Automatic animal head removal

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically processing an animal carcass so as to remove the animal head (10) from the remainder of the carcass (8), the apparatus being characterised by head holding means (12), the head holding means (12) comprising locating means (13) for locating in use the animal head (10) in a generally desired position, and clamping means (14) for clamping the head (10) against movement, the apparatus further including stretching means (15) for stretching the neck of the carcass (8) so as to spread the atlas joint, and cutting means (151) comprising a cutting blade (156) which is selectively movable along a cut line located below and generally along the line of the jaw (9) and through the atlas joint so as to sever the head (10) from the remainder of the carcass.

Description: This invention relates to the handling of animals and, in particular, to apparatus for automatic processing of animals as in abattoirs, boning plants, etc. In Australian Patent Specification Nos. 35,992/84 and 19,034/88, an animal processing line is described which includes an animal lead up race, capture and stun assembly, and hock and horn removal stations located after the animal has been stuck. The carcass is then ready far manual or automatic dressing and boning operations. An operation usually carried out manually in processing of an animal carcass is removal of the head. The carrying out of this process manually requires substantial skill and strength and also requires a process operator thereby adding to the processing cost. In Australian Patent Specification No. 57,413/86 there is described an apparatus for automatically breaking or dislocating the neck of a suspended carcass, particularly a sheep carcass. However even if this apparatus were to be adapted for use with removing the head, there would be substantial loss or downgrading of saleable meat from the neck of the carcass as a result of a substantial part of the neck being removed with the head. Also, the head is relatively unrestrained leading to poor repeatability of the precise cut. Also the head would fall away from the apparatus so that further processing of the head may need to rectify potential problems with handling to achieve the required orientation and dealing with contamination of the fallen head. Moreover an apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from EP-A-212580. It is an object of he present invention to provide an automatic carcass processing apparatus capable of automatically locating and removing an animal head from a carcass with accuracy and minimal loss or downgrading of saleable meat. According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for automatically processing an animal carcass so as to remove the animal head from the remainder of the carcass, the apparatus comprising a cutting means and including head holding means, the head holding means comprising locating means for locating in use the animal head in a desired position, and clamping means for clamping the head against movement, the apparatus further including stretching means for stretching the neck of the carcass so as to spread the atlas joint, and said cutting means comprising a cutting blade which is selectively movable along a cut line located caudal to the jaw and generally along the line of the jaw and through the atlas joint so as to sever the head from the remainder of the carcass. The locating means preferably comprises a cradle engageable with the head, the cradle being movable generally along the longitudinal direction of the head so as to position the cradle in the desired relative longitudinal position before clamping. The carcass is supported preferably in an inverted position with the spine located beneath the carcass and the head hanging downwardly, the locating means being operative to relatively engage with the back of the hanging head, the locating means including sensing means for sensing the presence of the back of the head upon contact being made with the back of the head. The clamping means is preferably operative to clamp the head cranial to the cut line, the clamping means including a jaw clamp for urging the head into the cradle to locate and clamp the head against movement. The stretching means is preferably operative to move the head holding means relatively away from the remainder of the carcass until there is a predetermined reaction against further stretching of the head away from the carcass. The stretching means may include a reaction sensor mounted to the head holding means, the reaction sensor being located so as to be contacted by the crown of the head whereby upon stretching of the neck the crown of the head acts against the reaction sensor with a force sensed by the reaction sensor. The cutting blade preferably comprises a shear blade movable from the throat region generally along the jaw line, the shear blade being operatively associated with a shear reaction blade carried by the head holding means, the shear reaction blade being located during the cutting operation adjacent the crown of the head and behind the spread atlas joint. At the head removal station, the equipment can be thoroughly cleaned and/or sterilized for reuse so as to prevent cross contamination of carcasses. To this end, the design of such equipment takes into account the need for thorough cleaning. Possible and preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. In the drawings: FIGS. 1 and 2 show an apparatus whereby the head of a carcass is automaticaly removed. In an abattoir live animals are brought from holding yards, separated and isolated, immobilized, stunned and stuck. After bleeding and removal of hocks and horns, manual hide prearation may take place. While the carcass is inverted, hide is released from the legs and under body to depend at the carcass sides in preparation for further removal automatically at a later stage along the line as is described in Patent Specification No. WO 89/05584 (publication number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC). The legs are then shackled and the shackles are engaged with overhead rails so that, with a suitable drive, which may be similar to existing chains, the carcass is drawn upwardly to an elevated position