Abstract:
A meat pulling apparatus having a hopper and a rotating drum with a plurality of pins or rippers capable of pulling or shredding a food material. The hopper having one or more meat stops which assist in the pulling or shredding and prohibit the food material in an upper portion of the hopper from entering a lower portion of the hopper until the food material is pulled or shredded. The apparatus is capable of resting on or positioning over a receptacle which collects the pulled or shredded food product. One or more comb strips separate or clean the pulled or shredded food product from the drum and the pins or rippers. The drum is preferably rotated via the coupling of an electric motor therewith yet may utilize manual or other rotary type drives. A feed cover having a magnetic safety portion assists in food product feeding and promotes user safety.

Description:
This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/125,805, filed Apr. 30, 2008, entitled Meat Pulling Apparatus. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The art of the present invention relates to meat or food processing devices in general and more particularly to an apparatus and method of use which pulls or shreds cooked meat into smaller more edible and tender portions. The art of the present invention is especially useful with pork which is often “pulled” for placement onto sandwiches or to be served alone. 
     Foodstuffs and especially meats such as chicken, turkey, beef, pork, and fish are prepared in a plurality of forms with a variety of textures. The forms include but are not limited to pulling or shredding. When utilizing a pulling or shredding technique, the meat fiber is separated or reduced into a user desirable texture and/or size. Often the texture or size is formed as meat strands which lends to the term “pulling”. 
     Traditionally, a pair of conventional forks have been utilized to manually pull apart the meat in order to form the “pulled” portions. Unfortunately, this prior art technique is time consuming and inefficient, especially for restauranteurs. The present art apparatus and method of using the same separates or “pulls” the meat in a timely fashion and with a substantially uniform texture and form. 
     The present art utilizes a hopper within which is located a motor driven rotating drum having a plurality of pins or rippers which “pull” the meat. One or more blocks or meat stops prohibit the meat from entering a lower portion prior to being “pulled” and one or more comb strips separate the pulled meat from the drum whereby it may easily fall into a collection receptacle. The present art allows an operator or restauranteur to insert meat into an upper portion, activate the apparatus, and collect “pulled” meat in a collection receptacle below the apparatus, all with a minimum amount of effort and a maximum amount of safety. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a meat pulling apparatus which minimizes the time necessary to produce a pulled meat and maximizes the amount of pulled meat which may be produced by a restauranteur. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a meat pulling apparatus which is easily disassembled and cleaned. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a meat pulling apparatus which minimizes the chances of clogging. 
     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a meat pulling apparatus which minimizes any safety hazards to the operator or user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In its preferred form, the art of the present invention utilizes a uniquely shaped hopper into which the meat portions are placed and which has a rotating drum with a plurality of pins or rippers extending therefrom which reduce or “pull” the meat into the constituent fiber or strand portions. In a preferred embodiment, the drum is powered via a motor connected via a shaft coupler and coupling shaft. Preferably said motor has an integral gear reducer which increases the torque and reduces the rotary velocity. 
     The preferred embodiment of the hopper has an upper portion and a lower portion and represents a substantially rectangular cross section. The drum is preferably of a cylindrical shape having a diameter less than the width of the hopper. Each of the pins or rippers is pressed into and held within a separate hole within the drum. Also for the preferred embodiment, the pins or rippers are positioned on a first side of the drum surface and extend substantially perpendicularly to a tangent of the drum with the remaining pins or rippers positioned substantially opposite the first pins on the drum surface. 
     Within said hopper one or more blocks or meat stops are mounted onto one or more sidewalls of said hopper between said drum and the sidewall and further provide a thorough pulling or shredding of the meat or food product. The blocks or meat stops are preferably positioned substantially parallel with the center axis of the drum and tangential to the drum surface. The blocks or meat stops are positioned to provide a clearance to the drum and pins while prohibiting larger strips or portions of meat or food product from exiting the upper portion of the hopper. 
     For the preferred embodiment, a feed cover is provided which is sized to fit within the upper portion of the hopper, protect the user, and allow the user to impart a downward force onto the meat or food product placed within the hopper. The preferred embodiment of the cover sidewalls further have one or more magnets or magnetic strips mounted thereupon and allow a reed, hall effect, or other type of magnetic switch electrically positioned or connected inline with the motor power supply to close when the cover is inserted into the upper portion of the hopper. The magnet and switch combination prohibit apparatus operation unless the cover is inserted which further ensures user safety. 
     The lower portion of the hopper has one or more comb strips mounted with the apparatus which separate or clean the pulled or shredded meat or food product from the drum and pins or rippers. The comb strips have a plurality of teeth which are separated in order to provide clearance for the pins or rippers as the drum rotates. The comb teeth preferably are positioned very close to the drum but may actually contact the drum in alternative embodiments. 
     The art of the present invention may be manufactured from a plurality of materials including but not limited to metals and alloys thereof, plastics, composites, or ceramics without departing from the scope and spirit herein intended. The apparatus may further be manufactured via molding, machining, casting, forging, pressing, laminating, carving, or utilization of stereo-lithographic or electro-dynamic milling or other techniques which are appropriate for the material utilized. For the preferred embodiment, the drum, hopper, housings, and pins or rippers are manufactured from a stainless steel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Numerous other objects, features, and advantages of the invention should now become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a left front perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle. 
         FIG. 2  is a right plan view of a meat pulling apparatus which is substantially symmetrical with a left plan view. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear plan view thereof. 
         FIG. 4  is a front plan view thereof. 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view thereof. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view thereof. 
         FIG. 7  is a left rear perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle. 
         FIG. 8  is a left front perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle with the feed cover removed. 
         FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle with the feed cover and motor housing cover removed. 
         FIG. 10  is a right perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle showing an x-ray view of the drum and comb strip(s). 
         FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle showing an x-ray view of the drum and comb strip(s) and the removable wall removed. 
         FIG. 12  is a right rear perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle showing an x-ray view of the internal components. 
         FIG. 13  is a right front perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle showing an x-ray view of the internal components. 
         FIG. 14  is a right rear perspective exploded view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle. 
         FIG. 15  is a right front perspective exploded view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle. 
         FIG. 16  is a rear plan view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross sectional view taken along lines  17 - 17  of  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 18  is a cross sectional view taken along lines  18 - 18  of  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 19  is a top front perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle showing placement of food product within the upper portion of the hopper. 
         FIG. 20  is a top front perspective view of a meat pulling apparatus mounted atop a collection receptacle showing the pulled or shredded food product within the receptacle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in the Figures a preferred embodiment of a meat pulling apparatus  10 . In its preferred form, the art of the present invention  10  utilizes a uniquely shaped hopper  12  into which the meat portions are placed and which has a rotating drum  54  with a plurality of pins or rippers  56  extending therefrom which reduce or “pull” the meat into the constituent fiber or strand portions. In a preferred embodiment, the drum  54  is powered via a motor  66  connected via a shaft coupler  70  and coupling shaft  68 . Preferably said motor  66  has an integral gear reducer which increases the torque and reduces the rotary velocity. A preferred embodiment of the present art utilizes a ⅙ th  horsepower electric induction motor operating with 110 volt 60 hertz power. Alternative embodiments may utilize motors having a plurality of power ratings or utilize pneumatic or hydraulic motors or provide a crank mechanism for manual rotation of the drum. Alternative embodiments may further provide a coupling via a plurality of means, including but not limited to chain or belt drives, gear drives, frictional drives, flexible shafts, or direct drives. 
     The preferred embodiment of the hopper  12  has an upper portion  36  and a lower portion  38  and represents a substantially rectangular cross section of approximately 5 inches width by 10 inches length with a depth of approximately 10 inches. Alternative embodiments of the hopper  12  may take a plurality of forms and cross sections including but not limited to cubic, elliptical, spherical, or conical. The drum  54  with the plurality of pins or rippers  56  is slightly smaller than the width and length of the substantially rectangular hopper  12  in order to provide a clearance. In the preferred embodiment, the drum  54  has an extending shaft  58  at each end. Each of said shafts  58  rotatably mate with a separate bearing  60  at each end of the hopper  12  in the preferred embodiment. The shaft  58  end which mates with the motor  66  or coupling shaft  68  is preferably slightly longer and has a square cross section portion  62  which mates with a square section of the shaft coupler  70 . In the preferred embodiment, the bearings  60  are of a polymeric material which are held via the sidewalls of the hopper and have a hole for rotatable acceptance of the shafts  58 . Alternative embodiments may forego use of the bearings or utilize other staple forms of bearings as recognized by those skilled in the arts. 
