APPARATUS FOR THE SPLITTING OF THE SPINE OF A CARCASS INTO TWO HALVES ALONG THE SYMMETRICAL PLANE

Abstract: An apparatus for the splitting of the spine of a carcass into two halves comprises a meat axe with associated movement arrangement and support elements for the carcass which can follow the axe on the spine side and the belly side of the carcass below the cutting point. The meat axe with the movement arrangement and the support elements are mounted on a carriage which is displaceable in the vertical direction. For the carcass halves there are spreading elements which are arranged at a distance from, at and on each side of the axe over the working area of the axe, said spreading elements being mounted on and substantially immovable in relation to the carriage. The carriage is removably secured to a vertically displaceable holder. Cables and hoses are connected to the stationary part of the apparatus by means of separable connection. It is hereby achieved that a quick change can be made between a sawing method and a chopping method.

Description: APPARATUS FOR THE SPLITTING OF THE SPINE OF A CARCASS INTO TWO HALVES ALONG THE SYMMETRICAL PLANE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an apparatus for the splitting of the spine of a carcass into two halves along the sym¬ metrical plane of the carcass, and comprising a meat axe with associated movement arrangement, support elements for the carcass which can follow the axe on the spine side and the belly side of the carcass below the chopping point, and where the meat axe with the movement arrangement and the support elements are placed on a carriage which is dis- placeable in the vertical direction. Such an apparatus is known from DK B 159,579, EP Al 187,064 and US patent 4,507,822. The present invention is intended especially for use in connection with the slaughtering of pigs, but other ap¬ plications within the slaughtering sector are naturally also possible. With the known technique, two different methods and types of apparatus are used, i.e. sawing with a rotating circular saw and splitting with a machine-driven axe. The choice of method depends on which market and herewith which type of product the abattoir is desired to deliver. With the sawing method, a grey cut surface in the spinal column is obtained due to the sawdust, which in some markets is of no significance since the bones are subsequently removed. In other markets it is important that the cut surface appears red, and here the splitting is carried out with an axe. With the known types of apparatus it is not immediately possible to change between a sawing method and a chopping method for the splitting of the carcasses. ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION The characteristic feature of the apparatus according to the invention is that spreading elements are provided for the carcass halves, these elements being arranged at a distance from, at and on each side of the axe above the working area of the axe, where the spreading elements are arranged on and substantially immovable in relation to the carriage, that the carriage is detachably secured to a vertically displaceable holder, and that cables and hoses for the operation of the movement arrangement and possibly other functions on the carriage are connected to the stationary part of the apparatus by means of separable con¬ nections. The spreading elements, which during the chopping operation pull the halves of the carcass away from each other above the cutting point, ensure that the carcass is fixed in the same place from cut to cut, while at the same time the carcass is prevented from springing back when the blade of the axe is lifted between each cut. Since the spreading elements are positioned at a distance from the blade of the axe, the blade is left free, as is also the case with the inside of the spreading elements when the parts are to be hosed down between each operation. All of the moving parts of the splitting apparatus can thus be collected in a replaceable carriage, and the apparatus is simplified. With the detachable fixture of the carriage and with the separable connections, it is possible to change between a sawing operation and a chopping operation in just a few minutes. The same machine can thus be used for different product types, and the replacing of a cutting apparatus with a sawing apparatus and vice versa can be effected without the work being delayed to any significant degree. In order to achieve a sufficiently precise control of the carcass with simple means, it is preferred that the support element on the belly side is configured as disclosed in claim 2. The parallel rods will hereby effect control along the vertabrae in the spinal column. A preferred embodiment of the support elements for the belly side is disclosed in claim 3. Free ends in the feeding direction of the support elements are hereby avoided, and which could otherwise catch in the carcass during the work process. As disclosed in claim 4, it is preferred to let the free end of the axe be housed in a guide in the carriage. The free end is thus controlled during the strokes, and an optimally precise cut is achieved. THE DRAWING A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawing, where fig. 1 shows an apparatus for the splitting of a carcass seen from the side, fig. 2 shows a removable carriage with a machine-driven meat axe seen from the side, fig. 3 shows movable parts in the carriage and guide rollers, fig. 4 shows the same as in fig. 3, but without support rollers and shown as an X-ray drawing, fig. 5a shows a section along the line A in fig. 3, figs. 5b and 5c show the meat axe with associated spreading elements seen from the side and from above respectively, fig. 6 shows a section along the line B in fig. 3, and fig. 7 shows a support element seen along the line c-c in fig. 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT An apparatus for the splitting of pig carcasses is basical¬ ly configured as a known splitting machine of the trademark Danfotech/Nutridan. The known splitting machine is equipped with a circular saw, but the apparatus according to the in- vention is at this point changed and is instead provided with a carriage with a machine-driven meat axe. The con¬ figuration and equipment of the apparatus otherwise cor¬ respond to the known machine. This thus applies to the feeding elements for the pig carcasses, the positioning elements, servo-control etc. On the apparatus frame 1 there is integrated a vertical guide column 2 on which the carriage 3 can be moved up and down. The carriage can also be moved in the horizontal direction along horizontal guides 4. The machine-driven axe with associated balance and driving elements is supported by a frame 5 which rests on guides 6 on the guides 4. In fig. 1 the carriage 3 is shown in two different positions, the uppermost of which is shown without axe and drive mechanisms. In figs. 2-4 are shown the new parts in the carriage ac¬ cording to the invention. The figure 8 indicates a distending or spreading element which surrounds the meat axe 10 on three sides in the uppermost position of the axe, see also fig. 5a. The spreading element is outermost provided with an end part 9 containing a not-shown guide in which the free end of the axe 10 is suspended and can here¬ by be prevented from swinging laterally. In the end part 9 there is provided a suspension for a combined guide and support element 12 in the form of parallel runners which are arranged to guide along the spine 14 of the carcass. The outer sides of the spreading arrangement 8, which sur¬ round the knife 10 are on one side pointed in towards the axe 10 as shown in fig. 5a. Moreover, there is a clearance between the axe 10 and the inner side of the spreading ar¬ rangement's parallel inner sides. The clearance can typically be 10 mm in order to ensure that bone-dust and meat remainings can be hosed away between each working operation. To control the pig carcass in relation to the axe, a pair of conical and pivotable rollers 16 are suspended on the carriage. The rollers 16 are pre-loaded in the direction towards the element 12, so that the carcass is always fixed between the supporting elements 12, 16. Together, the conical shape of the rollers 16 form a concave contact surface, so that also on the outer side a centering of the carcass takes place in relation to the axe 10. The rollers 16 follow the movement of the carriage 3 when this is moved downwards. The spreading element 8 is secured to the carriage 3 and is thus immovable in relation hereto. The blade of the axe 10 is connected via its shaft to a forked rear part 20 where a counterweight 21 is suspended in the fork. The fork is pivotably suspended in relation to the frame 5 of the carriage in a bearing 22. A second, movable counterweight 24 is suspended in the same bearing and between the arms of the fork. Both the shaft 18 and an intermediate arm 26 for the counterweight 24 are connected to two separate con¬ necting rods 28 arranged on an eccentric 30, but mutually displaced 180 in the direction of rotation. There can hereby be effected an equalization of the accelerations in the cutting movements of the knife 10. The eccentric 30 is preferably driven by a hydraulic motor. The shaft 18 is provided with a number of spaced holes with the view to being able to adjust the stroke length of the axe 10. The meat axe 10 is arranged in an inclined manner and approx. 30 in relation to the horizontal, so that the cut¬ ting movement takes place in towards the rollers 16. There is hereby achieved a secure arrangement for the strokes during the splitting of the spinal cord. In fig. 5a the meat axe 10 is seen in two different positions. In the lower position the spine will be split at the greatest distance from the spreading arrangement 8. When the blade of the axe 10 is retracted to the upper position, the spreading arrangement will prevent the halves of the carcass from springing back, while at the same time the bottom of the cut is held distended. It is thus also ensured that the next cut is effected precisely above the first, and zigzag-like patterns are hereby avoided in the finished product. The carriage 3 is configured with compressed-air and hydraulic connections. The frame 5 can thus be slid off the guides 4 and an alternative splitting apparatus in the form of the known circular saw can be mounted in a few minutes. The rollers 16 remain on the vertically movable part of the carriage. It is preferred that the direction for the cutting movement has an angle of approx. 30 in relation to the horizontal. The support elements on the belly side, i.e. the runners 12, have a mutual distance of 30-40 mm. The rollers 16 have a diameter of 300 mm in order to achieve a suitable control of the carcass. The angle which is formed at the peripheries of the rollers 16 is in the order of 110 . The function of the apparatus is as follows: In the start position, the carriage 3 is raised to the upper position so that a carcass can pass under it, in that the frame 5 is drawn back to its inner position in the horizontal direction. Thereafter, the carriage 3 and the frame 5 are moved outwards in the horizontal direction until the axe with spreading elements 8 is between the hind legs of the carcass. The lowermost support elements 12 now secure a grip in the rearmost part of the spine, and in that the carcass is drawn in by means of the runners 12 and clamped up against the rollers 16 by virtue of the pivotable nature of the rollers 16, the machine axe is fed down through the spine. The vertical movement is controlled by compressed- air cylinders. The splitting is carried out right down to the tip of the carcass snout. Hereafter, the carriage 3 can be fed back to its top position, the apparatus can be cleaned with hot water and the two halves of the carcass can be led away.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. Apparatus for the splitting of the spine of a carcass in two halves along the symmetrical plane, and comprising a meat axe with associated movement arrangement, support ele¬ ments for the carcass which can follow the axe on the spine side and the belly side of the carcass below the cutting point, and where the meat axe with the movement arrangement and the support elements are mounted on a carriage which is displaceable in the vertical direction, characterized in that spreading elements are provided for the carcass halves, said elements being arranged at a distance from, at and on each side of the axe above the working area of the axe, where the spreading elements are arranged on and substantially immovable in relation to the carriage, that the carriage is detachably secured to a vertically dis¬ placeable holder, and that cables and hoses for the operation of the movement arrangement and possibly other functions of the carriage are connected to the stationary part of the apparatus by means of separable connections. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, where the support ele¬ ment on the belly side is suspended in a pivotable manner, characterized in that the support element on the belly side consists of two parallel rod elements arranged at a distance from each other, and which are pivotably suspended on a part of the carriage arranged at the free end of the axe. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the rod elements are configured from a round bar which is bent and arranged with the bend in the feeding direction. 4. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1-3, where the axe with a shaft is suspended in the movement arrangement, characterized in that the other end of the axe is suspended in a guide in the carriage.

Inventors: CHRISTENSEN PER, HVID NIELS, CHRISTENSEN, PER, HVID, NIELS
Applicants: CHRISTENSEN PER, DANFOTECH AALBORG AS, HVID NIELS, CHRISTENSEN, PER, DANFOTECH AALBORG A/S, HVID, NIELS
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A22B5
IPC codes: A22B5