A blade housing assembly for a power operated rotary knife including a split blade housing and a cam mechanism for changing a blade housing diameter between blade supporting and blade changing positions. The split blade housing includes an annular blade support section, a mounting section and a split extending through the mounting section and an inner wall of the blade support section and defining a split distance between first and second circumferential ends of the inner wall. The split includes a radial split section and an angled split section adjacent the inner wall. The mounting section includes first and second body portions on opposite sides of the split. The cam mechanism includes a cam plate bridging the first and second body portions and a cam member rotatably supported by the cam plate. The cam member is rotatable between closed and open positions to change the blade housing diameter.

A power operated rotary knife including an annular rotary knife blade supported for rotation in a blade housing. The rotary knife blade including a body and a blade section extending from the body. The body includes an outer wall including an arcuate surface having an upper region extending from a first upper end portion to a second intermediate portion and a lower region extending from the second intermediate portion to a third lower end portion. A plurality of gear teeth extend downwardly from the upper end of the body, each of the plurality of gear teeth including an outer peripheral face forming a portion of the upper region of the arcuate surface of the outer wall. The body outer wall includes a bearing surface having a lower bearing face in the lower region of the arcuate surface and an upper bearing face in the upper region of the arcuate surface.

A system and a method are provided for deskinning and/or defatting animal carcass while being conveyed by an overhang rails system carrying the carcass. The method includes: sensing, by a sensing device, an incoming animal carcass, using the resulting sensing data from the sensing device by a control unit in controlling a movement of a first device while deskinning and/or defatting the carcass by the first device. The controlled movement includes: setting the first device to an initial angular position and engaging the skin and/or fat of the incoming animal carcass at an engaging position; moving the first device in a movement direction including a movement direction perpendicular to the conveying direction along the animal carcass while following an outer profile of the surface of the carcass and simultaneously adapting the angular position of the first device to the shape of the carcass for partial removal of skin or fat.

A blade housing assembly for a power operated rotary knife including a split blade housing and a cam mechanism for changing a blade housing diameter between blade supporting and blade changing positions. The split blade housing includes an annular blade support section, a mounting section and a split extending through the mounting section and an inner wall of the blade support section and defining a split distance between first and second circumferential ends of the inner wall. The split includes a radial split section and an angled split section adjacent the inner wall. The mounting section includes first and second body portions on opposite sides of the split. The cam mechanism includes a cam plate bridging the first and second body portions and a cam member rotatably supported by the cam plate. The cam member is rotatable between closed and open positions to change the blade housing diameter.

A device and a method for safety instrumented control of a machine, wherein the machine is equipped with an electric drive, is operated by a person and has at least one metal component capable of causing injury in the event of a mechanical interaction with said person. The device is equipped with a left-hand and right-hand conductive glove in the form of an under-glove, a left-hand and right-hand insulating glove in the form of an over-glove, a control device which controls the electric drive of the machine and to which the conductive gloves can be connected, and a resistance test device of the control device which compares the resistance between the left-hand and right-hand conductive gloves to a predetermined minimum resistance and a predetermined maximum resistance and prevents the drive from being switched on if the detected resistance is less than the minimum resistance or greater than the maximum resistance.

A system 10 for analyzing and trimming pork bellies and other three-dimensional food and non-food products which are to be subsequently portioned or sliced so as to achieve an optimum harvest of slices from the food product bearing in mind achieving a maximum yield together with a desired quality level of the portions/slices. The system 10 includes a conveyor 12 for carrying the workpieces (WP) to be trimmed prior to subsequent slicing of the workpiece past a scanning system 14 for scanning the workpiece WP to ascertain the physical characteristics of the workpiece, including, for example, its three-dimensional shape as well as its position on the conveyor. A cutting station 16 trims the workpiece WP into a desired two-dimensional shape which represents an optimum shape for the workpiece that seeks to maximize the harvest of slices from the workpiece while maintaining a desired quality level for the slices. A slicing station uses high speed cutters or slicers for portioning/slicing the workpiece into portions/slices which have been simulated by a processing system 18 employing a processor or computer 20.

A tool, and a method using the tool, for skinning game animals. Specifically, the tool relates to a curved blade knife, sharpened on the curved, top edge, and possessing a spherical or non-spherical structure at the tip. The tool is used by forming a cut through the soft skin of a game animal, inserting the spherical or non-spherical structure through the cut, and pushing or pulling the blade such that the sharpened curved, top edge cuts through the skin and connective tissue. This tool and method takes advantage of the fact that the spherical or non-spherical structure at the tip of the blade is retained inside the skin and connective tissue of the game animal and the blade is automatically properly positioned to cut the skin of the game animal.

A coupling apparatus for connecting an accessory to a rear of an ATV. The coupling apparatus includes a first support member configured to connect to the rear of the ATV, a second support member configured to connect to the accessory, and a coupling member configured to connect the first support member to the second support member. Finally, a shock is connected between the coupling member and the second support member.

A coupling apparatus for connecting an accessory to a rear of an ATV. The coupling apparatus includes a first support member configured to connect to the rear of the ATV, a second support member configured to connect to the accessory, and a coupling member configured to connect the first support member to the second support member. Finally, a shock is connected between the coupling member and the second support member.

A coupling apparatus for connecting an accessory to a rear of an ATV. The coupling apparatus includes a first support member configured to connect to the rear of the ATV, a second support member configured to connect to the accessory, and a coupling member configured to connect the first support member to the second support member. Finally, a shock is connected between the coupling member and the second support member.