Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a flighted conveyor insert for robotic picking of food products and a flighted conveyor having the same. In one forth, an insert for a flighted conveyor, such as a bucket chain, defines a forward edge configured for insertion through an aperture of a flight of the flighted conveyor such that when the insert is attached to the flight, the forward edge is positioned on a first side of the flight; and a rear edge configured such that when the insert is attached to the flight, the rear edge is positioned on a second side of the flight that is oppose to the first side of the flight.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to devices for manipulating meat pieces and methods therefore. In one form, a device comprises a chute, a conveyor, a backstop, and a paddle wheel. The chute is configured to hold pieces of a food product, and the conveyor is configured to receive pieces of the food product released from the chute. The first backstop is positioned above the conveyor and comprises a plate that is configured to align pieces of food product received at the conveyor into a single row. The paddle wheel is positioned above the conveyor downstream from the first backstop and is configured to manipulate the single row of pieces of food product traveling along the conveyor and cause only a single layer of pieces of food product to discharge from the conveyor.