Device and method for completely removing at least one part of the breast cartilage from a poultry carcass that is free of breast meat

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus which is designed and equipped for completely removing at least a part of the breast cartilage from a poultry carcass that is free of breast meat, comprising a transporting conveyor for conveying the poultry carcass in a transporting direction T, said conveyor having at least one support body for receiving and fixing the poultry carcass, a cutter for separating the breast cartilage or parts thereof from the poultry carcass and a control device for controlling the cutter, which is characterized in that the transporting conveyor is aligned with the or each support body and driven such that a poultry carcass to be arranged on the support body is oriented with its connecting line between the breast bone and the breast cartilage parallel to the transporting direction T, the cutter comprises a double blade which is designed and equipped for longitudinally cutting into the poultry carcass at least along a sub-portion on both sides of the breast cartilage and/or both sides of the breast bone, and the cutter comprises a separating element arranged downstream of the double blade, which is designed and equipped for laterally cutting a connecting region between the breast cartilage and the breast bone, thereby completely removing the breast cartilage from the poultry carcass. The invention further relates to a corresponding method.