Abstract: An apparatus for deboning a chicken leg includes a conveyor for holding the leg by the hock, a plunge knife device for severing the knee joint and pulling the femur from the thigh meat, a cutting device for severing the tendons at the hock of the leg, and a scraper for pulling the drumstick meat along the tibia and fibia toward the knee. The scraping mechanism includes a laterally movable carriage supporting at least one pair of jaws having notches along their edges to clear the leg bones, a first air cylinder for closing and opening the jaws, and a second air cylinder for moving the carriage away from the hock-restraining conveyor.

Abstract: The tibula, fibia and femur of a whole poultry leg are removed by making a lengthwise cut along the inside of the leg, along the rear of the tibula and femur, then making a lateral cut part way through the knee joint, then supporting the thigh and bending the knee joint to expose the end of the femur, then plunging a cup-type knife over the exposed end of the femur and through the knee joint, to sever the ligaments in the joint and separate the exposed end of the femur from the thigh flesh, then moving the knife laterally of the femur axis to withdraw the femur through the lengthwise cut in the thigh, and then removing the tibula and fibia through the lengthwise cut in the drumstick. An apparatus for automatically performing a portion of the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting breast-attached wings into segments includes a conveyor chain for carrying the wings, attached to whole breasts, along respective gaps between panels on either side of the breasts and over a rotating knife for removing the wing tips, thence over a stationary knife for removing the flat segments, and finally past rotating knives for removing the drumettes from the breasts. Fully automatic and particularly accurate cuts are obtained.