Safety means for powered machinery

• US 5,201,684 A
• Filed: 06/29/1992
• Issued: 04/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stork Townsend Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Townsend Engineering Company (Marel HF)
• Inventors: DeBois, Gerald N. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Little, Willis
• Application Number:
  US07/905,662
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 452/125, 452/127
• US Class Current: 452/127
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/12 with means, e.g. feelers, which in case of the presence of a body part of a person in or near the danger zone influence the control or operation of the machine F16P3/08 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention provides a safety means for powered machinery comprising a conventional wire mesh safety glove adapted for wearing by the machine operator. The machine with which it is used has a grounded frame, an electrical motor, a control switch, with the electrical motor being connected to a source of electrical energy through the control switch. A control safety circuit connects the electroconducting wire mesh safety glove and bypasses the conventional control switch for the machine which is in turn connected to the motor of the machine. The safety circuit includes a circuit breaking means, preferably a relay, whereby the relay will open and deprive the motor from electrical power whenever the wire mesh glove comes in contact with the grounded frame of the machine. An alternate form of the invention connects the wire mesh glove of the operator to the antenna of a wireless electromagnetic transmitter worn by the operator. The circuit breaking means includes a wireless electromagnetic receiver means which remains closed when receiving a radio signal, or any wireless signal, but which will open when the antenna of the wireless electromagnetic transmitter is grounded to the frame through the wire mesh glove touching the frame which serves to interrupt the transmission of the radio signal, or any wireless signal. This causes the electrical power to the motor to be interrupted.

Claims

1. A safety means for a meat skinning machine comprising a rotationally powered gripping roll means which functions in conjunction with a cutting knife to sever the skin from a portion of meat comprising:

a safety glove adapted for wearing by a machine operator, said glove having an electroconducting surface,

an electrically powered skinning machine having a frame,

a rotationally powered gripping roll means on said frame,

a wireless electromagnetic signal receiver actuated control means on said meat skinning machine to control the rotation of said gripping roll,

a wireless electromagnetic signal transmitter means connected to said electroconducting surface of said glove so that when said electroconducting surface engages said skinning machine, said transmitter means will cause said signal receiver actuated control means to interrupt the rotation of said gripping roll.

2. A method of stopping the rotation of a gripping roll on a meat skinning machine, comprising,

placing a wireless electromagnetic receiver actuated control means on said meat skinning machine to control the rotation of said gripping roll,

placing safety gloves having electroconducting surfaces on the hand of a machine operator,

providing a wireless electromagnetic signal transmitter means on the person of said operator,

connecting said wireless electromagnetic signal transmitter means to said electroconducting surfaces on said gloves so that when said electroconducting surfaces engages said skinning machine, said signal transmitter means will cause said receiver actuated control means to interrupt the rotation of said gripping roll.

grounding at least one of said electroconducting surfaces of said safety gloves to said meat skinning machine to interrupt the rotation of said gripping roll.