Apparatus and method of edible feet harvest and paw production
US6749497B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 7, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA22C21/0023
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for partially cutting hock joints, and letting feet remain attached to the rest of carcass by skin and one or more tendons, exposing the hock joint by folding feet, and hanging the carcasses in the evisceration shackles by hock joints, the method unambiguously ensures that if a carcass is condemned by an Inspector, the feet belonging to that carcass are condemned as well. Furthermore, this invention solves the even more tractable problem of capturing folded feet, separating feet from the carcass while leaving the carcass still hanging in the shackles, transferring feet into an infeed paw cutter wheel, and cutting knuckle portion to produce chicken paws ready for further processing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.