WO1994017916A1

WO1994017916A1 - Attachment for a meat mincing machine and apparatus for producing portions of forcemeat

Info

Publication number: WO1994017916A1
Application number: PCT/DK1994/000057
Authority: WO
Inventors: Søren Hylleberg IBSEN; Carsten Trudslev
Original assignee: Ibsen Soren Hylleberg; Carsten Trudslev
Priority date: 1993-02-12
Filing date: 1994-02-08
Publication date: 1994-08-18
Also published as: DK16893D0; DK16893A; AU6106494A

Abstract

An attachment (6) for a mincing machine (1) consists substantially of a spout which can be mounted at the machine's discharge outlet (2). The spout is configured in such a manner that it has an underside which extends upwards at an angle with two upwardly-bent side edges (12) when the machine (1) is in the horizontal position. When the forcemeat leaves the machine's perforated plate (3), the lowermost part of the forcemeat will be lead upwards, while at the same time the uppermost part of the forcemeat will fall downwards on the lower part. At the same time, the string of forcemeat is spread slightly outwards at the sides in the horizontal direction. What is hereby achieved is a continuous and completely regular string of loose, minced meat, whereby oxygen can penetrate into the meat fibres. The attachment according to the invention replaces other arrangements which are considerably more complicated and thus more costly to produce.

Description

Attachment for a meat mincing machine and apparatus for producing portions of forcemeat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns an attachment for use with a meat mincing machine for leading a string of forcemeat which leaves the outlet of the mincing machine in a substantially horizontal direction, and which is designed to be secured to the mincing machine at the outlet, and which is shaped to surround the lowermost part of the outlet and extend from here to a free edge on the attachment.

Such an attachment, which extends horizontally or sloping downwards from the outlet, is known from DE patent 346,921 and DE Al 3,921,595. The known attachments do not have a more closely defined geometric cross-section, and are mere¬ ly intended to control the forcemeat mass for collection in containers before further processing or packing.

The invention also relates to an apparatus for producing portions of forcemeat, and comprising a mincing machine having a substantially horizontally-directed outlet at which there is placed a downwardly sloping chute provided with a transverse cutting device, where in connection with the chute there is a roller which can unwind a roll of paper when a string of forcemeat from the mincing machine leaves the machine and draws the paper with it down the chute.

In the production of packed portions of forcemeat, for example for supermarkets, two different principal methods are known, i.e. the compact method and the free-flow method. With the compact method, a known apparatus of the kind indicated above is used.

The known apparatus has a forming head which extrudes a ho- mogeneous string of forcemeat in a so-called moulder, in which the chute is situated, and which with a cylindrical stub connects tightly to the discharge outlet. Seen in the direction of feeding, the circular opening of the stub changes into a rectangular opening which is of such small area that the forcemeat is compressed by the feeding pres¬ sure in the forcemeat generated by the machine. After being formed, the string is fed out on the chute where it lies on the paper and draws this downwards under the influence of gravity. When the string has passed a distance beyond the cutting device, the forcemeat string is cut over together with the underlying paper. The compressed portions of forcemeat produced by the apparatus have a smooth and tight surface, which means that oxygen cannot penetrate into the centre of the forcemeat portion. Consequently, a discoloration of the inner meat occurs, which assumes an undesirable greyish-brown shade.

With the free-flow method, the meat is not compressed. The known arrangements for this method comprise a substantially horizontal, motor-driven conveyor placed with its one end at the discharge opening of the mincing machine. In a first version of the arrangement, the outlet of the mincing machine is provided with a perforated plate which has holes only in the upper half of the plate. The forcemeat runs out onto the conveyor and is fed continuously away to an auto¬ matic cutting device as described above. In a second version, the perforated plate is normal, i.e. with holes in the whole of the surface, and at the outlet on both sides of the conveyor there are provided guide plates for forming the sides of the string. A continuous string of loose minced meat with parallel "fibres" can thus be fed out on a horizontally-extending conveyor and be divided into equally large portions. With the loose minced meat, there occurs an oxidation through the whole cross-section of the string, so that the grey-brown discoloration is avoided, which in com- bination with the coarse but even structure of the surface gives the portions an attractive appearance.

