Method and apparatus for automatically packing tuna loins into plastic bags
First Claim
1. A method for automatically forming raw tuna loins into homogenized, formed loin packets and packing said packets into bags to be frozen and shipped to canning plants, comprising the steps:
- tamping and compacting an automatically conveyed stream of raw tuna loins to form said raw tuna loins into a homogenized tuna stream of a predetermined height and width;
metering a predetermined length of said formed, homogenized tuna stream;
cutting said predetermined length of said formed, homogenized tuna stream into packets; and
automatically packing said packets into bags of predetermined size.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for automatically forming raw tuna loins into homogenized, formed packets and packing those packets into bags for freezing and shipping to distant canning plants. A conveyed stream of raw tuna loins is tamped and compacted into a homogenized tuna stream of a predetermined height and width with dimensions compatible with processing equipment at the canning plant. A predetermined length of the homogenized tuna stream is measured and cut into packets and automatically packed into bags of predetermined size. In one embodiment, a servo controlled, intermittent advance conveyor is provided which is adapted to periodically advance said stream of raw tuna loins a distance which corresponds to the length of the bags into which the tuna is being packed. The apparatus for homogenizing the raw tuna loins is either a ski-shaped tamper driven by rotating cranks or a top belt including a pressure cylinder for urging the top belt into contact with the stream of raw tuna loins.
16 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for automatically forming raw tuna loins into homogenized, formed loin packets and packing said packets into bags to be frozen and shipped to canning plants, comprising the steps:
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tamping and compacting an automatically conveyed stream of raw tuna loins to form said raw tuna loins into a homogenized tuna stream of a predetermined height and width;
metering a predetermined length of said formed, homogenized tuna stream;
cutting said predetermined length of said formed, homogenized tuna stream into packets; and
automatically packing said packets into bags of predetermined size. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. Apparatus for automatically forming raw tuna loins into homogenized, formed packets and packing said packets into bags to be frozen and shipped to distant canning plants, comprising:
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infeed conveyor means for conveying a stream of raw tuna loins;
tamping and compacting means for forming said stream of raw tuna loins into a homogenized tuna stream of a predetermined height and width;
metering means for measuring predetermined lengths of said homogenized tuna stream;
metering knife means for cutting said predetermined lengths of said homogenized tuna stream into packets; and
automatic packing means for packing said packets into bags. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification