Meat emulsifying and processing system

Abstract

A meat emulsification system for producing meat products with optimum emulsification stability. The emulsification system includes a perforated plate and a rotary multibladed cutter disposed adjacent an upstream side thereof which is operable for breaking the meat into a fine emulsion and raising the temperature thereof as it is directed through the perforated plate. Meat to be emulsified is fed to the emulsifying mill by a positive displacement pump which creates a positive pressure at the inlet of the mill and which can be varied in order to control the through put of the mill, and thus, the temperature rise of the product discharged from the mill for achieving optimum emulsification stability in the processed product. The emulsification system permits the use of a perforated plate with smaller sized apertures and a rotary cutter with greater numbers of blade carrying arms than heretofore possible for producing a finer and more cohesive emulsion, while yet permitting relatively precise control of the temperature rise during emulsification. The mill further includes a two part housing which may be readily opened in order to permit cleaning and servicing of the internal components of the mill.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. A meat emulsifying and processing system including a variable speed positive displacement pump having an inlet adapted to receive a supply of pre-cut meat and an outlet to deliver said pre-cut meat under pressure;   speed control means associated with said pump for selectively increasing and reducing the speed of said pump during operation based upon a temperature differential of the meat being emulsified to thereby vary the rate of flow of meat from said pump;   an emulsifying mill for breaking said pre-cut meat into a fine emulsion, said mill including   a housing,   an inlet adapted to receive said pre-cut meat from said pump,   an outlet downstream from said inlet,   .[.a perforated plate connected to said housing between said inlet and outlet,.].   a rotary .[.cutter, adjacent and upstream of said perforated plate, said cutter adapted to force said pre-cut meat through said perforated plate,.]. .Iadd.cutter located between said inlet and said outlet, .Iaddend.   a rotary impeller disposed within said housing downstream of said .[.perforated plate.]. .Iadd.rotary cutter .Iaddend.adapted to convey emulsified product out of said outlet, and   drive means for rotating said cutter;   first temperature sensing means associated with said inlet of said emulsifier to detect the temperature of said meat at said inlet;   first display means for displaying the temperature of said meat at said inlet;   second temperature sensing means associated with said outlet of said emulsifier to detect the temperature of said emulsion at said outlet;   second display means for displaying the temperature of said emulsion at said outlet,   said temperature sensing means and said display means operative to enable a processing system operator to compare the temperature differential between said first and second temperature sensing means and, when said temperature differential deviates from a predetermined value, to activate said speed control means to vary the speed of said pump to thereby control the temperature rise of said meat during emulsification.   
     
     
       2. A meat emulsifying and processing system as in claim 1 including automated control means associated with said first and second temperature sensing means and said speed control means operable when said temperature differential deviates from a predetermined value to signal said speed control means to vary the speed of said pump to thereby control the temperature rise of said meat during emulsification. 
     
     
       3. A meat emulsifying and processing system as in claim 2 in which said automated control means is operative to signal the speed control means to increase the speed of said pump when said temperature differential exceeds a predetermined value and to decrease the speed of the pump when said temperature differential falls below a predetermined value. 
     
     
       4. A meat emulsifying and processing system as in claim 1 including pressure sensing means positioned adjacent said inlet of said emulsifying mill adapted to sense the inlet pressure of said mill, said pressure sensing means connected to said drive means such that said drive means is activated only after a pressure above a predetermined value is sensed at said inlet of said emulsifying mill. 
     
     
       5. A meat emulsifying and processing system as in claim 4, in which said drive means is deactivated when said inlet pressure of said emulsifying mill drops below a predetermined value. .Iadd. 
     
     
       6.  A meat emulsifying and processing system as in claim 1 including a perforated plate connected to said housing and adjacent to and downstream of said rotary cutter, said rotary cutter adapted to force said pre-cut means through said perforated plate. .Iaddend.