Device for connecting a meat portioning-filling machine to a clipping machine

Abstract: A device for connecting a meat portioning-filling machine (3) to a clipping machine (4a,4b), comprising a tube (11) which is adapted to convey the meat and to support the tubular casing (8) to be filled; the tube (1) has, at its output section (16), a fixed contrast cutter (16) which is adapted to work in cooperation with a cutter (17) provided with an actuation (18) for moving the cutter (17) substantially at right angles to the output section (1b).

Description: The invention relates to a device for connecting a meat portioning-filling machine to a clipping machine. It is known that machines for portioning-filling meat in pieces sequentially prepare the intended portions in order to insert them in a tubular casing, very commonly constituted by intestine; it is also known that there is a device which cleanly cuts any tails of the meat pieces protruding from the rear face of the block that forms the portion, so as to present it to the clipping machine in such a shape as to ensure full operativeness of said machine. European Patent Application No. 0847695 A1 discloses an apparatus for portioning a food mass, while U.S. Patent No. 4565054 discloses a device of the same kind of the one set forth in the preamble of claim 1. Known devices are rather slow and not fully efficient in their operation; accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide a device which has high productivity and is capable of ensuring entirely correct operation. This aim is achieved by a device for connecting a meat portioning-filling machine to a clipping machine, as set forth in the characterizing portion of claim 1. Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the device according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a general perspective, schematic view of the device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a different perspective, schematic view of the device according to the invention, with the intestine ready to begin operation; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the meat conveyance tube; Figure 4 is a view of the cutter associated with the corresponding support; Figure 5 is a view of the actuation cylinder, shown removed from its active position; Figures 6 to 9 show, in succession, different steps for the assembling of a part of the device according to the invention. With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 designates the tube suitable to convey meat in pieces from the end 1a, at the flange 2 for fixing to the portioning-filling machine, generally designated by the reference numeral 3 in Figure 2, to the end 1b at a clipping machine, of which the separators, designated by the reference numerals 4a and 4b, are shown in Figure 1. Said tube 1 is rested, at its flanges 5a and 5b, against the walls 6a and 6b of the supporting structure, which also comprises the bottom 6c, and is locked by means of the latch 7, which is hinged at 7a, thus being easily removable for cleaning. The tubular casing 8 made of intestine is suitable to be associated with the outer surface of said tube 1 and of the cavity arranged adjacent thereto, which will be described hereafter; the casing passes in contact with the disk 9 at which the ducts 10a and 10b connected to a source of vacuum end, and is subjected to the action of braking means which are constituted in a known manner by the disks 11a and 11b, which are connected to each other so as to support and squeeze the ring 12 of elastic material to gradually deform upon contacting said casing 8. The assembly formed by the disks 11a and 11b is rotatably supported at the end of the slider 13 inserted in the guide 13a, which is rigidly coupled to the walls 6a and 6b of the supporting structure, and can move from the position shown in Figure 2, which is assumed at the beginning of operation in order to allow to insert the intestine 8 as shown in said figure, to the position shown in Figure 1, with the ring 12 in contact with the intestine 8, and rested on the slider 14 inserted in the guide 14a, which is assumed during operation; locking of the sliders 13 and 14 in said position is provided by means of the locking elements 13b and 14b. The tube 1 is substantially straight, and is provided with a sleeve 15 which is parallel thereto and laterally adjacent, is delimited to the rear by the bottom 15a, and is open onto the inside of the tube 1 toward the end 1b of said tube, where the contrast cutter 16 is located; said cutter is fixed to the support 16a, which is stably associated with the internal surface of the tube 1 and is shaped appropriately in order to avoid stagnation of meat. The support 17a of the cutter 17 having a cutting edge 17b, is accommodated and guided inside said sleeve 15, and said support is provided with means for moving from the retracted standby position, shown in solid lines in Figure 3, so as to advance inside the tube 1 and act with the cutter in contact with the contrast cutter 16 towards the end position shown in dot-and-dash lines, to fully cut any tails of the meat portion. The means for moving the support 17a of the cutter 17 are now described. Such movement means are removably supported by the tube 1 in a continuation of the sleeve 15, within the portion of free space located to the side of the tube 1 at the rear portion of the length whose shape, in cross-section, is a