A method is disclosed of mechanically deboning animal thighs for separating and collecting meat there from and an apparatus and an alternative apparatus for performing the method, including automated individual processing steps. The processing steps include: grasping a thigh bone of an animal thigh at a hip knuckle with a bone holder; cutting tissue near the hip knuckle; and engaging the thigh bone adjacent the bone holder with a meat stripper. The processing steps further include: moving the bone holder and meat stripper away from one another in a direction substantially coextensive with the longitudinal extend of the thigh bone; allowing the meat stripper to pass over the knee knuckle; and collecting the meat separated from the bone. In particular the method includes and each of the apparatuses perform the process step of cutting tissue adjacent a knee knuckle of the thigh bone, prior to allowing the meat stripper to pass over the knee knuckle. The apparatuses include a plurality of processing stations for carrying out the individual steps, and the processing stations are arranged along a path of conveyance defined by a conveyor chain moving through a predefined path.

An animal carcass apparatus includes a support structure, a butchering platform and a carcass holding device. The butchering platform is moveably connected with the support structure and is constructed to support the mass of a person, and the carcass holding device includes a base and a securement mechanism. The carcass holding device is arranged in proximity with the butchering platform such that when a person is on the platform and a carcass is on the carcass holding device, the person contacts the carcass to butcher the carcass and moves the butchering platform to adjust the position of the person relative to the carcass holding device. Preferably, the butchering platform includes a linear actuator for vertical movement of the butchering platform. A method for processing beef includes processing beef with the animal carcass apparatus.

The invention provides a method, system and a spine processing device, for loosening meat from a spine portion of a split carcass part of a four-legged slaughter animal, such as a pork carcass part, the spine processing device comprising a cutting device for loosening the meat, by cutting, from the spine portion; a positioning device for positioning the carcass part at least while cutting, comprising: a positioning element configured to contact a cut surface of the spine portion, wherein the positioning element defines a positioning plane for the cut surface; and a pressing device for pressing the spine portion against the positioning element.

The invention provides a method, system and a spine processing device, for loosening meat from a spine portion of a split carcass part of a four-legged slaughter animal, such as a pork carcass part, the spine processing device comprising a cutting device for loosening the meat, by cutting, from the spine portion; a positioning device for positioning the carcass part at least while cutting, comprising: a positioning element configured to contact a cut surface of the spine portion, wherein the positioning element defines a positioning plane for the cut surface; and a pressing device for pressing the spine portion against the positioning element.

A device for clamping bone-in meat includes a plurality of gripping blocks, and a displacement restricting part. The gripping blocks have grip parts that can abut an outer circumferential surface around a bone section of bone-in meat, and that are provided to be displaceable in a direction in which the grip parts approach and separate from each other. The displacement restricting part restricts displacement of the plurality of gripping blocks, which are gripping the bone-in meat, in a separating direction.