CA1067799A - Meat extruder and cutter having an overhanging blade cutter bar - Google Patents

Abstract

MEAT EXTRUDER AND CUTTER HAVING
AN OVERHANGING BLADE CUTTER BAR
ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE
A rotary cutter means for use with meat cutting or ex-truding devices including an apertured flat faced discharge means and with the rotary cutter means comprising a planar cutter knife having a plurality of cutter blades extending substantially radially from a support hub. These blades each have an overhanging leading edge axially spac-ed from the flat face of the discharge means and the blades each have a flat bearing surface thereon normally engaging the flat face of the dis-charge means, a cutting edge being formed on the leading portion of this flat bearing surface. The device also includes radially extending slots in each of the flat bearing surfaces of the cutter blades and extend-ing the length thereof to form a pair of parallel radially directed cutting edges thereon.
An apertured extrusion plate made from low friction material and reenforced by a second discharge plate may also be used in the extruder which operates at high extrusion pressures.

Description

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MEAT EXTRUDER AND CUTTER HAVING :
AN OVERHANGING BLADE CUTTER BAR

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION :
In the meat cutting and/or extruding fields, it is be-lieved that the commercial practices therein have remained relatively static for a number of years. That is, apertured flat metal dis-; charge or cutter disc plates are provided in extrusion apparatus having a driven rotary screw therein and with this screw carrying a cutter knife at the end thereof positioned at the flat metal ex-~ 10 trusion disc. The knives as used presently have in general comprised ; some type of a cast structure having, for example, four substantially radially extending fingers thereon and with a hardened cutter insert being provided at a leading edge of each of the cutter blades and forming a very localized or knife edge contact only for engaging the discharge or extrusion disc for presumably cutting meat as forced into the apertures in the extrusion disc. The blades fre-quently have torn the meat apart rather than cutting the meat.
These cutter blades and extrusion discs as used commercial-ly today have required relatively frequent maintenance, repair or inspection services since the cutter blade tends to become dull re-latively rapidly in use and the cutter discs themselves may become gouged or roughened.

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The meat extrusion process is used primarily for forming hamburger meat and the like. Naturally, it is desirable to provide this meat in a salable or as useful a condition as possible and it is desired that this extruded meat will have a good shelf life when ground and placed in cold storage until sold. Obviously, it is quite desirable to extrude or form the hamburger or cut meat particles as rapidly as possible and to maintain maximum efficiency 30 from the extrusion equipment. ~-.~ "
The general object of the present invention is to provide , ~
a novel and improved rotary cutter means or cutter knife for use in meat cutting and extruding devices and wherein the cutter knife .. -- 1 --~ ' ~ " 10~7799 has a plurality of cutter blades that have overhanging leading edge surfaces thereon smoothly connected to a leading cutting edge on each blade, which cutting edge is at the circumferentially forward margin of a flat bearing surface provided on each of the cutter blades and positioned adjacent or against a flat face of an aper-tured discharge means with which the cutter knife is used.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rotary cutter means adapted to extrude or force meat and similar products through an associated discharge means rapidly and at low temperatures to obtain a desirable product having improved or de-sirable length shelf time.
,~ Another object of the invention is to provide an improved meat grinder wherein the meat is cut or ground under low temperature conditions by a device that can be operated without generating a large amount of heat.
Another object of the invention is to provide a meat .
;~ grinder having a special discharge assembly including a plastic , extrusion disc and a backup metal disc and support means for the extrusion disc.

