A power operated rotary knife including: a handle assembly, a head assembly and a vacuum attachment assembly. The handle assembly includes an elongated cylindrical handle housing defining a handle assembly longitudinal axis extending through a throughbore of the handle housing. The head assembly includes a rotary knife blade rotatably supported for rotation about an axis of rotation in a blade housing and a frame securing the blade housing to the distal end of the handle assembly in a position offset from the handle housing, the axis of rotation of the rotary knife blade being spaced apart from and parallel to the handle longitudinal axis. The vacuum attachment assembly includes an adapter including an upper boss affixed to the frame and a body for receiving a vacuum hose. A central axis of the adapter is parallel with respect to the rotary knife blade central axis and the handle assembly longitudinal axis.

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 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 method for the separation of fat from meat. The method includes transferring a mixture through a conduit, wherein the mixture comprises lean particles with frozen water, fat particles, and a fluid, allowing the frozen water in the lean particles to thaw as the mixture travels through the conduit, and increases a density of the lean particles, accumulating the lean particles with non-frozen water at a first elevation in the conduit, and accumulating fat particles at a second elevation in the conduit, wherein the first elevation is lower than the second elevation.

A spinal cord removal device including a suction tool including a tube, a high-pressure water hose connected to a water source, and a jetter nozzle attached to one end of the high-pressure water hose. The device is inserted into a cranial cavity or spinal cavity of an animal. When water is supplied to the device, water can break up the brain material or spinal material, flushing and cleaning the spinal cavity and cranial cavity.

A spinal cord removal device including a suction tool including a tube, a high-pressure water hose connected to a water source, and a jetter nozzle attached to one end of the high-pressure water hose. The device is inserted into a cranial cavity or spinal cavity of an animal. When water is supplied to the device, water can break up the brain material or spinal material, flushing and cleaning the spinal cavity and cranial cavity.

A method is used in the production of principal products conveyed in plurality along a processing line, consisting of fish, poultry or other meat which contains, in addition to the principal products to be obtained, inedible components to be removed (removal components) and also contains edible by-products remaining on said removal components. The edible by-products remain on the removal components after removal. The method includes: loading a separating device with a batch of fish, poultry or other meat; separating the principal products of this batch from the removal components, comprising by-products, of said batch; separating the by-products from the removal components; producing a by-product brine from the by-products by comminuting the by-products and mixing with water and stabiliser; and injecting a defined quantity of the by-product brine into the principal products, wherein principal products and the by-products contained in the by-product brine come from the same batch.

A method is used in the production of principal products conveyed in plurality along a processing line, consisting of fish, poultry or other meat which contains, in addition to the principal products to be obtained, inedible components to be removed (removal components) and also contains edible by-products remaining on said removal components. The edible by-products remain on the removal components after removal. The method includes: loading a separating device with a batch of fish, poultry or other meat; separating the principal products of this batch from the removal components, comprising by-products, of said batch; separating the by-products from the removal components; producing a by-product brine from the by-products by comminuting the by-products and mixing with water and stabiliser; and injecting a defined quantity of the by-product brine into the principal products, wherein principal products and the by-products contained in the by-product brine come from the same batch.

A carcass processing machine and carcass processing assemblies for processing sections of carcass having vertebrae in them, such as loin sections. The carcass processing machine includes an assembly for removing portions of meat from the ventral side of the vertebrae. This assembly has a knife with a cutting feature that varies in height. This assembly also has a rotating member for removing a portion of meat. The carcass processing machine includes an assembly for removing portions of meat from the dorsal side of the vertebrae. This assembly has a blade, which may be a plough blade, that cuts meat from the transverse processes and can moved by another blade that rides over the transverse processes near their bases. The plough blade has a blunt tip. This assembly can have another blade that is movable relative to the blade that rides over the transverse processes.

A carcass processing machine and carcass processing assemblies for processing sections of carcass having vertebrae in them, such as loin sections. The carcass processing machine includes an assembly for removing portions of meat from the ventral side of the vertebrae. This assembly has a knife with a cutting feature that varies in height. This assembly also has a rotating member for removing a portion of meat. The carcass processing machine includes an assembly for removing portions of meat from the dorsal side of the vertebrae. This assembly has a blade, which may be a plough blade, that cuts meat from the transverse processes and can moved by another blade that rides over the transverse processes near their bases. The plough blade has a blunt tip. This assembly can have another blade that is movable relative to the blade that rides over the transverse processes.