saws (5,6,7) in such a manner that the cutting surfaces of the ham will remain posi- tioned on level with the stationary ham saw (8), and the other saws (5,6,7) in the desired respective cutting sur¬ faces. 3. Sawing complex according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e¬ r i z e d in that the first conveyor (1) consists of at least three next to each other placed conveyor belts, and that in between the belts are inserted contact appliances (10) having two vertical contact surfaces (11',11") per¬ pendicular to the conveyor belts and movable between a position below-the belts and a position having the con¬ tact surfaces protuding above the belts. 4. Sawing complex according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e¬ r i z e d in that the contact appliances are also provi¬ ded with oblique guidance planes (12',12") on which the half carcasses are sliding down towardsthe contact sur¬ faces (ll f ,ll").

Inventors: JEPSEN JENS THOMSEN, MOGENSEN TONNY
Applicants: JEPSEN JENS THOMSEN, K J MASKINFABRIKEN AS, MOGENSEN TONNY
Application year: 1982
Main classification: A22B7
IPC codes: A22B5