AU463473B2 - Apparatus for extracting fat from meat pulp and for producing meat mead - Google Patents

Description

4,2 98 9/72 This invention relates to an apparatus for extract-

ing fat from neat pulp and for producing meat meal.

In the processing of bodies of animals, it was

hitherto customary to treat with chemical agents the pulp of

meat and fat obtained by pre-cooking the carcassas in order

to separate the animal fat and meat meal components which

could be further utilised. It is the aim of the present in-

vention to simplify substantially this complicated and relat-

ively expensive process.

According to the invention, this problem is solved

by means of a filling device, at least one press cylinder

which is in communication with said device and has a hydraulic-

ally operated piston, a press strainer disposed in the side

wall of the press cylinder at one end of the latter, a slid-

able wall which in one -e 4 position closes theje.d" of the

press cylinder provided with the press strainer and in the

other-ena4 position frees this end by means of an opening,

and by means of a comminuting device, disposed behind the

Jwall, for the material pressed through the opening.

By means of an apparatus having these features, it

is possible for the meat pulp first to be freed of fat in a

very simple manner and in a single practically completely

automatic operation, and then for the briquettes produced by

the extraction of grease and the pressing operation to be

converted into meat meal by comminution. The apparatus has

only simple, purely mechanical parts and is therefore simple

to operate and -to maintain. No additional chemical treatment

is necessary. The meat pulp is introduced continuously into

the filling device and passes directly into the portion of

the press cylinder which is situated between the press 463.47 3

4,2 9 8 9 n2 strainer and the press piston. The press piston is then

advanced until the further introduction of meat pulp through

the filling device is prevented, and themeat pulp is placed

under pressure. This pressure may for example amount to 150

atmospheres and is maintained for an adjustable period of

time, for example 30 to 40 seconds. During this time the

fat can pass out of the press cylinder through the press

strainer and is collected in a suitable device. The slidable

wall, which until that moment had closed the end of the press

cylinder at which the press strainer is provided, is then

moved so that an opening in this wall coincides with the open

end of the cylinder. The press piston is then further

advanced so that the briquette formed is ejected through the

opening in the slidable wall. Directly behind this wall,

there is disposed a suitable comminution device which com-

minutes the briquettes in such a manner that they can then

be directly processed to form meat meal.

In an advantageous further development, the slidable

wall may be formed by the peripheral wall of a hollow cylinder

which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis. This provides

the advantage that, on the one hand, the cylindrical shape can

more satisfactorily withstand the internal pressure of the

press cylinder, and that on the other hand, the hollow cylin-

der can at the same time serve as casing for the comminution

device.

Hydraulic cylinders acting on the outer wall of

the hollow cylinder are advantageously provided for the pur-

pose of rotating the latter. This is possible because the

hollow cylinder has to turn only through a small angle, which

is slightly larger than twice the diameter of its opening. 463.473

4.2 98 9/72 It is convenient for the hollow cylinder to be

.ounted on stationary discs inserted in the openings in its

end faces. These discs may advantageously be provided on

their edges with a plurality of cutouts, which enable the

interior of the hollow cylinder to be inspected and at the

same time reduce the friction of the hollow cylinder running

on the edge of the discs.

In another advantageous development of the appar-

atus, the entire arrangement, consisting of the press cylin-

der with hydraulically operated press piston and the slidable

wall or hollow cylinder, may be enclosed by a double-T bearer

frame which is closed upon itself and on which both the

hydraulic operating devices of the press pistons and the

mounting devices for the slidable wall or hollow cylinder

are disposed. This embodiment is particularly simple because

it enables all other supporting walls and stiffening devices

to be dispensed with.

The filling device may advantageously be made in

the form of a funnel and at the bottom end be in communicat-

ion with a filling aperture which is provided in the side

wall of the press cylinder and adjoins the press strainer.

When the press piston moves forward, this filling aperture

is closed by it, so that no further meat pulp can be intro-

duced. It is preferable for the press cylinder to be inclined

downwardly away from the slidable wall so that the material

entering through the filling aperture always first flows to

the press piston.

In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of press

cylinders are provided side by side along the slidable wall.

A common filling aperture may advantageously be provided for 463,473

42 989 72 1 the press cylinders, this filling device being in com-

the filling apertures of all the press r.ication -ith development, a inders. According to a further advantageous filling apertures, its axis laded wheel may rotate above the to the wall. The material to f rotation extending parallel simultaneously into all e processed is thereby introduced with the same continuous he press cylinders cooperating apparatus is thereby ollow cylinder. The output of the

lultiplied.

has been found advantageous for the press It the diameter of which trainer to be provided with openings, exceed one millimetre. The openings does not substantially

may extend over the entire periphery of one end of the press

cylinder. meat pulp and of the Since the introduction of the therein is not effected uni- more solid particles contained it is convenient for the formly for all the press cylinders, pistons to be individually pressure feed to the various con- adjustable. Each of the press pistons is preferably the further nected to its own hydraulic cylinder, in which cut off when a predeter- supply of pressure is automatically

mined pressure value is reached. the rearward In addition, it is convenient for to be capable of being switched movement of all press pistons switch, by a single press piston off, with the aid of a limit time lag. adapted to be drawn back with a press piston is drawn back more This particular so that all the slowly than all the other press pistons,

end position when this others have already reached their

press piston operates the limit switch. 463.4 7 3

4,2 989/72 The conminution device behind the slidable wall or

inside the hollo:- cylinder preferably consists of knives, the

cu-ting edges of which point towards the opening in the slid-

able wall. In an advantageous further development, the knives

are disposed at right angles to one another, so that the

briquettes are cut up into parts of approximately equal size.

When the slidable wall is in the form of a hollow

cylinder, a conveyor worm is preferably disposed under the

comminution device and inside the hollow cylinder, the axis

of the worm being stationary and the worm being associated

with an outlet aperture in the bottom part of the hollow

cylinder. The material comminuted by the comminution device

is therefore discharged by the conveyor worm through the out-

let aperture and can be correctly processed to form meat meal.

The conveyor worm may conveniently be mounted in the discs

mounting the hollow cylinder.

An example of embodiment of the invention is illus-

trated more fully with the aid of the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partly sectional, diagrammatical side

elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatical oblique view of a

part of the apparatus consisting of a hollow cylinder and

some press cylinders;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatical plan view of a part

of the apparatus consisting of a hollow cylinder and the

press cylinders;

Figure 4 is a section along the line IV-IV in

Figure 3;

Figures 5 to 9 are partly sectional, diagrammatical

side views of a part of the apparatus consisting of hollow

463.4 7 3

4,2 98 92 cylinder and press cylinder, and various stages of the work-

ing cycle of the apparatus.

Figure 10 is a front view of the comminution appar-

atus, consisting of knives, through the appertaining opening

in the hollow cylinder; and

Figure 11 is a diagrammatical side view of the

comminution device with part of the hollow cylinder.

The example of embodiment illustrated in the draw-

ings is provided with a funnel-shaped filling hopper, which

is open at the top and at the bottom is in communication

through respective filling apertures 12 with a plurality of

parallel press cylinders 14. Above the filling apertures 12

a bladed wheel 16 rotates continuously, this wheel effecting

relatively uniform introduction of material into the press

cylinders. At one end, each press cylinder 14 has a press

strainer 18, which consists of small apertures which are

distributed over its entire periphery and the diameter of

which does not substantially exceed 1 millimetre. This press

strainer may be surrounded by a device (not shown) for

receiving the fat passing out.

Inside the press cylinder 14 a slidable press

piston 20, which at its rear end, is in communication with a

hydraulic cylinder 22, is disposed. The end of the press

cylinder 14 provided with the press strainer 18 is open and

lies against the outer wall of a hollow cylinder 26 which is

adapted to rotate about its longitudinal axis 24. The hollow

cylinder 26 has a roughly circular aperture 28, which coin-

cides with the open end of the press cylinder 14 when the

hollow cylinder is in the position shown in Figure 1. The

rotation of the hollow cylinder 26 between the positionshown 463.473

4,2 989/72 in Figure 1 and that shown in Figure 4 is effected by operat-

ing hydraulic cylinders 30 connected to the outer wall of the

hollow cylinder. The entire arrangement of juxtaposed press

cylinders 14 together with hydraulic cylinders 22 and the

hollow cylinder 26 is enclosed by a frame which extends

around said arrangement, is closed upon itself, and consists

of a double-T girder. The hollow cylinder 26 on the one hand

and the rear ends of the hydraulic cylinders 22 on the other

hand are supported on this frame, on which another frame 34

serving as support for an electric motor 36 is also supported. the The bladed wheel 16 and a discharge worm 38 disposed in

bottom part of the hollow cylinder 26 are continuously

rotated, in a manner not further illustrated, by the electric

motor 36. One or more apertures 40 in the hollow cylinder them are associated with the delivery worm 38, and through

the comminuted material delivered by the worm is discharged

from the hollow cylinder. At its two end faces the hollow cylinder 26 is disc mounted rotatably on stationary discs 42, of which the

situated behind the plane of the drawing is visible in Figure

1. At their edges, these discs have a plurality of cutouts to be 44, which enable the interior of the hollow cylinder seen and hence enable the operation to be observed, and

which on the other hand reduce the friction of the hollow

cylinder on the discs 42. c'-cular 2.? Opposite eachLaperturethere is disposed inside

the hollow cylinder 26 a comminution device which is fastened

to the hollow cylinder and which consists of two transversely per- extending knives 46 and 48 and of a knive 50 extending

pendicularly thereto, as well as of a deflector plate 52 4 6 3,47 3

4.2 989/72 extending from the upper region of the opening 28 completely

doinwards into the interior of the hollow cylinder 26. The

knives and the deflector plate are joined by the rigid tube

54 to the opposite inner wall of the hollow cylinder 26. The

comminution device 56 consisting of the parts mentioned above

therefore rotate together with the hollow cylinder 26 through

a predetermined angle in each case, as explained further on.

It can be seen from Figures 5 to 9 how a working

cycle of the apparatus illustrated takes place. Meat pulp

and other material to be processed are fed continuously into

the filling hopper 10. The continuously rotating bladed

wheel 16 ensures that the material passes through the filling

apertures 12 into all the press cylinders 14. It is, however,

not possible for the amounts introduced to be made entirely

uniform without further action. During the filling, the

hollow cylinder 26 is situated in the position shown in

Figure 5, so that its wall closes the opening in the press

cylinder 14 lying against the press strainer 18. Through

the operation of the hydraulic cylinders 22, the press pistons

are then advanced into the position shown in Figure 6, so

that the filling openings are closed and the material is

pressed forward in the interior of the press strainers 18.

Through the maintenance of a suitable pressure, for example

150 atmospheres over a period of tire of about 30 to

seconds the major part of the fat m:c erials contained in the

material is pressed out through the openings of the press

strainer 18. With the values indicated, extraction of fat

is achieved to a fat content of about As shown in Fig-

ure 7, the pistons 20 are then pressed under a still higher

pressure, so that the material contained in the press 463.47 3 straine--s 18 is 4.2 989/72 pressed into small, hard briquettes 58. The -ress-re in the hydraulic cylinder 22 is then relaxed for a short tine, so that the hollow cylinder 26 lying against the briquettes 58 can be turned into the position shown in

Figure 8 through the operation of the hydraulic cylinders In this position, the apertures 28 are so rotated that, when further pressure is applied, the press piston 20 pushes the

briquettes 58 onto the knives of the comminution device 56.

The briquettes are thereby divided into at least

six parts approximately equal in size and are discharged by

the deflector plate 52 downwards to the conveyor worm or

discharge worm 38. This continuously rotating conveyor

worm 38 ensures that the comminuted material is discharged

through the discharge aperture 40. The press pistons 20 are

then returned in the manner described above to their starting

position, which is shown in Figure 5, one of the press pist-

ons 20 being returned with a time lag and thus reaching the

starting position last. When this last press piston reaches

its starting position, the limit switch is operated, which

puts the hydraulic device out of operation.

463,47 3

Claims (1)

1. 4,2 98 9n2 The claims defining the invention are as follows:-

   1. An apparatus for extracting fat from meat pulp and

   for producing meat meal, characterised by a filling apparatus,

   at least one press cylinder which is in communication there-

   with and provided with a hydraulically operated press piston,

   a press strainer disposed in the side wall of the press

   cylinder at one end of the latter, the press piston being

   slidable between the two ends of the press cylinder, a

   slidable wall which in one etd position closes the end of

   the press cylinder provided with the press strainer and in

   the other end position frees this end by means of an opening,

   and by a comminuting device disposed behind thewall for the

   material pressed through the opening.

   2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised

   in that the slidable wall is formed by the peripheral wall

   of a hollow cylinder which is rotatable about its longitudinal

   axis.

   3. An apparatus according to claim 2, characterised

   in that hydraulic cylinders are provided for rotating the

   hollow cylinder.

   4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding

   claims, characterised in that the filling device is made

   funnel-shaped and at the bottom end is in communication with

   a filling aperture provided in the side wall of the press

   cylinder and adjoining the press strainer.

   463.4 7 3

   4,2 98 9/72 An apparatus according to any one of the preceding

   clains, characterised in that a plurality of press cylinders

   are disposed side by side along the slidable wall.

   6. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterised

   in that a common filling device which is in communication

   with the filling apertures of all the press cylinders is

   provided for all the press cylinders.

   7. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterised

   by a bladed wheel which rotates above the filling apertures

   and the axis of rotation of which is disposed parallel to

   the wall.

   8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding

   claims, characterised in that the press strainer has aper-

   tures, the diameter of which does not substantially exceed

   1 millimetre.

   9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding

   claims, characterised in that each press cylinder is inclined

   downwards away from the slidable wall.

   An apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to

   9, characterised in that the supply of pressure to the various

   press pistons is individually adaptable.

   11. An apparatus according to one of claims 4 to

   characterised in that the rearward movement of all the press

   4 63,4 7 3

   4,2 98 9n2 adapted to be switched off, with the aid of a pistons is

   limit switch, by a single press piston which is adapted to

   be drawn back with a time lag.

   12. An apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 11,

   characterised in that the rotatable hollow cylinder is mounted

   on stationary discs inserted in the opening in its end faces.

   13. An apparatus according. to claim 12, characterised

   in that the discs have cutouts at the edge.

   14. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding

   claims, characterised in that the arrangement comprising the

   press cylinders together with the hydraulically operated

   press pistons and the wall is enclosed by a double-T girder

   frame which is closed upon itself and on which both the

   hydraulic operating devices of the press piston and the

   mounting devices of the slidable wall are supported.

   An apparatus according to any one of the preceding

   claims, characterised in that the comminution device consists

   of knives, the cutting edges of which point towards the open-

   ing in the slidable wall.

   16. An apparatus according to claim 15, characterised

   in that the knives are disposed at right angles to one

   another.

   17. An apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 16,

   463,47 3

   4,2 98 972 characterised in that under the comminution device and

   inside the hollow cylinder there is disposed a conveyor

   worm, the axis of which is stationary and which is associs

   with an outlet aperture in the bottom part of the hollow

   cylinder.

   DATED this 31st day of MAY, 1972

   WEHRLE-WERK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

   EDWD. WATERS SONS, Patent Attorneys, Russell Street, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

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   28 1220 22

   Fig. 3 463,47 3

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