for further processing. Manual operations continue to prepare the carcass for head removal, hide removal and evisceration. This may include severing the head hide; removal of the muzzle; recordal of tooth number; removal of the tongue; and complete the clearing of the oesophagus, trachea and arteries from the thoracic cavity. The tongue and then the head may be passed to a separate conveyor to be separately processed. Head removal is an automatic operation utilising apparatus as claimed and described in the underlying Specification. Also at the rear end of the carcass, a series of manual operations may be carried out to prepare for aitchbone cutting, hide removal, evisceration and splitting. This may include rumping; mark and strip the tail; remove tail bush; remove the pizzle and erector muscles; clear and pull the rectum and bung (sphincter); and bag the anus. Automatic operations may begin after the manual preparation steps and stations enabling this are described in Patent Specification No. WO 89/05584. After most processes, the carcass is split by a suitable means such as a band saw or rotary saw. Inspection may be undertaken at various stages with condemned carcasses ejected from the line. Trimming may proceed with further inspection after carcass splitting. Carcasses requiring further trimming may be ejected from the line to enable further processing. Finished carcasses may be fed off onto a storage line when carcasses are washed, inspected, etc. on their way to chiller rooms of the usual character. Inspection is undertaken as usual with those carcasses that require it being ejected for a rewash. Decontamination may be undertaken with grading being performed when necessary. The front leg may be released to allow the carcass half to hang from its back leg. The removed shackle might be fed back to the head of the line automatically. In the following description, there is set out a particular preferred structure for a processing station where heads are removed. The actual placement of this station along a processing line of the above described character may be varied according to particular objectives. To improve the hide pulling cycle time and reduce the forces generated on the forequarter of the carcass by pulling the hide over the head, it is advantageous to remove the head before hide removal and head skin at a separate station. For head removal, the carcass is preferably suspended by the four legs, inclined head down approximately 30° to the horizontal. In its operation, the carcass is located centrally over the head removal mechanism, which is described below and the cutting cycle is triggered. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the features of such a mechanism. The first operation of the auto cycle is to operate head holding means 12 to locate and hold the head and position the cutting means 151. This is achieved by the activation of two limit switches 152 and 153 mounted on the cutting means 151. When the auto cycle begins the cutting means 151 swings up through an arc until the back of the head 10 is sensed by switch 152. This ensures that the head 10 is in contact with the head locating means 13 shown as head cradle 154. The unit then rises vertically until the backbone is sensed by switch 153, positioning the crown of the head 10 in front of the shear reaction blade 155. It is essential to clamp the head firmly by clamping means 14 to ensure a successful cut. If the head 10 is allowed to roll as the shear blade 156 passes through, then the cutting efficiency is reduced as the drawing action of the blade 156 relative to the head 10 is negated, causing the blade 156 to stall. The clamping means 14 may operate in two stages: (1) when the head 10 is in position relative to the cutting means 151, the neck bails 157 swing by any convenient means in the direction of arrows A through 90° to ensure the neck 11 is contained centrally. Simultaneously the jaw clamp 158 swings down onto the head 10 by action of any suitable means (not shown), pushing the head 10 firmly into the vee shaped cradle 154. (2) When neck bails 157 and jaw clamps 158 are in position, the cutting means 151 pulls down by operation of stretching means 15 until the crown 16 of the head 10 pulls back up hard against the shear reaction blade 155. This action, while ensuring that the crown 16 of the head 10 is located against the reaction blade 155, also puts the neck 11 in tension to spread the atlas joint to aid the cutting action of the blade 156. Proof of the neck stretching is provided by a reaction sensor 17 such as a pressure switch or limit switch mounted on the reaction blade face. Then when the neck 11 of the carcass has been stretched, the head transfer clamps 159 lock onto the side of the head 10 to prevent any rocking motion of the head during cutting. The cutting blade 156 and reaction blade 155 co-operate to describe a scissor action with the cutting blade following the line of the jaw 9 to shear the head through the atlas joint. Any suitable means may be used to actuate the blade 156. The aim of cutting close to the jaw 9 is to leave as much saleable meat on the carcass as possible, and minimise the amount of trimming from the head 10 on the head processing line. Following the removal of the head 10, the head transfer clamps 159 swing the severed head out to transfer it to the head processing line. The mechanism then resets for the next carcass. The head cradle 154 centralises the head 10 for clamping and ensures that the jaw line is approximately parallel with the cutting blade 156. The gap 160 between the guides 161 and 162 prevents the bridge of the muzzle from rotating. Ram 163 operates to raise the unit on arm 166 up guide rails 164 and 165. The cutting means 151 is pivotally mounted on arm 166 at 167 whereby the angle of cutting means 151 is adjustable. A stretching means 15 comprises a ram 168 enabling the captured head 10 to be drawn downwardly so as to stretch the neck 11. Additional rams (not shown) operate the clamps and cutting blade. It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be made to the features of the possible and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention as herein described without departing from the subject-matter of the invention as claimed.

