Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for automatically separating the legs and thighs of birds from the backs of birds while the birds are moving along a poultry processing line. The thigh joints between the thighs and lower backs of the birds are engaged between the angular contact edges (43 and 44) of a pair of yieldable cam shoes (37 and 38) and the side surfaces (33 and 34) of a vertical center guide partition (31). As a result, the thigh joints are aligned with the cutting blades (54 and 56) of a cutting means (36), positioned downstream of the yieldable cam shoes (37 and 38), which cuts through the thigh joints to separate the legs and thighs from the back portions of the birds.

Abstract: Poultry carcasses (10) are carried in series by an overhead conveyor system along an internal guide rail (33), with protrusions of the vertebrae received in the downwardly facing slot (37). The thighs (12) spread apart by a pair of joint opening guide rods (43 and 44) to open the thigh joints and joint separating wheels (51, 52) engage the knuckles of each thighbone and urge the knuckles upwardly and out of mating engagement with the backbone (10) to thereby separate the thigh joints.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for automatically separating the breast from the neck, shoulders, back and saddle of birds while the birds are moving along as overhead conveyor line (12). A mandrel (61) is inserted into the visceral cavity of each bird to rigidly support each bird, and causes the breast of each bird to protrude outwardly. A tiltable holding plate (76) is pivoted upwardly as the mandrel (61) is fully inserted into each bird, and engages the neck of each bird in a clamping relationship with the mandrel (61) to thereby hold each bird in place during cutting function. The birds are carried into engagement with a first rotary disk cutter (94) which cuts in to the birds between the breast and neck of each bird to separate the breast form the neck, shoulders and upper back of each bird.

Abstract: The deboner (30) carries a plurality of deboning modules (31) in a closed path through a series of processing stations. Each module includes a rotary bone holder (50) which supports one end of a poultry part (106) and a stripper assembly (51) that is moved toward and away from the bone holder. Stripper blades (65, 66) engage the poultry part (106) as the stripper assembly is moved away from the bone holder to strip the meat (107) from the bone (105). As the blades (65, 66) strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder is rotated by its sprocket (83) engaging sprocket turning protrusions (93).

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for removing breast fillets from previously eviscerated poultry carcasses comprises a frame (11) and a plurality of carcass carriers (20) mounted at spaced intervals on a movable conveyor (12) for moving the carriers along a path. Meat removing means (46, 60, 61, 96) are mounted along the path and movable rotary cutting blades (173, 175) are interposed in the path of the carcass carriers for cutting the partially separated meat into two portions. The rotary cutting blades are adapted to straddle the keel bone of the poultry carcass.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for automatically halving and processing the breasts and backs of poultry carcasses while the carcasses are still moving along a poultry processing line. The carcasses are passed along the processing line through a V-shaped separator blade 26 which separates the saddle portion of the carcass from the breast and back of the carcass. The breast and back of the carcass are then pulled along the length of an internal guide rail 32 by a pair of chain conveyors 33 for processing. A large rotary halving blade 43 positioned below the internal guide rail 32 is movable upward to initially cut only the breast of the carcass and further upward to separate the entire carcass in half. A pair of back removal blades 46 positioned above the internal guide rail 32 following the rotary halving blade 43 can be lowered to remove the backbone from the carcass if the halving blade 43 is not fully raised to separate the entire poultry carcass.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for automatically separating the breast (15), back (17) and saddle (21) of poultry carcasses (10) while the carcasses are moving along a poultry processing line. The carcasses are initially engaged by a disk cutter (26) which cuts along the visceral cavity between the breast and thighs of the carcass to enlarge the opening of the visceral cavity. The carcasses are carried into a first processing station (29) wherein the breast and upper back are separated from the legs, thighs and lower back of the carcass, and the breast is split and the backbone cut away from the upper back. After being separated from the breast and upper back of the carcass, the legs, thighs and lower back are carried into a second processing station (40) where the thighs are engaged by a pair of joint opening guide rods (72 and 73) which press the thighs away from the back to open the connecting joints between the thighs and lower back.

