DK201670526A1 - Apparatus and method for releasing the skin from an animal body of a furred animal - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for releasing the skin (3) of a body (2) of a dead, furred animal, such as a mink, from the carcass (4) of the animal body (2) at the rear end of the animal body (2). The apparatus comprises a control arrangement (10) for controlling the apparatus (1), a holding arrangement (7a, 7b, 70) for holding the dead animal body in said apparatus, a releasing device (5), and drive means (6) configured to be controlled by the control arrangement (10). The drive means (6) are configured for providing a first releasing operation by a relative movement (M1) between the animal body and the releasing device (5) in the longitudinal direction (LD) of the animal body to move the releasing device (5) from a first position (POS1) outside said animal body, into an opening at the rear end (2b) of the animal body to a second position (POS2) so as to release the skin (3) from the carcass (4) at the belly side of the animal body. The apparatus (1) moreover comprises releasing units (8a, 8b) to be displaced by moving means (17) in between the animal skin (3) and the carcass (4) ahead of the hind legs (9a, 9b) from the belly side of the animal body (2) by a relative movement (M2) between said animal body (2) and said releasing units (8a, 8b). At least one of said releasing units (8a, 8b) are configured to be operated to a releasing position (RP) by means of said control arrangement (10) so that it at least partly extend at the back side of said animal body (2), and the control arrangement (10) is configured to operate drive means (6) to provide a second releasing operation by a relative movement (M3) between the animal body (2) and the releasing units (8a, 8b). The invention moreover relates to a method of releasing the skin (3) of a body (2) of a dead, furred animal, such as a mink, from the carcass (4) of the animal body (2).

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RELEASING THE SKIN FROM AN ANIMAL BODY OF A FURRED ANIMAL

The invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of releasing parts of the animal skin from the body of a furred animal such as a mink. The invention moreover relates to a computer program product, and use of an apparatus for releasing the skin at the rear end part of a dead furred animal body, such as a mink body.

Background

Handling the body of a dead furred animal such as a mink in order to obtain a tubular pelt from the animal body is known to be a complicated process as it requires several individual processing steps before the skin side of the fur is released from the carcass/body part of the dead animal body. Different solutions for providing an optimization of the process of freeing the pelt from the body have thus been provided.

Among such solutions is e.g. the pelting machine disclosed in EP 2 245 940 B1 which should be able to perform the whole pelting process as a continuous work process. This solution comprises among others knife units for making cutting operations between feet of the hind legs around the anus part of the animal body respectively, and a shovel shaped member to be guided into the abdomen through the opening provided by the cutting operations. A clamp tool and a gripping member pull the entire pelt of the animal body. The machine additionally provides several further processing steps including that a measuring tool determines the position of ears, eyebrows and nose of the body, and that incision tools cuts in the border area of the eyebrows and nose of the body based on commands from the measurement tool.

The above solution provides several drawbacks including being a rather complex and expensive solution which may also not be sufficiently reliable.

Other solutions are likewise known, where e.g. a first operation by a first apparatus includes that a cutting operation between feet of the hind legs is provided, and that a shovel shaped member is subsequently guided into the abdomen part through the opening provided by the cutting operation to release the skin from the belly side of the animal body. This movement may also provide that a knife unit provide a cutting operation around the anus part of the animal body. When pulling out the shovel shaped member, a tail cutting arrangement cuts the tail open. Afterwards, the animal body is moved to another work station where a hook member manually is provided into the opening provided by the shovel in order to subsequently release the pelt from the back side of the body.

The above solution has shown to be time consuming and expensive as it requires manual work and may moreover require rather skilled personnel. Moreover, it may provide significant drawbacks from a working environmental point of view. A still further solution is known where a shovel shaped member is guided into the abdomen part through an opening provided by a previously provided cutting operation to release the skin from the belly side of the animal body. The shovel member is then pulled out of the body, and claws then moved from the rear end in between the skin and carcass to grab around the hind legs and tail and are subsequently pulled away from the animal body to release the skin around the hind legs and tail. This solution may however among others provide drawbacks in relation the subsequent skinning operation.

It may e.g. be an object of the present invention to provide a solution which overcome or reduces one or more of the above mentioned drawbacks.

The invention

The invention relates to an apparatus for releasing the skin of a body of a dead, furred animal, such as a mink, from the carcass of the animal body at the rear end of the animal body. The apparatus comprises a control arrangement for controlling the apparatus, a holding arrangement for holding the dead animal body in said apparatus, a releasing device, and drive means configured to be controlled by the control arrangement. The drive means are configured for providing a first releasing operation by a relative movement between the animal body and the releasing device in the longitudinal direction of the animal body to move the releasing device from a first position outside said animal body, into an opening at the rear end of the animal body to a second position so as to release the skin from the carcass at the belly side of the animal body. The apparatus comprises releasing units configured to be displaced by moving means in between the animal skin and the carcass ahead of the hind legs from the belly side of the animal body by a relative movement between said animal body and said releasing units. The moving means are controllable by the control arrangement. At least one of said releasing units is/are configured to be operated to a releasing position by means of said control arrangement so that it at least partly extend at the back side of said animal body. The control arrangement is configured to operate drive means to provide a second releasing operation by a relative movement between the animal body and the releasing units in the longitudinal direction of the animal body in a direction away from the head end of the animal body while the at least one releasing unit is in the releasing position.

The present invention as disclosed above provides several advantages. For example, it reduces the requirement of manual work needed to provide a releasing of the skin from the rear end of the animal body at the belly side and the back side. Moreover, it may reduce the need for more skilled personnel.

Often, the step of having a device, such as a fixed hook device, arranged at the back side of the animal body in order to enable a releasing of the skin at the back side at the rear end of the animal body requires manual work to draw a hook around the back side of the animal body. This however entails a solution where repeated manual work is applied, which may be very wearing to the operator. The present invention however provides a solution to this issue.

Moreover an efficient solution may be provided by the present invention where between 250 and 400, such as between 300-400 furred animal bodies per hour may be processed by the apparatus, and where the skin is released both at the back side and the belly side at the rear end of the animal body.

The present invention provides a solution where the skin is released from the carcass at both the belly side and back side by the same apparatus, and that a relatively large amount of skin is released also at the back side, also in front of or at least from the area where the hind legs are attached to/extends from the body of the animal. This is advantageous as this part of the skin is often used for grabbing later on during the skinning of the animal body, as the skin at the back part of the animal body, such as a mink body, is often stronger than the skin at the belly side of the animal body. By the present invention, the releasing units are arranged ahead of the rear legs and extends to the back side of the animal body in the releasing position. Thus, when providing the further releasing operation, the releasing units will release the skin at the back side during the movement towards the rear end of the animal body, hence leaving an advantageous amount of released skin at the back side at the rear end of the animal body.

The displacing of the releasing units in between the animal skin and the carcass ahead of the rear legs of the animal body by the relative movement between said animal body and the releasing parts is preferably provided in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the animal body.

Preferably, the relative movement between the releasing units and the animal body to arrange the releasing units ahead of the hind legs is configured to be provided during or after the first releasing operation. The releasing units are thus guided from a position at the belly side of the animal body, and in ahead of the respective hind leg, thereby providing that skin at the hind legs will subsequently be released during the second releasing operation as a part of the releasing units is hereby arranged at the right and left sides of the animal body respectively between the belly side and back side.

It is to be understood that by the term “ahead of the hind legs” is understood as the releasing units are arranged between the fore legs and the hind legs. This may e.g. be provided so that the releasing units substantially abuts the carcass part of the hind legs facing the head end, but it may also be provided a distance from the hind legs closer to the fore legs, e.g. in order to release more skin by the second releasing operation.

It is understood that the apparatus preferably comprises two releasing units, i.e. corresponding to the number of hind legs.

The releasing device is preferably arranged so that it, during the first releasing operation to release skin at the belly side of the animal body, releases the skin around the penis area of the animal body is released. This may require that the releasing device is moved at least 5 cm in between the skin and the carcass from the rear end, but the releasing device may also in embodiments of the invention be moved further in between the skin and carcass, such as between 5 cm and 20 cm into the animal body between the skin and the carcass from the opening in the rear end of the animal body. This may be the same for both male and female bodies from dead, furred animals such as mink.

The present invention may moreover provide advantages as the operations to release the skin may mainly be provided from the belly side of the animal, thus leaving space for an operator at the back side to e.g. arrange the animal body in the apparatus, and to e.g. provide other operations of the apparatus. This may also be an advantage from a safety point of view as movable parts are kept away from the operator.

It may be understood that the relative movement between the animal body and the releasing units in the longitudinal direction of the animal body in a direction away from the head end of the animal body while the at least one releasing unit is in the releasing position is provided so that the releasing units are moved from a position in between the skin and the carcass, away from the head end and towards the rear end of the animal body.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the at least one releasing unit is configured to extend transverse to the longitudinal direction of the animal body in the releasing position by means of said operation of the at least one releasing unit(s), preferably by means of a rotational movement.

This may provide an advantageous solution as the releasing unit(s), e.g. a hook part thereof, is thus arranged ahead of the hind legs and extends at the back side between the skin and the carcass at the rear end part of the body. Thus, the releasing units can free the skin from the animal body during the second releasing operation.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the releasing device may be separate to the releasing units, and the relative movement between the releasing units and the animal body by the moving means is configured to be provided while the releasing device is in the second position.

This may e.g. provide a simple and reliable operation, and may e.g. also provide a faster operation of the apparatus, e.g. compared to if the releasing units are configured for and controlled to provide the first releasing operation. The releasing device may moreover act as a counter-hold during the movement of the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs and also provide that the releasing units may be ready to be displaced in ahead of the hind legs as they need not first provide the first releasing operation.

