Importance

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Abstract

An automated poultry skinning apparatus which includes a support frame having a product feed inlet and discharge outlet and housing a conveyor aligned to engage the upper surface of a piece of poultry product entering the feed outlet. The apparatus is provided with a rotatably mounted gripper provided with a plurality of radially extending fins adapted to engage the lower surface of the piece of poultry passing between the gripper and toe conveyor. An arcuate pinch surface is provided which is mounted in closely spaced relationship to the arcuate path traveled by the rotating fins of the gripper and define therewith an opening for trapping the outer skin attached to the poultry product between the arcuate surface and the outer end of a rotating fin to entrap a portion of the skin and pull the skin from the poultry product piece. The conveyor is mounted to the frame to permit automatic adjustment to a range of sizes of poultry product entering the feed inlet while maintaining a controlled downward force against the product engaged by the fins of the gripper.

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First Claim