DEVICE FOR SLICING IN PARTICULAR PROCESSED MEATS, SUCH AS BUTCHER'S MEAT AND BACON

Abstract: Processed meats are sliced by means of a slicer (13) which consists of a disk (16) rotatable by means of a motor, and of cutting means (19, 20) rotatably mounted on the disk. For driving the cutting means (19, 20), these are provided on their bearing shafts with a pinion (22, 24) which during the rotation of the disk (16) rolls along for instance a fixed gear ring (18) provided with internal teeth (25) and mounted coaxial with the rotary disk (16). In that the disk (16) and the cutting means (19, 20) are rotated in different directions, the cut slices will fall straight downwards.

Description: DEVICE FOR SLICING IN PARTICULAR PROCESSED MEATS, SUCH AS BUTCHER'S MEAT AND BACON The present invention relates to a device for slicing in particular processed meats, such as butcher's meat and bacon, comprising a frame with drive and cont¬ rol means, a slicer and a conveyor which brings the meat products into engagement with the slicer which con¬ sists of a rotary disk on which circular cutting means are rotatably mounted adjacent the circumference of the disk. Slicing machines of this type are well known with- in the meat industry. As a whole, they function well, with the exception, however, that the slices upon cutt¬ ing are flung sideways to a varying degree, which cau¬ ses problems not only when taking up the slices on an endless conveyor belt but also when packing them in boxes. This means that the slicing operation must be constantly supervised, which will of course increase the price of the product. Attempts have been made to make the slices drop straight downwards by varying the speed of the drive and providing different guide means, but have hitherto failed. The object of this invention is to make it possible, in a simple manner, to cause the slices to fall straight downwards. This object is achieved in that means are provided for rotat¬ ing the rotary disk in one direction and the cutting means in the opposite direction. A satisfactory reten¬ tion of the meat product is also essential and, to this end, the conveyor consists of two driven conveyor belts which transport the product between them . The invention will be described in greater detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings which show embodiments of the invention. Fig. 1 is a part-sectional side view which shows a slicing machine according to the invention. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate OMPI different ways of driving the cutting means of the slicer proper. Fig. 5 shows the slicing machine from one end thereof. The slicing machine according to the invention may be of a conventional design, having a frame 10 with a drive 11 and a control panel 12. For suitably trans¬ porting processed meats, for instance butcher's meat and bacon, up to the slicer which is mounted at one end of the machine and generally designated 13, there are mounted in the frame 10 two endless conveyor belts 14 and 15 which are equipped with holding members, for in¬ stance projecting teeth, on the faces which should engage the meet product 34. The illustrated conveyance of the meat product 34 between the upper run of the lower belt 14 and the lower run of the upper belt 15 has proved extremely advantageous in connection with the slicing technique according to the invention. As seen in Fig. 2, the slicer 13 consists of a circular rotary disk 16 which is mounted on a shaft 17 and driven by the drive 11 in a suitable manner. A gear ring 18 with internal teeth 25 is mounted around the disk 16 and fixed to the frame 10. Two rotary cutting means 20, 19 in the form of thin, slightly cup-shaped disks (Fig. 1) are rotatably mounted on the rotary disk 16 by means of a respective bearing shaft 21, 23. Pinions 22 and 24 are mounted on the shafts 21 and 23, respectively, and are non-rotatably connected to the pertaining cutt¬ ing means 20, 19. As appears from Fig. 2, these pinions roll on the internal teeth of the gear ring 18, and if the rotary disk 16 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows on it, the two cutting means 19, 20 will rotate in the opposite direction, which is illustrated by the arrows on them. Thus, the object of the invention as stated in the introductory clause is readily achieved. This contra-rotation can also be realized in the manner shown in Fig. 3 where a toothed wheel 26 of a diameter smaller than that of the rotary disk 16 is Λ , OA'.PI fixedly connected to the machine frame 10. As in the embodiment according to Fig. 2, the pinions 22, 24 are rotatably mounted by means of the bearing shafts 21, 23 adjacent the circumference of the rotary disk 16. To ensure rotation of the cutting means 19, 20, a toothed belt 27 with internal teeth is passed over the two pinions 22, 24 and the fixed toothed wheel 26. When the disk 16 is rotated, the cutting means 19 and 20 will rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows, where- by the object of the invention is achieved. Also in the embodiment according to Fig. 4, the desired directions of rotation are achieved in that the pinions 22, 24 roll along a toothed wheel 26 via a res¬ pective intermediate wheel 28 and 30 which are mounted on a respective stub shaft 29 and 31. It is important for the function that the ratio of f- * e speeds of rotation of the rotary disk 16 and the cutting means 19, 20 is the right one. A suitable ratio has been found to be 1:5, in which case the disk 16 can rotate at about 300 r.p.m. and the cutting means 19, 20 at about 1500 r.p.m. The slicer 13 according to the invention is prefe¬ rably mounted by means of three arms 32 fixed at one end to the frame and each having at the opposite end a keyhole slot 33 with which fixing pins with heads pro¬ vided on the slicer can be brought into engagement. To allow dismounting, the gear ring and the toothed wheel are loosened as well as two nuts retaining the cutting means 19, 20, whereupon these can be removed from their bearing shafts, for instance for grinding. According to the invention, the meat product is sliced in an extremely advantageous way in that it is fed to the slicer while being maintained between the two conveyor belts 14, 15 and in that the cutting means during the slicing operation execute a circular movement in one direction of rotation while rotating themselves in an opposite direction of rotation.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for slicing in particular processed meats (34), such as butcher's meat and bacon, comprising a frame (10) with drive and control means (11, 12), a slicer (13) and a conveyor (14, 15) which brings the meat products (34) into engagement with the slicer (13) which consists of a rotary disk (16) on which circular cutting means (19, 20) are rotatably mounted adjacent the circumference of the disk, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the conveyor for feeding the meat products (34) to the slicer (13) consists of two driven conveyor belts (14, 15) which transport the products (34) between them, and that means (18, 22; 26, 27 ; 26, 22, 28) are provided for rotating the rotary disk (16) in one direction and the cutting means (19, 20) in the opposite direction. 2. Device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i s e d in that the cutting means (19, 20) have a pinion (22, 24) which is non-rotatably connected thereto and which during the rotation of the rotary disk (16) is adapted to roll along a fixed gear ring (18) which is provided with internal teeth(25) and which is coaxial with the disk (16) . 3. Device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i s e d in that the cutting means (19, 20) have a pinion (22, 24) which is non-rotatably connected thereto and which during the rotation of the rotary disk (16) is adapted to roll on a -toothed belt (27) provided with in¬ ternal teeth and passed over a fixed toothed wheel (26) which is mounted coaxial with the rotary disk (16). 4. Device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e - r i s e d in that the cutting means have a pinion (22, 24) which is non-rotatably connected thereto and which during the rotation of the rotary disk (16) is adapted to roll along a fixed toothed wheel (26) coaxial with the rotary disk (16) , via an intermediate toothed wheel (28, 30). 5. Device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the ratio of the speeds of rotation of the rotary disk (16 ) and the cutting means (19, 20) is approximately 1:5.

Inventors: DELME JOHAN VILHELM RUDOLF, DELME, JOHAN, VILHELM, RUDOLF
Applicants: DELME JOHAN VILHELM RUDOLF, DELME, JOHAN, VILHELM, RUDOLF
Application year: 1983
Main classification: B26D1
IPC codes: B26D1, B26D7