Skinning machine

• US 5,766,066 A
• Filed: 06/05/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard L. Ranniger
• Original Assignee: Richard L. Ranniger
• Inventors: Ranniger, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Little, Willis
• Application Number:
  US08/658,517
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 452/125, 452/127, 30/355, 30/357, 30/329
• US Class Current: 452/127
• CPC Class Codes: A22B 5/166 Drum skinners
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/12 Apparatus for cutting-off rind skinning instruments A22B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 25/17 Skinning fish

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a automatic skinning machine. The automatic skinning machine includes a blade holder with a plurality of indentations disposed thereon. The cutting blade is adopted to be positioned adjacent to blade holder such that the cutting edge is recessed behind the leading edge of the blade holder and generally extends across each of the indentations formed on the leading edge. The invention further includes attaching apertures formed only on the bottom surface of the blade holder such that crevices and cracks which could lead to contamination are not exposed to product passing over the blade holder. The invention further includes the use of locking pins in conjunction with the apertures formed on the bottom surface of the blade holder such that the blade can be easily held in position. The invention further includes a camming structure for automatically moving the cutting shoe of the device between an initial position and a skinning position. The cutting shoe is further mounted in a floating manner such that it can self adjust to different thicknesses of product flowing therethrough. Further, a quick release device is provided for easily and quickly removing the cutting shoe from its skinning orientation to a cleaning orientation and then exactly back to the same skinning orientation. An overhead transport mechanism is provided for ensuring that the product is adequately engaged by the skinning mechanisms and adequately discharged from the machine. A cleaning mechanism is also provided for adequately cleaning the gripping roller associated with the skinning mechanism of the device.

Claims

1. A skinning assembly for a skinning machine, the assembly comprising:

a gripping roller for pulling skin through the skinning assembly;

a blade holder having an elongated body with an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface sloping downwardly to form a dull leading edge with said lower surface, said leading edge having a plurality of indentations formed therealong and forming a pinch point with the gripping roller; and

a blade positioned adjacent to said blade holder so that a blade cutting edge is recessed behind said leading edge and extends across at least a portion of an indentation.

2. The skinning assembly of claim 1 wherein said blade holder has indentations that are generally semicircular in shape.

3. The skinning assembly of claim 1 wherein said blade holder has indentations are evenly spaced across said leading edge.

4. The skinning assembly of claim 2 wherein each indentation of said blade holder is separated from an adjacent indentation by a straight segment of said leading edge.

5. The skinning assembly of claim 3 wherein said straight segments of said leading edge of said blade holder are rounded so as to present a dull edge.

6. The skinning assembly of claim 6 wherein each indentation of said blade holder has a forwardly facing edge extending between said straight segments and a beveled surface extending from said body upper surface to said forwardly facing edge.

7. A blade holder for a skinning machine, the blade holder configured to hold a blade with a sharp cutting edge and configured to be attached to a cutting shoe by at least one locking pin, the locking pin having an elongated body and an oversized head separated from the body by a reduced diameter neck, the blade holder comprising:

an elongated body having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface of said body having a least one recess formed therein and extending upwardly towards said upper surface, but not extending to said upper surface, said recess having a horizontally extending channel extending to one side, said channel having a slot that connects said channel spatially to said lower surface, the width of said recess and the width of said channel corresponding generally to the width of the head of the locking pin and the width of the slot corresponding generally to the width of the neck of the locking pin, wherein said holder body is configured to be attached to the shoe by positioning the head of the locking pin into said recess and sliding the head into said channel and the neck into said slot so the head is connected to said holder body.