Needle cleaning system including a needle cleaning machine and a plurality of needles for injecting fluids into meat products

A needle cleaning system including a needle cleaning machine and a plurality of needles for injecting fluids into meat products,

• each of said needles comprising:
• a hollow shaft having a longitudinal inner passage with a closed tip lower end and a closed upper end;
• a plurality of outlet ports formed in a lower portion of said hollow shaft in communication with said inner passage;
• and
• an inlet opening formed in an upper portion of the hollow shaft in communication with the inner passage,
• the needle cleaning machine comprising:
• a plurality of containers and a plurality of support bases, with each container being closed at a top thereof by one of the support bases, and with each one of the support bases holding one group of the needles in a position in which an upper portion of the needles, where the inlet opening is located, is placed outside the corresponding container and a lower portion of the needles, where the plurality of outlet ports is located, is placed inside the corresponding container,
• a collector duct which is in communication with each one of the plurality of containers through a respective feed duct,
• a pump in communication with a tank of cleaning solution through an intake duct and in communication with said collector duct through a drive duct for driving the cleaning solution,
• an air-supply duct, which communicates an air-supply source with the collector duct,
• a washing-liquid supply duct, which communicates a source of washing liquid supply with the collector duct,
• valves installed in each of the feed ducts, the drive duct, the air supply duct, and the washing-liquid supply duct for opening and closing fluid passages therethrough;
• a tray arranged so as to collect fluids coming out of the inlet opening located in the upper portion of each one of the needles of the groups of needles held by the plurality of support bases;
• a drain pipe connected to said tray for draining the fluids collected on the tray;
• and
• a machine body including an upper compartment, a lower compartment and a side compartment, wherein said side compartment includes said tank of cleaning solution, wherein said upper and lower compartments are separated by the tray, which constitutes a bottom of the upper compartment, wherein said tray is connected to the drain pipe and supports said plurality of support bases of the plurality of containers in a position in which the upper portion of the needles, where the inlet opening is located, is inside the upper compartment and said plurality of containers are in the lower compartment, and wherein said pump, said collector duct, said feed ducts, said drive duct, said air supply duct, and said washing-liquid supply duct are housed in the lower compartment.