US3590721A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Injection-type pickling apparatus for hams, bacon and the like
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-08-12
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Granted: 1971-07-06
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Expires: 1989-08-12
Abstract
Abstract A pickling apparatus has a transport mechanism for moving an article of food along a horizontal path. Arranged above this path is an array of needles which are displaceable into and out of penetrating engagement with the article while being connected to a source of pickling liquid under pressure. A holding element is coupled to these needles to be displaceable into and out of abutment with the article to hold it down and to enable withdrawal of the needles. A common drive mechanism is provided for jointly displacing the needles and the holding element while enabling displacement of the needle carrier downwardly relative to the retaining element. A valve mounted on the needle carrier is actuatable to feed liquid from the source to the needles only when the retaining element is immobilized and relative displacement of needles and retaining element occurs.
Inventors
- 👤 Louis Adolph Hoffmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 07:02
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23B; A23B4/00; A23B4/26; A23B4/28; A23B4/285; A22; A22C; A22C17/00; A22C17/0053; A22C9/00; A22C9/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
An apparatus for treating an article of food, said apparatus comprising: a support for said article; a source of food-treatment liquid under pressure; injection means including a plurality of needles adjacent said article displaceable into and out of engagement with said article and connected to said source for injecting said liquid into said article; retaining means including at least one holding element adjacent said needles and displaceable into and out of engagement with said article for holding same against said support during injection of liquid into said article; mechanism for jointly displacing said injection means and said retaining means into and out of engagement with said article; resilient coupling means connecting said retaining means to said injection means for joint movement thereof while permitting continued displacement of said injection means toward and into said article upon abutment of said retaining means thereagainst; and a valve assembly disposed between said retaining means and said injection means and responsive to relative movement thereof, said assembly connecting said source with said needles for feeding said liquid to said needles upon relative displacement of said retaining and injection means and blocking communication between said source and said needles during joint movement of said retaining and injection means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
203 words
An apparatus for treating an article of food, said apparatus comprising: a support for said article; a source of food-treatment liquid under pressure; injection means including a plurality of needles adjacent said article displaceable into and out of engagement with said article and connected to said source for injecting said liquid into said article; retaining means including at least one holding element adjacent said needles and displaceable into and out of engagement with said article for holding same against said support during injection of liquid into said article; mechanism for jointly displacing said injection means and said retaining means into and out of engagement with said article; resilient coupling means connecting said retaining means to said injection means for joint movement thereof while permitting continued displacement of said injection means toward and into said article upon abutment of said retaining means thereagainst; and a valve assembly disposed between said retaining means and said injection means and responsive to relative movement thereof, said assembly connecting said source with said needles for feeding said liquid to said needles upon relative displacement of said retaining and injection means and blocking communication between said source and said needles during joint movement of said retaining and injection means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said valve assembly comprises a valve body on one of said injection and retaining means and a valve-operating member on the other of said injection and retaining means cooperating with said valve body to actuate said valve assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said injection means further includes a needle carrier provably supporting said needles, said valve body being mounted on said needle carrier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said valve body comprises a slide valve and spring means urging said valve into a position allowing fluid communication between said source and said needles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising spring means for biasing said element toward said article and said member toward engagement with said body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising transport means for advancing said article in increments along a generally horizontal path, said needle carrier and in said needles being shiftable generally vertically and being disposed above said path and an article advanced therealong said transport means forming said support.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said transport means includes an endless belt, a roller bearing against said belt for driving same, a unidirectional clutch operatively connected with said roller and having an actuating part, and means for angularly oscillating said part periodically through an arc to incrementally rotate said roller in on rotational sense to correspondingly advance said belt.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said needle carrier is formed with a plurality of bores receiving the upper ends of said needles, said injection means further comprising a plurality of springs respectively urging said needles downwardly, said needles being slidable upwardly through said bores.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said needle carrier is elongated and is formed proximately to said element with a guide membrane slidably receiving said needles and resiliently deflectable to permit lateral deflection of said needles.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
257 words
An apparatus for treating an article of food with a pickling liquid, comprising: intermittently operable transport means defining a substantially horizontal transport path for said article and having a substantially rigid support at least along a portion of said path; injection means above said portion of said path and including: an upright, substantially vertically reciprocable substantially Closed needle-carrier housing having an upper wall and open at a lower side in the direction of the article upon the positioning of same at said portion, a plurality of vertically reciprocable elongated needle assemblies having at least upper tubular portions thereof received in said housing and tubular pointed lower portions projecting therebelow, respective compression-type coil springs surrounding each of said needles and seated against said upper wall while bearing downwardly upon said assemblies, a resilient diaphragm spanning said lower side of said housing while guiding said needle assemblies between said portions and permitting lateral deflection of said lower portions, and manifold means on said housing for feeding said liquid to said needle assemblies; retaining means including at least one holding element resiliently connected with said housing for joint movement therewith into engagement with said article and adapted to rest thereagainst during further movement of said housing to carry said pointed lower portions of said needle assemblies below said element to pierce and penetrate said article; means for feeding said liquid to said manifold means upon penetration of said lower portions of said needle assemblies into said article; and drive means for sequentially operating said transport means and said injection means.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
257 words
An apparatus for treating an article of food with a pickling liquid, comprising: intermittently operable transport means defining a substantially horizontal transport path for said article and having a substantially rigid support at least along a portion of said path; injection means above said portion of said path and including: an upright, substantially vertically reciprocable substantially Closed needle-carrier housing having an upper wall and open at a lower side in the direction of the article upon the positioning of same at said portion, a plurality of vertically reciprocable elongated needle assemblies having at least upper tubular portions thereof received in said housing and tubular pointed lower portions projecting therebelow, respective compression-type coil springs surrounding each of said needles and seated against said upper wall while bearing downwardly upon said assemblies, a resilient diaphragm spanning said lower side of said housing while guiding said needle assemblies between said portions and permitting lateral deflection of said lower portions, and manifold means on said housing for feeding said liquid to said needle assemblies; retaining means including at least one holding element resiliently connected with said housing for joint movement therewith into engagement with said article and adapted to rest thereagainst during further movement of said housing to carry said pointed lower portions of said needle assemblies below said element to pierce and penetrate said article; means for feeding said liquid to said manifold means upon penetration of said lower portions of said needle assemblies into said article; and drive means for sequentially operating said transport means and said injection means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said means for feeding said liquid to said manifold means includes: a source of said liquid under pressure; and valve means connected between said source and said manifold means and responsive to relative movement of said retaining means and said injection means for feeding said liquid to said needle assemblies only upon relative displacement of said housing and said holding element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said valve means includes a valve assembly connected between said retaining means and said injection means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
109 words
The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein said valve assembly comprises: a valve body connected with said housing and provided with a vertically extending bore communicating between said source and said manifold means; a valve plunger vertically and linearly reciprocable in said bore between a first position in which said plunger obstructs passage between said manifold means and said source and a second position in which said plungers admits of fluid communication therebetween; spring means bearing upon said plunger and biasing same toward said second position; and means on said retaining means for holding said plunger in said first position during joint movement of said injection and retaining means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein said valve assembly includes: a switch mounted on one of said injection and retaining means; a switch-actuating member on the other of said injection and retaining means; and an electrically operable valve in circuit with said switch and hydraulically connected between said manifold means and said source for blocking communication therebetween upon joint movement of said switch and said switch-actuating member but operative to permit communication between said source and said manifold means upon relative movement of said switch and said switch-actuating member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-05 | 1975-01-04 | 1975-07-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-05 | 1979-01-04 | 1979-07-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-05 | 1983-01-04 | 1983-07-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |