TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an animal carcass cutter. In particular, the invention relates to an animal carcass cutter having both serrated and non-serrated blades. The invention also relates to an apparatus for cutting an animal carcass that uses the cutter of the invention. The invention further relates to a system for cutting an animal carcass that involves use of the cutter of the invention.

BACKGROUND

There are many known methods for processing animals after slaughter to obtain a saleable meat product. Traditionally, these methods have involved manually butchering a slaughtered animal using a variety of tools. Typically, non-serrated blades are used to cut flesh because they produce a clean cut through flesh resulting in a meat product having a cleanly cut appearance. However, non-serrated blades are not generally useful for cutting through bone and therefore serrated blades, such as saw blades, are typically used for this purpose.

The manual butchering of animal carcasses requires skill and judgement in the manipulation of both meat and tools. Generally, manual butchering methods are able to produce a precisely butchered meat product. However, these methods can be time consuming. Furthermore, the skill and judgement of the butcher can falter, resulting in an inaccurately butchered meat product or injury to the butcher. Human contact with the carcass also increases the risk of bacterial contamination of the meat product.

There has therefore been an effort to automate the butchering of animal carcasses, particularly in large-scale commercial slaughtering/butchering operations. Automated carcass cutting methods have reduced butchering time and butcher injury. However, such systems are typically only capable of making standardised cuts in or through an animal carcass and are often not adapted to take into account variations between different animal carcasses. The main challenge faced by automated carcass cutting technology has been to reproduce the precision of a skilled butcher.

A major disadvantage with automated cutting methods is that, when cutting into or through an animal carcass, there is no selective use of non-serrated blades for cutting flesh and serrated blades for cutting through bone. An automated cut into or through an animal

carcass is typically made using a cutter having only a serrated saw-like blade, for example a band saw or circular saw. When cutting through both meat and bone, such blades tend to create bone powder that contaminates the cut meat product and spoils its appearance. The powder also increases the risk of bacterial contamination of the meat product by increasing the surface area on which the bacteria grows. Furthermore, saw-cutting typically results in the loss of 1 to 2 mm of meat yield per cut.

The use of serrated circular knives is becoming more widespread. These bridge the gap between saw blades and non-serrated knife blades, in that they are able to cut through both flesh and bone, without the yield loss inherent in the use of a saw blade. However, the use of serrated circular knives is limited because they cause shattering in denser bones.

In order to address these problems, automated methods have been used in conjunction with manual methods to produce a satisfactorily butchered meat product. For example, an automated cutter can be used to make one or more standardised cuts in an animal carcass before a butcher subsequently makes one or more precision cuts, perhaps using several different tools, in order to complete the butchering. However, this mixed automated-manual butchering method addresses only in part the disadvantages associated with manual butchering methods.

One method for improving the precision of automated butchering is to automatically measure an individual animal carcass, for example by an optical sensing means, in order to precisely determine where an automated cut should be made on that carcass. Optical sensing of individual animal carcasses has gone some way to improving the precision of automated cutting methods.

WO 01/67873 describes a carcass cutting apparatus that includes a carrier system for continuously moving prepared meat carcasses from a loading position to an unloading position. An optical sensing means is used for detecting the size and position of the meat carcasses during movement along the carrier system. A cutter is carried and moved by a mechanical robotic arm under the control of a computer in response to information provided by the optical sensing means whereby the carcass is cut while in motion. The cutter preferably has a cutting edge which moves in a continuous path, for example a circular saw blade.

US 6,623,348 describes a method for processing the carcass of an animal comprising sensing at least a portion of an animal carcass using a sensing assembly to determine the orientation of the animal carcass portion. A point on the animal carcass portion is identified before performing at least one processing step based on the determined orientation of the animal carcass portion. The processing step can be stunning the animal, slaughtering the animal, bleeding the animal, removal of the hide from the animal carcass, decapitation of the animal carcass, evisceration, removing bones from the animal carcass portion, or trimming of the animal carcass portion. The processing step can be performed by a robotic processing device which may include a knife or a saw.

These methods tend to use cutters having only a serrated saw-like blade, for example a band saw or circular saw, when cutting into or through the animal carcass. Such blades are only able to produce straight cuts, and the problems of powder contamination and loss of yield remain.

