Abstract:
A separation chamber particularly suited for meat processing is configurable to have various feed and discharge end diameters and/or chamber length. The separation chamber may also have configurable cutting perforations.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/778,281, entitled Open Slot Segmented Separation Chamber for a Food Processor and filed Mar. 2, 2006, assigned to the assignee of this application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This disclosure relates generally to meat processing equipment for deboning or otherwise separating meat, such as beef, poultry, fish, and pork from bone, cartilage, or sinew. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to a meat processor having a slotted and segmented separation chamber. 
     Meat processing machines typically have a generally cylindrical and perforated separation chamber to separate meat. In operation, bone-in meat is placed or fed into the interior volume of the separation chamber. An auger or similar device then forcibly drives the meat from the feed end of the separation chamber to the bone discharge end. As the meat is forced through the separation chamber, meat is stripped from the bone and passed through the perforations and into a meat collector, whereupon the meat is customarily used as filler and for the making of lunchmeat, meat patties, canned meat, and sausage. Recently, separation chambers have been designed for removing meat from a bone, but doing so in a manner that allows the meat to be used as a primary meat source rather than simply as filler. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,089 to Dutaud discloses a separation chamber for a meat deboning machine that is formed of a number of plate members that each includes an arrangement of teeth and recesses on both sides of the plate. The plates are assembled about a screw shaft in a nested arrangement in which the teeth of one plate rest substantially within the grooves of an adjacent plate. The plates are spaced from one another by a number of spacers placed between adjacent plates, which provide an opening between the teeth and grooves of adjacent plates when assembled, and through which meat is forced by the screw shaft. The plates and spacers are held in the nested arrangement by a nut and bolt arrangement inserted through the plates. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,184 to Poss discloses an apparatus for mechanical separation of a combination of meat and bone into useful fractions. The apparatus includes a separator screen surrounding a feed screw. The separation screen consists of an alternating arrangement of plain discs and annular discs. The discs are clamped tightly in a face-to-face arrangement by tie rods and placed within an arrangement of circumferentially spaced longitudinal bars that rest within rectangular slots in the respective discs. Each face in the configured discs is cut away to provide an opening between adjacent pairs of discs. The configured discs also contain a slotted annular ring along the interior edge of the disc. The inner ring defines slots oriented at an angle of about 150 degrees to the radius of the ring. In operation, the screw forces the meat against blunt edges of the slots to remove the meat from bones and to provide movement of the meat through the slots and openings between the discs for collection. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,899 to Prosenbauer describes a meat separator for separating meat from a meat and bone mass by the action of a press piston pressing against a counter-piston within a press cavity. The cavity is defined by a pair of perforated filters placed in abutting relationship within the cavity. Each filter comprises a thin-walled mantle terminating in a connecting flange at one end. The flange properly positions each filter within the cavity by engaging a stationary wall on either side of the cavity. The mantles of each filter consist of circumferential ribs spaced about the length of the mantle. In between each rib, passage openings are equally spaced about the circumference of the filter. When the meat and bone mass is compressed within the filters by the pistons, the meat is forced outward through the passage opening for collection by a collecting cylinder disposed about the filters. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,926 to Richburg discloses a cylindrical sieve for a meat deboning machine. The sieve includes stacked sieve rings that form the body of the sieve. Each ring includes major lands and minor lands circumferentially spaced about one surface of the ring that form grooves between adjacent lands. The major lands include openings through which elongated elements are inserted. The elongated elements comprise an alignment means for stacking the rings in an abutting relationship to form the sieve in which all the lands in each ring face the same direction. The elongated elements are received within a pair of end caps disposed at each end of the sieve to secure the sieve within the deboning machine. Each of the lands includes a bonding agent placed on the abutting surface of the land that fills any voids in the lands to avoid accumulation of meat or bacteria within the voids, and bonds adjacent rings to one another. When stacked and bonded to form the sieve, the grooves between adjacent lands form slots through which the meat removed from the bone is forced. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,809 to Paoli describes a desinewing machine for producing coarse-textured meat. The machine has a housing which encloses a rotor used to strip sinew from incoming meat. The rotor is generally cylindrical in shape and has several cutting elements defined about its exterior surface by a spiraling helical groove. At the entrance to the rotor, the helical groove forms cutting elements which have a much larger cutting surface than cutting elements located further downstream along the rotor. Holes are located in a circumferentially spaced arrangement about the entire length of the rotor, wherein the arrangement includes an equally spaced ring of holes between each pair of adjacent cutting surfaces. In operation, meat and sinew dropped into the machine contacts the cutting surfaces of the exterior of the rotor. The cutting surfaces interact with a pressure bar that has a plurality of cutting surfaces spaced on a panel concentrically shaped to the exterior of the rotor to remove the sinew from the meat. The meat then passes through the openings in the rotor into the interior of the rotor. While the sinew is pushed downstream by the action of the cutting surfaces of the rotor on the sinew, the meat located inside the rotor is urged upstream towards a number of holes disposed in a disc forming the upstream end of the rotor. The meat is urged in this direction by the counter rotation of a frustoconical sleeve disposed within the rotor. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,909 to Goldston describes a slotted separation chamber for a compression-type deboning machine. The slotted separation chamber is constructed to have a plurality of elongated slots each formed of a pair of spaced apart side walls presenting interior side edges, and formed of opposing arcuate end walls presenting interior arcuate end edges. The slots are oriented such that side edges lie at an angle relative to the central axis of the separation chamber so as to be tilted in the direction of rotation of a cooperating auger. The side and end edges cooperate with the fluted turns of the auger to shave or peel away the meat from the bone to produce a coarser and highly textured separated product. 
     Notwithstanding these and other advancements made in the art, there remains a need for separation chambers that are configurable to have variably sized feed and discharge ends. Additionally, there remains a need for separation chambers with variable lengths. Moreover, there is a need in the art for separation chambers that allow variability in the arrangement of the meat cutting slots or perforations. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to a separation chamber that is particularly suitable for separating meat from a meat and bone mass. The separation chamber is designed to be effective in reducing the accumulation of hard materials on its inside surface using a slot or perforation arrangement that provides for the unassisted escape of softer materials but traps harder materials in such a manner that requires mechanical intervention for their removal. The separation chamber may also be formed of multiple radial segments that collectively define a segmented chamber. This provides flexibility in not only the overall length of the separation chamber, but when radially tapered segments are used, variations in the diameter of the feed and discharge ends can be realized. In one embodiment, the radial segments can be aligned and stacked to provide a desired configuration of the slot arrangement, including variations in slot dimensions and the relative position of the slots. 
     Therefore, in accordance with one aspect, the present disclosure includes a separation chamber for separating soft material from a hard material carrier to which the soft material is attached. The separation chamber has an interior volume sized for receiving and passing a mass, and further includes a first chamber member defining a first feed end, and a first discharge end, wherein a first portion of the interior volume is defined between the first feed end and the first discharge end. A second chamber member is removably connected to the first chamber member, and defines a second feed end, and a second discharge end, wherein a second portion of the interior volume is defined between the second feed end and the second discharge end. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a separation chamber for separating soft material from a hard material carrier to which the soft material is attached is disclosed. The separation chamber has a separation chamber body and a plurality of perforations formed therein. At least a portion of the plurality of perforations are closed at a first end and open at a second end that is opposite the first end. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a separation chamber for a meat processing machine is presented. The separation chamber has an upstream chamber section and a downstream chamber section connected to the upstream chamber section. Each chamber section includes a side wall having slots formed therein which establish communication between an internal passage defined by the chamber sections and an exterior of the separation chamber formed by the connected chamber sections. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the disclosure, a separation chamber has an outer wall arrangement, a series of peripheral grooves formed in an inner surface defined by the outer wall arrangement, and slots formed in the outer wall arrangement, wherein each slot opens onto and extends from one of the peripheral grooves in the inner surface of the outer wall arrangement and opens onto an exterior surface defined by the outer wall arrangement. 
     Various other features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings illustrate one preferred embodiment presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a segmented separation chamber having multiple stages assembled according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1B  is a feed end view of the separation chamber. 
         FIG. 1C  is a cross-sectional view of the separation chamber taken along lines C-C of  FIG. 1B . 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a first stage of the separation chamber. 
         FIG. 2B  is a discharge end view of the first stage. 
         FIG. 2C  is a side elevation view of the first stage. 
         FIG. 2D  is a cross-sectional view of the first stage. 
         FIG. 2E  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a downstream portion of the first stage. 
         FIG. 2F  is a plan view of a slot that forms part of the first stage. 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of a second stage of the separation chamber. 
         FIG. 3B  is a discharge end view of the second stage. 
         FIG. 3C  is a side elevation view of the second stage. 
         FIG. 3D  is a cross-sectional view of the second stage. 
         FIG. 3E  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a downstream portion of the second stage. 
         FIG. 3F  is a plan view of a slot that forms part of the second stage. 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a third stage of the separation chamber. 
         FIG. 4B  is a discharge end view of the third stage. 
         FIG. 4C  is a side elevation view of the third stage. 
         FIG. 4D  is a cross-sectional view of the third stage. 
         FIG. 4E  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a downstream portion of the third stage. 
         FIG. 4F  is a plan view of a slot that forms part of the third stage. 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of a nose section of the separation chamber. 
         FIG. 5B  is a discharge end view of the nose section. 
         FIG. 5C  is a side elevation view of the nose section. 
         FIG. 5D  is a cross-sectional view of the nose section. 
         FIG. 6A  is an elevation view of an anti-rotation key according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6B  is a side view of the anti-rotation key. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A separation chamber adapted for use in a processor for separating meat from hard material such as sinew or bone will be described. An exemplary processor is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,909, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. Typically, the processor includes an auger or screw-like member which extends through a separation chamber to advance material under force through the separation chamber, which may be any type of food material having a generally soft component adapted to be separated from a generally hard component. While a separation chamber will be described in the context of food processing, and in particular meat processing, the separation chamber may be applicable for other processing devices where it is desired to remove relatively soft material from relatively hard material. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1A-1C , a separation chamber  10  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Separation chamber  10  is formed of a number of sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  which are fitted together and which cooperate to define the overall structure and length of separation chamber  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, separation chamber  10  is formed of a first stage or upstream section  12 , a second stage or intermediate section  14 , and a third stage or downstream section  16 . A nose section  18  is located at the downstream end of downstream section  16 . Upstream section  12  and nose section  18  include external structure, such as a ring  20  and a tapered outside surface  22 , which are adapted to cooperate with the inlet and discharge areas, respectively, of the separator to enable chamber  10  to be mounted to the separator (not shown). In this regard, nose section  18  includes a pair of diametrically aligned slots  24 , each of which is adapted to receive an anti-rotation bar or key  26  of the separator, which is also engaged with an adjacent slot in the separator for ensuring that chamber  10  does not rotate relative to the separator during operation. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1B , each of sections  12 - 18  of chamber  10  defines an open upstream or inlet end and an open downstream or discharge end, such that separation chamber  10  defines an open internal passage. Upstream section  12  has a passage  28  which extends between its upstream and downstream ends, and which is defined by a tapered inner wall  30 . Similarly, intermediate section  14  has a passage  32  that extends between its upstream and downstream ends, and which is defined by a tapered inner wall  30 ′, and downstream section  16  has a passage  36  that extends between its upstream and downstream ends and is defined by a tapered inner wall  30 ″. Nose section similarly defines a passage  70  between its upstream and downstream ends that is defined by tapered inner wall  30 ′″. In the illustrated embodiment, inner walls  30 ,  30 ″, 30 ″, and  30 ′″ define a continuous decreasing taper in an upstream-to-downstream direction, to define a tapered internal passage configured similarly to the tapered inner passage of prior art one-piece separation chambers. 
