Bagging device for cuts of meat

Abstract

A bagging device ( 6 ) including at least two bag forming means ( 2, 3 ) capable of forming bags of a selected variable length from a supply of the material ( 4 ) from which the bags are to be formed, transporting means ( 7, 8, 10 ) to, in use convey item of differing dimensions to a selected position ( 5 ) or to one of a range of available selected positions, sizing means ( 15 ) to determine the size of each individual item, and production means to cause in use a bag of desired length to be formed by a selected one of said bag forming means ( 2, 3 ).

1 . A bagging device including at least two bag forming means capable of forming bags of a selected variable length from a supply of the material from which the bags are to be formed, transporting means to, in use convey items of differing dimensions to a selected position or to one of a range of available selected positions, sizing means to determine the size of each individual item, and production means to cause in use a bag of the desired length to be formed by a selected one of said bag forming means.  
     
     
         2 . A bagging device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each bag forming means produces bags of a different characteristic.  
     
     
         3 . A bagging device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the differing characteristic is width.  
     
     
         4 . A bagging device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the differing characteristic is a property of the bag material.  
     
     
         5 . A bagging device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein two bag forming means are provided.  
     
     
         6 . A bagging device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said production means causes a bag to be formed when the item is in the selected position.  
     
     
         7 . A bagging device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein there is a single selected position.  
     
     
         8 . A bagging device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the transporting means comprise a conveyor.  
     
     
         9 . A bagging device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sizing means determines the length, breadth and height of the item to be packed.  
     
     
         10 . A bagging device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the sizing means is formed by lasers and cameras to produce a virtual image of the item to be packed, and processor means to in use, cause the selected bag forming means to produce a bag.  
     
     
         11 . A bagging device as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  10 , wherein the bagging device in use forms bags to package cuts of meat.  
     
     
         12 . A method of bagging items of differing sizes, comprising the steps of determining the size of each individual item, forming a bag of a selected length from one of a plurality of bag forming means capable of forming bags of a selected variable length from a supply of the material from which the bags are to be formed so that the bag of selected length is available when the measured item is at the selected position, and transporting each individual item to a selected position.  
     
     
         13 . A method of bagging as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein each bag forming means produces a bag of different width and the step of forming a bag includes the step of determining which bag forming means is to produce the bag having regard to the determined size of the item to be packed.  
     
     
         14 . A method of bagging as claimed in either  claim 12  or  claim 13 , wherein the item to be packed comprises a cut of meat.