US 5,019,013 describes an apparatus for cutting poultry carcasses where the carcasses are passed along a processing line through a V-shaped separator blade which separates the saddle portion from the breast and back of each carcass. The V-shaped separator blade has a saw portion located mid-way along the length of the cutting edges. However, this saw portion is designed to cut through the skin on the sides of the carcass or between the breast and thighs. It is not designed to cut bone. The backbone is cut using a non- serrated blade, which is possible in soft poultry bones, but not in those of most larger animals.

It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome at least some of the disadvantages associated with known animal carcass cutters, or to at least provide a useful choice.

STATEMENTS OF INVENTION

In a first aspect the invention provides an animal carcass cutter having: a) a body adapted to cut an animal carcass; b) an outer edge of the body having a non-serrated blade that forms at least part of the outer edge, which blade is a blade for cutting meat and soft tissue when the body and the carcass are brought into contact; and c) an aperture extending from the outer edge into the interior of the body so that the aperture forms two substantially opposed internal edges, where each internal edge

- A - has at least one section that is a non-serrated blade for cutting meat and soft tissue, and has at least one section that is a serrated blade for cutting bone.

The serrated blade may be a knife blade or a saw blade.

Preferably the aperture is wider at the end proximal to the outer edge than at the end distal to the outer edge. In a preferred embodiment, the aperture is V-shaped.

Preferably the non-serrated blade of one internal edge is at substantially the same location along that internal edge as the location of the non-serrated blade along the other internal edge. Similarly, it is preferred that the serrated blade of one internal edge is at substantially the same location along that internal edge as the location of the serrated blade along the other internal edge

Preferably the serrated blades and the non-serrated blades together comprise essentially the full length of each internal edge.

Preferably the aperture extends at least halfway through the body.

Preferably the width of the aperture proximal to the outer edge is sufficient to accommodate a vertebrae or aitch bone of the animal carcass.

Preferably the non-serrated blade forms a sharp point with each internal edge of the aperture.

In a preferred embodiment, the body comprises two sections that are able to pivot about an axis extending through the middle of the body along the length of the aperture.

The animal carcass cutter may be used for a wide variety of types of cuts, but preferred cuts include, separation of forequarter from middle, separation of rack from loin, and separation of middle from hindquarter. The separation of middle from hindquarter may include chump-on middle, chump-off middle, and scallop cut.

The animal carcass cutter may be used to cut the carcass of a range of animals, but preferably quadruped animals such as bovine cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer.

In a second aspect the invention relates to an apparatus for driving an animal carcass cutter into and through an animal carcass, the apparatus comprising: a) an animal carcass cutter of the first aspect of the invention; b) a means to drive the cutter into or through an animal carcass, the means having at least one drive actuator; c) a means for holding the carcass d) a support for supporting the cutter at a predetermined height and angle for engaging with a predetermined part of the animal carcass; and e) an adjustment means for automatically adjusting the height and angle of the cutter.

Preferably the means to drive the cutter has two drive actuators maintained in a spaced apart arrangement, substantially parallel to each other. Each drive actuator is preferably a pneumatic or hydraulic ram.

Preferably the apparatus further comprises a frame adapted to hold the body of the cutter.

The apparatus preferably has a means for rotating the cutter about an axis extending through the middle of the body along the length of the aperture.

The apparatus preferably also has a means for altering the trajectory of the body so that the cutter cuts through the animal carcass at a predetermined angle.

In a third aspect, the invention provides a method for cutting an animal carcass including the steps: a) moving an animal carcass on a carrier system from a loading position to an unloading position past one or more animal carcass cutters of the invention; and b) cutting the carcass using the one or more animal carcass cutters.

Preferably the method involves carrying an animal carcass past more than one of the animal carcass cutters so that the carcass is cut more than once.

Preferably the method of invention includes the steps: a) moving an animal carcass on a carrier system from a loading position to an unloading position past one or more animal carcass cutters of the invention; b) determining the position at which the one or more cutters should cut the animal carcass;

c) positioning the one or more cutters in order to cut the animal carcass at the predetermined position; and d) cutting the carcass.

The position at which the one or more cutters should cut the animal carcass is preferably determined using a sensing means.

Preferably the method further includes sending information from the sensing means to a computer system which processes the information and causes the one or more cutters to be positioned in order to cut the animal carcass at a position determined by the sensing means.

Preferably the sensing means is an optical sensing means or an X-ray sensing means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cutter of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus of the invention in extended position.

Figure 3 is perspective view of an apparatus of the invention shown in extended position with cutter in angled formation.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an apparatus of the invention shown in retracted position.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an apparatus of the invention showing an animal carcass in position.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an apparatus of the invention shown in relation to a carrier system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to an animal carcass cutter having a body adapted to cut an animal carcass. The body has an outer edge having a non-serrated blade that forms at least part of the outer edge, which blade is a blade for cutting meat and soft tissue when the body and the carcass are brought into contact. The body also has an aperture extending from the outer edge into the interior of the body so that the aperture forms two substantially

opposed internal edges, where each internal edge has at least one section that is a non- serrated blade for cutting meat and soft tissue, and has at least one section that is a serrated blade for cutting bone.

As used in this specification, the term "serrated blade" means any blade having an edge that is indented in any way to aid cutting, and includes without limitation a jagged edge, a saw edge, or an edge with teeth, and includes a serrated knife blade or a serrated saw blade.

As used in this specification, the term "non-serrated blade" means any blade having a generally smooth edge absent any indentations or teeth.

The cutter is adapted to cut any type of animal carcass including bovine cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer carcasses. The cutter is primarily useful in automated or semi- automated cattle and sheep butchering operations. In most operations, a carcass will have been split open longitudinally and eviscerated prior to being cut by the cutter of the invention.

The body is typically made of metal, for example stainless steel, and is preferably rigid and flat. The body is also preferably able to be attached to an apparatus for propelling the cutter into or through an animal carcass. Such adaptations can be bolt holes that are formed in the body, or they can be protrusions that extend from the sides of the body which can be clamped by the apparatus for propelling the cutter into or through an animal carcass.

The body has an aperture that extends from the middle or thereabouts of the outer edge of one side of the body into the interior of the body. Preferably the aperture extends in a substantially straight line into the interior of the body at least halfway through the body. In most embodiments of the invention, the aperture extends into the interior of the body along more than three quarters of the length of the body.

The aperture provides the body with two substantially opposing internal edges. At least part of each internal edge has a non-serrated blade. Each such blade may be integrally formed with the body or may be attached to the body. A serrated blade is also located on each interior edge of the body.

The aperture gradually narrows from the outer edge of the body into the interior of the body. Preferably the aperture narrows to a point, i.e. is V-shaped. The width of the aperture at the outer edge of the body should, in most applications, not be narrower than the width of the vertebrae or aitch bone of the animal carcass (depending on which cut the cutter is configured to perform).

A non-serrated blade is located on the outer edge of the body adjacent or near to the point at which the aperture meets the outer edge of the side of the body. Preferably the non- serrated blade extends along the outer edge of this side of the body on both sides of the aperture. The blade may be integrally formed with the body or may be attached to the body. In preferred embodiments of the invention, this blade forms a sharp point where it meets the end of each internal edge of the aperture. As the body of the cutter is thrust into the animal carcass, the sharp points stab into the carcass to make the initial cut. This mimics the initial cut that a butcher would make manually with a knife.

The serrated blade on each edge of the aperture is adapted to cut through bone while the non-serrated blade is adapted to cut through flesh and other soft tissue in order to produce a cleanly cut meat product. The blades are typically made of a suitable metal, for example stainless steel. In order to effectively cut through both flesh and bone, the arrangement of serrated and non-serrated blades on the cutter can be altered according to the location and type of cut to be made in or through the animal carcass.

The method of the invention includes the steps of moving an animal carcass on a carrier system from a loading position to an unloading position past one or more apparatus of the invention and cutting the carcass using the cutter of the invention.