Another object of the invention is to improve the service . life of meat cutter and extruding devices and to provide a meat ;` extruder wherein the cutter knife operates against a low friction ,,"
;~ plastic material which does not rapidly dull the knife or heat up the cutter and extrusion means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary '-cutter knife having improved properties both in the amount of meat that can be processed in a cutter means assembly with minimum or no maintenance thereon and where an improved type of a bearing action is provided between the cutter blades and an associated ~ 30 flat surfaced apertured extrusion disc; and to use a one piece metal - casting as a cutter knife.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a rotary cutter means for use in meat extruding devices wherein a plurality ~ - 2 -: :
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- `- '1067799 of cutter blades are provided that have overhanging leading edges with inclined faces thereon extending axially rearwardly of the cutter blade to a cutting edge at the leading edge of the flat bearing surface provided on each cutter blade adjacent the extru-; sion disc; to provide a radially extending slot extending the operative length of each cutter blade and the flat surface thereof to provide two circumferentially spaced radially extending cutter edges on each cutter blade; to provide a cutter device which has a self sharpening action on the cutting edges thereof by bearing engagement of one surface forming a portion of the cutting edge , against an associated extrusion disc; to provide a cutting edge on a cutting blade of the cutting device of the type described wherein . . ~
the cutting edge is formed at a substantially 90 angular connection ~-between adjacent surfaces on the cutter blade; to provide sub-stantially circumferentially directed small recesses in radially spaced portions of a cutter blade and extending a short circum-ferential length thereof to release quantities of meat engaged with the entire leading edge surface of the cutter blade and not ; force or move all of such material contacted toward the associated extrusion disc for extrusion and cutting action; and to control the rate of extrusion and cutting action of the material processed at least partially by the number and size or depth of these bypass ^ recesses formed on the leading edges of the individual cutter ~- blades.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the in- ;
vention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away and shown in vertical section, of a meat cutting or extruding device 'C`~;~ 30 having the cutter means of the invention associated therewith;
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Fig. 2 is a section on line II-II of Fig. 1 of the cutter, blade of the invention:
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.' , ~67799 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan of a portion of the cutter means of the invention;
Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the cutter knife of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a section of a cutter blade taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are sections of modifications of the cutter blades of the invention;
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of another embodiment of the apparatus of the invention;
Fig. 10 is an elevation of a portion of a plastic cutter disc of Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 is a plan view of a portion of a modified cutter knife of the invention; Fig. 12 is a side elevation of this cutter knife; and Fig. 13 is a side elevation of one cutter blade of this cutter knife.
When referring to corresponding members shown in the draw-~ ings and referred to in the specification, corresponding numerals ; are used to facilitate comparison therebetween.
SUBJECT ~TTER OF INVENTION
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2~ The meat cutting or extruding device of the invention re-lates to an apertured flat faced discharge means or extrusion disc and to a rotary cutter means, the device or apparatus being characterized by the cutter means, including a one piece metal cutter -~
knife having a plurality of cutter blades extending substantially radially thereof with each blade having an overhanging leading edge that is axially spaced from the flat face of said extrusion disc, a cutting edge on each cutter blade adjacent the discharge means, and a substantially flat surface being formed on each cutter blade and extending from said leading edge to the cutting edge, each cutter blade having a flat bearing surface thereon normally bear-ing on the flat face of the extrusion disc, and with the cutting .

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- ~067799 edge being at the leading edge of the flat bearing surface. The cutter blades also have radially extending slots in each of the flat bearing surfaces and extending the length thereof to form a pair of parallel cutting edges on each cutter blade and positioned in spaced circumferential relation. The cutter blades of the in-vention are relatively massive in cross section and normally are of greater circumferential length than axial depth, the flat bearing surfaces distributing any axially directed assembly pressures over these flat bearing surfaces, and with the cutting edges of the cutter blades being formed by surfaces intersecting at angles of substantial-ly 90. Extrusion flow pressure relieving recesses may be pro-vided in leading edge portions of the cutter blades.
With reference to the details of the construction shown .
in the drawings, a meat cutting and/or extruding device is indi-i ~ cated as a whole by the numeral 10. This device includes a tubular ~' housing 12 that has a driven extrusion screw 14 positioned therein.
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This screw 14 and housing 10 are of conventional construction and meat or other material to be extruded is suitably fed to a lefthand ~ input portion (not shown) of the extrusion device. The screw can ,~ 20 be manually or power driven, as desired, to force the meat from the device in processed form.
i At the extrusion or discharge end of the device 10, an apertured flat faced discharge means or extrusion disc 16 is pro-i vided and it is secured over the open end of the tubular housing~.
~r,, 12. Normally the disc is secured in position as by a conventional ~, . .
collar 18 releasably engaging the end of the housing 1~ and abutting the disc 16 against a shoulder 20 formed on the end of the housing 12. The extrusion screw 14 may have an end that is . .
journalled in or positioned by an aperture in the extrusion disc 16. The portions of the device lO described hereinabove may be of any known construction.

