Abstract: Warehouse automation and methods of automatically sorting and sequencing items can be implemented to streamline and expedite order fulfillment and store replenishment processes in a cost-effective manner. Some embodiments described herein include sorting items to a truck-level and inducting those items for a first truck into a buffering and sequencing system. Items can temporarily accumulate in the buffering and sequencing system and thereafter be discharged in a desired sequence as the items become available within the buffering and sequencing system. In some embodiments, the buffering and sequencing system is used to sequence items for loading one or more store aisle-ready carts in a sequence that corresponds to a store aisle layout.

Abstract: A handheld teeth skinning tool is provided with a head assembly having at toothed roller with interchangeable teeth rings, with the rings having different tooth configurations. The teeth rings are securely mounted on the insert arbor using male and female connections. The teeth rings may include pointed teeth for aggressively gripping the skin for direction into the blade of the head assembly, while square teeth allow for easy manual maneuverability of the head assembly on the meat carcass or head. The roller provides increase life expectancy and improved handling for lower costs and higher productivity.

Abstract: An automated poultry skinning apparatus which includes a support frame having a product feed inlet and discharge outlet. The apparatus may house an upper conveyor aligned to engage the upper surface of a piece of poultry product entering the feed outlet. The apparatus is provided with a lower conveyor with a plurality of radially extending protrusions adapted to engage the lower surface of the piece of poultry passing between the lower conveyor and the optional upper conveyor. An arcuate pinch surface is provided which is mounted in closely spaced relationship to the arcuate path traveled by the protrusions of the translated belt and define therewith an opening for trapping the outer skin attached to the poultry product between the arcuate surface and the distal tips of the protrusions to entrap a portion of the skin and pull the skin from the poultry product piece.

Abstract: A portable and modular cooking oil cleaning system includes a wheeled carriage module, a filtering module rested on the wheeled carriage module, and a pump module removably coupled to the wheeled carriage module. The pump module includes a cooking oil return outlet coupled in fluid communication to a cleaned cooking oil inlet configured to be removably coupled in fluid communication to the cleaned cooking oil outlet of the filtering module so as to form a cooking oil flow pathway through the filtering and pump modules from the filtering module to the cooking oil return outlet of the pump module, and a pump. The pump generates a flow of used cooking oil through the cooking oil flow pathway, and the filter system of the cooking oil filtering module entraps contaminants from the flow of used cooking oil in the cooking oil flow pathway through the cooking oil filtering module.

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 positioning apparatus for positioning poultry legs which are conveyed suspended in a row has a bending device for bending and positioning the poultry legs, as well as a stationary holding and guiding device. The bending device forms a threading device for suspending the poultry leg in the region of the knee joint in a holding and guiding gap of the holding and guiding device. Co-running positioning elements are formed by driven pressing elements which grip the poultry leg from beneath on an axial side of the leg for bending and lifting. Each co-running positioning element forms with a stationary positioning element a functional pair of positioning elements. One of the two positioning elements engages in the hollow of the knee of the poultry leg, while the other positioning element is configured to rest against the thigh on the front side of the leg. Processing stations can be arranged along the holding and guiding gap.

Abstract: A skinning machine for any meat product, and particularly for poultry cuts. The machine includes two or more skinning stations, each of which may remove skin between a gripper and a closely-fit pinch block. The skinning stations are vertically distinct so that the first skinning station skins a first side of the product, and the second skinning station receives the product at a position lower vertically and skins the second side of the product. The product falls through a path between the two skinning stations to permit the product to rotate about one-half of a rotation. The product lands on a conveyor beneath the first skinning station that transports the product to the second skinning station facing the opposite direction from when it was in the first skinning station. By making the vertical drop sufficient, the poultry cut rotates the unskinned face down prior to skinning.

Abstract: A device for removing skin from meat cuts of irregular thickness is presented. The device for removing skin from meat cuts includes an overhead roller having a drive roller and a pair of idler rollers rotatably mounted to a pair of support plates. The device further includes a belt extending around the driver roller and pair of idler rollers. A support shaft extends between the support plates within a loop of the belt. A plurality of resistive devices are attached to the hold down members to provide varying resistance when a meat product is lifted into contact with the belt.

Abstract: A meat stripper is disclosed for stripping meat from the bone of an animal part. The meat stripper includes a slide block and a first stripper plate assembly including an arm pivotally mounted to the slide block and having a first stripper plate at an opposite end. A second stripper plate assembly including an arm is pivotally mounted to the slide block and has a second stripper plate at an opposite end with the second stripper plate opposing the first stripper plate. The first and second stripper plates move away from each other to open the meat stripper when the arms are pivoted apart and move toward each other to surround the bone when the arms are pivoted together. A mechanism is disclosed for moving the stripper plates along the length of the bone to strip meat from the bone.

Abstract: A pressure shoe assembly for a skinner includes a back plate that is demountably received within a groove in a mount assembly. Ends of the back plate have extensions presenting an oblique contact surface for engagement of a retention member. The angle of the contact surface secures the back plate I the mount limiting vertical movement of the pressure shoe when in use. The mount assembly includes a ledge for supporting the assembly when removed for cleaning. A lift assist mechanism aids in moving the assembly between the groove and ledge.

Abstract: An automatic skinning mechanism having an inlet conveyor, a take away conveyor, a skinning mechanism and a hold down mechanism that removes pressure form a food product as the skinning mechanism begins skinning food product.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus has a conveying path to supply a plurality of products for consumption having soft parts and intended for processing to a processing device. A conveying intermediate space has conveying surfaces that face one another and receive the products for consumption between them while applying pressure thereto. A first conveying surface comprises a flexible surface-deformable conveying cover and a row arrangement of pressure elements that are arranged next to one another in a row extending transverse to the conveying direction, each having a pressure-applying transverse profile extending transverse to the conveying direction, and are held to be displaceable in the height dimension direction of the conveying intermediate space against a restoring force such that each pressure element co-operates with the surface-deformable conveying cover during the passage of the products for consumption through the conveying path in order to form a variable conveyor cross-section.

Abstract: A device for removing skin from meat cuts of irregular thickness is presented. The device for removing skin from meat cuts includes an overhead roller having a drive roller and a pair of idler rollers rotatably mounted to a pair of support plates. The device further includes a belt extending around the driver roller and pair of idler rollers. A support shaft extends between the support plates within a loop of the belt. A plurality of resistive devices are attached to the hold down members to provide varying resistance when a meat product is lifted into contact with the belt.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus has a conveying path to supply a plurality of products for consumption having soft parts and intended for processing to a processing device. A conveying intermediate space has conveying surfaces that face one another and receive the products for consumption between them while applying pressure thereto. A first conveying surface comprises a flexible surface-deformable conveying cover and a row arrangement of pressure elements that are arranged next to one another in a row extending transverse to the conveying direction, each having a pressure-applying transverse profile extending transverse to the conveying direction, and are held to be displaceable in the height dimension direction of the conveying intermediate space against a restoring force such that each pressure element co-operates with the surface-deformable conveying cover during the passage of the products for consumption through the conveying path in order to form a variable conveyor cross-section.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for cleaning a carcass part of slaughtered poultry, which carcass part at least still comprises a part of the breast fillet and skin, which skin comprises at least a part of the breast skin, neck skin and skin in the region of transition between the breast skin and neck skin, wherein the breast skin and the skin in the region of transition between the breast skin and neck skin rest at least partly against the muscular tissue of the breast fillet, from which carcass part the muscular tissue of the neck and the neck vertebrae are substantially removed, which system comprises a neck skin removing device which comprises: a gripper for engaging a part of the neck skin that is connected to the rest of the carcass or carcass part, a stretching station, which stretching station is configured to exert a force on the neck skin engaged by the gripper in such a way that the skin in the region of transition between the breast skin and neck skin is stretched and becomes detached from th

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing skin and fat from meat parts, includes a toothroll assembly. The toothroll assembly includes a first section having an outer surface, and a second section having an outer surface. The first section is adapted to rotate at a first surface speed, and the second section is adapted to rotate at a second surface speed independently from the first surface speed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a knife holding device, particularly for derinding machines, comprising a knife holder (11) with a lower part (13) and an essentially plate-shaped clamping element, the clamping element being displaceable between a clamping position and a release position in order to optionally clamp or release a knife blade (17) to be inserted between the lower part and the clamping element, and a tensioning device (19, 53) engaging with the clamping element for adjusting the clamping element between the release position and the clamping position. According to the invention, the lower part comprises a counter bearing (21) for the clamping element, said counter bearing cooperating with the clamping element such that the clamping element executes a rotational or tilting movement about the counter bearing during adjustment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tuna skinning machine, in which at least one conveyor belt (3) is installed along a frame (1) in order to move tuna loins (4) which, as they move, are worked by vertical-axis brushes (7) moving horizontally, horizontal-axis brushes (16) moving vertically and vertical-axis cutters (24) moving both vertically and horizontally, the brushes being designed to skin the tuna and the cutters being designed to remove the dark meat. This structure can be repeated several times along the frame, with the aforementioned cutter (24) being replaced in the final structure by a brush (37) that completes removal of the dark meat. The conveyor belt (3) has an end gap (39) containing a lower brush (38) for cleaning the lower face of the loin.

Abstract: An apparatus for skinning fish fillets includes a skinning knife to separate skin from the fish fillets, a delivery element to deliver the fish fillets into the region of the skinning knife, a driver roller for the skin separated from the fish fillets, a contact pressure element including a device to indicate a position of the contact pressure element, a discharge element to carry away the skinned fish fillets; and an element arranged in a region of the driver roller to monitor an input of fish fillets onto the driver roller and an output of fish fillets from the driver roller.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing skin and fat from meat parts, includes a toothroll assembly. The toothroll assembly includes a first section having an outer surface, and a second section having an outer surface. The first section is adapted to rotate at a first surface speed, and the second section is adapted to rotate at a second surface speed independently from the first surface speed.

Abstract: A meat skinning device having a clamp and a shoe that holds a blade therebetween, the clamp having at least one groove that extends from one edge of the clamp to the other.

Abstract: An apparatus for skinning fish fillets includes a skinning knife to separate skin from the fish fillets, a delivery element to deliver the fish fillets into the region of the skinning knife, a driver roller for the skin separated from the fish fillets, a contact pressure element including a device to indicate a position of the contact pressure element, a discharge element to carry away the skinned fish fillets; and an element arranged in a region of the driver roller to monitor an input of fish fillets onto the driver roller and an output of fish fillets from the driver roller.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for cleaning a carcass part of slaughtered poultry, which carcass part at least still comprises a part of the breast fillet and skin, which skin comprises at least a part of the breast skin, neck skin and skin in the region of transition between the breast skin and neck skin, wherein the breast skin and the skin in the region of transition between the breast skin and neck skin rest at least partly against the muscular tissue of the breast fillet, from which carcass part the muscular tissue of the neck and the neck vertebrae are substantially removed, which system comprises a neck skin removing device which comprises: a gripper for engaging a part of the neck skin that is connected to the rest of the carcass or carcass part, a stretching station, which stretching station is configured to exert a force on the neck skin engaged by the gripper in such a way that the skin in the region of transition between the breast skin and neck skin is stretched and becomes detached from th

Abstract: Fish processing machines and methods for realigning fish during processing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a fish processing machine in accordance with the invention includes a fish processing unit for use with a processing machine having a fillet assembly and/or a skinner assembly. The processing unit includes an inspection assembly with a conveyor system operably coupled to the fillet assembly and/or skinner assembly and an alignment device operably coupled to the conveyor system. The conveyor system extends along a processing path to transport a fillet of fish that has been sliced from a trunk of the fish. The alignment device is positioned to automatically realign the fillet with respect to the processing path without manually manipulating the fillet before the fillet is transferred from the conveyor system to an inspection table.

Abstract: A roller assembly for a meat skinning device having a frame, a drive shaft rotatably mounted to the frame and having a female groove, and an elongated roller having a male prong frictionally received within the female groove, a bearing housing secured to the drive shaft, and a seal mounted on the roller and separated from a food zone of the roller.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing skin and fat from meat parts, includes a toothroll assembly. The toothroll assembly includes a first section having an outer surface, and a second section having an outer surface. The first section is adapted to rotate at a first surface speed, and the second section is adapted to rotate at a second surface speed independently from the first surface speed.

Abstract: A blade mounting device for the mounting of blades, in particular, for skinning and stripping machines with a blade mount fixing (1), a blade support (3), a retaining strip (6) and a tensioning device (8) for holding the blade support and retaining strip together is disclosed. A swallow-tail shaped recess (17, 18) is provided across the total width of the facing surfaces of the blade support and retaining strip. A shaft (9), centrally mounted in the retaining strip (6) and eccentrically mounted in the blade mount fixing (1) serves as tensioning device.

Abstract: An automated skinning and deboning apparatus for processing poultry thigh portions to remove the skin and bone from the meat portion in a single pass includes a support frame and housing having a feed inlet and a product discharge outlet. The feed inlet includes a guide chute which aligns the thigh portion such that the longitudinally extending bone is disposed parallel to the chosen path of travel. A first pair of conveyors receives the thigh portion and transports it to a skinning station wherein the skin is pulled away from the underlying meat portion via a pinching or trapping action of the skin engaged between a rotating fin and an arcuate surface of a pinch block mounted along the path of travel.

Abstract: Device for processing flesh, including at least one transport means, at least one element for position detection as well as at least one separating means and at least one regulating and/or control device, wherein the separating means communicates by means of the regulating and/or control device with the element for position detection.

Abstract: An automatic skin removal and fat trimming device includes an entry conveyor belt and an upper pressing cylinder device which cooperate to move the meat product into contact with a rotating ridged cylinder which in turn forces the meat product into contact with a skin removal blade mounted adjacent the end of the entry conveyor belt and a second curved fat trimming blade then engages the meat product, the fat trimming blade positioned above the skin trimming blade and spaced therefrom to engage, cut and remove the fat lining surrounding the meat on the meat product, following which a meat removing conveyor belt mounted rearwardly of the skin trimming and fat trimming blades engages the meat product thus removing the meat product from the trimming device in cooperation with the upper pressing cylinder device which compresses and pulls the meat product through the device.

Abstract: The method involves turning the fish (4) around its own axis while a cutting blade is longitudinally displaced along the body of the fish and contacts the latter in such a way that the blade follows a helicoidal trajectory in relation to the skin of the fish thereby making it possible to fully skin the fish. To this end, the device has a pair of clamps (7-7′) to fix the fish in vertical position and preferably with the head facing downward. The clamps are aided by a rotational actuator (10) delivering said movement to the fish while the blade (11) is permanently pressed on the fish by a spring (17) and is moved along the fish by a cylinder (16) or any other appropriate means. The arm (13) is rotated on a support (15) located at mid-height and can be displaced transversally by a cylinder (19) so that the blade can permanently work in an imaginary plane (21) perpendicular to the axis of the fish.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing a portion of fat from meat cuts involves placing a meat cut on a longitudinal conveyor, pressing sensor probes into the meat cut to measure the relative thickness of fat and the location of lean in the meat, and then withdrawing the sensor probes from the meat. An electronic signal is transmitted from the sensor to a controller along with an encoder signal to determine the depth from the outer lower surface of the meat cut through a layer of fat in the meat to a layer of lean in the meat. Data taken from the foregoing step determine the desired position of the blade, which removes the appropriate amount of fat to be removed from the meat cut.

Abstract: An automatic skin removal and fat trimming device includes an entry conveyor belt and an upper pressing cylinder device which cooperate to move the meat product into contact with a rotating ridged cylinder which in turn forces the meat product into contact with a skin removal blade mounted adjacent the end of the entry conveyor belt and a second curved fat trimming blade then engages the meat product, the fat trimming blade positioned above the skin trimming blade and spaced therefrom to engage, cut and remove the fat lining surrounding the meat on the meat product, following which a meat removing conveyor belt mounted rearwardly of the skin trimming and fat trimming blades engages the meat product thus removing the meat product from the trimming device in cooperation with the upper pressing cylinder device which compresses and pulls the meat product through the device.

Abstract: A skinning blade assembly with a blade, clamp, and shoe where the blade is frictionally received in a recess formed in the bottom surface of the clamp, the clamp having a slot that extends from the top of the clamp through the bottom of the clamp such that a tool can be inserted in the slot to apply sufficient force against the back edge of the blade to overcome the frictional force of the clamp acting on the blade to remove the blade from the receiving recess.

Abstract: A meat skinning machine has a frame with an elongated skinning blade mounted thereon. The skinning blade has an elongated cutting edge. An elongated gripper roll is rotatably mounted on the frame adjacent the blade for pulling the meat product to be skinning into operational contact with the cutting edge of the blade. A plurality of rows of teeth extend longitudinally on the outer surface of the roll with each row of teeth terminating in a cutting edge. The foregoing structure is conventional. A plurality of secondary teeth are formed on the cutting edges of the rows of teeth to facilitate the gripping of a meat product. The secondary teeth are smaller than the teeth in the rows of teeth. The cutting edge of the blade is comprised of a plurality of serrated teeth.

Abstract: A cutting blade made of surgical stainless steel with a very small angled back hone, a small grind angle, a small angled front hone, and a reduced size included angle, which has an increased hardness that results in a longer lasting narrow edge geometry blade that has a reasonable cost with increased durability and accuracy, providing greater cutting precision, productivity and net yields, while reducing the compression of the blade and processing downtime.

Abstract: A poultry processing machine including a distribution housing, a rotating dome and a truncated conical surface outwardly of the dome for the distribution of quarter legs to several processing units. Gates control the admission of the pieces to the processing units. The processing unit includes a converging inlet within which horizontal extending bars are positioned to allow the smaller end of the piece to drop downwardly into the unit. A rotatable circular blade and traction wheels draw the piece downwardly along with the operation of vacuum from a rotatable cutter. A passageway concentrically arranged within the cutter receives the bone of the quarter leg and vacuum drawn through the rotatable cutter draws the piece downwardly. A spreading surface lays the now deboned and longitudinally sliced piece into a flat slab. A skinning device having vacuum associated with a porous wheel pulls the skin away from the flesh. A skinning knife assists in this process.

Abstract: A mechanism for ejecting a cutting blade from a knife assembly in a meat skinning machine includes a shoe with a supporting surface for the blade and a releasable clamping assembly for clamping the cutting blade to the supporting surface. The clamping assembly includes a clamp and releasable fasteners. Together the shoe and clamp form an elongated open slot adjacent to the blade when clamped together by the fasteners. A pair of ejectors extend into the slot and are slidably mounted with respect to the shoe and the clamp so as to engage the blade. The ejectors can be pushed into the blade to eject the blade when the clamp is released. The ejectors are rigid elongated rods longitudinally spaced along the edge of the blade opposite the cutting edge. The ejector rods include a guide bulb thereon, with cam surfaces thereon to engage and lift the clamp when moved rearwardly to lift the loosened clamp from the blade.

Abstract: A method for removing a portion of fat from meat cuts involves placing a meat cut on a longitudinal conveyor, pressing sensor probes into the meat cut to measure the relative thickness of fact and the location of lean in the meat, and then withdrawing the sensor probes from the meat. An electronic signal is transmitted from the sensor to a controller along with an encoder signal to determine the depth from the outer lower surface of the meat cut through a layer of fat in the meat to a layer of lean in the meat. Data taken from the foregoing step determine the desired position of the blade. A predetermined amount of fat is thereupon cut from the meat cut by the blade. An apparatus for removing a portion of fact from meat cuts includes a frame and at least one sensor probe including fiber optics to permit scanning of the interior of a meat cut penetrated by the probe.

Abstract: An automated poultry skinning apparatus which includes a support frame having a product feed inlet and discharge outlet and housing a conveyor aligned to engage the upper surface of a piece of poultry product entering the feed outlet. The apparatus is provided with a rotatably mounted gripper provided with a plurality of radially extending fins adapted to engage the lower surface of the piece of poultry passing between the gripper and toe conveyor. An arcuate pinch surface is provided which is mounted in closely spaced relationship to the arcuate path traveled by the rotating fins of the gripper and define therewith an opening for trapping the outer skin attached to the poultry product between the arcuate surface and the outer end of a rotating fin to entrap a portion of the skin and pull the skin from the poultry product piece.

Abstract: An automatic skin removal and fat trimming device includes an entry conveyor belt and a forward section of an upper pressing conveyor belt which cooperate to move the meat product into contact with a rotating ridged cylinder which in turn forces the meat product into contact with a skin removal blade mounted adjacent the end of the entry conveyor belt and a second curved fat trimming blade then engages the meat product, the fat trimming blade positioned above the skin trimming blade and spaced therefrom to engage, cut and remove the fat lining surrounding the meat on the meat product, following which a meat removing conveyor belt mounted rearwardly of the skin trimming and fat trimming blades engages the meat product thus removing the meat product from the trimming device in cooperation with a rear section of the upper pressing conveyor belt which compresses and pulls the meat product through the device.

Abstract: A conventional meat skinning machine has a frame, a horizontal auger on the frame having a forward end, a tooth gripping roll rearwardly mounted on the frame and extending across the forward end of the conveyor, and an elongated cutting blade mounted on the frame adjacent the gripping roll to remove material from the outer surface of a meat product coming in contact therewith. An elongated flipper plate is mounted on the frame adjacent the cutting edge of the cutting blade. A pair of parallel arms are pivotally secured to the frame adjacent the sides of the conveyor and extend upwardly and forwardly from their pivotal connections. A resilient hold down roll is rotatably mounted between the forward ends of the arms. A lifting mechanism is provided on the frame and connected to the arms for raising and lowering the arms at selected intervals.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing loins from pork bellies to result in a high yield of loin in a two-step method, the first step involving the removal of the loin and the second step involving the skinning of the loin portion removed. A unique knife shaped in the form of a Z is used to cut all the way through the belly. Once complete, the skin from the belly remains on the loin and is subsequently run through a loin skinner in a controlled cutting process that significantly reduces the chance of cutting below the loin fat and into the muscle.

Abstract: A de-boning apparatus and method for removing bones and other undesirable elements from meat. The apparatus preferably includes a conveyor assembly conveying meat to and from a head assembly which removes the bones, one or more rail assemblies located beside the conveyor assembly for keeping meat on the conveyor assembly as it passes through the apparatus, a conveyor drive system for powering the conveyor assembly, and a head drive assembly for powering the head assembly. The conveyor assembly preferably has a conveyor drum and an idler wheel about which a conveyor belt runs. The conveyor belt conveys meat to the head assembly preferably located beside the conveyor drum at a point when the conveyed meat is bowed as it passes around the conveyor drum, thereby better exposing bones for removal. The head assembly preferably includes a pin bone wheel (driven by the head drive system) and a head block spaced from the pin bone wheel to define a gap therebetween.

Abstract: A method of trimming cuts of meat by imposing on an electronic controller the trim parameters for a meat portion. The meat portion is then scanned with an electronic ultrasonic sensor to locate and identify the natural physical makeup of the meat portion. After determining the natural conditions that exist in the meat portion, the sensor transmits signals to the controller to advise the controller of the nature and location of the sensed condition. That data is compared to the trim parameters imposed on the controller which then determines the trim requirements for that meat portion in that sensed condition. The controller then controls a meat trimming mechanism to trim the meat portion consistent with the parameters of the foregoing evaluation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a de-rinding tool for pork, with a knife part and a driven roller as well as with a stripper. According to the invention a fixed stripper as well as a movable stripper are provided, each of these being assigned an output gap by means of which a rind output in vertical and horizontal de-rinding direction can be obtained with easy tool operation so that the exiting rind does not interfere with the de-rinding tool or its operation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a automatic skinning machine. The automatic skinning machine includes a blade holder with a plurality of indentations disposed thereon. The cutting blade is adopted to be positioned adjacent to blade holder such that the cutting edge is recessed behind the leading edge of the blade holder and generally extends across each of the indentations formed on the leading edge. The invention further includes attaching apertures formed only on the bottom surface of the blade holder such that crevices and cracks which could lead to contamination are not exposed to product passing over the blade holder. The invention further includes the use of locking pins in conjunction with the apertures formed on the bottom surface of the blade holder such that the blade can be easily held in position. The invention further includes a camming structure for automatically moving the cutting shoe of the device between an initial position and a skinning position.

Abstract: A fish skinner for skinning a fish. The fish skinner includes a base with an elongate arm upwardly extending therefrom. One end of an elongate lower bar is coupled to the arm. One end of an elongate upper bar is pivotally coupled to the arm above the lower bar. The lower bar has an upper cutting edge against which a lower face of the upper bar abuts when the upper bar is pivoted to a lowered position.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for filleting the breast piece of a slaughtered bird having a conveyor for the breast piece and filleting devices positioned alongside the conveyor. The filleting devices comprise scraping plates having an operative contour adapted to the shape of part of the breast piece to be processed. It is possible to provide scraping plates extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor and/or scraping plates extending substantially in parallel with the longitudinal medial plane of the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for extracting a bone from a cut of meat comprises a frusto-conical blade against which the cut of meat is pushed in the axial direction of, and in line with the bone. The apical opening edge of the blade cuts and spreads the meat around the bone, allowing the bone to pass through the blade while the meat is crunched against the wall of the blade and its backing plate. The bone is grabbed by a pair of jaws terminated by barbed cylinders that rotate in opposite directions to further extract the bone from the cut of meat. The movements of the jaw and of a lever that pushes the cut of meat towards the blade are synchronized by a single camshaft mounting eccentric wheels acting on both the jaws and the pushing lever. These movements are driven for safety by the pull of coil springs. Electrical motors only return the jaws and lever to their rest position.