US3924012A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods for forming unit portions of frozen food materials
Assignee: Lever Brothers Co
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Filing: 1973-09-18
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Granted: 1975-12-02
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Expires: 1993-09-18
Abstract
Abstract A method of forming unit portions of frozen food material, particularly from fish fillets to form fish sticks, where slabs of frozen material are sub-divided into the desired portions by being sheared by a special form of shear press which has opposing castellated jaws which each have corresponding alternate protruding and receding sections which intermesh with corrresponding sections of the opposite jaw and which sections correspond in width to the widths of the portions. Various methods of handling the sheared portions are also described.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Swinburn Marshall
- 👤 Karl Hartmann
- 👤 Erich Kraffert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:06
CPC Classifications
A; A22; A22C; A22C25/00; A22C25/18; A22C7/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T225/00; Y10T225/30; Y10T225/371; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/202; Y10T83/2092; Y10T83/2198; Y10T83/869; Y10T83/8821; Y10T83/8828; Y10T83/8831
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A METHOD OF FORMING UNIT PORTIONS FROM SLABS OF FROZEN FOOD MATERIAL, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF BRING EACH SLAB IN TURN BETWEEN OPPOSING CASTELLATED JAWS OF A PRESS HAVING IN EACH JAW ALTERNATE PROTRUDING AND RECEDING SECTIONS IN WHICH EACH PROTRUDING SECTION HAS A SUBSTANTIAL FLAT JAW FACE, A WIDTH CORRESPONDING TO THE REQUIRED WIDTH OF THE UNIT PORTIONS AND IS SHAPED TO CLOSELY INTERMESH WITH A RECEDING SECTION OF THE OPPOSING JAW, BRING THE JAWS TOHETHER SO THAT THE PROTRUDING SECTIONS EVENLY CONTACT THE SLAB, AND MOVING THE JAWS TOWARDS AN INTERMESHING POSITION SO AS TO SHEAR AND THEREBY SUBDIVIDE THE SLAB INTO UNIT PORTIONS, SAID SHEARING RESULTING IN A HIGH SHEAR STRESS DEVELOPING ALONG THE PLANE BETWEEN SAID UNIT PORTIONS AND CAUSING YIELD ALONG SAID PLANE.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
A METHOD OF FORMING UNIT PORTIONS FROM SLABS OF FROZEN FOOD MATERIAL, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF BRING EACH SLAB IN TURN BETWEEN OPPOSING CASTELLATED JAWS OF A PRESS HAVING IN EACH JAW ALTERNATE PROTRUDING AND RECEDING SECTIONS IN WHICH EACH PROTRUDING SECTION HAS A SUBSTANTIAL FLAT JAW FACE, A WIDTH CORRESPONDING TO THE REQUIRED WIDTH OF THE UNIT PORTIONS AND IS SHAPED TO CLOSELY INTERMESH WITH A RECEDING SECTION OF THE OPPOSING JAW, BRING THE JAWS TOHETHER SO THAT THE PROTRUDING SECTIONS EVENLY CONTACT THE SLAB, AND MOVING THE JAWS TOWARDS AN INTERMESHING POSITION SO AS TO SHEAR AND THEREBY SUBDIVIDE THE SLAB INTO UNIT PORTIONS, SAID SHEARING RESULTING IN A HIGH SHEAR STRESS DEVELOPING ALONG THE PLANE BETWEEN SAID UNIT PORTIONS AND CAUSING YIELD ALONG SAID PLANE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method according to claim 1 in which spring mounted clamps are mounted in the receding sections of each jaw, and the process comprises the further step of moving the jaws apart and causing the sheared portions to be pushed back into a single plane by return movement of the clamps after which the sheared portions are conveyed away while in said plane and in an aligned disposition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1 in which subsequent to shearing, the jaws are moved apart and the unit portions are conveyed away while alternate portions lie in different planes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1 in which each slab is sheared in two stages, one stage being longitudinal and the other lateral to the slab.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
88 words
A method according to claim 4 in which a single composite shear press is arranged to provide shearing in two stages which are longitudinal and lateral to the slab and the method comprises moving the slab to a first position where part of the shear press shears in a first direction relative to said slab, and then moving the sheared sections of the slab to a second position where shearing of said sections along a direction perpendicular to said first direction to form the unit portions is effected.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 5 in which at said first position shearing is effected longitudinally to the slab, the longitudinal sheared sections of food material are then moved to the second position and are sheared laterally into the unit portions at the second position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method according to claim 6 in which after shearing at the first position the longitudinally sheared sections of food material are transferred to said second position with alternate longitudinal sections of food material lying in different planes and said longitudinal sections of food material are then sheared laterally into unit portions by longitudinally alternate protruding and receding jaw sections which are stepped laterally in correspondence with the levels of said planes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 7 in which subsequent to being sheared laterally the unit portions are moved back into alignment into said longitudinal planes and are conveyed away in said longitudinal planes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-01 | 1979-06-02 | 1979-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-01 | 1983-06-02 | 1983-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-01 | 1987-06-02 | 1987-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |