Abstract:
An apparatus for producing selectively sized multiple portions of meat from a larger piece of meat. A plurality of product mandrels having an open-top recess of selected shape are mounted on a conveyor for travel along a selected path. The mandrels are also selectively rotatable about a vertical axis. At least two sets of parallel slots are provided in the mandrel and extend to a depth at least equal to the depth of the recess. Each set of parallel slots are disposed to intersect the other at a selected angle. Each product mandrel is moved through a pair of special cutting stations which carry a selected number of laterally spaced knife edges extending downwardly into a channel passage adapted to receive the product mandrels with one set of slots aligned parallel to the knife blades in the cutting station. The product mandrel is rotated through an angle which aligns one set of intersecting slots parallel to the knife blades in a respective cutting station after passing through the other cutting station. In this manner a plurality of laterally spaced cuts are made in two directions through the larger piece of meat to produce a multiplicity of smaller portions having a similar size, shape and weight.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/499,461 filed Sep. 2, 2004. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT  
       [0001]     (Not Applicable)  
       REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX  
       [0002]     (Not Applicable)  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0004]     The present invention relates generally to food processing apparatus and methods and particularly to an apparatus and method for making a plurality of selectively sized portions from a larger piece of meat.  
         [0005]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0006]     The food industry has for many years relied upon making several smaller pieces or portions from a larger piece of meat. Typically, this process was done by manual cutting of the larger portion into smaller pieces. This process was very labor intensive and lacked a level of consistency in the size, shape and weight of the smaller portions produced. In the food service or restaurant business, selective consistently sized portions have become very popular. This is particularly true as applied to poultry breast or beef products wherein smaller chunks or cube-like pieces are prepared from a larger cut of meat and a selective number of such pieces produced are sold in single servings. In view of this practice it is highly desirable to make each piece as consistent in size and weight as possible. This creates a better customer image and provides a higher degree of control of costs relative to the weight of product sold.  
         [0007]     Many prior attempts have been made to create an automated machine to perform the cutting and sizing functions. Some of these attempt have met with some improvement over the manual cutting process. However, a simple to construct automated machine providing improved efficiency, consistency in results and relative ease to adapt to different portion sizes and to different shapes of the initial larger meat portions to be cut up has eluded those skilled in this art prior to the present invention.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention relates to an automated portion control apparatus for cutting a larger piece of meat into discrete, consistently sized portions.  
         [0009]     In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of product mandrels or carrier blocks are mounted on a conveyor for travel along a selected path. Each mandrel includes a recess having a shape selected to most efficiently receive the larger pieces of meat which are to be cut into pieces of a selected size and weight.  
         [0010]     A plurality of slots are provided in each carrier block which extend through the upper surface of the block to a depth at least equal to the bottom surface of the recess. The slots are arranged in a predetermined pattern wherein one set of slots extend in a direction parallel to the intended path of travel and the other set of slots extend across the first set at a selected angle thereto. Usually, the angle is approximately ninety degrees if one chooses to create smaller sized portions having a generally a rectangular or cube-like shape.  
         [0011]     The carrier blocks are mounted on the conveyor for selected pivotal movement at a point along the path of travel to align the slots parallel to the path of travel prior to encountering a plurality of knife blades fixed in one of a pair of cutting locks which are mounted in spaced relationship along the path of travel. The knife edges are laterally spaced from one another across the path of travel of the carrier blocks and aligned to enter the set of slots which are aligned parallel thereto to engage and cut the meat product carried in the recess.  
         [0012]     The number of knife edges employed and the angular relationship between the two sets of slots and their spacing determine the size and shape of the final portions of the original larger meat product.  
         [0013]     The cutting blocks are constructed to form a passage or channel through which the carrier blocks travel and include a surface which functions to close the open top recess as the carrier block passes through the cutting block passage. This serves to confine the initial large piece of meat within a selective volume defined by the recess during the cutting action of the knives.  
         [0014]     The result obtained is more consistent control of the size and weight of the selected cut portions and less waste in the form of odd-shaped and/or underweight or overweight pieces of the final product.  
         [0015]     Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a more efficient, high volume, automated meat processing apparatus which produces selectively cut portions of meat in a reliably controlled manner.  
         [0016]     It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the type described which is relatively easy to adapt to a great variety of sizes and shapes of the initial larger piece of meat, as well as to the size and shape of the individual portions cut from the initial larger piece of meat.  
         [0017]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the type described which is relatively simple to manufacture and operate safely.  
         [0018]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the type described which improves the effectiveness of controlling the size and weight of the meat portions produced to improve the economic benefits to the wholesaler and their retail customers. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a cutting apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of a carrier block forming part of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the carrier block shown in  FIG. 3  and illustrating a side view of the pivot block which mounts the carrier block to the conveyor forming a portion of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the pivot block shown apart from the remainder of the apparatus illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the carrier block illustrated on  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a partial side elevational view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating a carrier block on the conveyor entering a cutting station;  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a similar view to the view shown in  FIG. 7  illustrating the carrier block at an advanced position within a cutting station;  
         [0027]      FIGS. 9-11  are top plan views of the carrier block shown in the preceding Figs. diagrammatically illustrating the two stage cutting of a piece of meat loaded in the carrier block as it would occur in the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 12  is a top plan view of a cutting block forming a part of a cutting station mounted along the path of travel of a carrier block in accordance with the present invention as shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 13  is an inlet end elevational view of the block shown in  FIG. 12 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 14  is an outlet end elevational view of the block shown in  FIG. 12 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 15  is a right side elevational view relative to the inlet end of the block shown in  FIG. 12 ;  
         [0032]      FIG. 16  is a left side elevational view of the block shown in  FIG. 12 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 17  is a partial side view of the cutting station forming a part of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  and the block shown in  FIG. 12  illustrating the position of a cutting knife mounting therein;  
         [0034]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a meat removal device which may be optionally used in connection with the apparatus shown in  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0035]      FIG. 19  is a partial sectional view through the housing of a drive assembly forming a part of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating a conventional means to drive the conveyor shown in  FIG. 1  as well as a meat removal device such as shown in  FIG. 18 ; and  
         [0036]      FIG. 20  is an exploded perspective view of a cutting block illustrating a preferred means for removably securing the knife blade within the cutting block. 
     
    
       [0037]     In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific term so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. For example, the word connected or term similar thereto are often used. They are not limited to direct connection, but include connection through other elements where such connection is recognized as being equivalent by those skilled in the art.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0038]     A meat cutting apparatus for producing a plurality of smaller pieces of a selected size and weight from a larger piece of meat constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0039]     The apparatus shown includes a supporting frame, indicated generally at  20 , having legs  22 , horizontal support members  24 , and an upper support surface  26  mounted to legs  22 . Legs  22  may include wheels such as  23  to permit convenient movement of frame  20  as a whole unit.  
         [0040]     Upper surface referred to generally at  26  forms a deck-like structure having a longitudinally extending central opening exposing the upper run of a conventional conveying means, preferably in the form of an endless chain type conveyor  28  which is conventionally mounted on pair of sprockets as describe in detail later herein. Conveyor  28  supports a plurality of product carrier blocks or mandrels  30  which are mounted to the chain conveyor in longitudinally spaced relationship along the selected path of travel of the blocks  30 .  
         [0041]     The support frame and upper supporting surface are of conventional form and may be constructed in any conventional well-known manner to support any form of conventional conveying means deemed suitable for the purpose of the present invention by one of ordinary skill. Standing alone, the frame and means to move carrier blocks  30  along a defined path form no part of the invention and may consist of many conventional forms and designs suitable to function according to the present invention. Therefore the frame and conveying means will only be briefly described herein to the extent sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill to understand, make and use the present invention.  
         [0042]     Upper surface  26  may comprise opposing L-shaped beams  25 ,  27  fixed in any suitable manner to legs  22  or related frame structure. L-shaped beams  25 ,  27  support a pair of cutting blocks forming cutting stations, indicated generally at  32  and  34 , fixed in longitudinally spaced relationship to one another along the path of travel defined by conveyor chain  28 . A conventional electric motor and gear box assembly, indicated generally at  36 , and a drive shaft  38  and idler shaft  40 , are conventionally connected to conventionally drive conveyor chain  28 .  
         [0043]     Each cutting block  32  and  34  may be removably fixed to the upper surface  26  via a threaded pin, such as  47 , extending into a complimentary hole, not shown, in L-shaped beams  25 ,  27 . A guide rail  42  along which carrier blocks  30  move may be fixed in any conventional manner to upper surface  26 . Preferably, cutting blocks  32  and  34  are constructed to be easily removed for cleaning or for replacement to modify the number or spacing of cutting knives desired. In the preferred embodiment shown, cutting blocks  32  and  34  comprise a pair of opposing side panels  46  mounted to a respective one beam of  25  or  27 , as noted above, and a center piece indicated generally at  48 . Center piece  48 , see  FIGS. 12-16 , may comprise a main body  50  and a pair of outwardly extended wings  52  and  54 .  
         [0044]     The bottom surface  57  of body  50  includes a forward portion  56  which functions in cooperation with carrier block  30  to create an inwardly tapered opening for receiving a carrier block  30  loaded with the piece of meat to be cut into sized portions as described in detail later herein.  
         [0045]     Wings  52  and  54  include a pair of through holes  58  disposed in a recess  55  and are aligned to removably accept one of a pair of rods  60  mounted at one end to a plate  62 . Plate  62  is configured to fit within a recess  55  provided in wing  52  upon fully extending rods  60  through body  50  and holes  58 . Rods  66  function to removably secure knife blades, such as  64 , in slots  66  disposed in parallel spaced relationship across the width of body  50  as rods  60  pass through aligned holes, such as  68 , provided in knife blades  64 .  
         [0046]     In the preferred embodiment shown, center piece  48  is removably mounted to each side panel  46  via the removable pin  47  extended through a drilled hole in panels  46  which is aligned with a hole or opening  53  provided in each wing  52 ,  54  and a mating hole, not shown, in L-shaped beams  25 ,  27 . Preferably, side panels  46  are provided with complementary grooves, not shown, on their inwardly facing surfaces which are configured to slidably receive wings  52 ,  54 . The wings are then removably fixed in the grooves to side panels  46  via pins  47 . Additionally, a metal strap  57  is extended over the upper surface of body  50  and removably fixed to opposing side panels  46  in any conventional manner, preferably such as by removable fasteners  59 .  
         [0047]     In this manner, the cutting blocks  32  and  34  are mounted in position in an easily removable fashion for cleaning, repair, or replacement. In the preferred embodiment, wings  52 ,  54  and the grooves, not shown, provided as described above, are vertically staggered such that each main body  50  in a respective block  32  or  34  will only fit into particular side panels  46 . This tends to assure that when the number and spacing of the cutting knives mounted in the body  50  of each block  32  and  34  are different from one another, the body  50  will only fit into the particular side panel  46  mounted on the frame to provide the selected portion sizes of meat desired. This eliminates or tends to reduce a potential for human error in setting up the apparatus to provide the desired result. When the number and spacing of slots  74  and  76  and knives  64  are the same as shown in the preferred embodiment, this feature is not critical.  
         [0048]     It should be pointed out that one of ordinary skill will readily understand from the foregoing description that other conventional means may be employed to provide equivalents to cutting blocks  32 ,  34  which function in a similar manner to accomplish the primary results of the present invention.  
         [0049]     With specific references to  FIGS. 14, 17 , and  20 , a plurality of knife blades  64  are removably fixed in laterally spaced slots  66  provided in body  50  at an downwardly incline angle determined by the shape of slots  66  and the relative position of holes  58  which receive holding rod  60 .  
         [0050]     Now referring specifically to  FIGS. 3-5  and  7 - 11 , carrier block  30  is shown in detail. Preferably, carrier block  30  comprises a main body portion  70  provided with an upwardly facing or open-top central recess portion  72  and a plurality of intersecting slots, such as shown at  74  and  76 . The slots intersect each other at a selected angle. The typical angle would be approximately ninety degrees to provide a generally rectangular or cube-like portion size. However, the angle of intersection could be varied, if desired, to accommodate other shaped portions as will be apparent from the following description.  
         [0051]     It should be noted that testing has indicated that the shape of recess  72  need not be square or rectangular, however, for generally irregular shaped initial meat products, such as poultry breasts, a generally square or rectangular shaped recess works very well and is generally preferred to yield very good results relating to efficiency and consistency of the resulting control of portion size and weight.  
         [0052]     It is pointed out that it is preferred that slots  74  and  76  extend slightly beyond the bottom or floor  73  of recess  72  to assure a clean and complete cut of the meat product upon entry of the knife blades  64 , as described herein, without causing undue wear of the sharp-knife edges which otherwise would engage the floor  73  of recess  72 .  
         [0053]     As shown in the preferred embodiment herein, there are an equal number of slots  74  and  76  equally spaced from one another. However, it should be noted that the number of slots in any direction and or the spacing may be different than the intersecting slots in the other cutting block so that a variety of sizes and shapes may be readily chosen for the final meat portion created. Of course, the number of knife blades and their spacing in cutting blocks would also be changed to accommodate the number of slots  74  and  76  chosen.  
         [0054]     Carrier blocks  30  are removably and rotatably mounted on the chain conveyor  28 , which may be a conventional single or dual endless chain assembly. The latter is preferred for additional stability upon which a pivot plate  80  is conventionally mounted via a pair of threaded fasteners  82  fixed at one end to plate  80  and extending downwardly to mate with holes provided in selected areas of cross members, such as shown at  84 , carried by chain conveyor  28 . However, other conventional means well-known to those skilled in the art may be used to mount the pivot plate or carrier blocks to a conveyor to accomplish equivalent results without departing from the present invention.  
         [0055]     Now referring specifically to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a preferred manner for rotatably mounting cutting blocks  30  to conveyor chain  28  is shown. The bottom surface  75  of cutting block  30  includes a centrally disposed bore  90  which is intersected by a threaded bore  92  configured to removably receive a horizontally extending set screw  94 .  
         [0056]     Pivot plate  80  is provided with an upwardly extending pivot post  81  fixed in any suitable manner to plate  80  and adapted to be rotatably received within bore  90  in carrier block  30 .  
         [0057]     Upon mounting carrier block  30  upon pivot plate  80  with post  81  disposed within bore  90 , carrier block  30  may rotate about post  81  as it is carried along conveyor chain  28 . Set screw  94  is threadably disposed in bore  92  sufficiently to engage and thereby apply a slight degree of force upon post  81  to control the freedom of pivotable movement of carrier block  30  about post  81 . It is desirable that some significant degree of force be necessary to cause the carrier block to rotate as compared to being free to rotate at will. It is relatively easy to manipulate set screw  94  to provide a relatively light interference engagement between pivot post  81  and set screw  94  to provide a reasonable degree of stability of carrier block  30  upon post  81  and yet permit block  30  to be rotated through the desired angle as described below herein to accomplish the purpose of the present invention.  
         [0058]     In the preferred embodiment shown, the bottom surface  75  of carrier block  30  also is provided with a pair of grooves  96  extending inwardly from opposing corners thereof. Grooves  96  form part of a turning or rotating actuating means to cause the selective rotation of carrier block  30  through a selected angle after passing through the first cutting block  32  and before entry into the second cutting block  34  and subsequently prior to passing into first cutting block  32  on a repeat run of the cutting cycle.  
         [0059]     Upon mounting a carrier block  30  upon pivot post  81  of a mounting plate  80 , it should be noted that blocks  30  slidably ride upon a pair of laterally spaced guide rails  42  fixedly mounted on respective one of L-shaped beams  25  and  27  as best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0060]     Carrier block  30  is initially aligned on post  81  such that a selected one of slots  74  or  76  are parallel and aligned with the knife blades  66  in the first cutting block  32 . Then set screw  94  is tightened to assure this alignment is maintained unless a sufficient force is applied to cause rotation of carrier block  30  on post  81 .  
         [0061]     As a carrier block  30  emerges from the first cutting block  32 , a horizontally extending rod  100  mounted on a bracket  102 , which in turn is fixed to L-shaped beam  27 , is disposed to engage one of the corner grooves  96  in the bottom surface of carrier block  30 . This engagement causes carrier block  30  to rotate through the selected ninety degree angle to align the intersecting slots  76  parallel with the knife blades  64  in the second cutting block  34 .  
         [0062]     In this manner the piece of meat product disposed in recess  72  of carrier block  30  is sliced in two ninety degree removed directions to create the size and weight portions desired.  
