Pneumatic power machine to extract ham bones - with automatic sequence of ham clamping, splitting and bone pulling operations

摘要

The machine has a work table with a cradle in which the ham is first located. From each side of the cradle, two symmetrically opposed jaws are moved in a horizontal plane to clamp the ham as cradled. An incision previously made in the ham surface is now used as an entry for two symmetrically opposed grapnels which are engaged in opposite sides of the cut and then power actuated to move them apart in a horizontal plane expose the bone. The ball end of the bone is then engaged in a gripper which is power displaced to pull the bone from the ham. Cradling the ham pref. actuates the clamping cylinder automatically. A knee switch is pref. used to initiate other stages in the cycle of operations.