A system for inspecting poultry slaughter products, includes a supply transport line, having successive first product carriers; a discharge transport line, including successive second product carriers; at least two inspection lines, each comprising successive inspection product carriers; each of the first, second and inspection product carriers being configured to carry and transport a respective one of the products. The system has an inspection station along each of the inspection lines, with each inspection station being arranged for inspecting products passing the inspection station while being transported by the associated inspection line during use; and, a first product transfer system for successively transferring products from first product carriers to respective inspection product carriers while distributing the products over all of the at least two inspection lines; a second product transfer system for successively transferring products from inspection product carriers to respective second product carriers of the discharge transport line.

A chicken wing cutter is provides a safe and sanitary way to cut chicken wings and fry them. The chicken wings cutter is a device that holds chicken wings in place and cut them without having to use a knife. It provides safety measure to cut chicken wings without the use of knives or machinery having to hold and touch the chicken. This will avoid contamination or carrying of such bacteria caused while handling poultry and avoid spills from frying. The device allows you to place the chicken in the cradles. Once secure in the cradles, the chicken cutter cut the chicken in precise pieces in preparation for cooking chicken wings in a fryer. The device has blades within the lid that retracts and closed and oval locked is secure the chicken is ready to cut then after placed on cradle for frying.

The invention relates to a table or conveyor belt (1) for conveying and/or processing food and a method and system for producing and/or maintaining a layer of a solidified liquid (4) on such tables and conveyor belts (1). Tables or conveyor belts (1) for conveying and processing food are difficult to clean when in function. For food it is important to avoid cross-contamination with microorganisms and foreign objects. A layer of a solidified liquid (4) such as an ice layer or fat layer on the top surface (3) of a table or conveyor belt (1) may be renewed from time to time by planing off some of the solidified liquid (4) and afterwards apply liquid which is allowed to solidify or apply flaked solidified liquid. A conveyor belt (1) may comprise lamellas (2) with internal cavities (7) or channels for coolant to cool the lamellas (2). Solidified liquid (4) may be produced on the top surface (3) of these lamellas (2) and the lamellas (2) may be kept cold by directing a coolant through the lamellas (2).

A system and method for automatically suspending poultry from a carrier of a carrier conveyor. A vision guided robot can pick up poultry from a feedline and suspend the poultry from the carrier. An imaging device can be connected to a decision-making tool to process images from the poultry on the feedline, wherein the decision-making tool is arranged to detect a head of the poultry and to control the vision guided robot to pick up the poultry from the feedline by engaging the poultry at or below the head, and to subsequently suspend the poultry with its head up from the carrier of the carrier conveyor.

Meat processing equipment is disclosed that includes a first element having a first face; a second element having a second face. The first and second faces extend parallel to one another and define a common plane between the first and second faces. The first and second elements are relatively movable with respect to one another. Yieldable arresting features are included for yieldably arresting the first and second elements in at least one predetermined position of relative movement, the yieldable arresting features include cooperating first and second permanent magnets, associated with at least one of the first and second elements.

A system and method for transferring poultry legs from a supply conveyor to a discharge conveyor. The poultry transfer unit comprises a transfer body configured for continuously moving. The poultry transfer unit comprises at least one carrier engaging to the transfer body, such that the at least one carrier in a transporting mode moves along with the transfer body and in a buffering mode moves relative to the transfer body. The at least one carrier comprises a gripper for receiving the poultry leg. The at least one carrier further comprises resistance means having a rotor and a stator, wherein the rotor is driven by a motion of the carrier relative to the transfer body, and wherein the stator is stationary with respect to the carrier.

The poultry cradle unloading systems and methods described herein provide for the unloading of birds and, in some cases, placement of the birds in a selected location among two or more possible selected locations. The unloading may be accomplished in a manner that promotes safety for the birds by releasing the birds such that they are predisposed to landing in an upright orientation after release from a cradle. The unloading may involve releasing the head before releasing the legs of the bird. The cradle and/or bird retained in the cradle may be oriented such that the bird is held at an angle such that the head of the bird is located forward of the hock joints.

The technology as disclosed herein includes a method and apparatus for deboning a meat item, and more particular for deboning a poultry item including performing an initial shoulder cut for removing boneless breast meat from the poultry carcass or frame. The technology as disclosed and claimed further includes a method and apparatus for removing a tender meat portion from a poultry item. The method and apparatus disclosed and claimed herein is a combination of a robotic arm including an ultrasonic knife implement and/or an annular blade knife implement and a vision system for varying the cut path based on the shape and size of the poultry item. The combination as claimed including the ultrasonic knife can perform a meat cut while penetrating the meat with less force than the typical penetration that occurs when using a traditional knife. The combination as claimed including the annular blade knife implement can remove the tender meat portion for the keel bone and posterior sheath.

Equipment and a method for positioning fowl that are intended to collect the processed and slaughtered animal from a horizontal conveyor belt previously aligned along the longitudinal axis, and to position the bird vertically for subsequent processing.

A system for inspecting poultry slaughter products, includes a supply transport line, having successive first product carriers; a discharge transport line, including successive second product carriers; at least two inspection lines, each comprising successive inspection product carriers; each of the first, second and inspection product carriers being configured to carry and transport a respective one of the products. The system has an inspection station along each of the inspection lines, with each inspection station being arranged for inspecting products passing the inspection station while being transported by the associated inspection line during use; and, a first product transfer system for successively transferring products from first product carriers to respective inspection product carriers while distributing the products over all of the at least two inspection lines; a second product transfer system for successively transferring products from inspection product carriers to respective second product carriers of the discharge transport line.