A conveying device, apparatus and method for continuously conveying poultry bodies or parts oriented into different processing positions in a conveying direction. A continuous conveyor, which is provided with receiving elements for holding the poultry bodies revolves in a conveying plane and forms a conveying path. The receiving elements each of which include a saddle element to receive one of the poultry bodies, are arranged on a base element to be pivotable about an axis of rotation lying perpendicular to the conveying direction. The conveying plane is arranged inclined relative to the horizontal by an angle of inclination α greater than 0° and less than 90°, and the base elements are each arranged on the continuous conveyor by angled elements with an angle of extension β less than 180° and greater than 90°.

An apparatus is for cutting into breast fillets that are connected to one another of a carcass of poultry bodies, the breast fillets being cut into along the breastbone. The apparatus includes a transport apparatus for transporting the poultry bodies along a transport path, a holding apparatus arranged on the transport conveyor for holding the poultry bodies, and a knife assembly arranged along the transport path. The knife assembly has a pair of separating knives for cutting the breast fillets along the breastbone, the knives arranged on either side. A centring means is associated with the knife assembly for pre-centring the breastbone, and has two centring elements which are each movable out of a stand-by position positioned outside the transport path, into a centring position positioned on the transport path, and back. The centring elements in their centring position are located at least partly in front of the separating knives.

A method of mechanically removing skin from animal parts that have a bone part extending therein, including: moving the animal parts, suspended on shackles depending from an overhead conveyor, along a path of travel and cutting the part to separate the skin therefrom. The part moved into a skinning station in which the part is urged into engagement with skinning rolls. The skinning rolls are rotated and engage and draw the skin of the part therebetween. The skin is progressively pulled downwardly and away from underlying meat of the animal part as the part moved forwardly along its path of travel.

A system and method of inspecting a chicken piece comprising generating an image for the chicken piece, identifying a defect type, a defect location and an area of each defect on the chicken piece based on the image, and grading the chicken piece into one of a plurality of grades based on the defect type and the area.

The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for continuously supplying livestock to a processing plant. The disclosed technology can include an enclosure configured to house livestock. The enclosure can include an enclosure entrance, an enclosure exit, and moveable walls to partition the enclosure into separate pens and automatically direct the livestock from the enclosure entrance toward the enclosure exit. A passageway can be connected to the enclosure exit and include moveable walls to automatically direct the livestock from the enclosure exit toward a processing plant. The moveable walls can be configured to move at a predetermined speed such that the plurality of livestock enter the enclosure as offspring, are reared in the enclosure, and are directed through the enclosure exit into the passageway approximately when the plurality of livestock have reached slaughter weight.

An apparatus to separate a tendon connecting a breast fillet of a gutted poultry body, from which wings have been removed, to a carcass of the poultry body, has a transport apparatus having a transport unit which is driven in a revolving manner, and a holding apparatus fastened thereto to hold the poultry body or part thereof during processing, and a means for separating the tendon. The means for separating is movable from a standby position into a separating position and back. The transport unit, with the holding apparatus, with the formation of a transport path, transports the poultry body or the part thereof in a direction of transport, with the anus side leading, in the direction towards the means for separating. The means for separating the tendon includes at least one combination tool which has a portion that displaces the breast fillet and a portion that separates the tendon.

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 method and apparatus disclosed and claimed herein is a combination of a robotic arm including an ultrasonic 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.

An automated unloading machine for unloading cut and trimmed raw poultry meat pieces from an upstream poultry meat cutting machine. The automated unloading machine is operably associated with a feed conveyer configured to support the cut and trimmed poultry meat pieces provided by the meat cutting machine. The automated unloading machine comprises one of an exit conveyor movable in a second direction and a packaging machine, an electronic controller configured to receive and process position and orientation data of the poultry meat pieces located on the feed conveyer, and a robotic picking device operatively associated with the electronic controller and configured to pick the poultry meat pieces from the feed conveyer and place them onto one of the exit conveyor and the packaging machine so that the cut and trimmed poultry meat pieces are arranged on one of the exit conveyor and the packaging machine in a desired orientation.

A system and method of inspecting a chicken piece comprising generating an image for the chicken piece, identifying a defect type, a defect location and an area of each defect on the chicken piece based on the image, and grading the chicken piece into one of a plurality of grades based on the defect type and the area.

A deboner for a poultry part equipped with a first jaw and a second jaw mounted on an up-and-down movable slide block supporting a first frame portion, a second frame portion, and a third frame portion. The first jaw and the second jaw are movable towards and away from each other, wherein the first jaw is through a first hinge connected with the first frame portion so as to enable a rotational movement of the first jaw with respect to the first frame portion. A second hinge pivotably connecting the first frame portion to the third frame portion and a third hinge pivotably connecting the second frame portion with the third frame portion share a common axis of rotation.