Method and apparatus for separating meat from bones

A separation chamber for use in separating meat from bones in a press, comprising, an elongated cylinder of unitary construction, said tube comprising a straight cylinder of uniform diameter between opposing ends, said tube having a plurality of through openings arranged in circumferential rows mutually spaced apart along the axis of tube and located in a predetermined section of said tube between said opposing ends, said openings comprising elongated slots each oriented in the same direction about 0.degree. to 75.degree. relative to said tube axis, and each said elongated slots having a length:

• width ratio of about 1:0.02 to 1:0.04 inches, whereby the performance of the separation chamber is enhanced as long sides of said slots present shearing edges to a combination of meat and bones confronting said long sides upon operation of the press for shearing the meat from the bones.

In a press for separating meat from bones including, in combination, a pressure chamber for containing a combination of meat and bones to be separated, seal valve means at a discharge end of said chamber, said chamber including a cylindrical perforated separation chamber adjacent said closing means, and piston means for applying an axial force to the combination to separate the meat from the bones by pressing the meat through perforations of the separation chamber, the improvement wherein:

• said seal valve means comprises a shutter valve including a pair of plates closed together for closing the discharge end, the pair of plates being laterally separable for opening the discharge end to allow passage of compressed bones therefrom, said plates having beveled inner surfaces confronting said separation chamber for translating the axial force applied to the combination to laterally outward forces for automatically separating said plates in response to the applied axial force for opening the discharge end.