Abrasive for a water jet cutting head
AssigneeTexas Beef Group
InventorJames Malloy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fluidic jets are used to segment an animal carcass. A water jet is preferably used to cut the flesh of the carcass, and an abrasive jet is preferably used to cut the bones and other dense portions of the carcass. The jets are preferably delivered to the carcass from separate nozzles that are mounted adjacent one another on a cutting head. A multi-axis control arm carries the cutting head at one end thereof and controls the movement of the cutting head so that the fluidic jets segment the carcass along a predetermined cutting path.
Claims25
A method for segmenting an animal carcass comprising the step of:
- directing a pressurized fluid stream containing an abrasive foodstuff toward said carcass along a cutting path, said pressurized fluid stream cutting the flesh and bone of said carcass along said cutting path.
A method for segmenting an animal carcass comprising the steps of:
- directing a first pressurized fluid stream toward said carcass along a cutting path, said first pressurized fluid stream cutting the flesh of said carcass along said cutting path;
- and
- directing a second pressurized fluid stream containing an abrasive material toward said carcass along said cutting path, said second pressurized fluid stream cutting the bones of said carcass along said cutting path.
A method for segmenting an animal carcass comprising the steps of:
- determining a position of at least one selected bone in said carcass;
- producing a cutting path for segmenting said carcass in response to said determined position of said selected bones;
- directing a first pressurized fluid stream toward said carcass along said cutting path, said first pressurized fluid stream cutting the flesh of said carcass along said cutting path;
- and
- directing a second pressurized fluid stream containing an abrasive material toward said carcass along said cutting path in response to said first pressurized fluid stream substantially reaching said selected bone, said second pressurized fluid stream cutting said selected bones of said carcass along said cutting path.
A method for segmenting an animal carcass comprising the steps of:
- scanning said carcass using two x-ray scanners positioned orthogonally to one another to produce a three-dimensional internal image of said carcass;
- determining a position of at least one selected bone in said carcass in response to said three-dimensional internal image;
- producing a cutting path for segmenting said carcass in response to said determined position of said selected bones;
- directing a first pressurized fluid stream toward said carcass along said cutting path, said first pressurized fluid stream cutting the flesh of said carcass along said cutting path;
- and
- directing a second pressurized fluid stream containing an abrasive material toward said carcass along said cutting path in response to said first pressurized fluid stream substantially reaching said selected bones, said second pressurized fluid stream cutting said selected bones of said carcass along said cutting path.
A method for segmenting an animal carcass comprising the steps of:
- determining a position of a selected bone in said carcass;
- producing a cutting path for segmenting said carcass in response to said determined position of said selected bone;
- directing a first pressurized fluid stream toward said carcass along said cutting path, said first pressurized fluid stream cutting the flesh of said carcass along said cutting path;
- terminating said first pressurized fluid stream in response to said first pressurized fluid stream substantially reaching said selected bone;
- directing a second pressurized fluid stream containing an abrasive material toward said carcass along said cutting path in response to said first pressurized fluid stream reaching said selected bone, said second pressurized fluid stream cutting said selected bone of said carcass along said cutting path;
- terminating said second pressurized fluid stream in response to said second pressurized fluid stream cutting through said selected bone;
- and
- redirecting said first pressurized fluid stream toward said carcass along said cutting path in response to said second pressurized fluid stream cutting through said selected bone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.