Abstract A method for wrapping meat, particularly freshly slaughtered carcass, comprises supporting the carcass upon a rotatable member adjacent a roll supply of a plastic film, engaging a portion of the film on the carcass and rotating the support for the carcass so as to cause the film to wrap around the carcass. The apparatus for the method includes an overhead trolley or rail having a supporting hook which permits the carcass to be moved into association with a supporting bracket which mounts a roll supply of a plastic film for rotation about a substantially vertical axis. The carcass is positioned directly adjacent the roll supply of the film and it is a simple manner to peel off a forward portion of the film and engage it on the carcass and then to rotate the carcass to remove a sufficient quantity of the film from the roll supply to completely wrap the carcass. Associated with the reel supply is a cutting knife or heating wire for severing the plastic after a sufficient quantity has been fed. The plastic advantageously comprises a vinyl chloride polymer of a type which possesses a high oxygen permeability rate and which allows the cut surface of the wrapped carcass to maintain its bloom and also a moisture vapor transmission rate which is sufficiently low to prevent dehydration or moisture loss.
A device for wrapping a carcass suspended from a meat carcass holder, wherein the meat carcass holder includes a hook for engagement with the meat carcass, which hook is rotatable relative to a fixed part, said fixed part including a bracket having a wheeled portion, which is movable along a trackway running to and away from the carcass wrapping device, said meat carcass while suspended on said hook being orientable alongside the ends of a plastic film for initial engagement therewith and being rotatable to draw the plastic film from a reel supply, wherein the improvement comprises a mounting bracket for rotatably supporting a reel of plastic film, a reel of plastic film vertically supported in said mounting means and having an end of said film extending laterally, knife means comprising a rotatable U-shaped arm having a central handle portion which extends substantially axially in respect to said axis of said reel supply, and a knife member carried by said arm and extending substantially parallel to the axis of said reel supply and being movable by said arm across the path of the plastic film which is fed from said reel supply to the meat carcass suspended from the meat carcass holder.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
202 words
A device for wrapping a carcass suspended from a meat carcass holder, wherein the meat carcass holder includes a hook for engagement with the meat carcass, which hook is rotatable relative to a fixed part, said fixed part including a bracket having a wheeled portion, which is movable along a trackway running to and away from the carcass wrapping device, said meat carcass while suspended on said hook being orientable alongside the ends of a plastic film for initial engagement therewith and being rotatable to draw the plastic film from a reel supply, wherein the improvement comprises a mounting bracket for rotatably supporting a reel of plastic film, a reel of plastic film vertically supported in said mounting means and having an end of said film extending laterally, knife means comprising a rotatable U-shaped arm having a central handle portion which extends substantially axially in respect to said axis of said reel supply, and a knife member carried by said arm and extending substantially parallel to the axis of said reel supply and being movable by said arm across the path of the plastic film which is fed from said reel supply to the meat carcass suspended from the meat carcass holder.