Abstract:
A processing line for stripping fresh meat quarters which comprises an endless conveying line, an electrical power source operatively associated with said conveying line, a plurality of carriages slidably mounted on said processing line and communicating with said electrical power source for independent movement on said processing line, and, meat quarter support means operatively associated with each of said carriages for vertical adjustment relative to the conveying lines.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to cattle slaughtering lines, and in particular meat stripping lines. 
     In the known art slaughtered animals are cut into quarters, and specifically into two hind quarters and two fore quarters. The quarters are then stripped of meat and divided into the various meat pieces. Stripping is carried out by resting said quarters on a work bench on which specialized workers known as meat strippers operate to cut off the various meat pieces, known as cuts, and deposit them in appropriate collection baskets. 
     Each meat stripper is specialized in separating one or more specific cuts from the animal quarter, maximum productivity being achieved by making each meat stripper always separate the same cut. 
     In industrial slaughtering plants, from which high productivity is required, this procedure is of poor efficiency because the various meat strippers have to operate simultaneously on the same quarter, which slows down the entire meat processing operation. 
     Consequently in the slaughter industry there is a requirement to use a meat stripping line in which the flow of quarters and the work of the meat strippers are organized to a maximum extent. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to satisfy this requirement within the framework of a rational and reliable solution. 
     The object of the present invention is achieved according to the present invention by providing an animal meat stripping line which comprises an endless rail supporting a plurality of movable carriages, each provided with means enabling them to move along the rail, the meat quarters to be stripped being hooked onto them. 
     Each carriage is provided with a support mechanism for the meat quarter, means for positioning meat quarter at the required height to bring each cut to the most comfortable working height for the operator who is to separate it, means for supporting the quarters during the meat stripping operation, and means for collecting the separated meat cuts. 
     The processing line of the present invention is also provided with usual means for feeding the quarters to said carriages, means for emptying said collection means for the stripped meat pieces, and means for washing the collection means for the stripped meat pieces. There is also provided a line for withdrawing and evacuating the meat scraps resulting from the stripping. 
     Because of its characteristics, the line operation is very flexible. 
     The carriages are driven continuously along the line, each meat stripper following the carriage for the distance necessary to separate the meat cut of his responsibility. 
     The speed at which the carriages move is adjusted such as to give each operator sufficient time to separate his cut or cuts. 
     The maximum number of operators dedicated to the line corresponds to the number of cuts to be separated. However the line can also operate with a smaller number of operators if each operator is required to separate more than one cut. 
     In passing from one line portion to the next, the means which set the height of the quarter hanging from the carriage operate to bring to a convenient height that cut which is to be separated by the next operator. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The operational and constructional characteristics of the invention will be more apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated on the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the meat stripping line of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of one of the constituent carriages of the line of the present invention, equipped for stripping the fore quarters; 
     FIG. 3 is a view in the direction III of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of one of the constituent carriages of the line of the present invention, equipped for stripping the hind quarters; 
     FIG. 5 is a view in the direction V of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The figures show the meat stripping line  1 , which comprises a plurality of carriages  2 , each of which is slidingly suspended from an endless overhead rail  3  of I cross-section. 
     A bus duct  31 , shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, is associated with the rail  3  to supply electricity to all the carriage devices mentioned hereinafter. 
     Specifically, each carriage  2  is suspended from the rail  3  by means of the wheels  6  and  7 . The wheel  6 , which is the front wheel in the direction of movement of the carriage  2 , is motorized by a usual geared electric motor  8 , which enables each carriage  2  to move along the rail  3 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 2,  3 ,  4  and  5 , the lower end of each carriage  2  is guided by wheels  5  slidable on identical guides  4 , which are endless as in the case of the rail  3  and are parallel both to each other and to the rail  3 . 
     At its front the carriage  2  presents a shaped body  9  comprising two slide sleeves  10  and  11  and two identical parallel rods  12  and  13 . The upper end of the rods  12  and  13  are joined together upperly by a plate  14  and the lower ends thereof; by a plate  15  forming the terminal part of a vertically extending column  16  suspended from the carriage  2 . 
     The column  16  lowerly supports a container  17  at its lower ends for collecting the stripped meat pieces, and also, at about its midpoint; supports an inclined work surface  18  constructed of a synthetic material such as teflon or the like. 
     The assembly consisting of the rods  12  and  13  and the column  16  functions as an elevator traveling along a vertical axis, the height of which can be adjusted by a geared electric motor  19 , having an output shaft which is fixed to a gearwheel, for engaging the screw  20  positioned between and parallel to the rods  12  and  13  and fixed at its ends to the plates  14  and  15 . 
     To prevent the thread of the screw  20  from becoming soiled or ruined, it is protected by a bellows sheath  21 , and the bottom of the plate  14  is provided lowerly with a rubber stop plug  22 . Likewise, the plate  15  is provided with the plug  23  for the same purpose. 
     The plate  15  also supports the structure which support the meat quarters to be stripped of meat. The structure varies depending on whether the line is dedicated to fore or hind quarters of meat. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a carriage  2  equipped for stripping fore quarters, whereas FIGS. 4 and 5 show the same carriage  2  equipped for stripping hind quarters. 
     With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 the device for supporting meat fore quarters comprise two identical geared electric motors  24 , on the shaft of which there is keyed a pulley  25  about which a chain  26  winds. To the free end of the chain  26  there is fixed a hook  27  to be inserted into a portion of the meat. 
     The meat fore quarters are hooked onto the hooks  27  by an operator who withdraws them, in the loading station  40 , from a usual overhead conveying line, not shown. 
     To facilitate the operations which the operator has to carry out when hooking the meat quarters to the hooks  27 , the hooks are lowered to a suitable height by the geared motors  24  to enable the operator to grip them and hook them to the meat quarter. The operator then causes the hooks  27  to rise so that the meat quarter is carried into the working position shown in the figures. 
     The device for supporting the meat hind quarters are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. This device comprise a plate  30  fixed to the plate  15  by known means and shaped in such a manner as to automatically receive and support the meat quarters. Specifically, the meat quarters are fed to the carriage  2  when in the loading station  40 , by an overhead conveying line comprising a guide  28  which supports sliding hooks  281  suspended from wheels  282 , and from which the meat hind quarter is hung. 
     The end of the conveying line  28  is positioned in front of the plate  30  fixed to the base of the plate  15 . Each plate  30  comprises a cradle  301  into which the wheel  282  is urged such that the quarter becomes supported by the carriage  2 . The means which enable the wheels  282  to pass from the guide  28  to the cradle  301  are not shown as they are well known in overhead conveying systems. 
     The operation of the meat stripping line  1  is controlled by an electronic processor, not shown, which controls the movement of the carriages in accordance with the following operation, which varies according to which meat quarters are to be stripped. 
     If the line is dedicated to stripping meat fore quarters, an operator hooks the hooks  27  to each meat quarter which arrives suspended form the loading station  40 , and then raises it until it rests on the rear lying surface  18 . 
     If the line is dedicated to stripping hind quarters, the processor positions each carriage  2  in front of the line  28 , and then slides the wheel  282  with its hook  281  and suspended quarter into the cradle  301  of the plate  30 . 
     When the carriage has been loaded, it is driven with uniform speed along the rail  3 . 
     As the carriage precedes along the rail it passes in front of the meat strippers, each of whom separates one or more meat cuts from the meat quarter. The meat cuts are then placed in the container  17 , whereas the scraps are placed in appropriate collection baskets  100  positioned behind the operators to slide along an adjacent guide track  101 . 
     On termination of stripping, a usual overturning device positioned along the line removes the container  17  and overturns the meat cuts onto a conveyor, not shown, then rehooks the container  17  to the carriage  2 . 
     The carriage  2  is then passed to a wash station  102  and then parked (aligned with the other carriages) to await a new load. 
     The processor controls not only the travel speed of the individual carriages but also the height adjustment of the meat quarters, such that each line operator is presented at the most comfortable height with the meat cut to be separated. 
     In particular there is a continuous exchange of information and commands between each individual carriage and the processor along the entire extent of the line, so that on each carriage and in the various working positions there is a continuous variation in the height of the meat quarter and possible other parameters, to optimize the work of the respective operator in separating the meat cut. 
     The height of the quarter to be stripped can also be adjusted manually by two control switches  103  and  104 , so that each operator can adjust the height of the quarter to his preferred position. 
     Finally, each carriage is provided with proximity sensors  105  to prevent them from colliding with the next carriage. 
     All the objects of the invention are attained by the aforedescribed combination of means.