GB2095973A - Poultry processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A plurality of processing tools such as vent slitters, washers or eviscerating tools are mounted on a tool carrier (cylinder 11) movable linearly to and from points A and B along rod (9) parallel to but spaced from a conveyor 1, in synchronism with the conveyor whilst carcasses suspended from the conveyor are processed by the tools in the operative position (dotted lines in Figure 2). The tool carrier is moved from an inoperative position (solid line in Figure 2) to the operative position by cams (39) controlled by conveyor movement detected by star wheel (40). The first cam opens valve (28) to start linear movement of the carrier and of connected lug (12) which moves down incline (15) to move carrier to operative position. Second cam allows lances (24) to move down into carcass and third cam allows water to be supplied. Carrier is returned to inoperative position as the lug moves up incline (17) and is subsequently returned to point A. Alternative forms of mounting and moving the carrier are disclosed e.g. on entraining lever on tool carrier engages the conveyor and is moved therewith until the lever encounters a release pin after which the carrier is returned to its first position using a spring. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Poultry processing apparatus This invention relates to poultry processing appar atus for processing poultry carcasses suspended from a conveyor line.

In automated processing of poultry carcasses, the carcasses are usually transported between various operating stations such as plucking, evisceration and washing, by means of an overhead line. The conveyor line typically comprises a plurality of spaced wheeled trolleys drawn along by a drive chain, a shackle hanging from each trolley. Carcasses are suspended by the legs from the shackles, usually by means of a wedging effect, so as to readily remov able.

In order to speed up the processing of the carcasses it is desirable to carry out the process such as evisceration and washing whilst the carcasses are being transported nonstop through the operating stations. It is particularly difficult to do this when the process includes carrying out operations on the inside of the bird, such as evisceration and inside washing.

Known arrangements for carrying out such processes on the carcasses incorporate a carousel arrangement, known as a whirlygig, which necessitates the conveyor line being turned through an angle of 1800. This, in iteself is a major disadvantage since a great deal of resistance or drag is generated when a conveyor line is turned through 1 80" and consequently much greater power is required to drive the conveyor line This problem is accentuated if it is desired to incorporate a processing station in a straight run of conveyor line since in this case, the conveyor line has to be turned through a total of 360" to accommodate the whilygig arrangement.Further, the known types of apparatus include mechanical means of inserting and with drawing the various tools into and out of the carcass as it passes round the whirlygig which are driven from the conveyor and this again necessitates an increase in the size of the motor driving the conveyor. The mechanical means are also quite complex and therefore the cost and complication of the known machines is very high. It is also extremely difficult to incorporate the known arrangements in an existing straight conveyor line since not only is a rearrangement of the line necessary but a much more powerful motor must be provided to drive the modified line.

The present invention seeks to provide poultry processing apparatus which can easily be incorporated in an existing straight run of conveyor line.

According to its broadest aspect, the present invention provides poultry processing apparatus for processing poultry carcasses suspended from a conveyor movable past the apparatus including at least one processing tool adapted to be moved between operative and inoperative positions relative to carcasses suspended from the conveyor, the tool being mounted on a tool carrier movable linearly along a path parallel to and in synchronism with the movement of the conveyor from a first to a second position during which movement of the tool carrier the tool is operative, and means to return the tool carrier to its first position when the tool is in the inoperative position.

In a preferred embodiment, the tool carrier in cludes entraining means engageable with the conveyor so that, when so engaged, the tool carrier is moved from said first to said second position by the conveyor, means being provided to disengage the entraining means from the conveyor when the carrier reaches the second position, and return means to return the carrier to the first position.

The tool carrier may be movably mounted on a frame, the frame having thereon stop means engageable by the entraining means to move the entraining means out of engagement with the conveyor when the second position is reached, and guide means to guide the entraining means into engagement with the conveyor at the first position.

The entraining means may comprise a lever pivotable into engagement with the conveyor and the return means may comprise a spring, preferably in the form of a resilient elongate member.

In another preferred embodiment, the tool carrier is movable by a fluid operable piston-and-cylinder device which may comprise an elongate piston rod having a piston disposed thereon, and a cylinder housing defining two working chambers one on each side of the piston, the cylinder housing comprising the tool carrier. Alternatively, the piston and cylinder device may have only one working chamber, being operable to move the tool carrier from the first to the second position the return movement of the carrier being made by resilient means. The tools may be operatively connected to fluid operable expansible means, for example, air operable ramand-cylinder devices, mounted on said tool carrier, expansion and contraction of the means causing the tools to be moved between their operative and inoperative positions.

Preferably, the cylinder housing which comprises the tool carrier is free to pivot about the axis of the piston rod, a cam arrangement being provided to pivot the tool carrier into an operative position in which the tools tilt into a plane for movement into the operative position for acting on the respective carcasses and to tilt the tools away from the carcasses after the tools are returned to the inoperative position to thereby enable the tools to be moved linearly back to said first position clear of succeeding carcasses on the conveyor line.

In an alternative arrangement, the tool carrier may be tilted between its operative and inoperative position by an expansible and contractable fluidoperable piston-and-cylinder device.

Preferably the tool carrier has carcass engaging means mounted thereon adapted to engage and support a carcass when the tool carrier is tilted to the operative position.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a poultry washing unit incorporating the present invention, Figure 2 shows an end view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a schematic view of the control means controlling operation of the apparatus, Figure 4a and 4b show details of a washing spray for internal washing of poultry carcasses, Figure 5shows an end view of an alternative embodiment of a poultry washing unit in accordance with the invention, Figure 6 shows a schematic isometric view of the alternative embodiment shown in Figure 5, Figure 7 shows a side view of a further embodiment in the form of an eviscerating machine, Figure 8 is a side view of Figure 7, Figures 9a, 9b and 9c show part of the apparatus of Figures 7 and 8, in different stages of operation, and, Figures lOa and lOb show, in greater detail, the operation of the eviscerating tool shown in Figures 7 and 8, The apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4a and 4b comprises a washing unit for internal and external washing of poultry carcasses which, in use, is positioned along side a straight length of conveyor line. As shown in Figures 2, a typical conveyor line, which does not form part of the present invention, comprises a tubular guide rail on which wheeled trollies 2 run. As shown more clearly in Figure 3 the trollies are connected by a driving chain 3 and a shackle 4 depends from each trolley. In a customary way, the poultry carcasses to be processed are suspended from the shackles.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus includes two castings 5 and 6 which are located on opposite sides of the conveyor. The casings are open towards the conveyor and have spray nozzles 7 for spraying the outside of carcasses with cleansing water as the carcasses pass between the casings 5 and 6. The water drains down the sloping bottom walls of the casings 5 and 6 to an outlet channel (not shown).

This particular embodiment is arranged to wash the interior cavity of carcasses also, four carcasses being treated simultaneously. The apparatus in cludes an air operable piston and cylinder device 8 which includes a piston rod 9 fixedly mounted in end supports 10 secured to the casings 5 and 6. In Figure 1 only one such support 10 is shown. The device includes a cylinder 11 which also forms a tool carrier and which contains two opposed work chambers formed on opposite sides of a piston located secure ly at the mid-pointofthe rod 9. Thus, air under pressure admitted to one chamber caused the cylinder 11 to traverse linearly in one direction and when admitted to the other chamber causes the cylinder 11 to traverse in the other direction relative to the piston rod 9.

For the purposes of description, it will be assumed that the conveyor line moves from the right hand side A of the casing 6 towards the left hand side B as shown in Figure 1. Thus, the cylinder 11 is arranged to move linearly in synchronism with the movement of the conveyor line i.e. along a path parallel to the path of the conveyor and at a speed equal to the conveyor speed, from a first position adjacent the end A of the casing 6 to a second position adjacent the end B. The cylinder 11 is able to pivot about the axis of the piston rod 9. The cylinder 11 has a lug 12 engageable in a track 13 formed in a cam member secured to the casing 6.The track consists of a straight return run 14 and a forward run consisting of a first downwardly inclined section 15, a straight section 16 parallel to the return run 14 and a final part 17 which is inclined upwardly to join the begining of there turn run 14. Two latches 18 and 19 which may be spring or gravity loaded are provided to prevent the guide lug 12 accidently reversing its direction of movement. The operation of this cam will be described later.

This embodiment is designed to process four carcasses simultaneously and therefore includes four ram and cylinder devices, one for each tool.

Since these devices are identical only one will be described in detail.

Each device has a cylinder 20 secured to the cylinder 11 which comprises the tool carrier, by means of a clamping arrangement 21. The clamping arrangement 21 is such that the position of the cylinder 20 along the length of the cylinder 11, and also along its own length relative the cylinder 11, is adjustable. The cylinder 20 contains a piston connected to a piston rod 22 and the piston rod 22 can be extended and contracted relative to the cylinder 20 by means of a controlled air supply. At its upper end, the piston rod 22 carries a block 23 to which a lance 24 is rigidly secured. The lance 24 consists of a hollow tube having a nozzle 36 at its lower end (shown in greater detail in Figure 4a) to which a fresh water supply is connected through a tube 25.The lance 24 is slidingly guided in plastic blocks 26 and 27 secured to the cylinder 20 and, because of its rigid connection through the block 23 with the piston rod 22, moved vertically up and down with extension and contraction ofthe piston rod 22.

Apart from the plastic block 27, a carcass support 28 is also secured to the bottom of the cylinder 20.

The carcass support 28 is formed of shaped wire rod and has a first section 29 extending substantially horizontally which is designed to pass between the legs of a carcass suspended from the conveyor line to hold the carcass legs apart, and a lower part 30 which is arranged to engage and support the main body of the carcass to stop the carcass swinging about during the processing operation. Although not shown, the carcass support may be adjustable to accommodate different sizes of carcass.

Referring now to Figures 4a and 4b the tip of the lance 24 is shown there in greater detail. The lance 24, as mentioned previously, consists of a tube 24a which is provided with a nozzle at its lower most end. The lance has a grooved block 32 secured to the wall of the tube 24a a short distance from the end of the tube, having grooves 22 which serve to provide a passage for water. A threaded stud 34 extends from the block 32 out of the end of the tube and a spacer sleeve 35 is provided on the stud 34. A conical end 36 which assists in guiding the lance into the interior cavity of a carcass, is screwed on to the stud 34. The length of the spacer sleeve 35 is such that when the conical end is screwed firmly home a narrow annular gap 37 is left between the rear face of the conical end 36 and the end of the tube.The width of this gap may be adjusted by grinding the spacer sleeve 35 or by the insertion of appropriate shims.

In operation, the lance is inserted in the interior cavity of a carcass and water pumped into the tube 24 passes through the grooves 33 in the block 32 and out of the narrow gap 37 to thus provide a complete 360'jet of water to wash the interior of the carcass.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the supply of water to the lance 24, and air to the cylinders 11 and 20 is controlled by cams 39 which are rotated by a four-armed star wheel 40 rotated by the trollies 2 on the conveyor line. As shown three cams 39 are provided, one for controlling the flow of water to the lances 24, a second for controlling the supply of air to the horizontal cylinder 11 and a third cam for controlling the supply of air to the four cylinders 20 simultaneously. The operation of the apparatus will now be described.

The position of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is halfway along the return run 14 of the cam arrangement as the cylinder 11 is being returned to its initial position adjacent to the side A. As the cylinder 11 approaches this position, the lug 12 overrides the bias of the latch 18 which is then biassed back to the position shown to prevent the lug 12 returning along the return run 14. The movement of the cylinder 11 from its initial position is controlled by one of the cams 39 which is rotated when one of the arms of the star wheel 40 is contacted and rotated by one of the trollies on the conveyor line. The cam 39 causes the appropriate valve 28 to open and air is supplied at a predetermined rate to the cylinder 11 which is then moved along linearly parallel to the conveyor line in synchronism with the shackles on the conveyor.The rate at which the air is supplied to cylinder 11 can be adjusted to accommodate different conveyor speeds. As the cylinder 11 moves from the side A toward the side B, the lug 12 is urged down the inclined path 15 of the guide 13 and this causes the cylinder 11 to pivot about the axis of the piston rod 9 to the position shown in outline in Figure 2. The four cyliners 20 are thus pivoted to a position in which the four carcass supports 20 engage respective carcasses suspended from four adjacent shackles.

As the next arm of star wheel 40 is engaged by the next trolley, the cam controlling the supply of air to the cylinder 20 is brought into operation to open the appropriate valve so that air is admitted to the cylinders 20 to cause the lances 24 simultaneously to move down into the respective cavities of the four carcasses. Each lance 24 is arranged to just penetrate right through the cavity to ensure that an opening is formed at the bottom ofthe cavity for drainage purposes. As the lances 24 are inserted into the cavities the cam controlling the supply of water through the lances opens the appropriate valve 38 and water is sprayed all over the cavities as the nozzles traverse into and out of the cavities. During this stage of the process the lug 12 is passing along the straight path 16 of the track 13.As the lances are with-drawn from the cavities the lug 12 reaches the inclined portion 17 of the path 13 and as the lug 12 overrides the latch 19 and moves up the inclined slope 17, the cylinders 20 are returned to the vertical position shown in Figure 1. As the lances 24 are withdrawn from the cavities the water supply is switched off by the operation of the appropriate cam 34. The cam 39 controlling the air supply to the cylinder 11 is then arranged to cause the cylinder to be traversed from the side B towards the initial position adjacent the side A. At this point its cylinder 11 is in its initial positon and the star wheel 40 has been turned round byfourtrollies so that it is again in its original position for the entire process to be repeated on the next four carcasses on the conveyor line.Simultaneously with the washing of the interior of the carcasses, water is sprayed on the outside of the carcasses through the nozzles 7 so that both the inside and outsides of the birds are washed.

It will be understood that although described with reference to the washing of the carcasses, the apparatus could readily be modified to carry out other processes on the carcasses such as vent cutting, evisceration, vacuum cleansing etc. Also the number of carcasses treated a any one time can be varied to suit requirements so that the number is not restricted to four. All that is required is appropriate adjustment of the control gear, particularly the star wheel 40 and cams 39.

It is also envisaged that different processes may be carried out with the same apparatus. For example two of the tools shown in the illustrated embodiment could be used for washing, and the adjacent two for evisceration.

Further advantages of the apparatus are that the spacing between the cylinders 20 can readily be adjusted to accomodate different sizes of carcass, from small game birds upto large turkeys, or to suit the spacing of the trollies on the conveyor line. The length of stroke of the cylinders 20 can also be adjusted to suit the different sizes of bird. The position of the cylinder 2 on the cylinder 11 may also be adjusted to accommodate different carcasses such as those of duck which, for a given body size, have short legs compared with a similar sized chicken so that the position of the body relative to the shackle is different compared with, say, chickens.

It will therefore the appreciated that the apparatus of the present invention is not only more versatile than the known arrangements but it also less complicated. Since it is self-contained it is readily adapted for use with existing conveyor lines as it does not require to be driven by the conveyor nor does the conveyor line have to be re-routed to accommodate th apparatus. The only connection with the conveyor is the star wheel which absorbs neglibible power.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, the tool carrier 11 is tiled to bring the carcass supports 29 into the operative position in which they engaged a carcass as shown in outline in Figures 5, by an air operable ram and cylinder device 41. The device 41 has a cylinder 42 pivotally mounted to the washing unit and a piston rod 43 expansible and contractable relative to the cylinder 42.

The piston rod 43 is connected to a linkage 44 which includes an elongate rod 45 extending parallel to but spaced from the piston rod 9 and being substantially the same length as the piston rod 9.

The elongate rod 45 is connected at its ends to the piston rod 9 by respective end links 46. The links may be secured rigidly to the piston rod in which case the end supports 10 must be in bearings to enable the piston rod 9 to pivot about its longitudinal axis but alternatively, the links 46 may pivot freely on the piston rod 9, in which case the end supports 10 could be fixed mounting points as in the embodiment described in Figures 1 to 3.

Each of the tool carrying cylinders 20 has rotatably mounted thereon a pair of closely spaced pulleys 47 defining a path therebetween through which the elongate rod 45 passes in a close running fit. Since the rod 45 is substantially the same length as the piston rod 9, the cylinders 20 remain connected through the pulleys 47 to the rod 45 throughout their range of linear movement.

In operation, the supply of air to the device 41 is controlled by the control system illustrated in Figure 3. When the appropriate cam 39 is rotated by one of the arms of the star wheel 40 to initiate operation of the washing unit, the appropriate valve 39 is opened to enable air to be supplied at a predetermined rate to the cylinder 11 to traverse the cylinder 11. At the same time, the cam arrangement ensures that air is supplied to the piston and cylinder device 41 to enable the piston rod 43 thereof to be retracted.

Retraction of the piston rod 43 causes the rod 45 to pivot downwardly about the axis of the piston rod 9 and since the rod 45 is connected via the pulleys 47 to the cylinders 20, the cylinders 20 are consequently pivoted to the position shown in dotted outline in Figure 5.

