Shoulder positioning conveyor
View Patent ↗A conveyor for positioning a meat product to be cut having a track attached to a frame, a chain slidably mounted on the track, a plurality of flights connected to the chain and a guide bar connected to the frame wherein the conveyor advances product forward at a loading end, maintains the product in a stable position through a transport section, and releases the product at a discharge end such that the product drops off the guide bar.
1. A conveyor for positioning a meat product to be cut, comprising:
a track mounted to a frame;
a continuous chain slidably mounted to the track;
a plurality of flights that are hook shaped and longitudinally connected to the chain;
a guide bar connected to the frame wherein as one flight rotates about a loading end of the conveyor, the one flight engages a product and advances the product forward of an attachment of the product on a transport conveyor.
2. The conveyor of claim 1 wherein the guide bar has a loading section that includes a first portion that extends outwardly from the track and beyond the loading end of the conveyor and a second portion that is generally arcuate and curves back from the first portion toward an operating section of the conveyor.
3. The conveyor of claim 1 wherein the guide bar is positioned to prevent the product from contacting the continuous chain.
4. The conveyor of claim 1 wherein the guide bar is positioned to engage and support the product.
5. The conveyor of claim 1 further comprising a drive sprocket, a tension sprocket, and an idler sprocket are rotatably mounted to the frame and engage the chain.
6. The conveyor of claim 5 wherein the tension sprocket and the idler sprocket are rotatably mounted to the frame at the loading end of the conveyor.
7. The conveyor of claim 1 wherein the shape of the loading end accelerates the flights to advance the product forward in relation to a shackle on the transport conveyor and into position for cutting.
8. The conveyor of claim 1 wherein the flights have a generally longitudinal section that extends horizontally in parallel spaced alignment to the continuous chain.
9. The conveyor of claim 1 wherein the guide bar is positioned below the conveyor.
10. A conveyor for positioning a meat product to be cut, comprising:
a track mounted to a frame;
a continuous chain slidably mounted to the track;
a plurality of flights that are hook shaped and longitudinally connected to the chain; and
a guide bar connected to the frame and extending around at least the periphery of an operating section of the continuous chain to prevent the product from contacting the continuous chain;
wherein the positioning conveyor rotates at a speed synchronous to a transport conveyor such that a product remains stationary on the positioning conveyor as the product is transported on a transport section of the guide bar.
11. The conveyor of claim 10 further comprising a servo motor that adjusts the speed of the positioning conveyor in relation to the speed of the transport conveyor.
12. A conveyor for positioning a meat product to be cut, comprising:
a track mounted to a frame;
a continuous chain slidably mounted to the track;
a plurality of flights that are hook shaped and longitudinally connected to the chain; and
a guide bar connected to the frame having a discharge section that extends inwardly from a transport section of the guide bar toward a longitudinal axis of the positioning conveyor;
wherein at the discharge end of the positioning conveyor a product is released from the flights and drops off the guide bar.