Abstract: Method and device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof, in which the bird or the part thereof is firstly cooled in a short time until the core temperature of the meat is lower than the temperature at which heat-shortening occurs at the prevailing acidity; and next the bird or the part thereof is cooled further, in the course of which the core temperature of the heat remains higher than the temperature at which cold-shortening occurs at the prevailing acidity. During the cooling steps the surface is cooled to such a temperature that the germ counts or decay-causing and pathogenic micro-organisms remain below a predetermined value.

Abstract: Method and device for separating one or more organs or a part thereof from a cluster of interconnected internal organs from a slaughtered animal, making use of a fixing device which is moved through an evisceration opening into the body of the slaughtered animal, in which method a part of the cluster is fixed with the aid of and relative to the fixing device, the connection between the organs and the body is broken, and the organs are taken out of the body. The fixing is maintained after the organs have been taken out of the body and until a separating operation has been carried out on one or more organs or a part thereof in a spatial orientation determined by the fixing. The fixing is achieved by clamping a part of the cluster. During the fixing, organs can be separated from the cluster of organs with the aid of guide elements, stripping elements, separating rollers, and cutting elements.

Abstract: Device for conveying slaughtered animals or a part thereof, having a number of leg carriers, each of which is connected by way of a rotatable connecting element to a trolley of a conveyor, and runs through a track past at least one processing station. Each leg carrier is disposed eccentrically relative to the vertical axis of rotation of the corresponding connecting element.

Abstract: Method and device for mechanical removal of the viscera package from the belly cavity of slaughtered poultry hanging by the legs from hooks which are moved in a conveyor along a drawing device. For removal of the viscera package, the body of the poultry is tilted from the hanging, vertical position through a predetermined angle about an axis parallel to a line through the hip joints to a second position, in which the shoulder joints are situated at essentially the same height as or higher up than the hip joints. The latter body position thereafter remains retained during the veterinary inspection of the poultry or the carrying out of further operations on the viscera package and/or the carcass.

Abstract: A method for controlling the processing of poultry in different production lines operating in parallel, wherein the control of the processing of a specific bird or a part thereof takes place on the basis of data derived from one or more observed contours of the bird or a part thereof. For purposes of the control the data may be supplemented by the weight of the bird or part thereof. In a device for carrying out the method the observation takes place with the aid of one or more radiation sources which transmit radiation rays to one or more radiation detectors, which radiation rays can be interrupted or weakened by the birds or parts thereof passing therethrough.

Abstract: A method and device for filleting the body of a slaughtered bird, or a part thereof, the method having the following steps: making incisions in the shoulder joints while the connection between the muscles to be filleted and their wing bones remains intact; tearing away a fillet from the ribs by exerting a force which acts upon the wing concerned and is directed essentially away from the ribs; and breaking the connection between fillet and wing bone. The bird, or a part thereof, is fixed on a supporting element which is movable along a predetermined path at a predetermined speed, and which can be tilted from a neutral position, in which the shoulder side of the bird is facing upwards, to a breast position, in which the breast side of the bird is facing upwards, and to a back position in which the back of the bird is facing upwards.

Abstract: Method and device for processing the skin of a leg of a slaughtered bird. The bird or leg is moved along in a conveyor. The skin of the leg is cut through completely or almost completely in the vicinity of the knee joint between the region of the kneecap and the region of the back of the knee, the tissue lying under the skin remaining essentially intact, by conveying the leg past a cutting device and putting it in contact therewith. The leg is supported by leg positioning elements while it is passing the cutting device. The cutting depth of the cutting means is limited by a stop which is connected to the cutting means. Provision is made for a stripping device for stripping the severed thigh skin away from the suspended leg downwards. Provision is also made for a roll-up device for rolling up the drumstick skin prior to separating the leg into a thigh portion and a drumstick.

Abstract: A method and device for transverse dividing of a slaughtered bird, in which the carcass of the bird hanging by the legs in a conveyor is moved along with the breast in the direction of conveyance, the method comprising the steps of: placing the bird in an oblique position relative to the conveyance direction in such a way that the legs are in front of the rest of the carcass, viewed in the conveyance direction; bringing down the chest relative to the legs by exerting an essentially downward directed force on both sides thereof, so that the plane in which the transverse dividing operation takes place lies below the thighs and above the chest; and dividing the bird into a back half hanging from the conveyor and a front half. Prior to the dividing operation, the skin is cut through along the top edge of the thighs adjoining the chest.

Abstract: A method for removing, killing or bringing into a passive condition of bacteria on and in the skin of slaughtered, plucked poultry by a chemical, mechanical and/or temperature treatment is disclosed, wherein the treatment(s) are effected after plucking of the poultry and prior to the opening of the carcass thereof. The skin of the poultry is preferably subjected to an acid treatment with an acid solution and a heat treatment at a temperature of about 50.degree. C. for two to three minutes. The poultry can be immersed in or sprayed with water at the desired temperature, the water being mixed with an acid. Advantageously, the skin of the poultry is brushed with rotating brushing elements, at the same time spraying a spraying liquid on the poultry from above and from the sides.

Abstract: A method and device for separating the legs from a carcass of slaughtered poultry in which the carcass is positioned on the rear side, legs pointing upwards, relative to the cutters, a groin incision is made between each leg and the carcass at the side of the leg facing the carcass, and each leg is dislocated at the hip joint by pressing out each leg relative to the carcass. After dislocating the hip, a caudal hip incision is made in the remaining tissue connection between each leg and the carcass, after the two parts of each dislocated hip joint are moved a certain distance apart by applying a force acting on the hip joint ball of each hip joint, pushing the hip joint ball away from the hip joint socket prior to making the hip incision, and the legs are pulled off the carcass, essentially in the lengthwise direction of the back bone and away from the tail part.

Abstract: A method and device for performing an accurate cutting operation near the knee joint of a leg of a slaughtered animal, in particular a bird, the device comprising mechanical means, such as conveying elements and guides, for handling the leg, and cutting means, such as rotary or stationary knives for performing the cutting operation, e.g. for making an incision prior to scraping off meat of a bone or for cutting through the leg. With the device, the desired cutting accuracy is obtained by using mechanical positioning means which operate on the kneecap of the leg, which is preferably bended in the knee joint in its natural bending direction by bending means. The positioning means may comprise one or more supporting elements with a stop edge, which can be moved along the thigh of the leg to against the kneecap.

Abstract: A device for removing one or more organs or parts thereof from a slaughtered animal, in particular a bird, comprising: an organ guide device with an open organ feed end to be inserted temporarily into the slaughtered animal; an organ conveyance device for removing organs or parts thereof along the organ guide device; a separating device which is fitted near the organ feed end or along the organ guide device for making a separation in organs or connecting tissue between them at a predetermined place; and a device for establishing the position of the organs relative to the separating device. The device for establishing the position of organs may be fitted at the open organ feed end of the organ guide device and may comprise an organ feed aperture with such dimensions that first organs can pass said aperture and second organs connected to the first organs cannot pass said aperture.

Abstract: In a separating device, the heart, lungs and liver are separated from the viscera of a slaughtered bird by conveying these organs, including the gall-bladder, connected to the bird, essentially parallel to the path of the bird with a helical roller. First the heart and lungs are separated from the liver by cutting through the tissue connecting the heart and lungs, and the liver. Next, the liver is separated from the remainder of the viscera by increasing the distance between the liver and the gall-bladder, and cutting through the tissue connecting the liver and the gall-bladder.

Abstract: A device for removing abdominal fat from a slaughtered bird, comprising a scraper element which is movable through an abdominal opening between the legs, and a device for discharging the fat scraped off by the scraper element, further comprising an elongated hollow mandrel, which can be connected to a vacuum source. The mandrel at the end facing the bird is provided with a suction aperture, at a distance from which the scraper element is fitted, said scraper element being provided with a scraping edge for interacting with the complementary-shaped edge of a supporting element, for scraping the abdominal fat along the scraping edge during a movement of the scraper element interacting with the supporting element away from the bird. An installation may comprise a number of such devices.

Abstract: Device for cutting out the vent of a slaughtered bird, including an elongated centring pin, a rotatable cutting element with an axially directed cutting edge, and an axially movable positioning element. In an end position of the positioning element relative to a thickened end portion of the centring pin between these two elements an annular space is formed for the accommodation of the orbicular muscle of the vent, while in this end position between the positioning element and the thickened end portion of the centring pin an annular gap remains open with a width which is smaller than the thickness of the orbicular muscle.

Abstract: A device for making an incision around the vent of a slaughtered bird and pulling the end of the rectum out of the opening thus made, including: a centering pin which is movable relative to the bird, and is provided with a thickened end portion; and a cylindrical rotary cutter with an annular cutting edge, which cutter is movable relative to the bird and is movable coaxially relative to the centering pin. The device further comprises one or more holding elements which are recessed relative to the cutting edge and which can interact with a contacting surface of the thickened centering pin end portion situated opposite them for holding the vent between these elements and the contacting surface near or at the orbicular muscle. The drive of the cutter is designed in such a way that the cutter carries out a small number of turns during the cutting operation.

Abstract: A device for removing an elongated bone from a piece of meat comprising means for conveying the piece of meat in succession through; one or more processing stations where the meat is scraped away from the bone, at right angles to the lengthwise direction of the bone, until a certain part of the bone surface is exposed, apart from a narrow connection between the meat and the bone, while the meat removed is guided away from the bone; a processing station where the above-mentioned narrow connection is broken. In a first processing station a separation may be made along the length of the bone through the meat up to the bone. Preferably a second and a third processing station each comprise two first helical rollers provided with ribs with opposite pitch and rotating in opposite directions to each other, the helical rollers being disposed parallel to and on either side of the path of the bone.

Abstract: An elongated washer for cleaning the inside of slaughtered, eviscerated poultry, comprising a spraying element to which cleaning liquid can be fed, and radially projecting parts, running mainly in the lengthwise direction, being disposed near the spraying element, which parts are provided with sharp projections. Preferably, the sharp projections run in the lengthwise direction. The projecting parts are advantageously plate-shaped and the radial dimensions thereof, viewed in the lengthwise direction, decrease from a central part towards both ends. In a method for cleaning birds using the washer the spraying element and the projecting parts are inserted through an opening near the anus of the bird and are moved in the direction of and through the neck part.

Abstract: A method of weighing poultry includes: conveying a plurality of birds which are closely adjacent to each other toward a weighing station; disentangling the wings of the birds from each other and separating the birds from each other by turning the birds; and then, while the wings of the birds are disentangled and while the birds are separated from each other, weighing the birds at the weighing station. The birds are suspended by their legs from suspension hooks and the suspension hooks are suspended from a conveyor suspension track.

Abstract: Process for weighing poultry which is conveyed suspended by the legs from suspension hooks directed in the direction of conveyance through a conveyor suspension track past a weighing station, prior to reaching the weighing position each of the hooks is turned through such an angle that during the weighing no contact between the birds, which would adversely affect weighing, occurs with conveyor hook especially suited for carrying out this process.