G.e. Leblanc Inc.

Marcel Couture

Jean-Guy Roy

Yvon Dufour

Patrick Fauret

Steve LaPointe

Disclosed is a loin puller for trimming off the backfat of a loin that has been scribed from a belly. This loin puller has a frame on which is mounted a conveying system for engaging the loin and moving it towards a cutting zone. In this zone, a cutting tool is mounted for engaging the loin when it is moved by the conveying system, and for cutting the backfat to be trimmed off from the loin, with the so-cut backfat remaining attached to the belly. The cutting tool has two blades that are preferably controlled independently from each other. One of these blades is arcuate and positioned onto the frame so as to engage at least one part of the loin from a side of the loin opposite to the belly, and to cut the backfat to be trimmed from the loin. The other blade is L-shaped and positioned onto the frame so as to engage another part of the loin and cut the backfat to be trimmed thereof directly from the scribing line just below the back ribs of the loin. Both of the blades are long enough so as to ensure that all the backfat of the loin be trimmed off.

Loin puller with two separate cutting blades

Disclosed is a loin puller for trimming off the backfat of a loin that has been scribed from a belly. This loin puller has a frame on which is mounted a conveying system for engaging the loin and moving it towards a cutting zone. In this zone, a cutting tool is mounted for engaging the loin when it is moved by the conveying system, and for cutting the backfat to be trimmed off from the loin, with the so-cut backfat remaining attached to the belly. The cutting tool has two blades that are preferably controlled independently from each other. One of these blades is arcuate and positioned onto the frame so as to engage at least one part of the loin from a side of the loin opposite to the belly, and to cut the backfat to be trimmed from the loin. The other blade is L-shaped and positioned onto the frame so as to engage another part of the loin and cut the backfat to be trimmed thereof directly from the scribing line just below the back ribs of the loin. Both of the blades are long enough so as to ensure that all the backfat of the loin be trimmed off. Advantageously, a plate actuated by a piston is pivotably mounted about a vertical axis in front of the L-shaped blade so as to engage into the scribing line of the loin to be trimmed and push the backribs of the loin laterally away just before the loin reaches the cutting tool.

A middle splitter for use to split an animal's middle into two parts. The splitter has a work table and a conveyor belt to move the middle forward. The splitter also has a circular saw which extends in a longitudinal slot in the conveyor belt. A guide extends from upstream down to the saw. This guide is parallel and extends above the conveyor belt in order to hold the middle against it. The splitter further has a caterpillar drive which extends before and past the saw. The drive is parallel to the conveyor belt and has a contour belt mounted onto a support of longitudinal shape. The contour belt has protruding plates shaped and positioned to engage the middle. The conveyor belt is driven into rotation by a shaft connected to a motor, so that the side of the contour belt nearest the saw moves forward. As a result, when the motor rotates the belt, the drive pulls the middle forward toward the circular saw for it to be cut. A pressure device is provided to push the drive towards the guide to push on the spine and straighten it up while the middle is cut.

Growing community of inventors

Saint-Henri, Canada

Marcel Couture