Open top meat skinning device

#The present invention relates to a meat skinning device and, more particularly, to an improved roller and gear box for a meat skinning device.

#For many years, machines have been used to cut a layer of skin from a meat product. These machines typically have a plurality of rollers, including a stripper roll and a tooth roll, with a plurality of teeth positioned adjacent an elongated cutting blade. As the meat is moved toward the blade, the meat is gripped by the teeth on the rollers, which draw the meat product into contact with the blade. A layer of skin is cut away from the meat product and pulled between the rollers while the meat moves over the blade.

#One disadvantage of conventional meat skinning devices is that the rollers often are difficult to remove. For cleaning and general maintenance, particularly when the teeth wear or degrade after prolonged use, the roller needs to be removed. Conventional rollers typically have an elongated shaft that extends into the bearings and drive mechanism. As such, one must completely disassemble the bearings and drive mechanism to remove the rollers. Thus, there is a need for a meat skinning device that provides for easier removal and installation of the rollers. In addition, conventional tooth rolls have a seal mounted on the end of the tooth roll to separate the working parts of the tooth roll assembly such as the bearings from the food zone. Because the seal is mounted directly to the tooth roll, occasional leakage of grease and lubricant from the bearing will contaminate the food, and when food particles leak into the bearing, the bearing operates inefficiently and its operational life is shortened. Thus, there is a need for an improved seal in the art.

#FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a roller of the present invention showing the tapered end connection;

#FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a roller of the present invention showing the clean out groove and seal;

#With reference to FIG. 1, an open top meat skinning device 10 is shown having a frame 12. The meat skinning device has a roller 13 engaged with a drive shaft 14 that is rotatably mounted within a bearing housing 15 of a drive mechanism such as gearbox 20. A stripper roll 16 and a tooth roll 18 are operatively connected to the drive shaft 14 and the roller assembly 13 is operatively connected to a gear box 20.

#The stripper roll 16 and tooth roll 18 are well known in the art for use with skinning machines. As shown in FIG. 2, the tooth roll 18 has a gripping portion 24 having a plurality of teeth 26, however any conventional tooth roll or stripper roll may be adapted for use with this invention.

#The drive shaft 14 has a female groove 28 disposed within end 30. The opposite end 32 is received within gear box 20. The tooth roll 18 and stripper roll 16 have a male prong 34 that is frictionally received within the female groove 28. The female groove 28 and male prong 34 can be of any shape, but preferred is that the female groove 28 tapers inwardly from end 30 and prong 34 is tapered outwardly from its end toward the gripping portion 24. This configuration allows the tooth roll 18 and stripper roll 16 to be more precisely centered and aligned, eliminating the need for eccentrics in the bearings for adjusting the rollers.