Automatic top slice removal device

An automatic top slice removal device comprising:

• a frame;
• a lower conveyor belt having a forward end and a rearward end, said lower conveyor belt mounted on said frame;
• an upper conveyor belt adjustably mounted on said frame and extending generally parallel with and spaced from said lower conveyor belt;
• said lower conveyor belt and said upper conveyor belt cooperating to engage and compress a meat product therebetween and transport the meat product through said automatic top slice removal device towards said rearward end of said lower conveyor belt;
• a bandsaw including a bandsaw blade interposed between said upper conveyor belt and said lower conveyor belt operative to separate a top slice from the remainder of the meat product;
• a top slice separator plate adjustably mounted on said frame interposed between said upper conveyor belt and said lower conveyor belt and positioned generally rearwardly adjacent and aligned generally coplanar with said bandsaw blade interposed between said upper conveyor belt and said lower conveyor belt, said top slice separator plate extending rearwards to maintain separation of the top slice and the remainder of the meat product;
• a top slice removal conveyor belt positioned below and at least partially rearwards of said top slice separator plate and below said upper conveyor belt operative to receive the top slice thereon when the top slice separates from engagement with said upper conveyor belt and said top slice separator plate to remove the top slice from the remainder of the meat product;
• and
• a rear conveyor belt means mounted rearwards of said lower conveyor belt and generally adjacent thereto such that upon the remainder of the meat product disengaging from said lower conveyor belt, said rear conveyor belt is operative to engage and transport the remainder of the meat product to another location.