The method will typically involve at least some of the steps of moving an animal carcass on a carrier system from a loading position to an unloading position past one or more apparatus of the invention, determining the position at which the cutter of the first aspect of the invention should cut the animal carcass, communicating a cut position to the apparatus of the invention via a computer controller, raising or lowering the apparatus to the correct height to perform the cut, holding carcass with a holding member which grips the carcass below the cut position, tilting the cutter forwards or backwards (if necessary, for example to allow cutter to be driven between the ribs of an animal carcass), rolling the cutter on a roll axis to one side or the other (if necessary, for example to allow cutter to be driven between the ribs of an animal carcass), independently pivoting sections of the

cutter on a pivot axis to allow the cutter to produce a V-shaped or inverted V-shaped cut (if desired), and driving the cutter into or through an animal carcass.

When the cutter is driven into the carcass, non-serrated blades stab into the carcass on either side of the vertebrae (or aitchbone if producing a chump-on middle). As the cutter is driven forward, non-serrated blades come into contact with the carcass and the flesh is cut through, from the back to the front of the carcass (including the breast bone where present). The vertebrae (or aitchbone) passes into the aperture of the cutter and, as the aperture narrows, the serrated blades cut the bone on of the vertebrae (or aitchbone).

After cutting, the apparatus may be lowered slightly to create a gap between the two portions of the carcass so that any portions of flesh still attached become separated. The cut portion of the carcass is released from the holding member, allowing it to drop out of the mechanism and be transported away from the apparatus, for example by dropping it onto a belt conveyor. The cutter is retracted either immediately before or immediately after the cut portion has been released.

The portion of carcass remaining on the carrier system is carried away from the cutting apparatus, and the next carcass is moved into position. The method is repeated with the next carcass. In some cases it is desirable to be able to make two or more cuts in one carcass. In this case, the cutting positions for all cuts are determined initially by the sensing means. The carrier system then carries the carcass past one or more apparatus in order to make the desired cuts.

The invention therefore provides a cutter that is able to efficiently and effectively cut both flesh and bone. The blade arrangement on the cutter minimises bone powder contamination and loss of meat yield. The cutter is adjustable, by altering the arrangement of serrated and non-serrated blades on the cutter, and by adjusting the angle of the blades. This increases cutting precision. The apparatus of the invention is further able to increase cutting precision by adjusting the height of the cutter and the trajectory of the cutter to suit a particular cut and/or a particular animal carcass. The increased precision of cutting achieved by the invention minimises bone powder contamination and loss of meat yield. The apparatus of the invention can be employed in an automated method, thereby avoiding the disadvantages of manual butchering methods.

The invention is further described with reference to embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 6. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention is not limited to these embodiments.

Figure 1 shows a cutter (1) having an aperture (2). A serrated blade (3) is located on each internal edge (4) of the aperture (2). The serrated blades (3) run along approximately three quarters of the length of the internal edges (4). Non-serrated blades

(5) are located on the outer edge (6) of the cutter (1). Non-serrated blades (7) are also located on the internal edges (4). The non-serrated blades (5) meet with non-serrated blades (7) to form sharp points (8) which stab into the animal carcass when the cutter (1) is thrust into the carcass.

The cutter (1) has protrusions (9) that extend from two sides of the cutter (1). The protrusions (9) have fastening holes (10). Other fastening holes, for example holes (11), allow the cutter (1) to be attached to the apparatus of the invention (described below). Any suitable means for fastening may be used, for example rivets.

In a preferred embodiment, the cutter (1) comprises two sections (12) that are able to pivot about an axis that extends through the middle or thereabouts of the cutter (1) along the length of the aperture (2), i.e. where the two sections (12) meet. Pivoting these sections (12) independently allows the cutter (1) to form a V-shape, or an inverted V- shape. The cutter (1) is then able to produce a V-shaped cut, or an inverted V-shaped cut, in the animal carcass (known as a scallop cut). This feature of the invention makes a wider range of cuts possible and improves the precision of the cut.

Figure 2 shows part of an apparatus (13) for propelling the cutter (1) of the invention into or through an animal carcass. The apparatus (13) has a frame (14) adapted to hold the cutter (1). The frame (14) has struts (15) adapted to fixably engage the sides of the cutter (1). For example, each strut (15) has at least one bolt bracket (16) that is attached to the strut (15). Alternatively, the cutter can be attached to the struts (15) by clamps or screws. Optionally, the body can be welded to the struts (15). The apparatus (13) has two pneumatic rams (17) and cross bars (18). The pneumatic rams (17) are attached to the ends of two struts (15) of the frame (14). The cross bars (18) maintain the pneumatic rams (17) in a spaced apart arrangement, substantially parallel to each other.

The pneumatic rams (17) propel the cutter (1) into or through an animal carcass when in use. However, the means to propel the cutter (1) may also be a hydraulic ram or an

electric motor and ball screw propulsion arrangement. The means to propel the cutter (1) can be attached directly to the cutter (1). However, it is preferably attached to the frame (14).

In Figure 2, both pneumatic rams (17) are in an extended position. The pneumatic rams

(17) define a space that is large enough to receive the frame (14) and cutter (1) when the pneumatic rams (17) are in a retracted position (as shown in Figure 4). The cross bar (18) has an aperture (19) that allows the frame (14) and cutter (1) to pass through the cross bar (18) when the pneumatic rams (17) are actuated. Thus, when the pneumatic rams (17) are actuated, the frame (14) and cutter (1) are propelled through the cross bar (18) until the pneumatic rams (17) are fully extended. In this way, the cutter (1) can be driven into or through an animal carcass.

Figure 3 shows a cutter (1) where the two sections (12) have been pivoted about an axis running along the length of the aperture (2). The sections (12) are shown forming an inverted V-shape enabling the cutter (1) to produce a scallop cut in an animal carcass.

The apparatus (13), as shown in Figure 4, is able to support the cutter (1) and frame (14) at a suitable height. The apparatus (13) has actuators (20) for adjusting the angle of the cutter (1), relative to horizontal. The actuators (20) are shown as pneumatic rams.

Figure 5 shows two upright columns (21) supported by a base (22). The columns (21) are connected to a tubular steel frame (23) on which the frame (14) is mounted. The tubular steel frame (23) has a front plate (25) having an aperture adapted to allow the frame (14) and cutter (1) to pass through the front plate (25). The pneumatic ram (17) and cross bar

(18) arrangement is pivotally connected to a point on the face plate (25) and to a point substantially opposite on the frame (14). Each column (21) has a first arm (26) and a second arm (27). The first arm (26) is pivotally connected to both the column (21) and the upper edge of the front plate (25), relative to the ground. The second arm (27) is pivotally connected to both the column (21) and the lower edge of the front plate (25), relative to the ground. The columns (21) may be extended or retracted by any suitable means, such as an electric motor and ball screw arrangement. Extension of the columns (21) increases the height of the cutter (1) relative to the ground.

Figure 5 also shows a means for holding an animal carcass (28) during propulsion of the cutter (1) into or through the animal carcass (28). The means for holding the animal

carcass (28) is a holding member (29) which cooperates with another member (shown only in part) to clamp the animal carcass (28). The holding member (29) applies a force to the animal carcass (28) that substantially opposes to the force applied to the carcass (28) by the cutter (1) as the cutter (1) is driven into or through the carcass (28). In this way, the holding member (29) allows the cutter (1) to effect a clean cut of the animal carcass (28) at the desired location.

An example of an apparatus of the invention that includes a carrier system and an optical sensing means is illustrated in Figure 6. A carrier system (30) carries animal carcasses (31) through an optical sensing station (32) that has an optical sensing means. The optical sensing means determines the position and angle at which the cutter (1) should cut each animal carcass (31). A computer system receives and processes information from the optical sensing means. The carrier system (30) then carries each carcass (31) to a position adjacent to an apparatus (13). The holding member of the apparatus (not shown) engages the animal carcass (31). The computer system then positions the apparatus (13) in order to cut the animal carcass (31) at a position determined by the optical sensing means. The computer system then actuates the hydraulic rams in order to drive the cutter (1) into or through the animal carcass (31). The animal carcass (31) is then carried along the carrier system (30) to a position adjacent to another apparatus (13) to undergo a further cutting operation or until it reaches the unloading position on the carrier system (30).

Although the invention is described with reference to the Figures, it should be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred in this specification.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The animal carcass cutter of the invention has wide , applicability to the butchering of animals, particularly in automated or partly automated butchering operations. The invention relates to an improved device for cutting an animal carcass in a way that minimises unnecessary wastage of meat, avoids contamination of meat with bone powder, and is able to be automated including in combination with a sensing means such as an optical or X-ray sensing means.