         [0063]     This is best illustrated in  FIGS. 7-11  wherein the meat product  104  is caused to move past and engage the knife blades  64  to create a plurality of slices through the meat product in a direction parallel to the path of travel.  
         [0064]     The nature of the cutting action achieved is diagrammatically illustrated in  FIGS. 7-11 .  FIG. 9  illustrates the initial loading a piece of irregular shaped meat  104 , a filleted poultry breast, into recess  72  of carrier block  30 . In  FIG. 10 , the initial cut parallel to slots  74  has been made as carrier block  30  passes through cutting station  32  and has been engaged by knife blades  64 .  
         [0065]     It should be noted that the meat product  104  is confined within recess  72  on all three sides and by the bottom surface of recess  72  and the lower surface  57  of cutting block  32  during the cutting action. Further, as the knife blades  64  engage the meat product  104 , the meat product tends to be pushed rearwardly into contact with the rearward wall of recess  72  and tends to be compressed into the confined area defined by the recess  72  and bottom wall surface  57  of main block  50 . Upon emerging from cutting block  32  and being rotated through ninety degrees as described herein, a similar cutting action occurs as carrier block  30  passes through cutting block  34 , as seen in  FIG. 8 , wherein knife blades  64  slice through the meat product  104  at substantially a right angle to the cuts made in first cutting block  32 . Cutting block  34  is essentially identical in construction to cutting block  32 . However, as noted earlier, the number and spacing of knife blades  66  may be modified to provide for a different size or shape of the final portion sizes of meat produced.  
         [0066]     The resulting cuts through the meat product  104 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , provide a plurality of selectively sized small portions of meat product from the irregular shaped initial piece of meat in a highly efficient manner with relatively few pieces of different size and weight. The relatively few undersized pieces may be sorted out and used for different food purposes, albeit typically deemed less valuable than the substantially consistently sized pieces of the desired shape and weight.  
         [0067]     The majority of the resulting portions of meat as shown in  FIG. 11 , are notably very regular in size and weight. This is accomplished by controlling to a high degree the volume into which the meat is confined as it is being cut in first one direction and then in another direction which most often would be approximately at ninety degrees from the initial direction of cuts.  
         [0068]     With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  19  and  20 , conveyor chain assembly  28  may be driven in any suitably conventional manner well-known to those skilled in the art and therefore a detailed description is not necessary for one of ordinary skill to understand how to make and use the invention in view of the description herein.  
         [0069]     A conventional electric motor and gear box assembly such as at  36  may be employed to drive shaft  38  which is operatively connected to a pair of sprockets, not shown, which support one end of endless conveyor chain  38 . The opposing end of chain assembly  28  may be mounted about a pair of sprockets mounted to an idler shaft, such as  40 .  
         [0070]     A driven sprocket  39  may be used and connected to a smaller sprocket  41  via a conventional chain  43 , if desired, in order to drive a shaft  47  carrying a plurality of elastic, radially extending fingers, such as at  49 . Shaft  47  carrying fingers  49 , not shown in  FIG. 1 , may be usefully employed when mounted in the path of carrier blocks  30  as they pass under the left hand end of chain conveyor  28  such that the elastic fingers engage recess  72  to assure all the cut portions of meat have fallen out of recess  72 . The final cut portions falling from recess  72  may be collected in any conventional manner for further processing, including a moving conveyor suitably mounted under chain conveyor  28 .  
         [0071]     In view of the foregoing description, it should be readily understood that the apparatus and method for producing a plurality of selectively sized portions of meat from a larger initial piece of meat in accordance with the present invention represents a significant advance in the food handling field and contributes to higher efficiency with lower labor cost.  
         [0072]     It should be noted that the tapered inlet opening of cutting blocks  32  and  34  provided by tapered surface  56  is significant if the original meat product  104  loaded into a recess  72  has an initial height which extends above the height of recess  72 . The tapered inlet tends to initially receive the piece of meat and gradually force it downward so as to better fit with the confined volume defined between recess  72  and lower surface  57  of main body  50  without a tendency to rip or tear the meat.  
         [0073]     Further, it is pointed out that the components comprising the apparatus should constitute materials which are suitable for the food processing industry and meet all governmental requirements. Typically stainless steel and synthetics such as delrin are often usefully employed.  
         [0074]     While certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that various modifications may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims.