US 11,717,000 B2
Apparatus for tearing meat
Ronnie Cameron, Rose Hill, NC (US)
Assigned to House of Raeford Farms, Inc., Rose Hill, NC (US)
Filed by House of Raeford Farms, Inc., Rose Hill, NC (US)
Filed on Jan. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/576,523.
Application 17/576,523 is a continuation of application No. 16/534,220, filed on Aug. 7, 2019, granted, now 11,224,230.
Prior Publication US 2022/0132873 A1, May 5, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B02C 17/00 (2006.01); A22C 17/00 (2006.01); B02C 13/06 (2006.01); B02C 13/282 (2006.01); B02C 13/28 (2006.01); B02C 13/286 (2006.01); B02C 18/14 (2006.01); B02C 18/22 (2006.01); B02C 18/18 (2006.01)
CPC A22C 17/0026 (2013.01) [B02C 13/06 (2013.01); B02C 13/282 (2013.01); B02C 13/2804 (2013.01); B02C 13/286 (2013.01); B02C 18/145 (2013.01); B02C 18/2291 (2013.01); B02C 2013/28672 (2013.01); B02C 2018/188 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a gravity-fed hopper comprising at least one sidewall that forms a first opening configured to receive meat articles and a second opening configured to discharge torn meat articles;
a rotatable spindle element positioned at least partially within the hopper and downstream of the first opening, the rotatable spindle element comprising:
a shaft having a longitudinal axis; and
a plurality of teeth coupled to the shaft, wherein teeth of the plurality of teeth are spaced apart from one another along a length of the shaft, and wherein at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth comprises a support member coupled to the shaft, and comprises a meat-tearing element coupled to the support member;
a plurality of rods that extend from the sidewall spaced apart from one another, the plurality of rods being interlaced with the plurality of teeth; and
a motor coupled to the rotatable spindle element configured to rotate the rotatable spindle element to cause at least some of the plurality of teeth to rotate and pass between two different rods of the plurality of rods.