Meat processing equipment having improved yieldable arresting means
AssigneeFoodmate B.V.
InventorJacobus Eliza Hazenbroek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Meat processing equipment is disclosed that includes a first element having a first face; a second element having a second face. The first and second faces extend parallel to one another and define a common plane between the first and second faces. The first and second elements are relatively movable with respect to one another. Yieldable arresting features are included for yieldably arresting the first and second elements in at least one predetermined position of relative movement, the yieldable arresting features include cooperating first and second permanent magnets, associated with at least one of the first and second elements.
Claims17
A system for processing the meat of slaughtered animals, the system comprising:
- a conveyor configured to convey a plurality of meat holding devices along a processing path where meat held by the meat holding devices is manipulated and processed;
- a first component associated with the processing of meat, the first component having a first face;
- a structure associated with the processing of meat, the structure being attached to the first component;
- a second component associated with the processing of meat, the second component having a second face;
- the first component being selectively movable relative to the second component to and away from an indexed position;
- movement of the first component to the indexed position causing movement of the structure attached to the first component to a corresponding position;
- the first face on the first component being located adjacent the second face on the second component at least when the first component is moved to the indexed position;
- a first permanent magnet embedded within the first component with a pole of the first permanent magnet located adjacent the first face;
- a second permanent magnet embedded within the second component with a pole of the second permanent magnet located adjacent the second face;
- the first and second permanent magnets being positioned within the first and second components respectively to interact magnetically with one another as the first component moves to the indexed position relative to the second component to hold the first component firmly but yieldably at the indexed position through magnetic interaction across the first and second faces of the first and second components and thereby to hold the structure attached to the first component firmly but yieldably at the corresponding position.
In a system for processing the meat of slaughtered animals with the system including a conveyor configured to convey a plurality of meat holding devices along a processing path where meat held by the meat holding devices is manipulated and processed, a first component associated with the processing of meat and having a first face, a second component associated with the processing of meat and having a second face, wherein the first component is selectively movable relative to the second component between a plurality of predetermined indexed positions during the conveying along the conveyor and the processing of meat, and a structure associated with the processing of meat attached to the first component such that movement of the first component relative to the second component causes movement of the structure associated with the processing of meat to a corresponding position, the improvement comprising:
- a first permanent magnet embedded within the first component with a pole of the first permanent magnet located adjacent the first face;
- a second permanent magnet embedded within the second component with a pole of the second permanent magnet located adjacent the second face;
- the first and second permanent magnets being positioned within the first and second components respectively to interact magnetically with one another as the first component moves to a predetermined indexed position relative to the second component to hold the first component firmly but yieldably at the predetermined indexed position through magnetic interaction across the first and second faces of the first and second components and thereby to hold the structure associated with the processing of meat in the corresponding position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.