half-circle. It will be noted that said sleeve 15 is laterally adjacent to the front portion of said length. Said movement means comprise the actuation cylinder 18, being rested with the protrusion 18a on the hook 18b, which is fixed to the end flange of the tube 1, while the hood 18c, provided at the end of the stem 18d of the piston of said cylinder rests on the end 19a of the rod 19 which is adapted to be detachably connected at its other end 19b to the support 17a of the cutter 17 in manners described hereinafter. The ease with which the cylinder 18 is removed during cleaning of the device is made evident by Figure 5, and the same applies to the rod 19. Said rod 19 is slidingly inserted in a hole which is provided in the block 20 which is adapted to be detachably connected to the guides 21a, 21b of the element 21, which is welded to the bottom 15a of the sleeve 15; said element 21 and said bottom 15a have a hole which allows the passage of the rod 19, as shown in Figure 3, the hole being shaped like a slot which is elongated in the direction of the guides 21a, 21b. In order to connect the rod 19 to the support 17a, the block 20 is moved, as shown in Figure 6, toward the element 21, keeping the rod 19 with the end 19b within said block, and assuming the position of Figure 7, in which the end of the rod 19 faces the upper region of the slotted hole provided in the element 21 and in the bottom 15a and the wider portion 22 of the hole for accessing an end cavity which is present at the end of said support 17a. It is thus possible to produce the translation movement of the rod 19 until its end 19b enters said cavity present in the support 17a, as shown in Figure 8, and complete the engagement at the narrower portion 23 of the hole for access to the end cavity by further lowering of the block 20 in the element 21, as shown in Figure 9. The described invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: A device for connecting a meat portioning-filling machine (3) to a clipping machine (4a,4b) comprising a tube (1) which is adapted to convey the meat and to support, at the outer surface and in the presence of braking means (11a,11b), the tubular casing (8) to be filled, said tube (1) having, at its output section (1b) toward the clipping machine (4a,4b), a fixed contrast cutter (16) which is adapted to work in cooperation with a cutter (17) provided with movement means (18) for moving the cutter substantially at right angles to said output section (1b); characterized in that the meat conveyance tube (1) has a sleeve (15) which is laterally adjacent to a length thereof which is proximate to the output section (1b), toward the clipping machine (4a,4b), at which the contrast cutter (16) is fixed to a support (16a) which is stably associated with the internal surface of the tube (1) and is shaped appropriately to avoid meat stagnation, said sleeve (15) being adapted to accommodate and guide a support (17a) to which the cutter (17) is fixed at the front end, said support (17a) being connected to the movement means (18) at the rear end, and said sleeve (15) having an axis which is parallel to the axis of the tube (1) and opening inside the tube, at the end thereof that is directed toward the end of said tube (1) provided with the contrast cutter (16), so as to allow the cutter (17) to enter the tube (1). The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutter movement means (18) are supported by the meat conveyance tube (1). The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutter movement means (18) are detachably supported by the meat conveyance tube (1). The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the meat conveyance tube (1) has a segment with a reduced cross-sectional passage which is flanked by the sleeve (15) for guiding the support (17a) of the cutter (17) and by the movement means (18) for moving said support (17a). The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement means for moving the cutter support (17a) comprise an actuation cylinder (18) which is removably connected to the meat conveyance tube (1), the end of the stem (18d) of the piston of said cylinder (18) being detachably associated with a rod (19) which is adapted to be detachably connected at the end of the support (17a) of the cutter (17). The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rod (19) adapted to be detachably connected to the end of the support (17a) of the cutter (17) is slidingly associated with a block (20) which is adapted to be detachably connected to the bottom (15a) of the sleeve (15) for accommodating said support (17a) until it is brought to the position in which said rod (19) faces the upper region of a slotted hole provided in said bottom (15a) and the opening (22,23) of an end cavity which is provided in said support (17a), thus allowing the shaped end (19b) of the rod (19) to enter said end cavity in order to be locked thereat at its shaped end (19b) following a further lowering of said block (20). The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the meat conveyance tube (1) is detachably connected to a supporting structure (6a,6b) to which the braking means (11a,11b) for braking the tubular casing (8) on said tube (1) are also connected.

Inventors: BOLZACCHINI GIOVANNI, BOLZACCHINI, GIOVANNI
Applicants: INOX MECCANICA SRL, INOX MECCANICA S.R.L.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A22C11
IPC codes: A22C11