Patents Assigned to Machinery Development Limited
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Patent number: 6973765Abstract: A method and apparatus for carrying out a meat packing process in which carcasses of animals (102) are weighed (100) and moved on a boning line (101) in sequence past a number of boning and trimming stations (103 and 105). The trimmed cuts are transferred to a main conveyor (108). The cuts are placed in bags dispensed by one or more machines (22) which produce bag's whose lengths and widths are matched to those of the cuts placed therein. Each hook (38) has a bar code (39), which is scanned at the boning stations. Feed conveyors (241-243) are controlled by the central processor (34). The travel of the main conveyor (108) is monitored by the central processor so that each position on the main conveyor to which the cuts are transferred from the feed conveyors is identified at each trimming station and at the bagging station. By this each bagged cut can be identified with the animal from which if was derived.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2002Date of Patent: December 13, 2005Assignee: Machinery Development LimitedInventor: Richard Archer Melville
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Patent number: 6443828Abstract: A method and apparatus for carrying out a meat packing process in which carcasses of animals (102) are weighed (100) and moved on a boning line (101) in sequence past a number of boning and trimming stations (103 and 105). The trimmed cuts are transferred to a main conveyor (108). The cuts are placed in bags dispensed by one or more machines (22) which produce bag's whose lengths and widths are matched to those of the cuts placed therein. Each hook (38) has a bar code (39), which is scanned at the boning stations. Feed conveyors (241-243) are controlled by the central processor (34). The travel of the main conveyor (108) is monitored by the central processor so that each position on the main conveyor to which the cuts are transferred from the feed conveyors is identified at each trimming station and at the bagging station. By this each bagged cut can be identified with the animal from which if was derived.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2001Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: Machinery Development LimitedInventor: Richard Archer Melville
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Patent number: 5816990Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for producing discrete packages which can be individually varied in length so that they can be used for packaging articles such as cuts of meat which vary in length. The apparatus comprises drive rolls for feeding a flat tube of plastics packaging material through a cut off device. The apparatus may also comprise a heat sealing device (to form the tube into a bag) and a blower head combined with a suction device which opens the leading portion of the bag to facilitate the placing of an article in the bag. A proximity sensor is provided adjacent the cut off device and immobilises the drive rolls when it detects the arrival of a leading portion. In one form of the apparatus the sensor is mounted on a movable carriage which can be quickly moved by hand or by a ram.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 1996Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: Machinery Developments LimitedInventor: Richard Archer Melville
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Patent number: 5618252Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for producing discrete packages which can be individually varied in length so that they can be used for packaging articles such as cuts of meat which vary in length. The apparatus comprises drive rolls for feeding a flat tube of plastics packaging material through a cut off device. The apparatus may also comprise a heat sealing device (to form the tube into a bag) and a blower head combined with a suction device which opens the leading portion of the bag to facilitate the placing of an article in the bag. A proximity sensor is provided adjacent the cut off device and immobilizes the drive rolls when it detects the arrival of a loading portion. In one form of the apparatus the sensor is mounted on a movable carriage which can be quickly moved by hand or by a ram.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 1994Date of Patent: April 8, 1997Assignee: Machinery Developments LimitedInventor: Richard A. Melville