However, the known arrangements require skill and time to adjust for the correct function, as the speed of the conveyor must be set to suit the production speed of the machine, which varies depending among other things on the type of meat. In order to ensure the correct operation, the speed of the conveyor is controlled electronically, and the arrangements are relatively expensive to produce. Since the machine's production of forcemeat diminishes gradually as the level falls in the machine's feed hopper, this gives rise to variations of up to 200 g in the weight of the forcemeat portions. Finally, the speed of the process is not optimum, in that the mincing machine must be run at less than the nominal speed of rotation in order to avoid uncontrolled spraying-out of the forcemeat and herewith ir¬ regular strings and thus irregular forcemeat portions.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The distinctive feature of the attachment according to the invention is that when the attachment is in position secured to the outlet opening, it extends at obliquely upwards with an even transition of the attachment's internal cross-section from a substantially semi-circular shape at the outlet to a substantially straight segment at the edge, or a straight segment with upwardly-bent ends.

When the attachment is placed in its position of operation opposite the outlet of the mincing machine, the string of forcemeat which flows out of the lower half of the opening will be pressed upwards and at the same time be flattened out. The part of the forcemeat string which flows out of the upper part of the outlet will move downwards and lie substantially plane on the underlying parts of the string. The attachment has been shown not to produce "turbulence" in the string, and the structure of the string, as is the case with the free-flow technique, consists of loose minced meat, where the parts extend parallel in the direction of the string. Moreover, the attachment gives rise to a cer¬ tain compression of the string's underlying part, which thus assumes a more firm consistency, which makes the forcemeat easier to handle later during the course of production. When using the attachment, it is not necessary to use a conveyor with a speed which needs to be regulated, and variations in the machin 's production of forcemeat cause much lesser variations in the size of the portions. With the attachment, the mincing machine can be run at full speed and thus at higher production speed than is the case with the known attachment for the free-flow technique. Furthermore, the attachment according to the invention replaces the considerably more expensive attachments with speed-regulated conveyors.

A particulary simple and easy-to-produce embodiment of the attachment is indicated in claim 2.

In order to achieve optimum operation of the attachment, it is preferred that it be configured as indicated in claim 3.

Moreover, a preferred embodiment of the attachment is dislosed in claim 4, in that the width of the string be¬ comes of suitable size in relation to the height.

In a preferred, simple embodiment of the attachment, it is configured as indicated in claim 5, and comprises a ring designed to be secured in the mincing machine's threaded connection, where the edge is disposed on or near a plane which runs through the ring's pitch-circle diameter and perpendicularly to the main plane of the ring.

The apparatus according to the invention is distinctive in that between the outlet and the chute there is a transition piece which abuts around the lowermost part of the machine's outlet, and which piece from here extends obliquely upwards to a free edge on the transition piece with a gradual change of the internal cross-section of the transition piece from a substantially semi-circular shape at the outlet to a substantially straight segment or a straight segment with upwardly-bent ends at the edge, where the transition piece is placed in such a manner that its edge is situated at a relatively short distance from the highest point of the chute.

During the use of the apparatus according to the invention, the loose string of forcemeat can be pressed up the sloping part of the transition piece. When the string reaches the edge of the transition piece, it continues outwards and, partly under the influence of gravity, is drawn down the chute until being divided into portions by means of the transverse cutting device. With the apparatus according to the invention, no forming by pressure of the side edges or the upper side of the string of forcemeat is used, and the structure of the loose minced forcemeat portions appears the same as when it leaves the discharge opening of the mincing machine. The apparatus according to the invention can be produced at low cost, the reason being that the chute, the cutting device etc. can be produced by the building-up of known elements which are used in the known compact method.

Preferred embodiments of the apparatus according to the in- vention are indicated in the claims 7-10.

THE DRAWING

A preferred embodiment of the attachment and the apparatus according to the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawing, where

fig. 1 shows a vertical section through the apparatus according to the invention,

fig. 2 shows the same as fig. 1, but in an elevated view,

fig. 3 shows the attachment or the transition piece alone seen in the direction towards the discharge outlet,

fig. 4 shows the attachment seen from the side, and

fig. 5 shows an enlarged section of the attachment seen along the line V-V in fig. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

The apparatus according to the invention can be configured as shown in fig. 1, where a normal meat mincing machine 1 has an outlet opening 2 which is provided with a perforated plate 3 through which the minced meat is pressed by the machine. During its passage of the perforated plate 3, the forcemeat forms long, parallel "fibres" which together form a string of forcemeat 4.

The attachment 6 is secured between the threaded connection 5 of the mincing machine and the perforated plate 3. The attachment consists of a circular ring 7 welded to a pres¬ sure-moulded plate part 8 which is almost in the form of a spout. When the attachment is in its mounted position, where the main axis 22 of the machine is horizontal, the plate part 8 surrounds the lowermost semi-circle of the outlet 2. The plate piece 8 thus connects to the inner edge 9 of the ring 7 over a semi-circle. It is not necessary, however, for the connection to be purely semi-circular, in that the shape can, for example, comprise several arcuate segments or short line segments abutting one another.

The plate piece 8 has straight upper edges 12, from where the plate piece in an evenly arcuate transition extends over into the plane piece 11. The edge 13, which lies op¬ posite the plane piece 11, is completely straight apart from the upwardly-extending bends 14 at the ends. The angle a between the plane piece 11 and the horizontal is preferably between 20 and 26°.

In the condition in which the attachment is mounted, as shown in fig. 1, there is thus formed an upwardly-sloping guide opposite the outlet 2. The straight piece of the edge

13 has about the same length as the diameter of the ring's inside edge 9. The distance between the upwardly-bent ends

14 is a little greater than this diameter. The said length and distance are here dimensioned to suit the width of a string from a mincing machine with nominal diameter 100 mm combined with the width of known packing trays for the finished portions of forcemeat. The dimensions of the edge 13 can, however, be varied to some degree depending on the dimensions of the mincing machine and the portions.

When the forcemeat leaves the perforated plate 3, the undermost part of the string is pressed upwards, while at the same time the uppermost part of the string falls downwards, cf. the illustration in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 2, the attachment is configured with a greater width at the edge 13 than at the ring 7, whereby there occurs a slight increase in the width of the string during the pressing out.

A chute 15 which in a known manner is provided with an automatic, transverse knife 16 is arranged with its upper point 17 close to the edge 13. When it has left the at- tachment, ^' the forcemeat can thus continue over on the chute 15 between the chute's side edges 18. The attachment thus forms a transition piece between the outlet 2 and the chute 15. In another embodiment, the transition piece can be secured to the chute 15 at the same time or instead of that shown above.

A continuous length of paper 19, which is unwound from a roller 20, forms an underlayer for the string of forcemeat when this continues down the chute 15. The feeding is ef- fected partly by the force which comes from the mincing machine 1, and partly from the effect of gravity down the chute, and whereby the paper 19 is drawn forward. Unlike the known technique, there is no kind of forming devices at the chute for the formation of the forcemeat string, as this must appear in the same condition as when it leaves the edge of the attachment. For reasons of security, the apparatus can be covered with a casing 21.

Other embodiments of the attachment and the apparatus ac- cording to the invention are naturally possible within the protective scope of the claims.

Claims

1. Attachment for use in a meat mincing machine for guiding a string of forcemeat leaving the outlet of the mincing machine in a substantially horizontal direction, and which is aranged to be secured at the outlet of the mincing machine, and which is shaped as to surround the lowermost part of the outlet and from here extend to a free edge on the attachment, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that when the attachment is secured in position at the outlet, it extends obliquely upwards with a gradual change of the attachment's internal cross-section from a substantially semi-circular shape at the outlet to a substantially straight segment or a straight segment with upwardly-bent ends at the edge.

2. Attachment according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that the attachment is provided with a plane area delimited by and having the edge as its widest part, and where in the mounted condition of the attachment the area extends downwards from the edge with decreasing width.

3. Attachment according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that the plane area in the attachment's mounted condition forms an angle to the horizontal in the region of 16 to 30°, preferably between 21 and 26°.

4. Attachment according to one or more of the claims 1 - 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the width of the edge is greater than the diameter of the outlet.

5. Attachment according to one or more of the claims 1 - 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the attachment comprises a ring which is configured to be secured in the threaded connection of the mincing machine, where the edge is dis- posed at or near a plane which extends through the ring's pitch-circle diameter and perpendicularly to the main plane of the ring.

6. Apparatus for producing portions of forcemeat and comprising a mincing machine with a substantially horizontal outlet at which there is placed a downwardly- sloping chute provided with a transverse cutting device, where in connection with the chute there is a roller which can unwind a continuous length of paper when a string of forcemeat leaves the machine and draws the paper with it down the chute, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that between the outlet and the chute there is a transition piece which abuts around the lowermost part of the machine's outlet, and which piece from here extends obliquely upwards to a free edge on the transition piece with a gradual change of the internal cross-section of the transition piece from a substantially semi-circular shape at the outlet to a sub¬ stantially straight segment or a straight segment with up¬ wardly-bent ends at the edge, where the transition piece is placed in such a manner that its edge is situated at a relatively short distance from the highest point of the chute.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that the transition piece is provided with a plane area delimited by and having the edge as its widest part, from which part the area extends downwards with decreasing width.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e - r i z e d in that the plane area forms an angle to the horizontal in the region of between 16 and 30°, preferably between 20 and 26°.

9. Apparatus according to one or more of the claims 6 - 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the width of the edge is slightly greater than the diameter of the outlet.

10. Apparatus according to one or more of the claims 6 - 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the edge is disposed slightly below or on a level with the centre of the outlet.