Apparatus for filleting the breast piece of a slaughtered bird

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for filleting the breast piece of a slaughtered bird comprising a conveyor for said breast piece and filleting means positioned alongside the conveyor. The filleting means comprise scraping plates having an operative contour adapted to the shape of part of the breast piece to be processed. It is possible to provide scraping plates extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor and/or scraping plates extending substantially in parallel with the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor.

Description: The invention relates to an apparatus for filleting the breast piece of a slaughtered bird, defined by the keel bone, clavicles, coracoids and the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, comprising an endless revolving conveyor conveying said breast piece and filleting means located alongside the conveyor for removing the meat from the breast piece, wherein the filleting means comprise scraping plates positioned at both sides of the track followed by the conveyor and having an operative contour adapted to the shape of part of the breast piece to be processed. Such an apparatus is known from EP-A-0 132 890. It is an object of the invention to further optimize this apparatus. For this purpose the apparatus of the invention is characterized in that at least first scraping plates are provided extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor and of which the operative contour substantially is adapted to the part of the breast piece extending between the cervical and thoracic vertebrae and the coracoids and at least second scraping plates are provided behind the first scraping plates extending substantially in parallel with the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor and the operative contour of which is substantially adapted to the part of the breast piece extending between the coracoids and the keel bone. During the successive passage of the pairs of scraping plates the meat is fully removed from the breast piece. By means of said first scraping plates the meat may already be entirely loosened from the breast piece, but it is possible too that the meat remains connected with the breast piece in the region of the coracoids, and will be entirely loosened while passing the subsequent second scraping plates. Using said second scraping plates the remaining part of the meat. is loosened from the breast piece to be processed, such that after passing said scraping plates the breast piece is entirely filleted. It is advantageous when the perpendicular to each first scraping plate encloses such an angle with the direction of conveyance of the conveyor that the force exerted onto the breast piece to be processed has a downwardly directed component. In this way the direction of the mentioned force component coincides with the direction of the force of gravity, such that loosening the meat is improved by the force of gravity. Further it may be advantageous when each first scraping plate is pivotable around a pivot axis directed perpendicularly to the direction of conveyance, yet in parallel with the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor. As a result the first scraping plates with their operative contour can follow the shape of the breast piece in an optimised manner. In a constructive way this can be realised, when each first scraping plate is pivotable around a pivot axis directed perpendicularly to the direction of conveyance, yet in parallel with the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor. Finally it is possible with this embodiment of the first scraping plates that said scraping plates are made of an elastic plastic, such as synthetical rubber or the like. As a result of this also a good adaptation of the operative contour to the shape of the breast piece to be processed is obtained. It is further preferred herein that at the end of the angled edge portion of the second scraping plates which is meant to firstly engage a breast piece to be processed, a projection directed towards the conveyor is provided. Said projection will, in the immediate vicinity of the wing stops, just about between the coracoids and clavicles, engage the breast piece and will at that location start with filleting the meat. Said projection improves the initial entrance of the second scraping plates into the meat. In such a case it further may be advantageous when the second scraping plates are in a spring-loaded manner pivotable around a pivot axis directed perpendicularly to the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor. As a result of these measures also an optimized adaptation of the position of the second scraping plates to the shape of the breast piece to be processed may occur. Although it is possible that the apparatus of the invention comprises only scraping plates which substantially are positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor or comprises only scraping plates which substantially extend in parallel to the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor, mostly the apparatus of the invention will comprise both types of scraping plates. Hereinafter the invention will be explained with reference to the drawings, in which an embodiment of the apparatus of the invention is illustrated. Figure 1 shows, in an elevated side view, part of an embodiment of the apparatus of the invention; figure 2 shows a view according to II-II in figure 1; figure 3 shows a view according to III-III in figure 1, and figure 4 shows a view according to IV in figure 1. Fig. 1 shows a carriage 1 receiving a so-called breast piece 2. Substantially the breast piece 2 is defined by the keel bone 3, the clavicles 4, the coracoids 5 and the cervical and thoracic vertebrae 6. Of course these members are surrounded by meat. The carriage 1 (together with a large number of other carriages - not illustrated) belongs to a conveyor and follows an endless revolving track defined thereby. During following said track the carriages 1 with breast piece 2 positioned onto this pass filleting means positioned alongside the conveyor for removing the meat from the breast piece. Hereinafter said