IE83393B1 - Defatting of meat cuts - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the defatting of meat cuts and in particular to the defatting of pork backs or bacon backs.

There is a requirement to remove excess fat from pork backs or bacon backs to achieve a relatively uniform fat level. It is known to use a machine in which the pork back is led between a blade and a roller, the blade removing a layer of fat as the back is passed thereover. This has the advantage of removing an even layer of fat.

However, considerable further trimming is required to remove further excess fat to customer requirements. This further fat removal is carried out manually leading to variations in fat removal and yields fat in small pieces which require considerable handling for further processing. In addition to these quality issues the excess trimming is also very labour intensive.

There is therefore a need for an improved defatting system which will overcome at least some of these difficulties.

Statements ef Inventien According to the invention there is provided a defatting apparatus for removing fat from pork or bacon backs comprising: a conveyor for receiving pork backs to be defatted; blade means; and a roller means for drawing the pork backs under the blade means to remove fat from the pork back; the blade means comprising at least two adjacent blade sections which are arranged transversely substantially in line, the blade sections being set at different spacings from the roller means for removing different amounts of fat from different parts of a pork back substantially simultaneously as the pork back is drawn under the blade sections by the roller means.

Preferably the blade means comprises two blade sections, a first blade section corresponding to an eye part of a pork back and a second blade section corresponding to a tail of the pork back, most preferably the tail blade section is stepped back from the roller for a greater distance than the eye blade section.

In a preferred embodiment the blade sections are adjustable, preferably independently adjustable.

In one embodiment the invention includes guide means for guiding a pork back in a desired position relative to the blade means, preferably the guide means is adjustable, most preferably the guide means comprises a pair of elongate guide arms which are spaced—apart to receive a pork back therebetween.

One aspect of the invention provides a method for defatting a pork back comprising the steps of: leading a pork back with a fat end lowermost along a conveyor to a roller means; driving the roller means to draw the back to a blade means, and the blade means comprising at least two adjacent blade sections which are arranged transversely substantially in line, the blade sections being set at different spacings from the roller means; cutting different amounts of fat from different parts of the pork back substantially simultaneously as the pork back is drawn under the blade sections by the roller means.

Preferably the method includes the step of guiding the pork back along the conveyor in a desired orientation corresponding to the fat profile to be removed.

The invention further provides defatted pork backs whenever defatted using an apparatus of the invention and/or using a method of the invention.

Brief Deseription ef the Drawings The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;— Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a defatting apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blade detail of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the apparatus on the line III — III of Fig 2; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line IV — IV of Fig. 3.

Dtil D ri in Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a defatting apparatus 1 according to the invention comprising a stand 2 on which is mounted a conveyor 3 for receiving pork backs 4 to be defatted. The pork back 4 has an eye section 7 and a tail section 8. The apparatus includes an upper roller 10 and a lower roller 11 which are spaced—apart to draw a back 4 therebetween. The upper roller 10 is a guide roller which is spring biased 12 to engage the back 4 against the lower driven roller 11.

Blade means 15 is located adjacent the roller 11 to engage and cut fat 20 from the back 4 as it passes between the rollers 10, 11. The blade means 15 comprises two sections , 31 which are set at different spacings in relation to the roller 11 for selectively removing a variable amount of fat 20 from a back 4. In this case one blade section 30 is set to correspond to the eye part 7 of the back 4 and the second blade section 31 is set to correspond to the tail part 8. It will be noted that the tail blade section 31 is stepped back from the roller for a greater distance than the eye blade section 30. In this way fat removal may be optimised as a different amount of fat may be removed from different sections. This is a considerable advantage as downstream processing operations are also optimised, further manual defatting and consequent waste being minimised. In addition, as the fat is removed in one step a single strip of back fat is produced which is easily handled for further processing.

Guide means for guiding a pork back 4 in a desired position relative to the blade means 15 is in this case provided by a pair of back—engaging guide arms 40, which are mounted on respective bars 41 which are slidably movable relative to clamps 42. In this way the gap between the arms 40 is readily adjusted to cater for different meat cuts and/or varying sized cuts.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in detail, within the scope of the claims.

Claims (11)

1. Defatting apparatus for removing fat from pork or bacon backs comprising: a conveyor for receiving pork backs to be defatted; blade means; and a roller means for drawing the pork backs under the blade means to remove fat from the pork back; the blade means comprising at least two adjacent blade sections which are arranged transversely substantially in line, the blade sections being set at different spacings from the roller means for removing different amounts of fat from different parts of a pork back substantially as the pork back is drawn under the blade sections by the roller means.

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the blade means comprises two blade sections, a first blade section corresponding to an eye part of a pork back and a second blade section corresponding to a tail of the pork back.

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the tail blade section is stepped back from the roller for a greater distance than the eye blade section.

Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the blade sections are adjustable.

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the blade sections are independently adjustable.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including guide means for guiding a pork back in a desired position relative to the blade means.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the guide means is adjustable.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the guide means comprises a pair of elongate guide arms which are spaced-apart to receive a pork back therebetween.

9. Defatting apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A method for defatting a pork back comprising the steps of: leading a pork back with a fat end lowermost along a conveyor to a roller means; driving the roller means to draw the back to a blade means, and the blade means comprising at least two adjacent blade sections which are arranged transversely substantially in line, the blade sections being set at different spacings from the roller means; cutting different amounts of fat from different parts of the pork back substantially simultaneously as the pork back is drawn under the blade sections by the roller means.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 including the step of guiding the pork back along the conveyor in a desired orientation corresponding to the fat profile to be removed. A defatting method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Defatted pork backs whenever defatted using an apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 and/or using a method as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12.