METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MEAT FROM BONES

摘要

A press for separating meat from bones includes an annular pressure chamber defined by an inner slotted separation chamber surrounded by an outer slotted separation chamber for reducing pressure within the chamber by increasing the total open area in the slotted chambers through which the meat can flow, to improve upon the texture of the meat recovered, to reduce its calcium content, and to avoid the total destruction of the bone. Pressure reduction is effected by reducing the volume of the product being depressed in the annular chamber, the elongated slots of the separation chambers present shearing edges for shearing away the meat from the bone as the separation chambers are counter-rotated. A back pressure control valve automatically opens in response to annular chamber pressure acting as a flow restrictor for controlling the pressure. Knife blades for the slotted separation chambers remove connective tissues from the slots to prevent clogging and to further reduce the calcium content of the recovered coarse meat.