Apparatus for and method of processing meat
AssigneeTyson Fresh Meats, Inc.
InventorsShaughn Michael Benson, John E. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for and method of cleaning cutting residue from one or both sides of cut meat. Meat, after being cut, for example with a band saw or the like, is passed through a curtain of fluid to impinge fluid on to at least one side of the meat for removing a substantial portion of the deleterious residue. The cleaned meat surface may then be passed through a drying area for removing cleaning fluid if the cleaning fluid contains liquid. After passing through a drying zone, brine or other ingredients may be applied to one or both sides of the cut meat.
Claims18
An apparatus for processing meat, said apparatus including:
- a conveyor for conveying a cut meat along a path of conveyance;
- a cleaning station having a housing through which the path of conveyance extends, said cleaning station including at least one fluid nozzle communicably connected to a high pressure fluid source and operable for directing a stream of fluid from the nozzle onto a first cut surface of the meat in a direction to forcibly remove cutting residue from the first cut surface of the meat while the meat is being moved by said conveyor;
- and
- said cleaning station further including a first gas nozzle communicably connected to a high pressure gas source and disposed downstream from the fluid nozzle along the path of conveyance and operable for directing a stream of gas from the first gas nozzle onto the first cut surface to blow off fluid.
An apparatus for cleaning a cut surface of meat, said apparatus including:
- a housing, said housing having an entry end and an exit end;
- a conveyor positioned in the housing for transferring cut meat in a direction from the entry end to the exit end, said conveyor having an upper run for carrying cut meat;
- at least one first fluid nozzle included with said housing and communicably linked to a high pressure fluid source and positioned above said conveyor and operable for directing a stream of fluid from the nozzle onto a cut surface of meat, said stream directed in a direction to forcibly remove cutting residue from a first cut surface of the meat while the meat is being moved by said conveyor;
- and
- at least one first gas nozzle included with said housing and disposed downstream from said fluid nozzle and communicably linked to a high pressure gas source and positioned above said conveyor and operable for directing a stream of gas from the nozzle onto a cut surface of meat, said stream directed in a direction to forcibly remove fluid residue from a first cut surface of the meat while the meat is being moved by said conveyor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.