| 主权项 |
1. A paw cutting system for removing a poultry paw from a shackle conveyed along a longitudinal axis on a shackle conveyor line, and then cutting the leg of the paw to remove the knuckle, the paw cutting system comprising:
a guide bar positioned adjacent to and substantially aligned with a portion of the shackle conveyor line, wherein the guide bar is upwardly inclined relative to the shackle conveyor line such that a first end of the guide bar is spaced from the shackle conveyor line a first distance and a second end of the guide bar is spaced from the shackle conveyor line a second distance that is less than the first distance, wherein the guide bar is substantially linear, and wherein as the shackle is conveyed toward the second end of the guide bar, the poultry paw is urged by the guide bar from a proximal end of the shackle to a central cavity of the shackle; a holding wheel positioned adjacent to the second end of the guide bar, wherein the holding wheel defines a plurality of notches in an outer edge of the holding wheel, wherein each notch of the plurality of notches is configured to contain a portion of a paw therein, and wherein the holding wheel is configured to move the paw from the guide bar to a blade; a shackle element having an edge positioned at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the shackle conveyor line, wherein the shackle element is configured for urging the shackle away from the holding wheel relative to the longitudinal axis of the shackle conveyor line when the paw is positioned in the central cavity of the shackle; and the blade positioned adjacent to the holding wheel, wherein the blade is configured to cut the knuckle from the paw positioned in a notch of the plurality of notches of the holding wheel. |