Experiments have shown that this may be advantageous as it may provide an advantageous stretching of the skin between the releasing device and the releasing units, as the releasing device may help to provide a counter hold and thus a counter force. This may help to provide a reliable operation of the apparatus, as more soft animal bodies, e.g. bodies that are warmed up to the ambient temperature after being cooled or frozen may be more soft. The stretching may help to provide that such warmed up bodies may still be skinned in a reliable way by the apparatus, as it may e.g. provide an improved control of the skin.

The releasing device may thus be arranged at the belly side due to the first releasing operation and provide an advantageous counter hold in order to hold the skin at the belly side while the releasing units are moved in ahead the rear legs, and preferably also during the arrangement of the releasing units in the releasing position.

Advantageously, in aspects of the invention, the releasing units may comprise guided parts, wherein the guided parts are longitudinal members such as rods, and wherein the longitudinal members are configured to be displaced by the moving means in their longitudinal direction to arrange the releasing units ahead of the hind legs.

This may provide an advantageous, robust and yet simple solution where efficient control of the releasing units may be provided. The longitudinal, guided members provides the possibility of moving a part of the releasing unit(s) to be arranged at the back side of the body to be moved from the belly side to the back side and at the same time, the longitudinal members may provide a releasing at the right and left side of the animal body to e.g. release skin around the hind legs during the second releasing operation. The longitudinal members may preferably extend away from the belly side of the animal body, and thus away from the location of the operator who may be located at the back side of the animal body during the operation of the apparatus.

The releasing units may in preferred embodiments of the invention be configured to be moved in the longitudinal direction of the animal body towards the head end of the animal body to an operation position by a first relative movement by the drive means, prior to and/or during said relative movement between said animal body and said releasing units from the belly of the animal body.

This may help to arrange the releasing units in the correct operation position. Moreover, it may in embodiments of the invention help to provide that the releasing units are pulling a part of the skin at the rear end at the belly side towards the head end. This helps to assure that the area of the rear end of the body arranged for receiving the releasing units ahead of the hind legs, is exposed sufficiently so that the releasing units may be moved in between the skin and the carcass ahead of the hind legs without risking that a part of the skin is getting in front of the releasing units so that the releasing units damages the skin.

Moreover, it may provide a more simple solution as the same drive means that are used for arranging the releasing device at the belly side may be used for arranging the releasing units in the operation position.

This movement to the operation position is preferably provided together with the releasing device by means of the same drive means.

The apparatus may in advantageous embodiments of the invention comprise pulling means configured for catching the rear end of the skin at the belly side during the first releasing operation and dragging the skin in a direction towards the head end of the animal body.

The skin catching means may be provided by hook parts to be arranged at the back side of the body, it may be provided by a hook or the like at the releasing device and or the like.

This may help to expose the areas ahead of the hind legs so that the releasing units can be moved in ahead of the hind legs.

The releasing units and the releasing device may in embodiments of the invention be connected to the same guided element, wherein said guided element is arranged to be guided by a guiding element, preferably by a substantially linear movement, in order to provide the first releasing operation and the second releasing operation.

This may provide a simple and efficient solution as it may e.g. reduce the number of needed movable parts and needed operations to release the skin from the rear end of the animal body. The releasing units are thus automatically arranged in an operation position by the first releasing operation, so that the releasing units can be moved in ahead of the hind legs. After one or more of the releasing units is arranged at the back side of the animal body, the second releasing operation is provided and hence, the releasing device is pulled out of the animal body again towards the first position while the releasing units provides a releasing at the rear end of the animal body at the back side and around the tail and the hind legs.

At least one of the releasing units may in preferred embodiments of the invention comprise a hook part and the at least one releasing unit may be configured to be operated so that the hook part is arranged to extend at the back side of the animal body in the releasing position, preferably by a rotational movement of the releasing unit.

This may provide a simple and yet efficient and strong releasing unit. The hook part may e.g. be a fixed part at the releasing unit provided by one or more bends or the like at the respective releasing unit.

The tip end of the hook part may thus in embodiments of the invention configured to extend in a direction towards the head end of the animal body during the first releasing operation.

This may e.g. help to provide a space and simple solution. Moreover the hook part(s) may in embodiments of the invention provide pulling means configured for catching the rear end of the skin at the belly side during the first releasing operation.

When providing a rotational movement after the releasing units have been moved in ahead of the hind legs, the hook part is rotated so that the hook part extends in over the back side between the skin and the carcass at the back side. This rotational movement releases a part of the skin at the back side as the tip end is preferably moved in over the back side, the rotational movement may help to release even further skin at the back side that the skin that is released during the second releasing operation.

The hook part may in advantageous aspects of the invention be configured to be arranged between the skin and the carcass during the first releasing operation, and thereby grab/catch and pull a part of the skin at the belly side of the animal body from the rear end and towards the head end of the animal body, preferably by arranging the hook part at side edges of the releasing device during the first releasing operation.

This may help to assure that the releasing units and the skin at the belly side are in the desired position when moving the releasing units in between the skin and the carcass ahead of the hind legs.

The hook parts may thus in aspects of the invention be arranged to abut the side edges during the first releasing operation.

The apparatus comprises in preferred embodiments of the invention two releasing units each comprising a hook part, and wherein said releasing units are configured to be operated so that the hook parts are arranged to extend at the back side of the animal body from opposite sides of the animal body in the releasing position, preferably by a rotational movement of said releasing units by rotation means.

This may provide an advantageous solution where the releasing units together provide a releasing at the back side during the second releasing operation. Moreover, it may help to provide a solution where the size/length of the hook part may be reduced, as the two releasing units together covers the back side from opposite sides of the animal body in the releasing position.

Generally I is understood that the releasing units may extend in ahead of each their hind leg and thus extend from from opposite sides and arranged so that the hook parts extend in over the back side of the animal body between the skin and the carcass.

The hook parts may in aspects of the invention be are configured to overlap when arranged in the releasing position., as this may help to reduce the risk of the skin getting stuck between the releasing units, thereby providing a more reliable apparatus.

The releasing units may in preferred embodiments of the invention each comprise a guided longitudinal part such as a rod, wherein said guided parts are displaceable arranged to be guided by guiding means arranged to guide the releasing units during the movement to arrange the said releasing units between the animal skin and the carcass ahead of the hind legs from the belly side.

This may provide an advantageous solution where a sufficient movement range is obtained in order to provide that the releasing unit(s) may extend around of the animal body to the back side in between the skin and the carcass is provided.

The movement direction of the releasing units, when moving a part of the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs, may in embodiments of the invention be arranged to incline with an angle towards the head end of the animal body.

This may e.g. be advantageous as the area where the releasing units are guided/supported when moving the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs does not need to be in a position opposite to the front (i.e. the part of the animal hind legs facing the head end of the body) of the hind legs. This may be advantageous as the belly skin may not be pulled sufficiently without damaging the skin, as the skin may not not yet have been released from the hind legs at this point.

It may also help to provide even further releasing of the skin at the back side, as it may provide that the releasing units will be arranged closer to the head end when they are moved in ahead of the hind legs than if the movement direction when moving the part of the releasing units that is to be moved in ahead of the hind legs is e.g. substantially perpendicular to the movement plane of the releasing device.

In other embodiments of the invention, the releasing units may however be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the animal body or a (separate) releasing device.

The releasing device may in preferred embodiments of the invention be separate to the releasing units, and said angle may hence be provided between a movement plane of the releasing device and the releasing unit(s). This may preferably be an acute angle, preferably between 50° and 88° such as between 60° and 85°.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the movement directions of the respective releasing units when moving the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs from the belly side may be arranged to be inclining towards each other.

This may help to provide that the skin is not damaged as it may provide that the skin is not stretched too much at the back side of the animal body when moving the releasing units in between the skin and the carcass from the belly side. It lay also provide advantages in relation to obtain an increased amount of loosening of the skin at the back side of the animal body by the movement of the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the movement directions when moving the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs from the belly side may be substantially parallel.

The releasing units may in advantageous embodiments of the invention be are arranged with an mutual angle so that the parts to be moved in ahead of the hind legs inclines towards a centre plane such as a vertical centre plane when moved in ahead of the hind legs, wherein the mutual angle is preferably between 3° and 110°, preferably between 5° and 90°, such as between 10° and 45°.

This may preferably be achieved by providing that the guided parts of the releasing units are arranged with a mutual angle. The movement directions of the respective releasing units when moving the part of the releasing units in ahead of the hind are thus arranged inclining in relation to each other.

Preferably, the mutual angle between the releasing units is an acute angle.

The mutual angle between the releasing units may in further embodiments of the invention be configured to be adjustable by angle adjusters. This may e.g. provide advantages if the releasing units are arranged to provide the releasing devie to release the skin at the belly side, as this may require further adjustment possibilities of the releasing units to provide an arrangement of e.g. hook parts of the releasing units in a position to be able to provide the first releasing operation.

The relative movement between said animal body and said releasing units by the moving means may in preferred embodiments of the invention be configured to be provided by displacing the releasing units relative to the releasing device r longitudinal directions, preferably by a linear movement, in embodiments where the releasing device for providing the first releasing operation is separate to the releasing unit(s). This may e.g. provide a simple solution as the releasing device, holding arrangement and the like need not be arranged movable in the direction transverse to the movement provided during the first releasing operation in order to arrange the releasing units ahead of the hind legs.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the first releasing operation is configured to be provided by moving the releasing device relative to the animal body and a frame of the apparatus. This has shown to provide a reliable, simple and efficient solution for releasing the skin at the belly side. Additionally, the Second releasing operation may in preferred embodiments of the invention also be configured to be provided by moving the releasing units by drive means relative to the animal body and a frame part of the apparatus. This may be the preferred solution as it may e.g. provide a simple and efficient solution. It may be especially advantageous in embodiments where the releasing units are moved by the same drive means as the releasing device in the longitudinal direction of the animal body, As it e.g. may provide a simple and efficient solution for providing the first and second releasing operation.

Alternatively, body holding means may in other aspects of the invention be arranged to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the animal body, thereby providing that the animal body is pulled relative to the releasing units in the longitudinal direction of the animal body, to obtain the second releasing operation

The holding arrangement may in preferred embodiments of the invention be configured to be controlled by the control arrangement to a holding position to provide a holding operation of the animal body at the hind legs of the animal body, at least while the first releasing operation is provided, preferably by means of a first jaw set and a second jaw set, and preferably so that the animal body hangs downwards from the holding arrangement.

This has shown to provide a reliable and advantageous way of holding the animal body during releasing of the skin at the belly side of the animal body. However, it may also be advantageous to continue holding the animal body by such a holding arrangement during the second, relative rotational movement.

The jaw sets are preferably arranged to be moved away from each other by a stretching arrangement, e.g. before a cutting operation is provided by the apparatus to provide an opening into which the releasing device may be moved to release the skin at the belly side.

The apparatus may moreover, in embodiments of the invention comprises a paw cutting arrangement which is controllable by the control arrangement, and wherein the paw cutting arrangement is configured for cutting off the paws of the hind legs, thereby releasing said animal body from said holding arrangement before, during or after the releasing units have been arranged in the releasing position.

It may be needed or advantageous to let the hind legs go in order to allow a releasing of the skin around the hind legs during the movement towards the rear end of the animal body. Cutting off the paws may be advantageous to provide by means of the apparatus as this may omit the need of a previous cutting operation to cut off the paws before the animal body is arranged in the apparatus as a more efficient processing of the furred animal body may hereby be provided.

The apparatus may in referred embodiments of the invention comprise body holding means, which body holding means are configured to be operated by said control arrangement to hold the animal body at location ahead of the hind legs, preferably between the head end of said animal body and the hind legs of said animal body, preferably at least during said second releasing operation.

The body holding means may in preferred aspects comprise one or more jaws/clamps and an operating unit, and the control arrangement may be configured to operate the operating unit in order to arrange the one or more jaws/clamps in a body holding position or an open position respectively.

The relative movement between said animal body and said releasing units by the moving means may in preferred embodiments of the invention be configured to be provided by displacing the releasing units relative to a counter-hold part in their longitudinal directions, preferably by a linear movement, and wherein said counterhold part is configured to be arranged between the skin and the carcass at the belly side.

Generally, the counter-hold part may help to provide a reliable operation of the apparatus, as e.g. more soft animal bodies, e.g. bodies that are warmed up to the ambient temperature after being cooled or frozen may be more soft. The counter hold part may help to provide a stretching functionality on the skin, and this may help to provide that such warmed up bodies may still be skinned in a reliable way by the apparatus, as it may e.g. provide an improved control of the skin. The counter-hold part may in embodiments of the invention be provided by a releasing device separate to the releasing units and intended for providing the first releasing operation at the belly side, or it may be provided by a counter-hold part which is not intended for providing the first releasing operation, e.g. in embodiments of the invention where the releasing units may substantially alone provide the first releasing operation, before being moved in ahead of the hind legs.

The releasing device may in preferred embodiments of the invention be separate to said releasing units, and the releasing device may be configured to provide a releasing of the skin at the belly side of the animal body during the first releasing operation , while the at least one releasing unit may be configured to provide a releasing of the skin from the carcass at the back side of the animal body when the at least one releasing unit is in the releasing position.

Experiments hve shown that this may provide an advantageous and rather simple apparatus for releasing the skin at the back and belly side respectively.

However, in other embodiments of the invention, at least one of said releasing units may be configured to provide the releasing device in order to provide the first releasing operation.

The invention moreover relates to a method of releasing the skin of a body of a dead, furred animal, such as a mink, from the carcass of the animal body at the rear end of the animal body, wherein the method comprises the steps of arranging the animal body in a holding arrangement, providing a first releasing operation where a releasing device is moved from a first position outside the animal body and into an opening at the rear end to a second position, thereby releasing the skin (3) from the carcass at the belly side of the animal body at the rear end, providing a relative movement between the animal body and releasing units, so the releasing units are moved from the belly side and in between the animal skin and the carcass ahead of the hind legs of the animal body, operating at least one of the releasing units to a releasing position so that the at least one releasing unit at least partly extend at the back side of said animal body between the skin and the carcass of the animal body, and providing a second releasing operation by a relative movement between the animal body and the releasing units in the longitudinal direction of the animal body in a direction away from the head end of the animal body while the at least one releasing unit is in the releasing position, thereby releasing the skin from the carcass at the back side of the animal body at the rear end of the animal body.

In embodiments of the method, the at least one releasing unit may extend transverse to the longitudinal direction of the animal body in the releasing position.

In advantageous embodiments of the method, the relative movement between the releasing units and the animal body is provided by moving means (while the releasing device (5) is in the second position (POS2), and the releasing device may preferably be separate to the releasing units.

Preferably, the releasing units are in embodiments of the invention moved in the longitudinal direction of the animal body towards the head end of said animal body to an operation position by a first relative movement by the drive means, prior to and/or during said relative movement between the animal body and the releasing units from the belly of the animal body.

The releasing units may in embodiments of the method comprise guided parts, wherein the guided parts are longitudinal members such as rods, and wherein the longitudinal members are displaced by moving means in their longitudinal direction to arrange the releasing units ahead of the hind legs.

In embodiments of the method, pulling means catches the rear end of the skin at the belly side during the first releasing operation and drags the skin in a direction towards the head end of the animal body.

At least one of the releasing units comprises in preferred embodiments of the method, hook part, wherein the at least one releasing unit is operated so that the hook part is arranged to extend at the back side of the animal body in the releasing position, preferably by a rotational movement of the releasing unit.

The tip end of the hook part may thus in advantageous embodiments of the invention extend in a direction towards the head end of the animal body during the first releasing operation.

The hook part may advantageously, in embodiments of the method be arranged between the skin and the carcass during the first releasing operation, and thereby grab and pull a part of the skin at the belly side of the animal body from the rear end and towards the head end of the animal body, preferably by arranging the hook part at side edges of the releasing device during the first releasing operation.

In advantageous embodiments of the invention, two releasing units each comprising a hook part may be used, wherein said releasing units are operated so that the hook parts are arranged to extend at the back side of the animal body in the releasing position, preferably by a rotational movement of said releasing units by rotation means.

The movement direction when moving a part of the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs may in advantageous embodiments of the invention incline with an angle towards the head end of the animal body.

In embodiments of the method, the movement directions of the respective releasing units when moving the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs from the belly side may incline towards each other. The releasing units may here in embodiments of the invention preferably be are arranged with an mutual angle so that the parts inclines towards a centre plane when moved in ahead of the hind legs, wherein said angle is preferably between 3° and 110°, preferably between 5° and 90°, such as between 10° and 30°.

In preferred embodiments of the method, the releasing device may be separate to the releasing units, and the relative movement between said animal body and said releasing units by the moving means is provided by displacing the releasing units relative to the releasing device.

The first and second releasing operations may in advantageous embodiments of the method be provided by moving the releasing units and/or the releasing device by drive means relative to the animal body and a frame part of the apparatus.

The holding arrangement is in embodiments of the method controlled by the control arrangement to a holding position to provide a holding operation of the animal body at the hind legs of the animal body, at least while the first releasing operation is provided, and preferably so that the animal body hangs downwards from the holding arrangement. A paw cutting arrangement may subsequently, in embodiments of the method, cut off the paws ofifrom the hind legs, thereby releasing the hind legs of the animal body from the holding arrangement before, during or after the releasing units have been arranged in the releasing position.

In embodiments of the method, body holding means, are operated, e.g. by a control arrangement, to hold the animal body at a location ahead of the hind legs, preferably between the head end of said animal body and the hind legs of said animal body, at least during said second releasing operation.

The relative movement between said animal body and said releasing units by the moving means may in embodiments of the method be provided by displacing the releasing units relative to a counter-hold part in their longitudinal directions, preferably by a linear movement, and wherein the counter-hold part is arranged between the skin and the carcass at the belly side during this movement.

In preferred embodiments of the method, the releasing device is separate to said releasing units, wherein the releasing device provides a releasing of the skin at the belly side of the animal body during the first releasing operation , and wherein at least one of the releasing units provides a releasing of the skin from the carcass at the back side of the animal body when the at least one releasing unit is in the releasing position.

In other embodiments of the method, at least one of said releasing units may provide the releasing device in order to provide the first releasing operation, preferably by means of a hook part.

Generally, it is understood that the method in embodiments of the invention may be provided by means of an apparatus according to any of claims 1-26.

The invention moreover relates to a computer program product which, when installed in a data storage of a control arrangement of an apparatus according to any of claims 1-26, is configured to provide the method of any of claims 27-47.

Additionally, the invention relates to use of an apparatus according to any of claims 1-26 and/or a method according to any of claims 27-47 for releasing the skin at the rear end part of a dead furred animal body such as a mink body.

Figures

Aspects of the present disclosure will be described in the following with reference to the figures in which: fig. 1 : illustrates an apparatus according to embodiments of the invention, seen in perspective, fig. 2 : illustrates an embodiment of the invention where a releasing device is arranged in a first initial position outside the animal body, fig. 3 : illustrates embodiments of the invention where a releasing device and in a second position in between carcass and skin, respectively, fig. 4 : illustrates embodiments of the invention seen from the side where a releasing device is in a second position in between carcass and skin at the belly side and releasing units are in an operation position, fig. 5 : illustrates embodiments of the invention where releasing units are moved in ahead of hind legs of the animal body between the skin and the carcass figs. 6-7 : illustrates embodiments of the invention where releasing units are operated to a releasing position at the back side of the animal body fig. 8 : illustrates an embodiment of the invention where a paw cutting arrangement is utilized fig. 9 : illustrates another embodiment of the invention where a releasing unit is operated to a releasing position at the back side of the animal body, fig. 10 : Illustrates a flow chart according to embodiments of the invention, fig. 11 : schematically illustrates embodiments of a control arrangement, fig. 12 : illustrates embodiments of the invention where the apparatus comprises pulling means, fig. 13 : illustrates an embodiment of the invention where the movement direction of releasing units inclines in a direction towards the head end of the animal body, fig. 14 : illustrates an embodiment of the invention where a mutual angle is provided between releasing units, and figs. 15-16b : illustrates embodiments of the invention wherein releasing units may provide a releasing device for releasing the skin at the belly side if a furred animal body.

Detailed description

Fig. 1 illustrates an apparatus 1 according to embodiments of the invention, seen in perspective.

The apparatus 1 is configured to be used during releasing of the skin of a body of a dead, furred animal, such as a mink, from the carcass of the animal body at the rear end of the animal body.

The apparatus comprises a frame part 14, which may be arranged to support on a floor (not illustrated) or alternatively attached to a wall. A guiding element 15 is attached to the frame part 14, and is arranged to guide a guided element 16, which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the guiding element. Preferably, as illustrated in fig. 1, the guiding element and the guided element may be provided by a telescopic solution, but any other suitable solutions may be provided in other embodiments of the invention.

The guiding element 15 and the guided element 16 may be provided by a telescopic extension solution where the guided element 16 is moved relative to the guiding element in a linear movement, e.g. internally (as illustrated) in the guiding element to provide a substantially linear movement Ml.

The apparatus moreover comprises a releasing device 5. The releasing device 5 is attached to the guided element 16, and will this be displaced together with the guided element 16. The releasing device 5 comprises a lower edge 5a to be moved in between the skin and the carcass of the animal body.

The releasing device 5 is connected to the guided element 16 by means of a spacer 25 part which provides a space between the releasing device and the guided element 16 wherein the released belly skin can be arranged during the first releasing operation Ml.

The apparatus also comprises a holding arrangement comprising jaws 7a, 7b. These are attached to the frame 14 (not illustrated), so that a relative movement between the jaws 7a, 7b and the releasing device 5 can be provided by displacing the guided element 16 relative to the guiding element 15 by drive means 6 such as an electric motor, e.g. connected to a spindle or a chain (not illustrated) in the guided part. The drive means 6 may also comprise a linear, e.g. pneumatic actuator and/or the like, e.g. arranged above the releasing device 5.

When the guided part 16 is displaced downwards by the movement Ml, the releasing device 5 is thus displaced downwards with the edge 5a leading, and will thus be moved in between the skin and the carcass of the animal body from the rear end towards the head end of the animal body, in the longitudinal direction of the animal body.

Moreover, the apparatus comprises releasing units 8a, 8b, comprising guided parts 12a, 12b in the form of rods 12 which extend into guiding means 13a, 13b configured for guiding the rod during a movement M2 in the longitudinal direction LD1 of the releasing units 8a, 8b.

The apparatus comprises moving means 17 are arranged to displace the releasing units 8a, 8b in the longitudinal direction LD1 relative to the guided part 16, so that the releasing units 8a, 8b are moved past the releasing device 5.

At least one of the releasing units comprises a hook part 1 la, 1 lb. The hook part(s) 11a, 1 lb are configured to be operated in order to be moved in a direction M2 by the moving means 17 to a position ahead of hind legs of the animal body by guiding the guided parts 12a, 12b in the guiding means 13 a, 13b. The relative movement M2 between the releasing units 8a, 8b and the animal body by the moving means 17 is a movement M2 transverse to the relative movement direction Μ1 between the animal body and the releasing device 5 in the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body.

The guiding means 13 a, 13b are arranged at support parts 24a, 24b such as a pair of support arms extending from the guided element 16 and the releasing units are thus guided in the directions Ml, M3 together with the releasing device 5.

After this, the releasing units 8a, 8b may be rotated around the longitudinal direction LD1 by moving means 17 so that the hook part 1 la, 1 lb is moved in between the skin and the carcass at the side of the animal body facing away from the releasing device.

For that purpose, the hook part 11a, 1 lb is provided by a bend 26 at the releasing unit 8a, 8b in order to obtain that the hook part 11a, lib extends in a direction different from the longitudinal direction LD1 of the guided part 12a, 12b, so that a rotational movement around the longitudinal direction LD1 will rotate the hook part to extend e.g. in over the back side of the animal body between the skin and the carcass at a releasing position as described in more details later on.

The same moving means 17 may be arranged to both provide the movement of the releasing units 8a, 8b in the longitudinal direction LD1, as well as the rotation around the longitudinal direction LD1, or these operations may be provided by separate moving means (not illustrated), see e.g. fig 11 where first rotation means 30 are arranged to provide the rotation of at least one releasing unit 8a, 8b around its longitudinal direction, and the moving means 17 for moving the releasing units in the longitudinal direction LD1.

The hook part 11a, lib may be arranged to be substantially parallel to side edges 5b, 5c during the downwards movement Ml, e.g. to abut the side edges, and the hook parts 11a, lib may thus be moved in between the skin and the animal carcass during this movement Μ1.

The releasing device 5 may in preferred embodiments of the invention be separate to the releasing units 8a, 8b as illustrated, and may preferably comprise a plate such as a metal plate or alternatively a plastic plate or a fibre plate such as a glass fibre plate having a front side surface 5d and a back side surface 5e. The back side surface 5e is arranged for facing the flesh side of the released belly skin at the belly side of the animal body when it is moved in between the carcass and the skin at the belly side. The front side surface 5d will face the belly side of the carcass during the first releasing operation. Alternatively, the releasing device 5 may in other embodiments of the invention comprise a rod with a T or U shape at the free end 5a, e.g. as described and illustrated in the Danish utility models DK 2007 00111 U3 or DK 2007 00064 U4.

In still further embodiments of the invention as described in relation to e.g. fig. 15 and/or 16a-16b, one or both of the releasing units 8a, 8b may provide the releasing device 5 for providing the first releasing operation.

Embodiments of the apparatus 1 and the operation thereof according to embodiments of the invention are described in more details in the following.

Fig. 2 illustrates schematically the releasing device arranged in a first initial position POS1 outside the animal body.

The jaws 7a, 7b of the holding arrangement holds the animal body 2 in the hind legs 9a, 9b. The jaw arrangements 7a, 7b or other suitable holding arrangements, may be arranged to be moved away from each other in embodiments of the invention, e.g. horizontally, in order to provide a spreading/stretching operation SO, to spread the hind legs 9a, 9b away from each other. This exposes the rear end 2b of the animal body, so that the releasing device 3 can be moved into the opening 18 at the rear end 2b.

The opening 18 may in embodiments of the invention be provided by a cutting unit 60 of the apparatus 1 arranged to be moved from one hind leg to the other to provide a cutting operation CO. It is to be understood that the apparatus 1 may comprise such a cutting unit 60, such as a circular saw or the like, in embodiments of the invention. In other embodiments, the cutting operation CO may have been provided before the animal body 2 is arranged in the holding arrangement 7a, 7b.

The releasing device 5 is then moved into the opening 18 at the belly side of the animal body, between the belly part of the carcass 4 and the skin 3 at the belly side.

As can be seen from fig. 2, the hook part(s) of the releasing units 8a, 8b comprises a free tip end 19 which is arranged to point towards the head end during the movement Ml.

After the movement, the releasing device 5 and the hook part(s) 11a, 1 lb of the releasing units 8a, 8b by the drive means 6 is arranged in between the skin and the belly side of the animal carcass 4 as illustrated schematically in fig. 3

The hook parts 11a, lib may a grab and pull a part of the skin 3 at the belly side of the animal body 2 from the rear end and towards the head end of the animal body 2, so that the skin at the belly side will not be in the way when the releasing units 8a, 8b are moved in ahead of the hind legs. The hook parts may also in embodiments of the invention help to provide a releasing of the skin at the belly side by thus pulling functionality.

In embodiments of the invention, the apparatus 1 may comprise a body holding arrangement 70 for holding at least partly around the animal body 2, e.g. by one or more jaws/clamps 71a, 71b which are moved between an open position and a holding position by an operating unit 72 such as a an electric motor, a linear actuator or the like of the holding arrangement. The body holding arrangement is controlled by the control arrangement 10 which transmits control signals to the operating unit 72 of the body holding arrangement in order to arrange the jaws/clamps 71 a, 71b in a body holding position to hold the body 2 between the fore legs and the hind legs 9a, 9b. When the control arrangement transmits a second control signal, the operating unit of the body holding arrangement moves the jaw(s)/clamp(s) to an open position to release the animal body, after the second releasing operation. The holding by the body holding arrangement 70 is provided below the lowest edge 5a of the releasing device 5 when the releasing device 5 is in the second position POS2 and arranged in between the skin 3 and the carcass 4 at the belly side 21 of the animal body 2. The control arrangement 10 can thus control the operating unit 72 to control the holding and releasing of the body 2. The operating unit 72 may in embodiments of the invention be a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator, it may be an electric motor or the like.

Fig 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention seen in perspective, where the releasing device 5 is arranged in the second position as in fig. 3. The holding arrangement 7a, 7b, and the skin 3 has been omitted from figs. 4-7 in order to enhance the understanding of the drawings.

