Method for separating edible crab meat from non-edible portions of cooked crabs
United States Patent Wenstrom et al. 5] Apr. 1, 1975 METHOD FOR SEPARATING EDIBLE CRAB 2.794.550 6/1957 Warner 209/46 M T FROM NON ED|BLE PORTIONS OF 3,006,465 10/196] James 209/45 COOKED CRABS 3,1 l4,703 l2/l963 Brlson............... 209/ll 3,508,646 4/l970 Conrad et al 209/45 [75] Inventors: Richard T. Wenstrom, Hampton.  
  Va; Theodore S. Reinke, Rehobeth Beach, Del; Calvert y. Primary Examiner-Frank W. Lutter i Clayton Brmks, Assistant Examiner-Ralph J. Hill Cambndge, bum 0f Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Scrivener Parker Scrivener I73] Assignee: Sea Savory, Inc., Cambridge. Md. Clarke [22] Filed: Jan. 30, 1974 [2l] Appl. No: 437,808  
  Related U.S. Application Data [57] ABSTRACT [63] Continuation-impart of Scr. No. 229,908, Feb. 28,  
 i973, abundrmcd, A method for separating edible meat from the nonedible portions of cooked crabs wherein the crabs are [52 U.S. Cl 209/11, 209/4. 209/46 broken into small meat particles n n ni l p r- [51 Int. Cl B07h 13/00 9115 and these are fed to a ro&#39;laiing heated drum The [58] Field f S h H 209/2, 11 45 4 3 4; edible meat particles adhere to the drum for removal 42 479 430 therefrom by suitable scraping means while the nonedible parts do not adhere to the drum and are thrown {56] Ref re Cit d off in advance of the scraping means.  
  UNITED STATES PATENTS 524 l .908 5/1897 Gent et al. 209/45 X 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures METHOD FOR SEPARATING EDIBLE CRAB MEAT FROM NON-EDIBLE PORTIONS OF COOKED CRABS The present application is a continuation-inpart of application Ser. No. 229,908 filed Feb. 28, 1972 and now abandoned.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Various methods and machines have heretofore been proposed for removing the edible meat from cooked crabs wherein the outer shell and entrails have been removed to be followed by removal of the edible meat from the remaining portion of the body of the crab. However, such prior methods and apparatus have not been satisfactory since they have been complicated and costly and are not adapted for treatment of crabs of various sizes. In addition, it has been found that such methods and machines only a portion of the edible meat is removed, thereby resulting in considerable waste.  
  It is accordingly the principal object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple method and machine for the efficient removal of the cooked crab meat from the non-edible portions of the crabs wherein substantially all of the edible meat is removed without regard to variations in the sizes or species of the crabs.  
  Another object resides in feeding the crabs, which have been previously broken into small particles to a heated rotating drum wherein the edible meat particles adhere to the drum to be scraped therefrom for inspection and packaging and wherein the non-edible portions which do not adhere to the drum are thrown off for collection and subsequent disposal. In this manner, the non-edible parts are disposed of in advance of the removal of the edible parts.  
  Other objects and novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrative of one form of the invention. It will be expressly understood however. that the drawings are not to be taken as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.  
  Referring to the drawings wherein similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views:  
  FIG. 1 is a side view, having certain parts broken away of a machine embodying the principles of the present invention;  
 FlG. 2 is a rear view of the machine of H0. 1;  
 FIG. 3 is a top view. and  
  PK]. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the hopper and drum and showing the manner in which the edible crab particles are separated from the non-edible por tions.  
  At the outset. it is desired to point out that the present invention is especially adapted to a method for the separation and collection of the edible portions of cooked crabs which have previously been broken into small fragments or particles of meat and non-edible parts such as claws. legs entrails. shell etc.  
  Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the machine of the present invention comprises a suitable frame on which is mounted a stationary hopper 12 into which the broken particles of the cooked crabs are fed in any suitable manner. A metal drum 14, preferably of stainless steel, is mounted upon a shaft 16 which in turn is rotatably mounted on the frame 10 and suitable driving means including a wheel 20, belt 22, pulleys 24, 26, and 28 and belt 30 are provided for rotating the drum 14 at a selected speed by a suitable electric motor 32. The drum is heated to a selected temperature range by electrical, steam or any other suitable means and in the form illustrated, such means comprises a plurality of gas burners 34 which may be supported by a rack 36 carried by the frame 10.  
  An important feature of the present invention resides in the discovery that when the broken particles of the cooked crabs are fed into the hopper 12 to be subjected to the action of the heated rotating drum, the edible portions of the crab will adhere to the drum while the non-edible portions will not, providing the speed of rotation of the drum and the temperature thereof are maintained within certain limits. In the present method, the peripheral drum speed is maintained between 3 and 400 feet per minute while the heating means is adjusted to maintain the outer surface of the drum ]4 at a temperature within the range from to 450F. In other words, as the peripheral drum speed is increased, the temperature of the drum may be likewise increased. It has been determined that optimum results for carrying out the present method have been obtained when the peripheral speed of the drum is maintained between 50 to 150 feet per minute while the temperature of the drum is maintained between 250 to 350F. Within these limitations, the edible meat portions will adhere to the drum surface while the non-edible parts will be thrown away from the drum surface.  
  The method of operation of the invention is clearly illustrated by FIG. 4 which diagrammatically shows the broken fragments 38 of the cooked crabs being fed into the hopper 12 to be picked up by the heated rotating drum l4. Therefrom it will be seen that the fragments or particles of the crabs will be carried around in the direction of the arrow 40 to a point where the nonedible portions 42 which do not adhere to the heated drum are thrown off in a curved path to be deflected by a suitable deflector 44 into any convenient container for subsequent treatment or disposal. On the other hand. the edible crab meat particles 46 will adhere to the heated drum and may be effectively removed from the drum surface by a suitable scraper 48 for inspection and packaging.  
  It has been found in practicing the present method that with the drum rotated at a peripheral speed as above indicated and with the drum surface maintained within the prescribed temperature range, the separation ofthe edible portions from the non-edible particles may be readily accomplished without any deleterious effects insofar as the edible crab meat portions are concerned.  
  While one embodiment of the method and apparatus have been shown and described herein, it will be understood that the scope thereof is to be determined by the appended claims.  
 We claim:  
  1. A method of separating edible portions from nonedible portions of broken fragments of cooked crabs comprising the steps of l. feeding the broken fragments to a hopper;  
 2. directing the broken fragments from the hopper to the surface ofa drum disposed beneath the hopper.  
 3. rotating the drum at a peripheral speed in the range of 3 to 400 feet a minute;  
  3 4 4. heating the drum to a temperture within the range the surface ofa drum disposed beneath the hopper, between 150 to 450F such that the edible por- 3, rotating the drum at a peripheral speed in the tions of the fragments will adhere to the drum surrange f 50 to 150 f t a minute; face and the non-edible portions will fall away from 4. heating the drum to a temperature within the range the Surfacei and 5 between 250 to 350F such that the edible por- 5. removing the edlble portions from the surface of tions of the fragments will adhere to the drum surthe drum. i A method of panning edible portions from new face and the non-edible portions will fall away from edible portions of broken fragments of cooked crabs the drufn surface: and comprisi h steps f [U 5. removing the edible portions from the surface of 1. feeding the broken fragments to a hopper; he drum 2. directing the broken fragments from the hopper to