Abstract:
In combination, a meat product selected from the group consisting of beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fowl and fish and a thickness gauge for meat products. The thickness gauge includes a base platform and a generally upright stand mounted on the base platform. A thickness gauge support arm is pivotably and height adjustably mounted on the generally upright stand, the thickness gauge support arm further includes a pivoting elbow formed therein. A digital thickness gauge is mounted on the outer end of the thickness gauge support arm, the digital thickness gauge including a vertically adjustable indicator head for engaging the meat product. Finally, the digital thickness gauge is operative to measure the thickness of the meat product by the computing the distance of vertical movement of the indicator head of the digital thickness gauge.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The present invention relates to thickness gauges and, more particularly, to a thickness gauge for meat products which includes a base platform, a generally upright stand, a thickness gauge support arm which is pivotably and height-adjustably mounted on the generally upright stand and a digital thickness gauge mounted on the thickness gauge support arm, the digital thickness gauge operative to quickly and accurately measure the thickness of a meat product supported on the base platform. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   In the meat processing industry, many different types of meat products are processed from all types of meat, be it beef, pork, chicken, turkey, foul or fish. The methods of processing for each of these types of meats can very greatly, but, if there is one thing in common to each of the processing techniques used in connection with these various types of meats, it is the desire to reduce waste and increase efficiency to maximize the saleable meats produced via processing. Various machines and devices have been proposed to increase efficiency and decrease waste in the production of meat products. In general, these devices are designed to effectively trim fat and remove bone from the meat products to enhance and simplify the production of the meat product, but, in general, very few of the prior art devices are specifically designed to increase quality control and thus address efficiency from the improvement of quality of the meat product. Therefore, there is a need for a product which, when used during the production of meat products, will assist in the improvement of quality without substantially delaying or impeding the meat production line. 
   When the various meat products are produced in the meat production facility, there are some products which must be cut in certain ways or in a certain thickness as per the customer&#39;s specifications. While there are some devices in the prior art which permit adjustment of slice thickness, the production team then generally must assume that the slices produced by the machine are of the proper thickness and send them to the customer without further inspection. If, however, the slices are of incorrect thickness, it is then the responsibility of the customer to adjust the thickness by removing some of the meat product or discarding the slices if they are too thin, thus resulting in increased time and effort required to render the meat products saleable. There is therefore a need for a device which can be used to quickly and easily measure the thickness of meat products to ensure quality control and decrease waste. 
   Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a thickness gauge for meat products. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a thickness gauge for meat products which include a base platform and a generally upright stand mounted on the base platform with a thickness gauge support arm extending outwards from the generally upright stand to support a digital thickness gauge suspended above the base platform. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a thickness gauge for meat products in which the digital thickness gauge includes a vertically adjustable indicator head which engages the top surface of the meat product when the meat product is placed on the base platform to determine the thickness of the meat product and enhance the saleability of the meat product. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a thickness gauge for meat products which may be quickly and easily operated and which will not hinder the speed with which the meat product is manufactured. 
   Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a thickness gauge for meat products which is relatively simple in construction and is safe and efficient in use. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides in combination, a meat product selected from the group consisting of beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fowl and fish and a thickness gauge for meat products. The thickness gauge includes a base platform and a generally upright stand mounted on the base platform. A thickness gauge support arm includes a first end and a second end, the first end of the thickness gauge support arm pivotably and height adjustably mounted on the generally upright stand, the thickness gauge support arm further includes a pivoting elbow intermediate the first end and the second end. A digital thickness gauge is mounted on the second end of the thickness gauge support arm positionable above the base platform, the digital thickness gauge including a vertically adjustable indicator head for engaging the meat product. Finally, the digital thickness gauge is operative to measure the thickness of the meat product by the indicator head being moved into engagement with the meat product positioned below the digital thickness gauge and on the base platform such that the thickness of the meat product is given by the distance of vertical movement of the indicator head of the digital thickness gauge. 
   The present invention addresses and corrects many of the disadvantages found in the prior art. For example, the use of the digital thickness gauge will greatly reduce waste and inefficiency in the production of sliced meat products for which a particular thickness is desired. Furthermore, the relatively simple design of the present invention virtually ensures that the unit will have a relatively long usable lifespan and does not require specialized training to learn to use it, which is a boon to meat processing companies. Also, as the present invention quickly provides a reading on the thickness of the meat product, it can be used during the processing of the meat product without slowing or impeding the processing line. It is therefore seen that the present invention provides a substantial improvement over those devices found in the prior art. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a prospective view of the thickness gauge for meat products of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the thickness gauge of the present invention showing the thickness gauge in operation. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The thickness gauge  10  of the present invention is shown best in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as including a generally rectangular base platform  12  on the bottom of which are mounted a plurality of platform legs  14  which elevate the base platform  12  above the floor or table surface on which it is placed. In the preferred embodiment, the base platform  12  and platform legs  14  would be constructed of a molded plastic material such as UHMW which would provide an extended operating life span and facilitate cleaning of the base platform  12  and platform legs  14  after use. Of course, it should be noted that many different types of construction materials may be used with the present invention, including PVC plastic and stainless steel. 
   Mounted on the rear of base platform  12  and extending upwards therefrom is a generally upright stand  16  which, in the preferred embodiment, would be a stainless steel tube or rod having a height of approximately 6 to 18 inches and a diameter of approximately ½ inch to 1 inch, depending on the thickness of the stand  16  and the structural strength desired. Adjustably and pivotally mounted on the generally upright stand  16  is a support arm connection sleeve  18  which may be slid upwards and downwards on generally upright stand  16  to adjust the vertical positioning of the support arm connection sleeve  18  and furthermore may rotate about the generally upright stand  16  to provide a pivoting motion to elements mounted on the support arm connection sleeve  18 . Various types of braking and securing devices may be used in connection with the support arm connection sleeve  18  to the present invention for releasably securing the support arm connection sleeve  18  on the generally upright stand  16 , any of which are commonly used in the art and would be understood by one skilled in the art. It should be noted, however, that the quick and simple vertical adjustment and pivotable mounting of the support arm connection sleeve  18  on generally upright stand  16  is a somewhat important feature of the present invention, in that it permits safe, fast, and accurate adjustment of the height and positioning of the thickness gauge for various types of meat product. 
   Mounted on and extending generally perpendicular to support arm connection sleeve  18  is a thickness gauge support arm  20  which, in the preferred embodiment, would include inner and outer arm sections  22  and  24  pivotally connected to one another at joint  26 , as shown best in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The inner section  22  of thickness gauge support arm  20  would preferably be welded to support arm connection sleeve  18  to form a solid and sturdy connection to the support arm connection sleeve  18 . Furthermore, it is preferred that thickness gauge support arm  20  have an overall length of approximately 4 to 10 inches in order to properly space the digital thickness gauge  30  from the generally upright stand  16  so that a large variety of meat products may be measured using the thickness gauge  10  of the present invention. 
   The digital thickness gauge  30  which provides the readout of slice thickness would preferably be mounted on the second end  28  of outer section  24  of thickness gauge support arm  20 , as shown best in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . It is preferred that outer end  28  of outer section  24  of thickness gauge support arm  20  include a generally vertical gauge support hole  29 , and it is though this generally vertical gauge support hole  29  that the digital thickness gauge  30  and particularly the vertically adjustable indicator head  42  of digital thickness gauge  30  would be extended. The hole  29  would preferably be formed such that the digital thickness gauge  30  fits into and is snugly received within the vertical hole  29  to support the digital thickness gauge  30  in the readout position shown best in  FIG. 1  while simultaneously permitting easy removal of the digital thickness gauge  30  from the thickness gauge support arm  20  should adjustment or repair of the digital thickness gauge  30  become necessary. 
   The digital thickness gauge  30  of the present invention preferably includes a plastic body  34  having a digital readout  36  mounted therein, the digital readout  36  connected via a programmed microchip (not shown) mounted within the body  34  of digital thickness gauge  30  to the vertically adjustable indicator head  32  such that the positioning of vertically adjustable indicator head  32  is translated into a distance readout displayed on digital thickness gauge  30 , particularly by the digital readout  36 . Power to the digital thickness gauge  30  is supplied by wires  38  connected to body  34 , the wires  38  being plugged into any available power source such as a battery or wall socket outlet. 
   Finally, immediately prior to reading the thickness of meat product  50  placed on base platform  12 , it is necessary to move the vertically adjustable indicator head  32  out of the way to permit the meat product  50  to be slid underneath the digital thickness gauge  30 . For this purpose, an indicator head engagement and disengagement button  40  would preferably be mounted atop generally upright stand  16  on a button support bar  17 , the engagement and disengagement button  40  operating in the following manner. When button  40  is depressed, vertically adjustable indicator head  32  is lifted upwards into digital thickness gauge  30  to move the indicator head  32  from engagement with a meat product  50  and permit the next meat product to be measured to be slid underneath the digital thickness gauge  30 . When engagement and disengagement button  40  is released, the vertically adjustable indicator head  32  is then released downwards until it engages the meat product  50 , thus enabling the digital thickness gauge  30  to read the thickness of the meat product  50 . Of course, it should be noted that many different kinds of engagement and disengagement devices may be used with the present invention so long as the intended function of protecting the vertically adjustable indicator head  32  during transfer of meat product from the base platform  12  is maintained, including remote control devices and other such devices. 
   In operation, the thickness gauge  10  of the present invention would be used in the following manner. Engagement and disengagement button  40  would be depressed raising vertically adjustable indicator head  32  upwards to permit the meat product  50  to be slid underneath digital thickness gauge  30 . Alternatively, upon pressing engagement and disengagement button  40  to lift vertically adjustable indicator head  32 , the position of digital thickness gauge  30  may be changed by swinging digital thickness gauge  30  out of the way using either the joint  26  on thickness gauge support arm  20  or by rotating support arm connection sleeve  18  about generally upright stand  16 , thus swinging digital thickness gauge  30  out of the way of the incoming meat product  50 . Once the meat product  50  is placed on the base platform  12 , the digital thickness gauge  30  would be positioned over the meat product  50  and engagement and disengagement button  40  would be released, thus permitting vertically adjustable indicator head  32  to descend to contact the upper surface of meat product  50 . The vertical position of thickness gauge support arm  20  and support arm connection sleeve  18  on generally upright stand  16  is fed into the digital thickness gauge  30  or, alternatively, immediately prior to placement of the meat product  50  on base platform  12 , the indicator head  32  is placed in contact with the upper surface of base platform  12  to generate a base reading relative to which the height of vertically adjustable indicator head  32  there above is used to determine the thickness of meat product  50 . In either event, when the vertically adjustable indicator head  32  contacts the upper surface of meat product  50 , the thickness of meat product  50  is shown on digital readout  36  and the operator of the present invention may determine if the slice thickness of the meat product  50  is acceptable or if adjustments to the slice thickness of meat product  50  must be made. This information can then be passed on to other operators of other machines in the meat processing plant to ensure quality control and thus greatly reduce waste and inefficiency. By merely depressing engagement and disengagement button  40 , the operator of the thickness gauge  10  of the present invention prepares the thickness gauge  10  for the next meat product to be measured, and it is thus seen that rapid measurement of the thickness of meat product is enabled to prevent slowing down of the processing line. Finally, to accommodate different varieties of meat products, the height of the thickness gauge support arm  20  may be changed by adjusting the vertical position of the support arm connection sleeve  18  on generally upright stand  16 . 
   It is to be understood that numerous modifications, additions and substitutions may be made to the thickness gauge  10  of the present invention which fall within the intended broad scope of the appended claims. For example, although the digital thickness gauge  30  of the present invention has been described as including several features, such as the vertically adjustable indicator head  32  and digital readout  36 , it may be preferable in some instances to substitute a traditional thickness reading device which does not incorporate digital technology or a thickness measuring device which does not include a vertically adjustable indicator head  32  or that substitutes another thickness measuring device for that indicator head. Substitution of any of these various types of measuring devices is contemplated herein and would be understood by one skilled in the art as being usable with the present invention. Furthermore, the precise size, shape, and construction materials used in connection with the thickness gauge  10  of the present invention are not critical so long as the intended functional characteristics are maintained. Finally, although the present invention is described for use in measuring the thickness of meat product, various other dimensions of meat products may be measured using the present invention, depending on the quality control characteristics which are desired by the users of the invention. 
   There has therefore been shown and described a thickness gauge  10  which accomplishes at least all of its intended objectives.