Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a transfer apparatus
for transferring items moving on one conveyor line to a
second conveyor line. More particularly, it relates to a
rotary transfer apparatus for transferring poultry
carcasses from shackles on one conveyor line to shacXles
on a second conveyor line.
A rotary transfer apparatus for transferring
poultry from one conveyor line to a second conveyor line
is disclosed in United States Patent ~o. 4,178,659,
granted to Michael E. Simonds on December 18, 1979. In
that reference, each poultry carcass is main~ained on a
shackle of the input conveyor line by ~he capture of the
lower part of one of its legs between a pair of parallel
spaced rods of the shackLe. The rotary member positioned
between the two conveyor lines for transferring the
poultry carcasses between those lines has a series of
equiangularly-spaced stations extendlng around its
circumference, each station having a pair of extending
parallel spaced rods of similar configuration to the pair
of spaced rods on the shackles of the conveyor linos. The
apparatus utilizes guide bars to push a carcass from the
pair of spaced rcds on a shackle of the one conveyor line
onto a respective pair of the spac~od rods on the rotary
member. After the rotary member has turned approximately
180, a second guide bar is positioned to push the leg of
the carcass from the pair of spaced bars on the rotary
member onto the pair of spaced bars of a shackle on the
second conveyor line. One disadvantage of this
construction, which is remedied by the subject invention,
is that a carcass hanging by only one leg can freely
rotate on the respectively-associated shackles of the
conveyor lines and on the rotary member, and must
therefore be re-oriented prior to a further operation such
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as evisceration. Also, the relatively short distance of
interaction between each conveyor line and the rotary
member in this construction limits its rate of transfer of
poultry carcasses. Although no rotary member is involved,
United States Patent No. 4,034,440, granted to M.P.D.
van Mil on July 12, 1977, discloses another means for
transferring poul-try carcasses ~etween conveyor lines;
however, the transEer apparatus of this reference would
necessarily operate at a slower rate than the
previously-described apparatus.
An important feature of the rotary transfer
apparatus of the subject invention is a knife mechanism
for removing the lower part of the legs (sometimes
referred to as "hocks") of the carcasses. With respect to
that feature, one reference of interest is United States
Patent ~o. 3,643,293 granted to Jack J. Rejsa on February
22, 1972. In that reference, poultry carcasses are
~ransferred from a picking line conveyor to an
evisceration line conveyor by an intermediately-positioned
transfer conveyor. A hock cutter apparatus is positioned
in the region of adjacency between the picking line
conveyor and the transfer conveyor, such that the lower
part of the legs of each poultry carcass is cut from the
remainder of the carcass prior to the carcass being
transferred on the transfer conveyor to the evisceration
line conveyor~ United States Patent ~o. 3,522,62~,
granted to E.J. Crane on August 4, ~970, discloses a hock
cutter apparatus in which the lower part of the leg
(sometimes referred to as the hock) of the carcass is
stretched across a support member prior to that lower leg
being separated from the remainder of the carcass by a
blade having an initial dull portion and a following sharp
portion. The blade has a stationary longitudinal position
on the hock cutter apparatus, and the lower part of the
legs of the carcass are positioned between the fingers of
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a drag conveyor which pulls the hock joints (separating
the lower part from the upper part of each leg) against
the edge of the blade; the blade is driven with a
vibratory motion normal to the joint to facilitate its
penetration between the parts of the joint.
The subject invention is an apparatus which not
only transfers poultry carcasses from one conveyor line to
a second conveyor line while main~taining their
orientation, but also removes the lower part of the legs
from each carcass. Because the transfer apparatus is
circular and rotary (being of similar size to the rotary
transfer conveyor of U.S. Patent 4,178,659), it can be
positioned in the limited space between an existing pair
of conveyor lines in which manual labour is presently
utilized for the transfer operation. As mentioned, the
orientation of the carcasses can be maintained by the
transfer apparatus of the subject invention in that a
carcass held by its legs in a certain orientation on the
first conveyor line is deposited in a similar
configuration on the second line; thus, operations such as
evisceration can be performed on the second conveyor line
without requiring that the carcass be re-oriented on that
conveyor lineu The subject invention is also capable of
very high transfer rates i.e. up to 7500 carcass transfers
per hour.
In one form, the apparatus for transferring
poultry carcasses hung by their legs from the shackles on
one conveyor line to the shackles on a second conveyor
line comprises a yenerally circular rotary member having
on its periphery at equianyularly-spaced positions a
series of holding elements, retention means associated
with the holding elements for retaining on each holding
element a poultry carcass, and, release means for
releasing the hold of the shackle on the one conveyor line
on the poultry carcass a~ter that carcass becomes retained
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on the one of the holding elements. One portion of the
path of the first and second conveyor lines is stationed
adjacent to respective first and second portions of the
path of the periphery of the rotary member. The rotation
of the rotary member and movement of the shackles on the
two conveyor lines is synchronized such that the movement
of the shackles adjacent to the periphery of the rotary
member is at the same speed as that periphery. The
retention means retains a poultry carcass on a respective
holding element as that carcas~, which is also held on a
shackle on the one conveyor line, becomes adjacent to the
periphery of the rotary member. The retention mea~ls
retains the poultry carcass on the holding element until
the rotary member has rotated such that the holding
element is adjacent to a shackle o~ the second conveyor
line, at which time the poultry carcass drops under
gravity from the holding element onto the shackle on the
second conveyor line to be hung by their legs from that
shackle.
The release means may sever that portion of the
legs of the poultry carcass holding the carcass on the
shackle on the one conveyor line from the remainder of the
carcass. The retention means may be at least one
stationary guide bar extending adjacent to the path of the
periphery of the rotary member, which at least one guide
bar acts on each carcass to hold that carcass between the
at least one guide bar and the respective holding
element. The release means may be a stationary elongated
knife mechaniqm extending adjacent to the path of the
periphery of the rotary member. In such arrangement, the
knife mechanism is positioned such that it contacts the
legs of the carcass between that position on the legs of
the carcass at which the carcass is held on the ~hackle on
the one conveyor line and that position on the carcass at
which the carcass is retained by the retention meanæ. The
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knife mechanism is oriented such that at least a portion
of its contacting edge increases the depth of its
displacement into the legs of the carcass as the carcass
is rotated on the rotary member.
The contacting edge of the knife mechanism may
have a first sharp portion which initially contacts the
carcass to sever a first portion of the connective tissue
extending between two parts o~ a leg joint, a dull portion
which extends between the two parts of the leg joint to
increase the separation between those parts, and a second
sharp portion which severs a second portion of the
connective tissue e~tending between the two parts of the
leg joint. The knife mechanism may have a first blade and
a parallel shorter second blade, those blades being
oriented so as to initially contact the carcass together.
The second blade has the first sharp portion of the
contacting edge of the knife mechanism, and the first
blade has the dull portion of that contacting edge. The
first blade may also have the second sharp portion of the
2~ contacting edge, that second sharp portion being on the
trailing edge of the first blade.
