Mincing unit for industrial mincing machines

Abstract: The subject of the invention is the entire mincing unit of an industrial mincing machine comprising alternating cutters and dies which, in order to reduce the friction generated between them by the high working pressure applied to mincemeat, feature wear resistant blade inserts capable of relieving pressure on the blades whose cutting edges are themselves in Stellite or Chrome Cobalt steel, and multiple dies consisting in a thin perforated disc, with Stellite facings, supported by a thicker, wide mesh disc.

Description: This invention relates to the cutters and dies used in industrial meat mincing machines which are normally alternated to form mincing unit "pack" into which mince is fed and forced through by a powerful worm screw, so that with each passage through the die's calibrated perforations, the movement of the cutter minces the meat progressively more finely, until the desired texture is achieved. Currently, said cutters are star-shaped and made out of steel, and the blade holder is provided with a fixing device for the removable blades, also in steel, rectangular in shape and sharpened along the longer edges, so that they come into contact with the dies positioned at either end, thus performing their dual cutting action on mince. The main drawback of this system lies in the fact that due to the high pressure applied on the mince as it is forced through the perforations of the dies, the cutters and dies freely rotating around a central shaft come into very close contact, so that the friction generated between them is such that it causes the heavy wear of the blades first and, secondly, of the dies, that is also partly caused by the breakdown of the lubricating film (animal fat) which is not very resistant to high pressure. This is why more power is required and, consequently, more energy is consumed, blades need to be replaced frequently but above all, because of the dispersion of metal particles removed by abrasion, the mince is found to be contaminated, and its quality impaired. At present the wear of blades and dies is due to the wrong materials being selected for manufacturing said elements, as they become so overheated during the mincing process that they approach their melting point consequently shedding particles and oxidised metallic residue. The solutions proposed here will reduce cutter wear, allowing them to last forty times longer than they do at present eliminating areas subject to seizures, and keeping temperatures below 150°C. Given that the materials used retain their mechanical efficiency up to 800°C, and start to oxidise around 1000°C, one can expect drastic savings on working costs and, above all, an improvement in product quality, both in terms of metal particle contamination and the flavour of the mince which, with this method, will not be affected by localised burning. In this field of the art solutions have already been proposed that are intended to prevent the wear of cutter and die, by using appropriate material. For instance patent D1 :DE-C-38 21 930 (A. FIRATLI) proposes a type of facing of the metal parts in contact made out of ceramic material, applied in different ways, or the manufacture of the above elements in ceramic material. These solutions are aimed at solving the problem, but their implementation is difficult, especially with regard to the ceramic facing of cutters. This invention eliminates said drawbacks by proposing a cutter that, due to its special shape, allows a rod-shaped facing of the blade edge with highly wear resistant materials. Blades are currently built entirely in tool steel with different blade designs according to differential wear criteria, with different blade designs according to mince conveying optimisation criteria, combining the blade with the blade holder in a star-shaped tool that can be replaced where necessary but above all, by introducing an auxiliary system to relieve pressure from the blades made in the shape of plates, radically altering traditional notions on cutters, and changing their conveying function in relation to mince itself. This invention furthermore presents a die designed to reduce mince processing path, thus reducing load losses. These and other features will now appear to be more closely related to a simple way of applying the invention, illustrated merely by way of example. and not restrictive of the potential applications of this patent. The subject of this invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings: TABLE 1, fig.1 is a diagram showing the operation of a partially modified mincing machine TABLE 2, figs. 2-3 are a side and front view of a traditional blade where only the cutting edge has been modified, as shown in Fig. 1. TABLE 2, figs. 4-5 plan view and section of a new blade. TABLE 3, figs. 6-7-8-9, various views and sections of blades with variously attached wear resistant facings. TABLE 4, figs. 10-11-12, side view, front view and section of a spoke of the new star-shaped cutter. TABLE 5, fig. 13, plan of a freely rotating ring cutter. TABLE 6, Figs. 14-15, plan view and section of the new die design. With reference to the above figures, 1 indicates the stator of the machine; 2 the drive shaft joined to the worm screw (3); 4 the fixed blade cutter (the fixed blades are indicated with 4'); 5 the rod-shaped facing in wear resistant material (Stellite, Tungsten Carbide, Chrome Cobalt Steel); 6 the first perforated plate or wide mesh die, joined in 6' to the stator (1); 7 the second tighter mesh perforated plate in tool steel joined to the stator in 7'; 8 the star-shaped cutter splined to the drive shaft (2) leader tongue 2'; 8' the removable tool steel blade, with a Stellite facing (5) fixed to the cutter (blade-holder) at 9. 7" indicates the gap that necessarily forms between the blade and the die, through which partially processed mince is conveyed which, recycled through the so-called "gristle discharge" tube, may cause alterations in the texture of the mince itself. In Table 2, figs. 2-3 and figs. 4-5, 10 indicates the wear resistant small thrust-bearing plate fixed laterally on the blade holder (8) which contributes to relieve cutting edges (5) from excessive working pressure, keeping them sharp and thus preventing the dispersion of metallic residues into the mince. In Table 3, 5' and 5" indicate Stellite rod-shaped facings or Chrome Cobalt facings having different shoulders than that of facing (5) to prevent the breaking or separation of the facing material itself. In Table 4, 8" indicates the back profile of a spoke of the star-shaped cutter (8) facilitating the passage of the mince; and 8"' is the front profile thickening the spoke itself so as to better withstand the deflection exerted by the higher speed and stronger pressure in the peripheral area. 5"' indicates the special L-shaped facing fitted not on the blade (8') but directly on each spoke of the star-shaped cutter (8). 10' indicates the small pressure relieving plates, which in this version are in ceramics. In Table 5, fig. 13, 11 indicates the obstructing plate preventing the "short circuiting" of the mince through the conduit (7"); 5"" indicates the Stellite or Chrome Cobalt Steel facing on plate (11) so as to make it resistant to wear and as wide as the blades (5); 12 indicates the indentation on the cutter (8) which allows the plate (11) to penetrate inside, while still rotating freely as the mince (water, fat), by penetrating through openings 13, supports it in the appropriate position in contact with the dies on either side of the cutter. In Table 6, figs. 14-15, 14 indicate the first support disc for the actual die (15) which, due to its thinness, designed to reduce load losses, would flex under strong pressure; 16 indicates the large diameter countersunk perforations in 16' on the disc (14) which force the mince only through small diameter perforations (17) on the die (15); 18 indicates the Stellite or Chrome Cobalt facing which is also to be fitted on the die. In practice the application details, dimensions, materials, shape and other details of the invention may still be altered without affecting the validity of this industrial patent; indeed the invention thus designed may undergo several modifications and variations all contained within the concept of the invention. Furthermore all elements may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

