A two-part rotary knife blade (2300, 3300) for a power operated rotary knife. The knife blade (2300) includes a carrier portion (2302, 3302) and a blade portion (2350, 3350), the blade portion configured to be received in a nested relationship by the carrier portion and being releasably secured to the carrier portion by an attachment structure (2370, 3370). The attachment structure (2370, 3370) including a plurality of projections (2372, 3372) extending from one of an outer wall (2354, 3354) of the blade portion (2350, 3350) and the inner wall (2304, 3304) of the carrier portion and a plurality of sockets (2374, 3374) disposed in the other of the outer wall of the blade portion and the inner wall of the carrier portion, each of the plurality of projections being received in a respective different one of the plurality of sockets to releasably secure the blade portion to the carrier portion.

A computer-implemented method of optimizing machine processing of a workpiece may include receiving, by a computing device, at least one sensor input regarding a workpiece; performing, by a computing device, pre-processing of the at least one sensor input for at least one of efficient transfer to another computing device and optimal use in one or more machine learning models; executing, by a computing device, one or more machine learning models to output requested information regarding the workpiece based on data in the at least one sensor input; processing, by a computing device, the output; and controlling at least one aspect of the machine processing of the workpiece, by a computing device, in response to the processed output.

A cutting apparatus cuts a string in a workpiece by bringing a cutter into contact with the workpiece while rotating the workpiece supported by a clamper. The workpiece supported by the clamper is restrained by a holding member from the opposite side from the cutter. The holding member is elastically supported by a support part.

Food or feed processing systems (10, 96) include an extruder (14) and a downstream processor (16, 16a), and are operable to process high meat food or feed formulations. The processors (16, 16a) include an elongated processor barrel (38) presenting an inner surface (44) with a central body or tube (60) within the barrel (38) and presenting an outer surface (62). The surfaces (38, 62) thereby define an elongated annular processing region (70). The barrel (38) and tube (60) are steam heated by means of apparatus (52, 66). A rotatable processing element (72) is also located within the region (70). The element (72) has a plurality of helical vanes (88, 104), which scrape the surfaces (44, 62) to prevent buildup of material on these surfaces.

The present disclosure describes an ultrasonic rotary molding system that is used to form edible compositions or food products as they move along a conveyor belt. The food products are formed by an ultrasonic rotary wheel that includes one or more cutting tools that cut, and perhaps three dimensionally mold, food product strips. The system may include a movable backing plate that is located below the point where the ultrasonic rotary wheel cuts the food product strips. The movable backing plate may be spring loaded and it may exert force upwards against the conveyor belt and in turn against the food product.

A positioning apparatus for positioning poultry legs which are conveyed suspended in a row has a bending device for bending and positioning the poultry legs, as well as a stationary holding and guiding device. The bending device forms a threading device for suspending the poultry leg in the region of the knee joint in a holding and guiding gap of the holding and guiding device. Co-running positioning elements are formed by driven pressing elements which grip the poultry leg from beneath on an axial side of the leg for bending and lifting. Each co-running positioning element forms with a stationary positioning element a functional pair of positioning elements. One of the two positioning elements engages in the hollow of the knee of the poultry leg, while the other positioning element is configured to rest against the thigh on the front side of the leg. Processing stations can be arranged along the holding and guiding gap. In a method for removing the thigh meat from the poultry legs conveyed in a row while they are being conveyed, the poultry legs are guided transversely in a first mentioned positioning apparatus with the lateral side of the leg leading and axially in a second mentioned positioning apparatus with the axial patella side of the leg leading. Along the first stationary holding and guiding gap, cuts are applied on the front side of the leg and on the rear side of the leg. Along the second stationary holding and guiding gap, cuts are applied on the lateral sides of the poultry leg and the thigh meat is pushed to the proximal end of the thigh bone.

An automated scanning and butchering system is disclosed. Said system having a PLC system, a scanning system and a butchering system in data communication. The butchering system comprising a one or more saw assemblies, a conveyor system, a one or more cradles, and a first end and a second end. The one or more saw assemblies are arranged between the first end and the second end of the butchering system. The conveyor system comprises a conveyor comprising the one or more cradles configured to move items from the first end to the second end of the butchering system. The one or more cradles are configured to releaseably receive and hold a target object as the conveyor moves the target object from the first end to the second end of the butchering system. The scanning system comprising a one or more scanners.

A frozen block separation system is disclosed herein. An example system includes a product receptacle having an elevator and an opening configured to receive a frozen product in a stacked block format and elevate the frozen product to a cutting height, a cutting member positioned above the product receptacle, the cutting member configured to move perpendicularly to the frozen product and remove a portion of the frozen product when the frozen product is at the cutting height, and a first plate that is configured to move the portion in a first direction, from the cutting member into a batch enclosure.

Mist management systems are configured for a processing machine having a portioning station configured to portion a workpiece within an enclosed portioner housing having a first side wall extending along the portioning station, a second side wall, at least one hood portion between the first and second side walls, and at least one end wall between the first and second side walls, using at least one liquid jet cutter and a conveyor configured to move the workpiece in a longitudinal direction beneath the at least one liquid jet cutter. The systems may include a tray secured within the enclosed portioner housing beneath the at least one liquid jet cutter and the conveyor, the tray being downwardly angled and configured to direct a waterjet of the liquid jet cutter toward a low pressure plenum chamber positioned external to the first side wall of the enclosed portioner housing.

A process that includes receiving, by a first trimmer via a conveyor system, a foodstuff and automatically trimming, by the first trimmer and based on first trimming instructions, the foodstuff that results in first trimmings and a trimmed foodstuff. An injector receives the trimmed foodstuff and injects, based on injection instructions, a liquid solution into the trimmed foodstuff to generate an injected foodstuff. A cooker receives the injected foodstuff and cooks, based on cooking instructions, the injected foodstuff that results in a cooked foodstuff. A chiller receives the cooked foodstuff and chills the cooked foodstuff that results in a chilled foodstuff. A second trimmer receives the chilled foodstuff and automatically trims, based on second trimming instructions, the foodstuff that results in second trimmings and a trimmed chilled foodstuff. The second trimmer advances, via the conveyor system, the trimmed chilled foodstuff out of the second trimmer.