DISPOSITIF POUR LE TRANSPORT DES OEUFS

EGG-TRANSPORTING APPARATUS

Abrégé anglais

ABSTRACT
This invention relates to an apparatus for receiving,
transporting and releasing eggs more particularly in
poultry-breeding operations, the said apparatus comprising a
plurality of cages arranged one above the other in storeys and
egg-collecting belts in front of each storey of cages, an
egg-elevator being arranged in the vicinity of the outlet-end of
each egg-collecting belt, the said elevator comprising a circulating
conveyor-chain carrying small supporting frames which are adapted to
the size of the eggs and to which the eggs are transferred from the
egg-collecting belt, the said supporting frames being secured
pivotably to the said conveyor-chain.

Revendications

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.
1. An apparatus for receiving, transporting and releasing
eggs from a laying battery, in poultry-breeding operations, for
further processing, the said apparatus comprising a plurality of
cages arranged one above the other in storeys, with egg-collecting
belts in front of each storey of cages, and an egg-elevator arranged
in the vicinity of the outlet-end of each egg-collecting belt, the
said elevator comprising a circulating conveyor-chain carrying
supporting elements adapted to the size of the eggs, characterized
in that the supporting elements are in the form of small supporting
frames to which the eggs are transferred from the egg-collecting
belt, each supporting frame comprising a supporting lever secured
rigidly to one end thereof and extending upwardly at right angles to
the plane of the supporting frame, and the said lever being secured
pivotably to the said conveyor-chain by means of a pivot-pin.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in
that the drive for the conveyor-chain of the egg-elevator is such
that the descending run of the conveyor-chain is in the vicinity of
the outlet-end of the egg-collecting belt.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by a
system of deflecting sprockets in the vicinity of the outlet from
the egg-elevator and a stop in the vicinity of the said sprocket
system, extending into the path of supporting lever in such a manner
that when the said supporting lever bears upon the said stop, the
supporting frame carries out a tilting motion through about 90°.
- 6 -

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by a
system of deflecting sprockets in the vicinity of the outlet from
the egg-elevator and a stop in the vicinity of the said sprocket
system, extending into the path of supporting lever in such a manner
that when the said supporting lever bears upon the said stop, the
supporting frame carries out a tilting motion through about 90°.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
characterized in that each supporting frame is made of a synthetic
material.
6. An apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
characterized in that the supporting frames consist of two
longitudinal frame parts and two transverse frame parts uniting the
said longitudinal frame parts, thus forming a rectangle the length
of which corresponds substantially to the width of the outlet end of
the egg-collecting belt.
7. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in
that each supporting frame is made of a synthetic material.
8. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in
that the supporting frames consist of two longitudinal frame parts
and two transverse frame parts uniting the said longitudinal frame
parts, thus forming a rectangle the length of which corresponds
substantially to the width of the outlet end of the egg-collecting
belt.
9. An apparatus according to at least claim 3,
characterized in that the stop is in the form of a slide-plate.
10. An apparatus according to at least claim 4,
characterized in that the stop is in the form of a slide plate.
- 7 -

11. An arrangement for removing eggs from laying houses
disposed at different levels, comprising a first conveyor at each
level, said first conveyors extending by the respective laying
houses so as to collect eggs from the same, and each of said first
conveyors having a discharge end; and a second conveyor for
transporting eggs away from the respective levels, said second
conveyor having an egg receiving section which extends by said
discharge ends, and said second conveyor including an endless driven
member defining an endless path, and a plurality of egg carriers
mounted on said driven member for movement along said path and each
including a frame-like element for cradling eggs, each of said
frame-like elements being substantially rectangular and including a
pair of spaced, essentially parallel longitudinal frame components
and a pair of spaced, essentially parallel transverse frame
components connecting the respective longitudinal frame components
to one another, and said second conveyor being designed so that said
frame-like elements are substantially horizontal in said receiving
section.
- 8 -

Description

1.3~?2~
This inventic)n relates to an apparatus for receiving,
transporting and releasing eggs, in a poultry-breeding operation,
from a laying battery, for further processing.
In poultry-breeding operations, the hen cages are arranged
one above the other in a multi-storey arrangement. Provided in the
vicinity of these storeys of cages is a so-called egg-collecting
belt which feeds the eggs released from individual cages to a
central collecting station.
According to the prior art, eggs are received from these
egg-collecting belts, arranged one above the other at each storey,
by forked gripper-elements and are fed to a central collecting
belt. Now these hook- or fork-shaped elements have the disadvantage
that they can easily damage the eggs, so that the proportion of
so-called cracked eggs occurring in these known apparatuses is
relatively large.
In generically similar German Utility Model 72 27 032,
buckets, scoops or cups are arranged on a circulating flat-link
chain, into which eggs arriving from the egg-collecting belt are
transferred by means of a lift table. Deflection of the said chain
causes the eggs to move in the buckets from one wall to the other,
after which they must still be transferred from the said buckets to
a deflecting or collecting plate. Thus, before reaching the final
collecting belt, whence they pass for further processing, the eggs
are deflected and handled several times. Here again, considerable
damage to the eggs is to be expected.
-- 2

~3~1ZS~
It is the purpose o~ the invention to provide an apparatus
for collecting eggs which will allow them to be transferred, without
any dif~iculty, from the egg-collecting belt to the said collecting
apparatus, whence they can be passed for further processing without
frequently moving back and forth.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an
apparatus for receiving, transporting and releasing eggs from a
laying battery, in poultry-breeding operations, for further
processing, the said apparatus comprising a plurality of cages
arranged one above the other in storeys, with egg-collecting belts
in front of each storey of cages, and an egg-elevator arranged in
the vicinity of the outlet-end of each egg-collecting belt, the said
elevator comprising a circulating conveyor-chain carrying supporting
elements adapted to the size of the eggs, characterized in that the
supporting elements are in the form of small supporting frames to
which the eggs are transferred from the egg-collecting belt, each
supporting frame comprising a supporting lever secured rigidly to
one end thereof and extending upwardly at right angles to the plane
of the supporting frame, and the said lever being secured pivotably
to the said conveyor-chain by means of a pivot-pin.
Preferably, the egg-elevator consists of small frames which
are individually pivotable and are carried upon a conveyor-chain.
These frames can accommodate one, or at the most two eggs, the said
eggs resting upon the frame-elements and being thus reliably held.
Located in the upper part of the said elevator is a system of
defleeting sprockets which is combined with a cam plate in sueh a
manner as to eause the frames to tilt, thus releasing the eggs.

13V;~9~
This deflecting sprocket system also reduces the conveying speed.
This allows the supporting frames to travel relatively slowly in the
release area, thus ensuring that the eggs are released gently and
without any problems.
Further advantageous configurations of the apparatus will
be apparent with reference to the following specification read in
conjunction with the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a diagramatic side view of the upper end of an
egg-elevator, and
Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus of the present
invention showing the manner in which eggs are received from two
egg-collecting conveyors.
In the drawings, 1 indicates an egg-collecting belt, a
plurality of such belts being arranged in storeys one above the
other. Located in front of the egg-collecting belt is an
egg-elevator 2, while 3 is an egg located upon the egg-elevator or
the collecting belt.
The egg-elevator itself consists essentially of a
circulating conveyor-chain 4 carrying small supporting frames 5
consisting of transverse elements 6 and 7 and longitudinal elements
8 and 9. Transverse frame element 7 is secured to a supporting
lever 10 which runs at right angles to the plane of the frame,
extends upwardly and carries at its upper end, a pivot pin 11 by
means of which supporting lever 10 and frame 5 are connected to
conveyor-chain 4. The said chain is driven in such a manner that
the run directed towards egg-collecting belt 1 descends while the
other run ascends.
-- 4

13~Z9'~
Located in the upper part of the egg-elevator is a systern
of deflecting sprockets 12, 14 and 15 which guides conveyor-chain 4
from descending run l~ outwardly beyond the vertical projection of
ascending run l7.
Provided in this area is a stop 18 in the form of a cam
plate l9 which causes the small frames to carey out a pivoting
motion, as shown clearly in Fig. l, making it possible for the egg
on the frame to be released.
Frames 5 are preferably made of a synthetic material which
is sufficiently stable but is also soft.
In this part oE the egg-elevator, the eggs are released
gently and are transferred gently from the egg-collecting belt to
the egg-elevator. The proportion of cracked eggs is therefore
considerably reduced overall.

Dessin représentatif