Abstract: A carcass cutting system including a belt positioned below a conveyor such as to stabilise a carcass during imaging and/or cutting operations. An offset section of conveyor track in the region of the belt may be utilized to urge the carcass against the belt. Imagining may use an optical imaging system, an X-ray imaging system, a laser scanning camera, a time of flight camera or a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry system. Imaging information may be used to calculate cutting paths and/or weight distribution of carcass portions. Cutting may be performed by a robotic cutter using a circular saw or a circular knife.

Abstract: A system for processing a suspended beef carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path. A robotic arm is carried on a moveable table and has mounted thereon a servo motor-driven band saw capable of effecting a splitting operation on the beef carcass. The band saw is counterbalanced by a mass having a weight less than the weight of the band saw, and the robotic arm has a maximum load-carrying capacity less than the weight of the band saw. A torque monitor for the servo motor detects breaks in the band saw or breaks in the support for the band saw. A vision-based sensor system detects location of a tail bone on the beef carcass and identifies an age-indicating indicia. The system includes a controller in communication with the carcass rail, the carcass processing device and motor, and the vision-based sensor system.

Abstract: A system for processing a suspended beef carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path. A robotic arm is carried on a moveable table and has mounted thereon a servo motor-driven band saw capable of effecting a splitting operation on the beef carcass. The band saw is counterbalanced by a mass having a weight less than the weight of the band saw, and the robotic arm has a maximum load-carrying capacity less than the weight of the band saw. A torque monitor for the servo motor detects breaks in the band saw or breaks in the support for the band saw. A vision-based sensor system detects location of a tail bone on the beef carcass and identifies an age-indicating indicia. The system includes a controller in communication with the carcass rail, the carcass processing device and motor, and the vision-based sensor system.

Abstract: A system for processing a suspended beef carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path. A robotic arm is carried on a moveable table and has mounted thereon a servo motor-driven band saw capable of effecting a splitting operation on the beef carcass. The band saw is counterbalanced by a mass having a weight less than the weight of the band saw, and the robotic arm has a maximum load-carrying capacity less than the weight of the band saw. A torque monitor for the servo motor detects breaks in the band saw or breaks in the support for the band saw. A vision-based sensor system detects location of a tail bone on the beef carcass. The system includes a controller in communication with the carcass rail, the carcass processing device and motor, and the vision-based sensor system.

Abstract: A livestock head splitting apparatus of a rotary type rotates a plurality of head trays and respective blades sequentially through loading, head-splitting and discharge stations spaced around the shaft, and in a head splitting mode, drives each head tray and blade relatively toward one another in the head splitting station. In a unique cleaning mode, the trays and blades are instead kept apart throughout the rotation to maximize the exposure of each tray to a spray of cleaning fluid directed into the apparatus. A computerized control system cooperates with an electric motor to drive the rotation and give a degree of user-control over operational aspects of the motor, such as the running speed of the apparatus in the cleaning and head splitting modes and a jogging speed of the apparatus used to index the head trays to desirable locations.

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 installation for splitting hog carcasses or equivalent, comprises support means (1) for carcasses having components (2) for suspending carcasses, a splitting tool (4) supported by a splitting head (5), displaced in a splitting plane, a dorsal support device (6) and a ventral support device (7), suitable for being displaced in the splitting plane and for providing a fixed and predetermined relative positioning of the carcass in relation to the splitting plane, support means for the splitting head (5), support means for the dorsal support device (6) and for the ventral support device (7), motor means for displacing the splitting tool (4), means for displacing the splitting head (5), means for displacing the dorsal support device (6) and the ventral support device (7), control means, and at least one robot (8, 9, 16), supporting at least one portion of the support means for the splitting head (5), of the support means for the dorsal support device (6) and of the support means for the ventral support device (

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for driving a splitting tool holder intended for an animal carcass splitting machine including a main carriage having sliding guide means for a splitting tool holder; a splitting tool holder supporting a splitting tool; means for driving the splitting tool in order to make it operational; operation programming means; means for slidingly driving the tool holder carried by the main carriage and connected to the tool holder and means for controlling said driving means, characterised on the one hand, by electric driving means which can be stopped in one or several adjustable precise known positions considered as reference positions for the splitting tool; on the other hand, in that the control means are able to control not only the operation and stoppage of the electric driving means but also the adjustment in position thereof, in order to adjust the reference position of the splitting tool according to the needs; the reference positions for the splitting tool being selected amon

Abstract: A guide for providing a controlled cut down a longitudinal length of a spine of a carcass using a backsaw includes first and second guide members, wherein the guide members are preferably interconnected by a lateral bracing member. The guide members are fixedly secured to a blade guide of the backsaw. The guide members include a front surface sloped relative to the front of the blade guide. In use, the guide members contact the carcass on either side of the spine and maintain a blade alignment down the spinal column of the carcass.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for cutting up the belly of a slaughtered animal has a cutter for performing a cutting function in a cutting direction (SR), and a displacement element (5) which applies a forces on a predetermined area of the outer surface of the belly of the animal and at a distance from the cutter. The apparatus (1) further has a suspension element (40) to which the displacement element (5) is pivotally attached around an axis of rotation (28). The axis of rotation (28) forms an obtuse or an acute angle with the cutting direction (SR), so that rotation of the displacement member, oriented by the inclined axis of rotation, displaces the animal skin laterally away from the cutter.

Abstract: A method for dividing a body of slaughtered poultry is described, wherein the body hangs down by its legs from a transport means, is transported with the breast leading in the direction of transport and is cut through during transport thereof by means of a first cutting operation, wherein the body is brought into a position inclined to the direction of transport before and during the first cutting operation so that the legs are located in front of the remaining body, wherein the body is moved towards a spike in such a manner that the spike enters a rear opening between the legs located between the legs of the body and the first cutting operation is performed in a diagonal direction in a plane which essentially extends between the thighs of the legs and the spike so that the body is divided into a rear half including the legs, the thigh portions corresponding to the legs and a back portion, and a front half including a breast portion and a main proportion of the back portion of the body, wherein the front half

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for dividing a piece of meat containing at least one elongate bone structure, for example a spinal column, such that this elongate bone structure is also divided. The apparatus includes for this purpose a positioning assembly for positioning the piece of meat and a continuously movable knife for dividing a positioned piece of meat. The invention also relates to an apparatus for removing marrow from at least one piece of bone.

Abstract: A carcass splitting apparatus 10 splits the carcass of an animal suspended by a suspension mechanism from an overhead conveyor. The apparatus includes a frame and a carriage assembly for moving along the frame. A drive mechanism moves the carriage along the frame and a saw is connected to the carriage for general vertical movement to split the carcass. A suspension member pusher is connected to the assembly for controlling movement of the carcass independent of the overhead conveyor. The apparatus includes a plurality of hydraulic cylinders and transducers to monitor the locations of the various components of the carcass splitting apparatus.

Abstract: An automatic device for cutting the legs of pork carcasses laying transversally onto a conveyor. A support carrier is mounted onto a frame extending close to the conveyor in such a manner as to be movable toward and away from the conveyor. The support carrier supports a circular saw extending in a vertical plane parallel to the moving direction of the conveyor at a sufficient height to cut the legs projecting away from the same. The support carrier also supports a device called "feeler" that is pivotably hung to a horizontal pivot at a predetermined distance from the saw, which corresponds to the average length for the legs to be cut. A control system is operatively connected to a presence sensor mounted in such a manner to detect the legs of the carcasses when these legs reach the feeler. The control system is also connected to a motion detector that detects any swing of the feeler, and to a power jack for moving the support carrier.

Abstract: Disclosed is a middle splitter for use in splitting middles of processed animals. This middle splitter has a work table onto which a conveyor belt is mounted. The conveyor belt is slotted along its length. A circular saw extends in the slot of the conveyor belt to cut the middle laid on the conveyor belt as it moves forward. A guide extends parallel to the slot and above the conveyor belt. This guide holds the middle flat against the belt as it is cut. A driving wheel having a vertical axis and peripheral corrugations is driven by a motor to pull the middle towards the saw and push the spine of the middle towards the guide while exerting a pressure to it. The guide includes two proximity switches operatively connected to the pressure-exerting device in such a manner that the pressure exerted by the wheel onto the spine is varied while the middle moves forward. The guide may further include a block located opposite the saw to distance the spine from the saw.

Abstract: The hog's head, in the upside-down position, is moved jaw first across a table where a jaw removal bar engages under the lower jaw. The snout has been previously loosened by a slash on each side behind the snout. The loosened snout gravitates through a snout slot in the table. Below the snout slot, a snout puller clamp engages the snout. At the same time, the jaw removal bar swings the lower jaw up and back. The snout puller swings away beneath the table to pull off the snout and attached faceplate tissue. The snout is released, and the snout puller returns for the next cycle.

Abstract: A single natural butterfly boneless breast of chicken interconnected by an intermediary portion or central spine is conveyed towards two horizontally oriented saw blades which cut across through approximately 80-95%, preferably 85-90% and most preferably 90% of the width of the single natural butterfly boneless breast to leave an intermediary portion or central spine of width of 5-20% of the single natural butterfly boneless breast at a central portion of the single natural butterfly boneless breast. A single saw blade located downstream from the two horizontally aligned saw blades is aligned perpendicular to the two horizontally aligned saw blades so as to form a longitudinal cut down through the centrally located intermediary portion or spine of the single natural butterfly boneless breast so as to separate the single natural breast into two portions.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening a carcass hide preparatory to removal of the hide (20) from the carcass (26). The apparatus includes a clearing blade (11) with a leading cutting edge (16) which is inserted between the hide (20) and subcutaneous tissues (21) and is advanced along the carcass (26) to separate the hide (20). An opening blade (31) trails behind the clearing blade (11) and creates an opening cut along the hide. The hide edges (22, 23) peel up and outwardly and can be clamped. A drive arrangement (50) includes a mounting (51) for the clearing blade (11) and the opening blade (30) and drive means (52) to advance the mounting (51) along a track (56) located adjacent to the carcass (26). Rump lifting means (65) elevates the carcass rump to the desired height for starting the hide opening at the cleared opening (61) at the anus.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically processing an animal carcass (8). Suspension means (122, 123) suspends the carcass (8) in an inverted position with the spine inclined upwardly towards the neck (11) with the spine located beneath the carcass (8) and so that the diaphragm (119) is approximately vertical. A cutting assembly, (130) moves into the abdominal cavity adjacent to the diaphragm (119), and a cutting means (28) cuts the diaphragm (119) around the periphery. A brisket shearing means (21) cuts the brisket (20) with a shearing action along the brisket (20) from the abdomen and towards the neck end of the brisket (20). The reaction member (188) is pivotally movable relative to the brisket (20) about a rear end to generally follow the contours of the brisket (20).

Abstract: An apparatus for severing the fillets from fish rumps comprises cutting tools each composed of pairs of circular knives for cutting free the belly spokes, the back spokes and the ribs or vertebral appendages, respectively. The last mentioned cutting tool has a double function which consists in that each circular knife of this tool is associated with a guiding element, which, in its rest position, lies against the inner face of the circular knife with its guiding face. The guiding edges of the guiding elements support the vertebrae of the vertebral column and can be displaced within the cutting planes of the circular knives and can be controlled, in their displaced position, into a position in which a gap for the passage of the ribs or the vertebral appendages is opened between the inner face of the circular knives and the guiding face. The displacement of the guiding elements occurs by the effect of transporting disks, which support the vertebrae of the vertebral column on the opposing side.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of cutting meat. The apparatus and method is particularly directed to separating a backbone portion from a rib portion of a piece of meat. The apparatus is comprised of a vertical orientation unit for vertically orienting the piece of meat. The orientation unit includes a longitudinal receiving channel having a generally horizontal top surface, the surface having a slot. The width of the slot accommodates the rib portion but not the backbone portion so that the backbone portion is held above the orientation unit. A moving unit is provided and is adapted to contact the backbone portion for moving the piece of meat horizontally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the channel. A cutting unit is provided which includes a saw blade, a portion of which is oriented horizontally, wherein the cutting unit horizontally cuts the rib portion from the backbone portion.

Abstract: A fish processing unit for longitudinally quartering a fish during a single pass through the unit. A fish is laid on its side and longitudinally oriented in alignment with the direction of travel of a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt passes over the top surface of a front table assembly, then into a fish quartering assembly, and then on to the top surface of a rear table assembly. Within the interior of the fish quartering assembly are mounted a plurality of circular blades that are driven by hydraulic motors. Two of the circular blades are vertically oriented in the same plane with one spaced above the other a predetermined height H1. Two other pairs of horizontally oriented circular blades have their inner edges aligned with each other and they are positioned to the respective sides of the vertically oriented circular blades. What starts out as a whole fish exits the fish quartering assembly in four quarter pieces and a throw portion that includes the backbone of the fish.