Abstract: Apparatus for the separation of mixtures of materials of different consistencies, such as meat and bone, or sewage containing solid material, comprises a positive displacement pump feeding the pressurized mixture to a separator which can be separate from the pump or an integral part of its structure. The pump comprises a rotary vaned pump with radially-moving vanes of fixed length operating with both their ends always in sealing engagement with the wall of an internal cam also constituting a wall of the pump chamber. The vanes are provided with cutting edges able to shear material such as bone that enters the pump, so that the pump is not jammed thereby.

Abstract: A rotary vaned pump has solid vanes of fixed length sliding in a boss mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis eccentrically displaced from the longitudinal axis of the pump chamber, so as to provide respective pump compartments in the pump chamber which vary cyclically in volume and are arranged to pressurize fluid entering the pump chamber through an inlet opening and discharging from the chamber through an outlet opening. Each leading vane edge that passes over the inlet opening is formed as a shearing knife edge that shear-cuts any cuttable solid material in the entering fluid that is engaged by the edge as it enters the pump chamber through the inlet. Such solid material is thereby cut into pieces which can be handled by the pump without jamming rotation of the rotor. The leading edge of the inlet opening is also formed as a knife edge that cooperates with the vane edge to shear the solid material.

Abstract: The invention provides processes and apparatus for the mechanical separation of a combination of meat and bone into useful fractions, the combination being conveyed by a screw of new cross-section profile through a screen, which comprises a portion of an elongated cylindrical conduit, softer components, i.e. the meat, being expressed through the screen, while harder components, i.e. the bone, are contained by the screen and fed out of the conduit. The screen is constituted by alternate flat and configured annular discs, the latter providing the necessary large plurality of small apertures through which the softer components can be expressed. The screw is designed to develop a radially-outward pulsing action of the combination against the interior wall of the screen to produce the desired separation at a lower pressure than with prior art apparatus and minimization of shear of the combination against the screen interior wall.

Abstract: In a skinning machine, intended primarily for deskinning poultry pieces, a cylindrical feed screw in a cylindrical passage forms an annular feed passage between them. The passage increases in flow capacity from a hopper at its entrance, where the pieces are received, to a skin removal station, and then decreases in flow capacity to its end. Skin removal means includes pairs of rollers mounted around the passage at the skin removal station to constitute part of the passage wall, each roller having a radially protruding rib that extends into the neighborhood of the surface of the other roller so as to grip the skin between them and strip it from the pieces. The rollers have a peripheral speed greater than the feed screw and part of the separated skin is passed between them out of a respective first exit.

Abstract: In known processes and known apparatus for mechanical separation of a combination of meat and bone into useful fractions, the combination is conveyed as by a screw through a screen, which constitutes a portion of an elongated cylindrical conduit, and softer components are expressed through the screen, while harder components are contained by the screen.

Abstract: In a process and apparatus for the mechanical separation of a combination of meats and bone the material is conveyed by a feed screw through a conduit having at least a part of its wall formed as a separator screen. The screw moves the material between its lands in a manner such that it is pressed radially outwards against the screen with a minimization of shear along the screen. The screen is constituted by a plurality of closely spaced plates which flex under the effect of the outwardly operative pressure to facilitate passage of the meat fraction therethrough while retaining the boney fraction on the inner wall.

Abstract: Apparatus for the separation of mixtures of materials of different consistencies, such as meat and bone, or sewage containing solid material, comprises a positive displacement pump feeding the pressurized mixture to a separator .Iadd.screen .Iaddend.which can be separate from the pump or an integral part of its structure. The pump comprises a rotary vaned pump with radially-moving vanes of fixed length operating with both their ends always in sealing engagement with the wall of an internal cam also constituting a wall of the pump chamber. The vanes are provided with cutting edges able to shear material such as bone that enters the pump, so that the pump is not jammed thereby. .Iadd.The pump is required to provide pressurization to the mixture of at least 70 Kg/sq. cm. (1000 p.s.i.), usually up to about 210 kg/sq. cm. (3000 p.s.i.