WO2016030363A1

WO2016030363A1 - Device for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals and method for cutting off paws

Info

Publication number: WO2016030363A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/069431
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kurt Pedersen
Original assignee: Jasopels A/S
Priority date: 2014-08-28
Filing date: 2015-08-25
Publication date: 2016-03-03
Also published as: DK178130B1

Abstract

The device (1) for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals includes a paw holder (2) with a holding block (3) adapted to press a paw of the animal against a stop and a cutting device (5) adapted to cut off the paw of the animal. The holding block (3) is arranged displaceable in a first direction (A) between a release position and a pressing position. The stop has the form of a rod (4) axially displaceable in a second direction (B) being transverse to the first direction (A) and between an insertion position allowing insertion of the animal paw into a recess (6) of the paw holder (2) and a closing position in which the rod (4) covers the recess of the paw holder.

Description

Device for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals and method for cutting off paws

The present invention relates to a device for cutting off paws of killed fur- bearing animals, in particular mink, the device including a paw holder with a holding block adapted to press a paw of the animal against a stop and a cutting device adapted to cut off the paw of the animal, the holding block being arranged displaceable in a first direction between a release position and a pressing position.

The paws of killed fur-bearing animals, in particular mink, may be cut off in order to avoid damage to the skin during subsequent handling of the skin.

DK 177001 B1 discloses a device and method for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals, whereby the forelegs of an animal are inserted into a suction tube so that the chest of the animal abuts an end of the tube. An actuator-driven knife is arranged in the suction tube displaceable in the transverse direction of the suction tube up against a block in order to cut off the paws of the animal.

EP 0 894 437 A1 discloses an apparatus for skinning fur-bearing animals, in particular mink, comprising holding means from which an animal may be suspended with the hind paws, said holding means being mutually movable to stretch the hindquarters of the animal, a movable knife adapted to make a cut from one paw across the hindquarters to the other paw.

There is furthermore known a device for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals, whereby the device includes a paw holder with a holding block adapted to press a paw of the animal against a saw blade arranged to saw off the paw of the animal. In use, the holding block is displaced from a position allowing insertion of the paw between the holding block and the saw blade to a pressing position in which the paw is pressed against the saw blade. Thereby, the paws may be held during cutting and/or skinning the animal and subsequently during sawing off the paws. However, it may be difficult to saw through the last layer of skin, and the saw blade may wear down the holding block quite fast.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals in a more efficient way. In view of this object, the device is characterised in that the stop has the form of a rod axially displaceable in a second direction being transverse to the first direction and between an insertion position allowing insertion of the animal paw into a recess of the paw holder and a closing position in which the rod covers the recess of the paw holder.

In this way, insertion of the paw into the paw holder is facilitated as the stop is removed from the recess during insertion. As a consequence, a relatively narrow recess may be employed and thereby a better fixation of the paw during cutting may be achieved. Furthermore, the cutting operation may be facili- tated as separate means in the form of the rod and the holding block are provided for holding the paw by applying pressure against the paw during cutting.

In an embodiment, the cutting device has the form of a displaceable knife. Thereby, the paw may be cut efficiently as it is fixed in the paw holder. Preferably, the knife is displaceable in the second direction. Thereby, the paw may be cut efficiently between the edge of the knife and a fixed edge of the recess. In an embodiment, the recess of the paw holder has the form of an at least substantially U-formed cut-out in a plate-formed member of the paw holder. In an embodiment, the cutting device has the form of a displaceable knife adapted to slide on the plate-formed member of the paw holder across the at least substantially U-formed cut-out. Thereby, a particular good cutting action may be obtained, as the paw may be cut as by shears between the edge of the knife and a fixed edge of the recess.

In an embodiment, the recess of the paw holder is associated with a pair of spaced apart wall elements arranged perpendicularly to the plate-formed member and along respective legs of the at least substantially U-formed cutout in the plate-formed member, and the axially displaceable rod forming the stop is arranged to be displaceable through respective holes in the spaced apart wall elements. Thereby, a particular good fixation of the paw in the paw holder may be obtained as the paw may fit quite narrowly between the spaced apart wall elements and abut these. Furthermore, the rod may be particularly well supported in said holes in the spaced apart wall elements during cutting off of the paw.

In an embodiment, the at least substantially U-formed cut-out in the plate- formed member of the paw holder is provided with a protrusion at a free end of a first leg of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out, thereby narrowing an entrance into the recess. The protrusion may assist to better trap the paw in the paw holder. Preferably, the holding block of the paw holder is provided with a pressing surface including an oblique protrusion arranged to slide along a second leg of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out. The oblique protrusion may, as the holding block is pressed against the stop, press the paw in the second direction, in under the protrusion at the free end of the first leg of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out, thereby providing even better grip around the paw. The present invention further relates to an arrangement for skinning fur- bearing animals, in particular mink, including two devices for cutting off paws as described above, wherein the two devices are mutually movable to stretch the hindquarters of an animal suspended with the hind paws held in the respective paw holders, wherein the arrangement preferably includes a movable knife adapted to make a cut from one paw across the hindquarters to the other paw, and wherein the arrangement preferably includes a set of grippers intended to grip and hold the skin. Thereby, cutting and/or skinning of an an- imal may be facilitated.

The present invention further relates to a method for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals, in particular mink, whereby a paw of the animal is located in a paw holder and the paw of the animal is pressed against a stop by a holding block, whereby the holding block is displaced in a first direction from a release position to a pressing position and whereby the paw of the animal is cut off by means of a cutting device.

The method is characterised by that the stop has the form of a rod axially displaceable in a second direction being transverse to the first direction, by that, before location of the paw in the paw holder, the rod is displaced to an insertion position allowing insertion of the animal paw into a recess of the paw holder, and by that, after location of the paw in the paw holder, the rod is displaced to a closing position in which the rod covers the recess of the paw holder. Thereby, the above-mentioned features may be obtained.

In an embodiment, the paw is inserted into an at least substantially U-formed cut-out in a plate-formed member of the paw holder and a knife is displaced slidingly on the plate-formed member and across the U-formed cut-out, and the knife is preferably displaced in the second direction. Thereby, the above- mentioned features may be obtained. In an embodiment, the paw is inserted between a pair of spaced apart wall elements arranged perpendicularly to the plate-formed member and along respective legs of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out in the plate- formed member, and whereby the axially displaceable rod forming the stop is displaced through respective holes in the spaced apart wall elements when being displaced from the insertion position to the closing position. Thereby, the above-mentioned features may be obtained. The present invention further relates to a method for skinning fur-bearing animals, in particular mink, including a method for cutting off paws as described above, whereby either hind paw of an animal is located in a paw holder and held by means of respective holding blocks during cutting and/or skinning of the animal, and whereby subsequently the hind paws of the animal are cut off by means of the cutting devices. Thereby, the above-mentioned features may be obtained.

The invention will now be explained in more detail below by means of examples of embodiments with reference to the very schematic drawing, in which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals, whereby the device is in an insertion state; Fig. 2 shows the device of Fig. 1 in a holding state, before cutting; and

Fig. 3 shows the device of Fig. 1 in a holding state, after cutting.

Fig. 1 shows a device 1 for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals, in particular mink. The device 1 includes a paw holder 2 with a holding block 3 adapted to press a not shown paw of the animal against a stop in the form of a rod 4 and a cutting device 5 adapted to cut off the paw of the animal. The holding block 3 is arranged displaceable in a first direction A between a release position and a pressing position. The rod 4 is axially displaceable in a second direction B being transverse to the first direction A and between an insertion position and a closing position.

The insertion position of the rod 4 is illustrated in Fig. 1 and allows insertion of the animal paw from above into a recess 6 of the paw holder 2, because the rod 4 has been retracted away from the recess 6 (in the left direction in the figure) to uncover an entrance to the recess. The closing position is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and in this position, the rod 4 covers the entrance to the recess 6 of the paw holder 2, because the rod 4 has been displaced (in the right direction in the figures) to extend along the entire recess 6. The rod 4 is displaceable by means of a linear actuator 7, such as a pneumatic actua- tor or similar.

The release position of the holding block 3 is illustrated in Fig. 1 , whereby the holding block 3 has been displaced in downward direction to an end position so that it does not cover any part of the recess 6, or so that at least a suitable distance between the holding block 3 and the rod 4 may be obtained in the closing position of the rod 4 in order for a paw to be loosely located in the paw holder 2. In the release position, when an animal paw is inserted into the recess 6, the rod 4 may freely be displaced to its closing position to cover the entrance of the recess 6, as explained above. When the rod 4 is in its closing position, the paw is still loosely located in the paw holder, until the holding block 3 is subsequently displaced in upward direction to its pressing position in order to press the animal paw against the rod 4 and thereby fix the animal paw in the paw holder 2. This situation is illustrated in Fig. 2, apart from the fact that the animal paw is not illustrated. The holding block 3 is displaceable by means of a linear actuator 8, such as a pneumatic actuator or similar. In the embodiment illustrated, the cutting device 5 has the form of a displaceable knife 9. The knife 9 is displaceable in the second direction B by means of a linear actuator 10, such as a pneumatic actuator or similar. The knife 9 may suitably be supported or carried by a single or two parallel, spaced linear bearings 20. However, the knife 9 could also be displaceable in other directions, such as in a direction being oblique to the first direction A. In order to allow insertion of an animal paw into the paw holder 2, the knife 9 should not cover the entrance of the paw holder 2, at least not when the rod 4 is in its insertion position as illustrated in Fig. 1 .

In the embodiment illustrated, the recess 6 of the paw holder 2 has the form of an at least substantially U-formed cut-out 1 1 in a plate-formed member 12 of the paw holder 2. The plate-formed member 12 is arranged stationarily on a frame 13 of the device 1 . Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, the dis- placeable knife 9 is adapted and arranged to slide on the plate-formed member 12 of the paw holder 2 across the at least substantially U-formed cut-out 1 1 . Thereby, a particular good cutting action may be obtained, as the paw may be cut as by shears or scissors between the edge of the knife 9 and a fixed edge 14 of the U-formed cut-out 1 1 .

In the embodiment illustrated, the recess 6 of the paw holder 2 is associated with a pair of spaced apart wall elements 15, 16 arranged stationarily on the frame 13 perpendicularly to the plate-formed member 12 and along respective legs of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out 1 1 in the plate-formed member. The axially displaceable rod 4 forming the stop is arranged to be displaceable through respective holes in the spaced apart wall elements 15, 16. Thereby, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the rod 4 may, in its closing position, be supported at both its ends and therefore particularly well during cutting off of the paw. Preferably, the at least substantially U-formed cut-out 1 1 in the plate-formed member 12 of the paw holder 2 is provided with a protrusion 17 at a free end of a first leg forming the fixed edge 14 of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out 1 1 . Thereby the entrance into the recess 6 may be narrowed. Prefer- ably, the holding block 3 of the paw holder 2 is provided with a pressing surface including an oblique protrusion 18 arranged to slide along a second leg 19 of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out 1 1 . The basis part of the pressing surface of the holding block 3 may suitable be a flat surface which extends under the rod 4 when the rod is in its closing position. Thereby a good support against the paw may be obtained when pressing. The oblique protrusion 18 may, on the other hand, suitably be a flat upstanding part that may slide against the plate-formed member 12 on the opposite side of which the knife 9 is sliding. Furthermore, preferably, in the pressing position of the holding block 3, the oblique protrusion 18 may extend up between the plate- formed member 12 and the rod 4 as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

The oblique protrusion 18 may, as the holding block 3 is pressed against the rod 4, press the paw in the second direction B (to the right in the figures), in under the protrusion 17 at the free end of the first leg of the at least substan- tially U-formed cut-out 1 1 , thereby providing even better grip around the paw.

The holding block 3 or part of it may suitably be made from polyoxymeth- ylene (POM), also known as acetal, polyacetal and polyformaldehyde, which is an engineering thermoplastic often used in precision parts requiring high stiffness. Most other parts of the device 1 may suitably be made of metal.

The device 1 described above may form part of an arrangement for skinning fur-bearing animals, in particular mink, including two devices 1 for cutting off paws. Thereby, the two devices 1 may be mutually movable to stretch the hindquarters of an animal suspended with the hind paws held in the respective paw holders 2. The arrangement may preferably include a movable knife adapted to make a cut from one paw across the hindquarters to the other paw. The arrangement further preferably includes a set of grippers intended to grip and hold the skin. The operation of the device 1 is as follows. A paw of a killed fur-bearing animal is located in the paw holder 2 in the insertion position of the rod 4 and the release position of the holding block 3 as illustrated in Fig. 1 . Subsequently, the rod 4 is actuated by the actuator 7 to the closed position seen in Figs. 2 and 3. As the next step, the holding block 3 is actuated by the actua- tor 8 to its pressing position seen in Figs. 2 and 3 so that the paw is securely fixed against the rod 4 in the paw holder 2. As the next step, the knife 9 is actuated by means of the actuator 10 so that the paw is cut off. As the final steps, the holding block 3 is displaced to its release position and the rod 4 is displaced to its insertion position, preferably, but not necessarily, in this or- der.

The device 1 may be associated with a control system, such as a computer, in order to control the sequence of actuation of the actuators 7, 8, 10. The device 1 may be provided with a single actuation bottom that may be pressed by the user in order to initiate the sequence of operation described above.

Claims

1 . A device (1 ) for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals, in particular mink, the device including a paw holder (2) with a holding block (3) adapted to press a paw of the animal against a stop and a cutting device (5) adapted to cut off the paw of the animal, the holding block (3) being arranged displaceable in a first direction (A) between a release position and a pressing position, characterised in that the stop has the form of a rod (4) axially displaceable in a second direction (B) being transverse to the first direction (A) and between an insertion position allowing insertion of the animal paw into a recess (6) of the paw holder (2) and a closing position in which the rod (4) covers the recess of the paw holder.

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting device (5) has the form of a displaceable knife (9), preferably being displaceable in the second direction (B).

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the recess (6) of the paw holder (2) has the form of an at least substantially U-formed cut-out (1 1 ) in a plate-formed member (12) of the paw holder (2).

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the cutting device (5) has the form of a displaceable knife (9) adapted to slide on the plate-formed member (12) of the paw holder (2) across the at least substantially U-formed cut-out (1 1 ).

5. A device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the recess (6) of the paw holder (2) is associated with a pair of spaced apart wall elements (15, 16) arranged perpendicularly to the plate-formed member (12) and along respective legs of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out (1 1 ) in the plate-formed member, and wherein the axially displaceable rod (4) forming the stop is ar- ranged to be displaceable through respective holes in the spaced apart wall elements (15, 16).

6. A device according to any one of the claims 3 to 5, wherein the at least substantially U-formed cut-out (1 1 ) in the plate-formed member (12) of the paw holder (2) is provided with a protrusion (17) at a free end of a first leg of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out (1 1 ), thereby narrowing an entrance into the recess (6), and wherein, preferably, the holding block (3) of the paw holder (2) is provided with a pressing surface including an oblique protrusion (18) arranged to slide along a second leg of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out (1 1 ).

7. An arrangement for skinning fur-bearing animals, in particular mink, including two devices (1 ) for cutting off paws according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein the two devices (1 ) are mutually movable to stretch the hindquarters of an animal suspended with the hind paws held in the respective paw holders (2), wherein the arrangement preferably includes a movable knife adapted to make a cut from one paw across the hindquarters to the other paw, and wherein the arrangement preferably includes a set of grippers intended to grip and hold the skin.

8. A method for cutting off paws of killed fur-bearing animals, in particular mink, whereby a paw of the animal is located in a paw holder (2) and the paw of the animal is pressed against a stop by a holding block (3), whereby the holding block is displaced in a first direction (A) from a release position to a pressing position and whereby the paw of the animal is cut off by means of a cutting device (5), characterised by that the stop has the form of a rod (4) axially displaceable in a second direction (B) being transverse to the first direction, by that, before location of the paw in the paw holder (2), the rod (4) is displaced to an insertion position allowing insertion of the animal paw into a recess (6) of the paw holder (2), and by that, after location of the paw in the paw holder, the rod is displaced to a closing position in which the rod covers the recess of the paw holder.

9. A method according to claim 8, whereby the paw is inserted into an at least substantially U-formed cut-out (1 1 ) in a plate-formed member (12) of the paw holder (2) and a knife (9) is displaced slidingly on the plate-formed member (12) and across the U-formed cut-out (1 1 ), and whereby the knife is preferably displaced in the second direction (B).

10. A method according to claim 9, whereby the paw is inserted between a pair of spaced apart wall elements (15, 16) arranged perpendicularly to the plate-formed member (12) and along respective legs of the at least substantially U-formed cut-out (1 1 ) in the plate-formed member, and whereby the axially displaceable rod (4) forming the stop is displaced through respective holes in the spaced apart wall (15, 16) elements when being displaced from the insertion position to the closing position.

1 1 . A method for skinning fur-bearing animals, in particular mink, including a method for cutting off paws according to any one of the claims 8 to 10, whereby either hind paw of an animal is located in a paw holder (2) and held by means of respective holding blocks (3) during cutting and/or skinning of the animal, and whereby subsequently the hind paws of the animal are cut off by means of the cutting devices (5).