Butchering – Viscera processing
Patent
1993-02-18
1994-07-05
Little, Willis
Butchering
Viscera processing
452118, 452160, A22B 520
Patent
active
053263090
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to evisceration of animals, and particularly to processes and apparatus for use in eviscerating beef and other animals in abattoirs, boning plants, etc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In Patent Specification No. WO89/05584 there is described a process and apparatus for evisceration of an animal carcass such as beef carcass. The process described in that specification includes steps such as cutting of the pubic symphysis or "aitch bone", cutting of the sternum or "brisket", and, while the carcass is suspended by the legs and with the head or cranial end of the carcass higher than the rump or caudal end, moving an apparatus into the abdominal cavity to cut away the diaphragm by contouring up the inside of the walls of the abdominal cavity. While the carcass is oriented head up, a mechanical scoop enters the thoracic cavity at the neck and is moved down along the spine inside the carcass to clear the thoracic viscera (the "pluck") and finally push the complete viscera including the paunch and kidneys between the hind legs. The complete viscera remains attached by the external iliac arteries on opposite sides of the spine and/or by the aorta and to detach the viscera, a mechanical gripper is advanced to clamp and pull or cut the remaining attachments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The process and apparatus described in WO89/05584 therefore requires several modules or apparatuses, namely the aitch bone cutting apparatus, the brisket cutting apparatus, the diaphragm cutting apparatus, the viscera removal apparatus and the viscera connection severance apparatus, in addition to the need for manual dressing or preparation operations at one or more points in the operation.
It is an object of the present invention to simplify and/or make more effective the process and apparatus for eviscerating an animal carcass.
It is a further object to provide a process and apparatus for automating substantial parts of a carcass evisceration operation.
According to the present invention this is provided a process of eviscerating an animal carcass including the step of pushing the viscera comprising both the thoracic viscera and abdominal viscera in a direction (B) from the cranial end of the carcass towards the caudal end so that the thoracic viscera is pushed into the abdominal cavity and the viscera is pushed from the carcass between the hind legs of the carcass, the process being characterised by the step of at least partially severing connecting tissues prior to pushing the viscera from the carcass, the connecting tissues comprising tissues which might otherwise support the viscera and prevent the viscera falling from and detaching completely from the carcass after being pushed between the hind legs.
Preferably the tissues which are at least partially severed comprise external iliac arteries and/or the aorta.
The step of severing connecting tissues may be carried out during a dressing operation, the connecting tissues being located between the thoracic or abdominal viscera and the walls of the thoracic or abdominal cavity so that when the pushing operation causes the abdominal and thoracic viscera to emerge from the carcass, the ejected viscera can separate from the remainder of the carcass under their own weight. In the preferred process, the carcass is suspended in an inverted position with the cranial end of the carcass elevated above the caudal end, the pushing process causing the viscera to be ejected between the hind legs of the carcass and to fall from the suspended carcass onto a viscera collection area such as a conveyor. In order to enable the viscera to fall and detach completely from the suspended carcass, the severance of connecting tissues may be carried out in a dressing operation, e.g. when manual operations such as removal of the pizzle and erector muscles, clearing and pulling the rectum and bunging of the sphincter, bagging the anus, and sealing the end of the rectum to eliminate contamination, are being carried out on the carcass which is suspended with the cauda
REFERENCES:
patent: 3886635 (1975-06-01), Meyn
patent: 4087886 (1978-05-01), Aubert
patent: 4951352 (1990-08-01), Harben, III et al.
patent: 5026317 (1991-06-01), Kennedy
patent: 5062820 (1991-11-01), Rankin et al.
Buhot John W.
Heidke Darryl J.
Leiner Andrew M.
Mills Edward G.
Witham William J.
Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation
Little Willis
Meat Research Corporation
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