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US 5,607,349 AGranted
Carcass cleaning system
AssigneeKentmaster Mfg. Co., Inc.
InventorsRalph K. Karubian, John A. Leamen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
As a carcass moves down the conveyor in a meat processing plant, it may carry contaminants from an earlier processing step. The carcass surface is sterilized, and the contaminants are removed by bringing a cleaning wand to the carcass surface. The wand has a vacuum mouth, an internal hot water spray and an external steam spray. The wand sprays a sterilizing hot water spray onto the surface within the confines of the mouth of the wand. The wand sprays steam onto the carcass surface adjacent the wand. The wand vacuums away the water, steam and contaminants.
Claims20
A carcass cleaning system comprising:
- a carcass cleaning wand which can be manually maneuvered to the surface of a carcass to be cleaned of contaminants;
- a hood on said wand, said hood being defined by walls, said walls defining a mouth on said hood, means for connecting said hood to a source of vacuum so that vacuum may be drawn in said hood, at least one of said walls being uneven at said mouth so that said hood does not lock onto a surface by vacuum so that vacuum in said hood draws material between said walls of said hood toward said source of vacuum;
- a hot water spray nozzle within said hood, said water spray nozzle being positioned and directed so that it delivers a spray of hot water to said mouth of said hood and through said mouth for direction onto such carcass surface;
- and
- a steam nozzle attached to the exterior of said wand, said steam nozzle being positioned and directed so as to direct a stream of steam onto such carcass surface adjacent said mouth of said wand.
2 more elements
A carcass cleaning system comprising:
- a wand, said wand being manually manipulatable to the selected surface of a carcass to clean the selected surface of the carcass by removing contaminants from and sterilizing such surface;
- a hood on said wand, said hood having walls defining a cleaning opening in said hood;
- a water spray nozzle within said hood, said water spray nozzle being positioned and directed to spray hot water out through said opening in said hood;
- a steam nozzle, said steam nozzle being attached to the exterior of said hood and being positioned and directed to spray steam adjacent said opening in said hood;
- and
- means for connecting vacuum to said hood, means for connecting hot water under pressure to said water spray nozzle and means for connecting steam under pressure to said steam nozzle so that said wand can be manipulated to bring said hood adjacent such selected contaminated surface on a carcass so that water spray and steam spray wash the contamination loose and sterilize a portion of the carcass adjacent said hood and vacuum withdraws the contamination, water and steam from adjacent said hood.
3 more elements
A carcass cleaning system comprising:
- a wand, said wand comprising a central vacuum tube and a hood on said vacuum tube, said hood being formed of top and bottom walls as well as left and right walls to define a vacuum mouth, said walls substantially terminating in a plane, said plane being at an angle with respect to said central vacuum tube, at least one of said top and bottom walls having openings therein adjacent said mouth;
- a hot water spray nozzle positioned and directed to spray hot water out of said mouth;
- a steam nozzle positioned and directed to spray steam outside of said hood adjacent said mouth along said wall having openings therein;
- and
- means for connecting a flexible vacuum hose to said vacuum tube, a flexible hot water pressure hose to said water nozzle and a flexible steam pressure hose to said steam nozzle so that, when said mouth is applied to the contaminated surface of a carcass to be cleaned, hot water sprays the surface of the carcass within the bounds defined by said mouth, steam is sprayed adjacent said mouth and steam, water and contamination are vacuumed away by said hood through said vacuum tube for disposal to carry contamination, water and steam away from the surface of the carcass being cleaned.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.