U.S. patent application number 13/745214 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-23 for device for making textured portions of food products.
This patent application is currently assigned to STORK FOOD SYSTEMS FRANCE. The applicant listed for this patent is STORK FOOD SYSTEMS FRANCE. Invention is credited to Jacques Le Paih.
Application Number | 20130129851 13/745214 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38870335 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130129851 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Le Paih; Jacques |
May 23, 2013 |
DEVICE FOR MAKING TEXTURED PORTIONS OF FOOD PRODUCTS
Abstract
A device that makes it possible to produce end products having a
textured aspect identical to that of the initial food product
introduced into the pump, and particularly in the case of meat,
keeping the fibrous aspect of the initial pieces of meat. The
device according to the invention may be used for producing
portions from any type of food product in pieces, such as meat in
muscle, filleted fish, and vegetables in pieces such as carrots for
example.
Inventors: |
Le Paih; Jacques;
(Plumeliau, FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
STORK FOOD SYSTEMS FRANCE; |
Baud |
|
FR |
|
|
Assignee: |
STORK FOOD SYSTEMS FRANCE
Baud
FR
|
Family ID: |
38870335 |
Appl. No.: |
13/745214 |
Filed: |
January 18, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12597428 |
Oct 23, 2009 |
8376728 |
|
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PCT/FR2008/000587 |
Apr 24, 2008 |
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13745214 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
425/297 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A22C 7/0007 20130101;
A22C 17/002 20130101; A22C 17/0006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
425/297 |
International
Class: |
A22C 17/00 20060101
A22C017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 27, 2007 |
FR |
0703109 |
Claims
1-17. (canceled)
18. A device for producing portions of a food product in pieces,
the device comprising: a tubular distribution duct receiving
therein a substantially constant flow of food product fed by
delivering means, the tubular distribution duct being ended
horizontally by a discharge orifice; cutting and shaping means
acting on the food product outside the tubular distribution duct in
order to form portions of the food product, the cutting and shaping
means including a knife able to cut the food product, a transport
belt to recover the cuts formed by said knife, and, along said
transport belt, lateral and vertical shaping means to shape the
contour of said portions; and wherein the knife comprises a
rotating blade which is disposed outside the tubular distribution
duct, at the location of said discharge orifice, to cut
transversally and vertically in slices the food product exiting the
discharge orifice.
19. A device for producing portions of a food product in pieces,
the device comprising: a tubular distribution duct receiving
therein a substantially constant flow of food product fed by
delivering means, the tubular distribution duct having an
horizontal discharge orifice, and cutting and shaping means acting
on the food product outside the tubular distribution duct in order
to form portions of the food product, the cutting and shaping means
including a knife able to cut the food product, a transport belt to
recover the cuts formed by said knife, and, along said transport
belt, lateral and vertical shaping means to shape the contour of
said portions, wherein the knife comprises a flat blade having a
curved cutting edge to cut vertically in slices the food product at
said discharge orifice.
20. A device for producing portions of a food product in pieces,
the device comprising: a tubular distribution duct receiving
therein a substantially constant flow of food product fed by
delivering means, the tubular distribution duct having an axis and
a discharge orifice on said axis ending the tubular distribution
duct; cutting and shaping means acting on the food product outside
the tubular distribution duct in order to form portions of the food
product, the cutting and shaping means including a knife able to
cut the food product, a transport belt to recover the cuts formed
by said knife, and, along said transport belt, lateral shaping
means to shape the contour of said portions and vertical shaping
means to confer a desired thickness to said portions; and wherein
the knife comprises a blade which rotates on itself around an axis
parallel to the discharge orifice axis, to cut in slices the food
product exiting the discharge orifice.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a device for producing
portions of food products and more particularly textured portions
of food products from food products in pieces, especially patties
of fresh meat in muscle.
[0002] There has been known from patent document EP 1397047 a
device for producing portions of minced meat, such as minced
steaks, comprising a mincer outputting a stream of minced meat,
having an "angel's hair" type stringy structure created by the
discharge grating of the mincer, an endless conveyor belt
transporting the stream of minced meat at the output of the mincer
and a cutting and shaping device comprising cutting means for
cutting the stream of meat into portions, lateral shaping means
acting simultaneously on each side of the stream of minced meat to
shape the contours of the portions and vertical shaping means
cooperating with said lateral shaping means to confer to said
portions the desired thickness.