The knife mechanism may have a third blade
oriented so as to extend in-line with, and behind, the
trailing edge of the first blade. In such arrangement,
the second sharp portion of the contacting edge of the
knife mechanism is partially on the trailing edge of the
first blade and partially on the third blade. That part of
the second sharp portion of the contacting edge that is on
the third blade may face at an inclination the trailing
edge of the firs~ blade such that any remnants of the
second portion of the connective tissue remaining
unsevered after movement across the first and second
blades moves against and rides up on the inclined sharp
edge of the third blade and is thereby severed. The
3~ second blade of the knife mechanism may be positioned
radially inward on the rotary member from the first blade.
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The joint which is contacted by the contacting
edge of the knife mechanism may be the hock joint
separating the upper part of the leg from the lower part
of the leg, wherein the lower part of the leg is held on
the shackle on the one conveyor line and the upper paLt of
the leg is retained with the remainder of the carcass by
the retention means. The position of the edge of the
first blade that extends between the two parts of the
joint may vary radially along the length of that blade
such that that edge generally follows the mating surface
on the part of the hock joint on the upper part of the leg.
Each of the holding elements may be pivotally
connected to the rotary member, the pivot axis of each
holding element extending generally tangentially on the
rotary member and normal to the symmetry axis of the
member. Each holding element may assume alternate angular
inclinations relative to the rotary member, one of those
angular inclinations being normally assumed by each
holding element and the other angular inclination being
assumed by each holding element during its movement past
the elongated knife mechanism.
Each holding element may comprise a face
generally configured to the body contour of a poultry
carcass. That face extends generally vertically when the
holding element assumes the other angular inclination and
that face inclines downwardly, inwardly when the holding
element assumes the one angular inclination. The upper
edge of that face is configured such that the upper part
of each leg is adapted to be recessed therein with the
hock joint being proximate of that upper edge. Each
poultry carcass may be held on the shackle on the one
conveyor line by the outer end of the lower part of each
of its legs, the body of the carcass moving into abutment
with the face of the holding element when that carcass
becomes adjacent to the periphery of the rotary member.
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In that configuration, ~he holding element has the one
angular inclinakion, and the shackle and the attached
lGwer part of the legs are positioned radially inwardly on
the rotary member from the upper edge o~ the face of the
holding element. Also, in that configuration the shackle
is biased radially inwardly on the rotary member such that
the lower part of each of the legs is placed in tension.
In the foregoing construction, the elongated
knife mechanism is positioned radially inwardly from, but
proximate of the path of the upper edge of the face o~ the
holding element, and the knife mechanism is adapted to
contact the hock joints of the carcass positioned
proximate of that upper edge.
The retention means may comprise a stationary
guide bar extending adjacent to the path of the periphery
of the rotary member and in spaced relation to the upper
edge of the face of the holding element, that guide bar
being adapted to act against the upper part of each leg
when that leg is recessed in the upper edge of that face.
A second stationary guide bar may Pxtend adjacent to the
path of the periphery of the rotary member and in spaced
relation to a lower edge of the holding element, the
second guide bar being adapted to provide support to
assist in retaining the carcass on the holding member.
In another form, the invention is a method for
transferring a poultry carcass held by the lower part of
its legs on a shackle on a first conveyor line to a
shackle on a second conveyor line. The method comprises
the initial step of moving the carcass on the one conveyor
line until the carcass abuts against a corresponding
holding element on the periphery o~ a rotary me~ber
positioned between the first and second conveyor lines.
The shackle on the ~irst conveyor line during such
movement maintains its hold on the lower part of the legs
of the carcass, and the first and s~cond conveyor lines
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are configured such that each of their paths extend
adjacent to a respective different portion of the path of
the periphery of the rotary member. The method comprises
the second step of rotating the rotary member, that
rotation bringing the holding element adjacent to a
stationary retention means. That retention means, which
acts to retain the carcass on the holding element, extends
adjacent to the path of the periphery of the rotary member
between the portion of that path adjacent to the first
conveyor line and that portion of that path adjacent to
the second conveyor line. The third step involves
severing the lower part of the legs of the carcass from
the remainder of the carcass in that portion of the path
of the periphery of the rotary member that is adjacent to
the first conveyor line. The severing is by means of the
stationary knife mechanism positioned to extend adjacent
to and along that portion of the path of the periphery of
the rotary member. The knife mechanism is positioned
relative to the rotary member between the path o~ the
shackle on the irst conveyor line and the path of the
corresponding holding elementO The final step o~ the
method involves dropping the remainder of the carcass ~rom
the rotary member onto the shackle on the second conveyor
line in that portion of the path of the periphery of the
rotary member adjacent to the second conveyor line. The
retention means terminates its adjacency to that path
` immediately priox to the position at which the carcass is
dropped.
The first and second conveyor lines may each have
a generally rectangular configuration with the one portion
of the first and second conveyor lines each being one of
the smaller ends of the respective rectangular
configuration: in this arrangement, the conveyor line
corners adjacent to the rotary member are rounded. The
apparatus may further comprise a shackle guide means at
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each of the rounded corners. Each of the shackle guide
means comprises a rotatable shaft pivotally secured to the
frame of the apparatus such that its axis of rotatiGn is
parallel to that of the generally circular rotary member,
and a series oE discs symmetrically secured to the
rotatable shaft. The discs are secured such that a
portion o~ the path of the periphery of each disc is
adjacent to t~e portion of the respective first or second
conveyor lines at ~he respective rounded corner. Each
shaft rotates such that the periphery of each of the discs
secured thereto has a speed corresponding to that of the
shackles moving on the respective first or second conveyor
lines.
At least one of the discs secured to each
rotatable shaft may have a series of brackets extending
around its periphery spaced such that the stem of a
shackle moving on the respective first or second conveyor
lines adjacent to that periphery extends between an
adjacent pair of brackets. In this embodiment, each of
the shackle guide means also comprises a pair of arcuate
guide bars secured to the frame of the apparatus to extend
along that portion of the path of the periphery o the at
least one of the discs that is adjacent to the portion of
the respective first or second conveyor lines at the
respective rounded corner. One of the arcuate guide bars
is positioned radially outward of the path of tha shackle
moving on the respective firs-t or second conveyor line and
the other arcuate guide bar is positioned radially inward
of the path of that shackle. In this configuration, a
shackle moviny around the rounded corner of a respective
one of the first or second conveyor lines is restrained
radially during such movement by the pair of arcuate guide
bars and is restrained angularly during such movement by
an adjacent pair of brackets on the periphery of the at
least one of the discs.
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The arcuate guide bar that is positioned radially
inward on the shackle guide means which is positioned on
the upstream side of the second conveyor line may extend
along at least a part of the second portion of the path of
the periphery of the rotary member, and each of the
holding elements may ha~e a projecting nose adapted to
engage with a respective one of the shackles on the second
conveyor line during movement of that shackle alonq the
second portion o~ the path of the periphery of the rotary
member. In this arrangement, the arcuate guide bar
retains the shackle on the nose of the respective holding
element while a poultry carcass on the respective holding
elem~nt drops under gravity into the shackle. Each of the
holding elements may have a push rod means slidably
connected thereto to move generally radially on the
apparatus. Each such push rod means is actuated to slide
generally radially outward by contact with an arm
pivotally secured to the frame of the apparatus in a
biased position. Such actuation occurs after movement of
the respective holding element past the terminal end of
the retention means, and the push rod means pushes the
poultry carcass away from the respective holding element
during such actuation.
In a still further form, the invention is a knife
mechanism ~or severing the lower legs from a poultry
carcass at the hock joint as the knife mechanism and
carcass are moved relative to each other. In such
arrangement, the lower legs of the carcass are oriented
generally normal to the working edges of the knife
mechanism and fixed against movement normal to the
relative movement. The knife mechanism in this form of
the invention comprises fi~st, second and third knife
means. The first knife means has a blunt working edge
adapted to extend into the hock joint of each leg to
3S increase the spacing between the ball and socket of the
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joint, with connective tissue being pressed between that
ball and socket. The second knife means has a sharp
working edge positioned so as to be in the path of the
hock joint and being oriented generally parallel to the
working edge of the first knife means. The sharp working
edge of the second knife means is adapted to sever at
least a portion of the connective tissue at the hock
joint. The third knife has a working edge oriented to
press the connective tissue in a direction opposite to
that in which that tissue is pressed by the working edges
of the first and second knife members. At least a portion
of the working edge of the third knife member is sharp and
acts to sever any connective tissue not severed by the
second knife means. The sharp portion of the working edge
of the third knife means may be the trailing portion of
that ~orking edge, and the leading portion of that working
edge may be a blunt portion for guiding the connective
tissue onto the sharp portion.
In such knife mechanism, the leading portion of
the worXing edge of the second knife means may commence at
the same depth in the hock joint as the trailing portion
of the working edge of the first knife means. The working
edge of the second knife means may be adapted to extend
further into the hock joint than the working edge of the
first knife means. The working edge of the first knife
means may extend in-line with the working edge of the
second knife means. The sharp portion of the working edge
of a third knife means may be oriented at more of an angle
to the path of the hock joint than is the working edge of
the second knife means. The sharp portion of the working
edge of the third knife means may be contacted by the
connective tissue after that tissue has moved past the
working edge of the second knife means. The working edge
of the third knife means may be laterally displaced from
the working edge of the second knife means. The first and
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second knife means may be integrally connected such that
the leaaing portion of the working edge of the second
knife means is an extension of the trailing portion of the
working edge of the first knife means. The first, second
and third knife means may be oriented so as to contact a
poultry carcass being carried on the periphery of a
circular rotary member.
In a yet further form, the invention is a device
for removing the legs of a poultry carcass, comprising
movable support means for supporting the carcass by the
legs, and a stationary knife mechanism having a working
edge positioned so as to contact the hock joints of the
carcass while the carcass is moved on the support means.
During such movement, the legs of the carcass are flexed
at the hock joints over a rest member on the support
means. The knife mechanism has an initial blunt working
edge portion which enters between the ball and socket of
each hock joint to increase the separation ~etween the
ball and socket. The knife mechanism also has a first
sharp working edge portion ~ollowing the blunt portion for
severing at least a portion of the connective tissue at
the hock joint. The first sharp working edge extends
further into the hock joint than the blunt working edge.
The knife mechanism also has a second sharp working edge
portion following the first ~orking edge portion and
extending across the path of the connective tissue for
severing any remaining connective tissue at the hock joint.
In this form of the invention, the stationary
knife mechanism may be formed from three connected parts.
The first part has the initial blunt working edge portion
of the ~echanism, and the second part has the first sharp
working edge portion of the mechanism. The third part has
the second sharp working edge portion of the mechanism and
is also comprised of a guide means for directing the
remaining connective tissue at each hock joint to the
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second sharp working edge portion. The movable support
~eans may be a generally circular rotary member, and each
rest member may be positioned on the periphery of the
rotary member such that the legs o~ each carcass extend
generally toward the center of the rotary member. The
working edge of the stationary knife mechanism may be
accurately contoured such that the leading portion of that
working edge is a greater radial distance from the center
of the rotary member than is the trailing portion of that
working edge.
The apparatus of the subject invention will now
be more fully described by means of a preferred
embodiment, utilizing the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a transfer apparatus
embodying the subject invention;
Figure 2 is a partially-sectioned view of the
transfer apparatus, that view being taken through II-II of
Figure l;
Figure 3 is a side perspective view o~ the
transfex apParatus that view being from the left side of
Figure l;
Figure 4 is a side perspective view of the
transfer apparatus, that view being fxom the right side of
Figure l;
Figure 5 is a partiall~-sectioned plan view of
the transfer apparatus along the section V-V of Figuxe 2;
Figure 6 is a perspective side view of a carriage
member mounted on the transfer apparatus at the position
marked VI of Figure l;
Figure 7A is a perspective side view of the
carriage member mounted on the transfer apparatus at the
position marXecl VII in Figure l;
Figure 7B is a detailed sectioned view of the
relative positions of ~he hock joint and the knife
mechanism of Figure 7A.
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Fig~lre 8 is a perspective side view of the
carriage member mounted on the transfer apparatus at the
position marked VIII in Figure 1,
Figure 9A is a perspective side view of the
carriage member mounted on the transfer apparatus at the
position marked IX in Figure 1,
Figure 9B is a detailed ~ectioned view of the
relativ0 positions of the hock joint and the knife
mechanism of Figure 9A.
Figure lOA is a perspective side view of the
carriage member mounted on the transfer apparatus at the
position marked X in Figure 1.
Figure lOB is a detailed sectioned view of the
relative positions of the hock joint and the knife
mechanism of Figure lOA.
Figure 11 is a perspective side view of the
carriage member mounted on the transfer apparatus at the
position marked XI in Figure l;
Figure 12 is a perspective side view of the
carriage member mounted on the transfer apparatus at the
position marked XII in Figure l;
Figure 13 is a perspective side Vi2W of the
carriage member mounted cn the transfer apparatus at the
position marked XIII in Figure l;
Figure 14 is a perspective side view of the
carriage member mounted on the transfer apparatus at the
position marked XIV in Figure 1.
Figure 15 is a perspective view of the knife
mechanism mounted on the transfer apparatus.
Figure 1~ is a plan view of the knife mechanism
with the periphery of the transfer apparatus shown in
outline, the view illustrating the relative position of
the knife mechanism on the transfer apparatus.
Figure 17 is a view taken on the section A-A of
Figure 16.
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Figure 18 is a view taken on the section B-B of
Figure 16.
Figure 19 is a plan vie~ of the knife mechanism.
Figure 20 is a side view of the knife mechanism~
With reference to Figure 1, the transfer
apparatus has a rotary member or carousel generally
designated as 20. Rotary member 20 is generally shown in
side view in Figure 2, that view being taken along the
section II-II of Figure 1. Rotary member 20 is mounted in
- 10 a frame generally designated as 21 and having a series of
'i vertical members 22 and a series of upper cross members 23
~ and lower cross membexs 24. The shaft 25 of the rotary
,I member 20 is mounted generally centrally in the frame
¦ between an upper bearing 26 connected to one of the upper
-1 15 cross members 23 and a lower bearing (not shown) mounted
j in a cradle 27 supported by lower cross members 24. The
lower end of the shaft 25 extends through the lower
bearing and has a gear wheel 28 mounted to its lower end.
, The gear wheel 28 is connected by a chain 29 to the output
~procket of a reduction gear box (not shown)driven by a
motor (not shown). An alternate means for rotating rotary
member 20 will subsequently be described.
!J A pair of discs 30 and 31 are mounted on shaft 25
to extend normal to the rotational axis, and a stainless
steel drum 32 has its ends mounted on the outer perimeter
of those discs. Approximately one-third of the distance
from the lower edge of drum 32, a pair of rings 33 and 34
are mounted concentrically on drum 32 in a generally
parallel orientation. The purpose for the pair of rings
30 33 and 34 will subsequently become clear. Drum 35 has a
first set of teeth 36 and a second set of teeth 37
extending circumferentially therearound, the second set of
teeth 37 being positioned above the first set of teeth
36.~ The purpose of th~ two sets of circumferential teeth
on drum 32 will s~bsequently be described.
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With reference to Figure 1, rotary member 20 is
surrounded by four small rotary members, generally
designated as A, B, C, and D. The shaft of each of those
four small rotary members is secured at its upper and
lower ends by bearings to frame ~1. As also shown in
Figure 1, first and second conveyor lines have tracks 45
and 46, respectively. The first conveyor line, to which
track 45 belongs, is the "kill line" of the poultry plant,
along which line the poultry are slaughtered, and their
feathers and claws removed. The eecond conveyor line, to
which track 46 belongs, is the "evisceration line" on
which the poultry is eviscerated and their heads removed.
The first and second conveyor lines each have a series of
shackle assemblies mounted to move along their tracks,
those shackle assemblies being generally illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4. The tracks 45 and 46, which are
circular in cross-section, are secured to frame 21. Each
, shackle assembly on the first conveyor line consists of a
shackle 48 secured to extend from a yoke consisting of a
pair of connected brackets 49 each bracket having a wheel
50 rotatably mounted thereon, as shown in Figure 2. A
portion of a chain 51 extending below track 45 is secured
to each shackle assembly and acts to provide proper
i spacing between those assemblies, as well as provide
propulsion to those asse~blies. The propulsion for the
first conveyor line is provided by the meshing of the
upper set of teeth 37 on drum 32 with the vertical chain
links of chain 51, each of the teeth 37 being
circumferentially spaced to extend through the center of
adjacent vertical links in chain 51.
With respect to Figures 1, 3 and 5, rotation of
rotary member 20 moves the shackle assemblies on track 45
clockwise such that they move clockwise around small
rotary me~ber A, counter-clockwise around rotary member 20
and clockwise around small rotary member B.
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With reference to Figures 1 and 4, the second
conveyor line has a track 46, a portion of which extends
on an opposite side of rotary me~nber 20 from track 45.
Shackle assemblies move in a clockwise direction on track
46, moving clockwise around small rotary member C,
counter-clockwise around rotary member 20, and clockwise
around small rotary member D. As with the shackle
assemblies on the first conveyor line, each shackle
assembly on the second conveyor :Line comprises a yoke and
an attached shackle, the shackle being designated 54 and
the yoke attached to its upper end consisting of a pair of
brackets 55 on each of which are mounted a wheel 56. A
~- chain 57 extends below track 46 and is secured to the pair
-~i of brackets 55 to provide the appropriate spacing and the
~~ 15 propulsion to the shackle assemblies of the second
- conveyor line. The lower set of teeth 36 on drum 3~ mesh
with chain 57, each of the teeth 36 extending through one
~-¦ of the vertically-oriented links of chain 57. As can be
seen from Figures 3 and 4, each shackle 4~ on the first
conveyor line is differently configured from each shackle
54 on the second conveyor line. Both types of shackles
have a long stem which extends downwardly from the yoke
; suspending it from the tracke but there are differences in
the configuration of the lower portions of each kill
shackle 48 and each eviscera~ion shacXle 54. Those
differences are the greater length of each shackle 48, the
horizontal cross-piece on each shackle 48, and the
out-of-plane curvature on the lower tips of each shackle
48. As will subsequently be more fully described, a
poultry carcass hangs from each shackle 48 by the outer
end of the lower part of its legs, whereas each shackle 54
retains a carcass by the remaining part of the hock joints
after the lower part of the legs has been removed on
rotary member 20~
Secured to the lower disc 31 on rotary member 20
so as to extend adjacent to the lower edge of drum 32 are
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~2~S59
-18-
a series of tiltable carriages generally designated as
60. Approximately twenty such carriages are positioned at
equiangularly spaced intervals adjacent to the lower
periphery of drum 32, the exact number depending upon the
distan~e between the shackles on the conveyor lines (that
distance being the same on both lines), and the diameter
of drum 32; in the preferred embodiment, the shackles are
spaced approximately 6 inches apart, drum 32 is 36.3
inches in diameter, and nineteen carriages are installed.
As shown in Figure 6, each carriage 60 has a support
bracket 61 to which is pivotally secured one end of an
elongated support arm 62. The other end o~ support arm 62
has secured thereon a specially-configured support rest
63, against which the upper part of the legs of the
poultry are positioned. A plate 64 is secured
intermediate of the ends of, and normal to, support arm
62, the support arm 62 e~tending through and being welded
to plate 64 proximate of the one edge of that plate. A
- smaller plate 65 extends parallel to plate 64 at the
pivotal connection to support racket 61. Extending on an
` opposite side of the pivotal connection from support arm
62 is a lever arm 66, that lever arm being angularly
offset ~rom the support arm 62. Extending between and
rigidly secured to plates 64 and 65 are a pair of rods 67,
each rod being welded to plates 64 and 65 to maintain
~` those plates in co-planar spaced relation; each rod 67
extends through plate 64 and is configured into an arm to
create a centering guide for a poultry carcass suspended
from support rest 63. Slidably mounted to extend through
bGth plates 64 and 65 are a pair of push rods 68 having an
enlarged end extending beyond plate 64 and an
adjustably-positionable cam member 69 fixed thereto
intermediate of plate 64 and 65. A guide bar 70, shown in
Figures 3 and 6, is welded to plates 64 and 65 to extend
between those plates. Guide bar 70 has its arcuate
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~2~38S~9
--19--
central portion extending generally normal to, and on the
outer face of, plate 64 below support rest 63. A ~urther
arcuate guide bar 71 is fixed to support rest 63 to extend
outward from that rest at a slight upward angle~ On the
outer end of lever arm 66 an annular wheel 73 is mounted,
that wheel riding on the ring-like surface 74 defined by
the lower edge of a stationary circular cylinder 75
mounted to cradle 27 therebelow. As shown in the series
of drawings, Figures 6 to 14 inclusive, each carriage may
assume either a generally horizontal position as in
Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10, or a second inclined position as
shown in Figures 6, 11, 12, 13 and 14. The reason for,
-~and the relative positioning of, the two angular
inclinations of each carriage 60 should subsequently
!15 become clear.
-With the first and second conveyor lines
extending around small rotary members A, B, C and D, as
previously described, a poultry carcass entering the
- apparatus on the first conveyor line (see Figure 1) moves
-~20 clockwise around small rotary member A, counter-clockwise
for almost a complete revolution of rotary member 20, and
clockwise around small rotary member D. Once a poultry
--~carcass has moved around the small rotary member A to
become adjacent to rotary member 20, a retention means
secures the ~a~cass to rotary member 20, and almost
immediately thereafter, the hold of the first conveyor
line on the carcass is removed. The carcass is then
retained on rotary member 20 for approximately a further
one-half rotation of that member, after which the
retention means on rotary member 20 terminates and the
carcass falls under gravity onto one of the shackle
assemblies moving along the second conveyor line. The
release of the first conveyor line on the poultry carcass
is obtained by severing the lower part of the legs of the
carcass at the hock joint after the carcass has been
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-20-
retained on the rotary member 20. The lower part of the
legs of the carcass remain on the shackle assembly of the
first conveyor line and are carried off around small
rotary member B to be disposed of prior to the shackle
assembly being loaded with a further poultry carcass.
Each of the small rotary members A,B,C, and D
have a central axle fixed to the frame of the apparatus.
On each axle, a driving disc extends normal to the axle
and has its center rigidly connected to the axle. A
series of teeth extend around the periphery of each
driving disc so as to be adjacent to the
vertically-oriented links of the chain of the resp~ctive
conveyor line. With reference to Figure 3, small rotary
member A has an axle 80 to which is rigidly connected a
driving disc 81 having a series of teeth 82 extending on
its periphery. The teeth 82 are equiangularly spaced from
each other such that adjacent ones of the teeth abut
- ~ adjacent vertical links of chain 51. It can be
-~i appreciated that this construction results in the four
small rotary members rotating in synchronized relation
~ ,
with rotary member 20.
- In the preferred embodiment, rotary member 20 is
-~ rotatably powered by its connection to a motor, and the
four small rotary members are rotatably powered by their
positive engagement with chains 51 and 57 which also
, positively engage rotary mem~er 20. A possible alternate
- method of powering the apparatus is to directly drive one
or more of the small rotary members by a motor, that small
rotary member or members in turn providing rotational
power to the other rotary members; in particular, by
providing driving power to either small rotary members A
and C or B and D a reduction in the amount of the driving
power required may be reali~ed.
Besides their driving discs, small rotary members
A and D each have three further discs extending normal to
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their axle, each disc being rigidly connected at the
center to the axle. As shown in Figure 3, the disc 83,
which is immediately below driving disc 81, has a series
of wire brackets 84 extending on its periphery, the
spacing betwesn each adjacent pair of the brackets 84
being just large enough to receive the stem of a shackle
48 therein; alternately the brackets 84 could be f~rmed
- from nylon sheet. The purpose of disc 83 is to position
: and stabilize the shackle assemblies as they are carried
10 around small rotary member A at high speed. Below disc 83
is a further disc 86 having a similar diameter to discs 81
and 83. As with disc 83, disc 86 is utili~ed for
positioning and stabilizing shackle assemblies moving
around small rotary member A. Disc 83 has ten adjacent
15 bracXets around its periphery, and disc 86 has ten plastic
spacers 87 extending around its periphery. Each plastic
spacer 87 is adapted to extend between the inner pair of
legs at the lower end of the shackle 48, as shown in
- Figure 3. The fourth and lowest disc fixed to axle 80 is
~: 20 disc 89 which has a series of ten wire brackets 90
~-- equiangularly positioned around its periphery. Each
. = _
poultry carcass is adapted to extend down between an
adjacent pair of the brackets 90. As can be seen from
--- Figure 3, each of the brackets 90 is centered below one of
25 the brackets 84, whereas each of the plastic spacer
t members 87 are angularly positioned between adjacent
brackets on those other two discs.
~~~~ Since small rotary members B and C do not have ~ -
poultry carcasses moving therearound/ it can be
appreciated that the lower pair of discs, i.e. 86 and 89
on small rotary member A, are not required. Those two
rotary members have only a driving disc to contact the
chain on their respective conveyor lines and have a disc
similar to disc 83 to prevent excessive sway of the
shackles as they move around those small rotary members.
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~2~3~S5i~3
With respect to the first conveyor line, each of
the shackle assemblies are connected by a chain 92 to the
shackle assembly two positions removed from it. With
reference to Figure 3, it should be mentioned at this time
that only every second shackle assembly has been
illustrated to enhance clarity. It can be seen that each
of the stabilizing chains 92 extend from the pair of
brackets 49 at the top end of each shackle assembly to
connect to that position on the second-following shackle
assembly at which the cross-piece and the stem of the
shackle intersect. A further way in which the motion of
the shackle assemblies is stabilized during travel around
the small rotary members and rotary member 20 is by means
of guide bars 94 and 95 extending around the periphery of
the small rotary members as illustrated in Figure 3.
Small rotary members A and C generally have an outer guide
bar and an inner guide bar extending around that portion
of the periphery to which the shackle assemblies move
adjacently. As an illustration, Figure 3 illustrates an
inner guide bar 94 positioned inside of the path of the
shackles ~8, and an outer guide bar 95 Positioned outside
of the path of the shackles 48, whereby the shackles 4~
are constrained to very limited radial movement as they
move around small rotary members Ao Similarly, shackles
54 are positioned between guide bars 127 and 128. A still
further means of stabilizing the movement of the shackle
assemblies 48 involves a tensioning belt 97 mounted to
extend between a first pulley 98 and a second pulley 99,
as shown in Figure 3. The pulley 99 is pivotally
connected to the frame of the apparatus, whereas the
pulley 98 is pivotally connected to one end of an arm 100,
the other end of which arm is rigidly connected to one end
of a shaft 101, which shaft is-pivotally connected to the
frame of the apparatus. The other end of shaft 101 is
rigidly connected to one end of an extended arm 102, the
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S9
-23-
other end of that arm being laterally acte~ on by a cable
103 connected to a suspended weight 104 by a pulley 105.
The belt 97 is placed in tension by this arrangement and
acts to press radially inwardly on the shackles 4~ that
are moving tangentially on rotary member 20. Thus, those
shackles are restrained against radially outward movement
on rotary member 20. A further reason for the need for
the tensioning belt 97 will subsequently become obvious.
It was earlier mentionecl that drum 32 had a pair
of spaced ring members 33 and 34 extending around its
periphery approximately one-thircl of the height of drum 32
from its lower edge. The purpose of those rings is to
hold plastic spacers 110 as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
Spacers 110 are utilized to further stabilize the shackle
assemblies as they move around the periphery of rotary
member 20. From a comparison of Figures 3 and 4 it can be
seen that each spacer 110 occupies a different position
relative to a shackle 48 on the irput conveyor line than
it does on a shackle 54 on the output conveyor line. This
is due not only to the fact that the track of the output
conveyor line is lower than the track o~ the input
conveyor line, but also to the fact that the shackles 54
are longer than the shackles 48. It can be seen that the
lower tips of each shacXle 48 extend generally adjacent to
the lower edge of drum 32 whereas the lower end of the
stem of each of the shackles 54 is adjacent to that lower
edge of drum 32 with the remainder of each shackle 54
extending below that edge.
As a poultry carcass moves counterclockwise
around the periphery of rotary member 20 between small
rotary members A and D (see Figure 1) the lower part of
the legs is removed from each carcass at the hock joint by
the knife mechanism generally designated as 112 (see
Figure 3) which extends proximate of a portion of the
lower edge of drum 32 and is supported by an arm extending
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35~S~3
-24-
from one of the vertical members 22 (see Figure 2). Knife
mechanism 112 consists of three separate blades, 113, 114
and 115, connected in the configuration illustrated in
Figures 3 and 5. Blades 114 and 115 are shorter than
blade 113, blade 114 extending in spaced parallel relation
to the leading portion of blade 113 and blade 115
extending in-line with the trailing portion of blade 113.
Blade 114 has a sharp lower edge, and that blade increases
in depth between its leading and trailing edges. Blade
113 has the curved profile illustrated in Figure 5, its
leading portion extending in an arc positioned further
from the symmetry axis of rotary member 20 than does an
arc along which the trailing portion extends. The leading
portion of blade 113 increases in depth along its length
and has a dull lower edge, while the trailing portion of
blade 113 has a generally uniform depth and a sharp lower
edge. Blade 115 extends generally in-line with the
trailing portion o~ blade 113 and has a sharp front edge
inclined such that the upper end of that edge is further
displaced from blade 113 than is the lower end. Also, for
a reason that will subsequently be explained the lower end
of blade 115 commences at an elevation on the appa~atus
slightly below thit of the sharp trailing edge of blade
113. Instead of being connected to the frame of the
apparatus, the forward end of blade 113 may have an
eccentric pulley mounted thereon, rotation of that pulley
creating a vertical oscillatory motion; in such case, the
forward end of blade 113 would be held on the frame of the
apParatus by a spring or similar means. The trailing end
of blade 113, instead of being connecte~ to the frame o~
the apparatus, may be resiliently supported on the frame
through a sprin~ steel strip.
As shown in Figures 5, 9 and 10, a support bar
116 is mounted to the end o~ kni~e mechanism 112 or to the
frame of the apparatus to extend proximate of, and
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35~
radially inward on the apparatus from, the lower edge of
both blade 115 and the trailing portion of blade 113. The
purpose of support bar 116 will become evident when the
operation of the apparatus is described.
A pair of peripheral guide bars 117 and 118 are
secured to the frame of the apparatus to extend proximate
of and in spaced relation to the lower edge of drum 32.
The guide bar 117 extends adjacent to apProximately half
the perimeter of drum 32, as can be seen in Figures 3 and
4. Guide bar 117 is radially positioned relative to
rotary member 20 so as to extend in almost touching
relationship with the support rest 63 of each carriage
60. That portion of guide bar 117 between small rotary
members A and B is positioned slightly higher and radially
inward from the remaining portion of that guide bar, and a
short sloping portion of guide bar 117 connects those
other two portions. The reason for the change in the
vertical elevation and radial position of the two portions
of guide bar 117 is to accommodate the change of
inclination of each carriage 60 during rotation of rotary
member 20. As can be seen from Figure 3, guide bar 118 is
shorter than guide bar 117 and is positioned radially
inwardly from guide bar 117 on rotary member 20. Guide
bar 118 is positioned to extend in a horizontal plane
approximately one inch higher than the horizontal plane
along with the initial portion of guide bar 117 extends.
The lower edge of blade 113 slopes downwardly along its
dull leading portion and extends between guide bars 117
and 118 such that its dull leading end is below those
guide bars. The lower trailing portion of guide bar 118
is positioned sufficiently below the lower end of shackle
assemblies moving thereacross on track 45 that no
interference results. Also, as can be seen from Figure 3,
the initial portions of guide bars 117 and 118 are curved
so as to accept movement ther~against of items being
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-26-
rotated on rotary member 20. Similarly, the other guide
bars on the apparatus, such as guide bars 94 and 95, have
their forward ends turned so as to make a smoother initial
contact with the shackles.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of that portion of
rotary member 20 lying between small rotary members C and
D. As with small rotary member B, small rotary member C
has only two discs, driving disc 121 which engages with
chain 57 of the second conveyor line and a second disc 122
mounted under driving disc 121 to engage the stems of the
shackles 54. The disc 122 may be in the form of a wheel
having a hub 123 from which extends five equiangularly
spaced spokes 124 connecting to a rim 125 on which are
mounted ten equiangularly-spaced plastic spacers 126. The
spacers 126 are designed to better receive the stem of the
shackle. An outer guide bar 127 is mounted on the frame of
the apparatus to extend along the periphery of small
rotary member C, and a longer guide bar 128 also extends
around that periphery and extends also around a portion of
the periphery of rotary member 20. A shackle assembly
being pulled along track 46 by chain 57 enters between
guide bars 127 and 128, as shown in Figure 4, and the stem
of the shackle of that assembly is caught between a pair
of adjacent plastic spacers 126 during its movement around
small rotary member C. The shackle assembly which at this
point is emptyl iR stabilized by its confinement between
the two guide bars and the plastic spacers 126; without
such stabilization, the shackles would not remain
generally vertical but would extend at an angle to the
vertical due to inertia and drag created by contact with
the guide bars.
As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 9A, lOA and 11 to
14, a further guide bar 130 extends around the periphery
of rotary member 20 from approximately midway between
small rotary members A and B to approximately midway
.
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~38S~
between small rotary members C and D, guide bar 130 being
positioned radially outside of, but proximate to, the path
followed by the lower edge of the carriages 60. Between
small rotary members C and D, guide bar 130 extends
radially inwardly, the terminal portion of guide bar 130
being generally below the path traced by the pivot axes of
the carriages 60. ~he purpose of guide bar 130 will
become clear when the operation of the subject apparatus
is described. A pivotally-mounted biased arm 131 extends
under lower disc 31 of rotary member 20 in a direction
oriented radially outwardly in a counter-clockwise
direction. The radially-outward end of arm 131 extends
into the path of the cam members 69 on each carriage 60.
As each carriage 60 is rotated on rotary member 20, the
cam members 69 abut against the radially-outward end of
the arm 131, the push-rod 68 to which cam members ~9 are
attached being slid outwardly on the carriage ~0 by such
abutment, as shown in Figures 12 and 13.
The operation of the subject apparatus will next
be described in terms of the transfer of a poultry carcass
from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line,
removal of the lower part o~ the legs of the carcass
occurring during such transfer.
With reference to ~igure 3, a poultry carcass
held on a shackle 48 suspended by a yoke from track 45 is
pulled along that track 45 by chain 51, which in turn is
being powered by the motor-driven rotation of rotary
member 20. As the shackle 48 moves adjacent to the
periphery of small rotary member A, the stem of shackle 48
enters between an adjacent pair of guide brackets 84 on
disc 83, a spacer 87 on disc 86 moves between the inner
legs of shacXle 48, an~ a pair o adjacent guide bracXets
90 on disc 89 assume opposite positions on the carcass.
Shackle 48 is also constrained to move between the inner
guide bar 94 and the outer guide bar 95. As the carcass
.:
~L2~3~3S~9
-28-
becomes adjacent to drum 32, the lower part of its legs
are pulled across the support rest 63 of an associated
carriage 60, the upper part of the legs coming into
abutment with a pair of specially-contoured recesses in
the support rest 63. The carriage 60 is in the inclined
position at that location, the annular wheel 73 of the
carriage 60 riding on the hiyher portion of the ring-like
surface 74. The particular shackle 48 supporting the
. carcass assumes a radi~lly-:inward position on rotary
member 20 relative to support rest 63 such that the lower
part of the legs of the carcass are stretched between the
jaws of shackle 48 and support rest 63. Arcuate guide
bars 70 and 71 extend between the upper part of the legs
of the carcass on support rest 63. The lower end of
shackle 48 is initially directed radially inward on rotary
member 20 by inner guide bar 94, but that
- inwardly-directing force is subsequently applied by the
belt 97. The weight 104 is adjusted such that the
- tensioning belt 97 applies the appropriate force to the
stem of the shackle 48 to create the appropriate tension
in the lower paxt of the legs of the carcass.
Simultaneously with the tensioning force applied on
shackle 48, the carriage 60 rotates to a generally
~ horizontal position when its annular wheel 73 rides onto a
: ~5 lower portion of the ring-like surface 74. The change in
orientation of carriage 60 can be seen clearly in Figures
.;. 6 and 7. As carriage 60 rotates to a horizontal
- position, the legs of the carcass move into abutment with
the guide bars 117 and 118. The upper part of the legs of
the carcass are sandwiched between the support rest 63 and
the guide bar 117, the hock joint sitting above that
position and preventing downward movement of the carcass
on the carriage~ The lower part of the legs of the
carcass are pushed upwardly into abutment against guide
bar 118, that guide bar preventing the outer end of the
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5~3
-29-
lower part of the legs of the carcass from riding up in
the jaws of shackle 48. The pair of rods 67 secured to
plate 64 prevent sideways movement of the carcass on
carriage 60, and guide bar 70 on plate 64 also assists in
holding the carcass in position.
With rotation of rotary member 20, the hock
joints above support rest 63 simultaneously move under the
dull edge of blade 113 and the sharp edge of blade 114.
Blade 114 severs tendons extending on the upper surface of
the lower part of the leg of the carcass, and blade 113
moves downward between the two parts of the hock joint to
separate those two parts, the connective tissue between
those parts being thereby stretchedO As can be seen in
Figure 7, the blade 113 is positioned radially inward of
but adjacent to support rest 63, and radially outward of
blade 114. Blade 114 is in turn positioned radially
outward of guide bar 118. With further rotation of rotary
member 20, the dull edge on the forward portion of blade
113 follows the contour of the mating surface on the two
parts of the hock joint, i.e. blade 113 is contoured such
that its contacting edge moves closer to the axis of
symmetry of rotary member 20. The sharp edge on the
trailing portion of blade 113 then contacts the connective
tissue between the two parts of the hock joint, severing
or almost severing both that tissue and tendons on the
underside of the hock joint. Support bar 116 supports the
lower part of the legs during such cutting (see Figure 9)
to prevent the tendons on the underside of the hock joint
from moving downwardly with the edge of the blade. Any
tendons or other connective tissue remaining unsevered
after moving past blade 113 impinge on and ride up on the
sharp front inclined edge of blade 115, the tendons or
other tissue being thereby severed. The severed lower
part of the leg~ are retained on shackle 48 and the
remainder of the carcass is retained on the carriage 60 by
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-30-
the capture of the hock joints between support rest 63 and
guide bar 117.
Immediately after carriage 60 moves past the end
of knife mechanism 112, the carriage resumes its inclined
position when annular wheel 73 returns to the upper
portion of the ring-like surface 74. Coinciding with such
change in orientation of carriage 60, guide bar 117
assumes a new path, downward and radially outward from its
former path, as illustrated in Figure 3. As shown in
Figure 11, support bar 116 has meanwhile terminated and
guide bar 130 commenced. Guide bar 130 assists in
supporting the carcass on carriage 60. Shackle 48 holding
the lower part of the legs of the carcass moves off across
guide bar 117 and around small rotary member Bo Shackle
48 will subsequently be emptied of its contents, and
reloaded with ~resh poultry.
The carxiage 60 with the retained carcass thereon
moves in the inclined position on rotary member 20 to a
position adjacent to small rotary member C. As shown in
Figure 4, empty evisceration shackles 54 are moving
clockwise on the second conveyor line, the position o~
each o~ those shackles being synchronized with the
position of a respective one of the carriages 60. Shackle
54 is stabilized in its rotation around small rotary
member C by its capture between outer guide bar 127, inner
guide bar 128, and a respective adjacent pair of spacers
126 on disc 122.
As the shackle 54 that is associated with the
carriage 60 of interest becomes adjacent to drum 32 of
rotary member 20, the lower end of the shacXle abuts
against the respective carriage 60 at that position on
rotary member 20 and against the upper part of the carcass
on that carriage. Outer guide bar 127 has at this point
terminated, and shackle 54 is retained between carriage 60
35 and guide bar 128. Lateral movement of shackle 54 is
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-31-
prevented by the stem of the shackle moving into the
groove of a respective one of the spacers 110 held by
rings 33 and 34 on drum 32.
As shown in Figure 4, the termination of guide
bar 117 frees the carcass ~rom its retention on the
support rest 63 of carriage 60. Simultaneously, the cam
members 69 on the carriage 60 move into abutment with the
biased pivotal arm 131, that action pushing slide rods 68
outwardly through plate 64 such that the enlarged ends on
those push rods abut against the carcass to push it
radially outward from rotary member ~0, as shown in
Figures 12 and 13. The effect of the various foregoing
actions on the caxcass is to rotate it such that its hocX
joints fall into the jaws of the respective shackle moving
with the carriage 60. The shackle 54 has its lower ends
vertically positioned such that the joints of the carcass
enter between the wide spacing at the top of the inner and
outer legs of the shackle jaws, those joints then dropping
between those inner and outer legs of the shackle to be
~0 retained at the lower end thereof.
The guide bars 128 and 130 then terminate, and
the shackle 54 moves off around small rotary member D, the
carcass being retained on that shackle by ~ravity for
subsequent evisceration and other procedures. The small
rotary member D is similar to small rotary member A in
that it has four co-planar discs adapted to stabilize the
shackle and attached carcass as they move at high speed
therearound. As with the other three small rotary
members, s~all rotary member D also has a pair of guide
bars extending around its periphery to prevent
radially-outward motion of the shackle and its contents as
they move therearound.
The preferred embodiment which has just been
described has reference to the carcasses of New York
dressing chickens which weigh between two and six pounds
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-32-
including their viscera, lower legs, and head, but not
including their feathers and blood. As earlier mentioned,
the preferred embodiment utilizes a drum 32 that is 35.3
inches in nominal diameter. The motor utilized for
powering the apparatus develops 5 horsepower which is
sufficient to drive rotary member 20 and the connected
first and second conveyor lines each of which could be
hundreds of feet long. Shackles are mounted on those
lines at 6 inch intervals. The capacity of the equipment
described in the preferred embodiment is approximately
7500 birds per hour.
Fi~ur~es 15 to 20 inclusive illustrate an
alternate preferred embodiment of the knife mechanism for
removing the lower legs from each poultry carcass as the
carcass moves around the rotary member. As can been seen
in Figure 15, the carriages 60 of the previously-described
embodiment have been replaced by a construction in which
the hock joints 200 of a carcass each rest between a pair
of a set of equally spaced teeth 202 on the periphery of a
circular support disc 204. Circular disc 204 is inclined
from a horizontal plane at an inclination sufficient
during operation to achieve flexing of the legs of the
carcass at t~e hock joints 200 as was achieved by
carriages 60 of the previously described embodiment. A
guide bar 206 holds each of the hock joints of the carcass
between a respective adjacent pair o~ tha teeth 202. The
pair of lower legs 208 of the carcass are shown in outline
in Figure 15, that illustration showing the lower legs
partially severed fro~ the rest of the carcass during
movement past a stationary knife mechanism that will be
subsequently described. The outer end of the lower legs
208 o~ each carcass are held by a shackle 210 on which the
carcass is conveyed to the circular support disc. Each
carcass, held by a shackle 210, is introduced to the
periphery of inclined circular disc 204 at a location
; adjacent the lowest elevation of the disc, such that tha
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~2~ 9
hock joints 200 are positioned in between the teeth 202.
During rotation of the inclined disc 204 and the carcasses
held by shackles 210, the periphery of the inclined disc
204 moves upwardly relative to the shackles 210, thereby
raising hock joints 200 relative to the outer ends of the
lower legs 208. This action causes the hock joints 200 to
flex, achieving greatest 1exure at the point of greatest
elevation of disc 204 adjacent the knife mechanism,
thereby enhancing the operation of the knife mechanism as
described herea~ter. A tensioning belt (not shown)
applies a force to the stem of each shackle 210 in a
manner similar to the force suppiied by tensioning belt 97
in the previously-described embodiment; the force on each
shackle 210 acts to apply a tensioning force to the pair
of lower legs 208 of each carcass~ A second guide bar
212, as shown in Figure 15, presses against the back of
the upper legs of each carcass. As also can be seen in
Figure 15, a frame member 220 of the transfer apparatus
supports the guide bars 206 and 212 by means of selective
20 positioning of a pair of nuts on threaded rods 222 and 224
respectively.
A pair of steel bands 226 extend from frame
member 220 toward the rotary member. One end of each OL
the steel bands 226 has a cylindrical loop 227 for holding
25 a bolt 228 in a position normal to the band 226. The
bolts 228 support an arcuate support bar 230 which is
shown in outline in Figures 19 and 20. The support bar
- 230 has an arcuate shape corresponding approximately to
the curvature on the periphery of the circular disc 204
positioned at an angle to that periphery, as illustrated
in Figure 16
Three blade members of the knife mechanism are
bolted to support bar 230. From the leading end of the
knife mechanism to the trailing end of that mechanism,
35 those blade members are designated 240, 242, and 244, as
can be seen in Figures 15, 19, and 20. The blade =embers
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are located over the point of greatest elevation of
circular support disc 204, which corresponds with the
point of greatest flexure of hock joints 200. The leading
blade member 240 has an elongated arcuate contour as
illustrated in Figures 19 and 20 The working edge of
blade member 240, i.e. the lower edge in Figure 20, is
blunt and rides on the ball of the hock joint of a poultry
carcass rather than cutting that joint, as the hock joint
is moved along the working edge of blade member 240, that
- 10 blade member forces its lf between the ball and socket of
the hock joint to increase the spacing between those two
portions of the joint, connective tissue being pressed
down between the ball and socket. The central blade
member 242 is shorter in length but deeper than blade
member 240, as best seen in Figure 20. Blade member 242
has the same arcuate contour as is present on blade member
240. With respect to the Figure 20, the lower edge of
blade member 242 is sufficiently sharp to cut at least
partially through any connective tissue extending between
the two portions of the hock joint. The blade members 240
and ~42 are bolted to support bar 230 by sets of bolts 250
and 2~2, respectively.
The third knife member 244 is comprised of a
hooked support arm 260 having a finger 262 secured to it
- 25 and extending parallel to its one face, the finger 262
appearing in Figures 15, 19 and 20. With respect to
Figures 15 and 20, the finger 262 rides just above the
surface of circular disc 204. As connective tissue is
severed by the sharp lower edge of blade member 242 by
movement of the hock joint along that sharp edge, the
lower leg portion 208 rides upwardly on finger 262 to
~urther stretch any remaining connective tissue and press
that tissue more firmly against the cutting edge of blade
member 242. Any connective tissue that is not severed
after moving past blade member 242 moves against a sharp
edge 264 on the forward end of support arm 260. The sharp
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edge 264 severs any remaining connective tissue between
the lower leg 208 and the rest of the poultry carcass.
It should be appreciated that the subject
invention is not restricted to the preferred embodiment
but encompasses all embodiments that substantively take
the inventive concept.
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