U.S. patent number RE33,904 [Application Number 07/660,728] was granted by the patent office on 1992-04-28 for method and apparatus for automatically cutting food products to predetermined weight or shape.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Frigoscandia Food Processing Systems A.B.. Invention is credited to Norman A. Rudy, James S. Tomlin.
United States Patent |
RE33,904 |
Rudy , et al. |
April 28, 1992 |
Method and apparatus for automatically cutting food products to
predetermined weight or shape
Abstract
Food products, such as fish fillets, chicken fillets, and many
others, are cut to predetermined portion sizes of equal weight and
volume, or to predetermined profile shapes, by moving the food
products on a conveyor, scanning them as they move through a shadow
line with a camera capable of providing a programmed computer with
dimensional data, and utilizing the computer to control the
operation of a plurality of high pressure water jet cutters to cut
the food products to reduced sizes as dictated by the computer
program.
Inventors: |
Rudy; Norman A. (Renton,
WA), Tomlin; James S. (Seattle, WA) |
Assignee: |
Frigoscandia Food Processing
Systems A.B. (Helsingborg, SE)
|
Family
ID: |
22625082 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/660,728 |
Filed: |
February 25, 1991 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
171774 |
Mar 22, 1988 |
04875254 |
Oct 24, 1989 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
452/150; 452/170;
83/365; 452/161; 83/371 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A22C
17/002 (20130101); A22C 17/0073 (20130101); A22C
25/18 (20130101); B23Q 17/24 (20130101); B26D
3/10 (20130101); B26D 5/32 (20130101); B26D
7/30 (20130101); B26F 3/004 (20130101); B26D
5/007 (20130101); B26D 5/00 (20130101); Y10T
83/543 (20150401); B26D 5/04 (20130101); Y10T
83/364 (20150401); Y10T 83/533 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
B26D
7/30 (20060101); A22C 25/00 (20060101); A22C
25/18 (20060101); B26D 7/00 (20060101); B26F
3/00 (20060101); B23Q 17/24 (20060101); A22C
025/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;452/150,161,170,163
;83/365,368,371,177,424,428 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Little; Willis
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Olson & Olson
Claims
We claim:
1. Apparatus for cutting food and like products to desired reduced
sizes, comprising:
(a) a frame,
(b) elongated conveyor means on the frame for moving the product
from an infeed end to an outfeed end,
(c) means on the frame for determining the dimensions of product as
it moves on the conveyor means, and
(d) at least one line-type cutter on the frame movable transversely
of the conveyor means .Iadd.while cutting .Iaddend.and having a
cutting edge disposed on a line extending through the working
stretch of the conveyor means for cutting products moving on the
conveyor means along lines predetermined to reduce the product to
desired size.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 including control means responsive to
the dimension determining means and operable to move the line-type
cutter to effect cutting product along said predetermined
lines.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dimension determining means
includes means on the frame for providing a shadow line extending
transversely of the conveyor means for movement of product
thereacross, camera means for scanning said shadow line, and
computer means connected to said camera means and operable in
accordance with a computer program to effect movement of the
line-type cutter along said predetermined lines.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 for cutting food product, wherein the
dimension determining means includes means for determining the
dimensions of an undesirable area of the food product moving on the
conveyor means, and cutters are operable to cut along the
dimensions of the undesirable area.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 including fluid pressure power means on
the frame engaging one of the line-type cutters and operable to
move the cutter to predetermined fixed positions intermediate the
sides of the conveyor means, to effect cutting of a moving product
on a line parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor
means.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 including fluid pressure power means on
the frame engaging one of the line-type cutters and operable to
move the cutter at a rate of speed relative to the rate of speed of
the moving conveyor means to effect cutting of a moving product on
a line substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of
the conveyor means.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 including fluid pressure power means on
the frame engaging one of the line-type cutters and operable to
move the cutter at a rate of speed relative to the rate of speed of
the moving conveyor means to effect cutting of a moving product on
a line that is curved with respect to the direction of movement of
the conveyor means.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 including fluid pressure power means on
the frame engaging one of the line-type cutters and operable to
move the cutter at a rate of speed relative to the rate of speed of
the moving conveyor means to effect cutting of a moving product on
a line obliquely with respect to the direction of movement of the
conveyor means.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 including an elongated flexible ribbon
attached at one end to the cutter and extending in the downstream
direction of movement of the conveyor means, and a laterally
widened plow member secured to the downstream end of the ribbon and
fixed to the frame intermediate the sides of the conveyor means,
the ribbon and plow member effecting separation of the cut pieces
of products to laterally spaced positions on the conveyor
means.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated conveyor means
includes a plurality of movable endless conveyor belts spaced apart
in the longitudinal direction of movement of the conveyor belts,
the space between adjacent conveyor belts forming a narrow gap
registering with one of the line-type cutters.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the line-type cutter is a
high pressure water jet cutter.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the high pressure water jet
cutter includes an orifice member communicating with a source of
high pressure water, a carriage member mounting the orifice member
for movement transversely of the conveyor means, and fluid pressure
power means interengaging the carriage member and frame for moving
the carriage member.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fluid pressure power
means includes an elongated fluid pressure reciprocative
piston-cylinder unit, and control valve means communicates the
cylinder of said unit with a source of fluid pressure for
regulating the rate of speed of movement of the carriage
member.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the dimension determining
measuring means includes means on the frame for providing a shadow
line extending transversely of the conveyor means for movement of
products thereacross, camera means for scanning said shadow line,
and computer means connected to said camera means and operable in
accordance with a computer program to actuate said control valve
means to effect movement of the water jet cutter along said
predetermined lines.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the line-type cutter is a high
pressure water jet cutter, the conveyor means includes a wire mesh
conveyor registering with the water jet cutter, and the water jet
cutter is arranged to cut through a product on the conveyor without
cutting or otherwise damaging the wire mesh conveyor.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality of line-type
cutters are arranged in a plurality of laterally spaced groups
forming a plurality of production lanes for the simultaneous
cutting of products arranged on the conveyor means in laterally
spaced rows.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of line-type
cutters spaced apart laterally across the conveyor means, means
supporting the plurality of cutters for simultaneous lateral
movement to vary the spacing between said cutters, and power means
engaging the supporting means for moving said cutters.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the cutter supporting means
includes a pantograph mounted pivotally on the frame and engaging
said power means.
19. Apparatus for cutting food products to desired reduced sizes,
comprising:
(a) a frame,
(b) an elongated conveyor on the frame for moving food product from
an infeed end to an outfeed end, the conveyor including a plurality
of movable endless conveyor belts spaced apart in the longitudinal
direction of movement of the conveyor, the space between adjacent
conveyor belts forming a narrow gap,
(c) means on the frame for providing a shadow line transversely of
the conveyor for movement of food product thereacross,
(d) camera means for scanning said shadow line,
(e) a plurality of line-type cutters on the frame movable
transversely of the conveyor means and each having a cutting edge
registering with an associated one of the narrow gaps in the
conveyor, and
(f) computer means having an input connected to said camera means
and operable in accordance with a computer program to effect
movement of the line-type cutters along said gaps to effect cutting
of the food product along said predetermined lines.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein each line-type cutter is a
high pressure water jet cutter having an orifice member
communicating with a source of high pressure water, a carriage
member mounting the orifice member for movement transversely of the
conveyor, an elongated fluid pressure reciprocative piston-cylinder
unit interengaging the frame and carriage member, and control valve
means actuated by said computer means and communicating the
cylinder of said unit with a source of fluid pressure for
regulating the speed of movement of the carriage member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the commercial processing of food
products, and more particularly to the automatic cutting of fish
fillets and other food products to predetermined portion weights or
profile shapes.
Commercial production of fish fillets of predetermined portion
weights heretofore has been afforded by the method and apparatus
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,019. This method and apparatus
involves the intermittent scanning of fish fillets as they move
along a conveyor to determine the weights of a plurality of
longitudinally adjacent thin slices of each fillet and the number
of such slices required to produce the desired portion weight, and
then activating a cutter to move transversely across the conveyor
to cut the fillet along lines which correspond to the number of
slices in each fillet portion, to produce a plurality of portions
of equal weight and volume.
Although the above described method and apparatus is satisfactory
for limited commercial production, it is incapable of a production
level necessary to keep up with present day food assembly and
packaging operations. Further, it is incapable of producing fish
fillets and other food products of predetermined profile shapes,
such as are desirable in the packaging of sandwiches, frozen
dinners and other foods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In its basic concept, the method and apparatus of this invention
involves the scanning of fish or chicken fillets or other food
products as each moves along a conveyor, to determine the plan
and/or thickness profiles of the product, and activating one or
more cutters to cut the product to predetermined profile shapes or
portion weights.
It is by virtue of the foregoing basic concept that the principal
objective of this invention is achieved; namely, to overcome the
aforementioned limitations of U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,019.
Specifically, the method and apparatus of this invention provide
the following improvements over the method and apparatus disclosed
in said patent:
The present invention provides increased commercial production of
cut food products by providing faster cutting and by cutting
completely through the food product on the conveyor line.
Increased commercial production also is achieved by allowing food
products to be placed upon the infeed end of the processing
conveyor randomly at diverse angles relative to the line of
conveyor movement, thereby allowing more rapid delivery and deposit
of food product on the conveyor.
Increased commercial production also is achieved by allowing the
deposit of food product at the infeed end of the conveyor in a
plurality of laterally spaced production lanes on the single
conveyor, for simultaneous processing.
The method and apparatus of this invention also enable the cutting
of food products to any desired profile shape, independently of
weight or while maintaining a predetermined weight.
The method and apparatus of this invention also accommodate the
removal of undesirable areas of a product, such as the strips of
fat and blood spots extending into fish fillets and the peripheral
fat of chicken breasts and other meats.
The method and apparatus of this invention provide for the cutting
of food products to diverse profile shapes by the controlled
movement of a line-type cutter transversely across the conveyor at
various speeds and direction to effect cutting the food products
along longitudinally extending profiling lines during movement on
the conveyor.
The method and apparatus of this invention utilize line-type
cutters such as a laser or, preferably, a high pressure water jet,
mounted to be moved very quickly or at slower, variable speeds
transversely across the conveyor. Use of high pressure water jet
cutting ensures retention of the product in position on the
conveyor and consequent accuracy of cutting; it minimizes kerf
loss; and precludes spoilage of product which can result from
cutting with a metal saw or other cutter.
Further, the line-type cutters utilized in the method and apparatus
of this invention are mounted for adjustment transversely across
the conveyor to fixed positions for cutting food product as it
moves on the conveyor, thereby achieving cutting at the rate of
speed of the conveyor rather than the faster rate of speed of the
cutter per se, thereby enabling the cutting of frozen food as well
as other dense and fibrous products.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention
will appear from the following detailed description, taken in
connection with the accompanying drawings of preferred
embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the infeed end portion of food cutting
apparatus embodying the features of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation as viewed from the bottom in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the outfeed end portion of the apparatus
of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a side elevation as viewed from the bottom in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 5--5 in
FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 6--6
in FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 7--7 in
FIG. 4.
FIGS. 8-13 are plan views illustrating schematically the stages of
cutting of a fish fillet by operation of the apparatus of FIGS. 1-7
to produce a plurality of pieces having shapes and weights within
prescribed limits.
FIG. 14 is a plan view of a second embodiment of food cutting
apparatus embodying the features of this invention.
FIG. 15 is a side elevation as viewed from the bottom in FIG.
14.
FIG. 16 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 16--16
in FIG. 15.
FIGS. 17-20 are plan views illustrating schematically the stages of
cutting of a fish fillet by operation of the apparatus of FIGS.
14-16 to remove a central strip of fat from a fish fillet and then
cut the remainder to produce a plurality of pieces of predetermined
size or weight.
FIGS. 21-24 are plan views illustrating schematically the stages of
cutting a chicken breast by operation of the apparatus of FIGS.
14-16 to remove peripheral areas and produce a pair of chicken
fillet segments of desired profile shapes.
FIG. 25 is a plan view illustrating schematically the operation of
either the apparatus of FIGS. 1-7 or of FIGS. 14-16 to cut fish
fillets to predetermined widths and/or portion weights by arranging
the infeed fillets crosswise on the conveyor and adjusting a pair
of cutters laterally to different fixed positions for cutting each
succeeding fillet as the fillets move on the conveyor.
FIG. 26 is a plan view illustrating schematically the operation of
either the apparatus of FIGS. 1-7 or of FIGS. 14-16 to cut a
product of oval profile into a plurality of curved portions of
similar shape.
FIG. 27 is a fragmentary side elevation of an alternative form of
conveyor section associated with the water jet cutters of FIG.
15.
FIGS. 28 and 29 are fragmentary end elevations showing
schematically an adjustable support for a plurality of laterally
spaced adjustable line type cutters for use in producing multiple
products such as illustrated in FIG. 26.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring first to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-7, the
components of the apparatus are supported on a framework 10 of
horizontal and vertical frame members. The infeed end portion of
the apparatus includes an endless infeed conveyor belt 12 supported
at its rear, infeed end on a transverse idler roll 20, and thence
rearward to the rear, infeed roll 14. The upper, working stretch of
the infeed belt extends forwardly to a small diameter forward nose
bar 16, thence downward and rearward about an enlarged drive roll
18, forward around a belt tightener roll 14. A first intermediate
conveyor belt 22 extends forwardly from the infeed belt 12. Its
rearward ends is supported by small nose bar 24 spaced closely
adjacent the small forward nose bar 16 to provide a narrow gap 26
therebetween for operation of a cutter component to be described
hereinafter. The upper working stretch of the intermediate conveyor
belt 22 extends forwardly to another small diameter nose bar 28,
thence angularly downward and rearward about a drive roll 30,
forward around a belt tightener roll 32 and thence rearward to the
first named small nose bar 24.
A second intermediate conveyor belt 34 extends forwardly from the
first intermediate conveyor belt 22. Its rearward end is supported
by a small diameter nose bar 36 spaced closely adjacent the small
forward nose bar 28 of the first intermediate conveyor belt 22,
providing a small transverse gap 38 therebetween for the operation
of a profiling cutter component described hereinafter. The upper
working stretch of the second intermediate conveyor belt 34 extends
forwardly to a small diameter nose bar 40, thence angularly
downward and rearward around a drive roll 42, rearward around a
belt tightening roll 44 and thence rearward to the rear support
nose bar 36.
A third intermediate conveyor belt 46 extends forwardly from the
second intermediate conveyor belt 34. Its upper working stretch
extends between a small diameter rearward nose bar 48 and a small
diameter forward nose bar 50. The belt extends angularly downward
and rearward from the forward nose bar, over a small belt tightener
roll 52, thence downward under a drive roll 54 and upward over a
second belt tightener roll 56, thence rearward to the rear nose bar
48. This rearward nose bar is spaced forwardly closely adjacent the
forward nose bar 40 of the second intermediate conveyor belt 34,
providing a narrow transverse gap 58 for operation of a cutter
component to be described hereinafter.
An outfeed conveyor belt 60 extends forwardly of the third
intermediate conveyor belt 46. Its rearward end is supported by a
small diameter nose bar 62 spaced forwardly closely adjacent the
small forward nose bar 50 of the third intermediate conveyor belt,
to provide a narrow transverse gap 64 therebetween for operation of
still another cutter component to be described hereinafter. The
upper working stretch of the outfeed conveyor extends forwardly
around a forward drive roll 66 and thence rearward to the small
rearward nose bar 62.
The drive rolls are mounted for rotation with drive shafts 68
supported by and extending transversely of the framework 10. The
drive shafts are interconnected for simultaneous rotation by any
conventional means, such as sprockets and interconnecting chains
coupled to a common electric drive motor. The arrangement of drive
sprockets is such that all of the conveyor belts are moved in the
forward, outfeed direction at a uniform rate of speed.
Adjacent the infeed end of the infeed conveyor 12, the framework
supports a housing 70 which extends upwardly from the conveyor belt
and confines therein a camera 72 mounted on a support 74 and
disposed angularly with respect to the working surface of the
conveyor belt. The housing is partitioned by a vertical wall 76 to
form a light chamber 78. A transverse wall 80 in the light chamber
supports a plurality of light sources 82 spaced apart transversely
with respect to the conveyor belt.
The bottom wall of the light chamber 78 is formed with a transverse
slot 84 for the passage of light. The leading edge 86' of the
transverse beam of light, with respect to the direction of movement
of the conveyor belt, defines a sharp shadow line 86 (FIG. 8) that
extends transversely across the conveyor belt, since the area
forwardly of the light beam is dark.
It will be understood that the transverse shadow line 86 will be a
straight line across the conveyor belt 12 when no food product
intercepts the shadow line. However, as illustrated in FIG. 8 of
the drawings, when a fillet or other food products on the conveyor
belt passes across the shadow line, the upper, irregular surface of
the food product produces an irregular shadow line, as viewed from
the angularly disposed camera. A large number of points along the
irregular shadow line detected by the camera and computer system
are offset from the positions they occupy when the food product is
not present, and the displacement represents the thickness of the
food product at each specific point. The shadow line is provided by
a very simple, trouble-free and inexpensive structural
arrangement.
Openings 88 and 90 in the bottom portion of the upstream and
downstream sides of the housing 70 allow the passage of food
product on the conveyor through the housing. The opening 88 in the
upstream wall of the housing is shielded by a rearwardly extending
cover 92 the upstream end of which is open and is covered by a
cloth or other flexible screen 94. This screen allows the passage
of food product on the conveyor belt while minimizing the entrance
of ambient light into the housing. The shadow line 86 thus is
maintained at maximum contrast.
The camera is a conventional video camera that functions with
computer 96 to convert the shadow (line) configuration to electric
signals which represent the width and thickness dimensions of the
product. The length of the product is determined by the sum of the
number of longitudinally adjacent segments of the product that are
counted as thickness contours by encoder pulses generated at time
intervals corresponding to a predetermined forward movement of the
conveyor, e.g. every one-fifth of an inch. For this purpose, an
encoder 95 is driven by shaft 68 through a sprocket and chain drive
assembly. These electric signals representing the width, height
and/or number of thickness contours are utilized to operate
computer 96 in accordance with a desired computer program to effect
program-designated movements of the cutters to effect cross cuts or
profile cuts.
A preferred form of camera 71 is available commercially as video
camera Model No. TM 240T from Pulnix America, Inc. for use with a
wide variety of computer systems.
The food product scanned by the camera at the shadow line
progresses downstream and transfers from the outfeed end of the
infeed conveyor 12 to the upstream end of the first intermediate
conveyor 22. As the food product moves across the narrow transverse
gap 26 between the conveyors, leading and trailing end portions of
the food product may be cut, if desired, as illustrated in FIG. 9.
This is achieved by operation of a cutter that moves through the
transverse gap 26 at a sufficiently high rate of speed as to
produce a cut in the food product substantially perpendicular to
the direction of movement of the conveyor.
In accordance with this invention, the cutter is of the line-type,
i.e. a cutter that provides a cutting edge in the form of a
substantially vertical line through the gap 26. Thus, a line-type
cutter may be a laser beam cutter. Alternatively, it may be a fluid
pressure cutter employing oils or other liquids, or air or other
gas under high pressure.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the line-type cutter is a
high pressure water jet that is delivered through a tiny jeweled
orifice 98 of preselected size from a water pressure intensifier
capable of providing water pressure of about 10,000 to 60,000
pounds per square inch for most food products. It will be
understood that the water pressure may be varied over a greater
range, as required.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the water jet orifice 98 is
supported by a carriage 100 mounted for transverse movement through
a housing 102 preferably supported independently of the framework
10 to isolate carriage vibrations from the framework and camera 72.
The carriage is connected to the outer end of a piston rod 104 the
piston of which is reciprocated within an elongated fluid pressure
cylinder 106 mounted on the framework. Although hydraulic fluid may
be utilized as the source of power, pneumatic pressure is preferred
for the fluid pressure piston-cylinder unit. Operation of the
piston-cylinder unit is effected by an electrically actuated valve
108 which is controlled by computer 96. Electric servo motors also
may be employed as a source of power.
The high pressure water jet that passes through the gap 26 between
the conveyors is collected in a reservoir 110 and returned through
a conduit 112 either to waste or to a reservoir coupled to the
initial stage of water pressurization.
It has been found that transverse movement of the cross-cut cutter
98 of up to about 300 feet per minute, with a conveyor speed of
about 50 feet per minute, produces satisfactory transverse cuts
through many food products. This is a distinct advantage over the
rotating disc cutter arrangements described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,557,019, since the disc cutter must be mounted for transverse
movement on a frame disposed at an oblique angle with respect to
the line of movement of the conveyor, to compensate for the
movement of the food product on the conveyor during the relatively
slow traverse of the disc cutter.
Another advantage of the line-type cutter employed in the present
invention over the disc cutter of the patent aforesaid resides in
the ability of the line-type cutter to operate in both directions
of transverse movement. In contrast, the disc cutter of the patent
is operable only in one transverse direction of movement across the
conveyor and then must be raised vertically out of the path of
travel of the food product for return to the starting position for
the next cut.
Thus, referring to FIG. 9 of the drawings, the leading portion of
the illustrated fillet is cut along line 114 by movement of the
line-type cutter 98 in one direction through the gap 26
transversely across the conveyor line, and the trailing portion of
the fillet is cut along the line 116 by movement of the cutter in
the opposite direction. Moreover, the speed of movement of the
cutter relative to the speed of forward movement of the conveyor
line is such that if desired the fillet may be cut transversely
into a substantial number of small portions. For example, a cut
116' may be made to produce a trailing tail portion of
predetermined weight and volume.
Means is provided for removing the severed leading and trailing end
portions of the food product as it moves along the first
intermediate conveyor 22. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, an
elongated hollow rodless cylinder 118 extends transversely above
the conveyor belt and is supported at its opposite ends by
mountings 120 secured to the framework 10. A piston within the
cylinder is provided with a stem 122 (FIG. 5) that extends
downwardly through a longitudinal slot in the cylinder and mounts
at its bottom exposed end a sweeper member 124 that is movable
transversely across the conveyor belt by air pressure supplied
selectively to one end or the other of the cylinder, through air
conduits 126. The sweeper member is provided with oppositely facing
surfaces configured to engage severed portions of food products and
sweep them transversely off of the sides of the conveyor 22 and
into discharge chutes 128 for collection by suitable means. Such
discarded end pieces may be processed for conversion to animal feed
or other suitable by-products.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the trimmed fillet
of FIG. 9 moves forwardly on the first intermediate conveyor 22,
and as it passes across the narrow gap 38 between the first and
second intermediate conveyors 22 and 34, respectively, it is
subjected to the cutting action of a line-type profile cutter 130
which functions to cut the food product longitudinally between
leading and trailing "landmark" points into two lateral pieces, as
illustrated in FIG. 10. In the embodiment illustrated, the
line-type cutter is of the high pressure water jet type previously
described. However, the fluid pressure drive piston-cylinder unit
132 for the carriage 100 is operated by an electrically actuated
valve 134 and encoder (not shown) under the control of the
programmed computer. The encoder identifies for the computer the
exact position of extension of the piston rod and hence the exact
position of the cutter orifice 130 and high pressure water jet
relative to the food product being cut.
Accordingly, the food product having previously been scanned by the
camera 72 and its profile shape having been extracted by the
computer 96, the computer then may direct initial positioning of
the high pressure water jet orifice laterally of the conveyor belt
to intercept the leading end of the fillet (FIG. 10) at the
"landmark" point desired for initiating the longitudinal cut 136
through the food product.
Moreover, since the position of the food product on the conveyor
has been established by the scanning camera and the computer
program has defined the "landmark" point on the trailing end of the
food product at which the longitudinal cut is to terminate, the
computer thus activates the control valve 134 to move the carriage
100 and hence the water jet orifice 130 transversely at a
controlled rate of speed to effect the longitudinal cutting of the
food product on the line 136 extending between the leading and
trailing "landmark" end points.
Since the longitudinal pieces may be of different size, weight and
shape, it is desirable to further process each piece independently
of the other. Accordingly, the two longitudinal pieces are caused
to be separated laterally for subsequent individual processing. For
this purpose an elongated flexible ribbon 138 of synthetic
thermoplastic resin or other suitable material is connected at one
end to the water jet orifice 130 for transverse movement therewith.
The opposite end portion of the ribbon encircles plow member 140
which is secured by a pin 142 to a bar 144 which extends
transversely across and above the conveyor belt 34. The bar is
supported at its opposite ends by brackets 146 mounted on the
framework 10. The point 142 of attachment of the plow 140 to the
transverse bar 144 preferably is at the longitudinal centerline of
the conveyor belt. The side walls of the plow diverge from its
trailing end symmetrically about the attachment point 142 to a
lateral dimension corresponding to the desired lateral spacing of
the two longitudinal pieces of the food product, as illustrated in
FIG. 11.
Referring to FIG. 6 of the drawings, it is to be noted that the
flexible ribbon 138 allows the water jet orifice 130 to be moved
laterally across the conveyor belt as needed to effect the
longitudinal cut 136 through the food product. The lateral pieces
of the food product then are guided by the ribbon to the central
portion of the conveyor belt where they are separated by the plow
140.
The separated pieces of the food product then progress forward on
the belt 34 to a second scanning system (FIGS. 3 and 4). Since this
scanning system is substantially identical to the scanning system
first described, the components thereof are identified by the same
reference numerals. In this regard, although this second scanning
system is shown to include two laterally spaced cameras 72 and 72'
for scanning the separated longitudinal pieces of the food product,
it is to be understood that a single camera may be employed to scan
both pieces and provide the computer with the same information.
Let it be assumed, for purposes of this description, that with the
information provided by the scanning cameras the computer
determines that both lateral pieces of the food product need to be
cut transversely. The computer thereupon activates the valves 148
and 148' of the piston-cylinder units 150 and 150' of both
laterally spaced high pressure water jet cross-cut cutters 152 and
152' (FIG. 7). Accordingly, their supporting carriages 100 are
moved rapidly toward the centerline of the conveyor belt 34, to
effect transverse cutting of both food product pieces along cut
lines 154 and 154', as illustrated in FIG. 12.
Let it also be assumed, for the purpose of this description, that
with the information delivered to the computer by the scanning
cameras the computer determines that the leading section of the
upper piece of food product on the conveyor belt is sufficiently
large as to require further longitudinal cutting into two lateral
pieces. The computer thus activates the valve 156' of the
piston-cylinder unit 158 of the upper high pressure water jet
profiling cutter 160' to move the cutter laterally to the
appropriate position for initiating the longitudinal cut at the
leading end of the food product section. Thereafter the cutter 160'
is moved slowly, as necessary, to effect the longitudinal cut 162
ending at the desired point at the trailing end of the food product
section, as illustrated in FIG. 13.
During the foregoing profiling operation, the companion profiling
cutter orifice 160, its supporting carriage and piston-cylinder
unit 158 and valve 156 remain inactive, since the pieces of food
product on the lower half of the conveyor belt are not to be cut
longitudinally.
It is to be noted in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7 that the final pair of high
pressure water jet profiling cutters 160 and 160' are of the type
that accommodate selective turning on and off of the water jets,
whereas the preceding cutters operate with the water jets being on
continuously. Control of the water jets of the profiling cutters is
afforded by pneumatically controlled valves 164 and 164'. Air
pressure for the valves is supplied through conduits 166 and 166'
in which a computer controlled valve (not shown) governs the
delivery of air pressure from a source. Pneumatically controlled
valves of this type are available commercially.
Referring again to FIG. 13 of the drawings, the resulting five
pieces of food product exit the apparatus on the outfeed conveyor
60, from whence they are delivered for packaging or other further
processing. The five pieces are shown to be of different shapes and
sizes, but each is within a preselected weight range.
Referring now to the second embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14-16,
the frame 10 is shown to support an infeed conveyor 12 as in the
first embodiment described. Two additional guide rolls 168 and 170
are provided for the return stretch of conveyor belt to make room
for a candling light box 172 and lamp 174 discussed hereinafter.
Associated with the infeed conveyor is a scanning camera 72 and
light source 82 as in the first embodiment. In addition thereto, a
second camera 176 is mounted in an adjacent housing 178 in vertical
alignment with the candling light source 174. For this purpose the
conveyor belt 12 is of the translucent type to allow the light
source on the underside of the belt to shine through. The light
source thus serves a candling function to expose to the camera the
areas of fat contained in fish fillets and other food products so
that they may be removed as undesirable.
Downstream from the infeed conveyor 12 are two intermediate
conveyors 180 and 182 and an outfeed conveyor 184, all illustrated
as being of the type described hereinbefore as the third
intermediate conveyor belt supported by the small nose bars 48 and
50, belt tightener rolls 52 and 56 and drive roll 54. As in the
previous embodiment, the drive shafts 68 for all of the conveyors
are coupled together to a common drive motor for simultaneous
rotation to move all of the conveyor belts in the outfeed direction
at the same rate of speed.
Registering with the narrow transverse gaps 186 between adjacent
conveyor belts are pairs of line-type cutters, herein shown to be
of the high pressure water jet type. In the embodiment illustrated,
there are three pairs of such cutters. The upstream pair 188 and
188' and middle pair 190 and 190' are of the profiling cutter type,
while the downstream pair 192, 192' are of the fast moving
cross-cut type, as previously described, the upstream cutters 188
and 188' are moved by piston-cylinder units 194 and 194' controlled
by computer operated valves 196 and 196', respectively. Piston
cylinder units 198 and 198' and control valves 200 and 200' are
associated with middle cutters 190 and 190', and piston-cylinder
units 202 and 202' and control valves 204 and 204' are associated
with downstream cutters 192 and 192'. In the embodiment
illustrated, the middle cutters 190 and 190' are of the same type
as cutters 160 and 160' described hereinbefore as being controlled
by pneumatic valves 164 and 164'.
A typical operation of the apparatus of FIGS. 14-16, utilizing the
candling component, is illustrated in FIGS. 17-20. FIG. 17
illustrates a fish fillet in which a trailing central portion
outlined by broken lines 206 is a strip of fat which is desired to
be removed. As the fillet progresses forwardly on the infeed
conveyor 12, it is first scanned by the first camera 72 and shadow
line 86 described hereinbefore to determine its overall profile and
to supply that information to the computer 96. The fillet
progresses forwardly across the candling light source 174 which
exposes the outline of the strip of fat to the second camera 176.
The size, shape and location of the fat strip thus is provided to
the computer which thereupon functions to control the operation of
the cutters, as follows:
First (FIG. 18), one of the profiling cutters 188 or 188' of the
upstream pair is moved progressively at an appropriate slow speed
to effect the longitudinal cutting of the fillet along the line
208. As the fillet progresses forwardly, the middle profiling
cutter 190 or 190' on the same side of the conveyor belt as the
previously operated upstream cutter, is turned on by valve 164 or
164' at the inner end of the fat strip at cut line 208, to make the
cut along the line 210 (FIG. 19). The strip of fat thus is severed
from the main body of the fillet which has been separated into two
longitudinal pieces.
As the severed pieces of the fillet progress forwardly, the
downstream cross-cut cutter 192 or 192' on the same side of the
conveyor belt as the preceding profiling cutters, is activated to
move quickly across the corresponding half of the conveyor line to
produce the leading transverse cut 212 shown in FIG. 20 to remove
the undesired tip section of the fillet. As the fillets progress
forwardly, the same cross-cut cutter is once again activated to
retrace its return path through the gap 186 to effect the trailing
transverse cut 214 to remove the undesired trailing sections of the
fillet.
The assembly of scrap and desired sections of the cut fillet exit
the outfeed conveyor 184 from whence the desired fillet sections
are retrieved from the scrap pieces for subsequent packaging or
other processing. As before, the scrap pieces are further
processed.
In the event the strip of fat is wider on the top of the fillet
than on the bottom, or vice versa, the profile cutters may be
tilted angularly in the lateral direction of the conveyor, to
minimize the cutting away of valuable food products.
The apparatus of FIGS. 14-16 also may be operated in an alternative
mode which need not involve the candling stage. An illustration is
shown in FIGS. 21-24 wherein a chicken breast is to be cut to
produce a pair of similarly shaped segments of the same or
different weights for the mass production of sandwich cuts or other
food articles.
Thus, the initial chicken breast progresses forwardly from the
infeed end of the infeed conveyor 12 for scanning by the scanning
camera 72 and shadow line 86 described hereinbefore, to provide
information to the computer 96 as to the plan and elevation
profiles of the chicken breast. The information having been
delivered to the computer, the latter operates one of the pair of
upstream profiling cutters 188 or 188' to sever the chicken breast
longitudinally along the desired line 216, as illustrated in FIG.
22. As the longitudinal severed chicken breast progresses
forwardly, the middle profiling cutter 190 or 190' on the same side
of the conveyor belt as the previously operated upstream profiling
cutter, is activated to cut one longitudinal section of the severed
chicken breast along the curve line 218 illustrated in FIG. 23. As
the sections progress still further forward, the downstream cutter
192 or 192' on the same side of the conveyor belt as the preceding
profiling cutters is operated as a third profiling cutter to cut
the other longitudinal section along the curved line 220
illustrated in FIG. 24. The two similarly shaped segments are
recovered for packaging while the external scraps are further
processed to produce lesser valued products.
In the event the initial chicken breast is determined to be too
small to derive two segments, the computer may operate the cutters
to recover a single segment from the chicken breast.
It is to be noted that the downstream cutter is operated as a
profiling cutter rather than a cross-cut cutter as previously
described. For this purpose, the downstream cutter pair may be of a
type that is convertible to either form, or they may be replaced
with the desired type.
Some food products tend to fall into the gaps 186 between adjacent
conveyors 180, 182 and 184 rather than be carried across the gaps
to the next succeeding conveyor section. To accommodate the
apparatus to such products the alternative form of conveyor
illustrated in FIG. 27 may be employed to advantage. This conveyor
is provided in the form of an endless strip of wire mesh 222. Its
upstream end is supported by small diameter nose bar 224 which is
spaced closely adjacent nose bar 16 of the infeed conveyor 12,
forming the gap 186 for association with the upstream water jet
cutters 188 and 188'. The terminal, downstream end of the wire mesh
conveyor is supported by nose bar 226, with the working stretch of
the conveyor supported by a plurality of longitudinally extending,
laterally spaced backing plates 228. The return stretch of the wire
mesh conveyor extends angularly downward from nose bar 224, under
the idler roll 230, around drive sprocket 232 and tightener roll
234 to the terminal idler roll 226.
Aligned with the middle water jet cutters 190 and 190' and the
downstream cutters 192 and 192' are water recovery reservoirs 236
which function in the manner of reservoirs 110 described
hereinbefore. These reservoirs receive the waste jet water through
the wire mesh screen.
It will be understood that the wire mesh conveyor is usable for
cutting products that can be cut with water jet pressure that is
low enough to prevent cutting or other damage to the wire mesh
itself. Typical of such usage is the profiling of chicken breast as
discussed hereinbefore with reference to FIGS. 21-24.
FIG. 25 of the drawings illustrates still another mode of operation
of either of the embodiments described hereinbefore. In the
illustration, a plurality of fish fillets are shown to be deposited
upon a conveyor belt, such as 34, in the transverse direction. One
pair of profiling cutters, for example 160 and 160' are adjusted to
selected laterally spaced positions and there maintained stationary
while the leading fillet is passed forwardly through the cutters to
produce two fillet segments and a tip segment to be discarded. The
two fillet segments thus produced may be of the same or different
weight or width. The two cutters then are shifted laterally as
required for cutting the next succeeding fillet. This procedure is
repeated as required for each succeeding fillet in the process
line. Additional cutters may be employed to produce more than two
fillet segments from each fillet.
The mode of operation illustrated in FIG. 25 performs the cutting
operation at the rate of speed of travel of the conveyor. Since
this is substantially slower than the rate of speed of the
transverse cross-cut cutters, the mode accommodates the processing
of frozen food products which require the slower speed of
cutting.
FIG. 26 illustrates still another mode of operation of either of
the embodiments previously described. The food product illustrated
is oval in profile with the leading and trailing ends truncated. By
operation first of one pair of profiling cutters and then by a
second pair of profiling cutters, the food product may be cut into
elongated curved strips of similar shape.
FIGS. 28 and 29 illustrate schematically an arrangement by which a
plurality of laterally spaced high pressure water jet or other
line-type cutters may be supported for simultaneous adjustment of
the spacing between them, to produce a plurality of cuts
simultaneously, such, for example, for cutting all of the curved
strips of FIG. 26 simultaneously. Thus, a plurality of line-type
cutters 238 are mounted in laterally spaced apart relationship on a
pair of vertically spaced bars 240 and 242 as by pivot shafts 244
and 246. One end of each bar is secured pivotally to framework 10,
as by pivots 248, and the opposite ends of the bars are
interconnected by a link 250 through pivots 252 which are spaced
apart the same distance as pivots 248.
The arrangement of bars, pivots and link thus form a pantograph
system by which angular adjustment of the bars effects changing the
spacing between the line type cutters 238. Adjustment of the bar is
afforded by connection of the piston rod 254 of a fluid pressure
piston-cylinder unit pivotally, as by pivot 256, to an extension
258 of one of the bars. The cylinder 260 of the unit is secured
pivotally, as by pivot 262, to the framework 10.
As illustrated, when the piston-cylinder unit is actuated to pivot
the bars 240 and 242 clockwise from the position of FIG. 28 to the
position of FIG. 29, the spacing 264 between adjacent line type
cutters is reduced. Computer control of the piston-cylinder unit
may operate to vary the spacing between cutters continuously, for
example to effect cutting the elongated curved strips of FIG.
26.
It is to be noted in the foregoing description of the operations of
the apparatus embodiments of FIGS. 1-7 and 14-16, that the cutting
operations performed downstream from the infeed conveyor utilized
only one cutter of each pair located on the same side of the
conveyor belt. Accordingly, it will be apparent that the provision
of laterally spaced pairs of cutters accommodates the simultaneous
processing of two separate laterally spaced production lanes on the
same conveyor belt assembly, by arranging food products in two
laterally spaced rows. It will also be apparent that additional
processing lanes can be accommodated by providing three or more
laterally spaced cutters and utilizing a wider conveyor belt.
Accordingly, the method and apparatus of this invention is capable
of much greater production capacity over the aforementioned U.S.
Pat. No. 4,557,019 by virtue of much greater transverse cutting
speeds in both directions of traverse while simultaneously
increasing the speed of travel of the conveyor belt nearly five
fold, and also at least doubling the capacity of the conveyor
system by accommodating at least two production lanes.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that many modifications and
changes in the structural details described hereinbefore may be
made to accommodate many variations in modes of operation. For
example, additional cross cutting assemblies and additional
profiling cutting assemblies may be incorporated, as desired. A
wide variety of computer programs may be utilized to control the
sequence of operation of the components described herein, to
accommodate the cutting of a wide variety of food products either
to portions of the same weight and volume, to the same shapes with
the same or different weights, and to a wide variety of profiles.
The apparatus may also be operated to cut a wide variety of
materials to diverse shapes. Exemplary of these is the cutting of
leather or other sheet material to the profile shapes of gloves and
other pattern articles. These and other modifications and changes
may be made, as desired, without departing from the spirit of this
invention and the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *