US3841909A

US3841909A - Method and apparatus for removing grease from animal bones

Info

Publication number: US3841909A
Application number: US00277865A
Authority: US
Inventors: Y Nonaka; J Nakanishi
Original assignee: Nitta Gelatin Inc
Current assignee: Nitta Gelatin Inc
Priority date: 1972-08-04
Filing date: 1972-08-04
Publication date: 1974-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 1991-10-15

Abstract

The invention comprises a method of and apparatus for removing grease from animal bones. Pipes containing nozzles are positioned in a slowly revolving drum, and pressurized boiling water is jetted from the nozzles against the animal bones which are agitated by the rotating drum.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 Nonaka et al.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING GREASE FROM ANIMAL BONES Inventors: Yoshihiro Nonaka; Jom Nakanishi,

both of Osaka, Japan Nitta Gelatin Kabushiki Kaisha, Yao City, Osaka Prefi, Japan Filed: Aug. 4, 1972 Appl. No.2 277,865

Assignee:

US. (:1 134/s ,134/25 134/33, 134/145, 134/153, 23/280, 15/90, 69/30, 260/412 1m. (:1. 13080 3/06, c0911 1/02, c1 1b 1/14 Field 61 Search 134/5, 24, 23, 33,120, 134/153, 157, 175, 25, 145; 23/280; 260/4126, 412; 69/30; 15/90; 68/58; 106/125 14 1 Oct. 15, 1974 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 660,655 10/1900 Von Podewils 260/4126 2,652,588 6/1950 Harris l34/l53 3,262,218 .7/1966 Cymbalisty 68/58 X Primary Examiner-Joseph Scovronek Assistant Examiner-Barry l. Hollander Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Donald D. Jeffery [5 7 1 ABSTRACT The invention comprises a method of and apparatus for removing grease from animal bones. Pipes containing nozzles are positioned in a slowly revolving drum, and pressurized boiling water is jetted from the nozzles against the animal bones which are agitated by the rotating drum.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING GREASE FROM ANIMAL BONES The present invention relates as indicated to a method of and apparatus for removing grease from animal bones such as those of cattle, with the bones to be FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus, taken on line x y of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing a conventional form of apparatus, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the apparatus being partially broken away.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, wherein like parts have been indicated by like reference numerals, the apparatus comprising the present invention includes a revolving drum 1 in which are securely mounted pipes 2 which receive pressurized boiling water as will be hereinafter described. A plurality of circumferentially spaced rake-up blades 3 are secured to the inner periphery of the drum and extend radially inwardly thereof. Similarly blades 4 which are positioned between the blades 3 are provided for fixedly mounting the outer ends of the pipes, by means of mounting or connecting pins 10.

A revolving hollow shaft 6 is mounted centrally in the drum, and the radially inner ends of the pipes 2 are rigidly connected to the shaft in flow communication with the interior of the shaft whereby the pressurized boiling water can be delivered to the nozzles 8 of the pipes 2.

Driving rollers 9 are provided for revolving the drum, and bearings 11 and 12 are mounted around shaft 6 in detachable end covers 13 and 14 at both ends of the drum. The end covers 13 and 14 can be removed for delivering the animal bones to or removing the bones from the drum. A revolving coupling 15 is provided for the shaft 6, and an end bearing 16 for the shaft is disposed at the opposite end of the drum. A feed pipe 17 is provided for delivering the pressurized boiling water to the drum, and the entire assembly is supported by supporting frame members 18.

As shown in FIG. 1, the drum 1 revolves in the direction of the indicating arrow, with the drum revolving about the axis of shaft 6. The animal bones are indicated at 5 and are located due to gravity in the lower quadrant of the drum, as clearly indicated in FIG. 1. The bones are raked up by the

blades

3 and 4 as the drum revolves. with the bones being carried in the direction of the drum until falling by gravity toward the bottom thereof, with the bones thereby being continually agitated by the

blades

3 and 4. The highly pressurized boiling water from the nozzles 8 impinges against the accumulated bones in the direction opposite to that of rotation of the drum, with the pipes 2 sequentially passing through the accumulated bones as shown, for example. by the pipe illustrated in the lower left corner of the drum in HO. 1. As such pipe continues to rotate with the drum the pressurized boiling water continues to impinge against the animal bones until the pipe rotates sothat the nozzle spray pattern is not directed against the bones, the condition existing with the right most pipes 2 shown in FIG. 1. After a predetermined length of time of continuous operation of the drum, the grease contained in the bones will be essentially completely removed, and the boiling water during the continuousoperation is discharged continuously from the small holes h formed in the drum wall.

Referring to FIG. 3, which illustrates conventional apparatus, the drum 1 is rotated in the same direction as in the FIG. 1 form, with the blades 3 raking up the bones and carrying them in the direction the drum rotates until the bones descend by gravity, with the bones accumulating in the lower portion of the drum as indicated in FIG. 3. The hollow shaft 19 and the boiling water pipe 20 connected thereto are stationary whereby the nozzles formed in the pipe 20 continually direct the pressurized boiling water against the accumulated bones. A drawback of this arrangement, however, is that the bones continually raked up by the blades 3 fall down incessantly against the pipe 20 thereby subjecting the pipe to substantialshocks and possible damage, particularly when the drum is relatively large in diameter and capacity.

Pipe damage is minimized in accordance with the invention, referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 since the pipes are fixed to the blades 4 and therefore rotate with the shaft 6 and the drum. Therefore the pipes receive contact directly with the bones only intermittently, and the rigid connection of the pipes to the drum and shaft increases the resistive strength of the pipes substantially and alleviates damage thereto. Although greater quantities of water are consumed where the pipes are permanently connected to the shaft and drum, the efficiency of the grease removing operation is substantially increased because each pipe passes sequentially through the bones so that the pressure and heat of the boiling water are delivered directly to the bones.

The experimental performance of the method and apparatus according to the present invention is as follows:

Dia. of revolving drum (1):

Under the above mentioned conditions, it was found that a presumed content of grease of i5 20 percent of animal bones could be reduced to less than 1.5 percent. The present invention is characterized and featured in having a high functional efficiency of removing grease from animal bones by means of pressurized boiling water of high temperature jetted against the animal bones which are stirred up incessantly.

We claim:

I. A method for removing grease from animal bones comprising the steps of placing said bones in a drum, slowly revolving said drum and raking up said bones from the bottom of said drum for gravity descent in said drum thereby constantly agitating said bones, and subjecting said bones to jets of boiling water at high pressure by pipes inside and attached to and revolving with the drum, said boiling water impinging against the bones in a direction opposite to that of rotation of the drum, said bones being subjected directly to said jetted boiling water when said pipes pass through said bones in the bottom of said drum.

2. Apparatus for removing grease from animal bones t comprising a drum having a plurality of openings therethrough, a plurality of axially extending blades attached in circumferentially spaced relation on the inner periphery of said drum and extending radially inwardly from said drum, said blades raking up said bones upon rotation of said drum, a hollow shaft extending centrally through said drum and operatively connected thereto for revolving said drum, means for revolving said shaft and thus said drum, means for delivering pressurized boiling water to said hollow shaft, a plurality of hollow pipes at a plurality of axially spaced locations in said drum and mounted on and extending radially from said shaft and communicating with the interior of said shaft and thus said pressurized boiling water, said pipes being secured at their outer ends to certain of said blades, said pipes being provided with nozzles which are located in said pipes so that the boiling water is jetted out of said nozzles in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said drum as said drum revolves, said pipes passing sequentially through said bones in the bottom of said drum whereby said bones are subjected to the direct action of said pressur-

Claims

1. A METHOD FOR REMOVING GREASE FROM ANIMAL BONES COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PLACING SAID BONES IN A DRUM, SLOWLY REVOLVING SAID DRUM AND RAKING UP SAID BONES FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID DRUM FOR RAVITY DESCENT IN SAID DRUM THEREBY CONSTANTLY AGITATING SAID BONES, AND SUBJECTING SAID BONES TO JETS OF BOILING WATER AT HIGH PRESSURE BY PIPES INSIDE AND ATTACHED TO AND REVOLVING WITH THE DRUM, SAID BOILING WATER IMPINGING AGAINST THE BONES IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THAT OF ROTATION OF THE DRUM, SAID BONES BEING SUBJECTED DIRECTLY TO SAID JETTED BOILING WATER, WHEN SAID PIPES PASS THROUGH SAID BONES IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID DRUM.

2. Apparatus for Removing grease from animal bones comprising a drum having a plurality of openings therethrough, a plurality of axially extending blades attached in circumferentially spaced relation on the inner periphery of said drum and extending radially inwardly from said drum, said blades raking up said bones upon rotation of said drum, a hollow shaft extending centrally through said drum and operatively connected thereto for revolving said drum, means for revolving said shaft and thus said drum, means for delivering pressurized boiling water to said hollow shaft, a plurality of hollow pipes at a plurality of axially spaced locations in said drum and mounted on and extending radially from said shaft and communicating with the interior of said shaft and thus said pressurized boiling water, said pipes being secured at their outer ends to certain of said blades, said pipes being provided with nozzles which are located in said pipes so that the boiling water is jetted out of said nozzles in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said drum as said drum revolves, said pipes passing sequentially through said bones in the bottom of said drum whereby said bones are subjected to the direct action of said pressurized boiling water.