Abstract: A separating or deboning machine, for separating soft material such as meat from hard material such as bone, includes a separating chamber through which a flighted auger extends. The separating chamber has a series of perforations in a side wall, through which soft material passes upon rotation of the auger. Pressure is maintained within a flow passage defined by the separating chamber, which forces the soft material through the separations to the exterior of the separating chamber. The separating chamber is preferably formed so as to have a parallel-type wall structure, to provide a high throughput of material. The perforations are in the form of specially configured slots which provide low pressure passages for enabling soft material to pass from the flow passage to the exterior of the separating chamber. The slots are inclined in the direction of auger rotation in an upstream-to-downstream direction.

Abstract: A process and device for disloding hard food particles from perforations of a food separation chamber utilizes a closed pressure vessel in which the separation chamber is mounted, the particles lodged in the perforations being subjected while the separation chamber is in the vessel to a predetermined pressure and temperature until the particles are gelatinized. The vessel is then rapidly depressurized for suctioning out the gelatinized material from the perforations and for cleaning and sterilizing the separation chamber.

Abstract: A slotted separation chamber for a compression type deboning machine comprises a plurality of elongated slots each formed of a pair of spaced apart side walls presenting interior side edges, and formed of a opposing arcuate end walls presenting interior arcuate end edges, the slots being oriented such that side edges lie at an angle relative to the central axis of the separation chamber so as to be tilted in the direction of rotation of an cooperating auger. The side and end edges cooperate with the fluted turns of the auger to shave or peel away the meat from the bone to produce a coarser and highly textured separated product.

Abstract: A press for separating meat from bones includes an annular pressure chamber defined by an inner slotted separation chamber surrounded by an outer slotted separation chamber for reducing pressure within the chamber by increasing the total open area in the slotted chambers through which the meat can flow, to improve upon the texture of the meat recovered, to reduce its calcium content, and to avoid the total destruction of the bone. Pressure reduction is effected by reducing the volume of the product being depressed in the annular chamber, the elongated slots of the separation chambers present shearing edges for shearing away the meat from the bone as the separation chambers are counter-rotated. A back pressure control valve automatically opens in response to annular chamber pressure acting as a flow restrictor for controlling the pressure.