Abstract: A portable game support is disclosed which is constituted by, in combination, support means adapted to support game equipment in a stationary elevated position as the game proceeds, and a horizontal, rigid, gas-impervious platform, the support means being mounted upon the platform. Means are provided, to position the platform above the floor to provide a space therebetween, and resilient means surround the platform to seal the platform to the floor when the space between the platform and the floor is evacuated. The platform includes means for interconnecting the underside of the platform with pump means for providing a desired vacuum to maintain a strong securement between the platform and the floor as the game proceeds.

Abstract: A sanitary process for efficiently extracting crab meat substantially automatically is disclosed. Live crabs are cooked and debacked in a conventional manner. The debacked crab bodies are then prepared for centrifugally extraction of the meat by advancing the individual bodies serially along a processing line by a conveying means. The processing line trims the claws and legs from the crab and then removes the gills and other inedible materials by brushing in a water jet. The clean crab body is then longitudinally sliced into two half sections in a manner that removes the center partition of the crab body and exposes the meat conveying cavities. The individual half sections are then placed in a centrifugal machine which restrains the complete half shell by an openwork barrier as the meat is separated from the shell by centrifugal forces. The separated meat passes through the openwork barrier and is collected by individual meat receptacles located radially outward from the openwork barrier.

Abstract: An apparatus for centrifugally removing meat from body sections of crabs or other crustaceans is disclosed, and which comprises a horizontally disposed disc having a plurality of separate crab body holders disposed in an equally spaced apart arrangement about the periphery of the disc. A direct current motor drive system is provided which is adapted to rapidly accelerate the disc to a desired rotational speed, and then rapidly brake the disc to a complete stop, in a very short period of time. The holders include individual receptacles for receiving the extracted meat, and which may be individually lifted from the disc to facilitate removal of the meat when the receptacles become full, and covers are provided for completely enclosing the crab bodies to eliminate possible misalignment from wind forces during rotation of the disc.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing hard shell crabs is disclosed, and which includes means for initially engaging and aligning the crab bodies with the path of travel through the apparatus, and then clampingly pressing the bodies against a supporting surface to maintain the orientation of the bodies during their movement through the subsequent processing operations. Trimming saws are mounted along the path of travel for severing the claws and legs, cleaning brushes are provided for removing the gills and other inedible materials, and a slicer is provided for cutting the trimmed and cleaned bodies into half sections while removing the central partition of the bodies.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for centrifugally extracting crabmeat from crabs provides a frame which supports a driven rotary shaft mounted thereon. A first annular plate is mounted for rotation on the shaft and driven thereby. A plurality of closely spaced wire support members radiate from the first plate and have a common path of rotation when the plate is rotated by the drive shaft. A second annular plate is movably mounted upon the frame with respect to the first plate between "loading" and "spinning" positions. A plurality of closely spaced, radially positioned, pointed spikes depend from the second plate and are positioned to intersect the path of rotation of the wire support members in the "spinning," the spikes being spaced from the path in the loading position. A lifting mechanism moves the second plate vertically between the "spinning" and "loading" positions.