[0003] The mincer is associated to a flow-regulating member called
pusher, typically comprising a pump, for example a pallet or piston
type pump, supplied on the inlet by a hopper and whereof the
discharge outlet is equipped with said mincer.
[0004] Patent document EP 1 509 089 describes an identical device
for producing minced steaks filled with a filling. The mincer is
equipped at the output with two distribution spouts for forming a
lower stream of minced meat and an upper stream of minced meat
respectively deposited on a main conveyor and a secondary conveyor.
The filling is deposited on the lower stream of meat, and the upper
stream of meat is then brought to overlap the lower stream of meat
and the filling deposited on the latter to form a stream of filled
minced meat, that then passes in the aforementioned cutting and
shaping device.
[0005] Such devices are provided for producing portions from meat
minced and extruded by the holes of the grating of a mincer. The
final products obtained are textured into strings of minced meat
oriented longitudinally, and thus have a stringy aspect.
[0006] The object of the present invention is to propose a device
making it possible to obtain new products having a different
texture.
[0007] To this end, the present invention proposes a device that
makes it possible to produce end products having a textured aspect
identical to that of the initial food product introduced into the
pump, and particularly in the case of meat, keeping the fibrous
aspect of the initial pieces of meat. The device according to the
invention may be used for producing portions from any type of food
product in pieces, such as meat in muscle, filleted fish, and
vegetables in pieces such as carrots for example.
[0008] The object of the present invention is a device for
producing portions of food products in pieces, especially patties
of fresh meat in muscle, comprising at least one pump able to
deliver at the output a substantially constant flow of food product
in pieces, a tubular distribution duct connected to the discharge
outlet of said pump to receive in the main internal passage thereof
the food product exiting the pump, and comprising at least one
distribution orifice, and cutting and shaping means acting on the
food product distributed by the discharge orifice of the
distribution duct to form portions of food products, characterized
in that said distribution duct is equipped with a cutting system
comprising at least one cutting means which transversally crossing
on either side said main internal passage of the distribution duct,
with a rectilinear cutting edge turned towards the flowing
direction of the flow of food product in order to cut the food
product in at least two layers, in such a way as to obtain textured
portions of food product at the output of the shaping and cutting
means.
[0009] According to the invention, the distribution system is
equipped with at least one cutting means able to cut the flow of
meat into at least two layers. The distribution duct is directly
connected to the discharge outlet of the pump, without inserting a
mincing system, so that, for food products in pieces, a new
multi-layered, multi-stripped and/or in small pieces, textured end
product is obtained whereof the external aspect corresponds to the
texture of the initial food product in pieces. In the case of a
food product in pieces such as meat in muscle, particularly turkey
or chicken breasts for example or pieces of beef meat, the end
product keeps the fibrous aspect of the initial meat. Said cutting
means is a dynamic cutting means, such as for example a flat
reciprocating blade-type blade coupled to a back-and-forth movement
system, a circular rotary blade, a blade coupled with an ultrasonic
generator, a laser beam and/or a water jet.
[0010] According to a feature, said pump is a rotary, piston-type
pump comprising a stator defining a cylindrical cavity, a rotor or
a barrel housed in said cylindrical cavity, able to be rotationally
driven by a motor, said rotor comprising a set of circumferentially
spaced bore holes, in which are mounted pistons, a mechanical cam
cooperating with the pistons to cause, during the rotation of the
barrel, a back and forth alternating movement of said pistons
between a low position and a high position, a lid closing the
cylindrical cavity, a supply orifice that comes into communication
with at least one cylindrical chamber formed by a cylindrical bore
hole of the barrel and its associated piston, and intended to be in
communication with a hopper, a discharge outlet able to come
simultaneously into communication with at least two consecutive
cylindrical chambers.
[0011] According to another feature, in order to ensure a constant
flow of food product and thus obtain a substantially constant
weight portioning, said pump is such as defined in patent document
FR 2 884 287, whereof the entire contents is incorporated here by
reference, said pump comprising [0012] cylindrical chamber
vacuuming means for filling the cylindrical chambers, said
vacuuming means comprising at least one vacuuming channel exiting
in the lower portion of each cylindrical chamber, said vacuuming
means being able to vacuum via the bottom each cylindrical chamber
by its vacuuming channel when the piston associated thereof is in
low position, [0013] and/or cutting means comprising a blade
arranged along the downstream edge of the supply orifice, to cut
the pieces of product extending beyond the cylindrical chambers
during their passage beyond the supply orifice.
[0014] According to another feature, the cutting system of the
distribution duct comprises a first set of cutting means, arranged
in a parallel manner one above another, for example horizontally,
in order to cut the food product coming from the pump into several
layers. The distance between two adjacent cutting means, for
example two flat adjacent blades, is for example comprised between
1 and 20 mm, according to the desired end product, preferably
between 2 and 7 mm.
[0015] According to another feature, the cutting system comprises a
second set of cutting means arranged in a parallel manner one above
another, downstream from the first set of cutting means, in order
to cut into strips each of the layers resulting from the first set
of cutting means, the first set of cutting means and the second set
of cutting means being preferably arranged perpendicularly to each
other. For each set, the distance between two adjacent cutting
means is comprised between 1 and 20 mm, preferably between 2 and 7
mm.
[0016] According to an embodiment, each cutting means of the
cutting system comprises a flat reciprocating blade.
[0017] Advantageously, each set of blades comprises first
reciprocating blades able to be displaced by a first movement
system according to a back-and-forth movement, and second
reciprocating blades, inserted between the first reciprocating
blades, and displaced by a second movement system according to a
back-and-forth movement opposed to that of the first reciprocating
blades.
[0018] According to an embodiment, the cutting and shaping means
are constituted by a cutting and shaping device of a type described
in the aforementioned patent documents EP 1 397 047 and EP 1 509
089. Such a device includes a shaping conveying belt for receiving
a stream of food product coming from the distribution duct, and
along the latter, means for cutting said stream into portions,
lateral shaping means acting simultaneously on each side of said
stream in order to shape the contour of said portions, and vertical
shaping means cooperating with said lateral shaping means in order
to confer the desired thickness to said portions.
[0019] According to a feature, the distribution duct is provided
with a cutting system comprising a cutting means, such as a flat
horizontal reciprocating blade, arranged upstream from separating
means for separating the main internal passage of the duct into two
secondary passages, so as to form an upper stream of food product
and a lower stream of food product, said device comprising,
preferably, a main transport belt in order to receive the lower
stream of food product, a secondary transport belt, advancing
continuously, arranged above the main transport belt in order to
receive the upper stream and possibly, filling depositing means
able to deposit a filling, preferably laterally, on the lower
stream, said secondary transport belt being then able to transport
and deposit said upper stream on said lower stream and the
filling.
[0020] According to another embodiment, the cutting and shaping
means include a knife, preferably rotary, able to slice the food
product exiting the distribution duct, a transport belt to recover
the slices formed by said knife, and preferably, along this
transport belt, lateral shaping means to shape the contour of said
portions, and vertical shaping means to confer the desired
thickness to said portions.
[0021] According to alternative embodiments, the device comprises
several pumps, for example two pumps, the distribution duct being
connected to the discharge outlet of each pump to receive in its
main internal passage the food product exiting each pump, the pumps
being able to be used to deliver various food products.
[0022] The object of the present invention also relates to a method
for producing portions of food product in pieces, especially
patties of fresh meat in muscle, characterized in that it comprises
a step a) of forming a substantially constant flow of food product
in pieces in a distribution duct, a step b) of cutting in said
distribution duct of the food product into at least two layers, and
a step c) of cutting and shaping of the food product at the output
of the distribution duct to form portions of food product having
the texture of the initial food product.
[0023] According to a feature, at step a), the food product is cut
into a plurality of continuous superimposed horizontal layers, for
example of a thickness of 1 to 20 mm, preferably of 2 to 7 mm, each
horizontal layer of food product can also be cut into a plurality
of continuous strips, from 1 to 20 mm of width, preferably 2 to 7
mm of width, that is, strips having cross-sections of 1 to 400
mm.sup.2, preferably of 4 to about 50 mm.sup.2.
[0024] According to a feature, the food product at the output of
the distribution duct has the form of at least one continuous
stream, the step c) comprising the cutting and the shaping of said
stream into portions of food products in superimposed layers or in
longitudinal strips. According to an embodiment, the food product
at the output of the distribution duct has the form of a lower
continuous stream and an upper continuous stream brought to overlap
the lower stream, the method further comprising a step consisting
in depositing a filling on the lower stream before it is covered by
the upper stream, in order to form a main continuous filled stream,
the step c) comprising the cutting and the shaping of said main
stream into portions of food products filled with a filling.
[0025] According to another embodiment, at step c), the food
product at the output of the distribution duct is cut into slices
in order to form, after shaping, portions of food product in
transversal strips or in small pieces of food product.
[0026] The object of the invention also relates to end products
obtained from the method and the producing device defined here
above.
[0027] The invention will be better understood, and other objects,
details, features and advantages will become more apparent from the
following detailed explanatory description of currently-preferred
particular embodiments of the invention, with reference to the
accompanying schematic drawings in which:
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a top schematic view of a device for producing
portions according to a first embodiment of the invention, for
producing filled patties of meat thinly sliced into longitudinal
strips, in which the piston pump and the cutting and shaping device
are only partially shown;
[0029] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view according to
the cutting plan II-II of the device in FIG. 1, the pump being
omitted;
[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device in FIG. 1, the
pump being omitted;
[0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an end product
obtained with an identical device to that shown in FIGS. 1 to
3;
[0032] FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively longitudinal cross-sectional
and perspective views similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, of a first
alternative embodiment of the device of FIGS. 1 to 3, for producing
unfilled patties of meat thinly sliced into strips;
[0033] FIGS. 7 and 8 are respectively longitudinal cross-sectional
and perspective views similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, of a second
alternative embodiment of the device of FIGS. 1 to 3, for producing
filled patties of meat in superimposed layers;
[0034] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a filled
multi-layered patty obtained with the device shown in FIGS. 7 and
8;
[0035] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a third alternative
embodiment of the device in FIGS. 1 to 3, for producing unfilled
patties of meat in superimposed layers;
[0036] FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are respectively schematic perspective
top and cross-sectional longitudinal views, according to plane
XII-XII, of a device according to a second embodiment of the
invention, for producing patties of meat thinly sliced into small
pieces; and,
[0037] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a device according to an
alternative embodiment of the second embodiment of FIGS. 11 to 13
for producing patties of meat thinly sliced into transversal
strips.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0038] First considering FIGS. 1 to 3, they schematically show a
device for producing portions of food products according to a first
embodiment especially intended to produce patties of meat thinly
sliced into strips or sticks and filled with an internal filling,
from pieces of non-minced meat.
[0039] The device comprises a pump 1 schematically and partially
shown on FIG. 1, provided at its discharge outlet 11 with a
distribution duct 2. According to FIG. 2, said distribution duct
comprises an inlet orifice 21 through which the duct is connected
to the discharge outlet of said pump for receiving in its main
internal passage 23 the pieces of meat delivered by the pump, this
main passage subdividing into two secondary passages 24a and 24b
defining downstream into two distributing orifices 22a, 22b,
vertically shifted from each other to form a lower stream of meat
V'1 and an upper stream of meat V''1.
[0040] The pump is a piston pump of the type described in patent
document FR 2 884 287, comprising a stator 12 defining a
cylindrical cavity; a rotor or barrel 13 housed in said cylindrical
cavity, able to be rotationally driven by a motor, said rotor
comprising a set of circumferentially spaced bore holes 14, wherein
pistons 15 are mounted; a mechanical cam cooperating with the
pistons to cause, during the rotation of the barrel, a back and
forth alternating movement of said pistons between a low position
and a high position, a lid (not shown) closing the cylindrical
cavity; a supply orifice that comes into communication with at
least one cylindrical chamber formed by a cylindrical bore hole of
the barrel and its associated piston, and intended to be in
communication with a supply hopper wherein the pieces of meat are
placed; and a discharge orifice that is connected at the discharge
outlet 11 of the pump and that is able to come simultaneously into
communication with at least two consecutive cylindrical chambers.
In order to obtain a substantially homogenous filling of the
cylindrical chambers, with no voids, and thus obtain a
substantially constant flow of food products in pieces at the
output of the pump, the pump comprises, such as described in detail
in the aforementioned patent document, vacuuming means of the
cylindrical chambers for carrying out an aspiration via the bottom
in the cylindrical chambers during their filling, and cutting means
at the supply orifice of the pump to cut those large pieces of meat
extending beyond the cylindrical chambers during their passage
beyond the supply orifice.
