GB1203610A - Improved plucking machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1,203,610. Plucking poultry. C. I. M. A. COSTRUZIONI ITALIANE MACCHINE AVICOLE S.R.L. 22 Dec., 1967 [23 Dec., 1966], No. 58344/67. Heading A2U. A machine for plucking bird carcases comprises an upper endless-chain conveyer 3 passing round sprocket wheels 5 and 6, (the latter being rotatably driven by motor 12 through belt 13 and change speed devices 14) and a lower endless chain conveyer 4 passing round sprocket wheels 7 and 8. The sprocket wheels 5 and 7 are each keyed to an axle 9 whereby the two conveyers are synchronously driven. Depending from the links of conveyer 3 are a plurality of rotatable rods carrying crossed projecting pins 16 terminating in holes 15. Stationery pins are provided on the machine frame 1 to engage the pins 16 on one travelling run of conveyer 4 and thus rotate said rods and hooks. Upwardly projecting tensioning grips 19 are rotatably mounted on lower conveyer 4. A carcase is suspended by its legs from a hook 15 of the said run of upper conveyer 3 as it is about to enter the plucking zone between a pair of plucking rollers 31, 33 and a pair of rollers 32, 34, all rotating and carrying conical plucking fingers 35 made of rubber or like elastically flexible material. The head portion of said carcase is also gripped by a tensioned grip 19 on lower conveyer 4 so that the carcase is tensioned between said hook 15 and grip 19 as it enters said plucking zone and is rotated about its axis as it passes through the plucking zone. Preferably the upper roller 31, 32 are rotated in the same direction and the lower rollers 33, 34 are rotated in opposite direction.