Abstract: A cutting apparatus cuts a string in a workpiece by bringing a cutter into contact with the workpiece while rotating the workpiece supported by a clamper. The workpiece supported by the clamper is restrained by a holding member from the opposite side from the cutter. The holding member is elastically supported by a support part.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically suspending poultry by the legs from a carrier of a carrier conveyor. The system can include an imaging device connected to a decision-making tool to process images from the poultry on a feedline and a vision guided robot for picking up the poultry from a feedline. The poultry can be suspended from the carrier of the carrier conveyor. The decision-making tool can be arranged to detect poultry with the breast engaging the feedline to control the vision guided robot to pick up the poultry from the feedline.

Abstract: An electric powerhead device includes an elongated pole having a penetrating head that is positioned along the second end of the pole. The penetrating head includes a metallic and electrically conductive shaft, sharpened tip and barbs for engaging a target. A pair of electrodes are provided along the shaft and are connected to a power source within the pole. The power source includes a plurality of batteries that provide power to the device components. A power output unit amplifies and sends power to the electrodes based on a command from a user interface. The power output is adjustable via the user interface to either stun or dispatch a target. The pole is buoyant for being thrown into the water and delivers an electric shock upon detecting that the penetrating head has made contact with the target. A connector is provided on the pole and is secured to a rope.

Abstract: An electric snatch hook system includes a hook having a plurality of hook segments each having a curved shape, a sharpened tip, and a plurality of electrodes. A control panel having a system controller, a user interface, a power source, and a power output unit is connected to the hook via an elongated tether and a control wire. The power source includes a plurality of batteries that provide power to the device components. The power output unit amplifies and sends power to the plurality of electrodes based on a command from the user interface. The power output is calculated to stun and immobilize a alligator for between about 1 and 3 minutes, to allow a user time to haul the alligator onto a boat or shoreline via the tether.

Abstract: A tool for removing leaf lard from an animal carcass includes a mandrel to wind a leaf lard. The mandrel includes a suction cavity with a round opening to engage with a part of the leaf lard. A first air device is located inside the mandrel for aspirating and blowing air into and away from the suction cavity. The mandrel can comprise at least one pushing device to loosen and push away a leaf lard wound around the mandrel, and at least one pushing element located inside and/or in front of the pushing device to be directed underneath a leaf lard. The tool may be used in a method for loosening or removing leaf lard from an animal carcass. The tool may be part of a system for automatic loosening or removing leaf lard from an animal carcass, the system may comprise robot arms, identification system and controlling system.

Abstract: A fish processing system includes a measurement sensor configured to measure a distance across a head of a fish as the fish moves along a conveyor. A drive mechanism provides movement of a blade across a transport path of the fish along the conveyor in response to the determined distance to accurately sever the head of the fish based on the size of the fish. The system may also include a detection sensor for closing a wall of a trough to reject fish with heads that are not properly removed by the blade as well as an adjustment cylinder to vary a position of a conveyor relative to a fish processing subsystem to avoid jamming. Related methods for severing a portion of each fish in a series of transported fish based on the size of each fish are also provided.

Abstract: A tortoise electric slaughtering device includes an electric slaughtering box, an end of the box is disposed with an outlet, a bottom wall of another end thereof is disposed with a concave area, and a discharging plate is mounted at the outlet. The box is supported on a ground through a frame, and a bottom of the box and an upper surface of the frame have a gap therebetween. A driving wheel rotatably disposed between side walls at one end of the box, a driven wheel rotatably mounted on an end of the frame away from the driving wheel, deflector rollers mounted in a slope direction between side walls of the box at the concave area, and a guiding roller mounted on the box and near the driven wheel, are connected through a conveyer belt. A clamping device is mounted on the box and mounted with a cutting device.

Abstract: A scraper for removing undesired parts from a neck area of slaughtered poultry can include a mandrel and forwardly directed projections that are arranged to operate during use in the neck area of the slaughtered poultry, wherein the forwardly directed projections form part of at least one plate, and wherein while being mounted on the mandrel the at least one plate is movable relative to the mandrel.

Abstract: A poultry leg meat deboning device is configured to perform a separation of a meat part from a femur with respect to a poultry leg meat to which a peeling off of the meat part has been performed until a side of a knee joint of the femur in a bone-in poultry leg meat which has been cut from a femur of a poultry carcass. The poultry leg meat deboning device includes: an ankle holding part configured to hold an ankle of the poultry leg meat.

Abstract: A coextrusion head for a food processing machine includes a feed line section having an inner pipe for conducting in the production direction a food mass to be formed into a strand. An inlet end of the inner pipe is connectable to an outlet of a stuffing machine. A housing extends in the production direction from the feed line section and surrounding the inner pipe. A receiving chamber, formed between the inner pipe and the housing, for a casing material to be applied to the strand. The receiving chamber has a housing inlet for the casing material. The feed line section and the housing are integrally embodied and the coextrusion head further includes a die attachment that has a die opening shaped correspondingly to the inner pipe and that is connected to the housing. A food processing machine having a coextrusion head and a corresponding assembly method are disclosed.

Abstract: A fish stunning device includes a submersible main body with a watertight interior that houses an electronic suite. The main body is securable onto a fishing line and includes internal weights for traveling underwater along the length of the line. A plurality of resilient malleable protrusions each having an electrode extend outward from the main body. Each of the electrodes is connected to the electronic suite and function to impart an electrical shock onto a fish that is engaged with a hook on the end of the fishing line. The electronic suite has a power source for receiving and storing an electrical charge and a power output unit for amplifying and discharging the electrical charge to the electrodes. A system controller communicates with a pressure switch and a user interface to selectively activate the electrodes underwater.

Abstract: A method of preparing an animal for slaughter, said method comprising at least one the steps of subjecting the animal to a gaseous muscle relaxant without inducing unconsciousness of the animal; and stunning the animal in a space using a gas composition suitable for stunning.

Abstract: A shrimp processing system conveys raw peeled shrimps to an imaging chamber in which shrimp bits and shrimps with residual shell are detected and diverted from the stream of acceptable shrimps allowed to pass on to downstream processing. An ultraviolet (UV) light source in the imaging chamber is constantly on. A visual inspection system takes images of the passing stream of shrimp when a white-light source is turned on to illuminate an exposure region to detect bits, clumps of shrimps, and acceptable individual shrimps. The visual inspection system takes images of the passing stream when the white-light source is turned off and the exposure region is subjected only to ultraviolet radiation. The visual inspection system detects shrimps with residual shell in the UV images. Shrimp bits and shrimps with residual shell are diverted from the stream of shrimps by air jet nozzles to corresponding reject destinations.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods and systems for carcass processing options based on a primal/subprimal weights and yield training module. In one embodiment, the methods and systems disclosed herein use automated methods to process image data, process the image data using one or more trained modules, and determine carcass processing options based on an estimated weight calculation output from the trained modules, without using a scale-based weight measurement as an input.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for twist linking tubular casings for stuffing tubular casings is disclosed. A method for twist linking tubular casings includes twisting a tubular casing such that the number of twists per portion or per group of portions is varied during the processing of a tubular casing. An apparatus for twist linking tubular casings, which is configured to twist the tubular casings to form portions having a variable number of twists per portion or per group of portions, includes a control unit configured to perform the disclosed method for twist linking tubular casings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus M for cleaning poultry giblets X. These giblets X enter the apparatus M through an inlet gutter M0 and are dispensed through an outlet gutter M6. The apparatus M comprises pre-cleaning rollers 3 and 4 arranged under a guiding assembly M1 that directs the giblets X to a gripping and transporting conveyor chain M2 for transporting the giblets X from the pre-cleaning rollers 3 and 4 to a pressing assembly M5, passing through a cutting element M3 and a washing assembly M4 for the giblets X. The apparatus M also comprises a gutter 6 that directs the giblets X to a cleaning system L installed transversely in the apparatus M, enabling the traction of these giblets X from the gutter 6 to the outlet gutter M6. In addition, the invention also describes a method for cleaning poultry giblets X, applied in the apparatus M.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for processing a backhalve of a slaughtered poultry carcass, comprising a back portion and legs, and transported by a conveyor in a suspended manner. The system comprises a back turning device, having a stationary frame and a receiving element movably connected to the frame and configured to receive at least a part of the back portion and configured to be moved in the conveying direction with at least said part of the back portion received in the receiving element during continued movement of the backhalve so as to turn the back portion upside-down; and a separation device for separating the legs from the back portion with the back portion in said upside-down orientation.

Abstract: A method of mechanically removing skin from animal parts that have a bone part extending therein, including moving the animal parts, suspended on shackles depending from an overhead conveyor, along a path of travel and cutting the part to separate the skin therefrom. The part moves into a skinning station in which the part is urged into engagement with skinning rolls. The skinning rolls are rotated and engage and draw the skin of the part therebetween. The skin is progressively pulled downwardly and away from underlying meat of the animal part as the part moves forwardly along its path of travel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating meat from bone. Meat-laden bones are fed to a compression screw rotating within a barrel. The compression screw and the barrel cooperate to progressively compress the meat-laden bones to force the meat-laden bones radially outward against an inner wall of the barrel as the meat-laden bones move axially along the compression screw. At least a portion of the meat is separated from the meat-laden bones by forcing the meat through apertures in the barrel while inhibiting the meat-laden bones from co-rotating along within the barrel with the compression screw. In one embodiment, inhibiting the meat-laden bones from co-rotating within the barrel along with the compression screw is accomplished by cooperation of guide channels extending axially along an inner surface of the barrel with curved fillets extending between a root of the compression screw and screw flights of the compression screw.

Abstract: An electric gaff hook device includes an elongated pole having at least one hook that is positioned along the distal end. Each of the hooks including a curved shape, a sharpened tip, and a plurality of electrodes. A controller, user interface, power source and power output unit are provided along the pole. The power output unit receives power from the power source and sends amplified power to the plurality of electrodes based on a command from the user interface. The power discharged by the electrodes functions to stun and immobilize a fish for between about 1 and 3 minutes. A spike is provided along the distal end of the pole and includes a plurality of apertures forming a channel for receiving an elongated wire to euthanize and perform ike jime on the stunned fish.