US3747510A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Meat processing system
Assignee: Gladd Industries Inc
•
Filing: 1972-02-22
•
Granted: 1973-07-24
•
Expires: 1992-02-22
Abstract
Abstract Meat processing apparatus including an elongate enclosure having an inlet end and outlet end with a plurality of treatment zones defined therein. A plurality of walking beam conveyors are mounted in the enclosure and extend from the inlet to the outlet end and are movable between a retracted position in the direction of the inlet and an extended position in the direction of the outlet. Lifting means are located in each treatment zone for lifting meat and similar products from the conveyors prior to a retraction movement of the conveyors, and to subsequently return the products onto the conveyor prior to an extension movement of the conveyors to cause the products to advance toward the outlet end and to control the time required to advance the products through each treatment zone. A plurality of transverse partitions define the end walls of the treatment zones, and an opening in each of the partitions permits movement of products into and out of the treatment zones by the walking beam conveyors. A door is mounted on each partition for movement between opened and closed positions with respect to the opening. The partitions are formed with slots for slidably receiving the walking beam conveyors and permitting the reciprocation of the walking beam conveyors in any position of the doors.
Inventors
- 👤 A Gladd
- 👤 Kay R Mac
- 👤 P Gancia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:39
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47J; A47J37/00; A47J37/04; A22; A22C; A22C17/00; A23; A23B; A23B4/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
69 words
Meat processing apparatus comprising: means defining at least one treatment zone for processing meat and similar products; conveying means for conveying products through the treatment zone; and lifting means in said treatment zone for lifting products from said conveying means and subsequently returning the products onto the conveying means to control the rate of advancement of the product and the time the product is present in the treatment zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
69 words
Meat processing apparatus comprising: means defining at least one treatment zone for processing meat and similar products; conveying means for conveying products through the treatment zone; and lifting means in said treatment zone for lifting products from said conveying means and subsequently returning the products onto the conveying means to control the rate of advancement of the product and the time the product is present in the treatment zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conveying means comprises reciprocating conveyor means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said reciprocating conveyor means comprises a pair of transversely spaced walking beams reciprocable between extended and retracted positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further including product support means alternately engageable with said walking beams and lifting means for supporting products to be treated for movement through the treatment zone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said lifting means comprises a pair of transversely spaced, vertically movable lifting arms movable in one direction to engage and lift the product support means from the walking beams, and movable in the opposite direction to return the product support means to the walking beams.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said lifting means further comprises a vertically movable frame, said lifting arms being carried by said frame.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said frame includes a horizontal base frame member extending transversely of said walking beams, and a pair or transversely spaced side frame members extending vertically from the ends of said base frame member, said lifting arms each being carried by one of said side frame members.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further including at least one guide post in said treatment zone, and guide means on said post and one side frame member of said lifting means slidably connecting said one side frame member and guide post.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said guide means comprises a guide pin mounted on said post, and an apertured plate mounted on said side frame member and slideably receiving said guide pin.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said product support means comprises a plurality of rod members each having a length such that it is engageable by both said walking beams and said lifting arms when disposed transversely with respect thereto.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further including walking beam holding means on said walking beams for engaging and holding said rod members against movement with respect to said walking beams along the lengths thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said walking beam rod holding means comprises a plurality of recesses formed in the upper surfaces of said walking beams and spaced along the lengths thereof with the recesses in one walking beam being in coaxial alignment with the recesses in the other walking beam in the extended and retracted positions of the walking beams.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 further including lifting arm rod holding means on said lifting arms for engaging and holding at least one of said rod members against movement with respect to said lifting arms along the lengths thereof when said rod member is removed from said walking beams by said lifting arms.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said lifting arm rod holding means comprises a plurality of upwardly opening recesses spaced along the length of said lifting arms with the recesses in one lifting arm being in coaxial alignment with the recesses in the lifting arm, and the spacing between the lifting arm recesses being the same as the spacing between the walking beam recesses such that the liftIng arm recesses are each in coaxial alignment with a walking beam recess in either the extended or retracted position of the walking beams.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
97 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 further including a transverse partition defining one end of said treatment zone; an opening formed in said partition providing access to said treatment zone; a door mounted on said partition for movement between open and closed positions with respect to said opening; and a pair of slots in said partition each located adjacent an opposite side edge of said opening, said walking beams each being slidably received in one of said slots such that the walking beams are reciprocable between their extended and retracted positions in any position of said door.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