[0041] With particular reference to FIG. 3, the distribution duct
is provided with a first cutting system 3 comprising a first set 31
of flat reciprocating blades 310a, 310b, arranged horizontally, in
parallel above one another for cutting the pieces of meat coming
from the pump into horizontal layers. These horizontal
reciprocating blades include substantially rectilinear cutting
edges 311, turned towards the flowing direction of the meat flow F
(FIG. 2) in the duct, and substantially arranged according to a
same transversal plan. Each blade crosses the duct throughout at
its main passage, and is slidingly mounted on the duct by passing
through two opposed slits of the duct wall, arranged symmetrically
on either side of the longitudinal vertical plane II-II. Each blade
comprises an assembling end 312 to assemble it to a movement system
(not shown) able to displace the blade according to a
back-and-forth movement. The blades slide substantially sealingly
in the slits of the duct. This first set 31 comprises first blades
310a assembled on a same side of the duct by their assembling end
312 to a first movement system (not shown), and second blades 310b
coming to interpose between the first blades, and assembled from
their assembling end to a second movement system. This mounting of
blades with two movement systems makes it possible, by an
appropriate control thereof, to obtain a back-and-forth movement of
the first blades opposed to that of the second blades, and thus to
limit or suppress at least in part the transversal loads applied by
the reciprocating blades on the pieces of meat when it is being
cut.
[0042] The first cutting system 3 comprises a second set 32 of
reciprocating blades 320a, 320b, arranged perpendicularly and
downstream from the first set 31 of horizontal reciprocating
blades, in order to cut the pieces of meat into vertical layers, or
more precisely to cut into several horizontal strips or slivers,
each of the horizontal superimposed layers of meat resulting from
the first set 31. The vertical flat blades 320a, 320b of this
second set are vertically arranged, in parallel next to each other,
with substantially rectilinear cutting edges 321 turned towards the
flowing direction of the meat flow F and substantially arranged
according to a same transversal plan. Each vertical reciprocating
blade crosses de duct throughout by passing through two opposing
slits of the duct wall, arranged symmetrically on either side of
the longitudinal horizontal symmetrical plane of the duct. This
second set 32 also comprises first blades 320a assembled from their
assembling end 312 to a movement system to be displaced according
to a back and forth alternating movement opposed to that of the
second blades 320b, interposed between the first blades and
assembled to a second movement system. In the illustrated example,
the first set comprises 7 horizontal reciprocating blades, and the
second set comprises 7 vertical reciprocating blades.
[0043] With reference to FIG. 2, these two sets of blades are
arranged at a so-called cutting portion 231 from the main passage,
including an upstream part 231a and a downstream part 231c whereof
the transversal circular sections substantially correspond to those
of the discharge orifice of the pump, and a central part 231b
crossed by the blades, whereof the circular transversal section is
higher than those of the upstream and downstream parts, in order to
take into account the encumbrance of the blades, and prevent a
compression of the meat when it passes by the blades.
[0044] Downstream from the cutting portion, the main passage
extends by a so-called shaping portion 232a,b comprising a first
part 232a whereof the section passes progressively from upstream to
downstream from a circular section to a rectangular section and a
second part 232b of constant rectangular section corresponding to
the desired section of the main stream V1. Downstream from this
second part 232b, the main passage is divided into two secondary
passages 24a and 24b of identical rectangular cross-section.
[0045] As illustrated on FIGS. 1 to 3, the distribution duct 23 is
formed of three tubular pieces assembled to each other: a first
piece 25, provided with a skirt 211 for its mounting on the pump,
which forms the cutting portion 231a-c of the main passage; a
second piece 26 forming the first part 232a of the shaping portion
of the main passage; and a third piece 27, divergent-shaped,
comprising a first part 27a of constant rectangular cross-section,
defining the second part 232b of the shaping portion of the main
passage, this first part 27a extended by a second part 27b, whereof
the rectangular cross-section increases upstream-wise to
downstream-wise, and wherein is mounted a corner-shaped piece 28,
of longitudinal cross-section in an isosceles triangle, to form the
two secondary passages 24a, 24b between the main surfaces of the
corner-shaped piece 28 and the wall of the second part 27b of the
third piece.
[0046] The distribution duct is provided with a second cutting
system 4 comprising one single flat horizontal reciprocating blade
410 crossing throughout the distribution duct at part 232b of
constant rectangular cross-section of the shaping portion to ensure
the separation of the meat flow of the main passage into two
identical meat flows towards the secondary passages. The
reciprocating blade 410 passes through two lateral slits of piece
27 and is arranged along the ridge of the corner-shaped piece 28.
Its cutting edge 411 is positioned just upstream from this ridge,
and is turned towards the flowing direction of the meat flow, or
such as illustrated on FIG. 2, is slidingly mounted in a groove of
the corner-shaped piece 28 and forms the ridge of said
corner-shaped piece. This cutting blade is assembled by its
assembling end 412 to a back-and-forth movement system.
[0047] The two streams V'1 and V''1 exiting from the distribution
orifices 24a and 24b are each formed of superimposed layers of
continuous slivers. The lower stream V' is deposited on the upper
strand of a main transport belt 51; whereas the second stream is
received on the upper strand of a secondary transport belt 52,
arranged above the main transport belt 51, parallel to the latter,
both belts being substantially isovelocity driven.
[0048] A filling dispenser (not shown) is arranged downstream from
the distribution duct to deposit the filling at regular intervals
on the lower stream V'1, in the form of relatively liquid topping
doses, or in the form of slices G as shown in the drawings. The
filling dispenser is for example of the type described in patent
document EP 1 509 089, and comprises a notched conveyor wheel to
laterally bring the filling between the two transport belts 51 and
52. The length of the secondary transport belt 52 is less than that
of the main transport belt 51, and the upper stream V''1 is
deposited at the output of this secondary transport belt 52 on the
lower stream V'1 and the slices of filling G having just been
deposited, to form the main continuous stream of slivered and
filled meat V1.
[0049] The main stream is transferred as it is formed towards a
cutting and shaping device 6, shown partially and schematically on
the drawings, operating synchronically with the main transport belt
51, on the one hand to process the stream V1 as it is formed, and
on the other hand, to cut into portions substantially in the middle
of intervals between the successive slices of filling.
[0050] The cutting and shaping device 6 is of the type described in
the aforementioned patent documents EP 1 397 047 and EP 1 509 089,
comprising a transport belt called shaping conveying belt, intended
to make the main stream V1 advance while being formed, which, in
practice, is advantageously the main transport belt 51 whereon the
main stream V1 is constituted. The device comprises along the
latter, downstream from the secondary transport belt 52, means for
cutting said stream into portions, lateral shaping means
simultaneously acting on each side of said stream to shape the
contour of said portions, and vertical shaping means cooperating
with said lateral shaping means to confer the desired thickness to
said portions. The lateral shaping means associated to the belt 52
comprise indented lateral shaping blocks 61 that advance
symmetrically by sliding on each side and immediately above it. The
blocks are adjacently mounted one after another in a same endless
loop arrangement mounted above the belt 52. From upstream to
downstream on the belt, blocks 7 get progressively closer facing
each other until they touch to form therewith, by their indents
611, shaping cells, then move apart again. Each of said lateral
shaping blocks exhibit two indents on each side of a central tip
612, so that the shaping cells are each formed between two
consecutive pairs of lateral facing shaping blocks. Only two
consecutive pairs of shaping blocks are shown on the drawings. The
blocks comprise in their lower wall slits 613 whereby they are
slidingly mounted on transversal rails which form the cutting
means. A synchronism is provided between the filling dispenser D
and the advancement of rails 42, so that the sectioning of the
stream V is properly performed in the interval between two slices
of filling. The vertical shaping means are constituted of pressing
elements that cooperate with the lateral shaping blocks to come and
close from the top said cells when they are formed, then descend
therein in two times, first to carry out the desired compacting of
portions, then to transfer them positively to a lower level on a
transport belt following belt 52, and ensuring their loading into
packaging trays.
[0051] FIG. 4 shows in a very schematic manner an end product P1
obtained with a similar device to that described with reference to
FIGS. 1 to 3, but comprising a first set of 7 horizontal
reciprocating blades and a second set of 5 vertical reciprocating
blades. The end product has a fibrous structure of superimposed
layers of longitudinally arranged strips. Of course, the
illustration in FIG. 4 is very schematic, the strips being in
contact with each other and being formed from one or several pieces
of meat. In comparison with a standard minced steak, the end
product retains the fibrous texture of the initial pieces of
meat.
[0052] FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of the device
shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 for producing an end product P2 that is
different from product P1 by the fact that it does not comprise any
filling. The distribution duct 102 comprises an inlet orifice 121
and one single distribution orifice 122 for forming one single
stream V2. The main internal passage 123 is not subdivided into two
secondary passages, it comprises, as previously, a cutting portion
231, formed by a first piece 25, at which are mounted the two sets
of reciprocating blades 31 and 32, and a shaping portion whereof
the first part 232a is formed as previously by the second piece 26
and whereof the second part 232b is constituted this time of one
piece 128 of constant rectangular transversal cross-section forming
a simple distribution spout with a unique distribution orifice 122.
The device comprises one single main transport belt 51 for
receiving the stream V2, and along which is positioned the cutting
and shaping device 6.
[0053] FIGS. 7 and 8 show an alternative embodiment of the device
shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 for producing a multi-layered filled end
product P3. The distribution duct 202 is different from that of
FIGS. 1 to 3 by the fact that it is provided with a first cutting
system comprising only one first set 31 of horizontal reciprocating
blades, so as to form at the output a filled stream V3 of meat in
superimposed layers, from a lower stream V'3 and from an upper
stream of meat V''3. According to FIG. 9, the textured end product
P3 obtained is formed of superimposed layers of meat.
[0054] FIG. 10 shows another alternative embodiment that is
different from that of FIGS. 5 and 6 by the fact that the
distribution duct 302 is provided with a cutting system 3 that does
not comprise a set of vertical reciprocating blades, the end
products P4 obtained from stream V4 being of multilayered-type,
like product P3, but with no filling.
[0055] According to another alternative embodiment not shown, the
distribution duct is formed of the aforementioned piece 26 that is
directly connected to the pump, and of the dual distribution spout
system, formed by aforementioned pieces 27 and 28, provided with a
second cutting system 4. The reciprocating blade thus serves to cut
into two layers, the meat delivered by the pump, the two layers
being separated so that each one passes into a secondary passage.
By way of example, this device may be used to form portions of
turkey or chicken breasts, filled with filling, entire breasts
being directly loaded in the hopper supplying the pump.
[0056] FIGS. 11 to 13 show a second embodiment wherein the
distribution duct 402 is formed of a tubular piece 29 directly
mounted at the output of the piston pump (not shown) and comprising
a main internal passageway 423 of constant internal transversal
cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of the output of
the pump, with an inlet orifice 421 and a distribution orifice 422.
The duct is equipped with a cutting system 103 formed of a first
set 131 of horizontal reciprocating blades 1310a, 13010b and of a
second set 132 of vertical reciprocating blades 1320a, 1320b,
arranged downstream of the first set to cut the meat into
rectangular or square slivers or strips, arranged in superimposed
layers. These two sets 131, 132 are similar to those 31, 32
described before, with first and second blades displaced in
opposing parallel back-and-forth movements. Each set 131, 132
comprises for example 13 blades.
[0057] As a cutting means, the shaping and cutting device 106
comprises a rotary knife 162 including a flat blade with a curved
cutting edge 162a, that is arranged perpendicularly to the
longitudinal axis of the duct and parallely to the front side 428
of the duct that serves as cutting surface plate. The blade is
rotationally driven by a motor 163 around an axis parallel to the
axis of the duct so as to displace the curved cutting edge 162a of
the blade in front of the discharge orifice 422, to cut vertically
in slices T5 the meat exiting from the distribution duct. The knife
thus makes it possible to cut into small pieces the continuous
strips formed at the output of the cutting system 103. The device
comprises a transport belt 52 on the upper strand from which are
recovered the slices T5 of small pieces of meat. The FIGS. 11 to 13
schematically show the slice at the output of the duct on the
transport belt, with pieces of meat all oriented vertically. In
practice, in the case of portions obtained from pieces of raw meat,
and according to the number of blades and thus according to the
size of the strips, the slice T5 that has just been cut and that
has fallen on the transport belt, is in the form of a heap of small
pieces of thinly sliced meat oriented in all directions. Lateral
and vertical shaping means 61 identical to those previously
described are arranged along the belt 52 to shape the contour of
substantially circular portions P5, and to provide them with the
desired thickness.
[0058] FIG. 14 shows an alternative embodiment wherein the
distribution duct 502 only comprises a first set of horizontal
reciprocating blades 131, to obtain at the output of the duct,
slices T6 of meat in strips oriented mainly transversally, then
circular portions P6 at the output of the shaping means.
[0059] Although the invention has been described in relation with
several particular embodiments, it is to be understood that it is
in no way limited thereto and that it includes all the technical
equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations
should these fall within the scope of the invention.
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