Method and apparatus for removing cheek meat from the skulls of slaughtered animals

Apparatus for pulling the cheek meat from the skull of an animal, comprising,

• skull holding means for holding the skull at a given orientation including a receptacle member for receiving a nose portion of the skull, a rear member for engaging the rear end of the skull, a fluid-operated cylinder connected to the rear member for moving said holdback member from a closed position where it holds the forward nose portion in said receptacle to an open position where the spacing between the members permits removal of the forward nose portion thereof from the receptacle,
• two hooks located on opposite sides of the skull holding means for removing the cheek meat from both sides of the skull, said hooks being laterally movable relative to the skull from disengaged positions which are spaced from the skull to engaged positions where said hooks are in contact with the cheek meat of the skull, and
• actuator means for producing forcible movement of the hooks relative to the skull in a direction which extends generally lengthwise of the skull, said actuator means including a fluid-operated cylinder operable when the hooks are engaged with the cheek meat to strip the cheek meat from both sides of the skull.

A method of removing cheek meat from the skull of an animal, comprising the steps of,

• holding the skull at a given orientation along a longitudinal axis,
• moving a hook that is located transversely of the longitudinal axis and spaced from the cheek meat toward the skull to a position where said hook is in contact with the cheek meat, and
• producing relative movement between the hook and the skull in a direction which extends generally lengthwise of the skull to strip the cheek meat from the skull.

Apparatus for pulling the cheek meat from the skull of a slaughtered animal, comprising,

• skull holding means for holding the skull at a given orientation along a longitudinal axis,
• a hook located transversely of said cheek meat and being provided with more than three projection means for simultaneously engaging the cheek meat, said hook being laterally movable relative to the skull from a disengaged position which is spaced from the cheek meat on the skull to an engaged position where said hook is in contact with the cheek meat, and
• actuator means for producing forcible relative movement between the hook and the skull in a direction which is generally lengthwise of the skull, said actuator means being operable when the hook is engaged with the cheek meat to strip the cheek meat from the skull.