GB1148932A - Apparatus for scalding the carcasses of animals - Google Patents

Abstract

1,148,932. Apparatus for scalding carcasses. H. PILLER. 16 Feb., 1966 [16 Feb., 1965], No. 6708/66. Heading A2U. Apparatus, Figs. 4 and 5, using circulating, hot, moist air for scalding animal carcasses, e.g. for scalding carcasses of pigs or poultry to facilitate debristling or plucking at 53, is in the form of a tunnel comprising adjacent scalding compartments 41 and 42 defined by walls 26 and 27 separated by a passage 40, transverse end-walls 43 provided with entrance and exit apertures 44, and a transverse partition-wall 51 provided with an aperture 52. An overhead rail 45, from which the carcasses are suspended and along which they are moved through the compartments 41, 42 passes through said apertures and has, in each compartment, a looped configuration, e.g. a horizontal loop comprising two parallel, straight portions 47 and 48, and curved, connecting portions 49 and 50. A curtain of air, from nozzles 46, may be provided at each of the apertures 44. Each carcass is suspended from a hook 15 rotatably mounted in a trolley 20 running on the overhead rail. A dog 21 on travelling a chain 19 engages a pin projecting from a trolley, and thus moves it along the rail. A pinion 18, secured to the rotatable shaft of each hook 15, engages a fixed rack or chain 16, so that the hook is rotated. Each scalding compartment comprises at least one electrically driven fan 28, which draws moist air from the upper part of the compartment and circulates this air past a heating element 30 in the passage 40, then, through apertures 29 near the base of the wall 27, into the lower part of the compartment, where the circulating, heated air passes over heated water in a trough 33. This water is heated by an element 34, such as a steam coil or immersion heater, e.g. to generate steam. The circulating, heated air thus picks up steam and/or water vapour before passing upwardly, through spaces 37 between overlapping louvres of a roof-shaped deflector 36, to scald carcasses. Waste, condensed water dripping from the carcasses is directed, by the deflector 36, in an effluent gutter 38 along each side of the compartment. The heating elements may be controlled by means including thermostats 31 and hygrometers 32.