| 摘要 |
A de-boning apparatus and method for removing bones and other undesirable elements from meat. The apparatus preferably includes a conveyor assembly conveying meat to and from a head assembly which removes the bones, one or more rail assemblies located beside the conveyor assembly for keeping meat on the conveyor assembly as it passes through the apparatus, a conveyor drive system for powering the conveyor assembly, and a head drive assembly for powering the head assembly. The conveyor assembly preferably has a conveyor drum and an idler wheel about which a conveyor belt runs. The conveyor belt conveys meat to the head assembly preferably located beside the conveyor drum at a point when the conveyed meat is bowed as it passes around the conveyor drum, thereby better exposing bones for removal. The head assembly preferably includes a pin bone wheel (driven by the head drive system) and a head block spaced from the pin bone wheel to define a gap therebetween. As meat is conveyed past the gap while the pin bone wheel is rotated, bones protruding from the meat are caught in the gap entrance and are subsequently pulled from the meat. The gap entrance width, the distance of the gap entrance from the conveyor belt, and the angle of attack of the gap entrance are all preferably adjustable. The rail assemblies are also preferably adjustable to accommodate different sizes of meat, and are most preferably movable under a spring bias to accept various meat sizes passing through the apparatus.
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