filleting means will be discussed in detail. Among these filleting means are first scraping plates 7 and 8 which substantially are positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal medial plane 9 (see fig. 2) of the conveyor. The operative contour 10 of said first scraping plates 7 and 8 substantially is adapted to that part of the breast piece extending between the cervical and thoracic vertebrae 6 and the coracoids 5 (in figure 1 the part of the breast piece 2 above the dotted line 11). As is shown in figure 1 the perpendicular 12 to the scraping plates 7 and 8 encloses an angle with the direction of conveyance 13 of the conveyor. Said angle is such that the force exerted onto the breast piece 2 to be processed comprises a downwardly directed component. Because, in the position illustrated in figure 1, the breast piece 2 is supported from the carriage 1 upside down, said downwardly directed component had the same direction as the force of gravity. As a result the loosening action or filleting action of the scraping plates 7 and 8 is advantageously improved by the force of gravity. The scraping plates 7 and 8 are positioned at the end of arms 14 and 15 which are pivotable around pivot axes 16 and 17 (which on one hand extend in parallel to the longitudinal medial plane 9 and on the other hand extend perpendicularly to the direction of conveyance 13 of the conveyor). Using the scraping plates 7 and 8 the meat of the part above the dotted line 11 is loosened from the breast piece 2. Hereby the meat mostly will remain connected with the meat of the lowermost part of the breast piece 2; however, this is not necessary. The apparatus further comprises second scraping plates 18 and 19 which, as seen in the direction of conveyance 13, are positioned behind the first scraping plates 7 and 8. The operative contour 20 (see fig. 3) of the scraping plates 18 and 19 is mainly adapted to that part of the breast piece 2 extending between the coracoids 5 and the keel bone 3 (in figure 1 the part below the dotted line 11). The scraping places 18 and 19 each are provided with an edge portion 21 (figure 3) angled towards the conveyor and an opposite edge 22 (figure 1) which again encloses such an angle with the direction of conveyance 13 of the conveyor that the force exerted onto the breast piece 2 to be processed comprises a downwardly directed component. At its end meant for firstly engaging the breast piece 2 to be processed the angled edge portion 21 comprises a projection 23 directed towards the conveyor (or its longitudinal medial plane 9). Said projection 23 is meant for, at the wing stub between the coracoids 5 and clavicles 4, engaging the breast piece and for starting at that location with filleting the meat. In the illustrated embodiment the scraping plates 18 and 19 are pivotable around a pivot axis 24 directed perpendicularly to the longitudinal medial plane 9 of the conveyor. The spring force may be settable. Further it is possible that the scraping plates 18 and 19 are pivotable around a vertical axis 25 or 26, respectively, in a controlled manner. This is already known. per se. As a result of both possibilities of movement of the scraping place 18 and 19 these can adopt themselves optimally to the shape of the passing breast piece 2. The invention is not limited to the embodiment described before which can be varied widely within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims: Apparatus for filleting the breast piece (2) of a slaughtered bird, defined by the keel bone (3), clavicles (4), coracoids (5) and the cervical and thoracic vertebrae (6), comprising an endless revolving conveyor conveying said breast piece and filleting means positioned along the conveyor for removing the meat from the breast piece (2), wherein the filleting means comprise scraping plates (7,8,18,19), positioned at both sides of the track followed by the conveyor and having an operative contour adapted to the shape of part of the breast piece (2) to be processed, characterized in that at least first scraping plates (7,8) are provided extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal medial plane (9) of the conveyor and the operative contour of which is substantially adapted to the part of the breast piece (2) extending between the cervical and thoracic vertebrae (6) and the coracoids (5), and that at least second scraping plates (18,19) are provided behind the first scraping plates (7,8) extending substantially in parallel with the longitudinal medial plane (9) of the conveyor and the operative contour of which is substantially adapted to that part of the breast piece (2) extending between the coracoids (5) and the keel bone (3). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the perpendicular (12) to each first scraping plate (7,8) encloses such an angle with the direction of conveyance of the conveyor that the force exerted onto the breast piece (2) to be processed has a downwardly directed component. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each first scraping plate (7,8) is in a spring-loaded manner movable away from the conveyor. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that each first scraping plate is pivotable around a pivot axis (16,17) directed perpendicularly to the direction of conveyance (13), yet in parallel with the longitudinal medial plane (9) of the conveyor. Apparatus according to one of the claims 1-4, characterized in that the first scraping plates (7,8) are made of an elastic plastic, such as synthetical rubber or the like. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1-5, characterized in that at the end of the angled edge portion of the second scraping plates (18,19) which is meant to firstly engage a breast piece (2) to be processed, a projection (23) directed towards the conveyor is provided. Apparatus according to one of the claims 1-6, characterized in that the second scraping plates (18,19) are in a spring-loaded manner pivotable around a pivot axis (24) directed perpendicularly to the longitudinal medial plane (9) of the conveyor.

Inventors: VISSER DIRK, VISSER, DIRK
Applicants: MACHF MEYN B V, MACHINEFABRIEK MEYN B.V.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A22C21
IPC codes: A22C21