A device for processing a carcass-part of slaughtered poultry in a processing line can include a tool having a primary knife and two secondary knives arranged on opposite sides of a bottom knife to disconnect a wishbone. A tertiary knife can be positionable adjacent to the two secondary knives on a side of the blades opposite to the side where the primary knife is positioned or positionable so as to define a cage for trapping the wishbone in the cage.

A method of processing a poultry carcass includes exposing an area of tissue between a leg and the carcass, cutting the tissue between the leg and the carcass where the muscle tissue connecting the leg to the back of the carcass remains intact, and separating the leg bone from the carcass with the leg muscle tissue remaining connected to the back muscle tissue. The cut extends between about 0.1 mm to about 7.0 mm below the surface of the tissue. In an implementation, the teres ligament is cut.

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. The technology includes breast removal station, which includes a controller system, which controls a robotic arm, which positions the grasping talon implements, which grasp the poultry item along the wing bone and pulls the breast portion away from the carcass along cut lines created by the ultrasonic knife that cut the poultry item along the cut path performed by the automated robotic arm having an ultrasonic knife implement. Prior pulling the breast portion away from the carcass, a stabilizing system captures the carcass behind by engaging the carcass behind the shoulder joint on either side of the cervical vertebrae.

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.

A method of harvesting meat fillets from a poultry carcass, wherein a poultry breast cap is supported inverse to its natural position on a carrier moving along a path of conveyance, wherein the poultry breast cap is moved past a measuring system that detects the poultry breast cap and generates information for determining an approximated size of the poultry breast cap, wherein breast meat is optionally engaged by a dynamic guide bar system, and is cut adjacent a keel bone of the poultry carcass, an outer fillet is cut along the keel bone of the poultry breast cap, wherein inner and outer fillets are separated, and wherein the poultry carcass remains are discarded.

A method is disclosed for mechanically deboning animal thighs for separating and collecting meat therefrom and an 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 extent 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 the apparatus performs 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 apparatus includes 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.

A method for cutting extra-large poultry to fit within existing industrial fryers and remain as recognizable pieces to the consumer is provided. The method provides for the cuts necessary to create pieces of poultry from the extra-large poultry that are sized comparably to a normal sized bird. Furthermore, the method provides for keeping the cut pieces in a shape that the consumer recognizes as a particular piece of poultry.

A method for processing beef includes the steps of preparing a beef carcass for butchering, reducing the carcass temperature by 20 degrees Fahrenheit, removing primal cuts from the carcass, cooling the primal cuts to 32-34 degrees Fahrenheit, and packaging the primal cuts. To prepare the beef carcass, the head of the cattle is removed and the carcass is eviscerated. The carcass is then cooled for approximately three to four hours to lower its temperature to 75-85 degrees in preparation of removing the primal cuts. After this, the carcass is arranged on a butchering device and the primal cuts are removed. The cuts are then packaged and placed in a cooler for approximately 60 minutes to reduce their temperature to 32-34 degrees Fahrenheit, at which time they are prepared for distribution. The entire beef processing method, from kill floor to packaging and cooling, will be complete within 24 hours.

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 chicken deboner system and method. The system includes a conveyor system to move the front-half of the chicken through the different deboning stations, including a loading station where the bird is placed on a cone, a press station to align the front half of the chicken on the cone, a skin cutter station to cut the skin and fat located at the base of the neck of the chicken, a wing cutter station to remove the wings, a scapula cutter station to separate the breast meat from the scapula, a wishbone cutter station to separate the breast meat from the wishbone, a breast plow station to separate the breast meat from the ribs, a wishbone paddle station to further separate the breast meat from the wishbone, a breast removal station to completely remove the breast meat, and a tender cutter station to remove the two tenders.