Sweep edge blades for loin puller machine
A knife blade for a loin puller machine to cut pork carcasses includes an elongated member with opposite upper and lower mounting ends to mount the blade to the machine. The mounting ends are offset with respect to one another, with a cutting edge extending angularly between the opposite mounting ends. Angular orientation of the cutting edge causes the cutting edge to enter the meat sequentially between the opposite ends of the cutting edge, thereby providing a cleaner cut with improved yield and less blade wear when the carcass is not firm.
1 . A knife blade for a loin puller machine having a conveyor for carrying a loin in a longitudinal direction, comprising:
an elongated member having portions along its length, including:
an upper mount portion adapted to mount to the machine;
a lower mount portion adapted to mount to the machine;
the upper and lower mount portions being longitudinally offset from one another relative to a direction of travel of the conveyor;
a cutting edge between the upper and lower mount portions of the member; and
the cutting edge being longitudinally angularly disposed between the upper mount portion and the lower mount portion.
2 . The knife blade of claim 1 wherein the cutting edge has opposite first and second ends which are adapted to enter a meat carcass sequentially.
3 . The knife blade of claim 1 wherein the upper mount portion has a first longitudinal axis, the lower central portion has a second longitudinal axis, and the cuffing edge has a third longitudinal axis, and the first and second longitudinal axes being parallel and offset to one another.
4 . The knife blade of claim 3 wherein the third longitudinal axis is angularly disposed to the first and second longitudinal axes.
5 . The knife blade of claim 1 wherein the member is a Z blade.
6 . The blade of claim 5 further comprising a shelf portion and a belly cut portion.
7 . The knife blade of claim 1 wherein the member is a J blade.
8 . The knife blade of claim 7 further comprising a straight fatback trimming portion and a sweeping radius portion.
9 . A loin puller machine, comprising:
a conveyor for moving a carcass past a blade in a longitudinal direction for cutting the carcass;
the blade having an elongated member having opposite mounting ends adapted to be mounted to the loin puller machine;
the mounting ends being longitudinally offset with respect to one another;
a cutting edge on the member between the opposite mounting ends, and the cutting edge having opposite first and second cutting ends;
the cutting edge being longitudinally sloped between upper and lower ends so as to be adapted to cut into a meat carcass sequentially from the first cutting end to the second cutting end.
10 . The machine of claim 9 wherein the blade is Z-shaped.
11 . The machine of claim 10 wherein the blade has a shelf portion and a belly cut portion.
12 . The machine of claim 9 wherein the blade is J-shaped.
13 . The machine of claim 12 wherein the blade has a trimming portion and a radius portion.
14 . The machine of claim 9 wherein the mounting ends have parallel and offset axis.
15 . A method of cutting meat from a pork carcass moving on a loin pulling machine, the method comprising: gradually introducing a longitudinally sloped cutting edge of a blade into the carcass, from one end of the cutting edge to another end of the cutting edge, to prevent buckling of the meat and to achieve a clean cut of the meat.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein one end of the cutting edge enters the meat before an opposite end of the cutting edge enters the meat.
17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the blade is a Z blade.
18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the blade is a J blade.
19 . The method of claim 15 wherein the blade is a trim blade.