Abstract: A fleshing machine for removing fat and fleshy membranes from a hide or pelt, which includes a fixed position roller with many shaped cavities. Each cavity extends from an opening on the surface of the roller into the roller. A plurality of knives are contained one or more within each cavity. Each knife has a shaped cutting head which, in use, protrudes from the surface of the roller. The knives and cavities are so shaped that each knife is capable of limited reciprocal movement in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the roller.

Abstract: A system of removing the pelt or skin from a carcass of an animal and in particular a sheep which involves working up the carcass so that the skin is removable substantially as an envelope from trunk regions, clamping the worked up pelt and inserting a trunk encircling device between the clamped worked up pelt and the trunk of the carcass thereby clearing the skin therefrom and clearing the rear legs of the animal by causing movement of the carcass relative to the inserted device which results in the rear legs of the carcass being pulled up within the skin envelope to thus clear the skin from the rear legs.

Abstract: Apparatus for machine scalping and possibly total pelting of a worked up carcass of an animal such as a sheep which uses a composite roller capable of being machine rotated in at least one rotational direction, the roller having a first portion and a second portion movable with respect to each other so as to clamp before the rolling off of the scalp and to release upon reversal after previous operation the grip on the scalp. The apparatus is actuable so as to cause the phased movements required for first gripping the pelt for scalping and then the release of any pelt removed by the composite roller.

Abstract: A pelting method which utilizes a roller which is engaged with the pelt at the head region of a worked up carcass which has been worked up so that the pelt can be removed by rolling substantially as a sheet. The rolling is effected in such a way that the inside of the pelt is exposed around the roller as the roller winds the pelt completely from the carcass. After the pelt has been removed the roller is reversed to allow the easy removal thereof.