Abstract: The deboner carries a plurality of modules in a closed path through a series of processing stations. Each module includes a rotary bone holder that supports one end of a poultry bone and a stripper assembly that is moved toward and away from the bone holder. The stripper blades engage the poultry part and stretch the meat, skin, etc., holding it taut while the thigh is moved through a cutting station. The stripper assembly is then moved away from the bone holder and then upwardly again to engage the bone and to strip the meat from the bone. As the blades strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder is rotated by its sprocket engaging the sprocket turning protrusions.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for automatically stripping the meat from the bones of a poultry part. The deboner (11) carries a plurality of deboning modules (12) along a processing path. Each deboning module (12) includes a rotary bone holder (38) for supporting the poultry part and a stripper assembly (41) for stripping the meat from the bone. The stripper assembly (41) has stripper blades (62) which engage the meat on the bone and strip the meat from the bone as the stripper assembly (41) moves along the length of the bone. As the blades (62) strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder (38) can be rotated to thus rotate the bone with respect to the meat to assist in the meat removal.

Abstract: A wing removal method and apparatus comprising a conveyor (31) which a poultry carcass (9) is placed for processing the wings (7) extending downwardly below the conveyors. The back of the carcass (9) is placed upon a pair of cradles (32) and engaged by a mandrel (33) in the opening created by the prior removal of the neck of the bird from the carcass.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the legs from the back portion of poultry includes a processing station (13) for use with an overhead conveyor from which the birds are suspended by their legs. The processing station (13) has a V-shaped guide plate (12) for receiving the back portion of a bird and means for advancing and gripping the bird. The advancing and gripping means comprises a chain (16) with outwardly projecting pins (17) extending about chain wheels (14, 15). The gripping and advancing means accelerate the back portion of the bird relative to the legs, and after cutting and scoring by cutters (19, 25, 31), the back portion is torn from the legs to leave the "oysters" attached to the legs.

Abstract: The deboner (30) carries a plurality of deboning modules (31) in a closed path through a series of processing stations. Each module includes a rotary bone holder (50) which supports one end of a poultry part (106) and a stripper assembly (51) that is moved toward and away from the bone holder. Stripper blades (65, 66) engage the poultry part (106) as the stripper assembly is moved away from the bone holder to strip the meat (107) from the bone (105). As the blades (65, 66) strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder is rotated by its sprocket (83) engaging sprocket turning protrusions (93).

Abstract: Previously eviscerated birds are moved on an overhead conveyor in series to the lung extractor and neck breaker, with each bird moving into a poultry processing module (31). The lung extractor tube (48) moves downwardly to engage the lungs and the visceral cavity of the bird. Suction applied to the extractor tube through the suction tube (41) and air transfer block (65) causes the lungs to be extracted from the bird. When no bird is present in one of the stations of the overhead conveyor, the extractor tube is prevented from moving downwardly by the hooks (59), thereby avoiding the pulling of a vacuum through the system. When a bird is present on the shackle, the bird engages and pushed the hooks out of the way so that the extractor tube can properly function. A neck breaker (35) is also part of each poultry processing module, and the cleaver (85) is moved by cam roller (89) and cam track (90) up into engagement with the neck of the bird to break the spinal column.

Abstract: An adjustable poultry carcass separator (10) includes a support frame (11), back cutter assembly (58), leg/thigh separator (125), and a conveyor system (20). Back cutter (58) includes cutters (84, 85, 88, 89, 103, 104) for separating the thighs from the back of the poultry carcass, and a movable backbone cutter (72) for movement between positions cutting the backbone and not cutting the backbone. Leg/thigh separator (125) includes a rotary guide wheel (126) having recesses (132) for receiving poultry legs/thighs. As guide wheel (126) rotates the leg and thigh are bent about the leg/thigh joint and moved through a cutting station (160) to separate the leg from the thigh. The separator (125) includes a stationary recess size adjusting plate (130) for adjusting the size of the recesses (132) and the amount of bending of the thigh and the leg relative to each other to allow the apparatus to be adjusted to accommodate different bird lengths.

