Automatic device for cutting the legs of pork carcasses

Abstract

An automatic device for cutting the legs of pork carcasses laying transversally onto a conveyor. A support carrier is mounted onto a frame extending close to the conveyor in such a manner as to be movable toward and away from the conveyor. The support carrier supports a circular saw extending in a vertical plane parallel to the moving direction of the conveyor at a sufficient height to cut the legs projecting away from the same. The support carrier also supports a device called 'feeler' that is pivotably hung to a horizontal pivot at a predetermined distance from the saw, which corresponds to the average length for the legs to be cut. A control system is operatively connected to a presence sensor mounted in such a manner to detect the legs of the carcasses when these legs reach the feeler. The control system is also connected to a motion detector that detects any swing of the feeler, and to a power jack for moving the support carrier. The control system is actuated as soon as the presence sensor detects a leg, and it operates the power jack in order to move the support carrier towards the conveyor in order to bring this device in contact with the leg if this one is not already in contact with the same, or to move the device in the opposite direction to bring it out of contact with the detected leg if this leg is already in contact with it. Such a generated contact or lack of contact with the legs is detected by the motion detector which gives a signal for stopping the motion of the support carrier and, accordingly, of the saw which is then automatically positioned to cut the detected leg.