The present invention relates to a tool for automatic cutting along spinous processes in a carcass or part of a carcass, comprising two knives placed at a distance to each other, said knives having a fixing part for mounting of the knifes on a knife holder or a console in a machine, and a free cutting part for cutting along the spinous processes.

After slaughter of animals, such as pigs or cattle, the carcass is separated directly into two halves in a splitting operation. The halves are then divided into cuts, and for some markets the split spinal coloumn is removed manually. This requires skilled operators and a substantial portion of meat is left on the bones.

Another known operation comprises separation of the spinous processes of the carcass from the loins and neck muscles at said processes before the splitting operation. First the rind and the fat layer are pre-scored in the symmetry plane of the carcass, e.g. a pig carcass. There may be cut as far as the peaks of the spinous processes. The short spinous processes are then cut free on both sides in the lumbar area of the carcass. A pair of blunt horns are thereafter pressed in between the long spinous processes and the adjoining loins, and the horns are moved down along the spinal column to the neck of the carcass, separating the muscles from the bones. This separation process is called back-finning. The carcass is then split through the middle by means of a saw. In a subsequent operation the split spinal column with the exposed spinous processes is cut off. In this so-called rib-top sawing the operator moves a circular saw in the longitudinal direction of the spinal column and makes an oblique cut through the inner part of the ribs. In this way middles and loins without spinous processes and spinal column are obtained. The meat cuts still have ribs and intact membranes which has to bee removed manually if required by the market. A machine for automatic pre-scoring, free-cutting and back-firming is described in DK 167044 Bl (SFK, Slagteriernes Faellesindkøbsforening a.m.b.a.).

EP 0 392 874 A2 (The Meat Industry Research Institute of New Zealand) describes a tool for automatic cutting along spinous processes and ribs in a carcass in order to separate fillet and bones. The tool comprises a cutting device having a plough-like shape. The tool

is provided with two parallel knives to be moved along on either side of the spinous processes, and it is designed with wings that protrude from either of the knives, to cut along the ribs of the back. Much meat is lost by use of the tool, which is unacceptable for European production processes.

In order to improve the traditional back-finning process the present applicant has made tests with a special cutting method for cutting the spinous processes free. The traditional tool with finning horns was replaced by a tool having two circular knives which were moved along on either side of the spinous processes of the carcass. By this so-called free-cutting process, loins and neck muscles were separated from the long spinous processes by a cutting operation that leaves the bone membranes on the spinous processes. This is an advantage for products aimed at markets demanding meat cuts with trimmed-off membranes. However, it has been difficult to achieve a satisfactory cutting performance with the circular knives being used so far. There is a risk that the knives will leave the line of spinous processes, or the knives will not cut close enough to the spinous processes, leaving too much meat on these.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tool for automatic cutting along spinous processes, by which the knives are less likely to leave the line of spinous processes, but still they are able to cut close to the spinous processes, so that only small quantities of meat are lost.

This is accomplished by the tool of the invention, which is characterized in that the cutting part of the knives is designed with a cutting edge along a first edge of the knives and that the cutting part of the knives has a tapering free end part with a second edge.

The invention is based upon the observation that it is important to "start" the free-cutting procedure near the bottom area of the spinous processes, where the spinous processes form the straightest line and where they are therefore the least likely to make the knives leave the line or to force them into paths that will leave much meat remaining on the spinous processes. This effect is achieved by moving the tool of the invention along the spinous processes with said knives on either side of the line of spinous processes with the cutting edge of the knives in the forward direction of movement of the knives and with the points

of the knives at the front. The design of the present tool having knives with a tapering free end part with a second edge makes it possible to move the knives in an inclined position with the point of the tapering free end part at front while a section of the second edge guides the knives on a bone surface of the spinal column. The cutting edge along the first edge of the knives will thus pass the long spinal processes from the bottom upwards pressing skew positioned processes to a more upright position. This will ensure that the knives during the entire cutting process will glide along the bottom area of the spinous processes making a cut along and close to said spinous processes.

The two knives of the tool will thus cut simultaneously on either side of the spinous processes, tracking jointly on the line of spinous processes.

The two knives of the tool may be substantially parallel to each other. They are preferably firmly mounted on a knife holder or a console, so that the three parts form a firm unit without elasticity between the parts.

Preferably, the knives are substantially designed as mirror images of each other. This will ensure a high yield of meat and a good tracking of the knives of the tool. The knives can be placed at a distance from each other of between 5 and 14 mm, preferably between 6 and 10 mm, and the side of the knives that faces each other is preferably plane and parallel to each other, at least on the half that is closest to the first cutting edge. This will provide a cut close to the spinous processes.

Each knife used in the tool of the invention comprises preferably a second cutting edge along the second edge of the knife, located on the other side of the tapering free end part of the knife. The second cutting edge serves to glide along a bone surface, preferably the bottom area of the spinous processes. The second cutting edge can cut sinews, membranes and meat that are located in vicinity to the bottom area of the spinous processes when the knife is moved along the spinous processes with the cutting edge mentioned in contact with the spinal column or the bottom area of the spinous processes.

The second cutting edge of the knives may be curved with a radius of curvature that is larger than 50 mm. When the knives of the tool are moved with the second cutting edge

substantially parallel with the bone surface of the spinal column, the edges act as a type of depth stop that ensures that the knives do not run down into the gaps between the vertebras of the spinal column, but can be moved in a substantially uniform movement along the spinous processes. If the cutting edge mentioned has a large radius of curvature, the knives can cut slightly down into the gaps between the vertebras without causing the necessary power of forward movement to be changed significantly.

The tapering free end part of each knife is preferably designed with a rounded point connecting the first edge and the second edge of the knife, said point having a cutting edge. Seen from one of the broad sides of the knife the radius of curvature of the rounded point may be larger than 10 mm. In this way the free end of the knife is prevented from catching the bone surface.

The first cutting edge and the cutting edge of the rounded point may be integrated with each other.

The first cutting edge, the cutting edge of the rounded point and the second cutting edge are preferably integrated with each other. In this embodiment all of the edges mentioned will contribute to the free-cutting operation.

The angle between the first edge and a section of the second edge designed to guide the knife along a bone surface during the cutting operation may be so that the knife assumes an inclined position in relation to the bone surface when said section guides along the bone surface during the cutting operation with the point of the tapering free end part in front and with the section of the first edge nearest to said point being closest to the bone surface.

As mentioned, it is important that the free-cutting operation is started at the bottom area of the spinous processes. Preferably this is accomplished by use of a tool having knives which are characterized in that the angle between the first edge and the second edge or a tangent to the middle section of said edge is larger than 30° and smaller than 60°. When the second edge rests against the bone surface of the spinal column over a fairly long distance (is substantially parallel with the bone surface), the free-cutting operation by this

embodiment will automatically start at the bottom area of the spinous processes. The risk of leaving the line of spinous processes or cutting at a large distance to the spinous processes will therefore be very small.

The tool of the invention may comprise knives which are substantially plane on one side in the half closest to the first cutting edge. During the free-cutting operation this will make it easier for the cutting edge to cut close to the spinous processes, which reduces the loss of meat, and at the same time a tracking of the knives is accomplished by the spinous processes, which have already been cut free. The knives can be plane on the entire one side that faces the spinous processes, but preferably they form another plane on that half furthest away from the first cutting edge, so that the planes form an inter-angle that is larger than 170° and smaller than 180°. The friction between spinous processes and knives is reduced when the distance between knives and bones is thus increased on the back edge of the knives, without sacrificing the tracking of the knives.