Abstract: The deboner (10, 110) carries a plurality of modules (11, 111) in a closed path through a series of processing stations. Each module includes a rotary bone holder (30, 130) that supports one end of a poultry bone (85) and a stripper assembly (31, 131) that is moved toward and away from the bone holder. The stripper blades (55, 56, and 155, 156) engage the poultry part (86) as the stripper assembly is moved away from the bone holder to strip the meat (87) from the bone (85). As the blades (55, 56 and 155, 156) strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder is rotated by its sprocket (36, 136) engaging the sprocket turning protrusions (45, 145).

Abstract: A poultry defeathering apparatus [10] is provided including a support frame [11] and a pair of opposed banks of picking fingers [12,13] mounted thereon. First bank [12] is mounted to carriers [23,24] and second bank [13] is mounted to carriers [25,26], with each carrier [23-25] being movably mounted upon the support frame [11] to provide adjustment of the spacing of the banks of pickers. The first bank [12] is releasibly supported at one end upon first carrier [23] by means of a latch assembly [28] while a second end of the bank is pivotably supported upon second carrier [24] by means of a hinge assembly [29]. The hinge assembly [29] and the latch assembly [28] allow the first bank [12] to be pivoted about one end of the bank and away from the opposing bank [13], providing ready access to the picking fingers for maintenance and repair. A retractable support wheel assembly [40] is provided for supporting the end of the first bank [12] to be disengaged from the latch assembly [28] and swung open.

Abstract: As turret 12 rotates on vertical axle 20, probe assemblies 14 are raised and lowered by cam track 29. Drive belt 76 engages the drive sheave 42 of the probes as the probes pass around the back of the machine, causing the probes to rotate about their longitudinal axes 46. Ring cam 48 urges cam sheaves 58 radially outwardly into engagement with the belt 76 to disengage the belt from the probe drive sheaves 42, so that the probes 34 rotate only during part of their revolution about the turret 12. Probe head 35 includes a stem 88 of parallelopiped cross section, with helical teeth 90 and 91 which extend at a radius from the acute angle into overlying relationship with respect to the obtuse angle of the stem.

Abstract: Birds 24 are placed on bird support mandrels 22 and their wings are spread into the recesses 68 at the peripheral portion of the rotary carrier wheel 11. As the wheel 11 rotates, the wings are severed from the carcasses by the wing cutters 12 and 13, the carcasses transferred to the carcass carrier 14, where the breasts are split longitudinally by the breast cutter 42 and the backbones of the carcasses are cut out by the backbone cutters 49 and 50. In the meantime, the previously cut-away wings continue to move with the rotary carrier wheel 11 where they are guided and cut apart at their joints by blade members 90-92.

Abstract: Previously eviscerated poultry carcasses with wings and saddle removed are moved on a series of carcass carriers (20) along a processing path with protrusions (32, 33) extending into the wing sockets of the carcass to hold the carcass on the carrier. A series of meat removing implements (46, 47, 60, 61, 62, 96, 116, 118 and 119) separate the meat from the skeletal structures of the carcass as the carcasses are moved along the processing path.

Abstract: A device for cutting slaughtered poultry in separate pieces. A bird is held by at least one radial processing device which is movable on a frame by a driving device which is provided with a processing arm, at the side facing the frame being provided with an adjustment mechanism which can reorient the processing device during the movement of the arm in a number of various positions of rotation with respect to the arm and a blocking mechanism which can fix the processing device in said positions of rotation, with a deblocking mechanism for unlocking the processing device, and said processing arm at the side facing away from the frame being provided with a stretching mechanism for holding the bird.