System and method for deboning a poultry leg part

A system for pre-cutting a poultry leg part, the poultry leg part including a femur and a tibia and meat surrounding the femur and tibia, the system including:

• a conveying unit including at least one shackle arranged for suspending the poultry leg part therefrom from an ankle joint, and for transporting the poultry leg part along a conveying path;
• a pre-cutting unit including:
• a cutting unit arranged along the conveying path and configured for cutting the meat at or near a knee joint of the poultry leg part;
• and
• a grasper arranged for grasping the meat surrounding the femur, wherein the grasper includes two jaws arranged to be movable between a first and a second position, wherein in their first positions, the jaws are spaced apart for receiving the leg part, and
• wherein in their second positions, the jaws are closed for maintaining a position of the poultry leg part,
• wherein the jaws are positioned to grasp the meat surrounding the femur below the knee joint, and
• wherein the grasper is mounted to a grasper conveyor, configured to move the grasper substantially synchronously with the shackle.

A system for processing poultry leg parts, including:

• a conveying system configured for moving the poultry leg parts along a conveying path suspended therefrom;
• a measurement system arranged along the conveying path and configured for measuring a length of each poultry leg part suspended from the conveying system;
• a precutting system, arranged along the conveying path for cutting meat of the poultry leg parts, the precutting system comprising:
• a cutting unit arranged along the conveying path;
• a grasper having jaws configured to grasp the poultry leg parts and moveable between a first position and a second position;
• a height adjustment unit for adjusting a height of the poultry leg parts relative to a cutting device precutting system;
• and
• a deboning system positioned along the conveying path and comprising:
• a gripper configured to grip meat of the poultry leg part;
• a gripper actuator for opening and closing the gripper;
• and
• a gripper tension configured to apply a biasing force for closing the gripper about the meat of the poultry leg part.

A method for deboning a poultry leg part, the poultry leg part including at least one bone and meat surrounding the at least one bone, the method including:

• suspending and transporting the suspended poultry leg part along a conveying path;
• gripping the meat surrounding the at least one bone, with a gripper associated with a first carrier;
• closing the gripper around the leg part by moving a gripper actuator associated with a second carrier relative to the first carrier;
• and
• determining a biasing force for closing the gripper by a gripper tensioner associated with a third carrier by moving the third carrier relative to the first carrier.

A method for pre-cutting a poultry leg part, including a femur and a tibia and meat surrounding the femur and tibia, including:

• a) suspending the poultry leg part from shackles of a conveying unit;
• b) receiving the poultry leg part by a grasper while the grasper is in an open position;
• c) closing the grasper to grasp the meat surrounding the femur;
• d) moving the poultry leg part past a cutting unit, and cutting the meat while the grasper is maintained in the closed position, as the grasper is moved substantially synchronously with the shackle;
• and
• e) opening the grasper for releasing the poultry leg part.