     While the drawings illustrate a tapered wall construction of separation chamber  10 , it is also understood that a similar segmented construction may be provided for a parallel wall separation chamber. In this type of construction, the passages defined by the sections have a constant diameter between the inlet and outlet of each section, which is also matched by the diameter of the nose section, to provide an unrestricted passage that extends between the upstream and downstream ends of the separation chamber. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1B  and with further reference to  FIGS. 2A-2E , passage  28  of upstream section  12  terminates in a downstream end edge  40  which is nested within the upstream end of intermediate section  14  in a manner to be explained. A series of slots  42  are formed in inner wall  30  of upstream section  12 . Slots  42  are generally parallel to each other and are equally radially spaced about the periphery of inner wall  30 . Each slot  42  includes a divergent inlet or entrance portion  44  that opens onto end edge  40 . At the location of each slot  42 , upstream section  12  includes an axial groove  46  which extends partially through the material of side wall  30 . Each groove  46  is formed to define a bottom wall  48 , an end wall  50  and a pair of parallel side walls  52 . Each groove  46  is open at its downstream end, and a rib  54  is located between each adjacent pair of grooves  46 . Ribs  54  are formed of the material of side wall  30  which remains after grooves  46  are formed in side wall  30 . The majority of the length of each slot  42  opens onto groove bottom wall  48 , to establish communication between passage  28  and the exterior of upstream section  12 . 
     Each rib  54  terminates in an inwardly angled downstream edge  56 , which terminates at its inner end at the outer surface of a downstream extension tab  58 . The facing edges of each adjacent pair of downstream extension tabs  58  function to form divergent entrance portion  44  of the slot  42  located therebetween. Downstream extension tabs  58  are configured to form a reduced diameter segmented engagement ring at the downstream end of upstream section  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2F , each groove  46  is formed such that its end wall  50  has a rounded configuration. Further, an arcuate transition area is located between the bottom wall  48  and the associated groove side walls  52 . 
     As described with respect to  FIGS. 1A-1C , separation chamber  10  is formed by the assemblage of multiple sections or stages. In the illustrated embodiments, each of the sections is tapered so that a tapered passage is formed through the separation chamber  10 . In this regard, the diameter of the upstream end (feed end) of a given section is wider than the downstream end (discharge end) of that given section. However, it is contemplated that the separation chamber  10  may be constructed to have a tapered section connected to one or more un-tapered sections or inversely tapered sections. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3A-3F , an exemplary intermediate section  14  of the separation chamber is shown. As will be described, the intermediate section is similar in construction to the upstream section  12 . More particularly, at its downstream end, intermediate section  14  includes the same structure as the downstream portion of upstream section  12 , although having overall lesser dimensions due to the tapered construction thereof. For convenient reference, primed reference characters will be used to refer to the analogous structure of intermediate section  14 . 
     Intermediate section  14  has radially spaced slots  42 ′ that are formed along the inner wall  30 ′ thereof. The slots  42 ′ are generally parallel to one another and equally radially spaced about the inner wall  30 ′. Each slot  42 ′ includes a divergent inlet or entrance portion  44 ′ that opens onto end edge  34 . At the location of each slot  42 ′, intermediate section  14  includes an axial groove  46 ′ which extends partially through the material of side wall  30 ′. Each groove  46 ′ is formed to define a bottom wall  48 ′, an end wall  50 ′ and a pair of parallel side walls  52 ′. Each groove  46 ′ is open at its downstream end, and a rib  54 ′ is located between each adjacent pair of grooves  46 ′. Ribs  54 ′ are formed of the material of side wall  30 ′ which remains after grooves  46 ′ are formed inside wall  30 ′. The majority of the length of each slot  42 ′ opens onto groove bottom wall  48 ′, to establish communication between passage  32  and the exterior of intermediate section  14 . Each rib  54 ′ terminates in an inwardly angled downstream edge  56 ′, which terminates at its inner end at the outer surface of a downstream extension tab  58 ′. The facing edges of each adjacent pair of downstream extension tabs  58 ′ function to form divergent entrance portion  44 ′ of the slot  42 ′ located therebetween. Downstream extension tabs  58 ′ are configured to form a reduced diameter segmented engagement ring at the downstream end of intermediate section  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3F  each groove  46 ′ is formed such that its end wall  50 ′ has a rounded configuration. Further, an arcuate transition area is located between the bottom wall  48 ′ and the associated groove side walls  52 ′. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4A-4F , the downstream end of downstream section  16  also has the same construction as the downstream portions of upstream section  12  and intermediate section  14 , although again having a reduced overall diameter due to the tapered construction of sections  12 - 14 . For convenient reference, double primed reference characters will be used to refer to the analogous structure of downstream section  16 . 
