Dual operation tripe washing and refining machine

A tripe cleaning apparatus adapted to wash and refine a quantity of tripe, the apparatus comprising:

• a vessel with a wall defining an inner chamber, wherein the chamber is adapted to contain the quantity of tripe,
• a disc housed within the chamber and rotatable in a first direction and in a second direction, the disc including an upper surface and a plurality of disc projections projecting from the upper surface of the disc, each of the disc projections presenting opposed washing and refining surfaces;
• said washing surfaces being substantially smooth, and
• said refining surfaces being abrasive;
• and
• a motor connected to the disc for selectively rotating the disc in the first and second directions.

A tripe cleaning apparatus adapted to wash and refine a quantity of tripe, the apparatus comprising:

• a vessel with a wall defining an inner chamber, wherein the chamber is adapted to contain the quantity of tripe,
• the vessel further including a washing fluid inlet pipe nozzle, a refining fluid inlet pipe nozzle, and a cold water inlet pipe nozzle, wherein each nozzle is adapted to connect the chamber with an external water source;
• a circular disc housed within the chamber and rotatable in a clockwise direction and in a counter-clockwise direction, the disc including an upper surface and a plurality of disc projections projecting from the upper surface,
• each of the disc projections presenting a radially oriented longitudinal axis, a substantially smooth washing surface, and a gritted refining surface,
• the washing surface sloping upward from the upper surface of the disc to the axis along the clockwise direction,
• the gritted refining surface longitudinally opposite the washing surface and sloping upward from the upper surface of the disc to the axis along the counter-clockwise direction;
• a motor connected to the disc for selectively rotating the disc in the clockwise direction and in the counter-clockwise direction;
• a switch connected to the motor and switchable between a first position, wherein the motor rotates the disc in the clockwise direction, and a second position, wherein the motor rotates the disc in the counter-clockwise direction;
• a plurality of baffles coupled to the wall of the vessel,
• spaced above the disc, and radially protruding inwardly from the wall,
• each of said baffles including a substantially smooth concave washing surface sloping away from the inner wall along the counter-clockwise direction, and a gritted concave refining surface longitudinally opposite the washing surface sloping away from the wall along the clockwise direction.

A method of washing and refining tripe, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing the tripe on a rotatable member;
• (b) rotating the member in a first direction to wash the tripe;
• and
• (c) rotating the member in a second direction to scarify the tripe.