Line for stripping meat from cattle fore and hind quarters

Abstract: A line for stripping fresh meat quarters comprising an endless overhead conveying line (3), electrical feed means in the form of a bus duct (31) associated with said line, at least one carriage (2) slidable along said line and having an electric motor powered by said bus duct, meat quarter support means (9) associated with each carriage in a manner adjustable in height relative to it, meat quarter resting means (18) associated with said support means, and means associated with support means to collect (17) the cuts separated from each meat quarter.

Description: This invention relates to cattle slaughtering lines, and in particular meat stripping lines. In the known art the slaughtered animals are cut into quarters, and specifically into two hind quarters and two fore quarters. From EP-0 668 018-A a device is known for suspending half concasses, hanging from a conveyor, for subsequent cutting operations. The said quarters are then stripped of meat and divided into the various meat pieces. Stripping is carried out by resting said quarters on a work bench on which specialized workers known as meat strippers operate to cut off the various meat pieces, known as cuts, and deposit them in appropriate collection baskets. Each meat stripper is specialized in separating one or more specific cuts from the animal quarter, maximum productivity being achieved by making each meat stripper always separate the same cut. In industrial slaughtering plants, from which high productivity is required, this procedure is of poor efficiency because the various meat strippers have to operate simultaneously on the same quarter, which slows down the entire meat processing operation. Consequently in the slaughter industry there is a requirement for a meat stripping line in which the flow of quarters and the work of said meat strippers are rationalized to a maximum extent. The object of the invention is to satisfy this requirement within the framework of a rational and reliable solution. Said object is achieved according to the invention by providing an animal meat stripping line the characteristics of which are defined in the claims. The line of the invention comprises an endless rail supporting a plurality of movable carriages, each provided with means enabling them to move along said rail, the meat quarters to be stripped being hooked onto them. Each carriage is provided with support means for the meat quarter, means to position said meat quarter at the required height to bring each cut to the most comfortable working height for the operator who is to separate it, means for resting said meat quarters during the meat stripping operation, and means for collecting the separated meat cuts. The line of the invention is also provided with usual means for feeding the quarters to said carriages, means for emptying said collection means for the stripped meat pieces, and means for washing the collection means for the stripped meat pieces. There is also provided a line for withdrawing and evacuating the meat scraps resulting from the stripping. Because of its characteristics, the line operation is very flexible. The carriages are driven continuously along the line, each meat stripper following the carriage for the distance necessary to separate the meat cut of his responsibility. The speed at which the carriages move is adjusted such as to give each operator sufficient time to separate his cut or cuts. The maximum number of operators dedicated to the line corresponds to the number of cuts to be separated, however the line can also operate with a smaller number of operators if each operator is required to separate more than one cut. In passing from one line portion to the next, the means which set the height of the quarter hanging from the carriage operate to bring to a convenient height that cut which is to be separated by the next operator. The operational and constructional characteristics of the invention will be more apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated on the accompanying drawings, on which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of the meat stripping line of the invention; Figure 2 is a front view of one of the constituent carriages of the line of the invention, equipped for stripping the fore quarters; Figure 3 is a view in the direction III of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a front view of one of the constituent carriages of the line of the invention, equipped for stripping the hind quarters; Figure 5 is a view in the direction V of Figure 4. The figures show the meat stripping line 1, which comprises a plurality of carriages 2, each of which is slidingly suspended from an endless overhead rail 3 of I cross-section. A bus duct 31, shown in Figures 3 and 5, is associated with the rail 3 to supply electricity to all the carriage devices mentioned hereinafter. Specifically, each carriage 2 is suspended from the rail 3 by means of the wheels 6 and 7. The wheel 6, which is the front wheel in the direction of movement of the carriage 2, is motorized by a usual geared electric motor 8, which enables each carriage 2 to move along the rail 3. With reference to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, each carriage 2 is also guided lowerly by usual wheels 5 slidable on identical guides 4, which are endless as in the case of the rail 3 and are parallel both to each other and to the rail 3. At its front the carriage 2 presents a shaped body 9 comprising two slide sleeves 10 and 11 and two identical parallel rods 12 and 13. The rods 12 and 13 are joined together upperly by a plate 14 and lowerly by a plate 15 forming the terminal part of a vertically extending column 16 suspended from the carriage 2. Said column 16 lowerly supports a container 17 for collecting the stripped meat pieces, and at half its height supports an inclined work surface 18 constructed of a synthetic material such as teflon or the like. The assembly consisting of the rods 12 and 13 and the column 16 forms an elevator of vertical axis, the height of which can be adjusted by operating means comprising a usual geared electric motor 19, to the output shaft of which there is fixed a gearwheel, not shown, engaging in the screw 20 positioned between and parallel to the rods 12 and 13 and fixed at its ends to the plates 14 and 15. To prevent the thread of the screw 20 from becoming soiled or ruined, this latter is protected by a bellows sheath 21, and the plate 14 is provided lowerly with a rubber stop plug 22. Likewise, the plate 15 is provided with the plug 23 for the same purpose. The plate 15 also supports the means which support the meat quarters to be stripped of meat. Said latter means vary depending on whether the line is dedicated to fore or hind quarters of meat. Figures 2 and 3 show a carriage 2 equipped for stripping fore quarters, whereas Figures 4 and 5 show the same carriage 2 equipped for stripping hind quarters. With particular reference to Figures 2 and 3 said means for supporting meat fore quarters comprise two identical geared electric motors 24, on the shaft of which there is keyed a pulley 25 about which a chain 26 winds. To the free end of said chain 26 there is fixed a hook 27 to be inserted into a leg of the meat. The meat fore quarters are hooked onto the hooks 27 by an operator who withdraws them, in the loading station 40, from a usual overhead conveying line, not shown. To facilitate the operations which the operator has to carry out when hooking the meat quarters to the hooks 27, these are lowered to a suitable height by the geared motors 24 to enable the operator to grip them and hook them to the meat quarter. The operator then causes the hooks 27 to rise so that the meat quarter is carried into the working position shown in the figures. The means for supporting the meat hind quarters are shown in Figures 4 and 5. Said means comprise a plate 30 fixed to the plate 15 by known means and shaped in such a manner as to automatically receive and support the meat quarters. Specifically, the meat quarters are fed to the carriage 2 when in the loading station 40, by an overhead conveying line comprising a guide 28 which supports sliding hooks 281 suspended from wheels 282, and from which the meat hind quarter is hung. The end of said conveying line 28 is positioned in front of the plate 30 fixed to the base of the plate 15. Each plate 30 comprises a cradle 301 into which the wheel 282 is urged such that the quarter becomes supported by the carriage 2. The means which enable the wheels 282 to pass from the guide 28 to the cradle 301 are not shown as they are usual in overhead conveying systems. The operation of the meat stripping line 1 is controlled by an electronic processor, not shown, which controls the movement of the carriages in accordance with the following operation, which varies according to which meat quarters are to be stripped. If the line is dedicated to stripping meat fore quarters, an operator hooks the hooks 27 to each meat quarter which arrives suspended form the loading station 40, and then raises it until it rests on the rear lying surface 18. If the line is dedicated to stripping hind quarters, the processor positions each carriage 2 in front of the line 28, and then slides the wheel 282 with its hook 281 and suspended quarter into the cradle 301 of the plate 30. When the carriage has been loaded, it is driven with uniform speed along the rail 3. As the carriage precedes along the rail it passes in front of the meat strippers, each of whom separates one or more meat cuts from the meat quarter. The meat cuts are then placed in the container 17, whereas the scraps are placed in appropriate collection baskets 100 positioned behind the operators to slide along an adjacent guide track 101. On termination of stripping, a usual overturning device positioned along the line removes the container 17 and overturns the meat cuts onto a conveyor, not shown, then rehooks the container 17 to the carriage 2. The carriage 2 is then passed to a wash station 102 and then parked (aligned with the other carriages) to await a new load. The processor controls not only the travel speed of the individual carriages but also the height adjustment of the meat quarters, such that each line operator is presented at the most comfortable height with the meat cut to be separated. In particular there is a continuous exchange of information and commands between each individual carriage and the processor along the entire extent of the line, so that on each carriage and in the various working positions there is a continuous variation in the height of the meat quarter and possible other parameters, to optimize the work of the respective operator in separating the meat cut. The height of the quarter to be stripped can also be adjusted manually by two control switches 103 and 104, so that each operator can adjust the height of the quarter to his preferred position. Finally, each carriage is provided with proximity sensors 105 to prevent them from colliding with the next carriage. All the objects of the invention are attained by the aforedescribed combination of means.

