A support element (45a,45b,45c,45d,45e,45f,45g,45h,45i,45l,45m,45n) is described for a portion of meat (10), adapted to hook said portion of meat and to allow the handling of said portion of meat, said support element comprising: a bar (50a,50b,50c,50d,50e,50f,50g,50h,50i,50l,50m,50n) developing longitudinally along a longitudinal axis (X), a plurality of straight needles (55), adapted to penetrate the portion of meat (10), arranged with longitudinal axes (K) parallel to each other and arranged in a row parallel to the longitudinal axis (X), a connection body (60a,60b,60c,60d,60e) connecting the straight needles to the bar and comprising a first face (65a,65b,65c,65d,65e), from which said needles (55) rise, and a second face (70a,70b,70c,70d,70e) facing in the opposite direction to the first face. Wherein said support element comprises: a grasping appendage (75a,75b,75c,75d,75e), which rises from a portion of the second face (70a,70b,70c,70d,70e) proximal to the needles (55) and develops both in a direction away from the first face and from the second face and in a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) of the bar (50a,50b,50c,50d,50e,50f,50g,50h,50i,50l,50m,50n). Wherein said grasping appendage (75a,75b,75c,75d,75e) is rigidly integral with the second face (70a,70b,70c,70d,70e) in at least a plurality of side-by-side sections along said longitudinal direction along which the grasping appendage develops, and wherein there is at least one of said sections every two consecutive needles (55).

A method is described for unhooking a portion of meat from a support element to which the portion of meat is hooked, the support element including a plurality of hooks by means of which the portion of meat is hooked to the support element, a bar to which the hooks are rigidly connected by a connection body comprising a first face, from which the hooks rise, and a second face facing in the opposite direction to the first face, and a grasping appendage rising from the second face at least in a direction away from the first face and from the second face. The method includes pulling the grasping appendage in a predetermined extraction direction, and holding the portion of meat, or pushing the portion of meat in a direction opposite to the predetermined extraction direction, at the same time as the step of pulling the grasping appendage in the predetermined extraction direction, completely pulling the hooks off the portion of meat.

An apparatus for loading and unloading slices of bacon includes a loading portion including: a motor-driven conveying arrangement arranged to convey the slices of fresh bacon; a first motor-driven conveyor arranged to convey the seasoning hooks; a second motor-driven conveyor arranged to receive the seasoning hooks loaded with the slices of fresh bacon, and to move away the seasoning hooks from the loading zone; and a manipulator device configured to load onto the seasoning hooks the slices of fresh bacon. The apparatus further includes: an unloading portion including a motor-driven conveying arrangement, arranged to convey the seasoning hooks, loaded with the slices of seasoned bacon; and a manipulator device cooperating with the conveying arrangement to unload/extract one hook after another of the seasoning hooks from the slices of seasoned bacon.

The invention relates to an automated loading station (10) for meat portions (15) configured so as to hook, at a hooking area, a meat portion (15) to a sustaining element (20A,20B), which loading station (10) is provided with: —a movement apparatus (70) for moving the sustaining elements (20A,20B) configured so as to move a sustaining element (20A,20B) at the hooking area, —a conveying apparatus (A) for conveying the meat portions (15) configured so as to convey the meat portion (15) at the hooking area and to align a segment of the meat portion (15) to a plurality of needles (40) of the sustaining element (20A,20B), and—a press (125) configured so as to press the meat portion (15) against the needles (40) of the sustaining element (20A,20B) positioned in the hooking area to penetrate the meat portion (15) with said needles (40).

A meat processing device for defining a uniform shape of a pork belly, and including a frame, a shoulder defining a confinement space with the frame, and a tine for securing the meat in the confinement space. A cover may be joined to the frame to further define the confinement space, and may releasably engage the shoulder for a secure confinement of the pork belly.

A food product-carrying unit (10) for transferring food product from an in-feed section to an out-feed section of a small-scale, variable retention time (VRT) food storage system comprises a pair of opposing side portions (11, 12) joined by a pair of opposing end portions (13, 14) to form an open rectangular frame section (15). The side portions (11, 12) have formations (16, 17; 18, 19), respectively, thereon, which formations (16, 17; 18, 19) are adapted to reversibly link the food product-carrying unit (10) to corresponding formations on neighbouring food product-carrying units in the food storage system. A wheel (20, 21) is mounted at ends (22, 23), respectively, of end portion (13). Corresponding wheels (24) (only one wheel shown) are mounted at ends (25, 26), respectively, of end portion (14). The and each wheel (20, 21, 24) has an axle with a plastics wear part, and the wheels (20, 21, 24) are aligned such that, in use, the food product-carrying unit (10) is movable forwards and backwards on the wheels (20, 21, 24) in a straight line through the food storage system. The food product-carrying unit (10) also has a wear pad (27, 28; and 29) mounted on the and each end portion (13, 14), respectively, to the outside (31) of the frame section (15).

A food product-carrying unit (10) for transferring food product from an in-feed section to an out-feed section of a small-scale, variable retention time (VRT) food storage system comprises a pair of opposing side portions (11, 12) joined by a pair of opposing end portions (13, 14) to form an open rectangular frame section (15). The side portions (11, 12) have formations (16, 17; 18, 19), respectively, thereon, which formations (16, 17; 18, 19) are adapted to reversibly link the food product-carrying unit (10) to corresponding formations on neighbouring food product-carrying units in the food storage system. A wheel (20, 21) is mounted at ends (22, 23), respectively, of end portion (13). Corresponding wheels (24) (only one wheel shown) are mounted at ends (25, 26), respectively, of end portion (14). The and each wheel (20, 21, 24) has an axle with a plastics wear part, and the wheels (20, 21, 24) are aligned such that, in use, the food product-carrying unit (10) is movable forwards and backwards on the wheels (20, 21, 24) in a straight line through the food storage system. The food product-carrying unit (10) also has a wear pad (27, 28; and 29) mounted on the and each end portion (13, 14), respectively, to the outside (31) of the frame section (15).

An automated loading station for meat portions configured so as to hook, at a hooking area, a meat portion to a sustaining element, which loading station is provided with a movement apparatus for moving the sustaining elements configured so as to move a sustaining element at the hooking area, a conveying apparatus for conveying the meat portions configured so as to convey the meat portion at the hooking area and to align a segment of the meat portion to a plurality of needles of the sustaining element, and a press configured so as to press the meat portion against the needles of the sustaining element positioned in the hooking area to penetrate the meat portion with the needles.

A meat processing device for defining a uniform shape of a pork belly, and including a frame, a shoulder defining a confinement space with the frame, and a tine and a retaining member for securing the meat in the confinement space.

A coupling apparatus for connecting an accessory to a rear of an ATV. The coupling apparatus includes a first support member configured to connect to the rear of the ATV, a second support member configured to connect to the accessory, and a coupling member configured to connect the first support member to the second support member. Finally, a shock is connected between the coupling member and the second support member.