between the clamps 26 continued rotation of the carrier 20 carries each shrimp past a disjointing station or zone see station 40 in u s pat no 3 751 766 wherein the shell of the shrimp is disjointed by opposed longitudinal forces applied to the shrimp by clutch jaws 34 as described in u s pat no 3 751 766 continued rotation of carrier 20 transfers the shrimp from the disjointing section to a cutting station 36 which includes a rotary blade or rotating knife 38 the rotary blade 38 simultaneously slits the shell of the shrimp down the backs thereof and at the same time cuts slightly into the meat to pull out the sand vein the pinching of the belly of the shrimp between the body clamps 26 causes the shell to spread apart along the slit as soon as it is cut by the rotary blade 38 from the cutting station 36 each shrimp is carried to a debris removing station 39 where the open dorsal side of the shrimp is scrubbed by a rotary brush 40 preferably aided by a jet of water not shown here but see nozzle 202 in u s pat no 3 214 789 to remove all of the debris and leave the shrimp clean continued rotation of the carrier 20 brings each shrimp into position above a meat separating mechanism not shown the meat separating mechanism as clearly shown and described in the aforementioned referenced patents comprises a perforated strip or plate beneath which is positioned a plate carrying a plurality of spikes the spikes periodically move up in timed relation to the movement of the carrier and at a very rapid.