Abstract: A sausage-making machine for pushing a mixture for sausages and other similar products, also produced with relatively fluid filling, comprises: a casing with a hopper-forming lid with a feeder; a rotor; pistons disposed around the rotor axis and movable along directions parallel to the axis of said rotor within through cavities provided in said rotor, said pistons and relevant cavities possibly having a cross-section in the form of circular ring sectors; and between the rotor and the lid, a sealing liner made of self-lubricating synthetic resin, which is retained against rotation and is removable.

Abstract: A method of lubricating the passage of meat emulsion through the stuffing horn of a meat emulsion encasing machine is disclosed, involving forcing meat emulsion under a first magnitude of pressure through a passage into the inlet of a stuffing horn; then providing a first concentric ring of fluid under a second magnitude of pressure around the passage; and then providing a second tapered concentric ring of fluid around the passage with the tapered concentric ring having an outer perimeter of greater depth than its inner perimeter, and with the outer perimeter being in communication with the first concentric ring and its inner perimeter being in communication with the passage.

Abstract: An enclosure is provided in which a crab shell part having exposed meat cavities may be held in alignment with selectively operable water jet discharge structure for the purpose of extracting the meat from the shell cavities. Different crab shell portions may be variously cut to expose the meat containing cavities thereof to enable substantially total extraction of meat from the shell cavities. In addition, selectively movable abutment surface structure may be mounted adjacent the water jet discharge structure and utilized to manually stationarily support the tail of a crayfish in precise position for discharging a jet of water into the vent of the crayfish tail to thereby forceable eject meat from the crayfish tail, the abutment surface having a sharpened blade point operatively associated therewith and positioned to open and clean the vein of the crayfish tail as the meat is ejected from the shell thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for installing a plastic carrier onto a plurality of side-by-side cans includes a pair of canted discs arranged for rotation around non-coincident intersecting axes. A number of shoes around the periphery of each disc, engage opposite edges of the carrier and expand the carrier as the discs rotate, while a conveyor moves the side-by-side cans into registry with the expanded carrier. A rolling depressor, between the discs, presses downwardly on the expanded carrier, urging the carrier away from the shoes and onto the cans.

Abstract: In a machine for gutting fish, particularly trout and salmon, wherein the fish is guided through the machine in swimming position, and wherein the machine comprises tools for cutting the fish's belly, removal of the intestines, cutting the abdominal membrane covering the blood rim, and removal of the blood rim, one has aimed to provide a tool for cutting said abdominal membrane such that the blood rim is not torn up, and such that the rear part of the abdominal cavity of the fish is not damaged. This is achieved in that the cutting tool for the abdominal membrane consists of a rotary knife disc (4) having a V-shaped circumference portion (4', 4"). When such a knife disc (4) approaches the rear edge of the abdominal cavity of the fish, the fish will be raised by the V-shaped circumference portion of the knife disc, so that one avoids that the knife discs causes damages in the rear part of the abdominal cavity of the fish.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dividing up the carcass of a slaughtered bird, the carcass being suspended by its feet from a transport means, being transported with the breast to the front in the transport direction and, during transport thereof, being cut through by means of a cutting operation, the carcass being brought, before and during the cutting operation, into an oblique position relative to the transport direction such that the feet are placed in front of the remainder of the carcass, while an edge section, forming a boundry with the breast, of the rear opening, present between the feet of the carcass, is lowered from between the feet, and the cutting operation is carried out in a transverse direction in a plane extending between the lowered edge section and the thighs, so that the carcass is divided up into a rear half comprising the feet, thigh portions corresponding to the feet and a back portion, and a front half comprising a breast portion and a main portion of the back portion of the carcass, the fro

Abstract: Apparatus for the production of a coherent meat product from pieces of deboned meat, including meat derived from birds, fish, crustaceans and molluscs. The apparatus comprises receiver (11) for receiving pieces of deboned meat, meat tenderizer (33) adapted to form in the meat a plurality of cuts, scores or tears, conveyor (25) to convey the meat pieces from the receiver (11) to the tenderized (33). The meat is agglomerated by a meat reformer (44) which comprises a hopper to receive the tenderized meat pieces, a tubular member (46) extending outwardly from the hopper, a helical conveyor (45) adapted to convey meat pieces into a container (57) slidably disposed on the tube. The conveyor (45) carries at its free end a comb (54) adapted to engage with meat pieces being conveyed through the tube and to press them uniformly into the container (57).

Abstract: A fish filleting device includes a pair of thin and parallel clamping plates each having an elongated fish body receiving opening therein. The clamping plates have opposing surfaces which engage and fixedly clamp fins on the fish when the body of the fish is received in the openings in the clamping plates. Structure is provided on each of the clamping plates for facilitating a pressing of the clamping plates together. A releasable lock is provided for locking the clamping plates together in the pressed together condition to cause side flanks of the fish body to extend beyond planes defined by oppositely facing surfaces on the clamping plates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing gizzards uses a gizzard splitter, a gizzard defatter and a gizzard peeler. The splitter includes upper and lower conveyors which define pockets for receiving an individual poultry gizzard. The pockets retain the gizzard as it is pushed over a rotating probe. The rotating probe includes a nipple-shaped head which washes foreign matter from the gizzard. The conveyor pockets also pass the gizzard by a rotating knife which slits the gizzard. The splitter includes a spray system for cleaning the upper and lower conveyor assemblies. The gizzard defatter includes a plurality of stationary picker fingers and a rotating frame having picking fingers mounted thereon. The picking fingers engage the gizzards removing fat and other debris. The peeler includes a plurality of sets of helically cut intermeshing gizzard peeler rolls or rollers and a rotating auger. A plurality of pins are positioned on the auger. The pins contact the gizzards and flip them on the gizzard peeler rollers.

