Carcass hide opening

Apparatus for opening a carcass hide preparatory to removal of the hide from the carcass, the apparatus including a clearing member which is operable to be inserted between the hide and subcutaneous tissues and to be advanced along an advancement line extending along a length of the carcass, the clearing member having a leading extremity extending transverse to the advancement line and which is operative to separate the hide from the subcutaneous tissues as it advances, the leading extremity of the clearing member comprising a cutting edge operative to sever connections between the hide and the subcutaneous tissues, the clearing member having an inner face which is adjacent to the subcutaneous tissues and an outer face which is adjacent to the hide, the cutting edge being located at or slightly below the outer face of the clearing member and the leading extremity of the clearing member being bevelled from the inner face to the cutting edge, the apparatus further including an opening means located so as to trail behind the leading extremity of the clearing member as the clearing member is advanced along the advancement line, the opening means being operative to cut the hide to create an opening cut in the hide along the advancement line, the apparatus further including a drive arrangement associated with the clearing member and the opening means and operative to advance the clearing member and opening means along the carcass so that the clearing member separates the hide from the subcutaneous tissues and the opening means creates the opening cut in the hide along the advancement line.

Apparatus for opening a carcass hide preparatory to removal of the hide from the carcass, the apparatus including a clearing member which is operable to be inserted between the hide and subcutaneous tissues and to be advanced along an advancement line extending along a length of the carcass, the clearing member having a leading extremity extending transverse to the advancement line and which is operative to separate the hide from the subcutaneous tissues as it advances, the apparatus further including an opening means located so as to trail behind the leading extremity of the clearing member as the clearing member is advanced along the advancement line, the opening means being operative to cut the hide to create an opening cut in the hide along the advancement line, the apparatus further including a drive arrangement associated with the clearing member and the opening means and operative to advance the clearing member and opening means along the carcass so that the clearing member separates the hide from the subcutaneous tissues and the opening means creates the opening cut in the hide along the advancement line, the apparatus further including peeling means operative to peel the hide on both sides of the opening cut upwardly and outwardly away from the opening cut thereby exposing the subcutaneous tissues, the opening means comprising an opening blade having a cutting edge operative to cut the hide to create the opening cut, the opening means being operative to cut the hide to create an opening cut in the hide along the advancement line, the apparatus further including a drive arrangement associated with the clearing member and opening means and operative to advance the clearing member and opening means along the carcass so that the clearing member separates the hide from the subcutaneous tissues and the opening means creates the opening cut in the hide along the advancement line.

Apparatus for opening a carcass hide preparatory to removal of the hide from the carcass, the apparatus including a clearing member which is operable to be inserted between the hide and subcutaneous tissues and to be advanced along an advancement line extending along a length of the carcass, the clearing member having a leading extremity extending transverse to the advancement line and which is operative to separate the hide from the subcutaneous tissues as it advances, the apparatus further including an opening means located so as to trail behind the leading extremity of the clearing member as the clearing member is advanced along the advancement line, the opening means being operative to cut the hide to create an opening cut in the hide along the advancement line, the apparatus further including a drive arrangement associated with the clearing member and the opening means and operative to advance the clearing member and opening means along the carcass so that the clearing member separates the hide from the subcutaneous tissues and the opening means creates the opening cut in the hide along the advancement line, the drive arrangement including a mounting which mounts the clearing member and the opening means, the drive arrangement further including a guide which is arranged to be located in the vicinity of the carcass and drive means for driving the mounting along the guide so as to cause the clearing member and opening means to travel along the length of the carcass, the guide comprising a guide track, the mounting including a track follower operative to travel along the track so that the track follower in use moves generally along the advancement line in proximity to the carcass, the mounting enabling the clearing member and opening means to move towards and away from the guide track as movement along the advancement line occurs so as to thereby assist the clearing member and opening means to follow the contour of the carcass, the mounting includes biasing means operative to apply a biasing force urging the clearing member and opening means away from the carcass and towards the guide tack thereby assisting in separating the hide from the subcutaneous tissues as the clearing member advances.

Apparatus for opening a carcass hide preparatory to removal of the hide from the carcass, the apparatus including a clearing member which is operable to be inserted between the hide and subcutaneous tissues and to be advanced along an advancement line extending along a length of the carcass, the clearing member having a leading extremity extending transverse to the advancement line and which is operative to separate the hide from the subcutaneous tissues as it advances, the apparatus further including an opening means located so as to trail behind the leading extremity of the clearing member as the clearing member is advanced along the advancement line, the opening means being operative to cut the hide to create an opening cut in the hide along the advancement line, the apparatus further including a drive arrangement associated with the clearing member and the opening means and operative to advance the clearing member and opening means along the carcass so that the clearing member separates the hide from the subcutaneous tissues and the opening means creates the opening cut in the hide along the advancement line, the apparatus being operative to cut the hide of a carcass supported in an inverted position with the belly of the carcass facing upwardly, the carcass having undergone an operation of bagging and bunging the anus so as to leave a cleared opening in the hide, the apparatus being operative to commence the hide clearing and cutting at the cleared opening at the anus with the advancement line extending along the belly, thorax and the neck of the carcass, the apparatus further including rump lifting means operative to selectively elevate the rump of the carcass so as to present the cleared opening at the anus at the desired height for entry of the clearing member through the cleared opening at the anus.