Butchering – Washer
Utility Patent
1999-03-19
2001-01-02
Little, Willis (Department: 3643)
Butchering
Washer
C452S123000
Utility Patent
active
06168511
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for rinsing pieces of meat in a centrifuge of the slinging/scrabing type.
BACKGROUND
Hitherto it has not been possible to exploit all meat in connection with slaughtering of domestic animals, in particular pigs and cattles, because minor meat parts of the individual animal to be slaughtered, for instance socalled marginal meat from the neck region, which meat during the slaughtering process have been in connection with the outflowing blood—for veterinary reasons and because of religious traditions—or because of the costs involved with manual clean cutting have been scrapped or alternatively been used in the production of cat and dog food. In practice it primarily concerns neck meat, namely socalled trimming meat or stab wound meat, which cannot be used as consumer meat, because it in connection with the slaughtering process itself is overflowed with blood etc.
SUMMARY
The invention has for its purpose to provide a method for rinsing pieces of meat and which by means of simple provisions makes it possible to use said marginal meat, which hitherto as a whole has been considered as useless—for consumer purposes.
The method according to the invention is distinctive in that a portion of said pieces of meat for instance in the order of 10-20 kg are centrifuged during simultaneously adding of cold rinsing water for a period of 2-4 minutes, and that said portion thereafter is further treated by centrifuging without adding water for a period in the order of 2-3 minutes, whereafter the rinsed meat, which now may be used for consumer purposes, preferably automatically is emptied from the centrifuge. By simple provisions a combined scraber and massage treatment of the pieces of meat is hereby obtained, which pieces of meat subsequently are rinsed, so that it becomes possible to obtain veterinary approval of the rinsed meat for consumer purposes, for instance for the use by manufacturing of sausages, tinned meat and ready dinners. Furthermore a reduction of the fat content is obtained, because external fat on the pieces of meat during the treatment partly is removed.
However, it is a condition for such a veterinary approval of the rinsing method according to the invention, that said centrifuge may be cleaned effectively before and after treatment of a portion of meat, for instance in idle operation and rinsing through with hot water (about 82° C.) for a short period up to about 2 minutes, so that the centrifuge is cleaned and cleansed from fat and bacteria, before a new portion of meat to be rinsed is filled in the centrifuge.
The invention furthermore relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention, the apparatus comprising a centrifuge of the slinging/scrabing type.
This type of apparatus, which by way of example is described in DE-C-815 014, is originally developed for cleansing of cut up stomachs and third stomachs, but has also been used for cleansing and desliming of in advance turned intestines and cf. for instance Danish Patent Application No. 5299/80 also for degreasing of not turned intestines. For such cleansing purposes a current washing out of the waste is used, which is obtained by use of a surrounding nozzle tube placed along the periphery under said top plate and by use of a peripheral row of drain holes between the edge of the bottom rotor plate and the lower, fixed part of the collecting container, so that the draining of water and waste is carried out via a drain under said drain holes. In spite of the presence of the drain holes the rotating bottom plate will still be able to sling the cleaned goods out against the side of the container, where the material by its sling inertia both will be slung against the innerside of the collecting container and carried around along this innerside, until the material is braked and falls back towards the bottom plate, which then again influences the material to be slinged.
In connection with this invention it is pointed out, that a such slinging and scrabing treatment may be advantageous also in relation to pieces of bloody consumer meat, but hereby it becomes a perceptible problem, that the known apparatuses are extremely difficult to clean so effectively, that the veterinary demands can be fulfilled. For instance it is almost impossible to carry out an effective cleansing in under the top plate of the container via the filling and emptying opening. It is furthermore problematic, that it is difficult to clean the very narrow slit ocurring between the fixed ring-shaped bottom part with said drain holes and the rotating bottom plate. This aimed narrow slit will be a fine growing place for bacteria, also in spite of the fact that it to some extent will be flowed through by the rinsing water, of which the main part however is drained through the holes in the fixed bottom part.
The apparatus according to the invention is distinctive in that said collecting container is connected with an underlying carrying chassis in a swing-open manner, so that the collecting container may be swung up to a position, in which it is possible for instance with a high-pressure cleaner to have free access to wash down the inner side of the top plate through the lower opening of the collecting container exposed by the swing-open thereof. In a simple manner it is hereby possible to make an effective rinsing, for instance with a high-pressure cleaner, of the innerside of the apparatus—in addition to said machine cleaning between treatment of the individual portions of meat.
If said ring-shaped bottom part with drain holes follow this swung up, there will also be access to said narrow slit, so that the opposite side edges of the bottom part are freely available for effective cleaning.
By the apparatus according to the invention it is preferred, that said bottom part consists of a separate plate ring, which is detachably mounted on the carrying arms of the apparatus, so that this plate ring easily may be replaced with a second plate ring with drain holes of a different size, for instance with larger holes for use by rinsing of beef.
By said swinging open up of the collecting container the inner edge of the plate ring will not be exposed; but such an exposure may either take place during demounting of the bottom rotor plate from the driving shaft of the motor or—preferably—by the fact that the plate ring is mounted in a detachable manner on the bearing chassis. This can be done with an easy releasable bolt assembly; but preferably according to the invention more easily with a bayonet assembly, so that the plate ring may be de- and remounted by a simple turning movement. Hereby the plate ring—as a separate part—may be easily detached for effective cleaning of both edges and drain holes.
The invention is explained in more detail in the following with reference to the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4710999 (1987-12-01), Brunner et al.
patent: 587335 (1959-11-01), None
patent: 469506 (1928-12-01), None
patent: 568186 (1933-01-01), None
patent: 815014 (1951-09-01), None
patent: 37849 (1927-08-01), None
patent: 157350 (1919-06-01), None
patent: 2129327 (1984-05-01), None
patent: 59266 (1938-04-01), None
Amstrup Fritz
Antonelli Terry Stout & Kraus LLP
Little Willis
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for rinsing pieces of meat does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for rinsing pieces of meat, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for rinsing pieces of meat will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2456945