The invention pertains to a method for processing a defeathered whole leg poultry product, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing a leg product which comprises: a thigh, a drumstick, a knee joint, while the leg product is suspended from a carrier of a conveyor, making a transverse cut at the knee joint, which transverse cut is made from the rear side of the leg product towards the knee cap, said cut having a cut end which is located adjacent to the rear of the knee cap so that the thigh and the drumstick remain connected to each other and the knee cap remains intact, by which cut a drumstick side cut plane and a thigh side cut plane are created, while keeping the thigh meat and the drumstick connected to each other, removing the thigh bone from the thigh meat via the thigh side cut plane of the transverse cut, while keeping the thigh meat and the drumstick connected to each other, severing the knee meat from the knee cap while keeping the knee meat and the thigh meat connected to each other, and subsequently severing the still interconnected knee meat and thigh meat from the drumstick.

A filleting device and method for harvesting fillets from a poultry carcass that is moved in a conveyor-line and supported on a carrier. Fillets may be guided to a pulling device that may be placed in or adjacent to the path of the poultry carcass. Harvesting of the fillets may be completed with the pulling device while keeping the fillets pushed against the first guide rail or rails and/or the pulling device. Harvested fillets may be moved to at least one outlet for the fillets.

Method and device for processing a carcass part of slaughtered poultry in a processing line. A carcass part may be supported on a carrier that is movable in the processing line and includes wing joints, coracoids, a wishbone being embodied with two legs that merge into each other at an acute angle, a keel bone, and naturally present meat including inner and outer fillets, and means are applied for cutting and/or removing of the wishbone from the carcass part

A system and a method for removing a thigh bone from a defeathered whole leg poultry product includes providing a leg product including a thigh, a drumstick and a knee joint. In the leg product, a transverse cut has been provided at the knee joint transverse to the thigh bone and the tibia bone, which extends from one side of the leg product to a cut end so that the thigh and the drumstick are connected to each other, by which transverse cut a drumstick side cut plane and a thigh side cut plane are created. While keeping the thigh and the drumstick connected to each other, changing the angle between the thigh and thereby exposing the thigh side cut plane, while keeping the thigh meat and the drumstick connected to each other, removing the thigh bone from the thigh meat via the thigh side cut plane.

A carcass separation assembly may include a first blade assembly configured to separate a first breast muscle from at least one of wish bone, a rib bone, and a fan bone on a first side of a poultry carcass as the poultry carcass moves downstream passed the first blade assembly. The carcass separation assembly may further include a first tensioning assembly configured to support a first wing of the poultry carcass in a spaced apart relationship relative to the first breast muscle as the poultry carcass moves downstream passed the first blade assembly.

A shoulder incision-making apparatus for a poultry carcass according to the present invention is for cutting a shoulder joint section of a poultry carcass, and includes: a fixing jig on which a poultry carcass which is eviscerated and which has leg parts removed is to be placed and fixed; a conveyer forming a conveyance path of the fixing jig and configured to convey the fixing jig along the conveyance path; a first cutter disposed in the conveyance path; and a second cutter disposed in the conveyance path at a downstream side of the first cutter in a conveying direction. The first cutter is configured to make an incision on the shoulder joint section of the poultry carcass, and the second cutter is configured to be inserted into the incision to cut the shoulder joint section.

A system and method are provided for processing a backhalve of a slaughtered poultry carcass, comprising a back portion and legs, and transported by a conveyor in a suspended manner. The system comprises a back turning device, having a stationary frame and a receiving element movably connected to the frame and configured to receive at least a part of the back portion and configured to be moved in the conveying direction with at least said part of the back portion received in the receiving element during continued movement of the backhalve so as to turn the back portion upside-down; and a separation device for separating the legs from the back portion with the back portion in said upside-down orientation.

A method and a corresponding system for harvesting knee meat and thigh meat from a whole leg poultry product are disclosed. The method includes providing a leg product having a thigh, a drumstick, a knee and a transverse cut at the knee. The thigh and the drumstick are connected to each other and the knee cap is intact, creating a drumstick side cut plane and a thigh side cut plane, with the leg product suspended from a poultry product carrier, arranging it adjacent to a counter element, with the drumstick side cut plane facing the counter element, bringing a knee cap scraper in engagement with the leg product adjacent to the knee cap and the counter element with the leg product at the rear of the knee cap, moving the knee cap past the knee cap scraper while the counter element engages the leg product at the rear of the knee cap, therewith scraping knee meat from the knee cap while leaving the knee meat connected to the thigh, after the scraping step the knee meat and thigh meat being present on a first side of the knee cap scraper and the knee cap on a second side.

An apparatus and method for processing a poultry carcass includes a first assembly with parallel guide plates opposite a second assembly with parallel guide plates. The assemblies include a cutting element presenting an edge extending beyond a bottom edge of the guide plates. A bracket secures the cutting element to the guide plate allowing adjustment of the cutting edge. The carcass is advanced into engagement with the apparatus whereby the cutting edges cut the connective tissue between the leg and back. A bracket leading edge prevents tissue from being driven between the cutting element and guide plate. The cutting edge can extend further from the bottom edge of the guide plates at the heel than at the point. Manual processing of the carcass includes: cutting tissue between the leg and back; and separating the leg from the back wherein muscle tissue connecting the leg and the back remain intact.

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.