Grooved chamber for a food-product separation machine

1. A separation assembly for a food product separating machine configured to separate meat product from bone product, the assembly comprising:

a chamber defined by a circumferential side wall, a longitudinal axis, and a radius;

a plurality of apertures disposed in the circumferential side wall;

at least one V-shaped groove disposed along an inner surface of the circumferential side wall, the V-shaped groove defined by a vertex, two legs extending from the vertex, and an angle bisector of the vertex; and

the V-shaped groove formed in the inner surface of the circumferential side wall.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the angle bisector of the V-shaped groove is tilted relative to the radius of the chamber.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the two legs correspond to a shorter leg and a longer leg, wherein the shorter leg is aligned along the radius of the chamber.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the V-shaped groove subtends an angle of between 25 degrees and 100 degrees.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the V-shaped groove subtends an angle of about 60 degrees.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the angle bisector is tilted at an angle of between 0 degrees and 45 degrees relative to the radius of the chamber.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the V-shaped groove runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber along a length of the V-shaped groove.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the V-shaped groove is helical along a length of the chamber.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the V-shaped groove has a constant cross-sectional shape along its length.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is cylindrical has a constant diameter along its length.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the chamber has a conical shape and tapers from an upstream location toward a downstream location.

12. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures disposed in the circumferential side wall are rectangular or slot-like.

13. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged as columns of slots along the axial length of the chamber, the columns disposed about a circumference of the chamber.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures disposed in the circumferential side wall are round or polygonal.

15. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one V-shaped groove runs along substantially an entire length of the chamber.

16. A separation assembly for a food product separating machine configured to separate meat product from bone product, the assembly comprising:

a chamber defined by a circumferential side wall, a longitudinal axis, and a radius;

a plurality of apertures disposed in the circumferential side wall;

a plurality of V-shaped grooves disposed along an inner surface of the circumferential side wall, each V-shaped groove defined by a vertex and an angle bisector of the vertex; and

the V-shaped grooves formed in the inner surface of the circumferential side wall.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the angle bisector of at least one of the plurality of V-shaped grooves is tilted relative to the radius of the chamber.

18. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the angle bisector of each of the V-shaped grooves is tilted relative to the radius of the chamber.

19. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the V-shaped grooves run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber along a length of the V-shaped grooves.

20. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the V-shaped grooves are helical along a length of the chamber.

21. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the chamber is cylindrical has a constant diameter along its length.

22. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the chamber has a conical shape and tapers from an upstream location toward a downstream location.

23. A food product separating machine configured to separate meat product from bone product in a mixed food product, the separating machine comprising:

a food hopper configured to contain the mixed food product and dispense the mixed food product from a hopper outlet disposed toward a bottom portion of the food hopper;

an auger in communication with the hopper outlet and configured to receive the mixed food product dispensed from the hopper outlet at an upstream portion of the auger;

a hollow chamber configured to receive a portion of the auger therein, the cylindrical chamber defined by a circumferential side wall, a longitudinal axis, and a radius;

the chamber further comprising:

a plurality of apertures disposed in the circumferential side wall;

a plurality of V-shaped grooves disposed along an inner surface of the circumferential side wall, the V-shaped grooves defined by a vertex and an angle bisector of the vertex; and

the V-shaped grooves formed in the inner surface of the circumferential sidewall.

24. The assembly of claim 23 , wherein the angle bisector of at least one of the plurality of V-shaped grooves is tilted relative to the radius of the chamber.

25. A separation assembly for a food product separating machine configured to separate meat product from bone product, the assembly comprising:

a separation chamber defined by a circumferential side wall, a longitudinal axis, and a radius;

a plurality of apertures disposed in the circumferential side wall to facilitate passing of the meat product therethrough under pressure induced by an auger rotating within the separation chamber;

at least one V-shaped groove disposed along an inner surface of the circumferential side wall, the V-shaped groove defined by a vertex, two legs extending from the vertex, and an angle bisector of the vertex; and

the V-shaped groove formed in the inner surface of the circumferential side wall.

26. The assembly of claim 25 , wherein the angle bisector of at least one of the plurality of V-shaped grooves is tilted relative to the radius of the chamber.