Abstract:
A device for connecting a meat portioning-filling machine to a clipping machine, comprising a tube which is adapted to convey the meat and to support the tubular casing to be filled; the tube has, at its output section, a fixed contrast cutter which is adapted to work in cooperation with a cutter provided with an actuation for moving the cutter substantially at right angles to the output section.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a device for connecting a meat portioning-filling machine to a clipping machine. 
     It is known that machines for portioning-filling meat in pieces sequentially prepare the intended portions in order to insert them in a tubular casing, very commonly constituted by intestine; it is also known that there is a device which cleanly cuts any tails of the meat pieces protruding from the rear face of the block that forms the portion, so as to present it to the clipping machine in such a shape as to ensure full operativeness of said machine. 
     Known devices are rather slow and not fully efficient in their operation; accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide a device which has high productivity and is capable of ensuring entirely correct operation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This aim is achieved by a device for connecting a meat portioning-filling machine to a clipping machine, according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises a tube which is adapted to convey the meat and to support, at the outer surface and in the presence of braking means, the tubular casing to be filled, said tube having, at its output section toward the clipping machine, a fixed contrast cutter which is adapted to work in cooperation with a cutter provided with means for moving the cutter substantially at right angles to said output section. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the device according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a general perspective, schematic view of the device according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a different perspective, schematic view of the device according to the invention, with the intestine ready to begin operation; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the meat conveyance tube; 
     FIG. 4 is a view of the cutter associated with the corresponding support; 
     FIG. 5 is a view of the actuation cylinder, shown removed from its active position; 
     FIGS. 6 to  9  show, in succession, different steps for the assembling of a part of the device according to the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the figures, the reference numeral  1  designates the tube suitable to convey meat in pieces from the end  1   a , at the flange  2  for fixing to the portioning-filling machine, generally designated by the reference numeral  3  in FIG. 2, to the end  1   b  at a clipping machine, of which the separators, designated by the reference numerals  4   a  and  4   b , are shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Said tube  1  is rested, at its flanges  5   a  and  5   b , against the walls  6   a  and  6   b  of the supporting structure, which also comprises the bottom  6   c , and is locked by means of the latch  7 , which is hinged at  7   a , thus being easily removable for cleaning. 
     The tubular casing  8  made of intestine is suitable to be associated with the outer surface of said tube  1  and of the cavity arranged adjacent thereto, which will be described hereafter; the casing passes in contact with the disk  9  at which the ducts  10   a  and  10   b  connected to a source of vacuum end, and is subjected to the action of braking means which are constituted in a known manner by the disks  11   a  and  11   b , which are connected to each other so as to support and squeeze the ring  12  of elastic material to gradually deform upon contacting said casing  8 . 
     The assembly formed by the disks  11   a  and  11   b  is rotatably supported at the end of the slider  13  inserted in the guide  13   a , which is rigidly coupled to the walls  6   a  and  6   b  of the supporting structure, and can move from the position shown in FIG. 2, which is assumed at the beginning of operation in order to allow to insert the intestine  8  as shown in said figure, to the position shown in FIG. 1, with the ring  12  in contact with the intestine  8 , and rested on the slider  14  inserted in the guide  14   a , which is assumed during operation; locking of the sliders  13  and  14  in said position is provided by means of the locking elements  13   b  and  14   b.    
     The tube  1  is substantially straight, and is provided with a sleeve  15  which is parallel thereto and laterally adjacent, is delimited to the rear by the bottom  15   a , and is open onto the inside of the tube  1  toward the end  1   b  of said tube, where the contrast cutter  16  is located; said cutter is fixed to the support  16   a , which is stably associated with the internal surface of the tube  1  and is shaped appropriately in order to avoid stagnation of meat. 
     The support  17   a  of the cutter  17  having a cutting edge  17   b , is accommodated and guided inside said sleeve  15 , and said support is provided with means for moving from the retracted standby position, shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, so as to advance inside the tube  1  and act with the cutter in contact with the contrast cutter  16  towards the end position shown in dot-and-dash lines, to fully cut any tails of the meat portion. 
     The means for moving the support  17   a  of the cutter  17  are now described. Such movement means are removably supported by the tube  1  in a continuation of the sleeve  15 , within the portion of free space located to the side of the tube  1  at the rear portion of the length whose shape, in cross-section, is a half-circle. It will be noted that said sleeve  15  is laterally adjacent to the front portion of said length. 
     Such movement means comprise the actuation cylinder  15 , being rested with the protrusion  18   a  on the hood  18   b which is fixed to the end flange of the tube  1 , white the hood  18   c , provided at the end of the stem  18   d  of the piston of said cylinder rests on the end  19   a  of the rod  19  which is adapted to be detachably connected at its other end  19   b  to the support  17   a  of the cutter  17  in manners described hereinafter. 
     The ease with which the cylinder  18  is removed during cleaning of the device is made evident by FIG. 5, and the same applies to the rod  19 . 
     Said rod  19  is slidingly inserted in a hole which is provided in the block  20  which is adapted to be detachably connected to the guides  21   a ,  21   b  of the element  21 , which is welded to the bottom  15   a  of the sleeve  15 ; said element  21  and said bottom  15   a  have a hole which allows the passage of the rod  19 , as shown in FIG. 3, the hole being shaped like a slot which is elongated in the direction of the guides  21   a ,  21   b.    
     In order to connect the rod  19  to the support  17   a , the block  20  is moved, as shown in FIG. 6, toward the element  21 , keeping the rod  19  with the end  19   b  within said block, and assuming the position of FIG. 7, in which the end of the rod  19  faces the upper region of the slotted hole provided in the element  21  and in the bottom  15   a  and the wider portion  22  of the hole for accessing an end cavity which is present at the end of said support  17   a.    
     It is thus possible to produce the translation movement of the rod  19  until its end  19   b  enters said cavity present in the support  17   a , as shown in FIG. 8, and complete the engagement at the narrower portion  23  of the hole for access to the end cavity by further lowering of the block  20  in the element  21 , as shown in FIG.  9 . 
     The described invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. 
     The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MN2000A000007 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.