Patent ID: 9179686
Filing Date: 2015-11-10
Classification: A22C

Abstract:
1. A poultry paw cutting system for cutting a poultry paw positioned in a shackle on a shackle conveyor line having a longitudinal axis in an ordered, indexed manner, the paw cutting system comprising: a guide bar positioned adjacent to and substantially aligned with a portion of the shackle conveyor line, wherein the guide bar has a first end and a second end, and wherein as the shackle is conveyed toward the second end of the guide bar, the poultry paw is urged by the guide bar from a proximal end of the shackle to a central cavity of the shackle; a holding wheel positioned adjacent to the second end of the guide bar, wherein the holding wheel defines a plurality of notches in an outer edge of the holding wheel, wherein each notch of the plurality of notches is configured to contain a portion of a paw therein, and wherein the holding wheel is configured to move the paw from the shackle to a blade; the blade positioned adjacent to the holding wheel, wherein the blade is configured to cut the knuckle from the paw positioned in a notch of the plurality of notches of the holding wheel; and a conveyor positioned below at least a portion of the blade to convey the cut paw from the paw cutting system.