Abstract: The invention concerns a device for the gripping and retention of part of a split carcass by the spinal column (17), and the conveyance of that part essentially in the lengthwise direction of the spinal column, while retaining it by the spinal column during processing of the carcass part by means of cutting tools. The device comprises a mainly rectilinear conveyor (10) with retention elements (11) connected as links in an endless chain, with each element having a first section (21) with a contact surface (22) for a first side of the spinal column and a second section (25) with a pressure surface (26) for a second side of the spinal column. The two sections of each element are designed to allow the contact surface (22) and the pressure surface (26) to be relatively moved towards and away from each other in a direction across the conveyor's direction of conveyance.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for mechanical removal of a spinal column part from a part carcass (12), such as a fore-end of a pig carcass, comprising tools for separating the spinal column part from the part carcass by cuts along the spinal column part, and conveyor and guide arrangements for providing a relative movement between the tools and the part carcass during cutting. A first cutting tool (18, 49) is used for mechanically separating the meat on the part carcass from the spinous processes and the dorsal side of the spinal column. The tool has a tapering knife blade (19, 50) with a cutting edge (22) along a first edge and a knife part (20, 51) along a second edge of the tapering blade (19, 50). The knife part (20, 51) is mounted mainly at right angles to the blade and has a cutting edge along the edge closest to the tip of the tapering blade (19, 50).