| 摘要 |
A spacer to facilitate cooling, stacking, and handling of meat includes first and second channels, preferably of identical cross-sectional shape, placed transverse to each other so as to define multiple interconnected passageways for conducting conditioned air therethrough when placed in a stack of alternating layers of boxed meat and spacers The channels include lateral flanges which engage one another at a plurality of intersections where they are joined by pressing a section of material from one lateral flange through the thickness of a section of the other lateral flange followed by clinching the sections together, and further include a web that is spaced from the lateral flanges and positioned to support the edges of boxes of meat thus preventing the boxes from sagging during cooling. The flanges include a hemmed edge and rounded corners that permit safe use by eliminating sharp corners, the hemmed edge also providing a grip to facilitate use of the spacer. The channels are preferably roll-formed from type 3005 aluminum sheet having a thickness of about 0.040 thickness, the aluminum being chosen for its thermal conductivity, strength, workability, low weight, and recycleability. The aluminum also permits cleaning and sanitizing by conventional methods.
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