Process and device for deboning a swine loin

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for deboning a swine loin, in particular of pig, comprising: a) providing a right or left half-carcass of swine spine comprising an elongated cut of meat delimited on two consecutive faces substantially in an L-shape by the bones forming the right or left side of a portion of the swine spine cut longitudinally and transversely at the spinal cord so as to form a substantially flat area defined by the right or left transverse process of the vertebrae belonging to said portion of spine joined to a knuckle area inclined with respect to the flat area from which extensions, called ribs, depart in that tract of the spine involved by the presence of ribs; b) positioning and securing the half-carcass on a work surface with the flat area facing said surface and the knuckle area protruding from said surface; c) dividing the half-carcass into a lumbar portion without ribs and a lumbar / thoracic portion with the presence of ribs; d) detaching the meat from the knuckle area of the lumbar / thoracic portion by inserting into the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area a first blade element, inclined so as to follow the inclined profile of the knuckle area until reaching the flat area; e) removing the meat from the knuckle area and from the flat area of the lumbar / thoracic portion by progressively acting with a second blade, spoon-shaped and curved, starting from the flap of meat detached from the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area until reaching the flat area proximal to the knuckle area and then the opposite end of the flat area distal to the knuckle area.

Description

[0001] La Valdarno Carni s.r.l.

[0002] Process and device for deboning a swine loin

[0003] DESCRIPTION

[0004] The present invention relates to a process and a device for deboning a swine loin, in particular of pig.

[0005] At present, the deboning process of a swine loin reguires a series of complex manual operations carried out by expert operators. These must perform a series of cuts following the contour of the bones, tilting the knife precisely to minimise meat waste. This approach presents several problems:

[0006] 1. Slowness of the Process: the need to carefully follow the profile of the bones makes the process slow and laborious.

[0007] 2. Operational Complexity: the manual process reguires a high level of technical skill, which implies specific and expensive training for the operators.

[0008] 3. Meat Waste: despite the precision of the operators, it is difficult to completely avoid meat loss, reducing the overall efficiency of the process.

[0009] 4. Dependence on Expert Operators: the execution of the cut is strictly linked to individual skill, limiting the standardisation and scalability of the process.

[0010] 5. Errors: during manual cleaning, if the knife were to nick the bone, bone chips would be present in the loin; these are dangerous and must be avoided. Conversely, a cut too far from the bone risks spoiling the finish of the loin.

[0011] 6. Safety: From the point of view of safety, since deboning operations must be performed in many cases repeatedly and at a certain speed, accidents can occur, so the less the knife is used manually the more safety is increased.Machinery exists that makes it possible to at least partially eliminate these problems. Document W0200182706 describes, for example, an apparatus for deboning a piece of meat having an elongated bony portion, such as a loin piece provided with a spine portion, which comprises an elongated support mounted on a frame for receiving the loin whose spine portion is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis defined by the support and a plurality of pressing devices mounted on the frame for maintaining the piece of meat in a predetermined cutting position on the support. The deboning operation is carried out by a curved blade that makes a circular cut in the meat around the spine which is thus removed.

[0012] Although efficient, this machinery acts in a very coarse manner on the piece of meat without taking into account the conformation of the bones forming the spine of the animal. It merely cuts the meat around the spine at a certain distance from the spinal cord canal without detaching it from the bone by following its profile as instead occurs in manual processes. In addition to the unavoidable waste, the loin is thus deprived precisely of that zone in contact with the bone which is very flavourful. The aim of the present invention is to realise an automatic process for deboning a swine loin that has the advantages of manual processes in terms of accuracy of meat removal while at the same time limiting the typical disadvantages of such manual processes.

[0013] The invention achieves the aim with a process for deboning a swine loin, in particular of pig, comprising:

[0014] a) providing a right or left half-carcass of swine spine comprising an elongated cut of meat delimited on two consecutive faces substantially in an L-shape by the bones forming the right or left side of a portion of the swine spine cut longitudinally and transversely at the spinal cord so as to form a substantially flat area defined by the right or left transverse process of the vertebrae belonging to said portion of spine joined to a knuckle area inclined with respect to the flat area from which extensions, called ribs, depart in that tract of the spine involved by the presence of ribs;b) positioning and securing the half-carcass on a work surface with the flat area facing said surface and the knuckle area protruding from said surface, for example anchoring the half-carcass to the support surface by inserting the cavity of the spinal cord into a longitudinal ridge provided on, or in any case associated with, the work surface;

[0015] c) dividing the half-carcass into a lumbar portion without ribs and a lumbar / thoracic portion with the presence of ribs;

[0016] d) detaching the meat from the knuckle area of the lumbar / thoracic portion by inserting into the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area a first blade element, inclined so as to follow the inclined profile of the knuckle area until reaching the flat area;

[0017] e) removing the meat from the knuckle area and from the flat area of the lumbar / thoracic portion by progressively acting with a second blade, spoon-shaped and curved, starting from the flap of meat detached from the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area until reaching the flat area proximal to the knuckle area and then the opposite end of the flat area distal to the knuckle area, for example by inserting the curved blade into the groove incised by the first blade element. To this end the first blade may advantageously be left in the half-carcass in its final position abutting the flat area so as to create a sliding guide for the second curved blade.

[0018] In order to optimise the separation of the meat in the lumbar zone devoid of ribs, but provided with protuberances that make the spooning-out operation difficult, in an embodiment of the process according to the invention the following steps are further provided:

[0019] f) detaching the meat from the knuckle area of the lumbar portion by inserting a third blade element into the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area in a direction substantially perpendicular or slightly inclined with respect to the support surface until reaching the flat area. This is a curved blade and / or a flat blade guided to follow a curvilinear path in the terminal portion of its stroke;g) retracting the third blade element by a predetermined stroke so as to position it at a certain distance from the support surface;

[0020] h) translating the third blade element in the direction of the end of the flat area distal to the knuckle area;

[0021] i) inserting the third blade element again in the direction substantially perpendicular or slightly inclined with respect to the support surface until reaching the flat area;

[0022] I) removing the meat from the flat area of the lumbar portion by progressively acting with the third spoon-shaped blade until reaching the end of the flat area distal to the knuckle area.

[0023] In a variant, step I) is carried out by a fourth blade element that rests on the third blade element when said third blade element has reached the flat area and can thus act as a guide for the fourth blade.

[0024] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the insertion stroke of the third blade into the knuckle area in the lumbar zone is determined by the maximum extension of the stroke of the first blade in the lumbar / thoracic knuckle area.

[0025] The invention also relates to a device for deboning a right or left half-carcass of swine spine, in particular of pig, comprising:

[0026] a horizontal flat support oriented along a first direction x and a second direction y on which plane the half-carcass is placed with the flat area facing said plane in the x direction with the cavity of the spinal cord oriented in the y direction and the knuckle area protruding from said plane upwards in a third direction z;

[0027] a first blade element rotatably supported so as to perform a movement on an arc of a circle around an axis arranged along the y direction so as to pass from an initial rest position not interfering with the half-carcass positioned on the support plane to a final position inclined with respect to the support plane in which the blade interferes with the half-carcass so as to incise to a certain depth the knuckle area of said halfcarcass at the portion of spine in which the ribs are present;a second curved blade element rotatably supported so as to perform a rotational movement on an arc of a circle around an axis arranged along the y direction with opposite rotation direction with respect to the rotation direction of the first blade element so as to pass from a starting position not interfering with the half-carcass positioned on the support plane to a substantially horizontal arrival position performing a stroke that provides for the insertion of said second blade element into the incision made by the first blade element by progressively acting in spoon-like manner for the removal of the meat starting from the upper part of the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area until reaching the flat area proximal to the knuckle area and then the opposite end of the flat area distal to the knuckle area of the portion of spine in which the ribs are present;

[0028] a control unit and actuating means capable of piloting the stroke of the blade elements.

[0029] In an embodiment, the trajectories followed by the first and the second blade element in their stroke from the initial to the final position comprise tangential curves with opposite concavity so that the second blade element can be guided in its movement by the first blade element at the end of stroke in the half-carcass.

[0030] In order to stably retain the half-carcass on the work surface, a toggle clamp may be provided that can be positioned on the half-carcass during processing.

[0031] In a refinement, the support plane comprises a longitudinal ridge adapted to receive the cavity of the spinal cord for fixing and / or centring the half-carcass on the support plane.

[0032] In order to optimise the separation of the meat in the lumbar zone devoid of ribs, but provided with protuberances that make the spooning-out operation difficult, in an embodiment the device further comprises:

[0033] a third blade element supported by a kinematic mechanism with two degrees of freedom which enables the removal of the meat in the portion of spine in which the ribs are not present with a rotational movement of the third blade element on one ormore arcs of a circle in spoon-like shape preceded by translation movements in the z and x direction.

[0034] The kinematic mechanism with two degrees of freedom may advantageously comprise an articulated arm with two hinges, for example with axis of rotation in the y direction.

[0035] In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to rotate by means of the actuators the arm around the first hinge between the following three positions: a first rest position in which the arm section comprised between the first and the second hinge is substantially at 90° with respect to the support plane, that is, vertical or substantially vertical;

[0036] a second cutting position in which said arm section is oriented between 210° and 250°, in particular about 230° with respect to the support plane;

[0037] a third spooning position in which said arm section is oriented between 160° and 200°, in particular about 180° with respect to the support plane.

[0038] In the second position the third blade element performs a first separation of the meat by rotating around the second hinge while in the third position the third blade element performs a second separation of the meat by carrying out a first rotation around the second hinge and then the spooning-out operation freeing the meat from the bone by means of a further rotation around the second hinge.

[0039] The control unit may be configured to store the stroke extension of the first blade element when it incises the knuckle area of the half-carcass at the portion of spine in which the ribs are present and to set the same stroke for the third blade element in its translation in the z direction.

[0040] In a refinement, the device may advantageously comprise a first set and a second set of blade elements staggered in the y direction so as to simultaneously act on a right half-carcass and a left half-carcass arranged on the support plane aligned along the spine with the meat loin to be deboned facing the same side.In another embodiment, the device may advantageously comprise blade elements translatable in the y direction to be positioned at the lumbar and thoracic zone of right and left half-carcasses to be alternatively arranged on the support plane aligned along the spine with the meat loin to be deboned facing the same side.

[0041] The further features and refinements are the subject of the dependent claims. The features of the invention and the advantages deriving therefrom will become more evident from the following detailed description of the attached figures, in which: Fig. 1 shows the skeletal apparatus of a swine.

[0042] Fig. 2 shows a left half-carcass of swine spine.

[0043] Figs. 3 and 4 show the spinal cord recess and the positioning thereof at a ridge of the work surface for the indexing of the half-carcass.

[0044] Figs. 5 to 8 show the steps to be performed for deboning the thoracic portion provided with ribs in an embodiment of the invention.

[0045] Figs. 9 to 12 show the steps to be performed for deboning the lumbar portion devoid of ribs in an embodiment of the invention.

[0046] Fig. 13 shows several views of the concept of a device for deboning a left halfcarcass of a swine according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0047] Fig. 14 shows an axonometric view of the concept of the preceding figure with the main parts forming the device highlighted.

[0048] Figs. 15 and 16 show a side view of the device with the ratchet for fixing the halfcarcass to the work surface highlighted in two operative positions.

[0049] Figs. 17 and 18 show a side view with the position of the comb for incising the meat in the zone of the spine with the presence of ribs highlighted, respectively, before insertion into the meat and at end of stroke.

[0050] Fig. 19 shows a rear axonometric view that highlights the combs for spooning out the thoracic zone and the lumbar zone.Fig. 20 shows a side view of the preceding figure with the rotation angles of the support arm of the combs for spooning out highlighted.

[0051] Figs. 21 and 22 show the support arm of the spooning-out combs in the first operative position corresponding to an inclination of 230° with respect to the work surface.

[0052] Figs. 23 to 26 show various positions of the comb for spooning out the zone devoid of ribs when the support arm of the spooning-out combs is in the second operative position corresponding to an inclination of 180° with respect to the work surface. Fig. 27 shows the deboned piece of meat at the end of operations.

[0053] Fig. 28 shows an axonometric view of the concept of a device for deboning a left half-carcass of a swine according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0054] Figs. 29-33 show views of the device of the preceding figure with blade elements in various operative positions, specifically:

[0055] blade elements raised: piece positioning condition (Fig. 29);

[0056] first blade element 3 lowered: detachment of the meat from the vertical wall only from the rib side (Fig. 30);

[0057] first 3 and third 8 blade elements lowered: detachment of the meat from the vertical wall from the rib side and the spine side (Fig. 31);

[0058] first 3, second 4 and third 8 blade elements lowered: detachment of the meat from the horizontal bone from the rib side by spooning out (Fig. 32);

[0059] first 3, second 4 and third 8 blade elements lowered: detachment of the meat from the horizontal bone from the spine side (Fig. 33).

[0060] Fig. 34 shows a possible working seguence:

[0061] a) loading of the half-carcass already cleaned of the tenderloin;

[0062] b) vertical cut of the ribs;

[0063] c) vertical cut of the spine + spooning out of the ribs;

[0064] d) spooning out of the spine;e) Vertical cut of the spine + spooning out of the spine + recovery of the initial position of the third blade element.

[0065] Fig. 35 shows a possible arrangement of a right half-carcass and of a left halfcarcass on the support surface for the simultaneous, or successive, processing of both types of half-carcass.

[0066] Fig. 36 shows the typical lengths of the lumbar and costal tracts of a right and left half-carcass that can be processed with the same device using a system for the reversal of the blade elements.

[0067] Fig. 37 shows a tool in the shape of a semi-cylinder or hollow cylinder that can be used in the device according to the invention for the removal of the tenderloin by means of a longitudinal-translational or rotational or helical movement in the position indicated by the figure on the left.

[0068] Fig. 1 shows the skeletal apparatus of a pig. The loin is that tract of meat on the back of the animal comprising a certain number of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. The exact number depends on the point along the spine at which the cut is made. The piece of meat shown, for example, in Fig. 2 comprises 13 thoracic vertebrae (numbered from 1 to 13) and 4 lumbar vertebrae (numbered from 14 to 17).

[0069] Specifically, the image of Fig. 2 depicts a left half-carcass lacking the rack of ribs which has already been removed. The half-carcass was obtained by cutting the spinal column longitudinally and transversely at the spinal cord canal. The support surface corresponds to the longitudinal cut.

[0070] In the zone to the right (towards the head of the animal) the extremities of the ribs (rib tips) are present that connect to the vertebrae in the thoracic tract of the spine. There are 13 since, in this case, the cut was made below the shoulder. Also in the right part it can be noted that the thoracic vertebrae on the support surface have extensions of a very flattened shape.In the zone to the left, from 14 to 17, the lumbar vertebrae are devoid of ribs and present more pronounced protuberances that make the separation of the meat more difficult.

[0071] The half-carcass is usually divided by laser with high precision. The symmetry of the cut can be advantageously used for the indexing of the meat which can be straightened and aligned thanks to the presence of the spinal cord recess.

[0072] Since the spine is not uniform, the separation actions are also advantageously adapted to the conformation of the piece, in particular those carried out for the cutting of the part 1-13 and those for the part 14-17 in the case of the example of Fig.

[0073] 2 are different. The difference lies in the presence at the knuckle of a protuberance between 14 and 17 which reguires a repositioning of the tool used for deboning.

[0074] The meat separation process according to an embodiment of the invention is composed of four phases which can be summarised as follows:

[0075] (1) indexing and clamping of the half-carcass;

[0076] (2) first separation: detachment of the vertical wall in the thoracic tract (vertebrae 1-13 in the example of Fig. 2);

[0077] (3) second separation: spooning out of the remaining loin in the same thoracic tract;

[0078] (4) third separation: detachment of the vertical wall in the lumbar tract (vertebrae 14-17 in the example of Fig. 2) with repositioning of the plate for the vertical cut so as to overcome the protuberances present in this tract of the spine and then proceeding with a spooning out with the cutting plate inclined.

[0079] The tool for the detachment of the meat is not necessarily a sharpened knife, but may advantageously be a non-sharpened object pressed into the cartilaginous zone between bone and flesh which then slides between them causing their detachment by means of a "spooning" action, that is, with a rotational movement around one or more axes parallel to the axis of the spine.The compound movement "linear + spooning out" is a novelty in meat cutting. It can be obtained with a guided curved tool or with a combination of a curved tool resting on a straight tool for the vertical cut.

[0080] In this second case, a second tool, typically with a curved blade, slides on the guide tool, typically with a straight blade, following the profile of the bone without running the risk of nicking it.

[0081] The pressure to be exerted to detach the meat from the bone is very low; the resistance to penetration of the loin by the tool is high only in the very first tract of less than one centimetre in which it is necessary to nick or sever the callous portion. The detachment process is adjustable, to easily decide how much meat to leave in contact with the ribs in the case one wishes to sell them richer in meat.

[0082] The phases of the process according to an embodiment of the invention will now be described.

[0083] Indexing of the product

[0084] As a first phase the block of meat is secured on a work surface 7 with a mechanism capable of locking the ribs in position, for example by means of adjustable pressing devices. For the positioning the operator can be helped by a raised rectilinear profile 1 on the work surface 7 which acts as a form fit with the recess of the spinal column adapted to contain the spinal cord. This makes it possible to align the vertebrae and give an overall alignment to the loin. Fig. 3 shows the loin on the work surface with the position of the form fit 1 indicated in dashed lines. Fig. 4 shows the loin in crosssection with the recess of the spine visible (indicated with reference numeral 2). Fig.

[0085] 9 shows the raised rectilinear profile 1 inserted in the recess 2 in a cross-section of the lumbar part of the spine.

[0086] First separation / detachment of the vertical wall of the thoracic zone

[0087] In the thoracic zone (vertebrae 1-13 to the right of Fig. 2) with a straight tool (plate 3) or slightly curved, slightly flexible and non-sharpened, preferably as wide as thesame thoracic zone, for example about 400-500 mm, the separation of the meat from the surface of the ribs 5 is carried out by descending in a vertical direction until reaching the flattened bone 6 which is resting on the work surface 7 as shown in Fig.

[0088] 5.

[0089] Second separation (spooning out of the thoracic zone)

[0090] After having inclined the first tool 3 and without extracting it from the meat, a second curved tool (spoon 4), which may also be sharpened or not, is inserted abutting the first tool 3 (Fig. 6) which guides it and then contacts the flat bones 6 on the plane which direct it to the completion of the cut (Fig.7). This second separation (called spooning out) finishes the deboning of the right part, that is, of the thoracic vertebrae (Fig. 8).

[0091] Third separation (separation of the lumbar zone with repositioning of the plate for vertical and then inclined cut, also without spooning out)

[0092] On the left side of the half-carcass (lumbar vertebrae 14-17) with a rectilinear tool (plate 8) analogous to plate 3, one descends vertically until reaching the protuberance found in the lower zone of those vertebrae (Fig. 9). To establish the position of this movement one can advantageously use the arrival position of plate 3 which gives the distance of the knuckle / protuberance 5 of the bone from the reference plane 7 (positioning in the spinal cord "machine zero").

[0093] Subseguently the tool is raised slightly upwards, one advances horizontally bypassing the protuberance and, finally, one descends again inclining plate 8 making it slide on the bone obliquely, severing the last flap of meat. The operation can be carried out with a single blade element or with two blade elements of which one acts as a guide for the other as in the case of deboning of the thoracic vertebrae.

[0094] Having done this, one can proceed to the removal of meat and bone for the subseguent processing phases and begin the cycle again with a new loin to be deboned.Figs. 13-27 illustrate the concept of a device capable of performing the process steps described above on a left half-carcass. The figures omit to represent the drives which can be of any type according to the state of the art and are limited to illustrating essential support frames with the purpose of highlighting in a simplified manner the movements of the blade elements according to the teachings of the present invention. The control unit that underlies the operation of the entire device is also not illustrated in the figures for simplicity of representation.

[0095] Figs. 13 and 14 show some overall views of the device where the following components are highlighted whose position with respect to the support plane can obviously be reversed to handle right half-carcasses instead of left ones:

[0096] 8: Comb for performing both meat detachment phases in the lumbar zone of the spine (fourth phase of the process described above) in which the ribs are not present. The length of this element may, for example, range from 280 to 320 mm, typically 300 mm, and is a function of the extension of the lumbar tract of the meat to be deboned.

[0097] 4: Comb for "spooning out" or “scooping out”, the thoracic part in which the ribs are present, that is, for performing the third phase of the process. The length of this element ranges from 450 to 550 mm, typically 500 mm, and is a function of the extension of the thoracic tract of the meat to be deboned.

[0098] 7: Work surface. This component may be provided with a reference line 11, for example at 500 mm from the end adapted to receive the first thoracic vertebra of the loin. This line can help the operator to position the meat with respect to the boundary between the two cutting zones, that is, thoracic zone and lumbar zone. Alternatively or in combination it is possible to provide the use of an adjustable flat lateral stop, for example of dimensions 300x500 mm not shown in the figures. The work surface may be provided with a tilt adjustment to increase ergonomics and / or to aid the drainage of liguids.

[0099] 1: Profile for the positioning of the spinal cord cavity 2.

[0100] 9: Rib abutment wall.10: Toggle clamp for the clamping of the piece of meat to be deboned.

[0101] 3: Comb for performing the first cutting phase on the thoracic zone which presents the ribs, which ribs have a rearward curvature with respect to the flat area. The length of this comb ranges from 450 to 550 mm, typically 500 mm, and is a function of the extension of the thoracic tract of the meat to be deboned as for the comb 4 for spooning out.

[0102] 12: Insertion opening for the piece of meat to be deboned, of dimensions, for example, 220x800 mm.

[0103] Its operation, with the help of the figures, is now shown.

[0104] The operator places the piece in the machine by setting the spinal cord recess 2 on the dedicated ridge 1.

[0105] The comb configuration of the parts described above is advantageous with respect to a continuous blade-shaped realisation since a non-continuous blade configuration, that is, a comb configuration, adapts better to the geometric variations of the ribs along the Y axis.

[0106] The toggle clamp 10 is closed. Having two arms in series, that is, two degrees of freedom, it is able to adapt to different heights of the ribs. The direction of the force exerted by the toggle clamp 10 can be directed as shown by the dashed lines in Figs.

[0107] 15 and 16, for example using between the two arms a handbrake-type ratchet.

[0108] The operator removes his hands and moves away.

[0109] The comb for the ribs 3 from behind approaches until contacting the meat (if necessary here an automatic longitudinal cut is made to open the meat by a few millimetres). It has only one arm and one degree of freedom because it will gradually rest against the toggle clamp 10 flexing upon contact with the bones.

[0110] The comb 3 sinks to the base of the ribs 6 (Fig. 18). The corresponding comb 4, arranged on the opposite side with respect to the half-carcass, is inserted into the groove created by comb 3 to perform the spooning-out operation of the zone with ribs. The trajectories followed by comb 3 and comb 4 in their stroke from the initialto the final position are preferably tangential curves with opposite concavity so that comb 4 can be guided in its movement by comb 3 arranged at the end of stroke in the half-carcass.

[0111] The front shaped arm 100 allows the comb 8 for the lumbar spine and the one for spooning out the ribs 4 to work in different positions while being constrained to the same support. The shaped arm 100, fixed to the base support by means of hinge 101 and to the arm 103 supporting comb 8 by means of hinge 102, is retractable to allow loading of the piece to be deboned and also performs the important function of ensuring rigidity to the structure. It operates in the three positions schematised in Fig. 20 by indication of the angle of inclination with respect to the work surface: a first rest position in which the shaped arm 100 is at 90° with respect to the support plane, that is, vertical or substantially vertical;

[0112] a second cutting position in which the shaped arm 100 is oriented between 210° and 250°, in particular about 230° with respect to the support plane;

[0113] a third spooning position in which the shaped arm 100 is oriented between 160° and 200°, in particular about 180° with respect to the support plane.

[0114] In the second position the comb 8 performs a first separation of the meat, substantially in a vertical direction, by rotating around hinge 102. As can be observed in Figs. 21 and 22, the front comb 4 for the ribs, in the background, is completely retracted.

[0115] In the third position the comb 8 performs a second separation of the meat by carrying out a first rotation around hinge 102 which allows comb 8 to rise by a few millimetres to by-pass the protuberance present in the spinal column in that zone (Fig. 23). Immediately after, comb 8, benefiting from the new position of its fulcrum, descends again until detaching the meat and sliding on the work surface 7.

[0116] In the image of Fig. 24 comb 8 appears to penetrate the plane, but in reality its flexibility allows it to slide on it.Returning now to look at the machine from its left side, and still maintaining the front shaped arm 100 at about 180° (or a more suitable intermediate position), the front comb 8 is now lowered by means of a further rotation around hinge 102 to perform its spooning-out function freeing all the meat from the bone in the lumbar tract as shown in Figs. 25 and 26.

[0117] At the end of processing, all arms are opened in reverse seguence, freeing meat and bone for extraction (Fig. 27).

[0118] The mechanisms described are to be understood as exemplifying and not limiting the invention, it being possible that configurations exist employing kinematic mechanisms of different type and different degrees of freedom that allow to perform the spooning-out operation on the two spine tracts preceded by an incision operation of the meat with one or more translations in the substantially vertical or slightly obligue direction of a comb dedicated to the purpose or of the same comb that performs the spooning out. The translation operation differs in the two spine tracts in that in the lumbar tract devoid of ribs it is necessary to by-pass a protuberance of the spinal column before performing the spooning out. This advantageously occurs by raising the comb after the first incision, advancing the same in the transverse direction by the amount necessary to by-pass the protuberance and then lowering it again until reaching the spooning-out position.

[0119] Fig. 28 shows a device according to another embodiment of the invention. In this case the support of the blade elements is arranged on one side only, in particular at the rib abutment wall 9. The oscillating arm 44 associated with the cantilevered arcuate guide 244 and the articulated arm 88 (visible in Fig. 33) allow the second comb 4 and the third comb 5 to perform movements analogous to those described with reference to the preceding embodiment.

[0120] Figs. 29-33 show the device according to this second embodiment with blades in various operative positions, specifically:

[0121] blades 3, 4, 8 raised: piece positioning condition (Fig. 29);blade 3 lowered: detachment of the meat from the vertical wall only from the rib side (Fig. 30);

[0122] blades 3 and 8 lowered: detachment of the meat from the vertical wall from the rib side and the spine side (Fig. 31);

[0123] blades 3, 4, 8 lowered: detachment of the meat from the horizontal bone from the rib side by spooning out (Fig. 32);

[0124] blades 3, 4, 8 lowered: detachment of the meat from the horizontal bone from the spine side (Fig. 33).

[0125] The first 3 and the second 4 blade are advantageously supported by oscillating arms 33, 44 provided with shoes 133, 144 slidable on corresponding arcuate guides 233, 244. The spooning-out effect exerted by the second blade 4 is due to the counter-arcuate shape of said blade 4 as can be seen in Fig. 32.

[0126] The third blade 8 is advantageously supported by an articulated arm 88 with at least two degrees of freedom to allow, in addition to the rotational spooning-out movement, also translational movements for by-passing the protuberance discussed in the preceding sections as shown in Fig. 33.

[0127] Fig. 34 shows a seguence of operations that can be performed with the device of the preceding figures:

[0128] a) loading of the half-carcass already cleaned of the tenderloin;

[0129] b) vertical cut of the ribs;

[0130] c) vertical cut of the spine + spooning out of the ribs;

[0131] d) spooning out of the spine;

[0132] e) vertical cut of the spine + spooning out of the spine + recovery of the initial position of the third blade element

[0133] The tenderloin can be removed using a semi-cylindrical or hollow cylindrical tool such as, for example, that shown to the right in Fig.37. The positioning of the cylinderon the loin arranged on the support plane of the device according to the invention can advantageously take place in the position indicated in the left image of Fig. 37.

[0134] The device of this embodiment is capable of operating on both right half-carcasses and left half-carcasses too, for example using a blade reversal system which makes it possible to position them in a mirror-like manner with respect to the centreline of the support plane. In the simplest configuration, mechanical linkages or clamps can be used that release / lock the blade support on one side or the other of the support plane.

[0135] In a more advanced configuration, each blade is capable of translating so as to be able to position itself on the costal or lumbar zone depending on the type of halfcarcass. See, for example, Fig. 36: if the two types of half-carcasses are arranged on the work surface so as to align the spine with the same edge of said work surface (that is, they are arranged overturned with respect to a transverse median plane), by translating the blades for the spine and for the costal zone in the longitudinal direction, it is possible to operate on both half-carcasses without having to reposition the supports.

[0136] To guarantee the maximum production capacity, it is also possible to operate in parallel on both half-carcasses without the need to reposition the blades. As shown in Fig. 35, if the half-carcasses are arranged aligned longitudinally and mirror-like overturned one with respect to the other, using two series of blades longitudinally staggered it is possible to perform the deboning of both half-carcasses simultaneously.

[0137] Thanks to these provisions, it is possible to realise an automatic machine capable of speeding up and optimising the deboning process of the pork loin. The main features of such a machine include:

[0138] 1. Process Automation: the machine performs deboning following a preset program, limiting the need for expert manual intervention only to the positioning of the half-carcass in the machine.2. High Precision: by using a mechanical guidance system that rests on the already existing bones, the machine can precisely follow the contour of the bones, minimising meat waste.

[0139] 3. Operating Speed: thanks to automation, the process is significantly faster compared to traditional methods.

[0140] 4. Reduction of Training Costs: operators need minimal training, given that the operation of the machine is intuitive and standardised.

[0141] 5. Greater Scalability: the machine can be used in different production lines, improving overall productivity and reducing the dependence on specific operator skills.

[0142] 6. Minimisation of errors: the fact of being able to work without sharpening of the tools eliminates at the outset the issue of bone chips;

[0143] 7. Reduction of the risk of injury due to the handling of knives.

[0144] With this solution, the deboning process becomes more efficient, standardised, safer and less expensive, resolving the main criticalities linked to the manual approach and to the meat waste of known automatic machines.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Process for deboning a swine loin, in particular of pig, comprising:a) providing a right or left half-carcass of swine spine comprising an elongated cut of meat delimited on two consecutive faces substantially in an L-shape by the bones forming the right or left side of a portion of the swine spine cut longitudinally and transversely at the spinal cord so as to form a substantially flat area defined by the right or left transverse process of the vertebrae belonging to said portion of spine joined to a knuckle area inclined with respect to the flat area from which extensions, called ribs, depart in that tract of the spine involved by the presence of ribs;b) positioning and securing the half-carcass on a work surface with the flat area facing said surface and the knuckle area protruding from said surface; c) dividing the half-carcass into a lumbar portion without ribs and a lumbar / thoracic portion with the presence of ribs;d) detaching the meat from the knuckle area of the lumbar / thoracic portion by inserting in the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area a first blade element, inclined so as to follow the inclined profile of the knuckle area until reaching the flat area;e) removing the meat from the knuckle area and from the flat area of the lumbar / thoracic portion by progressively acting with a second blade, spoonshaped and curved, starting from the flap of meat detached from the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area until reaching the flat area proximal to the knuckle area and then the opposite end of the flat area distal to the knuckle area.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein step b) provides for anchoring the halfcarcass to the support surface by inserting the cavity of the spinal cord into a longitudinal ridge provided on, or in any case associated with, the work surface.

3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the removal of the meat in step e) occurs by inserting the curved blade into the groove incised by the first blade element.

4. Process according to claim 3, wherein the first blade is left in the half-carcass in its final position abutting the flat area so as to create a sliding guide for the second curved blade.

5. Process according to one or more of the preceding claims, further comprising the following steps:f) detaching the meat from the knuckle area of the lumbar portion by inserting a third blade element into the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area in a direction substantially perpendicular or slightly inclined with respect to the support surface until reaching the flat area;g) retracting the third blade element by a predetermined stroke so as to position it at a certain distance from the support surface;h) translating the third blade element in the direction of the end of the flat area distal to the knuckle area;i) inserting the third blade element again in the direction substantially perpendicular or slightly inclined with respect to the support surface until reaching the flat area;I) removing the meat from the flat area of the lumbar portion by progressively acting with the third spoon-shaped blade until reaching the end of the flat area distal to the knuckle area.

6. Process according to claim 5, wherein the third blade is a curved blade and / or a flat blade guided to follow a curvilinear path in the terminal portion of its stroke.

7. Process according to claim 5 or 6, wherein step I) is carried out by a fourth blade element that rests on the third blade element when said third bladeelement has reached the flat area and can thus act as a guide for the fourth blade element.

8. Process according to one or more of claims 5 to 7, wherein the insertion stroke of the third blade into the knuckle area in the lumbar region is determined by the maximum extension of the stroke of the first blade in the lumbar / thoracic knuckle area.

9. Device for deboning a right and / or left half-carcass of swine spine, in particular of pig, comprising a cut of meat of elongated shape delimited on two consecutive faces substantially in an L-shape by the bones forming the right or left side of a portion of the swine spine cut longitudinally and transversely at the spinal cord so as to form a substantially flat area defined by the right or left transverse process of the vertebrae belonging to said portion of spine joined to a knuckle area inclined with respect to the flat area from which extensions, called ribs, depart in that tract of the spine involved by the presence of ribs, characterized in that it comprises:> a horizontal flat support (7) oriented along a first direction x and a second direction y on which plane the half-carcass is placed with the flat area facing said plane in the x direction with the cavity of the spinal cord oriented in the y direction and the knuckle area protruding from said plane upwards in a third direction z;> a first blade element (3) rotatably supported so as to perform a rotational movement on an arc of a circle around an axis arranged along the y direction so as to pass from an initial rest position not interfering with the half-carcass positioned on the support plane to a final position inclined with respect to the support plane in which the blade element (3) interferes with the half-carcass so as to incise to a certain depth the knuckle area of said half-carcass at the portion of spine in which the ribs are present;> a second curved blade element (4) rotatably supported so as to perform a rotational movement on an arc of a circle around an axis arrangedalong the y direction with opposite rotation direction with respect to the rotation direction of the first blade element so as to pass from a starting position not interfering with the half-carcass positioned on the support plane to a substantially horizontal final position performing a stroke that provides for the insertion of said second blade element (4) into the incision made by the first blade element (3) by progressively acting in spoon-like manner for the removal of the meat starting from the upper part of the knuckle area distal with respect to the flat area until reaching the flat area proximal to the knuckle area and then the opposite end of the flat area distal to the knuckle area of the portion of spine in which the ribs are present> a control unit and actuating means capable of piloting the stroke of the blade elements.

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein the trajectories followed by the first (3) and the second (4) blade element in their stroke from the initial to the final position comprise tangential curves with opposite concavity so that the second blade element (4) can be guided in its movement by the first blade element (3) at the end of stroke in the half-carcass.

11. Device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a securing element (10) is present that can be positioned on the half-carcass during processing to stably retain said half-carcass on the support plane (7).

12. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 9 to 11, wherein the support plane (7) comprises a longitudinal ridge (1) suitable to receive the cavity (2) of the spinal cord for fixing and / or centering the half-carcass on the support plane (7).

13. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 9 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises a third blade element (8) supported by a kinematic mechanism with two degrees of freedom which enables the removal of the meat in the portion of spine in which the ribs are not present with a rotationalmovement of the third blade element (8) on one or more arcs of a circle in spoon-like fashion preceded by translation movements in the z and x direction.

14. Device according to claim 13, wherein the kinematic mechanism with two degrees of freedom comprises an articulated arm (100, 103) with two hinges (101, 102) with axis of rotation in the y direction.

15. Device according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the control unit and actuators are configured to rotate the arm around the first hinge (101) between the following three positions:a first rest position in which the arm section (100) comprised between the first (101) and the second (102) hinge is substantially at 90° with respect to the support plane (7), that is, vertical or substantially verticala second cutting position in which said arm section (100) is oriented between 210° and 250°, in particular about 230° with respect to the support plane (7)a third spooning position in which said arm section (100) is oriented between 160° and 200°, in particular about 180° with respect to the support plane (7),whereinin the second position the third blade element (4) performs a first separation of the meat by rotating around the second hinge (102);in the third position the third blade element (4) performs a second separation of the meat by carrying out a first rotation around the second hinge (102) and then the spooning operation by an additional rotation around the second hinge (102).

16. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 13 to 15, wherein the control unit is configured to store the stroke extension of the first blade element (3) when it incises the knuckle area of the half-carcass at the portionof spine in which the ribs are present and to set the same stroke for the third blade element (8) in its translation in the z direction.

17. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 9 to 16, characterized in that it comprises a first set and a second set of blade elements (3, 4, 8) staggered in the y direction so as to simultaneously act on a right half-carcass and a left half-carcass arranged on the support plane (7) aligned along the spine with the meat loin to be deboned facing the same side.

18. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 9 to 17, characterized in that it comprises blade elements (3, 4, 8) translatable in the y direction to position themselves at the lumbar and thoracic zone of right and left halfcarcasses to be alternatively arranged on the support plane (7) aligned along the spine with the pork loin to be deboned facing the same side.

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