Abstract: A crab meat removing machine is described to facilitate separation of crab meat from its exoskeleton or shell. The machine includes a number of specifically located rollers at a discharge end of an elongated belt type conveyor. Crab bodies and crab legs are placed on the belt conveyor which operates to move the bodies and legs in a prescribed direction toward the rollers. A first roller is situated above the discharge for the elongated conveyor while a second roller tangentially engages the first roller and is located downstream of the conveyor discharge. A space is thus provided between the second roller and conveyor discharge through which meat may fall. The crab parts moving on the conveyor are first engaged between the conveyor and first roller. These two members act as a gripping mechanism by which the crab parts are firmly held while being directed on downstream to engagement with the peripheral surface of the second roll.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for automatically butchering crabs. The machine includes a conveyor for transporting successive crabs in an inverted condition past a series of spaced work stations. At a first work station the carapace is removed as the conveyor moves the crab past a carapace removing means. Side brushes at a second and third station rotate to remove the gills while jets of water are sprayed against the exposed bottom side to remove the viscera. The conveyor moves the crabs continuously along the prescribed path during this operation. Finally, a guillotine apparatus is positioned along the prescribed path at a fourth work station to successively sever the legs from the crab bodies. The eviscerated, legless bodies then drop into a receiving bin. The conveyor is controlled so as to move at a relatively slow rate while the crab carcasses move through each successive work station. The speed is then increased as the crabs move from one station to another.