Spine Treatment Equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, a system and a spine processing device for loosening meat from the spine portion of a divided carcass of a four-legged slaughtered animal, comprising a positioning device for positioning the carcass and a cutting device for loosening meat by cutting from the spinous and articular processes, the cutting device having a first cutter for cutting along the spinous processes, a second cutter for cutting along the lateral side of the articular processes and a third cutter for cutting along the upper side of the articular processes, the second cutter being movable transversely to the cutting direction relative to the first cutter, the cutting device having a biasing element for biasing the second cutter transversely during cutting towards the first cutter so that the second cutter cuts along the lateral side of the articular processes.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a spine processing device for loosening meat, preferably loin meat, from a spine section of a split carcass of a four-legged slaughtered animal, such as a pig carcass, the spine section including split vertebrae with respective spinous processes, vertebral bodies, articular processes and transverse processes. Such split carcasses of other four-legged slaughtered animals, such as cattle or sheep, may likewise be processed with the device and method according to the present invention. [Background technology]

[0002] WO2004 / 103080A1 relates to a loin deboning machine. Meat is removed from the loin section of a slaughtered animal by clamping the loin to a moveable carriage and advancing the carriage past first and second perpendicular knives mounted on adjustable arms. The machine includes a relatively complex combination of cutters and positioning means for cutting along the backbone.

[0003] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved spine treatment apparatus and method.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a backbone processing apparatus and method whereby the yield of meat shredded from the backbone portion may be controlled and / or increased.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a spine treatment apparatus and method that is adapted to accommodate to a greater extent the varying sizes and shapes of the spine portions being treated. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One or more of the above-mentioned objects are achieved by a spine treatment device, spine treatment system, and method according to the present invention.

[0007] In accordance with the present invention, a spine processing apparatus is provided for loosening meat, preferably loin meat, from a spine portion of a segmented carcass of a four-legged slaughtered animal, such as a pig carcass, the spine portion including split vertebrae having respective spinous processes, vertebral bodies, articular processes and transverse processes.

[0008] The spine treatment device is a positioning device for positioning the body portion; a cutting device for loosening the meat by cutting from the spinous and articular processes in a cutting direction that may be parallel to the length of the backbone portion; That is, the cutting direction may be parallel to the length of the spine portion during use.

[0009] The cutting device is a first cutter configured to cut along the spinous process; a second cutter configured to cut along the lateral side of the articular process; A third cutter is disposed between the first and second cutters for cutting along the upper and dorsal sides of the articular process. has.

[0010] The first, second and third cutters are interconnected for coordinated movement relative to the body portion.

[0011] The second cutter is movable laterally relative to the first cutter, transverse to the cutting direction.

[0012] The cutting device further includes a biasing element for biasing the second cutter laterally toward the first cutter during use during cutting such that the second cutter cuts along the lateral side of the articular process.

[0013] The advantage of the device according to the invention is that by the combination of a single cutting device having first, second and third cutters interconnected for joint movement relative to the carcass, and a biasing element for biasing the second cutter towards the first cutter so that it continues to cut along the articular process, a very effective cutting operation can be achieved using a cutting device of relatively simple structure, which is suitable to a greater extent to adapt to the changing sizes and shapes of the spinal sections to be processed. Also, the yield can be improved, for example, compared to known cutting devices that do not have such a biasing element and / or do not move relative to the carcass. In use, the second cutter, as a result of its mobility relative to the first cutter, can effectively follow the outside of the articular process, despite the changing shape of the articular process along the length of the spinal section, while being biased towards the first cutter. To maximize the yield of meat loosened from the spine portion, the biasing element may be configured to bias the second cutter laterally toward the first cutter during use during cutting, so that the second cutter cuts directly along the outside of the articular process. However, in some applications, it may be desirable to intentionally leave some meat on the spine portion by having one or more of the first cutter, second cutter, and third cutter follow the contour of the spine portion and cut the meat at a predetermined distance from the spine portion. In other words, one or more of the first cutter, second cutter, and third cutter may move a predetermined distance along the spine portion, thereby controlling the thickness of the layer of meat remaining on the spine portion.

[0014] The invention also relates to a system according to claim 12 and a method according to claim 14.

[0015] In one embodiment the carcass is from a slaughter animal such as a pig, cow, goat, sheep or camel. In one embodiment the carcass is a pig, cow, sheep or goat carcass, preferably a pig carcass.

[0016] In this specification and claims, "spine portion" means a portion of the spine obtained by a previous operation of dividing the carcass or a part thereof along the spine.

[0017] In one embodiment, the first cutter has a guide pin protruding from the front side of the first cutter in the cutting direction to guide the first cutter along the spinous process between the spinous process and the articular process, which contributes to a reliable cut along the spinous process.

[0018] In one embodiment, the first cutter may have a first slope facing the spinous process during use on the inside of the cutter and a second slope on the opposite outside that is greater than the first slope, so that the first cutter tends to move towards the spinous process during cutting as a result of the force acting on the first cutter by the meat. In one embodiment, the first cutter may have a single slope on the outside that faces away from the spinous process during use. The second slope, i.e. the force acting on the first cutter on the outside, is greater than the first slope, so that the first cutter tends to move towards the spinous process and the first cutter continues to cut directly along the spinous process. This may improve meat yield. The first slope may contribute to preventing the first cutter from biting into the spinous process. Alternatively, if it is preferred to intentionally leave a thin layer of meat on the backbone portion, the first cutter may move towards the spinous process and move along it for a predetermined distance.

[0019] In one embodiment, the second cutter is pivotable relative to the first cutter about a pivot axis extending perpendicular to the cutting direction and the transverse direction, and preferably the second cutter is provided at the free end of a pivot arm pivotally connected to the first cutter about the pivot axis. In this way, the second cutter can be positioned relative to the spine portion independently of the first cutter. In use, i.e. during the execution of an embodiment of the method according to the invention, the second cutter pivots relative to the first cutter, thereby moving towards and away from the first cutter while being biased towards the first cutter by the biasing element, depending on the shape of the articular processes which change along the length of the spine portion.

[0020] In one embodiment, the second cutter has a blade portion, which has a cutting edge on its forward facing side. The blade portion may be designed to extend in a cutting direction along a number of consecutive articular processes. For that purpose, the dimension of the blade portion in the cutting direction may be at least 5 cm, preferably at least 7 cm, more preferably at most 15 cm. The blade portion may be arranged to be biased towards, and more particularly against, the outer side of the articular process by a biasing element. The biasing element may act on said pivot arm for the purpose of biasing the blade portion against the outer side of the articular process. The biasing element may be or include a passive biasing element, such as a coil spring, or may be actively controllable, such as using a pneumatic cylinder, so that the contact pressure between the second cutter and the articular process can be adjusted or controlled to a larger extent. The biasing element may be arranged to act on the pivot arm. The blade portion is biased towards the articular process and may be kept at a predetermined distance from the articular process in order to purposely leave a layer of meat on the bone. However, when the blade portion is biased against the articular process, substantially all of the meat is severed from the bone, thereby maximizing the yield of meat that is loosened from the backbone portion.

[0021] In one embodiment, the cutting edge of the second cutter is at least substantially parallel to the cutting edge of the first cutter seen in the cutting direction.

[0022] In one embodiment, the blade portion of the second cutter is pivotable relative to the first cutter about a further pivot axis extending laterally. The cutting device may have a further biasing element for biasing the cutting edge of the second cutter towards the transverse process in use in a direction perpendicular to the cutting direction and the transverse direction. Thus, in use, during the execution of the method according to the invention, the further biasing element biases the cutting edge of the second cutter towards the transverse process during cutting. In this way, it can be achieved that the second cutter remains in contact with the transverse process, in which case the depth of the cut by the second cutter is maximized.

[0023] In one embodiment, the third cutter may have a cutting edge on the front side. The third cutter may further have a guide portion beyond the cutting edge, which is designed to extend in the cutting direction across a number of consecutive articular processes. For this purpose, the length of the third cutter in the cutting direction is at least 5 cm, preferably at least 7 cm, more preferably at most 15 cm. This contributes to preventing the third cutter from cutting into the articular processes.

[0024] In one embodiment, the third cutter has a fixed part fixed to the first cutter and a movable part fixed to the second cutter, such that during use the movable part moves relative to the first cutter in conjunction with the second cutter. In this way, the third cutter can accommodate the lateral width dimension of the articular process.

[0025] In one embodiment, the fixed part and the movable part have respective overlapping cutting edges configured such that, during use, upon movement of the second cutter relative to the first cutter, said respective cutting edges remain in overlapping arrangement relative to each other. In this way, a continuous cutting edge is achieved, enhancing the cutting effect. The cutting edge of the movable part may be an extension of the cutting edge of the fixed part.

[0026] In one embodiment, the positioning device is configured to position the carcass portion at least during cutting. In one embodiment, the positioning device has a positioning element configured to contact the cut surface of the spine portion, the positioning element defining a positioning surface for the cut surface. The positioning element may be plate-shaped, and a front, contact surface of the plate-shaped positioning element defines the positioning surface. Thus, the cut surface of the spine portion is biased against the plate-shaped positioning element during use, at least during cutting.

[0027] The positioning device may further comprise a pressing device for pressing the spine portion against the positioning element, preferably by pressing directly against the spine portion.

[0028] By providing a positioning element configured to contact the cutting surface of the body part and defining a positioning surface in combination with a pressing device, a stable and more defined positioning of the body part for the cutting operation is achieved, whereby the spinal part is more firmly positioned.

[0029] The cutting direction is parallel to the positioning plane, which is the cutting plane resulting from the previously performed cutting action of the spine for the purpose of dividing the carcass. The transverse direction is perpendicular to the positioning plane and, in the case of a plate-like positioning element, perpendicular to the front, contact surface of the plate-like positioning element.

[0030] A cutting edge of the first cutter may extend in a first plane parallel to the positioning surface, and a cutting edge of the second cutter may extend in a second plane parallel to, or at least substantially parallel to, the positioning surface.

[0031] In one embodiment, the pressing device comprises a plurality of successive pressing units arranged successively in a cutting direction of the cutting device, the cutting direction being parallel to the positioning plane and therefore parallel to the longitudinal direction of the spine portion in use, each of the plurality of successive pressing units being: - a pressing element, which is individually movable towards and away from the positioning element to press the spine portion against the positioning element; a moving device for moving the pressing element from an inactive position in which the pressing element is released from the torso portion during use towards an active position in which the pressing element presses against the torso portion in order to position the spine portion against the positioning element; has.

[0032] By using such a pressing unit, the spine portion can be pressed very effectively against the positioning element and thereby effectively and reliably positioned and held for cutting purposes.

[0033] In one embodiment, the positioning device further comprises a bar-like element in a fixed position relative to the positioning element, the bar-like element extending in a cutting direction, i.e. parallel to the positioning plane, in line with the successive pressing elements at least at the position of the pressing elements between the passive position and the active position. In use, a first part of the length of the spinal portion can be pressed against the positioning element by the pressing elements and a second remaining part of the length of the spinal portion can lie against the bar-like element. Such a bar-like element is a very simple construction, but a very effective way of positioning a part of the spinal portion for cutting purposes. In one embodiment, the spinal portion lies with its vertebral body against the bar-like element.

[0034] In one embodiment, the positioning device comprises a plurality of gripping elements, each of which protrudes from the positioning element and is adapted to engage the spinal portion from the cutting surface and preferably hook into a divided nerve canal of the spinal portion, preferably each of a plurality of pressing units having an associated gripping element, such gripping elements further contributing to a reliable and effective positioning of the spinal portion.

[0035] In one embodiment, during use, the carcass sections may be suspended on a moving carrier connected to an overhanging transport system arranged to transport the carcass sections along a transport track through the spine processing device.

[0036] The present invention also relates to a backbone processing system for loosening meat, preferably loin meat, from a split carcass of a four-legged slaughtered animal, such as a pig carcass, comprising: an overhang conveying system having a plurality of carriers for conveying the divided fuselage sections along a conveying track, each of the plurality of carriers being arranged to suspend a fuselage section therefrom; a spine treatment device according to the present invention provided along the conveying track; has.

[0037] In apparatus and / or system embodiments in which the carcass portions are suspended from such a carrier, the spine processing device may have a movement device for moving the spine processing device a predetermined distance along the conveyor track at least while loosening meat from the spine portion. In this manner, the carrier may move along the spine processing device in a continuous manner, as opposed to an indexing manner.

[0038] The present invention also relates to a method of ripping meat, preferably loin meat, from a vertebral section of a split carcass part of a four-legged slaughtered animal, such as a pig carcass, the vertebral section including split vertebrae having respective spinous processes, vertebral bodies, articular processes and transverse processes, comprising: The method comprises: Positioning the body portion; using a cutting device to loosen the meat by cutting away from the spinous and articular processes in a cutting direction parallel to the length of the backbone portion in use; The disconnection here is cutting along the spinous process using a first cutter of a cutting device; cutting along the lateral side of the articular process using a second cutter of the cutting device, the second cutter being movable in a transverse direction transverse to the cutting direction relative to the first cutter; Using the third cutter of the cutting device, located between the first and second cutters, cut along the upper, dorsal side of the articular process. Contains the first, second, and third cutters move in unison relative to the body portion during cutting; and urging the second cutter toward the first cutter in the lateral direction during cutting using a biasing element of the cutting device so that the second cutter cuts along the lateral side of the articular process. Includes.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the step of biasing the second cutter laterally toward the first cutter during cutting using a biasing element of the cutting device includes biasing the second cutter such that it cuts directly along the lateral side of the articular process.

[0040] In one embodiment, the method comprises: positioning the body portion with a positioning device, where the body portion is brought into contact with a positioning element that defines a positioning surface for the cutting surface, pressing the spine portion against the positioning element using a pressing device; Loosening the meat from the backbone by cutting Includes.

[0041] In one embodiment of the method, the device according to the invention or the system according to the invention may be used.

[0042] Embodiments of the invention described in relation to an apparatus according to the invention apply in an analogous manner to systems and methods according to the invention, and vice versa. The advantages of the present apparatus embodiments also apply to the system and method embodiments according to the present invention, and vice versa. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0043] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown and in which like reference numbers indicate the same or similar elements. [Figure 1] 1 shows a front view of an embodiment of a spine treatment device according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 shows a side view of a portion of the spine processing device of FIG. 1 as part of an embodiment of a spine processing system according to the present invention; [Diagram 3] A cross section of the spine is shown. [Figure 4] 2 illustrates a portion of the spine treatment device of FIG. 1 in greater detail. [Diagram 5] 2 shows a side view of a portion of the spine treatment device of FIG. 1 in greater detail; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 shows in more detail from the side and below a part of a spine treatment device similar to that of FIG. 1 but with a different embodiment of the pressing device. [Figure 7]2 shows a bottom view of a portion of the cutting and positioning device of the spine processing device of FIG. 1 in more detail. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of a portion of the cutting device of the spine processing device of FIG. 1 in combination with a cross-section of a spine portion. [Figure 9A] 2 shows a front view of a portion of the cutting device of the spine processing apparatus of FIG. 1 in a first working state. [Figure 9B] 2 shows a side view of a portion of the cutting device of the spine processing apparatus of FIG. 1 in a first working state. [Figure 9C] Cross section IXc of FIG. 9A is shown. [Figure 10A] 9B shows a front view of the cutting device portion of the spine processing apparatus of FIG. 9A in a second working state. [Figure 10B] 9C shows a side view of a portion of the cutting device of the spine processing device of FIG. 9B in a second working state. [Figure 11] 2 shows part of the cutting device and part of the positioning device of the spine processing device of FIG. 1 in more detail from the side and below. [Figure 12A] 2 shows a top view of a portion of the positioning device of the spine treatment device of FIG. 1 in one working state. [Figure 12B] 2 shows a top view of a portion of the positioning device of the spine treatment device of FIG. 1 in another working state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a spine processing device 1, which is an example of a spine processing device according to the invention. The spine processing device 1 is configured to loosen meat 11, preferably loin meat, from a spine portion 2 (very diagrammatically shown in broken lines in FIG. 2) of a divided carcass part 3 of a four-legged slaughtered animal. The example shown in FIG. 2 is a divided pig carcass part. The cross section of the spine portion 2 shown in FIG. 3 has a split vertebrae 4. The spine portion 2 has been obtained by a previous operation of dividing the carcass along the spine, i.e. by a first longitudinal cut of the spine. Such a division is a common practice in the processing of carcasses and is well known to the skilled person, resulting in a split spine with split vertebrae. For completeness, the remainder, i.e. the cut part of the split vertebrae shown in FIG. 3, is shown by a broken line identified with the reference 4'. The split vertebrae 4 has a cutting surface 5 (resulting from said division of the spine). The split vertebrae have a spinous process portion 6 (about half of the spinous process is shown in this example), a vertebral body portion 7 (about half of the vertebral body is used in this example), an articular process 8, a transverse process 9, and a split neural canal 10. It should be noted that in general, the shape of the vertebrae of such a spine may vary depending at least on the position of the vertebra along the length of the spine (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 3) and, for example, on the age of the slaughtered animal. The articular processes 8 on the lumbar vertebrae may be larger than on the thoracic vertebrae and may, for example, generally decrease in size from the posterior to the anterior end of the spine.

[0045] 2 shows a part of the spine processing system 100. The carcass parts 3 are suspended by their rear ankles 12, with the head facing downwards, from a moving carrier 14 connected to an overhanging conveying system 16 (shown very diagrammatically) arranged for conveying the carcass parts along a conveying track 18 passing through the spine processing device 1. The spine processing device 1 comprises a moving device 20 for moving the spine processing device 1 along the conveying track 18 over a predetermined distance, at least while loosening the meat 11 from the spine part 2. The moving device 20 may comprise a linear guide 22 and a drive unit 24 for moving the device 1 together with the carrier 14 back and forth.

[0046] During use of the system 100, a carcass part 3 passing along the apparatus 1 for the purpose of loosening the meat from its backbone may have undergone a preceding processing step upstream along the track 18, such as the aforementioned carcass splitting, and may have undergone a further processing step, such as, for example, a deboning step.

[0047] The spinal treatment device 1 comprises a positioning device 26 for positioning the carcass portion 3. The positioning device 26 comprises, at least in this embodiment, a plate-shaped positioning element 30 configured to contact the cutting surface 5 of the spinal portion 2. The positioning element 30 defines a positioning plane that passes through, i.e. is flush with, a front contact surface 32 of the plate-shaped positioning element 30 of the cutting surface 5. The positioning device 26 also comprises a pressing device 34 for pressing the spinal portion 2 forward, against the contact surface 32 of the plate-shaped positioning element 30. A detailed embodiment of the positioning device 26 will be described later.

[0048] The spine processing device 1 also has a cutting device 28 for loosening the meat 11 by cutting from the spinous processes 6 and the articular processes 8 in a cutting direction 36 that is parallel to the length direction 38 of the spine portion 2 during use (i.e. outside (or inside) the plane of the paper in the view of the shown FIG. 3). The cutting device 28 moves in the cutting direction 36 along the spine portion 2 during use of the spine processing device 1. As FIG. 2 shows, the cutting direction 36 is vertically downwards such that the cut starts from the rear end of the spine portion 2, which extends vertically, and proceeds to the front end of the spine portion 2. During such downward cutting movement, the processing device 1 is temporarily moved together with the carrier 14 from which the carcass portion 3 is suspended. After releasing the carcass portion 3, the spine processing device 1 moves back upstream to prepare for the processing of the next carcass portion suspended from the carrier passing along the device 1.

[0049] The cutting device 28 has a first cutter 40 configured to cut along the spinous process 6. For that purpose, the first cutter 40 has a cutting edge 42 that is inclined backwards from the front side 44 of the first cutter 40, as shown in FIG. 4. In this way, the first cutter 40 cuts gradually along the spinous process 6. FIG. 9C shows a cross section of a part of the first cutter 40 having such a cutting edge 42. As shown, the first cutter 40 has a blade portion 46 with a spinous process contact side 46a on the left side in the view of FIG. 9B, which faces the plate-like positioning element 30 and therefore faces the spinous process 6 during use during cutting. As FIG. 9C shows, the first cutter 40 has a small inclination 48 on the contact side 46a and a larger inclination 50 on the opposite outside. As a result, the first cutter 40 tends to move towards the spinous process 6 during cutting as a result of the forces acting on the cutter 40 by the meat 11, more specifically on the large inclination 50 of the first cutter 40. The small inclination 48 is provided to reduce the risk of unintentionally cutting into the spinous process 6. The first cutter 40 also has a guide pin 43 projecting from the front side 44 of the first cutter 40 in the cutting direction 36 for guiding the first cutter 40 along the spinous process 6 between the spinous process 6 and the articular process 8. The blunt tip of the guide pin 43 prevents the guide pin 43 from penetrating the bone and provides a positive guidance of the first cutter 40 running parallel along the spinous portion through the generally concave, i.e. curved, shaped space 13 between the spinous process 6 and the articular process 8.

[0050] The first cutter 40 is fixedly connected via an elongated mounting hole 58 to a movement device 52 for moving the cutting device 28 downward in the cutting direction 36 and upward relative to the cutting direction. The movement device 52 may have a guide 56 and a chain or belt drive 54 to provide vertical movement.

[0051] The cutting device 28 also has a second cutter 60 configured to cut along the outer side 8a of the articular process 8. The second cutter 60 has a cutting edge 64, which is only visible in FIG. 8 but has a similar shape with a small inner slope and a large outer slope as the first cutter 40 shown in FIG. 9C and described above. The second cutter 60 has a blade portion 68, the cutting edge 64 being on the forward facing side of the blade portion 68, which is designed to extend in the cutting direction 36 along a number of consecutive articular processes 8, i.e. to have a dimension in the cutting direction 36. In other words, the dimension of the second cutter 60 in the cutting direction 36 is such that the second cutter 60 cannot end between two consecutive vertebrae 4, or at least the change in the dimension is relatively small. The cutting edge 64 of the second cutter is at least substantially parallel to the cutting edge 42 of the first cutter 40 seen in the cutting direction 36, as FIGS. 9B and 10B show. In this regard, "at least substantially" means that, despite the possibility of slight pivotal movement of the second cutter 60 relative to the first cutter 40 as described below, both cutters are nevertheless considered to be oriented approximately parallel during use.

[0052] The second cutter 60 is movable relative to the first cutter 40 in a horizontal transverse direction 62 transverse to the cutting direction 36. The transverse direction 62 extends perpendicular to the plate-like positioning element 30 and thus to the aforementioned positioning plane. To provide said movement, a blade portion 68 having a cutting edge 64 is attached to the free end of a pivot arm 65 of the second cutter 60. The pivot arm 65 is pivotally connected to the first cutter 40 about a pivot axis 66. The pivot axis 66 extends perpendicular to the cutting direction 36 and the transverse direction 62, as shown in FIG. 9A. That is to say, like the cutting direction 36, the pivot axis 66 extends on an imaginary plane parallel to the plate-like positioning element 30. FIG. 9B shows the maximum pivot movement of the second cutter 60 in the transverse direction 62 away from the first cutter. 10B shows a position of the second cutter 60 where it has been pivoted in the lateral direction 62 towards the first cutter 40 to a position closest to the first cutter 40. The purpose of this mobility of the second cutter 60 relative to the first cutter 40 is to achieve that while the first cutter 40 cuts along the spinous process 6, the cutting edge 64 of the second cutter 60 cuts at a predetermined distance from or directly along the outer side 8a of the articular process 8, i.e. continues to cut, even when the cross-sectional shape of successive spinous processes 6 and / or articular processes 8 of the vertebrae 4 changes over the length of the spinal portion 2 during use. To this end, the cutting device 28 further comprises a biasing element 69 (see FIG. 9A) in the form of a compression spring for biasing the second cutter 60 in the lateral direction 62 towards the first cutter 40 during cutting. The biasing element acts on the pivot arm 65 to which the blade portion 68 of the second cutter 60 is connected, biasing the pivot arm 65 to pivot about the pivot axis 66 in the direction of the first cutter 40, i.e., considering Figs. 9B and 10B, from the maximum position shown in Fig. 9B towards the minimum position shown in Fig. 10B. As a result of the biasing element 69 being provided, the blade portion 68 of the second cutter 60 remains biased against the outer side 8a of the articular process 8 during the cut along the spine portion 2. As a result, a very effective cut can be made at a distance from or directly along the outer side 8a of the articular process 8, resulting in a high meat yield. With regard to the aforementioned change in the cross-sectional shape of the spine portion 2, Fig. 8 can be compared with Fig. 3.Both may show cross-sections of vertebrae of the same spinal portion, although they are shown very diagrammatically, and for convenience, like parts of the vertebrae have been identified with like reference numerals.

[0053] The blade portion 68 of the second cutter 60 is pivotable relative to the first cutter 40 about a further pivot axis 70 extending in the transverse direction 62. More specifically, the blade portion 68 is pivotally connected to a pivot arm 65 of the second cutter 60 about the pivot axis 70. The cutting device 28 has a further biasing element 73 (see FIG. 10A ) in the form of a torsion spring, which operates at the location of the pivot axis 70 between the blade portion 68 and the pivot arm 65, for biasing the cutting edge 64 of the blade portion 68 of the second cutter 60 in use in a direction 72 perpendicular to the cutting direction 36 and the transverse direction 62 towards the transverse process 9. The function of this pivoting movement about the further pivot axis 70 is to ensure that the second cutter 40 continues to follow the transverse process 9 while cutting along the spine portion 2, achieving as deep as possible penetration into the meat 11 along the articular process 8 while the cutting by the second cutter 60 is limited by the transverse process 9. Figures 9A and 9B show the blade portion 68 pivoted to a greater extent in the direction 72 compared to Figures 10A and 10B.

[0054] The cutting device 28 also has a third cutter 80 between the first cutter 40 and the second cutter 60 for cutting along the upper, dorsal side 8b of the articular process 8. The first, second and third cutters are interconnected to move together in the cutting direction 36 relative to the carcass part 3. This is achieved by the fact that the second cutter 60 and the third cutter 80 are attached to the first cutter 40, and the movement of the latter in the cutting direction 36 during use automatically causes the second cutter 60 and the third cutter 80 to move together. The third cutter 80 has a fixed part 81 fixed to the first cutter 40 and a movable part 82 fixed to the second cutter 40, whereby the movable part 82 moves together with the second cutter 60 relative to the first cutter 40 during use. The movable part 82 is fixed to the pivot arm 65, including an embodiment in which the movable part 82 is a cutter-shaped end of the pivot arm 65.

[0055] The third cutter has cutting edges 83, 84 and a guide portion 87 beyond the cutting edges, which is designed to extend in the cutting direction 36 over a number of consecutive articular processes 8 so as to avoid the third cutter cutting into the articular processes 8. The fixed part 81 and the mobile part 82 have respective overlapping cutting edges 83, 84, which are configured such that during use, upon relative movement of the second cutter 60 with respect to the first cutter 40, and thus of the mobile part 82 with respect to the fixed part 81, said respective cutting edges 83, 84 remain in an overlapping arrangement with respect to each other, as can be seen in Fig. 11. The cutting edge 84 of the mobile part 82 is an extension of the cutting edge 83 of the fixed part 81 at least seen in the cutting direction 36, as Fig. 7 shows in detail. During the movement of the cutting device 28 in the cutting direction, a slight movement of the first, second and third cutters in the direction 72 relative to the moving device 52 is permitted, so that the third cutter 80 can slide over the top 8b of the articular process while being biased in the direction 72, as it were, against the upper side 8b of the articular process. The device 1 further comprises a further biasing element, such as formed by a pneumatic cylinder acting between the first cutter 40 and the moving device 52, for the purpose of providing said slight movement in the direction 72 of the first cutter 40, i.e. the first, second and third cutters together.

[0056] As explained above, the positioning device 26 is configured to position the carcass 3 at the cutting surface 5 of the spine section 2 in a positioning plane relative to the plate-shaped positioning element 30. The cutting direction 36 is parallel to the positioning plane 32 in the illustrated embodiment and vertically downwards. In any case, the cutting direction 36 is in the extension direction of the spine section 2. The cutting edge 42 of the first cutter 40 extends in an imaginary plane parallel to the positioning plane. The cutting edge 64 of the second cutter 60 extends in another imaginary plane parallel to the positioning plane, more specifically at least substantially parallel within the range of the mutual movement of the second cutter 60 relative to the first cutter 40.

[0057] The positioning device 26 will now be described in more detail. As already explained above, the positioning device 26 has a plate-shaped positioning element 30 that is arranged to contact the cut surface 5 of the spine portion 2 and has a pressing device 34 for pressing the spine portion 2 against a contact surface 32 of the plate-shaped positioning element 30. The plate-shaped positioning element 30 is formed as a flat contact plate. In this way, the spine portion 2 of the carcass part 3 to be processed is pressed and well positioned against the contact surface defined thereby.

[0058] The pressing device 34 has a plurality, in the positioning device 26 four, of pressing units 90 arranged successively in the cutting direction 36. The embodiment of the pressing device 134 shown in Fig. 6 has a plurality of three successive pressing units 190. The pressing device 134 is otherwise identical or at least very similar to the pressing device 34, so that the following description of the pressing device 34 also applies analogously to the pressing device 134.

[0059] Each of the plurality of successive pressing units 90 has a pressing element 91 movable towards and away from the positioning element 30 in order to press the spinal portion 2 against the positioning element 30 by pressing against the body portion 7 below the transverse process 9, as shown in FIG. 8. Each pressing unit 90 also has a moving device 93 for moving the pressing element 91 from an inactive position (shown in FIG. 12A), in which the pressing element 91 is released from the torso portion 3 during use, towards an active position (shown in FIG. 12B), in which the pressing element 91 is closer to the positioning element 30 compared to the inactive position and presses against the torso portion 3, more specifically against the vertebral body portion 7, in order to position the spinal portion 2 against the positioning element 30. As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the moving device 93 has, for each pressing element 91, a lever 94 pivotable about a pivot axis 95. The lever 93 can be pivoted by suitable actuation of a pneumatic actuator 96. The pivot axis 95 extends in the cutting direction 36. Each pusher element 91 has two knob-like engagement elements 92, preferably a plurality of knob-like engagement elements, which engage with the spine portion 2 in the active position of the pusher element 91.

[0060] The positioning device 126 further comprises a bar-like element 89 in a fixed position relative to the positioning element 30, the bar-like element 89 extending in the cutting direction 36 in a straight line with the successive pressing elements 91, at least at positions of the pressing elements 91 between the passive position and the active position, as shown in Figures 12A and 12B. During use during cutting, a first portion of the length of the spinal portion 2, which may include the lumbar vertebrae, is pressed against the positioning element 30 by the pressing elements 91, as shown in Figure 2, and a second remaining portion of the length of the spinal portion 2 lies against the bar-like element 89.

[0061] In order to position the spinal portion 2 even more firmly relative to the positioning element 30, the positioning device 26 has a number of gripping elements 98, each of which projects from the positioning element 30 and is adapted to engage with the spinal portion, depending on the accuracy of the cut to be made by dividing the split nerve canal 10 of the spinal portion 2. Each of the pressing units 90 has an associated gripping element 98, which is pivotable between a rest position (see Fig. 12A, Fig. 6) and a gripping position (see Fig. 12B, Fig. 7, Fig. 11), as shown in Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B, in the latter position protruding from the positioning element 30. The gripping elements 98 are adapted to be moved between said rest position and the gripping position by a pneumatic cylinder 99. In this embodiment, two pairs of grippers 98 are provided, each pair being movable by a cylinder 99.

[0062] As is already clear from the above description of the backbone processing device 1, the method for loosening meat, preferably loin meat, from the backbone portion 2 of the divided carcass 3 of a four-legged slaughtered animal, such as a pig carcass, comprises the steps of: positioning the body part using the positioning device 26, whereby the body part 3 can be in contact with its cutting surface 5 with a positioning element 30 defining a positioning surface 32 for the cutting surface 5; pressing the spinal section 2 against the positioning element 30 using a pressing device 34; Using the cutting device 28 to loosen the meat by cutting from the spinous processes 6 and the articular processes 8 in a cutting direction 36 parallel to the length direction 38 of the backbone portion 2 in use. Includes.

[0063] To cut is to 1. Cutting along the spinous process 6 using the cutter 40; cutting along the outer side 8a of the articular process 8 using a second cutter 60 movable in a lateral direction 62 transverse to the cutting direction 36 relative to the first cutter 40; using a third cutter 80 provided between the first cutter 40 and the second cutter 60 to cut along the upper portion, dorsal side 8b, of the articular process 8; wherein the first, second and third cutters move together relative to the body portion 3 during cutting; Using a biasing element 69, the second cutter 60 is biased in a lateral direction 62 during cutting towards the first cutter 40 so that the second cutter 60 cuts along the outer side 8a of the articular process 8. The second cutter 60 may cut at a predetermined distance from or directly along the lateral side 8a of the articular process 8.

Claims

1. A spine processing device for separating meat, preferably loin meat, from the spine portion of a divided torso of a four-legged slaughtered animal, such as the torso of a pig, wherein the spine portion includes divided vertebrae, each having a spinous process, a vertebral body, an articular process, and a transverse process. The aforementioned spine processing device is A positioning device for positioning the aforementioned fuselage section, A cutting device for loosening the meat by cutting from the spinous process and the articular process in a cutting direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the spine portion, It is equipped with, The cutting device is A first cutter configured to cut along the aforementioned spinous projection, A second cutter configured to cut along the outer side of the articular protrusion, A third cutter located between the first cutter and the second cutter for cutting along the upper, dorsal side of the articular projection, It has, The first, second, and third cutters are interconnected so as to move together with respect to the body portion. The second cutter is movable relative to the first cutter in a lateral direction that is transverse to the cutting direction, A spine processing apparatus, wherein the cutting apparatus further comprises a biasing element for biasing the second cutter laterally toward the first cutter during use in cutting such that the second cutter cuts along the outer side of the articular process.

2. The second cutter is pivotable with respect to the first cutter around a pivot axis extending perpendicular to the cutting direction and the lateral direction, and preferably the second cutter is provided at the free end of a pivot arm that is pivotably connected to the first cutter around the pivot axis. The spine processing device according to claim 1.

3. The second cutter has a blade portion, the blade portion has a cutting edge on the side facing forward, the blade portion is designed to extend in the cutting direction along a plurality of consecutive articular protrusions, and the blade portion is positioned to be biased outward of the articular protrusions by the biasing element. The spine processing device according to claim 1.

4. The cutting edge of the second cutter is at least substantially parallel to the cutting edge of the first cutter as seen in the cutting direction. The spine processing device according to claim 3.

5. The blade portion of the second cutter is pivotable relative to the first cutter around a further pivot axis extending laterally, and the cutting device has a further biasing element for biasing the cutting edge of the second cutter toward the lateral projection in a direction perpendicular to the cutting direction and the lateral direction during use. The spine processing device according to claim 1.

6. The third cutter has a front cutting edge and a guide portion that extends beyond the cutting edge, and the guide portion is designed to extend in the cutting direction across a plurality of continuous articulated projections. The spine processing device according to claim 1.

7. The third cutter has a fixed portion fixed to the first cutter and a movable portion fixed to the second cutter, so that during use, the movable portion moves relative to the first cutter in cooperation with the second cutter. The spine processing device according to claim 1.

8. The fixed portion and the movable portion each have overlapping cutting edges, and during use, when the second cutter moves relative to the first cutter, the respective cutting edges remain in an overlapping position relative to each other. The spine processing device according to claim 7.

9. The cut edge of the movable part is an extension of the cut edge of the fixed part. The spine processing device according to claim 8.

10. The positioning device is configured to position the torso portion on the positioning surface at the cross-section of the spine portion. The cutting direction is parallel to the positioning surface, The cutting edge of the first cutter extends in a first plane parallel to the positioning surface, The cutting edge of the second cutter extends in a second plane parallel to the positioning surface. The spine processing device according to claim 1.

11. During use, the torso is suspended from a carrier connected to an overhang transport system positioned to transport the torso along a transport track, passing the spine processing device, and the spine processing device is equipped with a transport device for moving the spine processing device over a predetermined distance along the transport track, at least while the meat is being separated from the spine portion. The spine processing device according to claim 1.

12. A spine processing system for separating meat, preferably loin meat, from the spine portion of a divided torso of a four-legged slaughtered animal, such as the torso of a pig, An overhang transport system having a plurality of carriers for transporting the divided fuselage section along a transport track, wherein each of the plurality of carriers is positioned to suspend the fuselage section from it, A spine processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, provided along the aforementioned transport track, A spinal treatment system equipped with the following features.

13. The spine processing device includes a moving device for moving the spine processing device along the transport track over a predetermined distance, at least while the meat is being separated from the spine portion. The spine processing system according to claim 12.

14. A method for separating meat, preferably loin meat, from the spinal portion of a divided torso of a four-legged slaughtered animal, such as the torso of a pig, wherein the spinal portion includes divided vertebrae, each having a spinous process, a vertebral body, an articular process, and a transverse process. The aforementioned method, To position the aforementioned fuselage section, The meat is to be loosened by using a cutting device to cut from the spinous process and the articular process in a cutting direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the spine portion during use. The cutting mentioned above means that Cutting along the spinous portion using the first cutter of the cutting device, Cutting along the outside of the articular protrusion using the second cutter of the cutting device, wherein the second cutter is movable in a lateral direction transverse to the cutting direction relative to the first cutter. Using the third cutter of the cutting device located between the first cutter and the second cutter, cut along the upper, dorsal side of the articular protrusion. It includes, The first, second, and third cutters move together relative to the body during cutting. Using the biasing element of the cutting device, the second cutter is biased laterally toward the first cutter during cutting so that the second cutter cuts along the outside of the articular protrusion. Methods that include...

15. Using the apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 11, The method according to claim 14.

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