A conventional type of an extrusion disc 16 is secured in ` - 5 -~..' :: :

--~067799 the apparatus, and a rotary cutter means indicated as a whole by the numeral 22 is operatively carried by the end of this screw 14 for meat cutting and extrusion action. Such cutter means is a one-piece metal casting. This rotary cutter normally has a substantial-ly square aperture 24 formed therein that engages a complementary shaped end portion on the screw, and with an end of the rotary cutter means tightly abutting against an end portion of the screw 14. The cutter blades also have a flat operative face or surface 36 abutted against a flat face 26 of the extrusion disc 16.
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~ 10 This disc-like cutter knife has a plurality of cutter.,!.' blades 28 extending substantially radially thereof in equally spaced circumferential relation. The blades 28 may be offset slightly from and parallel to a radially extending axis or be centered on such axis, as desired. Each of these cutter blades has an overhanging leading edge 30 formed thereon and this leading edge 30 is spaced axially from the flat face 26 of the extrusion disc 16. ~uch leading edge is connected to a cutting edge 32 formed on ;
each cutter blade by a substantially flat surface 34. This surface 34 may be of a flatly arcuate shape as shown in Fig. 4 of the draw-ings, but with such face smoothly extending from the leading edge to the cutting edge and forming an angle of slightly more than 90 with the flat surface 36 on each of the cutter blades. These surfaces 36 define a plane with the other flat surfaces on the other cutter blades so that such flat surfaces can be abutted on and bear smooth-ly against the flat face 26 of the extrusion disc.
As a further novel feature of the present invention, each of the cutter blades 28 is shown as having a radiaIly extending slot or recess 40 formed in its flat face 36. This slot extends the operative radial length of the cutter blade and a relatively deep slot is formed so that, when the rotary cutter member is in :.
; operation, small quantities of processed material, and usually bone chips, tend to accumulate in this slot 40. By this slot 40, a second cutting edge 42 is formed on each of these cutter blades.
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Such cutting edge is formed at the 90 angle provided by a portion of the flat face 36 of each of these cutter blades and the sub-stantially radially inwardly extending adjacent flat wall 44 of this slot 40. The cutting edge 42 is parallel to the cutting edge 32 of the ~me cutter blade but is spaced slightly circumferential-ly in relation thereto. ;
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It should be noted, as shown in the drawings, that each ofthese cutter blades is relatively massive as it has an effective circumferential length indicated as between the lines a-a and b-b . ~, . . .
of Fig. 4, and it has an axial length or thickness at its outermost end indicated by the distance between the line c-c and d-d so that .,~ the blade normally is of greater circumferential length than axial -,. :
depth. Preferably the entire rotary cutter means 22 is formed as ;
a one piece casting from suitable material such as high speed high carbon steel whereby a tough, durable cutting member has been ~r"".,, provided and a large quantity of meat can be processed without any ~, resharpening of the blade unit or any other maintenance thereon.
In fact, the blade unit has a definite self-sharpening action inasmuch as the flat bearing surfaces 36 of each cutter blade in use are pressed tightly against the adjacent flat surface 26 of the , ~ extrusion disc. That is, in the conventional asser.lbly of the apparatus of the invention, axial pressures are placed on the ~ collar 18 or other member used to hold the assembly together and .'.: ~: ' this forces the cutter disc 16 against the flat surfaces or faces , ~ 36 of the cutter blades.

