Universal shrimp peeling machine

A machine for peeling a shell from shrimp comprising a movement device, a plurality of clamp assemblies mounted on and moved by the device past a number of processing stations. In the first style of processing wherein the entire shell is removed, the operative stations include a cutting station, a deveining station, and a meat removal station. In the second style wherein the tail and the first shell section are allowed to remain on the meat, there is also an operative disjointing station wherein the joint or connection between the first and second shell sections is broken. Each clamp assembly includes a tail clamp, a shell disjointing clamp, and a main body clamp, and cam devices are provided for operating the clamps. An actuating mechanism having an active position and an inactive position is provided, this mechanism having interconnected parts at the disjointing station and at the meat removal station. When in the active position, the mechanism operates the cams at the disjointing station to disconnect the first and second shell sections, and the cams at the meat removal station to disengage the tail clamps. When in the inactive position the mechanism does not operate the disjointing clamps and the tail clamp at the meat removal station is not disengaged.