Claims: An apparatus for automatically processing an animal carcass so as to remove the animal head (10) from the remainder of the carcass (8), the apparatus comprising a cutting means (151), the apparatus being characterised by head holding means (12), the head holding means (12) comprising locating means (13) for locating in use the animal head (10) in a desired position, and clamping means (14) for clamping the head (10) against movement, the apparatus further including stretching means (15) for stretching the neck of the carcass (8) so as to spread the atlas joint, and said cutting means (151) comprising a cutting blade (156) which is selectively movable along a cut line located caudal to the jaw and generally along the line of the jaw (9) and through the atlas joint so as to sever the head (10) from the remainder of the carcass. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the locating means (13) comprises a cradle (154) engageable with the head (10), the cradle (154) being movable generally along the longitudinal direction of the head (10) so as to position the cradle (154) in the desired relative longitudinal position before clamping. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 characterised in that the carcass (8) is supported in an inverted position with the spine located beneath the carcass (8) and the head (10) hanging downwardly, the locating means (13) being operative to relatively engage with the back of the hanging head (10), the locating means (13) including sensing means for sensing the presence of the back of the head (10) upon contact being made with the back of the head (10). An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3 characterised in that the clamping means (14) is operative to clamp the head (10) cranial to the cut line, the clamping means (14) including a jaw clamp (158) for urging the head (10) into the cradle (154) to locate and clamp the head (10) against movement. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the stretching means (15) is operative to move the head holding means (12) relatively away from the remainder of the carcass (8) until there is a predetermined reaction against further stretching of the head (10) away from the carcass (8). An apparatus as claimed in 5 characterised in that the stretching means (15) includes a reaction sensor (17) mounted to the head holding means (12), the reaction sensor (17) being located so as to be contacted by the crown (16) of the head (10) whereby upon stretching of the neck the crown (16) of the head (10) acts against the reaction sensor (17) with a force sensed by the reaction sensor (17). An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims in 1 to 6 characterized in that the cutting blade (156) comprises a shear blade movable from the throat region generally along the jaw line, the shear blade being operatively associated with a shear reaction blade (155) carried by the head holding means (12), the shear reaction blade (155) being located during the cutting operation adjacent the crown (16) of the head (10) and behind the spread atlas joint.

Inventors: BOYCE PHILLIP RODNEY C-CSIRO M, BUHOT JOHN WILLIAM C-CSIRO MEA, DE CHASTEL DAVID JOHN C-CSIRO, KERR DAVID TEAL C-CSIRO MEAT R, RANKIN RUSSEL JAMES C-CSIRO ME, TRITCHLER ROBERT WILLIAM C-CSI, WESCOMBE GRAEME LESLIE C-CSIRO, WHITE RAYMOND MALCOLM C-CSIRO, BOYCE, PHILLIP RODNEY, C/- CSIRO MEAT RES. LAB., BUHOT, JOHN WILLIAM, C/- CSIRO MEAT RES. LAB., DE CHASTEL, DAVID JOHN, C/- CSIRO MEAT RES. LAB., KERR, DAVID TEAL, C/- CSIRO MEAT RES. LAB., RANKIN, RUSSEL JAMES, C/- CSIRO MEAT RES. LAB., TRITCHLER, ROBERT WILLIAM, C/- CSIRO MEAT RES. LAB, WESCOMBE, GRAEME LESLIE, C/- CSIRO MEAT RES. LAB., WHITE, RAYMOND MALCOLM, C/- CSIRO MEAT RES. LAB.
Applicants: COMMW SCIENT IND RES ORG, MEAT RESEARCH CORP, COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION, MEAT RESEARCH CORPORATION
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A22B5
IPC codes: A22B5