Bone-cutting meat-recovering unit

A bone-cutting meat recovery unit comprising:

• (a) a support having an upper surface constructed and arranged to support a rack of bones having an elongated spinal column with a plurality of featherbones extending laterally outwardly therefrom with a strip of recoverable meat extending along the spinal column adjacent the juncture of the featherbones and the spinal column;
• (b) an elongated narrow channel carried by said upper surface of said support and constructed and arranged to receive and support the spinal column of such a rack of bones longitudinally therewithin with its attached featherbones extending laterally outwardly therefrom above said upper surface at an acute angle relative to the latter;
• (c) a powered cutting member disposed adjacent said channel in position to engage and cut the featherbones from, and closely adjacent to, the spinal column of such a rack of bones so disposed within said channel as the rack of bones is moved along said channel past said cutting member;
• (d) said channel having in cross-section a bottom and a pair of walls extending upwardly from opposite sides of said bottom;
• (e) said cutting member having a line of cut along a plane extending adjacent one wall of said channel from a point at said upper surface of said support toward the longitudinal center of said channel;
• and
• (f) said channel wall adjacent said line of cut extending at an angle relative to the other of said walls and being constructed and arranged to supportingly engage, orient, and maintain such a rack of bones within said channel with its featherbones extending outwardly from said adjacent channel wall in elevated relation to said upper surface of said support.

A bone-cutting meat-recovery unit comprising:

• (a) a platform tilted off horizontal having an upper surface for receiving and supporting thereon a rack of bones having an elongated spinal column with a plurality of featherbones extending laterally outwardly therefrom with a strip of recoverable meat extending along the spinal column adjacent the juncture of the featherbones and the spinal column;
• (b) a substantially vertically extending band saw extending through said platform;
• (c) an elongated channel disposed within said platform and having a bottom and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom to said upper surface;
• (d) said band saw extending vertically through said channel adjacent one of said sidewalls;
• (e) said channel sidewall adjacent said band saw extending upwardly and, outwardly from said channel bottom and being contoured to enable the spinal column of such a rack of bones to be received and supported longitudinally within said channel so as to cause its featherbones to extend laterally outwardly therefrom in elevated relation to said upper surface of said platform and at an acute angle relative to said upper surface;
• and
• (f) said band saw having a line of cut extending adjacent said contoured sidewall downwardly and inwardly from the plane of said upper surface toward the longitudinal center of said channel at an angle approximately 13.degree. off normal relative to said upper surface, whereby said band saw will cut and recover the major portion of the strip of meat disposed adjacent to the spinal column and featherbones of such a rack of bones when the spinal column of the latter is progressed longitudinally within said channel past and in close proximity to said band saw, with its strip of recoverable meat disposed below the featherbones.

A bone-cutting meat-recovery unit comprising:

• (a) a platform having an upper surface tilted approximately 10.degree.-20.degree. off horizontal for receiving and supporting thereon a rack of bones having an elongated spinal column supporting a plurality of featherbones extending laterally outwardly therefrom with a flat side and an opposite side at which a strip of recoverable meat extends along the spinal column adjacent the juncture of the featherbones and the spinal column;
• (b) a generally vertically extending band saw extending through said platform at an angle of approximately 70.degree.-80.degree. relative thereto;
• (c) an elongated channel disposed within said upper surface and extending past said band saw in close proximity thereto and having a bottom and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom to said upper surface;
• (d) one of said sidewalls having a substantially planar surface extending adjacent said band saw and upwardly and outwardly from said channel bottom whereby said channel is adapted to receive such a rack of bones therein with its spinal column extending longitudinally within said channel and its featherbones extending outwardly from said planar surface with the strip of recoverable meat being disposed above and engaging said planar surface and with the featherbones extending upwardly and outwardly above said upper surface at an acute angle relative thereto;
• and
• (e) said band saw having a line of cut extending vertically through said channel adjacent said channel bottom whereby said band saw will cut and recover the major portion of the strip of meat disposed adjacent to the spinal column and featherbones of such a rack of bones when the spinal column of the latter is progressed longitudinally within said channel past and in close proximity to said band saw with its flat side up and with its strip of recoverable meat disposed below the featherbones.

A bone-cutting meat-recovery unit comprising:

• (a) a platform having an upper surface tilted approximately 10.degree.-20.degree. off horizontal for receiving and supporting thereon a rack of bones having an elongated spinal column supporting a plurality of featherbones extending laterally outwardly therefrom with a flat side and an opposite side at which a strip of recoverable meat extends along the spinal column adjacent the juncture of the featherbones and the spinal column;
• (b) an elongated narrow channel disposed within said upper surface and having a bottom and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom to said upper surface;
• (c) a powered cutting member disposed adjacent said channel in position to engage and cut the featherbones from, and closely adjacent to, the spinal column of such a rack of bones so disposed within said channel and having a line of cut extending at approximately 70.degree.-80.degree. relative to said upper surface;
• (d) said cutting member having a line of cut extending vertically through said channel adjacent said channel bottom whereby said cutting member will cut and recover the major portion of the strip of meat disposed adjacent to the spinal column and featherbones of such a rack of bones when the spinal column of the latter is progressed longitudinally within said channel past and in close proximity to said cutting member with its flat side up and with the strip of recoverable meat disposed beneath the featherbones;
• and
• (e) downwardly biased depressing means mounted above said channel adjacent said powered cutting member in position to engage the spinal column of such a rack of bones as the latter is moved longitudinally within said channel past said cutting member and in so doing to depress said spinal column toward said bottom of said channel and thereby cause the featherbones of the rack of bones to swing upwardly about the longitudinal axis of its spinal column in elevated relation to said upper surface.