     Downstream section  16  has radially spaced slots  42 ″ that are formed along the inner wall  30 ″ thereof. The slots  42 ″ are generally parallel to one another and equally radially spaced about the inner wall  30 ″. Each slot  42 ″ includes a divergent inlet or entrance portion  44 ″ that opens onto end edge  38 . At the location of each slot  42 ″, downstream section  16  includes an axial groove  46 ″ which extends partially through the material of side wall  30 ″. Each groove  46 ″ is formed to define a bottom wall  48 ″, an end wall  50 ″ and a pair of parallel side walls  52 ″. Each groove  46 ″ is open at its downstream end, and a rib  54 ″ is located between each adjacent pair of grooves  46 ″. Ribs  54 ″ are formed of the material of side wall  30 ″ which remains after grooves  46 ″ are formed inside wall  30 ″. The majority of the length of each slot  42 ″ opens onto groove bottom wall  48 ″, to establish communication between passage  36  and the exterior of downstream section  16 . Each rib  54 ″ terminates in an inwardly angled downstream edge  56 ″, which terminates at its inner end at the outer surface of a downstream extension tab  58 ″. The facing edges of each adjacent pair of downstream extension tabs  58 ″ function to form divergent entrance portion  44 ″ of the slot  42 ″ located therebetween. Downstream extension tabs  58 ″ are configured to form a reduced diameter segmented engagement ring at the downstream end of downstream section  16 . 
     An exemplary nose section  18  that connects with downstream section  16  is shown in  FIGS. 5A-5D ; however, it is contemplated that nose section  18  can be similarly connected to intermediate section  14  or upstream section  12 . Nose section  18  includes a pair of diametrically aligned slots  24 , each of which is adapted to receive an anti-rotation bar or key  26 . Similar to sections  12 ,  14 , and  16 , nose section  18  has a tapered inner wall  30 ′″ that generally aligns with tapered wall  30 ″ of downstream section  16 . Nose section  18  has an upstream wall  62 ″ that engages downstream edges  56 ″ of ribs  54 ″ of downstream section  16 . Further, nose section  18  defines a passage  70  located downstream of inlet wall  66 ″ of the downstream section  16 , which leads to a discharge outlet opening defined by the downstream end of nose section  18 . 
     An exemplary anti-rotation key  26  is shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . As shown thereat, key  26  has a shape generally similar to that defined by the slots  24  of nose section  18 . In this regard, the keys  26 , which are preferably attached to the interior surface of the housing (not shown) for the separation chamber  10 , can be easily received within the slots  24  to prevent rotation of the nose section  18  relative to the housing of the separation chamber. Since the upstream section  12 , intermediate section  14 , and downstream section  16  are securely connected one another, as described below, by preventing rotation of nose section  18 , rotation of the other chamber sections  12 - 16  is also prevented. 
     Engagement of the chamber sections will now be described. The upstream ends of intermediate section  14 , downstream section  16  and nose section  18  include engagement structure for interconnection with the downstream ends of upstream section  12 , intermediate section  14  and downstream section  16 , respectively. As shown with respect to intermediate section  14  in  FIGS. 3A-3F , the upstream engagement structure includes an angled upstream wall  62  which has an angle that matches the angle of downstream edges  56  of ribs  54 , and an axial inner wall  64  that extends in a downstream direction from the lower end of upstream wall  62 , and having an angle that matches that of tabs  58 . An inwardly angled inlet wall  66  extends inwardly and downstream from the inner end of axial inner wall  64  and merges with the inner surface of side wall  30 ′ of intermediate section  14 . 
     In assembly, upstream section  12 , intermediate section  14 , downstream section  16  and nose section  18  are secured together to form separation chamber  10 . The upstream end of intermediate section  14  is engaged with the downstream end of upstream section  12 , by engaging downstream extension tabs  58  of upstream section  12  within the annular area defined by axial inner wall  64  of intermediate section  14 . Upstream wall  62  of intermediate section  12  abuts the angled downstream edges  56  of ribs  54  to fix the axial position of intermediate section  14  relative to upstream section  12 . When intermediate section  14  and downstream section  12  are assembled in this manner, angled inlet wall  66  of intermediate section  14  defines an open area located downstream of and in communication with divergent entrance portions  44  of slots  42 . Upstream of the area at which intermediate section  14  and upstream section  12  are engaged together, each slot  42  opens outwardly into its associated groove  46 . 
     In a similar manner, intermediate section  14  is engaged with downstream section  16  via receipt of downstream extension tabs  58 ′ within the space defined by axial inner wall  64 ′ of downstream section  16 , and upstream wall  62 ′ engages downstream edges  56 ′ of ribs  54 ′ to fix the axial position of downstream section  16  relative to intermediate section  14 . Inwardly angled inlet wall  66 ′ defines an open area located downstream of and in communication with each slot entrance portion  44 ′. Each slot  42 ′ opens outwardly into its associated groove  46 ′. Downstream extension tabs  58 ″ of downstream section  16  engage axial inner wall  64 ″ of nose section  18 , which includes upstream wall  62 ″ that engages downstream edges  56 ″ of ribs  54 ″. Inwardly angled inlet wall  66 ″ defines an open area located downstream of and in communication with slot entrance portions  44 ″. Each slot  42 ″ opens outwardly into its associated groove  46 ″. 
     In operation, a material containing both hard and soft components, such as a meat material including usable soft muscle material as well as unusable hard material such as bone, sinew or the like, is advanced downstream through separation chamber  10 , typically by use of a tapered auger which extends through passages  28 ,  32 ,  36  and  70 . The material is subjected to pressure within the interior of separation chamber  10 , and slots  42 ,  42 ′ and  42 ″ provide pressure relief areas through which the soft material passes for collection into an external collection chamber or receptacle. Angled inlet walls  66 ,  66 ′ and  66 ″ provide a low pressure flow path for supplying material to slot entrance portions  44 ,  44 ′ and  44 ″, respectively, to supply the soft material to slots  42 ,  42 ′ and  42 ″, respectively. In this manner, the soft material passes through slots  42 ,  42 ′ and  42 ″ outwardly into grooves  46 ,  46 ′ and  46 ″ and to the exterior of separation chamber  10 , while the hard material remaining within the interior of separation chamber  10  is advanced in a downstream direction through passages  28 ,  32 ,  36  and  70 . 
     With the construction as described, the length of the separation chamber can be varied by adding or removing sections of the chamber, according to the desired flow rate, material characteristics or other parameters. While the slots are illustrated as being open in a forward or downstream direction, it is also considered that slots having generally the same configuration as in the prior art may be employed in a segmented construction as shown and described. Further, while the slots are shown and described as being axial, it is also understood that the slots may have an angled orientation, either with or against the direction of rotation of the auger, and may be slanted either at a forward or reverse angle relative to the direction of rotation of the auger. In addition, it is possible to form the separation chamber as a one-piece member having a solid outer wall, in which internal peripheral grooves are formed that correspond to the open areas defined by the angled walls such as inlet walls  66 , with slots formed in the outer wall extending from the grooves that correspond to slots  42 . 
     The present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment, and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims.