Butchering – Carcass subdivision – Loin remover
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-10
2003-04-15
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3641)
Butchering
Carcass subdivision
Loin remover
C452S136000, C452S156000, C452S150000, C452S134000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06547658
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus used in the meat processing industry, and more particularly to an apparatus used to separate the loin portion of meat from carcass halves. Although the apparatus described herein was designed for the purpose of separating pork loins, it can be used for similar operations on other types of meat.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of meat processing, such as pork processing, it is well known that excess fat is removed from the back of the loin of a animal carcass to recover the loin before final cutting and/or packing the meat for market. Typically, the carcass of the animal is cut into two halves, and then cut transversely to remove the hind and fore quarters. The resulting portion is commonly referred to as the “middle” and will be referred to herein as the “carcass middle”. Each carcass middle includes a loin to be removed from the back fat. The loin is adjacent to the belly and to the back bone, or chine, and is situated between the ribs and the outer layer of fat.
Various automatic devices have been developed to provide for the separation of the loins from the carcass middle. Typical of the art is the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,806 issued to W. P. Van Heyningen on Feb. 26, 1980 and Canadian Patent No. 1,079,114 issued on Jun. 10, 1980. Both disclosed the same invention and, like other known devices at that time, required the carcass middle to be further subdivided prior to removal of the loin.
A device for accomplishing the automatic removal of the loin from a full carcass middle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,371 owned by a common assignee of the present invention. A further device for accomplishing the automatic removal of the loin from a full carcass middle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,898 also owned by a common assignee of the present invention. Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,407,384, 5,882,252 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,968, (referred to herein as “the '968 patent”), each owned by a common assignee to the present invention, disclose further devices for accomplishing the automatic removal of the loin from a full carcass middle. These devices are incorporated herein by reference for teachings regarding the general structure and operation of a “loin puller”. It is an improvement over the device disclosed in the '968 patent that is described fully hereinafter. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,032, issued to Young et al., on May 7, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,306, issued to Young et al., on Dec. 3, 1996, disclose a loin separation apparatus and method of operation thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,196, issued to Doerfer et al., on Nov. 13, 1973, discloses a loin knife mechanism and an associated animal processing machine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,417, issued to Long et al., on Dec. 19, 1995, discloses a bent blade holder for receiving, bending and supporting a flexible blade in an automatic skinning machine for trimming a non-linear layer of unwanted material from a meat product. U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,084, issued to O'Brien et al, on Aug. 2, 1994, discloses a method and apparatus for automatically trimming fatty tissue from animal carcasses. U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,269, issued to Norrie, on Dec. 25, 1990, discloses a method and apparatus for separating back fat from loins. U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,290, issued to Cloninger, on Dec. 4, 1990, discloses a manually operated, mechanical loin knife. U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,939, issued to Leblanc, on Feb. 25, 1992, discloses an apparatus for trimming back fat off a pork loin. U.S. Pat. No. 3,546,737, issued to Neebel et al., on Dec. 15, 1970, discloses a loin pull and rib cut machine. And, U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,178, issued to Hoffman, on Sep. 20, 1971, discloses a manually operated loin knife.
The hoop, or U-shaped, configurations of the prior art create a high risk of scoring a loin portion of an animal carcass middle when the backfat is separated from the loin portion. Moreover, when the loin is separated from the belly portion prior to removing the backfat from the loin, overall yield is reduced because a portion of backfat, and the “fingers of lean” associated with the serratus dorsalis muscle, remain on the loin portion rather than on the belly portion where it has a greater value. It will be appreciated as well that separation of the loin portion of the carcass from the belly portion, and then subsequent removal of the skin and backfat from the loin portion are operations typically performed at separate stations.
While the '968 patent separates the belly and loin while maximizing belly yield by leaving the fingers of lean intact on the belly portion, the lade portions are not independently articulated. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dual blade automatic loin puller apparatus which increases the overall yield by separating the belly portion from the loin portion immediately prior to removing the backfat and skin from the loin while reducing the risk of scoring a loin portion of a carcass middle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a dual blade automatic loin puller apparatus which separates the belly portion from the loin portion in a manner in which a greater portion of backfat, as well as fingers of lean remain intact on the belly portion, therefore increasing overall yield and which allows independent articulation of dual blades.
Other objects and advantages over the prior art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description together with the drawings.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for processing an animal carcass middle and for separating at least a loin and fatback portion thereof. The apparatus includes a frame for elevating a working surface a selected distance above a work support surface, with the frame supporting a loin separator assembly having at least two means for cutting attached thereto, a means for conveying the carcass middle toward the loin separator assembly, and a gripper assembly for gripping the carcass middle on the means for conveying. The loin separator assembly includes at least two means for cutting incorporating a first cutting blade having a z-shaped blade configuration so as to leave a shelf cut on a belly portion while a portion of “finger” lean on the loin portion. The z-shaped blade serves to separate the loin portion from the belly portion and cuts through virtually the entire length of “fingers of lean” of the carcass middle which include a portion of the serratus dorsalis muscle, leaving a portion of fingers of lean on the belly portion and the loin portion therefore increasing the amount of exposed lean meat on the fatback side of the belly portion. This increases the useable size of the belly cut of the carcass middle. The z-shaped blade is provided with a bight that is positioned on the z-shaped blade such that the upper bend of bight is proximate the kerf created by a scribe saw blade of the loin separator assembly. The loin separator assembly further includes a second cutting blade having a j-shaped blade configuration for removing a selected depth of skin and fatback from the loin portion subsequent to the above described removal of the belly portion. The j-shaped blade is positioned proximate the z-shaped blade such that the carcass middle first engages the z-shaped blade and then the j-shaped blade.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1079114 (1913-11-01), Davidson
patent: 2510173 (1950-06-01), Harter
patent: 3177520 (1965-04-01), Vogt
patent: 3352011 (1967-11-01), Alexander et al.
patent: 3546737 (1970-12-01), Neebel et al.
patent: 3605178 (1971-09-01), Hoffmann
patent: 3771196 (1973-11-01), Doerfer et al.
patent: 3789456 (1974-02-01), Doerfer et al.
patent: 3849836 (1974-11-01), Bernard et al.
patent: RE28508 (1975-08-01), Neebel et al.
patent: 4189806 (1980-02-01), Van Heynigen
patent: 4970755 (1990-11-01), LeBlanc
patent: 4974290 (1990-12-0
Boody Lawrence D.
Chappell David L.
Acraloc Corporation
Alimenti Susan C
Jordan Charles T.
Pitts & Brittian P.C.
LandOfFree
Dual blade loin knife assembly for automatic loin puller... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Dual blade loin knife assembly for automatic loin puller..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Dual blade loin knife assembly for automatic loin puller... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3030046