Butchering – Support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-28
2001-06-12
Little, Willis (Department: 3643)
Butchering
Support
C452S134000, C452S187000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244951
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a carcass configurer, and more particularly to a hog carcass configurer to enable an American-style hog to be used with a European-style leaf lard puller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In commercial meat packing operations, animals, such as hogs, are slaughtered, bled, skinned, eviscerated and the carcass is then cut into halves before it is chilled. The carcasses are suspended from an overhead rail and are moved by a conveyor on the rail. Prior to being cut in halves, they are cut open along the abdominal face and along the rib cage, thus providing an access of extracting the viscera and the offals. After this operation, the hogs are brought to a leaf lard puller where the leaf lards are removed. One model of a leaf lard puller is the Stork FLR leaf lard puller produced by Stork MPS B.V. from Holland.
However, the Stork leaf lard puller and any other leaf lard puller that is manufactured for use in Europe is made for use with “European” style hogs. That is, when the European-style hogs are cut open along the abdominal face, they are prepared such that the hogs typically have a width of approximately 16 inches. Operating standards in the United States are different and the hogs have a width of approximately 22 inches. Therefore, when a European-style leaf lard puller is attempted to be used with an American-style hog, the leaf lard puller does not work. The American-style hogs are too far apart and the leaf lard puller is not able to be properly used when the hog carcass is separated too far apart.
The leaf lard pullers are positioned adjacent the overhead conveyor and move along with the hogs as the hogs are transported on the overhead conveyors. The leaf lard pullers operate “on the fly”. Therefore, there is a need to be able to adapt the American-style hogs for use with a European-style leaf lard puller.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, the invention is an apparatus for configuring an animal carcass for processing by a leaf lard puller. The carcass has been split longitudinally through its backbone. The carcass is suspended by an overhead conveyor. The apparatus includes a frame and a carriage operatively connected to the frame for movement and alignment with a conveyor suspending a hog. A connecting member has a first and second end. The first end is operatively connected to the carriage and the second end is movable between a first position and a second position. A pair of opposable arms are operatively connected to the connecting member approximate its second end. The arms are movable between an open position and a configuring position. A drive mechanism is provided for moving the carriage on the frame, wherein the arms are positioned around the hog carcass in the open position and as the arms are moved to the configuring position, the hog carcass is moved to the desired size for use with a leaf lard puller.
In another embodiment, the invention is a method of configuring a split hog carcass for processing by a leaf lard puller as the carcass is moved along a conveyor. The method includes moving a connecting member from a first position to a second position, wherein the arms are positioned around a hog carcass. Moving the arms from an open position to a configuring position, wherein the hog carcass is configured to be processed by a leaf lard puller. The arms are then moved back to an open position and the connecting member is moved back to the first position.
In another embodiment, the invention is an apparatus for configuring an animal carcass for processing by a leaf lard puller. The carcass has been spread longitudinally through its backbone. The carcass is suspended on a conveyor. The apparatus includes a frame and a carriage operatively connected to the frame for movement and alignment with a conveyor suspending a hog. A connecting member is operatively connected to the carriage and is movable between a first position and a second position. A pair of opposable arms are operatively connected to the connecting member and movable between an open position and a configuring position. A drive mechanism is provided for moving the frame from an ending position to a starting position, whereby the frame is moved from the starting position to the ending position by phasing movement of the carriage with movement of the hog by the opposable arms in the configuring position around the hog.
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patent: 4653150 (1987-03-01), Leining
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patent: 5785588 (1998-07-01), Jacobs et al.
patent: 133427 (1979-01-01), None
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patent: 406793 (1934-03-01), None
Hormel Foods, LLC
Little Willis
Mau & Krull, P.A.
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