Abstract: A dehider includes an elongated handle having side-by-side circular disks, one of which is stationary and the other is rotary. A pinion gear is power-driven to rotate the rotary disk.

Abstract: A paw selector for maintaining poultry paws in an ordered, indexed manner so that each paw can be matched with the carcass from which it was removed is provided. The paw selector has a tray coupled to a rotatable shaft. Rotation of the shaft causes the walls of the tray to rotate, thereby urging paws on the tray over a stationary tray bottom. Upon reaching a void in the tray bottom, the paws drop through the void on a lower tray or into a predetermined receptacle for further processing. At least on sensor can maintain correlation between the paw and the carcass from which it was removed for disposal of any rejected paws.

Abstract: A tenderizing knife for use in tenderizing meat, such as steak or poultry and the like. The knife includes an elongated cutting blade having a handle on a proximal end thereof. A first edge of the cutting blade is serrated, while the second edge of the cutting blade is blunt. The first edge comprises a square serration pattern, wherein the square shaped serrations are spaced at a fixed interval and help to allow the user to tenderize the meat rather than cut therethrough. The distal end of the cutting blade includes a smooth edge for use in cutting through the meat in the traditional fashion. In operation, the user can make a series of small cuts across the meat using the serrated edge in order to tenderize the meat prior to cooking.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for mechanically recovering flesh from fish, in which by introducing incisions, the dorsal bones and the ventrally directed bones are cut free from the laterally located fillets without separating the pin bones from the spine and the separating gaps formed by the incisions are then expanded, thereby moving the lateral fillets away from the spine of the fish in the lateral direction transverse to the dorsal bones, wherein the fillets are peeled away from the pin bones extending laterally out from the spine or the flank bones, and a corresponding apparatus for mechanically recovering the flesh of fish.

Abstract: A utensil to open a shell of a shellfish, including a first end including a shell breaking tool, a second end including a fork, and a handle to connect the first end to the second end, such that at least a portion of a bottom surface of the handle includes a sharpened edge.

Abstract: A device for making sausage spirals including a sausage blank attached with an end portion above a face of a vertically standing hub and wound into a sausage spiral by rotating it about the hub axis. The hub moves along a circumference of the rotating table wherein the following components are arranged behind one another along the circumference: an insertion station for the blank, a skewering station for skewering the finished sausage spiral and an ejection station for ejecting the sausage spiral from the machine.

Abstract: The wash away fillet tool is a new cutting board utensil designed primarily to be used to fillet fish; although, it could be used for other similar jobs. The design is a straightforward improvement of the cutting board which makes the job of filleting fish safer, cleaner, and faster. A water chamber attached to a cutting board is the key part. The water chamber permits water to flow across the working surface of the fillet tool. The flow of water washes undesirable waste material off of the fillet tool keeping the hands and knife free of fish slime.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for processing a defeathered whole leg poultry product, wherein the method comprises the following steps: —providing a leg product which comprises: —a thigh, —a drumstick, —a knee joint, —while the leg product is suspended from a carrier of a conveyor, making a transverse cut at the knee joint, which transverse cut is made from the rear side of the leg product towards the knee cap, said cut having a cut end which is located adjacent to the rear of the knee cap so that the thigh and the drumstick remain connected to each other and the knee cap remains intact, by which cut a drumstick side cut plane and a thigh side cut plane are created, —while keeping the thigh meat and the drumstick connected to each other, removing the thigh bone from the thigh meat via the thigh side cut plane of the transverse cut, —while keeping the thigh meat and the drumstick connected to each other, severing the knee meat from the knee cap while keeping the knee meat and the thigh meat connected to e

Abstract: A casing extender apparatus (30) includes a first actuator assembly (50) to raise and lower a pair of spaced-apart spanners (52a and 52b) from a position above the bunched casing rope (24) to a position adjacent the rope. A second actuator assembly (54) lowers a drawing member (56) to a position beneath the slack casing rope and then draws the slack casing rope upwardly between the spanners to form a loop (60) of slack casing rope upwardly between the spanners (52a and 52b).

Abstract: A portable hoist provides motorized hoisting and coincidental skinning of game animals. The hoist is preferably secured to an existing motor vehicle and is made using an adaptable segmented frame. A top frame portion includes an electric cable winch and may rotate to any orientation to position a hanging animal carcass where desired. A base portion of the hoist includes a pair of clamps which grip a hide portion of the animal. The winch is then used to simultaneously hoist and remove the hide of the animal.

Abstract: A system and a method for removing a thigh bone from a defeathered whole leg poultry product includes providing a leg product including a thigh, a drumstick and a knee joint. In the leg product, a transverse cut has been provided at the knee joint transverse to the thigh bone and the tibia bone, which extends from one side of the leg product to a cut end so that the thigh and the drumstick are connected to each other, by which transverse cut a drumstick side cut plane and a thigh side cut plane are created. While keeping the thigh and the drumstick connected to each other, changing the angle between the thigh and thereby exposing the thigh side cut plane, while keeping the thigh meat and the drumstick connected to each other, removing the thigh bone from the thigh meat via the thigh side cut plane.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for removing a surface layer including the skin from fish fillets, comprising a feeding device, a dispatching device and a separating arrangement having a driver roller, which is rotationally driven, and a main blade arranged in the region of the driver roller for removing the surface layer, wherein the main blade is arranged at a distance from the driver roller to form a cutting gap (S) and is designed to be deflectable relative to the driver roller, wherein the apparatus has a measuring arrangement, comprising at least one detection element which is designed and configured to determine size-relevant data of the fish fillets, and an evaluation and control unit, the evaluation and control unit being connected by means of signal lines to the detection element and to the main blade for automatically controlling the size of the cutting gap between the main blade and the driver roller depending on the previously determined fish fillet size.

Abstract: A casing brake assembly is provided for applying a frictional force to a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing being arranged on a filling tube of a production apparatus, like a clipping machine, which is used in the production of sausage-shaped products, like sausages, and for limiting the movement of said tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing at least while being filled. The casing brake assembly comprises a tubular support device for supporting at least one brake element having an at least approximately ring-shaped design. The casing brake assembly further comprises a tubular bushing for accommodating the tubular support device and the at least one brake element, and an attachment device including an at least approximately tubular accommodation portion for accommodating the tubular bushing, and at least one attachment portion configured for attaching the casing brake assembly to the production apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing sausage-shaped products, like sausages, containing a flowable filling material in a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing, on a clipping machine, and a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products. The method comprises the steps of feeding the filling material in a feeding direction into the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing stored on a filling tube and being closed at the front end by a closure means, like a closing clip, limiting the movement of the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing while being pulled-off from the filling tube by a casing brake assembly arranged on the filling tube, gathering the filled tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing by gathering means arranged downstream the filling tube, for forming a plait-like portion thereto, and placing and closing at least one closure means on the plait-like portion for closing the filled tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing.

Abstract: A pneumatic stunner for stunning an animal has a piston slideable within an inner chamber, and a stunning rod driven by the piston forward and rearward towards and away from the front end of the housing. A fire pressure chamber has an annular configuration disposed adjacent the rearward or central end of the inner chamber. A return pressure chamber has an annular configuration disposed adjacent the forward or central end of the inner chamber. A valve system alternately controls flow of the pressurized fluid from the fire pressure chamber to the rearward end of the inner chamber to move the piston and drive the stunning rod forward to stun an animal, and from the return pressure chamber to the forward end of the inner chamber to move the piston and drive the stunning rod rearward and retract the stunning rod. The handle includes a cushioned mount adjustable in direction.

Abstract: An oyster shucking board is a tool for use when shucking oysters. There is a slot on one end for storing the knife needed to open an oyster, so it will be handy and available when preparing to shuck oysters. A notch or raised edge added to the underside of one side helps to secure the board to a countertop, and a circular indentation on the topside contains the juice when the oyster is shucked. A dock in the center of the board provides a convenient and safe way to hold the oyster while the knife is inserted between the two halves of its shell to open it. The juice and shell fragments will be collected and discarded easily, without leaving a mess on the countertop. The oyster shucking board is able to be made from wood, plastic, ceramic, or stainless steel.

Abstract: An animal stunner for use in livestock/slaughterhouse operations has a piston slideable within an inner chamber, and a fire pressure chamber with an annular configuration disposed adjacent the rearward or central end of the inner chamber. A stunning rod is driven forward by the piston to stun the animal and rearward to retract the rod. A valve system alternately controls flow of the pressurized fluid from the fire pressure chamber to the rearward end of the inner chamber to move the piston and drive the stunning rod. A catch system holds and releases the stunning rod. A compressed fluid supply is used to retract the stunning rod between operation cycles. Handles employing triggers are used by the operator to hold the stunner and to activate the valve system, and cushion mount systems are attached between the handles and stunner housing to absorb shock while operating the stunner.

Abstract: A method for stuffing food products in casings comprising the steps that consist in inserting the product to be stuffed in a first casing, which is permeable to air, and in a second casing, which is impermeable to air and is arranged outside the first casing, creating an at least partial vacuum at least between the first casing and the second casing.

Abstract: A pin bone removal system involves automatically removing a pin bone area of a fish fillet when conveyed by a conveyor after undergoing a cutting process, and includes at least two side by side arranged conveyor belts extending from a first end for receiving a fish fillet to a second end. The internal arrangement of the side by side arranged conveyor belts is such that the spacing varies among first end the conveyor belts along their length. The transversal position of the fish fillet in relation to the first end is adjusted when the fish fillet arrives at the downstream position such that the position of the cut pin bone area is such that the cut pin bone area falls through the space while the remaining part of the fish fillet remains on the first and/or second conveyor belts.

Abstract: A collar assembly includes a main body configured in an uninterrupted loop, the main body having an outer surface, an elongated body extending away from the main body, the elongated body configured to at least partially wrap around and connect to the outer surface of the main body and the elongated body having a holding portion thereby allowing a user to use the elongated body as a leash.