Claims: MINCING UNIT FOR INDUSTRIAL MINCING MACHINES comprising a stator (1), a rotor (2), a worm screw (3) to force large texture mince trough, a set of disc-shaped dies with progressively smaller perforations or tighter mesh (6-7), a set of cutters (4,8) alternating with the dies so that they (8) act both on the preceding die and on the following die, by means of rod-shaped facings (5,5',5'',5''') covering the entire length of the blade according to various positions and forming the cutting edge, made with wear resistant materials such as Stellite, Tungsten Carbide or Chrome Cobalt Steel. Characterised by the fact that on each spoke of the star-shaped cutter (8) a double plate-like thrust-bearing element (10, 10') is fixed in the central area, in line with an approximately rectangular-shaped cutting edge said element being also made in wear resistant material. The cutter (8) further featuring a double freely rotating plate (11) in the about axial area, which obstructs the conduit (7"), the plate being held in the correct position by the water and fat present in the mince entering the conduits (13) so that the plate coated with wear resistant material (5""), having penetrated the cavity (12) carved in the cutter (8) body may align with the cutting edge (5"').

Inventors: QUADRANA MARCELLO, QUADRANA, MARCELLO
Applicants: EVOLUZIONE SRL, EVOLUTION S.R.L.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B02C18
IPC codes: A22C7, B02C18