97 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further including a transverse partition defining one end of said treat-ment zone; an opening formed in said partition providing access to said treatment zone; a door mounted on said partition for movement between open and closed positions with respect to said opening; and a pair of slots in said partition each located adjacent an opposite side edge of said opening, said walking beams each being slidably received in one of said slots such that the walking beams are reciprocable between their extended and retracted positions in any position of said door.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said door is mounted in said partition for vertical sliding movement between its open and closed positions with respect to said opening.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said door is mounted in said partition for vertical sliding movement between its open and closed positions with respect to said opening.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conveying means comprises a plurality of walking beam conveyors each reciprocable between extended and retracted positions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said conveyors are arranged in at least two side by side groups, each group including a plurality of vertically spaced conveyors.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein each conveyor comprises a pair of transversely spaced walking beams.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein said lifting means comprises a pair of transversely spaced, vertically movable lifting arms cooperable with the walking beams of each conveyor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein said lifting means further includes lifting a frame for each group of conveyors with a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of lifting arms corresponding to the number of conveyors of the group being carried by said lifting frame.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein said lifting frame includes a horizontal base frame member extending transversely of said walking beams, and a pair of transversely spaced side frame members extending vertically from the ends of said base frame member, said lifting arms each being carried by one of said side frame members.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 24 including support means in said treatment zone for each lifting frame, and power means connected between said support means and lifting frames for selectively raising and lowering said lifting frames.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 25 further including at least one guide post in said treatment zone, and guide means on said post and one side frame member of said lifting frame slidably connecting said lifting frame with said guide post during vertial movement of said lifting frame.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 21 further including a transverse partition defining one end of said treatment zone, a plurality of side by side openings in said partition corresponding to each side by side group of conveyors; and a plurality of doors mounted on said partition each controlling one of said openings and movable between open and closed positions with respect to its associated opening.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 27 further including a slot in said partition adjacent said openings for each walking beam Permitting the walking beam to reciprocate in its slot in any position of the doors.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 28 wherein each door is vertically slidable between its open and closed positions, and further including power means for selectively operating the doors.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
182 words
Meat processing apparatus comprising: an elongate enclosure having an inlet end and an outlet end with a plurality of treatment zones defined therebetween; a plurality of walking beam conveyors in said enclosure extending from the inlet end to the outlet end and movable between a retracted position in the direction of said inlet and an extended position in the direction of said outlet; lifting means in each treatment zone operable to lift products carried by said conveyors from said conveyors prior to a retraction movement of said conveyors and to return the products onto the conveyors prior to an extension movement of said conveyor; a plurality of transverse partitions in said enclosure defining the end walls of said treatment zones; an opening in each of said partitions permitting movement of products into and out of said treatment zones by said conveyors; a door mounted on each partition for movement between opened and closed positions with respect to the opening therein; and each of said partitions being formed with slots receiving said conveyors and permitting reciprocation thereof in any position of said doors.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
182 words
Meat processing apparatus comprising: an elongate enclosure having an inlet end and an outlet end with a plurality of treatment zones defined therebetween; a plurality of walking beam conveyors in said enclosure extending from the inlet end to the outlet end and movable between a retracted position in the direction of said inlet and an extended position in the direction of said outlet; lifting means in each treatment zone operable to lift products carried by said conveyors from said conveyors prior to a retraction movement of said conveyors and to return the products onto the conveyors prior to an extension movement of said conveyor; a plurality of transverse partitions in said enclosure defining the end walls of said treatment zones; an opening in each of said partitions permitting movement of products into and out of said treatment zones by said conveyors; a door mounted on each partition for movement between opened and closed positions with respect to the opening therein; and each of said partitions being formed with slots receiving said conveyors and permitting reciprocation thereof in any position of said doors.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 30 including, loading means for loading products onto said conveyor, said loading means including vertically movable loading racks operable to raise products to a height above each of said conveyors and to subsequently lower the products onto the conveyors in the retracted position thereof.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 31 wherein said loading means is supported at the inlet end of said enclosure for movement toward and away from said inlet.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 30 including unloading means for receiving products from said conveyors, said unloading means including vertically movable unloading racks operable to lift products from said conveyors at said outlet end and to subsequently lower the products to an unloading position.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 33 wherein said unloading means is supported at the outlet end of said enclosure for movement toward and away from said outlet.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-23 | 1977-01-22 | 1977-07-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-23 | 1981-01-22 | 1981-07-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-23 | 1985-01-22 | 1985-07-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |