Abstract: A method is disclosed for cutting tendons within the drumstick of a poultry leg while leaving the fibula of the drumstick intact. The drumstick has first and second opposing sides where no fibula extends and opposing third and fourth sides along one of which the fibula extends.

Abstract: Penetrating the skin of a poultry item with an array of small holes accomplished by using a plurality of circular blades laterally spaced apart and substantially parallel and having a plurality teeth protruding from the edge of the blades and forcibly engaging and penetrating the skin of the poultry item with the plurality of teeth. The plurality of circular blades can have a common axis of rotation and rotating about a shaft extending along the common axis thereby forming a roller of blades.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system and method for preparing and offering to the marketplace a muscle cut from a carcass for use as a steak. In particular, the Subscapularis muscle may be utilized according to the instant invention as a high-end cut of meat. In an embodiment, a Subscapularis muscle will be processed into a steak via a prescribed series of cuts. The steak will, in some embodiments, be further processed by trimming fat and connective tissue as is taught herein.

Abstract: Penetrating the skin of a poultry item with an array of small holes accomplished by using a plurality of circular blades laterally spaced apart and substantially parallel and having a plurality teeth protruding from the edge of the blades and forcibly engaging and penetrating the skin of the poultry item with the plurality of teeth. The plurality of circular blades can have a common axis of rotation and rotating about a shaft extending along the common axis thereby forming a roller of blades.

Abstract: A scoring machine (1) for scoring a surface of an item which is substantially plane in its main dimension and is curved transversely to its main dimension, the item being moved along a transport path (2) in a direction of movement (3), such as a surface of an item being conveyed forwards by means of a number of conveyors (4,5,6), the scoring machine 1 comprising a structure (11) with a curved path (7) of substantially the same curvature as the conveyed item transversely to its main dimension, and a number of scoring devices (14) being mounted on the structure (11) in such a manner that the scoring devices (14) are movable along the curved path (7) extending transversely to both the transport path (2) and the direction of movement (3) of the item moved, which makes it possible to score the surface of items in a uniform manner regardless of the point of time of the working day on surfaces of up to 700 items an hour and in a hygienic manner.

Abstract: Penetrating the skin of a poultry item with an array of small holes accomplished by using a plurality of circular blades laterally spaced apart and substantially parallel and having a plurality teeth protruding from the edge of the blades and forcibly engaging and penetrating the skin of the poultry item with the plurality of teeth. The plurality of circular blades can have a common axis of rotation and rotating about a shaft extending along the common axis thereby forming a roller of blades.

Abstract: A scoring machine (1) for scoring a surface of an item which is substantially plane in its main dimension and is curved transversely to its main dimension, the item being moved along a transport path (2) in a direction of movement (3), such as a surface of an item being conveyed forwards by means of a number of conveyors (4,5,6), the scoring machine 1 comprising a structure (11) with a curved path (7) of substantially the same curvature as the conveyed item transversely to its main dimension, and a number of scoring devices (14) being mounted on the structure (11) in such a manner that the scoring devices (14) are movable along the curved path (7) extending transversely to both the transport path (2) and the direction of movement (3) of the item moved, which makes it possible to score the surface of items in a uniform manner regardless of the point of time of the working day on surfaces of up to 700 items an hour and in a hygienic manner.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing fish are provided which enable cutting of the fish and removal of the viscera without damage to either the viscera or the remaining fish product. The systems may include an adjustable cutting device to cut the belly in a particularly unobtrusive manner and/or an adjustable gutting device to severe a gullet of the fish from the fish body and to gather and remove the viscera without significant damage to the viscera or the remaining fish product. Extractors for severing the connection between the gullet and the fish are also provided to assist in removal of the viscera, including the gonads. Vacuum head assemblies for cleaning a cavity of the fish after the viscera is removed are also provided.

Abstract: A method and device for slitting a chicken leg which is suspended at its ankle joints from a carrier that forms part of a train of carriers that are movable in a processing line that passes the device is provided. A positioning step is applied for placing the leg in a suitable position for cutting the leg. Subsequently in a stabbing step a knife is brought into engagement with the leg. The stabbing step is followed by a slitting step in which the knife is moved along the leg so as to provide a slit in the longitudinal direction of the leg in order to enable a subsequent deboning step of the leg. In the positioning step a first pressing organ engages the leg in the vicinity of the knee joint so as to press the leg against a movable supporting surface for the leg that is positioned opposite to the pressing organ. A second pressing organ engages the leg from the side so as to push the leg into a substantially straight orientation of the drum and the thigh with respect to each other.

Abstract: A device for processing a carcass part of slaughtered poultry, the carcass part, at the start of the process, including bone parts with at least a part of the rib cage, at least a part of the clavicle, and at least a part of the wing joint, at least a part of the outer fillet, where the part of the outer fillet that is present is connected to the part of the rib cage that is present, at least a part of the inner fillet, at least a tendon that connects the inner fillet to the wing joint, the device including an outer fillet guide to maintain at least a part of the outer fillet in the first position, a clavicle guide to hold the free ends of the wishbone in the second position, and at least one blade to cut through the tendon.

Abstract: A method and device for slitting a chicken leg which is suspended at its ankle joints from a carrier that forms part of a train of carriers that are movable in a processing line that passes the device is provided. A positioning step is applied for placing the leg in a suitable position for cutting the leg. Subsequently in a stabbing step a knife is brought into engagement with the leg. The stabbing step is followed by a slitting step in which the knife is moved along the leg so as to provide a slit in the longitudinal direction of the leg in order to enable a subsequent deboning step of the leg. In the positioning step a first pressing organ engages the leg in the vicinity of the knee joint so as to press the leg against a movable supporting surface for the leg that is positioned opposite to the pressing organ. A second pressing organ engages the leg from the side so as to push the leg into a substantially straight orientation of the drum and the thigh with respect to each other.

Abstract: Meat processing method and apparatus for automatically cutting individual poultry or fowl carcasses into various meat products, including conveying at least one previously eviscerated individual carcass along a path of conveyance and through a freezing unit arranged for allowing at least a portion of the at least one carcass to become frozen and conveying the at least one carcass, upon its exit from the freezing unit, to a cutting station downstream of the freezing unit for performing at least one partial cut through a frozen portion of the at least one carcass.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for processing a carcass part of slaughtered poultry, which carcass part comprises at least part of a rib cage, meat which is naturally present on said rib cage, a neck opening, and a wing joint, the carcass part having an interior which method comprises the following steps: applying and fixing the carcass part to a product carrier, which product carrier is moveable and which product carrier engages the interior of the carcass part, moving a wing-joint positioning member via said neck opening into the interior of the carcass part, the wing-joint positioning member being provided with one or more wing-joint positioning surfaces, which are arranged in such a manner that, in a defined position of the first wishbone blade with respect to the carcass part, the wing-joint positioning surfaces hold said wing joint into a predetermined position, exerting an internal pressure on the carcass part, in such a manner that said one wing joint is supported in the predetermin

Abstract: A method and cutting device makes incisions in an elongated food product, like a hot dog or sausage, to form a pattern or character after the product is cooked. One form of the cutter includes a hinged housing into which the food product is positioned. The housing includes blades that contact and cut the food product as the housing is closed. Another form of the cutter includes a wheeled cutter and a rack. The wheeled cutter includes gear teeth that permit the rack to be drawn under the wheel as the wheel engages gear openings formed in the rack as the wheel rotates. A food product positioned on the rack is cut by blades on the wheel as the rack travels under the wheel.

Abstract: A device and method for incising a cylindrical shaped meat product in which a motor rotates a tubular shaped cutter housing around the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing. Inclined blades are mounted on the inner surface of the cutter housing. An injector transports the meat product into the rotating cutter housing inlet at a velocity V1 and an ejector transports the incised meat product from the rotating cutter housing at velocity V3. In operation, a cylindrical meat product is inserted into the injector which prevents the meat product from rotating and transports it into the rotating blades that incise a pattern of helical spiral cuts into the surface of the meat product. The action of the blades upon the meat product pushes the meat product along the longitudinal axis at a velocity V2. An ejector prevents the meat product from rotating and transports the incised meat product from the cutting blades.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically scoring the hock portion of a poultry leg to sever the surrounding skin and soft connective tissues from the underlying bone which is characterized by employing oppositely directed water knives aligned at a right angle to the linear path of travel of a vertically disposed poultry leg to effect a complete circumferential cut about the periphery of the hock area in a single pass through the water knives. The water knives are formed by a plurality of water jets or streams emitted from a horizontally disposed manifold mounted within a protective housing to contain the spray of water created and direct the waste water to a collection area.

Abstract: A device and method for superficially incising a sausage-like meat product includes a plurality of rotatable cutting elements which are arranged to define a chute therebetween. Each cutting element includes a cylinder and has a circular blade which projects radially from the cylinder. The centers of the respective blades, also located in the cylinder, define a base plane and the blades are all similarly tilted to rotate in tilt planes which are angled from the base plane. In the operation of the device, all cutting elements are simultaneously rotated and a meat product is inserted into the chute. Rotation of the cutting elements simultaneously causes the cylinder to draw the meat product through the chute and causes the blades on the cylinder to superficially cut a helical shaped incision into the meat product. The depth of the cuts are established by the projection of the blades, and the pitch of the helical incisions, can be controlled by the tilting of the cutting elements.

Abstract: A loin separation apparatus and method of operation therefor controls a loin knife assembly in a manner which simulates the anthropomorphic motions of a human operator during a loin pulling operation. The loin knife assembly includes a U-shaped knife blade which is mounted to an arm which is connected to the apparatus through a universal joint to permit lateral and vertical displacement of the knife blade. Moreover, the separation between the sides of the loin knife may be varied. The combination of lateral displacement and varying the separation between the sides of the blade enables the sides of the knife blade to follow separate profiles. The loin separation apparatus generates customized cutting profiles and/or modifies standard cutting profiles for the loin knife assembly, as well as for a scribe saw assembly which may also be included on the apparatus, based upon the particular dimensions, contours, etc. of a specific side of meat.

Abstract: A sausage cutter comprised of a cutting block having two portions. Each of the two portions has an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface. The two portions are hingedly secured together at the lower surface thereof. Each inner surface has a longitudinally oriented concave recess formed therein. When the two portions are closed together each concave recess forms a containment chamber. Each of the two portions has a plurality of transversely oriented slots extending downwardly through the upper surface thereof to a position below the longitudinally oriented concave recess. The two portions serve to contain a sausage within the containment chamber formed by the longitudinally oriented concave recesses as the two portions are closed together.