Patent GB-1185866-A (GB)
Title: Method and Apparatus for the Division of Frosted Foodstuffs
Inventor: MELCHERT DIETER
IPC: A22C25/18
Filed: 1967-11-10
Abstract: 1,185,866. Cutting frozen foodstuffs. INSTITUT FUR HOCHSEEFISCHEREI und FISCHVERARBEITUNG. 10 Nov., 1967, No. 51330/67. Heading A4C. [Also in Divisions B5 and B8] Frozen foodstuffs, particularly fish, are cut into portions by two simultaneously conducted cutting operations per cutting plane from opposite faces of the block in such a way that small quantities of swarf occur which remain on the cut edges, or are conducted past so slowly that the predominant part can connect itself thermally with the cut faces so that only slight losses of weight occur due to the division operation. Suitable cutting apparatus (Figs. 7 and 8) comprises a plurality of tool carriers 20 in which are mounted hollow shafts 21, contained in a housing 19. On to said shafts 21 are secured receiving bodies 22 which are axially adjustable and in which are mounted circular dividing wheels 23, 24 and 25, the drive of the shafts 21 being effected by shafts 26 driven by motor 27. Successive such cutting units may be provided to affect division in different directions, appropriate conveying, feeding and orientating devices being provided before each stage, various arrangements being outlined (Figs. 1-6, not shown). A feed mechanism (Figs. 9, 10) for the cutting units comprises two double-acting cylinders 29 carrying at the ends of each piston rod 36 a pair of chain wheels or cable pulleys mounted on slide rods 35, over which runs a chain or cable 30 drawn by the stroke movements of the working cylinders 29 over the reversing and support points 38-43. The chain or cable 30 entrains the guide piece 32 seated on the slide rail 34 which is connected to the push member 33. A portion erecting device (Figs. 11 and 14) for turning portions through 90 degrees comprises a working table consisting of a plurality of elements on to which the portions are pushed, and spring loaded depressors 47 bearing down on the portions. A working cylinder 54 is arranged to move a rack 55 causing pinions 56 to rotate and hence rotate shaft 57 carrying a plurality of chain wheels 50, 51 and hence via chain 52, 53 elements 45 move down and elements 46 move up so that the portions tilt down under the influence of elements 47. After the portions have rotated through 90 degrees the elements 46 and 47 are restored to their original positions thus raising the portion to the working level for the next operation. A storage device (Fig. 15) at the end of the cutting line to allow cutting to continue if packing is delayed comprises a toothed segment 58 driven by a motor 78 which drives gear wheels 59 and 60 of equal size in such a way that the gear wheels alternately carry out one revolution each and a magazine consisting of a magazine shaft 79 and a raising and lowering table 73, which may be charged by engaging the electro magnetic plate clutch 77 with the cam disc 63. By means of the toothed segment 58, gear wheels 59 and cam disc 63 a push member 65 is used to push a row of portion pieces 75 from the conveyer belt 74 on to the lowering and raising table 73 and the stack 76. The threaded spindle 76 is then moved by means of the toothed segment 58, the gear wheel 60 and change-over wheels 68, 69, 70 and 71 whereby the table descends the height of a portion. The portions are emptied from the magazine by engaging clutch 77 with gear wheel 61 and reversing the direction of rotation of the motor so that the segment 58 runs in the opposite direction and by means of gear wheels 59, 61, 62 and cam disc 64, the push member 66 pushes the rows of portions 75 out of the magazine on to the conveyer 74. The spindle 72 is then moved by means of toothed segment 58, gear wheel 60 and change-over wheels 68, 69, 70 and 71 whereby the table 73 rises. The push members 65 and 66 are manoeuvred in every position on the appropriate cam discs 63 and 64 by initial stress elements 67, for example compression springs. Switches 81 and 80 serve to stop the device when the magazine is full or empty respectively.