Some of the spinous processes, which are to be cut free, have small projections of cartilage or bone. The knives shall either be able to cut through these projections, which may cause heavy wear and an uneven power of the forward movement, or the knives must be moved forward at a certain distance from the spinous processes, which will increase the loss of meat. However, it has proved that the most inconvenient projections are at a relatively constant distance from the bottom area of the spinous processes of between 65 and 85 mm (on pig carcasses). Both of the mentioned disadvantages can therefore be avoided by a special embodiment of the tool, which is characterized in that the knives at a distance of between 50 and 100 mm from the second edge are provided with a rectilinear groove. By this design it is possible to cut close to the spinous processes in the areas that are located outside the projections, and at the same time cutting into hard bone parts are avoided, which parts otherwise could hamper the forward movement of the knives. The groove is preferably designed with a width of between 5 and 50 mm, and a depth of between 0.5 and

3 mm.

Furthermore, it has proved that the properties wanted from the knife as to tracking and a minimum loss of meat are best met by using a tool having extremely stiff knife blades.

The knives used in the tool of the invention are therefore preferably provided with a cutting part that has a thickness of 6 mm or more, preferably a thickness of 10 to 14 mm.

The knives guide preferably on several spinous processes simultaneously. On the other hand the tool should be capable of following fairly large curvatures in the line of spinous processes, too. The cutting part of the knives of the tool is therefore preferably oblong and with a width of 50 mm or more, and a length of 100 mm or more, measured from the free end part.

The tool of the invention is suitable for cutting along the long spinous processes and the short spinous processes. There are heavy sinews on the latter, which by the hitherto known methods are difficult to cut through in the same operation as the free-cutting of the long spinous processes. The tool of the invention is advantageous in that it is able to cut free the long spinous processes in immediate continuation of the free-cutting of the short spinous processes.

The tool of the invention is especially designed with a view to being used in a machine for automatic free-cutting of spinous processes (particularly both long and short spinous processes), the free-cutting operation being "started" from the bottom area of the spinous processes, where the spinous processes are closest to forming a straight line.

The invention also relates to a knife which is specially designed for automatic cutting along spinous processes in a carcass or part of a carcass. The knife is of the type comprising a fixing part for mounting of the knife on a knife holder or a console in a machine, and a free cutting part for cutting along the spinous processes. The knife of the invention is characterized in that the free cutting part of the knife is designed with a cutting edge along a first edge of the knife and that the cutting part of the knife has a tapering free end with a second edge.

When used for free -cutting of the spinous processes of a carcass or part of a carcass the knife of the invention is less likely to leave the line of spinous processes than knives known in the art, and still the knife is able to cut close to the spinous processes, so that only small quantities of meat are lost in the operation.

The preferred embodiments of the knife of the invention are stated in claims 13 to 17.

The invention also relates to a method for automatic cutting along spinous processes of a carcass or part of a carcass by means of a tool having two knives placed at a distance to each other. The method is characterized in that the tool - having two knives each 5 comprising a fixing part for mounting of the knife on a knife holder or a console in a machine and a free cutting part designed with a cutting edge along a first edge of the knife and having a tapering free end part with a second edge - is moved with said knives in an inclined position on either side of a line of spinous processes with a section of the second edge guiding along a bone surface, with the point of the tapering free end part in front and 10 with the section of the first edge nearest to said point being closest to the bone surface and the section of the first edge furthest from the point being furthest from the bone surface.

The method of the invention may be performed by means of a tool comprising two knives having a second cutting edge along the second edge of the knife, the tool being moved, so that the line which can be drawn in or as a tangent to the middle section of the second 15 cutting edge of the knife is substantially parallel to the spinal column of the carcass or part of the carcass. Thus, the power needed to move the knives along the spinous processes is small and nevertheless the knives will cut close to the bone.

The machine used for the cutting operation can be adapted to stop if the power of the forward movement exceeds a pre-determined threshold value, e.g. if a knife should hit 20 spinous processes standing very askew. In this way the knives are prevented from leaving the line, and consequently damage to the loins is avoided.

A preferred embodiment of the method of the invention is characterized in that the tool - comprising two knives each having an angle between the first edge and the second edge or a tangent to the middle section of said edge which is lager than 30° and smaller than 25 60° - is moved with the knives in an inclined position so that second edge of each knife or a tangent to the middel section of said edge is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the spinal column.

