Patents by Inventor Ralph S. Hodges

Ralph S. Hodges has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6231911
    Abstract: A device and method for incising a cylindrical shaped meat product in which a motor rotates a tubular shaped cutter housing around the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing. Inclined blades are mounted on the inner surface of the cutter housing. An injector transports the meat product into the rotating cutter housing inlet at a velocity V1 and an ejector transports the incised meat product from the rotating cutter housing at velocity V3. In operation, a cylindrical meat product is inserted into the injector which prevents the meat product from rotating and transports it into the rotating blades that incise a pattern of helical spiral cuts into the surface of the meat product. The action of the blades upon the meat product pushes the meat product along the longitudinal axis at a velocity V2. An ejector prevents the meat product from rotating and transports the incised meat product from the cutting blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Inventors: Clarence Steinback, Ralph S. Hodges
  • Patent number: 5746106
    Abstract: A device and method for superficially incising a sausage-like meat product includes a plurality of rotatable cutting elements which are arranged to define a chute therebetween. Each cutting element includes a cylinder and has a circular blade which projects radially from the cylinder. The centers of the respective blades, also located in the cylinder, define a base plane and the blades are all similarly tilted to rotate in tilt planes which are angled from the base plane. In the operation of the device, all cutting elements are simultaneously rotated and a meat product is inserted into the chute. Rotation of the cutting elements simultaneously causes the cylinder to draw the meat product through the chute and causes the blades on the cylinder to superficially cut a helical shaped incision into the meat product. The depth of the cuts are established by the projection of the blades, and the pitch of the helical incisions, can be controlled by the tilting of the cutting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Inventor: Ralph S. Hodges