Abstract: Device for the selective transfer of slaughtered poultry, supplied on a conveyor track, to one or more discharge stations, under control of at least one grading station disposed along the conveyor track, with a control device in each discharge station for removing from the conveyor track poultry selected by the grading station, a buffer device in which the birds to be discharged can be temporarily stored, and a device for taking the birds to be discharged into the desired discharge position.

Abstract: A butchering saw (10) particularly suited for splitting hogs is provided. The saw (10) includes a cutting blade (70) which rotates in the preferred embodiment. A drive shaft (48) is provided which has a power take-off location at one end (50) operatively associated with the blade. A motor (38) serves to rotatably drive the drive shaft (48) for turning the blade and performing the cutting operations. A driving mass mechanism (86) is carried by the drive shaft (48) to assist in maintaining a constant motion of the drive shaft during butchering operations in which the blade (70) cuts through soft tissue and bone which apply varying resistances or loads to the cutting motions.

Abstract: In a gutting machine, particularly for trout and salmon, wherein the fish is guided through the machine in swimming position, and wherein the machine comprises tools for cutting the belly, removal of the intestines, cutting of the abdominal membrane covering the blood rim, and removal of the blood rim, one has aimed to achieve removal of the blood rim substantially in one continuous piece without damaging the fish. This is achieved by means of one or more stationary, in the longitudinal direction of the machine (the feeding direction of the fish) resilient scraping or cutting means (7, 8) having bow or spoon shape.

Abstract: A machine for processing objects, such as chicken leg parts or the like, includes a conveyor which has a plurality of displacement frames mounted thereon for displacement with the conveyor. Each of the displacement frames is equipped with a gripping device which grips a small portion of the object to be processed. A sawing or cutting device is arranged at an upstream portion of the trajectory of movement of the displacement frames and is operative for longitudinally cutting the respective object into two parts. An additional holding device including either oppositely located vertical nail plates or holding conveyors holds the object firmly at a cutting location, while a punch dissociates a cartilaginous joint of the object from the meat. Downstream of the additional holding device, there is arranged a spreading wedge which spreads the parts of the object apart until they break away from the zone of the object that is held by the gripping device.

Abstract: A chuck for a stuffing machine for gripping and rotating a food-filled casing about a longitudinal axis to facilitate formation of links. The chuck has a plurality of antifriction free-wheeling rollers disposed along a longitudinal bore. Torgue for rotating the stuffed casing passing through the bore is transmitted by the engagement of a side edge of each roller against the casing. The casing, moving passed the rollers, causing the rollers to turn on their own axes so that torque transmission for rotating the casing about its longitudinal axis is accomplished with minimal longitudinal drag on the casing.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing filleted flatfish comprises a conveyor means for the fillets and processing devices positioned beside the conveyor means. The processing devices preferably in the form of rotating brush means that move in a plane perpendicularly to the plane of transport of the fillets, remove the fat brims of the fillets.

Abstract: A blade means for a meat skinning machine is disclosed. The blade means involves an elongated blade element having a tapered cutting edge portion terminating in a cutting edge, and upper and lower surfaces. The blade element includes a heel portion comprising an elongated edge surface terminating in a lower heel line which is parallel to the cutting edge of the blade. The angle between the cutting edge and the heel line is greater than the angle comprising the tapered cutting edge portion. Preferably, the angle comprising the tapered cutting edge portion is in the order of 30.degree. or less, and the angle between the cutting edge and the heel line is in the order of 20.degree.-45.degree.. One embodiment of the invention provides a blade with a plastic strip partially adhered to the underside of the blade. A shoulder on the strip provides a heel line. The free edge of the blade is received in a slot in the skinning machine shoe, and the free edge of the strip conforms to the arcuate lower surface of the shoe.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing fish of the Trachurus species and an apparatus for performing the method.In order to obtain top quality products of this fish type and which a high yield, there is provided a tool for removing the bony structure at the end of the abdominal cavity which is prejudicial to precise processing. The tool comprises two circular knives acting as abdomen openers and in whose gap where is arranged a guide member with a sharp leading edge and covering the upper rear area of the cutting edges, which guide member removes the fin ray support (pterygophore) of the anal fin overlappingly connected to the first belly spoke (haemapophyses of the eleventh vertebra) together with the anal fin and the abdomen edge, so that no bearing or rearing up of the tail area impeding the separation of the lateral keeled scales, in particular, occurs.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating bone and flesh of the legs of poultry or part thereof is provided, comprising a stripper with an opening for passing through the bone and with an edge portion surrounding said opening for holding up the flesh. The stripper preferably comprises a clamping frame stretchingly supporting therein a membrane with a central circular opening for letting through the bone.

Abstract: Plucking device with two elongated, cylindrical, plucking elements positioned at some distance from each other, to be rotated in opposite directions and mounted along a conveyor track for slaughtered poultry said elements being provided with helical toothing with such a pitch, that with a suitable chosen rotational speed of the elements, the poultry is driven by the elements in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor track.

Abstract: A collapsible ring for sizing food casing during stuffing can be reduced in size for insertion onto the deshirred end of a shirred strand for efficient packaging and storage. The sizing ring is automatically expanded to the desired sizing diameter when the casing-sizing ring unit is inserted onto the stuffing horn of a filling machine.