Patent Publication Number: US-6659856-B2

Title: Automatic skin removal and fat trimming device for meat products II

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This continuation application claims priority to the filing date of related patent application Ser. No. 09/878,692 filed on Jun. 11, 2001 which claims priority to the filing date of related patent application Ser. No. 09/465,092 filed Dec. 16, 1999, now abn. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for automatically removing the skin and trimming fat from a meat product and, more particularly, relates to an automatic skin removal and fat trimming device including an entry conveyor belt and an upper pressing conveyor belt or pressing cylinder device which cooperate to move the meat product into contact with a rotating ridged cylinder which in turn forces the meat product into contact with a skin removal blade mounted adjacent the end of the entry conveyor belt, a second curved fat trimming blade then engages the meat product, the fat trimming blade positioned above the skin trimming blade and spaced therefrom to engage, cut and remove the fat lining surrounding the meat portion of the meat product, following which a meat removing conveyor belt mounted rearwardly of the skin trimming and fat trimming blades engages the meat product thus removing the meat product from the trimming device in cooperation with the rear section of the upper pressing conveyor belt or pressing cylinder device which compresses and pulls the meat product through the device. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Prior art devices for trimming unwanted portions from meat products are well known in the art. However, these devices are generally limited to meat products which are generally flat and may have the undesirable characteristic when used with rounded meat products, of pivoting or skewing the product during trimming. 
     Consequently, the trimming of an unwanted portion from a generally rounded product such as, but not limited to, beef and pork butts and the like, had to be accomplished by hand either using a knife such as described in Dubors, U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,175 and Townsend, U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,753 or a manual membrane skinning machine. These methods are extremely dangerous and/or time-consuming. Repetitive motion injuries, carpal tunnel problems, hand fatigue and lacerations are all possibilities resulting from hand skinning. 
     Furthermore, a problem with those devices in the prior art is that there does not exist a single device which will both deskin and defat the meat product automatically. This results in the need for additional machine operators and additional opportunities for injuries to the operator or ruination of the meat product. 
     As is well understood in the art, pork butts are also commonly referred to as pork shoulders. Additionally, meat “muscles” or “products” as used herein are meant to refer broadly to beef and pork butts such as sirloin butt, butt tenderloin, bottom sirloin butt, pork shoulder butt, boston butt and the like, but may include other types of meat products. Materials to be trimmed may be fat, membranes, skin, connective tissue, gristle, bone, or the like. Machines for accomplishing this trimming are referred to in the art as “skinning”, “derinding”, “defatting” or “trimming” machines. 
     Currently, extended, rounded meat products such as beef and pork butts, must usually be trimmed by hand or using machines with a feed mechanism which tend to pivot the product during the trimming process. Either way, it is difficult to properly trim the meat product, and both methods create the possibility of serious injury to the hands of the operator including cumulative trauma injuries and carpal tunnel injuries. Additionally, when using these prior art machines, there is a large reduction in efficiency due to the time required to perform the numerous hand strokes required. Furthermore, the numerous hand strokes required may lead to repetitive motion injuries. Consequently, it is highly desirable to automate the process of trimming extended or rounded meat products. Such automation leads to enhanced ergonomics, increased yield and increased production. 
     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic skin removing and fat trimming device for meat products. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic skin removing and fat trimming device for meat products which is capable of automatically deskinning and trimming a variety of different sizes of beef or pork butts. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic skin removing and fat trimming device for meat products capable of automatically keeping the meat product in proper position during the trimming process. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic skin removing and fat trimming device which will accommodate a variety of blade shapes, sizes and types. 
     Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic skin removing and fat trimming device for meat products which is durable in construction and safe and efficient in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an automatic skin removal and fat trimming device for meat products which includes a frame having forward and rearward ends and an entry conveyor belt mounted on the frame adjacent to the forward end of the frame for receiving a meat product thereon and transporting it into the device. Mounted on the frame above the entry conveyor belt is an upper pressing conveyor belt which has forward and rearward sections, the forward section angled relative to the entry conveyor belt such that when a meat product on the entry conveyor belt is transported into the automatic skin removal and fat trimming device, the meat product is compressed between the entry conveyor belt and upper pressing conveyor belt in order to eliminate undesirable rotation of the meat product. The entry conveyor belt and upper pressing conveyor belt cooperate to move the meat product into contact with a rotating ridged cylinder mounted on the frame adjacent the rearward end of the entry conveyor belt, the cylinder operative to frictionally engage the skin of the meat product to further direct the meat product through the device and into contact with a skin removal blade mounted adjacent the end of the entry conveyor belt slightly above the plane of the entry conveyor belt such that as the meat product is moved past the skin trimming blade, the skin on the meat product is removed and separated from the remainder of the meat product. A separate curved fat trimming blade then engages the meat product, the fat trimming blade positioned above the skin trimming blade and spaced therefrom to engage, cut and remove the fat lining surrounding the meat on the meat product. A meat removing conveyor belt mounted rearwardly of the skin removal and fat trimming blades then engages the meat product and pulls the meat product towards the rearward end of the frame thereby removing the meat product from the trimming device. The rearward section of the upper pressing conveyor belt cooperates with the rear removal conveyor belt to compress and pull the meat product through the machine, in much the same manner as was done in connection with the entry conveyor belt and the forward section of the upper pressing conveyor belt. The meat product with the skin removed and fat separated from the meat is then ejected from the device by the meat removal conveyor belt. A drive device such as an electric motor is operatively connected to each of the conveyor belts by a serious of belts or chains to drive each of the conveyor belts to pull the meat product through the device and efficiently separate the skin and fat from the meat product. 
     As thus described, the present invention provides a substantial improvement over those devices found in the prior art. For example, because the skin and fat are removed during the same process, the overall processing time of the meat product is greatly reduced. Furthermore, the present invention eliminates the need for multiple machines and multiple persons to perform the skin removal and fat trimming operations, thus saving a user of the invention substantial costs and eliminating many of the risks previously discussed. Also, as the fat trimming blade of the present invention may be replaced with a fat trimming blade having a different curve, various types of meat products may be processed by the present invention, not only pork butts and the like. Finally, because the upper and lower conveyor belts cooperate to compress the meat product when the skin removal and fat trimming blades engage the meat product, the meat product will not slip or rotate, resulting in efficient cutting of the fat and skin. It is thus seen that the present invention provides a substantial improvement over those skin removal and fat trimming devices found in the prior art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the automatic skin removal and fat trimming device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the present invention showing the arrangement of the conveyor belts and trimming blades therein; 
     FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b  are detail side elevational views of the skin removal and fat trimming process showing the meat product being compressed and being forced into engagement with the skin removal and fat trimming blades; 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the entry conveyor belt showing the skin removal and fat trimming blades positioned to the engage the meat product; 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the skin removal blade mount being removed from the device; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial detail perspective view of an embodiment of the mounting and adjustment device for the fat trimming blade shown mounted above the skin removal blade; 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate one variation of the belt and chain connection and the drive motor for driving the various belts and cylinders within the automatic skin removal and fat trimming device; 
     FIG. 9 is perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the automatic skin removal and fat trimming device of the present invention which substitutes a pressing cylinder device for the upper conveyor belt; 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 of the present invention showing the arrangement of the conveyor belts, the pressing cylinder device and trimming blades therein; and 
     FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The automatic skin removal and fat trimming device  10  of the present invention is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as including a generally rectangular frame and housing  12  having side walls  14   a  and  14   b , a top lid  16  and a forward grate  18  which swings open to permit access to the interior of the device  10 . It should be noted that the size and shape and overall design of the frame and housing  12  is not critical to the present invention so long as the various operative elements are supported in their desired positions and unintended contact with the internal elements of the invention is prevented, as will be set forth later in this disclosure. 
     Mounted on frame  12  adjacent the forward part thereof is an entry conveyor belt  20  which, in the preferred embodiment, includes a plastic or rubber belt  22  having a plurality of raised ridges  24  formed thereon for frictionally engaging the meat product  100  which is placed on the belt  22 . The belt  22  extends around a forward roller  26  and around a drive roller  28  positioned towards the middle of frame  12  which supports the belt  22  in a generally horizontal position, as shown best in FIG.  2 . It is preferred that the carrying section of the belt (the upper belt surface) be supported by a steel plate  30  mounted on frame  12  directly underneath the carrying portion of the belt  22  in order to prevent the deformation of the belt  22  when the meat product  100  is placed thereon, although it should be noted that any appropriate underbelt support structure could be used so long as the belt cannot deform under stress. Referring to FIG. 2, it is seen that the entry conveyor belt  20  rotates in a clockwise direction in order to feed the meat product  100  into the automatic skin removal and fat trimming device  10 . 
     As the meat product  100  enters the device  10  on belt  22 , the topmost section of the meat product  100  contacts the forward section of the upper pressing conveyor belt  32 , which is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the preferred embodiment, the upper pressing conveyor belt  32  will be constructed of a metal mesh or grate, preferably stainless steel, which would be durable in nature yet relatively simple to clean. As shown in FIG. 2, the belt  34  is supported in a generally triangular shape and can be viewed as having three sections, a forward meat-engaging section  36 , a rearward meat-engaging section  38 , and a return section  40 . The belt  34  is supported by at least three rollers, a forward roller  42 , lower roller  44  and a drive roller  46 , each of which would preferably include projecting fingers to engage the mesh holes of belt  34 . Upper pressing conveyor belt  32  would preferably rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and the belt  34  of the upper pressing conveyor belt  32  would preferably move at the same speed as belt  22  on entry conveyor belt  20 . The upper pressing conveyor belt  32  is designed to cooperate with the entry conveyor belt  20  to engage and press the meat product  100  in the following manner. As the meat product  100  is moved into the device  10  by the entry conveyor belt  20 , the forward meat-engaging section  36  of upper pressing conveyor belt  32  engages the top surface of the meat product  100  and continues to direct the meat product  100  into the interior of the device  10 . Because the forward meat-engaging section  36  of belt  34  is angled, as shown in FIG. 2, and furthermore because the metal grating of belt  34  does not deform and belt  22  cannot deform due to the presence of metal plate  30  underneath the belt  22 , the meat product  100  is compressed between belt  34  and belt  22 . As will be shown, this compressing of the meat product  100  is important to the present invention as it prevents the meat product  100  from rotating during the cutting process. When the meat product  100  reaches the end of forward meat-engaging section  36  of belt  34 , the meat product  100  has been compressed to its fullest extent by the device  10  of the present invention. 
     It should be noted at this time that the meat product  100  has been placed on entry conveyor belt  20  with the skin and fat adjacent the belt  22 . When the meat product  100  then reaches the cutting section of the device  10  the device will work properly as the skin and fat are on the bottom of the meat product  100 . 
     The meat product  100  has now reached the end of entry conveyor belt  20  and is contacted by a rotating ridged metal (preferably stainless steel) cylinder  48  which is mounted on frame  12  adjacent the end of entry conveyor belt  20  near drive roller  28 . The serrated teeth of the cylinder  48  engage the skin  102  of the meat product, as shown in FIG. 3 a , and the cylinder  48  continues, assisted by belt  34  of upper pressing conveyor belt  32 , to pull the meat product  100  through the device  10 . As the meat product  100  is moved by the rotating ridged cylinder  48 , the meat product  100  encounters the skin removal blade assembly  50  and fat removal blade assembly  70 , as shown best in FIG. 3 a . The blade assemblies themselves are best shown in FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 . 
     The skin removal blade assembly  50  is best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 as including a metal blade holder  52  having mounting pins  53   a  and  53   b  on opposite ends thereof, the blade holder  52  operative to support a thin stainless steel blade  54  which extends from the front of blade holder  52 . When the blade holder  52  is mounted in the automatic skin removal and fat trimming device  10 , mounting pins  53   a  and  53   b  are slid into pin holding sockets  55   a  and  55   b  mounted on a portion of frame  12  and rearward securement pins  56   a  and  56   b  also mounted on opposite ends of blade holder  52  are engaged by a pair of pivoting pawls  57   a  and  57   b  (pawl  57   b  not being shown in FIG. 5 due to the angle of view) connected to one another by a bar  58 . Bar  58  extends through mounting supports  13   a  and  13   b  of frame  12 , as shown best in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bar  58  being rotatably mounted within opposite socket supports  60   a  and  60   b . Each of the socket supports  60   a  and  60   b  are vertically movably mounted on socket support brackets  61   a  and  61   b  which are spring-loaded (see springs  62   a  and  62   b ) to permit vertical movement of the socket supports  60   a  and  60   b  in response to excessive force being applied to the blade holder  52 . To permit rotation of bar  58 , a handle  64  is affixed to one end thereof, as shown in FIG.  5 . Rotation of the handle  64  results in rotation of the bar  58  which thus rotates pawls  57   a  and  57   b  about the pawl mounts  64   a  and  64   b  (not shown) thereby securing the blade holder  52  adjacent the rotating ridged cylinder  48 . Rotation of bar  58  can either release the blade holder  52  from its mounting on the frame or will act to tilt the blade holder  52  slightly to remove a thicker or thinner section of skin from the meat product  100  as shown in FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b . Finally, mounted on the underside of blade holder  52  are a plurality of vertical rakes  66 , shown best in FIG. 6, which act to direct the skin  102  downwards and away from the meat product  100 . 
     The fat removal blade assembly  70  is best shown FIGS. 4 and 6 as including a curved blade holder  72  which secures a thin stainless steel blade  74  therein. The blade holder  72  will preferably be mounted on left and right blade support blocks  76   a  and  76   b  which are each pivotably mounted to height adjustment blocks  78   a  and  78   b  as shown in FIG. 6. A pair of generally upright rotatably mounted threaded metal rods  80   a  and  80   b  extend into threaded holes formed in the tops of each of the adjustment blocks  78   a  and  78   b . Mounted atop each metal rod is an offset gear  82   a  and  82   b . The metal rods  80   a  and  80   b  are rotatably mounted by a plurality of rod supports  84 . A rotatable adjustment control rod  86  extends generally horizontally between and above the metal rods  80   a  and  80   b  as shown in FIG. 6, and will preferably include a first offset gear  88  and a second offset gear  90  each mounted on adjustment control rod  86  to engage a respective one of the offset gears  82   a  and  82   b . Rotation of adjustment control rod  86  may be accomplished via several different systems, but the present embodiment shown in FIG. 6 includes a crank handle  92  connected to adjustment control rod  86  by a belt  94  to allow for rotation of the adjustment control rod  86 . A preferred feature of this design is that the first and second offset gears  88  and  90  may be of different ratios to permit the raising and lowering of the adjustment blocks  78   a  and  78   b  by differing amounts in response to rotation of the adjustment control rod  86 . For example, in the preferred embodiment, the second offset gear  90  and first offset gear  88  would have a ratio of two to one so that the rightmost adjustment block  78   a  would raise twice as much as the leftmost adjustment block  78   a  in response to rotation of the adjustment control rod  86 . Of course, many variations of adjustment systems may be applied to the present invention, but it is believed that the relatively simple mechanical characteristics of the above-described adjustment system are preferable, although the exact construction of such a simple mechanical adjustment system may be modified in many different ways. 
     FIGS. 3 a ,  3   b  and  4  show how the skin removal blade assembly  50  and fat removable blade assembly  70 , specifically the blades  54  and  74 , engage the meat product  100  and separate the skin  102  and fat  104  therefrom. In the preferred embodiment, the skinning blade  54  would be set at an angle of approximately 22 degrees from horizontal, although this angle may vary from 15 to 30 degrees, and the defatting blade  74  would be set at an angle of approximate 32 degrees from horizontal, varying from 25 to 40 degrees, with the skinning blade positioned slightly forward of the defatting blade as shown in FIGS. 3 a ,  3   b  and  4 . Also, while the skinning blade is positioned substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the meat product  100 , the defatting blade  74  would be angled slightly from perpendicular with the rightmost end of the blade holder  72 , specifically the curved portion of the blade holder  72  would be set rearward slightly when compared to the left side of the blade holder  72 . Of course, this is not a fundamentally necessary element of the present invention but has been found to improve operation of the automatic skin removal and fat trimming device  10 . When the skin  102  of the meat product  100  is engaged by the rotating ridged cylinder  48 , the meat product  100  is pulled rearwards within the device  10  and the forward edge of the meat product  100  contacts the skin removal blade  54  which begins to separate the skin from the remaining part of the meat product  100 . Almost immediately thereafter, the forward edge of the meat product  100  encounters the fat removal blade  74  which begins to separate the fat  104  from the meat product  100 , as shown in FIG.  3 . The skin removal blade assembly  50  is designed to separate the skin  102  from the meat product  100  and then direct the skin  102  downwards and away from the meat product  100  (due to the operation of rakes  66 ) so that the skin  102  is separated and removed from the meat product  100 . As the fat  104  is separated from the meat product  100 , as shown in FIG. 3 b , on the other hand, it is desirable to have the fat  104  remain with the meat product  100 , although separated therefrom, and so fat removing blade holder  72  is designed to permit the fat  104 , after separation, to be engaged by a rear meat discharge belt  96  which, after processing the meat product  100 , discharges the meat product  100  and fat  104  from the rear of the machine. The rear discharge belt  96  is constructed almost identically to entry conveyor belt  20  and is preferably tilted upwards as shown in FIG. 2 to remove the meat product  100  from the device  10  in a position ready for further processing thereof and to facilitate cooperation of the rear discharge belt  96  and the rearward meat-engaging section  38  of upper pressing conveyor belt  32 . 
     It is important to note that the compression of meat product  100  between upper pressing conveyor belt  32 , ridged cylinder  48 , and rear meat discharge belt  96  acts to accurately transport the meat product  100  through the device  10  while not permitting rotation of meat product  100  upon encountering skin removal blade  54  or fat removal blade  74  which is a common problem found in the prior art. The rearward meat-engaging section  38  of upper pressing conveyor belt  32  cooperates with rear meat discharge belt  96  in much the same fashion as was previously described in connection with cooperation of the forward meat-engaging section  36  and entry conveyor belt  20  and acts to accurately and efficiently convey the meat product  100  through the device  10 . 
     Following processing of the meat product  100 , the meat product  100  and fat  104  are transported up the rear meat discharge belt  96  to a waiting operator of device  10 , whereas the skin  102  is discharged from the lower rear of the device  10  for further processing such as the making of pork rinds or the like. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 disclose one variation of drive connection system which permits each of the conveyor belts  20 ,  32  and  96 , to be driven by a single motor mounted in the lower section of the frame  12 . It is preferred that the drive motor (not shown) have a shaft which drives a drive gear  106 , the drive motor being of sufficient power to drive each of the belts  108  which are connected to the drive gear  106  (both directly and indirectly) and also the rotating ridged cylinder  48  in order to efficiently operate the present invention. Of course, numerous variations of the drive system shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 may be used with the present invention and it shall be further understood that so long as each of the driven elements receives the correct driving force, the actual mechanism by which that driving force is delivered is not critical to the present invention. 
     The discharge of the skin  102  from the device  10  may also be accomplished by a rear skin discharge belt  98  or the skin  102  may simply be allowed to fall to the base of the device  10  for removal and further processing thereof. Again, the skin  102  would commonly be used for the production of pork rinds or the like. 
     FIGS. 9,  10  and  11  show a second embodiment of the present invention which includes a modified version of the upper pressing conveyor belt  32  which has been replaced by what will be referred to herein as an upper pressing cylinder device  300 . In this embodiment, the downwards force which prevents the meat product  100  from rotating or twisting during the cutting process is provided by the pressing cylinder device  300  which includes a generally rectangular cylinder mount frame  302  which is pivotably mounted on a modified frame  12 ′ as shown best in FIGS. 9 and 10. Rectangular frame  302  includes left and right frame bars  304   a  and  304   b , forward frame bar  305  and rear pivot frame bar  310 . Rear pivot frame bar  310  extends between and connects left and right frame bars  304   a  and  304   b , as does forward frame bar  305 , but rear pivot frame bar  310  extends outwards beyond the sides of left and right frame bars  304   a  and  304   b  for pivotable connection to frame  12 ′ as shown in FIGS. 9-11. Of course, rear pivot frame bar  310  may be fixedly connected to the frame  12 ′ with the left and right frame bars  304   a  and  304   b  being pivotably attached to the rear pivot frame bar  310 , so long as the connection is a sturdy one to ensure that the cylinder mount frame  302  is resistant to deformation and wear. 
     The forward end of the cylinder mount frame is releasably mounted to the frame  12 ′ on a pair of adjustable gas cylinder frame mounts  312   a  and  312   b  which each include an upper frame latch section  314   a  and  314   b  respectively. The frame latch sections  314   a  and  314   b  are each preferably constructed to include at least two latch slots into which the ends of latching bar  306  are inserted, with the latch slots positioned in vertically spaced alignment to permit the position of latching bar  306  relative to the skin removal blade assembly  50  and fat removable blade assembly  70  to be vertically adjusted to accommodate different cuts and sizes of meat product  100 . In the preferred embodiment, latching bar  306  would include latching arms which, when pivoted, extend into and are retained within the latch slots, the rotation of the latching bar  306  and the pivoting of the latching arms being done by manipulation of the latch handle  308 . In this manner, the latching bar  306  may quickly and easily engage and disengage from the frame latch sections  314   a  and  314   b , thus permitting the cylinder mount frame  302  to be positioned for either operation or for cleaning as shown in FIG.  10 . 
     Rotatably mounted on the cylinder mount frame  302  interposed between the front and rear ends thereof are a pair of pressing cylinders  320  and  322  which, in the preferred embodiment, would be positioned to engage the meat product just as the product is engaging the cutting blade assemblies  50  and  70  in order to “pull” the meat product  100  through the device  10 ′. The pressing cylinders  320  and  322  are each constructed of a plurality of plastic or metal toothed wheels  330  mounted on a central axle and each having a diameter of approximately three to seven inches (3″ to 7″) and a width of approximately one inch (1″), the wheels  330  being mounted on the central axle concentrically and in parallel. The wheels  330  are horizontally spaced from one another approximately one inch or so to permit easier cleaning of the wheels yet still provide downwards force on the meat product  100  to prevent twisting thereof. Moreover, the wheels of the pressing cylinders  320  and  322  intermesh, as shown best in FIG. 3, to provide a more seamless transfer of the meat product  100  from the front pressing cylinder  320  to the rear pressing cylinder  322 . Although the pressing cylinders  320  and  322  are substantially different in appearance and operation from the upper pressing conveyor belt  32  previously described, they function in generally identical manners in that they both press the meat product  100  downwards into firm contact with the entry conveyor belt  20  and the rear meat discharge belt  96 . An added advantage of the pressing cylinders  320  and  322  is that it is not necessary to provide powered rotation of the pressing cylinders  320  and  322  as they operate without that requirement. This simplifies the powered connections required for operation of the present invention. 
     The adjustable gas cylinder frame mounts  312   a  and  312   b  are designed to allow the cylinder mount frame  302  to pivot on the rear pivot frame bar  310  to some degree such that as meat product  100  enters the center cutting area of the device  10 ′, the meat product  100  is engaged by the front pressing cylinder  320  which forces the cylinder  320  upwards. The gas cylinder frame mounts  312   a  and  312   b  act to pivotably bias the frame  302  downwards such that the pressing cylinders  320  and  322  force the meat product  100  downwards into strong frictional contact with the entry conveyor belt  20  and the rear meat discharge belt  96  thus preventing the unintentional rotational movement of the meat product  100  during the skin removal and fat trimming processes. As the meat product  100  passes underneath the pressing cylinders  320  and  322 , steady downwards force is applied to the meat product  100 , and thus proper cutting of the skin and fat is ensured. 
     Finally, the embodiment of FIGS. 9-11 includes a lifting and positioning device  400  for adjusting the height and angle of entry conveyor belt  20  to accommodate various sizes and shapes of meat product. The lifting and positioning device  400  would preferably include a pair of biasing cylinders which extend or retract to raise or lower the entry conveyor belt  20  relative to the frame  12 ′. It has been found that the inclusion of the lifting and positioning device  400  is desirable to allow the present invention to be used with the greatest variety of meat product sizes and shapes. 
     It is to be understood that numerous modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made to the automatic skin removal and fat trimming device  10  of the present invention which fall within the intended broad scope of the appended claims. For example, it may be desirable to slightly modify the orientation of the various belts and cylinders to facilitate the processing of different types of meat products which is permissible provided that the compression of the meat product prior to blade engagement still takes place. Also, the blade holding assemblies may be modified or changed so long as the intended purpose of supporting the blade in a meat product engaging position is maintained. Finally, the dimensions and construction materials used in the manufacturing of the present invention may be modified without affecting the scope of desired protection. 
     There has thus been shown and described an automatic skin removal and fat trimming device which accomplishes at least all of the stated objectives.