~ The individual cutter blades are of greater axial depth '` adjacent the hub of the cutter means, as seen in Fig. 4, and ` hence are axially deeper than their circumferential length. But for the greater portion of their lengths, the blades decrease in axial thickness and usually the circumferential length normally t '`-"~
is the longer dimension.
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-~ The rotary cutter means 22 requires no added cutter bars ~ .
or the like, but does form and maintain in use sharp cutting edges ;
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~ -` 1067799 at corners formed by surfaces meeting at substantially 90 angles.
- Yet a further action that seems to be obtained by the use ;~ of the combined grooves 50 in the cutter blades together with the ; overhanging leading edges thereof is that a good mixing action is - obtained at thefcont of the cutter blades on the meat being pro- , ` cessed. The apparatus achieves a faster production rate than prior devices.
In the apparatus of the invention, it appears that the leading edge 30 functions better in these cutter blades if it is formed to a flatly curved surface as shown in the drawings. How-. . ,. ~ .
ever, any inclined surface from an angle of about 88 with the plane defined by the contacting flat surfaces 26 and 36 down to an .,~ . ~ ~ , . . .
angle of about 10 would function satisfactorily. Normally the~
overhanging leading edge surface would have a lower limit of an -angle of from about 30 to 45 with the adjacent flat surface of the cutter disc and usually the angle formed between these two flat or substantially flat surfaces would be in the vicinity of about 75 to 85 but it could even go a little higher. In fact, good cutting and extruding action occurs when the cutter blade is of the shape of the blade 28b of Fig. 7. Here, the leading edge 30a makes an angle of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ .
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- about 90 with the plane defined by the ass~ciated flat face of the cutter disc 16.
Thes~s cutter blades function effectively untïl the flat surfac`es 32 thereof have been worn down to the depth of the slot or - - S groove 40 provided in the cutter blade arm. . A very large quantity of meat normally can be processed with no sharpening of the cutter blades being required. The lock ring or collar 18 must be designed so by .,~,. .
~` tightening it after use of the apparatus of the invention, the cutter disc - 16 is maintained in pressure engagement with the flat surfaces 36 of - 10 the cutter means. Such pressure engagement is maintained in use of ~;~ - the cutter means of the invention. Should the cutting edges 32 and 42 become dull or irregular, grinding off onLy a few thousandths of an inch from the flat aligned surfaces 32 and 36 sharpens the blades for con-s tinued good cutting action. The screw 14 naturally is positioned to abut on means (not shown) whereby it does not move away from the cutter disc 16.
In test use of the extrusion device or cutter rneans of the invention,- it has been found that in some instances it is desirabLe to reduce the rate of feed or flow of meat or other processed material ~ -through the device of the invention. Hence, it has been found that by . . .
- the provision of radially spaced, circumferentially short recesses, or groovçs 50, 50a, 50b, 50c, etc. in the leading edge 30 of each cutter blade, the rate of flow or movement of meat through the device can be controlled. These grooves aid in permitting some of the meat being processed to slide by the rotary cutter means without being forced into ; . and through.the extrusion disc on its initial contact with a cutter blade.
Fig. 5 shows that the bottom of the recesses 50 may be '':.':
- inclined at an angle of, for example, about 35 to the cutter disc to facilitate flow of meat past the cutter blade. These recesses can vary ~, . ' .

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appreciably in size and shape to aid in controlling the rate of meat flow through a cutter apparat~l~; of the invention. By inclining the axes ~ . .
- of the rece~:ses radially-inwardly or outwardly at small acute angles,the Inixing action of the meat being processed is irflproved. The re- -cesses 50 seem to aid in forming a sturdy cutter blade with good prop-erties for meat extrusion and aLso to aid in control of the rate of ex-trusion by variation in the number, shape and size of the recesses.
The recesses preferably do not extend circumferentially more than about 25 to 40% of the circumferential width of the blade. The extrusion lC rate also can be varied by change of the axial depth of the cutter bars;
Fig, 6 shows a flat, inclined leading surface 70 on a cutter blade 28a that connects to a sh~rp leading edge 72. Recess 74 for pressure relief of the extruded material also is sh~wn. A plurality of these recesses 74 are provided in radially spaced portions of the ~; 15 ieading edge areas of each of the cutter blades or arms.
Fig. 7 illustrates a cutter of the invention having a pair of parallel cutting edges 32a and 42a formed at the corners of the inter-sections of a flat leading edge surface 30a with a flat bearing surface 36a and of the trailing wall of the slot 40a with the surface 36a. The blade 28b has a rounded axially outer or rear periphery 82 and the blade gradua]ly reduces in axiaL thickness towards its radial outer end.
, The edge surface 30a extends at 90 from flat bearing surfaces 36a on ,; ;, . . .
the cutter bLade. The blade 28b is shown in section near its radiaLly outer end. Good results have been obtained by this cutter means of Fig. 7 and the two adjacent parallel cutting edges 32a and 42a.
The slots 40, 40a preferably are centered in the blades - and provide the second cutting edge 42, 42a in the blade. Such second cutting edge appears to aid in obtaining good meat extrusion action and it avoids or reduGes the extrusion of any sizable bone chips.

