IP Library Granted Patent US 8,479,623
Granted Patent B2
US 8,479,623 · App. 12/364,003 · Granted Jul 9, 2013

Cooked bacon slicer

Inventor: Darwin E. Bridges (Oak Creek, WI)
Assignee: Patrick Cudahy, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,479,623
App. No.
12/364,003
Granted
Jul 9, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for slicing and separating a food product into two pieces is described, where the system and method employ a pneumatically controlled cutting mechanism to slice and separate the food product.

Claims (19)

1. A method for cutting a meat product comprising the steps of:

placing a meat product on a platform coupled to a motor;

placing a product carrier between the meat product and the platform;

operating the motor to move the meat product into contact with a cutting mechanism comprising a cutter wheel,

wherein said cutter wheel is a round cutting blade composed of carbon steel;

providing a cutting roller below the cutting wheel to thereby provide an opposing surface for the cutting wheel,

wherein said cutting roller is a polyethylene cutting roller;

applying pneumatic pressure to the cutting mechanism to hold the cutting wheel downward against the meat product as the meat product passes between the cutting wheel and the cutting roller, thereby separating the meat product into two pieces without separating the product carrier, and;

operating the motor to move the two pieces away from the cutting mechanism for removal of the two separated pieces from the moving platform.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the cutting roller to cause the cutting wheel to rotate.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein rotating the cutting roller comprises driving the cutting roller with the motor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product is one of a strip of bacon and a sheet of bacon.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the bacon is cooked.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the speed of the motor via a potentiometer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting wheel is rotated by contact with the meat product.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product carrier comprises paper, interleaver paper, a foam tray or a cutting board.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the meat product comprises splitting the meat product by pressure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene cutting roller is a polyoxymethylene roller or a polyacetal roller.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting roller is a knurled roller.

Assignments (4)
MERGER Recorded Jun 29, 2018
From: PATRICK CUDAHY, INC.
To: PATRICK CUDAHY, LLC
Reel/Frame 046242/0221 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 8, 2018
From: JOHN MORRELL & CO.
To: SMITHFIELD PACKAGED MEATS CORP.
Reel/Frame 045529/0608 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 5, 2018
From: PATRICK CUDAHY, LLC
To: JOHN MORRELL & CO.
Reel/Frame 045105/0593 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2009
From: BRIDGES, DARWIN E.
To: PATRICK CUDAHY, INC.
Reel/Frame 022189/0135 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100192743A1 · Aug 5, 2010