The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 23, 1997
Filed:
Feb. 13, 1995
Kenneth Marvin Ware, Cedar Bluff, MS (US);
Jack Wayne France, Sr, Little Rock, AR (US);
Jeffrey A Williams, Calhoun, GA (US);
Sara Lee Corporation, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Abstract
Apparatus and process for treating pork bellies, the apparatus utilizing a frame carrying a belly supporting surface, a belly treating station made up of various belly engaging devices, a comb positionable in the treated belly flank side after the flank side has been engaged at the belly treating assembly, and an accumulation table carried by the frame for holding the treated and combed bellies after removal from the belly treating station. The belly treating assembly includes the flank side movable engaging stop, fatback side and lower side presses movable substantially horizontally to engage and compress the belly flank side, and a hold down assembly engaging the belly face and resisting its upward bowing or movement when the flank side is compressed. A belly hanging structure is positioned adjacent the accumulation table for receiving and supporting the combed bellies so that the bellies will lengthen and square during the smoking process. The process involves positioning the pork belly on a combing table with the flank side forming the leading edge, applying pressure to the fatback and lower sides to reduce the length of the flank side leading edge, combing the leading edge while in the reduced length condition to maintain the leading edge in a reduced length condition, and hanging the belly by the comb for subsequent processing to induce elongation and symmetry.