     The drum  54  is preferably of a cylindrical shape having a diameter less than the width of the hopper. Alternative embodiments may utilize drums having a plurality of shapes or cross sections, including but not limited to conical, rectangular, or elliptical. Each of the pins or rippers  56  are pressed into and held within a separate hole within the drum. In a preferred embodiment the pin  56  diameter is approximately ⅛ inch and extends approximately ⅜ inch from the drum  54  surface with each pin  56  separated from an adjacent pin by approximately ¼ inch center-to-center. Also for the preferred embodiment, a total of 54 pins or rippers  56  are utilized with the first 27 pins or rippers  56  positioned on a first side of the drum  54  surface and extending substantially perpendicularly to a tangent of the drum  54 . The remaining 27 pins or rippers  56  are positioned substantially opposite the first 27 pins  56  on the drum  54  surface in a preferred embodiment. That is, the remaining 27 pins or rippers  56  also extend substantially perpendicularly to a tangent of the drum  54  but at a location which is approximately 180 degrees of rotation relative to the first 27 pins. Preferably the drum  54  has a hollow interior but alternative embodiments may utilize a drum  54  having a filled or solid core. The pins or rippers  56  may take a plurality of forms and cross sections, including but not limited to cylindrical, square, elliptical, sharpened edge forms, or combinations of the aforesaid. The pins or rippers  56  may further be formed separately from or integrally with the drum  54  and positioned at a plurality of locations on said drum  54 . 
     The extending shaft  58  of the drum  54  is coupled with said motor  66  via a shaft coupler  70 . Preferably said motor  66  is housed within a motor housing  64  which is separated from the hopper  12  with the drum shaft  58  having the square cross section portion  62  transitioning between the two cavities or housings  12 ,  64 . Alternative embodiments may not enclose the motor  66  or may place the motor  66  integral with the drum  54 . Further alternative embodiments may utilize shaft  58  cross sections and/or couplers  70  which take a plurality of forms, including but not limited to keyed, pressed, frictional, or splined. 
     Within said hopper  12  one or more blocks or meat stops  16  are mounted onto or with one or more sidewalls  14  of said hopper  12  between said drum  54  and the sidewall  14  and further provide or allow a thorough pulling or shredding of the meat or food product  74 . The blocks or meat stops  16  are positioned substantially parallel with the center axis of the drum  54  and tangential to the drum  54  surface and are approximately of a ⅜ inch cube form with a separation from block-to-block of approximately 1¾ inches center-to-center for a preferred embodiment. For the preferred embodiment, five blocks or meat stops  16  are mounted upon the sidewall  14  of the hopper  12 . Each block or meat stop  16  is positioned between every five pins or rippers  56  which extend from the drum  54  with the exception of the single pins  56  at each end of the drum  54 . That is, with the exception of the end single pins  56 , the pins or rippers  56  have a greater adjacent separation, i.e. approximately ⅝ inch, where each block  16  is positioned upon the hopper sidewall  14 . The blocks or meat stops  16  are positioned to provide a clearance to the drum  54  and pins  56  while prohibiting larger strips or portions of meat or food product  74  from exiting the upper portion  36  of the hopper  12 . Alternative embodiments may incorporate blocks or meat stops  16  having a plurality of shapes and forms, including but not limited to circular, elliptical, knife edge, or serrated and may further be mounted separately or integrally with said hopper  12 . Further alternative embodiments may forego use of the blocks or meat stops  16 . 
     For the preferred embodiment, a feed cover  24  is provided which is sized to fit within the upper portion  36  of the hopper  12 , protect the user, and allow the user to impart a downward force onto the meat or food product  74  placed within the hopper  12 . The feed cover  24  is preferably of a pliable polymeric material which is softer than the material of the drum  54  and pins or rippers  56 . The softer material assures that the drum  54  and pins or rippers  56  are not damaged during operation. For the preferred embodiment, the feed cover  24  has a first portion  26  (or food product  74  contact portion) having a partial radius or arcuate form which is attached with two extensions or cover sidewalls  28 . The extensions  28  serve as handles or grips for the first portion  26  and in the preferred embodiment have one or more “L” shaped lips  30  at the topmost portion for user gripping. The first portion  26  form fits over the meat or food product  74  during operation and allows the user to apply the downward force necessary to ensure proper pulling or shredding. Alternative embodiments may utilize a plurality of means to cover or feed the food product  74  during operation, including but not limited to lids, dowels, utensils, or mechanical feed mechanisms. 
     The preferred embodiment of the cover extensions or sidewalls  28  further have one or more magnets or magnetic strips  32  mounted thereupon and allow a reed, hall effect, or other type of magnetic switch  34  electrically positioned inline or in communication with the motor  66  power supply to close when the cover  24  is inserted into the upper portion  36  of the hopper  12 . The magnet  32  and switch  34  combination prohibit apparatus  10  operation unless the cover  24  is inserted which further ensures user safety. In the preferred embodiment, the magnetic switch  34  is located within the motor housing  64  or the portion of the apparatus  10  which contains the motor  66 . Also within the preferred embodiment, the magnet  32  is attached to an extension  28  of the feed cover  24  as a strip and allows the magnetic field thereof to activate the magnetic switch  34  through the hopper  12  sidewall  14  when the cover  24  is inserted into the hopper  12 . Alternative embodiments may utilize a plurality of methods to ensure cover  24  placement, including but not limited to mechanical switches, light curtains, ultrasonic detection, or proximity detectors. 
     The lower portion of the hopper  12  has one or more comb strips  40  mounted with the apparatus  10  which separate or clean the pulled or shredded meat or food product  74  from the drum  54  and pins or rippers  56 . The comb strips  40  have a plurality of teeth  42  which are separated in order to provide clearance for the pins or rippers  56  as the drum  54  rotates. The comb teeth  42  preferably are positioned very close to the drum  54  but may actually contact the drum  54  in alternative embodiments. Preferably the comb  40  is mounted via quick disconnect fasteners  44  to the underside  46  of the apparatus  10  whereby it may be easily and quickly removed for cleaning. That is, holes  48  are placed into the underside  46  of the apparatus  10  into which the quick disconnect fasteners  44  mate and hold the comb strip(s)  40 . For the preferred embodiment, the comb strip(s)  40  substantially extends the length of the drum  54  at or within the lower portion  38  of the hopper  12  and has a number of spacings between the teeth  42  which correspond to the number of pins or rippers  56 . The comb strip(s)  40  may take a plurality of forms and utilize a plurality of mounting methods, including but not limited to individual scrapers mounted with or separately with the apparatus  10 , engaging teeth, or auger type separating systems. The quick disconnect fasteners  44  may embody a plurality of fastener types within alternative embodiments, including but not limited to nuts or wing nuts and threaded studs, pins, magnets, or hook and loop fasteners. 
     The preferred embodiment of the lower portion  38  or underside  46  of the apparatus has one or more extending lips  50  which allow a secure mating with a collection receptacle or container  72 . That is, the pulled or shredded food product  74  requires collection and the apparatus  10  rests upon the collection receptacle  72  in a stable fashion. The lips  50  prohibit the apparatus  10  from sliding from the topmost portion of the receptacle  72 . Also in the preferred embodiment, an adjustable height support arm  52  is placed below the cavity or housing  64  in which the motor  66  is mounted and provides additional support for the apparatus  10 . The support arm  52  prevents the apparatus  10  from tipping as it sits or seats with the upper portion of the collection receptacle  72 . That is, the support arm  52  is adjusted to substantially match the height of the receptacle  72  and rest upon the counter top or surface upon which the pulling or shredding operation occurs. Alternative embodiments may utilize two, three, or more support arms  52  or legs in place of or in addition to the extending lips  50 . The legs allow the apparatus  10  to be placed over or above a collection receptacle or container  72  whereby the collection receptacle or container  72  may be slidably removed from the underside  46  of the apparatus  10 . 
     The preferred embodiment of the hopper  12  has a removable wall  18  farthest from the motor  66 . The removable wall  18  is preferably held with four fasteners or threaded studs  20  extending from the apparatus and preferably secured with knob nuts  22 . The knob nuts  22  allow for easy removal of the wall  18  for cleaning and disassembly without the use of tools. Upon removal of the hopper wall  18 , the drum  54  may be removed from the square socket within the motor shaft coupler  70  in order to facilitate cleaning. As described, the components which touch the food product  74  are removable for cleaning. Alternative embodiments may hold said removable wall  18  via a plurality of methods, including but not limited to pins, magnets, quick disconnect fasteners, or hook and loop fasteners. 
     In operation, the user places the apparatus  10  over the receptacle or container  72  and adjusts the support arm  52  for stability. The user then engages power to the motor  66 . The user then inserts meat or other food product  74  into the upper portion  36  of the hopper  12 . The user then places the feed cover  24  into the hopper  12  and over the food product  74 . Upon insertion, the magnetic strip  32  activates the magnetic switch  34  and the motor  66  begins operation. The drum  54  with pins or rippers  56  begins the pulling or shredding of the food product  74  within the hopper  12 . As pulled or shredded, the food product  74  exits the lower portion  38  of the hopper  12  in a pulled or shredded form and falls into the collection receptacle  72 . The aforesaid process is repeated as necessary. Upon completion, the user removes the removable sidewall  18 , the drum  54 , and the comb strip(s)  40  in order to clean all portions of the apparatus  10  which came in touch with the food product  74 . Thereafter, the aforesaid portions are reassembled and the apparatus  10  may be utilized for further pulling or shredding operations. 
     Although described for enablement purposes, the lengths, widths, and other dimensional attributes may depart significantly from those specified. The shape, size, location, component numbers and mounting methods utilized for the drum, pins or rippers, comb strips, or other components may take a plurality of forms as recognized within the pertinent arts without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
     Having described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made to the invention and its method of use without departing from the spirit herein identified. Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described. Rather, it is intended that the scope of this invention be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.