The knives may be moved from the tail area of the carcass to the neck area cutting on both sides of the spinous processes substantially in the full length of the spinal column.

Thus, only one operation may be required for separation of the muscles from the spinous processes, where the known finning process requires three different tools and operations, i.e. free-cutting of short spinous processes, free-cutting of long spinous processes and back-finning.

A preferred embodiment of the method of the invention is characterized in that the tool - comprising two knives each having a second cutting edge along the second edge - is moved substantially at right angles to the spinal column of the carcass until stop when the second cutting edge hits the spinal column, and that the knives are pressed against the spinal column while the tool is moved along the spinal column during the cutting operation along the spinous processes.

As mentioned, the splitting operation of a known method may for some markets be performed directly on the carcass (without separation of the muscles from the spinous processes). However, when the present cutting method is applied prior to the splitting operation damage to the loins and neck muscles is avoided in the splitting operation. Furthermore, the subsequent manual boning of the split carcass or part thereof becomes easier for the operator. A higher yield is obtained.

The following will mention some advantages by the present free-cutting operation, seen in relation to traditional, manual back-finning:

higher yield of loins on which the membranes of the spinous processes must be trimmed, higher efficiency on the slaughterline or the boning line, the heavy sinew in the passage between the short and the long spinous processes remains on the spinous processes and therefore it shall not be trimmed off during the boning process, there are no remains of cartilage capsules from the sixth chest spinous process and backwards,

automatic free-cutting is uniform and right to the bottom all the way down, so that the yield loss, which occurs when rib-top sawing loins are insufficiently back-finned, is avoided, automatic free -cutting can stop at the transition between loins and neck, giving a suitable product for the European market,

- automatic free-cutting removes some of the more difficult jobs, so that job rotation and training of new staff get easier, automatic free-cutting is closer to the short spinous processes than manual free-cutting resulting in a higher yield of lumbar meat, and - the finished products look excellent.

The invention is described in further detail in the following, with reference to the drawings in which

Fig. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a tool according to the invention for free- cutting of spinous processes of a carcass or part of a carcass, - Fig. 2 is an end elevation in the view of arrow "a" of Fig. 1,

- Fig. 3 is a side view of a knife used in the tool, seen from one side, Fig. 4 is a side view of the knife of Fig. 3, seen from the opposite side, Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line A-A of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 shows the position of the knife during free-cutting of spinous processes.

The tool of Fig. 1 and 2 comprises a block 1 serving as a knife holder or a console. Two knives 2 are fixed to the block by means of bolts or similar. Between the knives are placed a plate 3 providing space between the knives (Fig. 2), the knives being fixed in a parallel relationship at a distance to each other of e.g. 8 to 9 mm. The block 1 is fixed on a carriage of a machine for pre-scoring and free-cutting (not shown).

Alternatively, the knife holder or console may comprise an 8 to 9 mm thick flat bar with holes corresponding to the holes of the knives, the knives being placed on either side of the flat bar firmly fixed to the bar by means of bolts or similar. The flat bar is fixed on the carriage of the machine.

The machine may be of the type described in DK 167044 Bl with a vertically movable carriage provided with horizontal cylinder units each carrying a tool. The fixture for a pig or cattle carcass to be processed in the machine may be of the type described in DK 171036 Bl EP 0696 172 Bl (Danfotech/Slagteriernes Forskningsinstitut). Of the four tools shown in the drawings of DK 167044 Bl only the one that performs a pre-scoring through the rind and layer of fat of the carcass is used. One of the vacant cylinder units is used for the free-cutting of this invention, the tool (i.e. the console with the two knives) being mounted on the free end of the piston rod of the cylinder.

The knife of Fig. 3, 4 and 5 is designed as a knife blade having a 10 to 14 mm thick fixing part 4 with mounting holes for through bolts. It also comprises a cutting part 5, which is integrated with the fixing part. The cutting part has a first rectilinear cutting edge

6, a rounded point with a cutting edge 7, and a curved, second cutting edge 8 which extends from point 8a to point 8b of Fig. 4 on the tapering end part of the cutting part 5.

