Method and device for processing crustaceans

A method for extracting edible material from a crustacean, comprising the steps of:

• a) grasping a first portion of the crustacean;
• b) grasping a second portion of the crustacean;
• c) momentarily moving the first portion and the second portion relative to each other;
• d) separating the forward portion and the tail portion from each other so that the edible material is retained in each portion;
• and.

An apparatus for removing tailmeat from a crustacean, comprising:

• a frame;
• a pair of clamps movably mounted to said frame, said clamps including means for operating said clamps for causing said clamps to engage portions of the crustacean;
• impact means cooperating with said pair of clamps for momentarily moving said pair of clamps relative to each other thereby disrupting the bond between the tailmeat and the shell and facilitating the removal of the tailmeat from the shell;
• and
• extraction means for extracting the tailmeat from the tail portion;
• said other of said pair of clamps including bending means for allowing the tail portion of the crustacean to bend slightly, and actuation means for moving one of said clamps away from the other clamp to thereby separate the forward portion of the crustacean from the tail portion of the crustacean.

An apparatus for removing tailmeat from a crustacean, comprising:

• a frame;
• a pair of clamps movably mounted to said frame, said clamps including means for operating said clamps for causing said clamps to engage portions of the crustacean;
• impact means cooperating with said pair of clamps for momentarily moving said pair of clamps relative to each other thereby disrupting the bond between the tailmeat and the shell and facilitating the removal of the tailmeat from the shell;
• and
• extraction means for extracting the tailmeat from the tail portion;
• and tail straightening means mounted to said frame for straightening the tail of the crustacean, said tail straightening means cooperating with said one clamp.

An apparatus for removing tailmeat from a crustacean, comprising:

• a frame;
• a pair of clamps movably mounted to said frame, said clamps including means for operating said clamps for causing said clamps to engage portions of the crustacean;
• impact means cooperating with said pair of clamps for momentarily moving said pair of clamps relative to each other thereby disrupting the bond between the tailmeat and the shell and facilitating the removal of the tailmeat from the shell;
• and
• extraction means for extracting the tailmeat from the tail portion;
• said one clamp including a carriage movably mounted to said frame, said carriage including a counterweight movably mounted to said frame and connected to said carriage by a belt, said belt being routed over a plurality of pulleys, said carriage for balancing the inertial forces created when said head clamp movement means starts and stops said carriage by moving in a direction opposite the direction of travel of said carriage.

A method for extracting edible material from a crustacean, comprising the steps of:

• a) grasping a first portion of the crustacean;
• b) grasping a second portion of the crustacean;
• c) momentarily moving the first portion and the second portion relative to each other;
• d) separating the forward portion and the tail portion from each other so that the edible material is retained in each portion;
• e) extracting the edible material from each tail portion;
• f) clamping the intestinal tract of the crustacean;
• and
• g) inserting a pair of hollow needles into the tail portion straddling the intestinal tract after the head portion and the tail portion have been separated, and injecting air into the tail portion thereby ejecting the tailmeat.