At the end of the linear movement in the one direction, the appropriate valve 38 is operated by the associated cam 39 to cause the piston rod 43 to be expended out of the cylinder 42 to thereby pivot the cylinders 20 and tool carrier 11 back to the vertical position shown in Figure 6, for subsequent linear movement in the return direction, back to its initial position.

Referring now to Figures 7,8 and 9a to 9c, there is shown an alternative embodiment in which the intended tools are eviscerating tools and in which the power to move the tool carrier from the first position to the second position is derived from the conveyor line itself.

This embodiment has a main frame 48 which is secured to the conveyor supporting framework so that it is fixed in position. On each side of the conveyor guide rail 1,the framework 48 includes two vertical members 49 which, on one side of the conveyor, are joined by two carriage guide bars 50 arranged in space parallel relationship. A carriage 51 which forms the tool carrier is movably mounted on the guide bars 50 by means of four spaced guide wheels 52. The guide wheels 52 each have a concave cross-sectional profile and are located on the guide bars 50 so that the carriage 51 is movable linearly along a path parallel to the path of movement of the conveyor 1 but is constrained against movement in any other plane.

In this embodiment, the tool carrier 51 carries two eviscerating tools, to be described in greater detail hereinafter, but it will be appreciated that other tools such as vent slitting or washing tools, such as shown in Figures 4a and 4b, could be provided.

The frame 48 further includes two laterally spaced guide rails 53 which served to guide the conveyor trollies 4 through the apparatus. The frame 48 also includes an elongate upper shackle guide bar 54, a lower shackle guide bar 55 and a carcass leg guide bar 56. Together these guide base serve to locate and guide the shackle and carcass suspended therefrom whilst a process is being carried out on the carcass. The tool carrier 51 which carries the two eviscerating tools 60, is biassed to the right hand side of the drawing as shown in Figure 7 by a spring 57 in the form of an elongate resilient wire rod which is secured at one end to the framework 48 with its other end biassed into engagementwith a guide roller 58 rotatably mounted on the tool carrier 51.

The roller 58 has a concave cross section profile which serves to locate the free end of the spring 57.

Referring now particularly to Figures 9a, 9b and 9c, the tool carrier 51 has mounted thereon an entraining lever 59. As shown in Figure 9b, the lever 59 is pivotable into a position in which its outer end is brought into the path of a trolley 4 passing between the guide rails 53. The movement of the conveyor drive chain thus causes the tool carrier to be carried from the right to the left as viewed Figure 9b. A release pin or stop 61 secured to one guide rail 53 lies in the path of a lever roller 62 located on the lever 59.

The lever 59 is thus moved to the position shown in 9c, clear of the trolley 4 so that the tool carrier movement terminates. The tool carrier is here in its second position and is returned from the left to the right, back to its initial position, by the resilience of the return spring 57.

As the tool carrier 51 approaches its first position at the right hand side, as shown in the drawings, the roller 62 on the lever 59 engages in a roller guide 63 secured to the trolley guide 53. The guide 63, as shown in Figure 9a, guides the lever 59 so that it pivots outwardly until its free end lies in the path of the trolleys 4 of the conveyor. The lever 59 is thus entrained by the next passing trolley so that the tool carrier 51 is moved once again to the left.

Appropriate control for the process being carried out can be mounted on the frame 48. In this embodiment of the apparatus, the apparatus is shown as having a ramp 63 which, as the tool carrier 51 moves pastthe ramp, controls the operation of a switch 65 controlling the supply of air to the processing tools 60. The apparatus also includes two spaced actuator members 66 supporting a ramp which controls the operation of a washing water control valve 67 in response to the position of the tool carrier 51. In this way, water is sprayed onto the carcasses at predetermined times only, which can be controlled to secure satisfactory washing without excessive water consumption. It will be appreciated that different types of tool may be mounted on the same tool carrier.

Referring now to Figures 9, 10a and 10b particularly, there is shown an eviscerating tool which is also shown in Figures 7 and 8 but may equally well be incorporated in the embodiments described with the earlier Figures.