Claims: A line for stripping fresh meat quarters comprising an endless overhead conveying line (3), electrical feed means in the form of a bus duct associated with said line (31), at least one carriage (2) slidable along said line and having an electric motor (8) powered by said bus duct, meat quarter support means (9) associated with each carriage (2) in a manner adjustable in height relative to it, meat quarter resting means (18) associated with said support means (9), and means associated with said support means to collect the cuts separated from each meat quarter (17). A line as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising at least one auxiliary guide rail with which each carriage is engaged to prevent it swinging in a plane perpendicular to its advancement. A line as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the meat quarter support means comprise a crosspiece provided with two rods slidable in two vertical seats in the carriage, means of variable length being provided between said crosspiece and said carriage to position the crosspiece at the desired height. A line as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said means of variable length consist of a screw rigid with the crosspiece, which is screwed into a bush rigid with the carriage and rotated by an electric motor. A line as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that two independent winches are associated with said crosspiece, on each of them there being wound a chain provided with an end hook. A line as claimed in claim 3, characterised by comprising, associated with said crosspiece, a vertical plate provided with a cradle to receive a wheel carrying a suspended hook. A line as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising a loading station provided with a rail which feeds the quarters, suspended on sliding hooks, to the carriages. A line as claimed in claims 6 and 7, characterised in that said rail is arranged to lie in front of the carriages in alignment with the cradle provided in their crosspiece, such as to enable the sliding hooks to pass from said rail to said cradle. A line as claimed in claim 3, characterised by comprising, fixed to the crosspiece, a descending column which supports the resting means for the quarter and the means for collecting the cuts separated from the quarter. A line as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the means for collecting the meat cuts consist of a container removably fixed to the base of said column. A line as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising a carriage wash station positioned upstream of the loading station.

Inventors: CREMONINI LUIGI, CREMONINI, LUIGI
Applicants: INALCA IND ALIMENTARE CARNI SO, INALCA- INDUSTRIA ALIMENTARE CARNI- SOCIETA' PER AZIONI
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A22B7
IPC codes: A22B5, A22B7