Patent ID: 9351499
Filing Date: 2016-05-31
CPC Classification: A22B,A22C,B65G

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus for holding an animal part at one end of a bone of the animal part as the animal part is conveyed along a processing path, the apparatus comprising: a bone holder assembly configured to be suspended from and conveyed along the processing path by an overhead conveyor, the bone holder assembly comprising a receiving block at a lower end of the assembly; a receiving hook mounted to the receiving block and defining an open receiving slot sized to receive a bone of an animal part; a locking arm movably mounted to the receiving block, the locking arm being selectively movable between a closed position wherein a portion of the locking arm is located within the receiving slot for securing the bone of an animal part in the receiving slot and an open position displaced from the receiving slot to allow the bone of an animal part to be inserted into or removed from the receiving slot; an operating arm coupled to the locking arm, the operating arm being operable to move the locking arm between the closed position and the open position; at least one first magnet associated with the locking arm; at least one second magnet associated with the receiving block; the first and second magnets being positioned to align substantially when the locking arm is moved to the open position to maintain the locking arm yieldably in the open position through magnetic interaction between the first and second magnets.