During the movement Ml as illustrated in figs 1-2 to provide the first releasing operation by the releasing device, the releasing units 8a, 8b are also moved in the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body 2 towards the head end 2a of the animal body to an operation position OP by the first relative movement Ml. In the operation position OP, the releasing units 8a, 8b can be moved in between the hind legs 9a, 9b.

The following movement M2 as illustrated in fig 5 between the animal body 2 and the releasing units 8a, 8b from the belly side of the animal body 2 by the moving means 17 (not illustrated) may in embodiments of the invention be provided prior to and/or during the movement Ml.

Fig. 5 illustrated the embodiment of fig. 4 where the releasing units 8a, 8b are moved in in ahead of the respective hind legs at the side of the legs 9a, 9b facing the head end 2a. It is generally understood that the animal body in preferred embodiments of the invention may be arranged to hang with the head facing downwards, thereby providing that the releasing units 8a, 8b are moved in under the hind legs 9a, 9b.of the animal body.

The movement M2 between the animal body 2 and the releasing parts 8a, 8b by the moving means 17 is configured to be provided by displacing the releasing units 8a, 8b relative to the releasing device 5, so that the releasing units 8a, 8 are moved past side parts of the animal body between the front legs 20a, 20b and the hind legs 9a, 9b in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body 2.

The movement M2 is in preferred embodiments of the invention provided while body holding means 70, hold the animal body 2 at location between the head end 2a of the animal body 2 and the hind legs 9a, 9b, of the animal body. This is described in more details in relation to fig. 6.

The movement M2 between the releasing units 8a, 8b and the animal body 2 by the moving means 17 is provided while the releasing device 5 is in the second position POS2, and thus the releasing device will provide a counter hold at the belly side of the animal body as the releasing device 5 is arranged between the belly side of the animal body and the skin (not illustrated in figs. 4-7).

Figs 6-7 illustrates embodiments of the invention where the releasing units 8a, 8b are operated to a releasing position RP by means of the control arrangement 10 so that they at least partly extend at the back side 22 of the animal body 2. This is provided by performing a rotational movement RM around the longitudinal direction of the respective releasing unit 8a, 8b, to move the hook parts 11a, 1 lb so that they extend transverse to the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body 2 in the releasing position RP. This will provide a releasing of the skin from the carcass 4 at the back side during the rotation as the hook parts 11a, 1 lb are moved during the rotational movement RM in between the skin and the carcass at the back side 22.

As illustrated in figs 6-7, one of the releasing units 8b may be rotated to the releasing position (see fig. 6), and the other releasing unit 8b may then subsequently be rotated (see fig. 7) so that the hook parts 11a, lib overlap at the back side 22.

After the rotational movement RM, the releasing units extend transverse to the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body in the releasing position RP at the back side of the animal body.

The releasing units and the releasing device 5 are then moved upwards to provide a second releasing operation in a direction away from the head end 2a of the animal body while the releasing units 8a, 8b are in the releasing position RP. This is provided relative to the body holding means 70, thereby providing that the releasing units 8a, 8b are displaced between the skin and the carcass 4 towards the rear end 2b of the animal body. Thereby, as the releasing unit(s) extend at the back side 22 of the rear part of the body 2 in between the skin and the carcass 4, the releasing units will release the skin from back part at the rear end of the body, and around the hind legs 9a, 9b and tail 2c of the animal body.

It is to be understood that the apparatus may comprise a tail cutting arrangement (not illustrated) which is operated to cut the tail open in the longitudinal direction of the tail during the second releasing operation M3, so that the releasing units 8a, 8b are able to release the skin from the tail 2c when they reaches the tail.

The apparatus 1 may in embodiments of the invention as illustrated schematically in fig. 8 comprise a paw cutting arrangement 50a, 50b with one or more cutting devices 51 such as a knife, saw or the like for cutting off the paws of the hind legs 9a, 9b before the second releasing operation is provided, or alternatively, the holding arrangements 7a, 7b may in other embodiments of the invention be moved to an open position if the paws have been cut off before the hind legs are arranged in the apparatus 1. This cutting may be provided to allow the second releasing operation so that the pelt/skin is also released around the hind legs during the second releasing operation by the releasing units 8a, 8b in the releasing position during the movement M3 to provide the second releasing operation at the back side of the animal body 2.

After the releasing device 5 has been moved to the first position again, the releasing units may be moved by the moving means 17 to their initial position as illustrated in fig 1 and 2 in order to be ready for a new releasing process.

It is understood that in fig. 8, the releasing device 5 extend at the belly side 21 of the body 2 while the releasing units 8a, 8b in the releasing position RP extend at the back side 22 of the animal body 2, see e.g. figs. 4-7.

Fig. 9 illustrates an embodiment of the invention, seen in perspective, where only one 8b of the releasing units comprises a hook part 1 lb. The other releasing unit 1 may not comprise a hook part and may e.g. be substantially linear. The hook part 1 lb is thus longer than if both of the releasing units 8a, 8b should be moved to the releasing position at the back side 22, as it is preferred that the hook part 1 lb can extend in over the back side between the skin and the back side of the carcass 4 to overlap the releasing unit 8a at the other side of the animal body, transversely to the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body in the releasing position RP.

Fig. 10 illustrates a flow chart for the operation of the apparatus 1 by means of a control arrangement 10 according to embodiments of the invention.

In step SI the control arrangement 10 provides instructions to one or more holding arrangements 7a, 7b, 70 in order to fix the animal body in the apparatus 1, preferably after a user has arranged the body and/or the hind legs in a suitable position and activated one or more start buttons or the like of the apparatus 1.

In test T1 the control arrangement may test if the holding arrangement(s) have closed. If it has the control arrangement goes to the next step S2. Alternatively, test T1 may be omitted and the user may manually activate a button or the like in order to activate step S2.

In step S2 the control arrangement 10 moves the paw holding arrangements 7a, 7b so as jaws as previously described away from each other to stretch the hind legs away from each other, e.g. horizontally, and activates a cutting unit 60 to be moved from one hind leg to the other to provide a cutting operation CO to provide an opening at the rear part of the animal body. Alternatively, this cutting operation may have been pre-performed before the animal body is arranged in the apparatus 1.

In test T2 the control arrangement may test if the stretching and/or cutting operation has been provided, e.g. by sensors or the like. Alternatively, a user may activate a button or the like in order to activate step S3.

In step S3 the control arrangement provides a movement Ml of the releasing device 5 in the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body by drive means 6 in order to provide the First Releasing Operation (FRO) at the belly side at the rear end of the animal body 2.

In test T3 the control arrangement 10 may test the first releasing operation at the belly side has been provided, e.g. by a sensor or the like. Alternatively, a user may activate a button or the like in order to activate step S4.

In step S4, the control arrangement 10 operates moving means in order to move the releasing units 8a, 8b in between the animal skin 3 and the carcass 4 ahead of the hind legs 9a, 9b from the belly side of the animal body 2 by a relative movement M2 between the animal body 2 and the respective releasing unit 8a, 8b. In test T4 the control arrangement may test if the movement M2 has been done, e.g. by means of input from an end stop or another sensor, a stepper motor (if the moving means 6 comprises a stepper motor) and/or the like. Alternatively, a user may activate a button or the like in order to activate step S5.

In step S5, the control arrangement provides output signals in order to arrange the releasing unit(s) in the releasing position RP as e.g. previously described, so that the releasing unit(s) is/are arranged at the back side of the animal body.

In step S6, the control arrangement may control a paw cutter arrangement for cutting off the paws of the hind legs, by controlling a cutting arrangement 5a, 50b with one or more cutting devices 51, e.g. comprising one or more saws, knives or the like. Alternatively, step S6 may comprise that jaws of the holding arrangement releases the hind legs again, as the paws of the hind legs may have been cut off previously.

In test T6 the control arrangement may test if the cutting off of the hind legs has been done, e.g. by means of input from the cutting arrangement. Alternatively, a user may visually see that the hind legs have been cut and hence press a button or the like in order to activate step S7.

In step S7 the control arrangement activates drive means 6 in order to provide a further, relative movement M3 so that the releasing device 5 and the releasing unit(s) in the releasing position RP are pulled out of the animal body again, thereby providing the Second Releasing Operation (SRO) in order to release skin at the back side of the animal body.

In test T7, the control arrangement may test if the second releasing operation at the back side of the animal pelt has been performed, e.g. by testing if the releasing arrangement has been moved from the second position POS2 to the first position POS1 again, see e.g. figs. 1,2 and 5a-5c. Alternatively, this test may be provided by a user who may press a button in order to activate step S8.

The control arrangement may then release body holding means 70 (in embodiments where the apparatus 1 comprises body holding means) (step S8), and hereby release the body from the apparatus 1.

The apparatus 1 has thus, by the above mentioned steps (of which e.g. step S2, and S6 in embodiments of the invention may be omitted) have released the skin from the animal body at the rear end of the belly side of the animal body and from the back side at the rear end of said animal body so that the animal body is now ready for skinning by a skinning apparatus.

Fig. 11 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the control arrangement of the apparatus 1. The control arrangement 10 comprises one or more input/output arrangements 10a for controlling the operation of the apparatus 1 by means of the control unit 10b in accordance with the program code stored in a data storage 10c.

As illustrated the control arrangement 10 may by control signals CS control one or more of the following: • the holding arrangement 7a, 7b, for holding the paws/hind legs of the animal body in the apparatus. This may comprise controlling displacement means 41a, 41b such as a linear actuator, a chain drive, a tooth wheel drive or the like to stretching the hind legs away from each other and/or to open and close jaws of the holding arrangement 50a, 50b by jaw control means 42a, 42b, • a drive 72 such as a motor, an actuator or the like for controlling the body holding arrangement 70 for holding at least partly around the animal body 40, e.g. by jaws, movable brackets or the like 71a, 71b, • a cutting unit 60 configured to be moved from one hind leg of the animal body to the other to provide a cutting operation in order to provide an opening 18 a the rear end of the animal body between the hind legs • drive means 6 for providing the relative displacement Ml between the releasing device 5 and the animal body (not illustrated in fig. 11) in the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body, to provide the first releasing operation at the belly side of the animal body, • moving means 17 for moving the releasing units 8a, 8b in between the animal skin 3 and the carcass 4 ahead of the hind legs 9a, 9b from the belly side of the animal body 2 by a relative movement M2 between the animal body and the releasing units 8a, 8b, • rotation means 30 such as an electrical motor or any other suitable arrangement for providing a rotational movement RM so that at least one of the releasing units 8a, 8b is/are operated to a releasing position RP to partly extend at the back side of said animal body 2, e.g. by a hook part 11a, lib extending at the back side. • drive means 6 for providing the displacement M3 between the animal body 40 and the releasing arrangement 2 in the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body to provide the second releasing operation, thereby releasing the skin from the rear end of the animal body at back side towards the rear end of the animal body, • one or more cutting device controllers 52a, 52b such as an pneumatic or hydraulic actuator, an electric motor or the like for controlling the cutting devices 51 for cutting off the paws of the hind legs before the second releasing operation • a tail cutting arrangement (not illustrated) for cutting the tail open, preferably during the second releasing operation before the releasing unit(s) reaches the tail, • A cutting unit (not illustrated) for cutting around the anus part of the dead animal body 40. Such a cutting unit may be provided together with the tail cutting arrangement so that during the first movement Ml towards the head end of the animal body, the cutting unit for cutting around the anus part will provide this cutting operation, and during the second movement M2, the tail cutting arrangement cuts the tail open in the longitudinal direction of the tail to provide that a releasing device or devices 5 a, 5b can release the skin from the tail part.

The control is preferably provided based on one or more user inputs UI such as start/stop instructions provided by an operator/user activating one or more mechanical buttons, buttons visualized at a touch screen (not illustrated) and/or the like.

As illustrated, The cutting device controllers, the guiding part 15, the displacement means 41a, 41b, the body holding arrangement 70, the holding arrangement 50a, 50b for paws of hind legs, the drive means 6, the drive of the body holding arrangement (and/or the jaws/brackets 71a, 71b) and/or the like may in embodiments of the invention be connected directly or indirectly to a fixed frame part 14 of the apparatus 1 and are arranged at suitable positions in order to provide the task for which they are provided/intended. The releasing units and the moving means 17, 30 may however be connected to the guided part 16 in order to provide that the releasing units 8a, 8b moves in the longitudinal direction LD of the animal body together with the releasing device 5 during the first and/or second releasing operations.

Fig. 12 illustrates an embodiment of the invention seen in perspective where the apparatus comprises pulling means 23 arranged at the releasing device 5 or alternatively they could be arranged at the guided part 16 connected to the releasing device 5.

The pulling means 23 may comprise one or more hooks, protrusions or the like the like which will grab the skin at the side of the releasing device 5 facing away from the animal body, and pull this “belly side skin” towards the head end of the animal body in order to provide an improved space for moving the releasing units ahead of the hind legs as previously described.

It is understood that the pulling means 23 may however be omitted in embodiments of the invention, and that releasing units 8a, 8b, e.g. by means of hook shaped members 11a lib may provide the pulling operation at the belly side skin to be arranged to be moved ahead of the hind legs by movement M2 as previously described.

Fig. 13 illustrates an embodiment of the invention seen from the side, where the releasing units (8a, 8b) - only one is shown in fig. 13 - are arranged with an angle al in relation to the releasing device 5 and/or the guided part 16 so that the movement direction M2 when moving the releasing units 8a, 8b in ahead of the hind legs, inclines in a direction towards the head end 2a (not illustrated in fig. 13) of the animal body.

The angle al may preferably provide an acute angle al between the upwardly facing surface of the longitudinal guided part 12a and the movement plane PL1 in which the releasing device and preferably also releasing units 8a, 8b are moved during the first and second releasing operations by movements Ml and M3. An obtuse angle is thus provided between the downwardly facing surface of the guided part 12a and the plane PL1 is thus provided.

The angle al is preferably an acute angle al, preferably between 50° and 88° such as between 60° and 85°. The angle al may as illustrated measured at the upper surface of the guided part 12a, 12b and the side of the plane PL1 facing away from the animal body.

The releasing units 12a, 12b may in embodiments of the invention be arranged with a angle a2 to incline in relation to horizontal, e.g. with an angle between 2° and 50° such as between 5° and 25° so that the end of the releasing device (preferably comprising a hook part) to be moved in ahead o the hind legs points downwards . This may however depend on the orientation of the plane PL1 (which may preferably be substantially vertical).

It is generally to be understood that in preferred embodiments of the invention the first releasing operation by movement Ml is provided in the downwards direction towards a floor/ the ground, and the second releasing operation is provided upwards away from the floor/ground.

Fig. 14 illustrates an embodiment of the apparatus seen from above, where the releasing units 8a, 8b are arranged with a mutual angle a3 so that the parts 11a, lib of the releasing units 8a, 8b to be moved in ahead of the hind legs inclines towards each other.

The end of the releasing units 8a, 8b to be moved in ahead of the hind legs preferably inclines towards a vertical centre plane PL2. The planes PL1 and PL2 are in embodiments of the invention substantially perpendicular.

The guided parts 12a, 12b are arranged with a mutual angle a3, such as an angle between 3° and 110°, preferably between 5° and 90°, such as between 10° and 45°, preferably at least when arranged to move the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs.

The angle a3 may preferably be provided by the guiding means 13 a, 13b comprising a through hole for guiding the guided part 12a, 12b (see dashed lines in fig. 14) such as a rod of the releasing units 8a, 8b, and these through holes may be arranged with the angle a3.

The guided part 12a, 12b of each releasing unit 8a, 8b is preferably, as illustrated arranged with an obtuse angle a4 between the longitudinal direction LD / movement direction M2 and the movement plane Ml of the releasing device 5.

It is understood that the releasing units 8a, 8b may be arranged with both the angle al and the angle a3 as e.g. illustrated in the previous figures such as e. fig. 1 and several other figures.

However, it is also to be understood that the angle a3 in other embodiments of the ivnention may be omitted and that the releasing units 8a, 8b, may thus be arranged essentially parallel. Also, it is understood that in other embodiments of the invention, the releasing units 8a, 8b may be arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane PL1, and thus the angle al may be around 90°

Fig. 15 illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein the first releasing operation by the movement Ml may be provided by means of the releasing units 8a, 8b, and that these (or alternatively one of the releasing units which is however not shown in fig. 15), thus may provide the functionality of the releasing of the skin at the belly side of the animal body during the movement Ml from the rear end towards the head end of the animal body.

For that purpose, the releasing units 8a, 8b comprises a hook part 11a, lib as previously explained. The tip end 19 of the hook parts are arranged to point towards each other during the first releasing operation, preferably to substantially abut, and the hook parts points towards the head end of the animal body. Accordingly, when moving the releasing units 8a, 8b in the first direction by the drive means 6, the releasing units will be moved in between the skin and the carcass at the belly side, and thus release the skin at the belly side. After this movement, the releasing units may be rotated by the moving means 17 or the like around their longitudinal direction LD1 in order to arrange the hook parts at the position so that they can be moved in ahead of the hind legs and rotated to the releasing position RP at the back side between the skin and the carcass, before the movement as illustrated to the as illustrated in e.g. figs. 4-7. The rotation of the releasing units may generally be controlled by the control arrangement as previously described.

At least the tip end 19 of the hook parts 11a, lib are in fig. 15 arranged to point towards each other during the first releasing operation and towards the head end of the animal body, e.g. by rotation around the longitudinal direction LD1 to be near to each other to e.g. substantially abut, but more of the hook parts 11a, lib may also in other embodiments of the invention be arranged close to each other,

The releasing units 8a, 8b thus in the embodiment described in fig. 15 provides the releasing device 5 for releasing the skin at the belly side by the first releasing operation as explained in relation to e.g. figs. 1-9, where the releasing device 5 is a member separate to the releasing units 5 a, 5b.

Fig. 15 moreover illustrates a further embodiment of the invention wherein the apparatus 1 comprises a counter-hold part 80 arranged to be moved in between the skin and the carcass at the belly side to provide a counter hold during the second movement M2 as explained above to arrange the releasing units 8a, 8b in ahead of the hind legs. The counter-hold part 80 is in the present embodiment is separate to the releasing units 8a, 8b, and is, the tip ends 19, arranged behind the tip ends 19. The counter hold part 80 is thus moved in between the skin and the carcass at the belly side in the space provided between the skin and the carcass by the tip ends 19 and hook parts 11 during or alternatively subsequent to the first releasing operation, before the movement M2 to arrange the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs is provided.

Fig. 16a-16b also illustrates an embodiment of the invention, wherein the releasing units may provide the releasing device 5. The apparatus 1 is seen from above, and the hook parts points downwards. The mutual angle a3 (see also fig. 14) between the releasing units 8a, 8b may be amended, e.g. so that the angle a3 is larger when providing the first releasing operation (see fig. 16b) by the hook part of the releasing units 8a, 8b. The angle a3 may then be reduced (see fig. 16a) by angle adjustment means / angle adjusters 90a, 90b for adjusting the angle a3 in order to provide a (larger) space between the hook parts 11a, 1 lb so that the releasing units 8a, 8b may be moved in ahead of the hind legs from the belly side before being adjusted to the releasing position as previously described. This angle adjustment may be provided while the hook parts 11a, lib are arranged in between the skin and the carcass and the releasing device (provided by the hook part(s)) are in the second position POS2 . at the belly side as previously described.

The angular adjustment may e.g. as illustrated be provided by arranging the guiding means 13a, 13b so they are movable/rotatable around an axis AX2 which may e.g. be parallel to the movement direction Ml, see previous figures such as fig. 1.

In embodiments of the invention, the releasing units 8a, 8b may be configured to be adjusted in the longitudinal direction LD1 dependent on the angular setting of the mutual angle a3.

The angle adjustment by the angle adjusters 90a, 90b may preferably be controlled by the control arrangement 10 as described previously, and the amount of angular displacement may e.g. be controlled by mechanical means /such as e.g. end stops or the like) and/or software settings in the control arrangement.

The counter-hold part 80 has been omitted from fig. 16a-16b to provide a more simple drawing, but is naturally understood that a counter holding element 80 may also in embodiments of the invention be present e.g. as described and/or illustrated in relation to fig. 15.

In the present embodiment, the angle adjustment means 90a, 90b such as one or more linear actuators, a motor or the like is configured to displace a part of the support arms 24a, 24b so that they are rotated around the axes AX2, as the support arms 24a, 24b comprising the guiding means 13a, 13b for guiding the guided part 12a, 12b of the releasing units may be connected to the guided element 16 by means of a hinge connection 91a, 91b providing the rotation axes AX2. This may naturally also be provided by one or more guiding trails in a guiding plate, or any other suitable setup for facilitating the amendment of the angle a3 in further embodiments of the invention.

In general it is to be understood that in further embodiments of the invention, the releasing units 8a, 8b may be adjusted so that the tip end 19 of the hook part(s) 11a, lib points towards each other by e.g. a rotation around the longitudinal direction LD1, e.g. by the rotation means as e.g. previously described, in combination with the angular amendment of the mutual angle a3 by the angle adjusters 90a, 90b.

In general, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular examples described above but may be adapted in a multitude of varieties within the scope of the invention as specified in e.g. the claims.

References 1 : Apparatus 2 : Animal body 2a : Head end of animal body 2b : Rear end of animal body 2c : Tail of animal body 3 : Skin of animal body 4 : Carcass of animal body 5 : Releasing device 5 a : End edge of releasing device 5b, 5c : Side edges of releasing device 5d : Front surface/side of releasing device 5e : Back side of releasing device 6 : Drive means 7a, 7b : Jaws of holding arrangement 8a, 8b : Releasing units 9a, 9b : Hind legs of animal body 10 : Control arrangement 10a : Input/output arrangement 10b : Control unit 10c : Data storage 11 a, 1 lb : Hook part of releasing unit(s) 12a, 12b : Guided parts of releasing units 13 a, 13b : Guiding means 14 : Frame 15 : Guiding element 16 : Guided element 17 : Moving means for operating releasing units in the longitudinal direction LD1 of guided part of releasing unit 18 : Opening at rear end 2b of animal body 19 : Tip end of hook part 20a, 20b : Front legs 21 : Belly side of animal body 22 : Back side of animal body 23 : Pulling means for pulling belly skin during first releasing operation 24a, 24b support arms extending from the guided element 16 25 : Spacer connecting releasing device and guided element 26 : Bend at releasing unit providing hook part 11a, lib 30 : Rotation means for rotating releasing units 41a, 41b, : Displacement means of holding arrangement 42a, 42b, : Jaw control means for controlling holding arrangement 50a, 50b : Paw cutting arrangement 51 : Paw cutting device of paw cutting arrangement 52a, 52b : Cutting device controllers 60 : Cutting unit for providing opening 18 70 : Body holding means 71 a, 71 b : Jaws/clamps of body ho lding arrangement 72 : Operating unit for controlling body holding arrangement 80 : Counter hold part 90a, 90b : angle adjustment arrangement for adjusting angle a3 91 a, 91 b : Hinge connection

Claims (49)

1. An apparatus (1) for releasing the skin (3) of a body (2) of a dead, furred animal, such as a mink, from the carcass (4) of the animal body (2) at the rear end of the animal body (2), wherein said apparatus comprises: a control arrangement (10) for controlling the apparatus (1), a holding arrangement (7a, 7b, 70) for holding the dead animal body in said apparatus, a releasing device (5), and drive means (6) configured to be controlled by the control arrangement (10), wherein said drive means (6) are configured for providing a first releasing operation by a relative movement (Ml) between the animal body and the releasing device (5) in the longitudinal direction (LD) of the animal body to move the releasing device (5) from a first position (POS1) outside said animal body, into an opening at the rear end (2b) of the animal body to a second position (POS2) so as to release the skin (3) from the carcass (4) at the belly side of the animal body, wherein said apparatus (1) comprises releasing units (8a, 8b) configured to be displaced by moving means (17) in between the animal skin (3) and the carcass (4) ahead of the hind legs (9a, 9b) from the belly side of the animal body (2) by a relative movement (M2) between said animal body (2) and said releasing units (8a, 8b), wherein the moving means (17) are controllable by the control arrangement (10), wherein at least one of said releasing units (8a, 8b) is configured to be operated to a releasing position (RP) by means of said control arrangement (10) so that it at least partly extend at the back side of said animal body (2), and wherein the control arrangement (10) is configured to operate drive means (6) to provide a second releasing operation by a relative movement (M3) between the animal body (2) and the releasing units (8a, 8b) in the longitudinal direction (LD) of the animal body in a direction away from the head end (2a) of the animal body while the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) is in the releasing position (RP).

2. An apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) is configured to extend transverse to the longitudinal direction (LD) of the animal body in the releasing position (RP) by means of said operation of the at least one releasing unit(s) (8a, 9b), preferably by means of a rotational movement (RM).

3. An apparatus (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the releasing device (5) is separate to the releasing units (8a, 8b), and wherein the relative movement (M2) between the releasing units (8a, 8b) and the animal body (2) by the moving means (17) is configured to be provided while the releasing device (5) is in the second position (POS2).

4. An apparatus (l)according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said releasing units (8a, 8b) comprises guided parts (12a, 12b), wherein the guided parts (12a, 12b) are longitudinal members such as rods, and wherein the longitudinal members are configured to be displaced by the moving means (17) in their longitudinal direction (LD1) to arrange the releasing units ahead of the hind legs.

5. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said releasing units (8a, 8b) are configured to be moved in the longitudinal direction (LD) of the animal body (2) towards the head end (2a) of said animal body to an operation position (OP) by a first relative movement (Ml) by the drive means (6), prior to and/or during said relative movement (M2) between said animal body (2) and said releasing units (8a, 8b) from the belly of the animal body (2) by the moving means (17).

6. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said apparatus (1) comprises pulling means (11a, 1 lb, 23) configured for catching the rear end of the skin at the belly side during the first releasing operation and dragging the skin in a direction towards the head end of the animal body.

7. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the releasing units (8a, 8b) and the releasing device (5) are separate and are connected to the same guided element (16), and wherein said guided element (16) is arranged to be guided by a guiding element (15), preferably by a substantially linear movement (Ml), in order to provide the first releasing operation (Ml) and the second releasing operation (M3).

8. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of said releasing units (8a, 8b) comprises a hook part (11a, 1 lb), and wherein the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) is configured to be operated so that the hook part (1 la, 1 lb) is arranged to extend at the back side (22) of the animal body in the releasing position (RP), preferably by a rotational movement (RM) of the releasing unit (8a, 8b).

9. An apparats according to claim 8, wherein the tip end (19) of said hook part (1 la, 1 lb) is configured to extend in a direction towards the head end of the animal body (2) during the first releasing operation (Ml).

10. An apparats according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said hook part (11a, 1 lb) is configured to be arranged between the skin and the carcass during the first releasing operation, and thereby catch and pull a part of the skin (3) at the belly side of the animal body (2) from the rear end and towards the head end of the animal body (2), preferably by arranging the hook part (10a, 10b) at side edges (5 a, 5b) of the releasing device (5) during the first releasing operation.

11. An apparatus according to any of claims 8-10, wherein the apparatus (1) comprises two releasing units (8a, 8b) each comprising a hook part (11a, 1 lb), and wherein said releasing units (8a, 8b) are configured to be operated so that the hook parts (11a, 1 lb) are arranged to extend at the back side of the animal body from opposite sides in the releasing position (RP), preferably by a rotational movement (RM) of said releasing units (8a, 8b) by rotation means (30).

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the hook parts (11a, 1 lb) are configured to overlap when arranged in the releasing position (RP).

13. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said releasing units (8a, 8b) each comprises a guided longitudinal part (12a, 12b) such as a rod, wherein said guided parts (12a, 12b) are displaceable arranged to be guided by guiding means (13a, 13b) arranged to guide the releasing units (8a, 8b) during the movement (M2) to arrange the said releasing units (8a, 8b) between the animal skin (3) and the carcass (4) ahead of the hind legs (9a, 9b) from the belly side of the animal body.

14. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the movement direction (M2), when moving a part (11a, 1 lb) of the releasing units (8a, 8b) in ahead of the hind legs, is arranged to incline with an angle (al) towards the head end of the animal body.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said releasing device (5) is separate to the releasing units, and wherein said angle (al) is provided between a movement plane (PL1) of the releasing device (5a) and the releasing unit (8a, 8b), and is preferably an acute angle (al), preferably between 50° and 88° such as between 60° and 85°.

16. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the movement directions (M2) of the respective releasing units (8a, 8b) when the releasing units (8a, 8b) are arranged to be moved in ahead of the hind legs from the belly side are arranged to be inclining (a3) towards each other.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the releasing units (8a, 8b) are arranged with an mutual angle (a3) so that the parts (1 la, 1 lb) to be moved in ahead of the hind legs inclines towards a vertical centre plane (PL2), wherein said angle (a3) is preferably between 3° and 110°, preferably between 5° and 90°, such as between 10° and 45°.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the mutual angle (a3) is configured to be adjustable by angle adjusters 90a, 90b.

19. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first releasing operation is configured to be provided by moving the releasing device (5) relative to the animal body (2) and a frame (14) of the apparatus (1), and/or wherein the second releasing operation is configured to be provided by moving (M3) the releasing units (8a, 8b) by drive means (6) relative to the animal body and a frame part (14) of the apparatus (1).

20. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said holding arrangement (7a, 7b) is configured to be controlled by the control arrangement (10) to a holding position to provide a holding operation of the animal body at the hind legs (7a, 7b) of the animal body, at least while the first releasing operation is provided, preferably by means of a first jaw set (7a) and a second jaw set (7b), and preferably so that the animal body hangs downwards from the holding arrangement.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said apparatus (1) comprises a paw cutting arrangement (50a, 50b) which is controllable by the control arrangement (10), and wherein the paw cutting arrangement (50a, 50b) is configured for cutting off the paws of the hind legs (9a, 9b), thereby releasing said animal body from said holding arrangement (7a, 7b) before, during or after the releasing units (8a, 8b) have been arranged in the releasing position (RP).

22. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said apparatus comprises body holding means (70), which body holding means (70) are configured to be operated by said control arrangement (10) to hold the animal body (2) at location ahead of the hind legs, preferably between the head end of said animal body and the hind legs (9a, 9b) of said animal body, preferably at least during said second releasing operation (M3).

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said body holding means (70) comprises one or more jaws/clamps (71a, 71b) and an operating unit (72), and wherein said control arrangement (10) is configured to operate the operating unit in order to arrange the one or more jaws/clamps (71a, 71b) in a body holding position or an open position respectively.

24. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the relative movement (M2) between said animal body (2) and said releasing units (8a, 8b) by the moving means (17) is configured to be provided by displacing the releasing units (8a, 8b) relative to a counter-hold part (5, 80) in their longitudinal directions (LD1), preferably by a linear movement, and wherein said counter-hold part (5, 80) is configured to be arranged between the skin and the carcass at the belly side.

25. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said releasing device (5) is separate to said releasing units (8a, 8b), wherein the releasing device (5) is configured to provide a releasing of the skin at the belly side (21) of the animal body during the first releasing operation , and wherein the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) is configured to provide a releasing of the skin from the carcass (4) at the back side (22) of the animal body when the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) is in the releasing position (RP).

26. An apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1-24, wherein at least one of said releasing units (8a, 8b) are configured to provide the releasing device (5) in order to provide the first releasing operation.

27. A method of releasing the skin (3) of a body (2) of a dead, furred animal, such as a mink, from the carcass (4) of the animal body (2) at the rear end of the animal body, wherein the method comprises the steps of: arranging the animal body (2) in a holding arrangement (7a, 7b, 70), providing a first releasing operation where a releasing device (5) is moved (Ml) from a first position (POS1) outside the animal body and into an opening (18 ) at the rear end (2b) to a second position (POS2), thereby releasing the skin (3) from the carcass (4) at the belly side of the animal body at the rear end (2b), providing a relative movement (M2) between the animal body (2) and releasing units (8a, 8b), so the releasing units (8a, 8b) are moved from the belly side and in between the animal skin (3) and the carcass (4) ahead of the hind legs (9a, 9b) of the animal body (2), operating at least one of the releasing units (8a, 8b) to a releasing position (RP) so that the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) at least partly extend at the back side of said animal body (2) between the skin (3) and the carcass (4) of the animal body (2), and providing a second releasing operation by a relative movement (M3) between the animal body (2) and the releasing units (8a, 8b) in the longitudinal direction (LD) of the animal body in a direction away from the head end (2a) of the animal body while the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) is in the releasing position (RP), thereby releasing the skin from the carcass (4) at the back side of the animal body (2) at the rear end of the animal body.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) extend transverse to the longitudinal direction (LD) of the animal body in the releasing position (RP).

29. A method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the relative movement (M2) between the releasing units (8a, 8b) and the animal body (2) is provided by moving means (17) while the releasing device (5) is in the second position (POS2), wherein the releasing device preferably is separate to the releasing units (8a, 8b).

30. A method according to any of claims 27-29, wherein said releasing units (8a, 8b) comprises guided parts (12a, 12b) , wherein the guided parts (12a, 12b) are longitudinal members such as rods, and wherein the longitudinal members are displaced by moving means (17) in their longitudinal direction (LD1) to arrange the releasing units ahead of the hind legs.

31. A method according to any of claims 27-30, wherein pulling means (11a, lib, 23) catches the rear end of the skin at the belly side during the first releasing operation and drags the skin in a direction towards the head end (2a) of the animal body.

32. A method according to any of claims 27-31, wherein at least one of the releasing units (8a, 8b) comprises a hook part (11a, 1 lb), and wherein the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) is operated so that the hook part (11a, 1 lb) is arranged to extend at the back side (22) of the animal body in the releasing position (RP), preferably by a rotational movement (RM) of the releasing unit (8a, 8b).

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the tip end (19) of the hook part (11a, 11) extend in a direction towards the head end of the animal body (2) during the first releasing operation (Ml).

34. A method according to claim 32 or 33, wherein the hook part (11a, 1 lb) is arranged between the skin and the carcass during the first releasing operation, and thereby grabs and pulls a part of the skin (3) at the belly side of the animal body (2) from the rear end and towards the head end of the animal body (2), preferably by arranging the hook part (10a, 10b) at side edges (5a, 5b) of the releasing device (5) during the first releasing operation.

35. A method according to any of claims 27-34, wherein two releasing units (8a, 8b) each comprising a hook part (11a, lib) are utilized, and wherein said releasing units (8a, 8b) are operated so that the hook parts (11a, 1 lb) are arranged to extend at the back side of the animal body in the releasing position (RP) from opposite sides of the animal body, preferably by a rotational movement (RM) of said releasing units (8a, 8b) by rotation means (30).

36. A method according to any of claims 27-35, wherein the movement direction (M2) when moving a part (11a, 1 lb) of the releasing units (8a, 8b) in ahead of the hind legs (9a, 9b) incline with an angle (al) towards the head end (2a) of the animal body.

37. A method according to any of claims 27-36, wherein the movement directions (M2) of the respective releasing units (8a, 8b) when moving the releasing units in ahead of the hind legs from the belly side incline (a3) towards each other.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the releasing units (8a, 8b) are arranged with an mutual angle (a3) so that the parts (11a, 1 lb) inclines towards a centre plane (PL2) when moved in ahead of the hind legs, wherein said angle (a3) is preferably between 3° and 110°, preferably between 5° and 90°, such as between 10° and 30°.

39. A method according to any of claims 27-38, wherein the releasing device is separate to the releasing units, and wherein the relative movement (M2) between said animal body (2) and said releasing units (8a, 8b) by the moving means (17) is provided by displacing the releasing units (8a, 8b) relative to the releasing device (5).

40. A method according to any of claims 27-39, wherein the first and second releasing operations are provided by moving (Ml, M3) the releasing units (8a, 8b) and/or the releasing device (5) by drive means (6) relative to the animal body and a frame part (14) of the apparatus (1).

41. A method according to any of claims 27-40, wherein the holding arrangement (7a, 7b) is controlled by the control arrangement (10) to a holding position to provide a holding operation of the animal body at the hind legs (7a, 7b) of the animal body, at least while the first releasing operation is provided, and preferably so that the animal body hangs downwards from the holding arrangement.

42. A method according to claim 41, wherein a paw cutting arrangement (50a, 50b) cuts off the paws of the hind legs (9a, 9b), thereby releasing the hind legs of the animal body from the holding arrangement (7a, 7b) before, during or after the releasing units (8a, 8b) have been arranged in the releasing position (RP).

43. A method according to any of claims 27-42, wherein body holding means (70), are operated to hold the animal body (2) at a location ahead of the hind legs, preferably between the head end of said animal body and the hind legs (9a, 9b) of said animal body, at least during said second releasing operation (M3).

44. A method according to any of claims 27-43, wherein the relative movement (M2) between said animal body (2) and said releasing units (8a, 8b) by the moving means (17) is provided by displacing the releasing units (8a, 8b) relative to a counter-hold part (5, 80) in their longitudinal directions (LD1), preferably by a linear movement, and wherein the counter-hold part (5, 80) is arranged between the skin and the carcass at the belly side during this movement (M2).

45. A method according to any of claims 27-44, wherein said releasing device (5) is separate to said releasing units (8a, 8b), wherein the releasing device (5) provide a releasing of the skin at the belly side (21) of the animal body during the first releasing operation , and wherein the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) provides a releasing of the skin from the carcass (4) at the back side (22) of the animal body when the at least one releasing unit (8a, 8b) is in the releasing position (RP).

46. A method according to any of claims 27-45, wherein at least one of said releasing units (8a, 8b) provides the releasing device (5) in order to provide the first releasing operation, preferably by means of a hook part (11a, lib).

47. A method according to any of claims 27-46, wherein the method is provided by means of an apparatus according to any of claims 1-26.

48. A computer program product which, when installed in a data storage of a control arrangement (10) of an apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1-26, is configured to provide the method of any of claims 27-47.

49. Use of an apparatus according to any of claims 1-26 and/or a method according to any of claims 27-47 for releasing the skin at the rear end part of a dead furred animal body (2) such as a mink body.