The cutting edge 8 continues into a third cutting edge 9. The cutting edge 7 of the rounded point is integrated with the cutting edges 6 and 8. The angle between the rectilinear cutting edge 6 and a tangent to the middle section of the cutting edge 8 is in the rage of 30° to

60°.

The cutting part 5 is of the same thickness as the fixing part 4. As is seen from Fig. 5 one side of the knife has a plane surface 10 on the half that is closest to the cutting edge 6, whereas the rest of the side forms another plane surface 11. The two plane surfaces form an inter-angle of 175°. The cutting edge 6 is bevelled on the side that is opposite the plane surface, whereas the cutting edges 7, 8 and 9 are bevelled on the plane side. A 1.5 mm deep and 27 mm wide, rounded groove 12 is milled in one side of the knife, so that the knife avoids to cut into bone parts that protrude from the sides of the spinous processes. The knife is made of hard stainless steel. The cutting edges of the knife may be hardened or made of a hard material, such as a ceramic material. Bits may be provided on a cutting edge, such as on the cutting edge 6.

In the tool of Fig. 1 and 2 two knives are used. They are designed as mirror images of each other.

The pre-scoring and free-cutting operations comprise the following working procedures:

After evisceration the carcass is conveyed into a measuring station, in which the height of the snout and the pubic bone above the floor is measured automatically. Then the carcass is conveyed into a fixture of the type described in DK 171036 Bl EP 0 696 172 Bl, in which a hook is inserted into a cut opening in the jawbone and the pelvic region of the carcass is caught by two hooks. Furthermore, some stop devices and support plates are placed in the cavity of the carcass to engage the inside of the spinal column, after which the carcass is stretched by the jaw hook being pulled downwards automatically. The carcass is now fixed and brought into position in front of the pre-scoring and free-cutting tools of the machine.

The carriage with the two tools is moved downwards in the direction of arrow P (Fig. 1 and 6). When the pre-scoring tool is in height with the tail of the carcass, the cylinder of the tool will be activated, so that the circular knife enters the carcass and starts cutting through rind and fat layer. The cutting depth is determined by the two rollers which run on the outside of the carcass and which are placed on either side of the circular knife. When the free-cutting tool is subsequently in height with the tail area, the cylinder of the free-cutting tool will be activated, so that the two knives cut into the carcass on either side of the short spinous processes in the tail area until they rest against the bone surface of the bottom area of the spinous processes or the spinal column. The height in which the cylinder is activated is determined by means of the levels measured of the snout and the pubic bone.

The carriage will continue its movement downwards, and during this movement the circular knife will pre-score, and the two fixed knives of the present tool will free-cut. The free-cutting "starts" near the bottom area of the spinous processes, the knives being moved along the spinal column in the inclined position, which appears from Fig. 6 with the cutting edge 7 of the point at the front in the direction of movement. The arrow P (or the longitudinal direction of the spinal column) and the cutting edge 6 of the knives form an acute angle which is preferably smaller than 60°. Preferably, the angle is in the range of 25° to 45°. A substantial part of cutting edge 8 rests on the bone surface of the spinal column or bottom area of the spinous processes. This means that the cutting edge 8 guides

the tool along said surfaces, whereas the flat side of the knives keeps the knives on track in relation first to the short spinous processes and then to the long spinous processes.

When the carriage has moved the circular knife down to the neck area of the carcass, the circular knife will be pulled back by means of the cylinder. Immediately thereafter, the free-cutting knives will also arrive at the neck area, and they will also be pulled back by means of their cylinder. The height of deactivation of the tools is determined by means of the levels measured of the snout and the pubic bone. The pre-scoring and the free-cutting operations have now been completed, and the carcass can be released and carried further on to the other operations including splitting and rib-top sawing.

Because of the special design of the tool of this invention the cutting will be close to the spinous processes and in a well-defined track. Therefore, the tool makes it possible to perform a fully automatic free-cutting operation.