A shaping or cutting machine, especially a skinner, at which an operator hand-feeds material to be cut or shaped toward a blade. Hand proximity detection devices are provided for operator safety; machine-vision across a surveilled volume before the blade, and conduction sensing devices. The blade is mounted on a rapidly retractable frame. Power from release of a spring physically moves the blade to a safe position if a hand is sensed. A gripping roller is driven by a rapidly stoppable motor.

A power-driven feed roll for rotation about a feed roll axis of rotation in a hand-held, power operated trimming tool, the feed roll including a cylindrical core having an inner surface defining a through bore and an outer surface including a central cylindrical recess bounded by a base and first and second radially extending side walls at opposite ends of the base and first and second flanking portions on either side of the cylindrical recess. The feed roll further includes an annular drive member formed over the cylindrical recess and integral with the cylindrical core, the annular drive member extending along the first and second radially extending side walls of cylindrical recess and protruding radially outwardly, an outer surface of the annular drive member defining a worm gear for driving the feed roll about the axis of rotation. The first and second flanking portions including annular sets of drive teeth.

A power-driven feed roll for rotation about a feed roll axis of rotation in a hand-held, power operated trimming tool, the feed roll including a cylindrical core having an inner surface defining a through bore and an outer surface including a central cylindrical recess bounded by a base and first and second radially extending side walls at opposite ends of the base and first and second flanking portions on either side of the cylindrical recess. The feed roll further includes an annular drive member formed over the cylindrical recess and integral with the cylindrical core, the annular drive member extending along the first and second radially extending side walls of cylindrical recess and protruding radially outwardly, an outer surface of the annular drive member defining a worm gear for driving the feed roll about the axis of rotation. The first and second flanking portions including annular sets of drive teeth.

A knife includes a body that includes a handle section, a substantially circular blade housing section, and a blade including a cutting edge having substantially the same radius of curvature of the blade housing. The substantially circular blade housing section extends substantially perpendicular from the handle section. The blade extends longitudinally out of the blade housing at a position substantially 180° away from the position of the handle section along the circumference of the blade housing and terminates in a sharp point. The width of the blade at the portion immediately adjacent to the blade housing and opposite the blade point is substantially equal to the diameter of the blade housing.

A tool, and a method using the tool, for skinning game animals. Specifically, the tool relates to a curved blade knife, sharpened on the curved, top edge, and possessing a spherical or non-spherical structure at the tip. The tool is used by forming a cut through the soft skin of a game animal, inserting the spherical or non-spherical structure through the cut, and pushing or pulling the blade such that the sharpened curved, top edge cuts through the skin and connective tissue. This tool and method takes advantage of the fact that the spherical or non-spherical structure at the tip of the blade is retained inside the skin and connective tissue of the game animal and the blade is automatically properly positioned to cut the skin of the game animal.

A handheld teeth skinning tool is provided with a head assembly having at toothed roller with interchangeable teeth rings, with the rings having different tooth configurations. The teeth rings are securely mounted on the insert arbor using male and female connections. The teeth rings may include pointed teeth for aggressively gripping the skin for direction into the blade of the head assembly, while square teeth allow for easy manual maneuverability of the head assembly on the meat carcass or head. The roller provides increase life expectancy and improved handling for lower costs and higher productivity.

A handheld teeth skinning tool is provided with a head assembly having at toothed roller with interchangeable teeth rings, with the rings having different tooth configurations. The teeth rings are securely mounted on the insert arbor using male and female connections. The teeth rings may include pointed teeth for aggressively gripping the skin for direction into the blade of the head assembly, while square teeth allow for easy manual maneuverability of the head assembly on the meat carcass or head. The roller provides increase life expectancy and improved handling for lower costs and higher productivity.

A power operated trimming tool including a head assembly affixed to a handle assembly. The head assembly includes a frame body supporting a feed roll, a blade, a blade support and a blade retainer plate. The frame body includes an interface portion affixed to the handle assembly and a support portion extending from the interface portion. The blade support includes a cross member defining a blade support plate receiving the blade. The blade retainer plate is pivotally coupled to the frame body, in a first position, the blade retainer plate overlies the blade and, in a second position, the blade retainer plate is spaced from the blade. An in-line, clutch engagement assembly provides a pair of clutch engagement plates coupled between a flexible shaft drive transmission and a driver assembly insertable into the handle assembly of the tool to provide one-handed actuation and de-actuation of the feed roll.

A power operated trimming tool including a head assembly affixed to a handle assembly. The head assembly includes a frame body supporting a feed roll, a blade, a blade support and a blade retainer plate. The frame body includes an interface portion affixed to the handle assembly and a support portion extending from the interface portion. The blade support includes a cross member defining a blade support plate receiving the blade. The blade retainer plate is pivotally coupled to the frame body, in a first position, the blade retainer plate overlies the blade and, in a second position, the blade retainer plate is spaced from the blade. An in-line, clutch engagement assembly provides a pair of clutch engagement plates coupled between a flexible shaft drive transmission and a driver assembly insertable into the handle assembly of the tool to provide one-handed actuation and de-actuation of the feed roll.

A tool, and a method using the tool, for skinning game animals. Specifically, the tool relates to a curved blade knife, sharpened on the curved, top edge, and possessing a spherical or non-spherical structure at the tip. The tool is used by forming a cut through the soft skin of a game animal, inserting the spherical or non-spherical structure through the cut, and pushing or pulling the blade such that the sharpened curved, top edge cuts through the skin and connective tissue. This tool and method takes advantage of the fact that the spherical or non-spherical structure at the tip of the blade is retained inside the skin and connective tissue of the game animal and the blade is automatically properly positioned to cut the skin of the game animal.