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- . : ,: . . : ., : .: , ~L~t67799 A dotted line x-y indicates the bottom surface of one o~
a series of radially spaced feed control recesses 81 that may be formed in the blade 28b if desired. Such blade has its leading edge 30a surface or wall that connects- to the rear surface 82, and a leading edge area ' 5 is provided by the wall 3ûa and the adjacent part of the curved surface 82. Any suitable number and si=e of the recesses may be provided as , I in the other cutter blades of the invention.
Of course, the slots 40, when formed in one cutter blade arm, usually are formed in all of the arms of a cutter blade. '~
'10 Another design of a cutter blade arm 170 is shown in - Fig. 8. The arm 170 has a modified overhanging L-shape in section ;
'' '~ terminating in a leading sharpened~edge 172 which is offset axially from an apertured extrusion disc or pLate 171 with which it is used. The arm includes a base section 74 thathas a sharpened cutting,edge 176a -. 15 on a flat blade surface 176 which may be relieved at a desired small ' acute angle to provide clearance towards the trailing'edge l~f the blade, or the surface 176 may abut on the face of the disc 171. By this over-, . .
hanging leading cutting, edge-por-tion 172, the meat can be sliced prepar-;, atory to the final extrusion action thereon and the forcing of the meat "~ 20 through the cutter disc. An overhanging tapered or flatly arcuate edge ,~, - 179 is provided on the cutter blade to extend axially inwardly toward the cutter edge 176a of the biade and towards t~e cutter dlsc to aid In forcing the meat toward,the disc 171 for final cutting and extrusion.
, , A modified meat cutting o, r grinding device is indicated as a whole by the numeral 100 in Fig. 9. The device is of substantial-ly conventional construction insofar as it includes a metal frame ] 12 having any desired type of a support provided therefor and which frame 112 has a tubular portion defining a cylindrical extrusion cham-- b'er 114. A conventional extrusion screw 116 is positioned in the f~
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chamber on the longitudinal axis thereo~ to substantiaLly fill the same.
- This screw has a manual power crank or handle Ol a drive member connected thereto for rotating the screw ~nd forcing meat received in the chamber 114 axially thereof. This meat is fed into the chambel through a conventional hopper (not shown) operatively connecti~lg there-to. At the discharge end of the chamber 114, a rotary cutter member 120 is suitably operably secured to the screw shaft for rotation with the screw and shaft. This cutter 120 has a plurality of knives, arms ~, or blades 126 thereon extending from a hub portion thereof. These blades 126 each have a sharp leading edge 130 formed thereon.
In positioning the cutter 120 in the apparatus, normal-ly the flat-surfaces 134 of the individual blades of the cutter member are flush against a flat surface of an associated cutter disc 13~, This disc 136 is made from a low friction plastic material, such as nylon . 15 or other equivalent plastic that is relatively rigid and has low friction properties. The disc 136 has a plurality of cutting apertures or bores 138 extending therethrough so as to facilitate cutting and discharge of the meat being forced through the meat cutting and grinding device of the invention. These bores 138, in associativn with the cutting edges 130 of the driven bLades provide a good, low friction cutting action~
' on the rneat being processed.
Retention of the plastic cutter disc 136 in the apparatus is facilitated by the provision of a metal carrier disc 140. This carrier disc has a recess 142 in one face surface thereof in which the plastic disc 136 is received. The carrier disc 140 also has axial-- ly extending bores 144 formed therein with such bores being aligned ~ with the bores or holes 138, but which are slightly larger in diameter -; than the bores 138 for flow of the cut meat theretllrough as it is dis-;` charged from the apparatus, '. ' ' . .

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!...... ' . The~ plastic disc 136 and the carrier disc 140 both have center bores forlned therein through which the shaft lZ~. extends for support thereo. A suitable cap 146 or other conventional means ~nay engage an end portion of this shaft 122.
The carrier disc 140 is secured in position in engage-~`~ ment with the tubular frame of the apparatus, as by a lock ring 1~8.
This lock ring 148 has a radially inwardly extending edge flange 150 that engages the periphery of the metal carrier disc 140 and forces it axially-of the tubular frame 112. When the lock ring 14~ is tightened, usually the carrier disc 140 seats against a shoulder 152 provided in the frame at the end thereof. The plastic disc 136 also rnay engage this shoulder 152 and in all events, it is snugly held in place when the - lock ring 148 is tightened, and the disc is suitably retained in position in use of the apparatus.
In order to avoid rotation of the plastic disc 136 with relation to the carrier disc 140, there are a plurality of circumfer-,......... .
. entially spaced studs 154 provided on and protru~ina from the disc 140 for seating in holes 156 provided in one face of the disc 136 and only extending partially therethrough.
In assembly of the lock ring 146, the construction and arrangement of the apparatus of the invention is such that this lock ring can be used to maintain the discs 136 and 140 in good operative positions, and be secured against rotation in use.
A modified cutter blade 210 is shown in Fig. 11 and its blades are preferably of the general cross sectional shape as shown for other blades such as the blade of Fig. 8. ~Iowever, in this instance, a flat surface 212 is formed on the portion of this blade adjacent the extrusion disc and it has a plurality of diagonally extending recesses 214 formed therein in parallel relation to each other. The recesses : ' ~ - 1 3 -. .

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~; or slots 214 are shown extending into the cutter blade about 1/8th inch, The recesses are provided at an angle of about 70 to a straight line forming the front or cutting edge 215 o this cutter knife 210. It should be noted that cutting sections are provided on the edge 215 be-Sween the recesses 214. Sharp cutting edges 216 are also provided where edge walls of the slots intersect or connect to the flat surface ; 212 and they extend radially of the blade a sufficient distance as to operatively overlap the adjacent recess and its similar cutting edge 216 whereby a plurality of cutting surfaces are provided on this blade.
Normally the edges 215 and 216 of the blades are quite sharp, By the ,~ plurality of individual cutting and slicing actions provided by the plural-ity of cutting surfaces on the blade 110, an effective tearing, shredding and slicing actior~ is provided on the meat for effechve cutting and ex-tru~ion thereof.
:; 15 The individual blades on the cutter 210 have inwardly slanted beveled arcuate or flat leading surfaces 218 thereon to aid in forcing meat towards the outer plate, and in cutting the meat. The sQrfaces 218 smoothly connect a leading overhanging edge 220 to the shar p cutting edge 215 .
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Claims (12)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A rotary cutter means for a meat cutting and/or extruding device including an apertured flat faced discharge means and where such cutter means is characterized by including a cutter knife having a plurality of cutter blades extending substantially radially thereof, said cutter blades each having a flat bearing surface thereon adapted to be positioned adjacent or against a flat face of a discharge means, each blade having a cutting edge at the leading portion of said bearing surface, and each blade having an overhanging leading edge axially spaced from said flat surface.

2. A rotary cutter means as in Claim 1 and character-ized by a radially extending slot in each of said flat bearing surfaces forming a second cutting edge on each said cutter blade.

3. In a, meat cutting and/or extruding device as in Claim 2, where said cutting edges are parallel and are positioned in spaced circumferential relation and said slot is adapted to collect hone chips therein.

4. In a meat cutting and/or extruding device as in Claim 1 where the overhanging leading edge on each of said cutter blades smoothly connects to the flat bearing surface thereon.

5. In a meat cutting and/or extruding device as in Claim 1 where said cutter blades are characterized by each having a substantially flat surface thereon extending from said leading edge to said cutting edge, which surface forces meat towards said discharge means on rotation of said cutter means.

6. A rotary cutter means as in Claim 1 in combination with a driven screw extruder to which said cutter means is secured and where said discharge means includes a disc formed from low friction plastic material.

7. A rotary cutter means as in Claim 6 where said discharge means comprises an apertured metal reenforcing disc and an apertured low friction plastic cutter disc positioned adjacent said cutter means and being parallel to said metal disc, the apertures in said metal and plastic discs being aligned.

8. In a meat cutting and/or extruding device as in Claim 1 where a plurality of radially spaced recesses are formed in said leading edge and adjacent areas of said blades remote from said flat bearing surfaces.

9. In a meat cutting and/or extruding device as in Claim 8 where said recesses extend circumferentially and are of maximum depth at the leading edge of each blade.

10. A rotary cutter means as in Claim 1 and character-ized by a radially extending slot in each of said flat bearing surfaces forming a second cutting edge on each said cutter blade, and the over-hanging leading edge on each of said cutter blades smoothly connects to the flat bearing surface thereon, and a plurality of radially spaced circumferentially extending recesses are formed in said leading edge and adjacent areas of said blades remote from said flat bearing surfaces.

11. In a rotary cutter means as in Claim 1, where each of said blades has a plurality of slots or recesses formed in said flat surface and extending from the front cutting edge thereof across said blade.

12. In a rotary cutter means as in Claim 11 where said recesses are radially spaced and they are inclined radially to operatively overlap.