NZ204450A - Separating meat and limbs from carcass vertebrae and ribs - Google Patents

Description

/ 'W 204450 N.Z. No. 204450 2 December 1983 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A METHOD OF REMOVING MEAT FROM AN ANIMAL CARCASS We, THE MEAT INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND INCORPORATED, an incorporated company organized and existing under the laws of New Zealand of East Street, Hamilton, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement 204450 This invention relates to a method for the removal of meat, in a substantially intact form (i.e. whole-tissue meat) from the carcasses of slaughtered animals.

The manual boning of meat from the carcasses of slaughtered animals is a labour-intensive operation and as such the processing costs involved in producing boneless whole-tissue meat are high. Existing technology for the separation of meat and bones mechanically is primarily directed at the recovery of meat from bones where the bulk of the meat has already been removed manually. The resultant product from such processes is in the form of a slurry or finely comminuted pieces of meat, usually with relatively high concentrations of calcium. Such a product has limited shelf life and the ranges of uses to which such product can be put are limited.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of removal of meat in a substantially intact form from the carcasses of slaughtered animals, said method including mechanical means to form at least a part of the removal of the meat from the carcass.

According to one broad aspect of the invention there is provided a method of mechanically removing whole-tissue meat from an animal carcass, said method including the steps of making a longitudinal cut in the meat of the carcass along at least one side of the dorsal protrusions of the vertebrae, bringing forcing means into contact with the meat adjacent to said cut which force the meat away from the dorsal protrusions and at least part of 2 204450 This invention relates to a method for the removal of meat, in a substantially intact form (i.e. whole-tissue meat) from the carcasses of slaughtered animals.

The manual boning of meat from the carcasses of slaughtered animals is a labour-intensive operation and as such the processing costs involved in producing boneless whole-tissue meat are high. Existing technology for the separation of meat and bones mechanically is primarily directed at the recovery of meat from bones where the bulk of the meat has already been removed manually. The resultant product from such processes is in the form of a slurry or finally comminuted pieces of meat, usually with relatively high concentrations of calcium. Such a product has limited shelf life and the ranges of uses to which such product can be put are limited.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of removal of meat in a substantially intact form from the carcasses of slaughtered animals, said method including mechanical means to form at least a part of the removal of the meat from the carcass.

According to one broad aspect of the invention there is provided a method of mechanically removing whole-tissue meat from an animal carcass, said method including the steps of making a longitudinal cut in the meat of the carcass along at least one side of the dorsal projections of the vertebrae and bringing into contact with the meat adjacent said cut, forcing means which force the meat away from the dorsal protrusions and 204450 the lateral projections of the vertebrae, and engaging the carcass with second forcing means which engages with the meat forced away by the aforementioned first forcing means so as to remove the meat as whole-tissue meat from at least a part of the length of the ribs extending from the vertebrae.

Preferably during the steps of bringing the first and second forcing means into engagement with the carcass the carcass is supported by supporting means which provides at least support along the length of the vertebrae. However, it is preferred that the supporting means also provides support within the carcass for the ribs. It is also preferred that the supporting means provide means for preventing longitudinal movement of the carcass during engagement of the forcing means and to this end the supporting means can preferably include clamping means for clamping the leading end which is preferably the neck portion of the carcass. Said clamping means can in addition force the neck of the carcass into a position where it is substantially aligned with the thoracic vertebrae of the carcass.

In its preferred form the present invention relates to a method of removing the meat from the spinal column and rib cage (referred to hereinafter as the "frame") of the whole carcass of a slaughtered animal. The method is particularly suited for the removal of whole-tissue meat from sheep or lamb carcasses though it is not strictly restricted thereto and can be used for the removal of whole-tissue meat from the frame of animals such as pigs, calves, cattle, goats, etc. The method permits meat to be 3 204450 removed with the minimum of disruption to tissue structure so that the meat removed from the bones of the frame is in a substantially intact form retaining the structure of the whole-tissue meat. Accordingly the meat can be mechanically removed from the frame so as to be available as a complete intact side of meat with little damage to tissue structure. The scapula, fore-leg and back leg bones are removed separately either prior to or after the removal of the sides of meat from the frame. For example the leg bones can be removed in accordance with the manner disclosed in our New Zealand Patent Specification No. 203993.

According to a second form of the invention there is provided a mechanical apparatus for the removal of whole-tissue meat from an animal carcass, said apparatus comprising support means for supporting said carcass, cutting means to make a longitudinal cut in the meat along at least one side of the dorsal protrusions of the vertebrae, forcing means engagable with the carcass to force meat away from the dorsal protrusions and at least part of the lateral projections of the vertebrae, and second forcing means which is engagable with the carcass and trails behind the first forcing means to force additional meat away from the ribs of said carcass.

To more fully describe the invention according to a preferred embodiment reference will be made to the accompanying drawings which schematically show a carcass being processed in 4 204450 accordance with the invention so as to mechanically remove whole-tissue meat from the frame of the carcass. In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevational view of supporting means for supporting the carcass during removal of the meat, Figure 2 is a side view of a carcass mounted on the supporting means, Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the neck of the carcass clamped with clamping means forming part of the supporting means, Figure 4 is an end elevation in the view of arrow A of Figure 3, ' .>v-- : ' Figure 5 is a plan view of the carcass in the orientation shown in Figure 3 and showing the location of preparatory cuts about the,region of the neck and tail, Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line X-X of Figure 3, Figure 7 is an end elevation view of the supporting means, Figure 8 is a side elevation view showing cutting means for cutting the carcass longitudinally and first and second forcing means for forcing the meat away from the frame of the carcass, Figure 9 is a cross-section through the line Y-Y of Figure 8, Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 8 but showing the forcing means after the meat has been partially removed from the frame, 204450 Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view on the line Z-Z of Figure 10, Figure 12 is a side elevation view showing dislocation of the back legs from the spine at the junction of the spine and pelvis, Figure 13 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 12, Figure 14 is a side elevation view showing the forcing of the meat from the lumbar vertebrae following the transition of the mechanical forcing means to the area of the sacrum and first and second coccygeal vertebrae, Figure 15 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 14, Figure 16 is a side elevational view showing the forcing of the meat-from the brisket region of the rib cage, Figure 17 is a more detailed perspective view of a first form of forcing means, Figure 18 is a more detailed perspective view of a second form of forcing means, Figure 19 is a sectioned view of a third form of forcing means, Figure 20 is a perspective view of a fourth form of forcing means, and Figures 21 and 22 are detail views of a clamping arrangement for use in conjunction with the support means. 204450 In the following description reference will be made to the carcass being supported in a horizontal position on suitable supporting means. In addition the following disclosure will refer to the method being commenced at the neck end of the carcass and proceeding to the hind-quarter end of the carcass. This has to be considered to be only by way of example as the method could equally be used with the carcass being orientated in a substantially vertical position and/or with the process being carried out from the hind-quarter end of the carcass to the neck.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings the supporting means consists of a body 1 with a top surface 2 so contoured as to provide a ^support portion 2a for the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and the ends of the ribs (of the carcass to be processed) adjacent to their connection to the thoracic vertebrae. The surface 2 also provides a support portion 2b for the sacrum and coccygeal vertebrae with these two support portions of the surface 2 being formed integrally as part of the body 1 though the latter support portion 2a could be provided by a separate unit. Either side of the body 1 and coincident with a line which is approximately one half the way down the rib cage of the carcass to be processed is a rib support member 3 which provides support to the rib cage during processing of the carcass. These rib supports 3 are retractable to a position close to the body 1 for loading of the carcass and unloading of the boned frame whilst a hydraulic or pneumatic ram 4 or any other convenient means is provided to activate these rib supports 204450 so as to take up an operating position which is more particularly shown in Figure 6 of the drawings.

The support means also provide a support surface 5 for the neck of the carcass and this is preferably formed as a separate unit. In the illustrated form the support surface 5 is mounted ' > on legs 6 which are operated by a linear actuator 6a (eithier pneumatically or hydraulically operated) or any other suitable moving means. The neck support 5 also incorporates clamping means 7 which is designed to clamp the neck of the carcass when the carcass is supported on the support surface 2. Preferably the clamping surface 5 and clamping means 7 are such that "they clamp the neck into a position where it is forced from its natural curved disposition as shown in Figure 2 to a flat position parallel with the neck support as shown in Figure 3. The clamping, means 7 thus includes any suitable mechanical means (such as for example a linear actuator 7a) for carrying out this function and in addition the clamping means provides a means of anchoring the carcass against longidutinal movement.

An alternative arrangement is illustrated in Figures 21 and 22 where clamping surface 5 and top surface 2a are formed integrally. The clamping surface 5 is formed with serrations or the like 30 which engage the underside of the neck when it is forced down onto surface 5 and thereby assist prevention of longitudinal movement of the carcass C on the support means. The clamping means 7 which incorporates a rod 31 which can be forced down the spinal cord cavity operates in the same manner as previously described. 204450 According to the preferred form of the method, and referring to the illustrated arrangements in the drawings, the carcass is placed on the support surface 2 and the neck support 5 is brought into position as shown in Figure 2 with the neck then being straightened to lie flat on the neck support by the clamping means 7 as shown in Figure 3. At this stage or, if desired, before or after this stage is reached, the pelvis is cut along its centre line as shown more paticularly in Figure 4.

Once again at this stage or prior to this stage preparatory cuts 12a and 12b are made in the regions of the neck and tail respectively of the carcass by any convenient method. Cuts 12a are made either*side of the cervical vertebrae from the atlas to the region of the first and second thoracic vertebrae and extend from the top side of the neck right through to the under side. Cuts 12b are made either side of the coccygeal vertebrae and sacrum from the base of the tail to the region of the joining of the pelvis to the sacrum.

Prior to the meat removal process commencing the rib supports 3 are opened to their operating position by actuation of the operating mechanism 4. The carcass thus prepared and mounted is ready for the meat removal operation.

In the following description of the method of meat removal the preferred form of the apparatus as illustrated is one where the mechanical removal devices are mounted in close proximity to one another. Relative axial movement of these devices and the carcass is achieved either by traversing the devices over the 204450 carcass or by movement of the carcass while the devices are held stationary relative to the axis of the carcass. The latter case is used in the following description of the method and the apparatus for carrying out the method.

The longitudinal cuts either side of the dorsal protrusions of the vertebrae are carried out by suitable cutting means and for the sake of simplicity there is illustrated in the drawings knives or cutting elements 8. These knives are lowered to such a position as to cut the meat either side of the dorsal protrusions of the spine and whilst preferably the cuts are made by mechanically operated knives or cutting elements this marking down of the carcass can be carried out manually.

The forcing means are indicated generally at 9 and in the preferred form consists of a pair of discs 9a (see Figure 9 for a general view and Figure 19 for a more detailed view of one such disc 9a) of equal diameter which are mounted coaxially with a space between them of a distance comparable to the transverse thickness of the dorsal protrusions P of the vertebrae. As the neck of the carcass reaches the point below the discs the discs are lowered with suitable controlled application of pressure and height so that they contact the vertebrae and in so doing are forced to bend along a chord parallel to the axis of the carcass thus being forced to lie on the top parts of the ribs in a plane more or less at right angles to the plane of the major portion of the discs. To facilitate this bending, and to restrict the radius of curvature of the bend in the disc, it is required that 204450 the discs be constructed of suitable materials and preferably be guided and supported in operation. One method is to build the discs 9a from a flexible rubber-like elastomer with a hardness and stiffness sufficient to retain an edge on the disc and thus scrape the meat from the frame F while being flexible enough that the material can be bent around a radius of curvature, of the order of 10 mm, along the chord where the bending takes place.

Such effect can be achieved by a disc 15 (see Figure 19) constructed of an elastomer of appropriate mechanical properties and thickness which is sandwiched between supporting stainless steel discs or hubs 16 of a smaller diameter, such a composite disc 9a being guided by independent guides 17 to restrict the radius of curvature of the bend of disc 15 along the chord forward of the support given by the stainless steel part 16 of the composite disc 9a.

By suitable sizing of these composite discs 9a for example for sheep carcasses an overall diameter of about 300 mm and a support hub 16 diameter of 200 mm, as the discs 9a are traversed along the spine, while simultaneously rotating, the meat is cleared from the vertebrae and the top of the ribcage, to allow the introduction of subsequent discs.

An alternative form of these discs 9a is to make the elastomer discs 15 larger in diameter while retaining similar sized supporting hubs 16, so that the flexible material protrude, say 75 mm outside the hubs. This enables more of the ribcage to be cleared by the discs but may require that the extremity of the 204450 discs be forced onto the ribcage to clear the meat from the ribs in the region where the ribs curve away from the plane.

Discs 9a thus force most of the meat from the bones where contact is made. Figure 7 shows the position in the early stages of the method whilst Figure 8 is a cross-sectional schematic view showing the pair of discs 9a mounted on a spindle 10 and forcing the meat from either side of the dorsal projections P and at least part of the lateral projections which in the rib cage portion of the carcass are formed by the ends of the ribs.

In a preferred form of the invention additional or second forcing means are utilized in accordance with the following.

In the early stage of the method the second forcing means 11 can be used to force the meat from the ribs. These second forcing means 11 consist of a suitable mechanism to cut or scrape the meat from the rib cage by providing an element or a number of elements on either side of the carcass with these elements being provided with a means of being forced in a direction substantially laterally to the line of the spine of the carcass such that the edges of the element are forced against the rib cage of the carcass. These elements 11 are also driven so as to impart a relative motion between the carcass and the edges of the elements in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the relative motion between the elements and the carcass which is necessary to traverse the scraping action of these elements from one part of the rib cage to another. y 204450 In the illustrated form of the mechanical means of carrying out the method according to the invention these elements 11 consist of one or more pairs of discs 11a which are mounted with their axes substantially parallel to the axis of the discs 9a. In the preferred form these secondary or trailing discs 11a are so positioned relative to the leading discs 9a that when they are immediately above the sacrum their edges closest to the discs 9a are roughly parallel with the area of the second lumbar vertebrae. Discs 11a are so positioned on their axes lib such that one disc of each pair is on either side of the carcass at a distance either side of the centre line of the carcass such that the edges of the discs are forced against the rib cage by a combination of the elastic nature of the material (see for example^Figure 11) from which the discs are constructed and the force supplied from overlapping discs or from one or more pairs of pressure shoes or small idler rollers placed at suitable points around the periphery of the discs and activated by suitable mechanical pneumatic or hydraulic means to force the discs against the rib cage. These discs are driven so as to impart a rotary motion independent of the relative motion of the disc axes and carcass to generate relative movement of the discs over the surface of the ribs to aid in the scraping action of the discs to remove the meat cover from the rib.

In a further form of the apparatus the second forcing means 11 can be in the form of a pair of substantially straight sections of a suitably elastic material. These are then moved in 204450 two substantially orthoganol directions relative to the carcass such that a relative motion between the scraping sections and the carcass is generated substantially parallel to the edge of said sections as the sections traverse from one part of the rib cage to another in a direction substantially orthoganol to the edges of the scraper elements.

As the carcass moves beneath, discs 9a and 11a are lowered to their operating position (though they could be permanently retained in a working position) before the first rib has reached a point below the edge of the discs closest to the leading discs 9a so that as the-movement of the carcass continues the trailing discs 11a aided by the rotational movement imparted thereto scrape the meat from the ribs. It is necessary that discs 11a are of sufficient size that the ribs are thus cleared of meat (except the intercostal muscules) to a line substantially parallel to the spine and approximately two thirds to three quarters down the length of each rib from the vertebrae so as to sever the attachment of the oblique abdominal muscles to the ribs. This action of the discs 11a is more clearly illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings where the flexible nature of the discs 11 to contour with the ribs is more particularly shown in Figure 11.

With the carcass continuing to move in a forward direction the knives or cutting elements 8 are retracted just prior to the point where the pelvis bones would strike them (see Figure 10). At this point the cuts being made by the cutting elements 8 will - 204450 join with the preparatory cuts 12b. Movement of the carcass, however, continues until leading discs 9a are at the region of the fourth lumbar vertebrae at which point the forward motion of the carcass is discontinued so as to allow the pelvic bones to be dislocated from their attachment to the spine. This dislocation is effected by the hind-legs being moved outwardly and downwardly as shown by the arrows in Figures 12 and 13.

In a further form of the method according to the invention this dislocation may be performed while the carcass is still in motion by means of adequate timing of the operation or the dislocation may be effected by the application of pressure by any suitable means to the tops of the pelvic bones. In the method as illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 the movement of the legs to effect the dislocation may be achieved by any suitable means such as manual or mechanical pulling on the legs or by the insertion of a wedge between the pelvic bones through the anal cavity. As indicated in Figures 12 and 13 the dislocation occurs at the point where the pelvis joins the spine while the spine is effectively clamped between the support surface 2b and discs 9a.

Movement of the carcass is then continued until the discs 9a are in contact with the region of the sacrum to second coccygeal vertebrae. At this point the trailing discs 11a are in such a position relative to the carcass that the meat has been removed from at least the top two thirds to three quarters of all the ribs. The legs, or meat in the region of the legs, are then pulled out and forward as shown in Figures 14 and 15 so that any / vw-'' 204450 tissue remaining between the body of the meat and the bones is torn and the meat is thus separated from the bone from the tail to the ribs.

Continuation of this pulling action in the appropriate direction as shown in Figure 16 tears the remaining adhesion of the meat to the brisket ends of the ribs to effect a complete clean separation of meat and bone. This ability to pull the meat to the brisket ends of the ribs is facilitated by the discs 11a having scraped along the ribs to a level sufficient to sever the attachments of the oblique abdominal muscules to the ribs.

The invention is open to;modification as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example alternate forms Of discs for separating the meat from the carcass are envisaged. In one modification the discs can be substantially conical. Such discs D are made from a flexible material such as spring stainless steel, in composite with an elastic material such as rubber. The main components of the discs shown in Figure 18 are fingers 18 which protrude substantially radially from the hub 19 to form a cone (include angle about 120 degrees to 140 degrees) with a slight gap (of the order of 5 mm) between adjacent fingers 18 at the circumference. Each finger is enlarged at 20 at the circumference so that adjacent fingers overlap at the periphery of the disc D and the cone is of a diameter large enough to ensure that the hub 19 will not interfere with the ribcage (about 1 m diameter for sheep). The overlap of sections 20 ensure that there is a peripheral clearing edge in contact with the carcass 204450 rather than a radial leading edge. The cone thus formed may then be covered with rubber or a similar elastic material 21 which is bonded to the spring stainless steel fingers 18.

In operation the discs D are mounted on a spindle 22 so that the circumference of each one is offset from the centreline of the carcass, the hub is offset further from the centreline and the plane of the cone's circumference lies more or less parallel to the plane of symmetry of the carcass. The discs are then rotated as the carcass traverses between them so that the circumference of-the discs deforms to the shape of the ribcage and the meat is scraped from the ribs by the action of the rotating stainless steel fingers. ! > Alternatively the discs D may be made such that the circumferentials cutting/scraping elements 23 which may be fixed or pivoted (both illustrated in Figure 19) are linked together by hinges, (either pin hinges or hinges made from flexible rubber like elastomer) with each of each second link of the disc connected to a hub 2 4 by a telescopic lever arm 25. Each of these lever arms 25 is pivoted at a point 26 between the circumference and disc centreline and force applied to the inner ends of arms 25 by means of a spring (not shown) or hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder arrangement 2 7 such that the linked cutting/scraping elements 23 on the circumference of the disc D are forced with a substantially constant thrust against the ribcage. These discs D are mounted and rotate in a manner essentially the same as described above. w 204450 A still further embodiment is similar to the alternative previously described but rather than the periphery of the disc being made from hinged links, the circumferential edge is formed by a continuous conical band of an elastomeric or flexible material.

As indicated previously a further alternative method for removing meat from the ribcage of frame F is by means of a continuous moving blade either side of the backbone. Such a blade would be guided at a point above the ribs and below the brisket and tensioned so that as the blade passed over the ribcage the blade follows the contour of the ribs. This effect can ii'e achieved in a number of ways, one of which is by making the blade from a hinged chain (with cutting attachments attached to each link) and tensioning the chain with a sprung tensioner sprocket that allows sufficient movement to let the.chain follow the rib contour. Similarly the blade could be made from a continuous metal strip as is common in bandsaws. As shown in Figure 20, however, the band 28 can be made from an elastic material such as a rubber or other elastomer where the whole band 28 can stretch and be guided by guide rollers 2 9 to accommodate all or part of the extra length required to follow the contour of the ribcage of frame F.

Common to all these methods for removal of the meat from the ribcage is the provision of elements which are forced against the ribcage while being moved in two directions, one roughly paralle or taugential to their cutting edges the other roughly orthogonal 204450 to their cutting edges, so that the meat is scraped from the bone by virtue of the elements being traversed across the ribcage while the cutting edge has a motion roughly orthogonal to the direction of traverse.

The method according to the present invention and as described herein in relation to a preferred form of apparatus provides a means whereby meat can be removed from the frame of an animal carcass in a substantially intact form thereby retaining the structure of the whole-tissue meat and providing meat in large structurally intact identifiable pieces. The variations and the means of applying the various operations which make up the method are numerous as is-the sequence of the method operations. As previously indicated for example, the second forcing means do not necessarily need to be in the form of/discs but could be in the form of elongate oscillating members. Other means of carrying out the steps of the method will be known to those skilled in the art and for example the cutting knives 8 could be rotating blades, shear blades, high pressure water jets or any other suitable means. In the preferred form of the apparatus as illustrated the knives 8 and discs 9 are mounted within a common frame so that the operations of cutting either side of the vertebrae and forcing the meat from the region of the dorsal protrusions and lateral projections thereof are performed simultaneously with the cut being made immediately in front of the discs as the carcass moves relative to both knives and discs. The knives and discs, however, could be incorporated as separate elements in separate moving means.

Claims (17)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of mechanically removing whole-tissue meat from an animal carcass, said method including the steps of making a longitudinal cut in the meat of the carcass along at least one side of the dorsal protrusions of the vertebrae, bringing forcing means into contact with the meat adjacent to said cut which force the meat away from the dorsal protrusions and at least part of the lateral projections of the vertebrae, and engaging the carcass with second forcing means which engages with the meat forced away by the aforementioned first forcing means so as to remove the meat as whole-tissue meat from at least a part of the length of the ribs extending from the vertebrae.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein cuts are formed e-r sidesof the dorsal projections and forcing means force the meat away from r sideSof said dorsal protrusions.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein during the steps of bringing the first and second forcing means into engagement with the carcass the carcass is supported by supporting means which provides at least support along the length of the vertebrae.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the supporting means also provides support within the carcass for the ribs.

5. The method of claim 3 or 4 wherein the supporting means provide means for preventing longitudinal movement of the carcass during engagement of the forcing means.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the leading end of the carcass is clamped during operation onlanimal carcass by the first or first and second forcing means. - 20 - -f

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the leading end is the neck of the carcass and it is so clamped that the neck is forced into a position where it is substantially aligned with the thoracic vertebrae of the carcass.

8. A method of mechanically removing whole-tissue meat from an animal carcass substantially as herein described.

9. Mechanical apparatus for the removal of whole-tissue meat from an animal carcass, said apparatus comprising support means for supporting said carcass, cutting means to make a longitudinal cut in the meat along at least one side of the dorsal protrusions of the vertebrae, forcing means engagable with the carcass to force meat away from the dorsal protrusions and at least part of the lateral projections of the vertebrae, and second forcing means which is engagable with the carcass and trails behind the first forcing means to force additional meat away from the ribs of said carcass.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the forcing means comprise a pair of spaced apart discs locatable either side of the spine of the carcass.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein each disc includes a flexible peripheral portion. Competes

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein each disc emprises a disc of flexible rubber-like elastomer sandwiched between rigid discs of lesser diameter, said rigid discs being mounted on an 804450

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein each disc comprises a plurality of fingers which project radially from a rotational axis, said fingers so disposed as to define a disc of conical shape, the central axis of the conical shape being coaxial with the rotational axis, said fingers being retained in said conical disposition by biassing means.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said biassing means is an area of elastic material attached to said fingers.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the support means includes a first support surface for supporting vertebrae of the carcass and second support means for engagement with the ribcage of the carcass.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further including clamping means for clamping the leading end of the carcass.

17. Mechanical apparatus for the removal of whole-tissue meat from an animal carcass substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. THE MEAT INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND INCORPORATED By Their Attorneys HENRY HUGHES LIMITED 22