The eviscerating tool is operated by an airoperable piston and cylinder device 68 the piston rod of which is connected to a slide 69 guided in a slide guide 70 secured to the cylinder 68. The cylinder 68 and slide 69 are secured pivotally through a support bar 71 to the frame of the tool carrier 51. The slide 69 has secured thereto a cam guide 72 which is resilient biassed (by means not shown) into engagement with a roller follower 73 mounted on the tool carrier 51.

A carcass locating tool 74 is secured to the slide guide 70 by an extension member of the slide guide 70, means 74a being provided for fine adjustment of the carcass locating tools 74 with respect to the slide guide 70. An eviscerating tool cam 76 is also secured to the slide guide 70. An eviscerating tool 77 is secured to the slide 69 through a linkage arrangement consisting of a T-shaped lever 78 having three arms. The lever 78 is pivotally mounted at 79 to the end of the slide 69 at a point intermediate one of its arms, the eviscerating tool 77 being secured to the end of this arm. At the end of the arm perpendicular thereto the lever 78 carries a cam followe roller 80 engageable with the cam 76. Intermediate the length of the arm carrying the roller 80, a latch member 81 is pivotally mounted, the latch member 81 having a detent 82 engageable with a pin 83 on the slide 69.A curved bar or rod 84 acting as a spring extends between the end of the remaining arm 85 of the member 78 and a reaction point on the slide 69, serving to bias the T-shaped lever 78 in a clock-wise direction so that the roller 80 is biased into contact with the profile of the cam 76.

The latch member 81 is biased in a clock-wise direction by a light spring 86.

The operation of the eviscerating tool will not be described starting from the point where the tool is in the fully withdrawn condition shown in Figure 10a.

As described earlier, the evisceration operation is carried out while the tool carrier is being moved in synchronism with the carcasses suspended from the conveyor.

When the entraining lever 59 is engaged by a trolley 4, with the tool carrier in its initial (first) position, the tool carrier traverses towards its second position triggering the switch 65 to admit air to cylinder 68.

As air is admitted to the cylinder 68, the entire tool is pivoted about the axis on the tool carrier 51, as the first part 72a of the cam 72 moves past the roller 73.

Thereafter the roller 73 runs along the straight portion 72b of the cam 72 which causes the enviscerating tool 77 to move linearly towards the carcass.

The initial pivotal movement along the section 72a causes the entire tool to pivot so that the carcass locating tool 74 engages a carcass on the conveyor line to hold it in position to receive the eviscerating tool 77. As the slide 69 moves downward, the roller 80 on the lever 78 follows the profile of the cam 76, so that the eviscerating tool 77, after initially entering the birds, then moved through a predetermined profile designed to follow the shape of the internal cavity of the bird as closely as possible. As the eviscerating tool reaches its innermost position, the position shown in Figure 10b, the latch 81 is released from the slide guide 70 so that its detent 82 engages in the pin 83 on the slide 69. The final position of the eviscerating tool is determined by an adjustable stop 86 which engages with the arm 85.

Thereafter, the action of the air cylinder 68 is reversed and the eviscerating tool is withdrawn. As the latch 81 is held engaged with the pin 83 on the slide 69, the eviscerating tool is held in the position shown in Figure 10b where it runs along the lower wall of the cavity of the carcass withdrawing the entrails. The eviscerating tool 77 has a degree of resilience so as to follow the cavity quite closely. In this position the roller 80 is held clear of cam profile 76. When the eviscerating tool is moved to a position near the opening of the cavity of the carcass, the latch 81 engages a release pin 87 which releases the detent 82 from the pin 83 and the resilience of the spring 84 causes the lever 78 to pivot until the roller 80 engages with the cam profile 76 so that the tool is fully withdrawn from the carcass. Simultaneously, as the tool is being withdrawn, the cam 72 reverses the tilting of the tool to return the tool to its original fully withdrawn position. This position is reached when the tool carrier has traversed to its second position, that is to the left-hand side of the Figure 7, prior to the tool carrier being returned by the spring 57 to its initial position.

Claims (17)

1. Poultry processing apparatus for processing poultry carcasses suspended from a conveyor movable past the apparatus, including at least one processing tool adapted to be moved between operative and inoperative positions relative to carcasses suspended from the conveyor, the tool being mounted on a tool carrier movable linearly along a path parallel to and in synchronism with the movementof the conveyor from a first to a second position, during which movement of the tool carrier the tool is operative, and means to return the tool carrier to its first position when the tool is in the inoperative position.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tool carrier includes entraining means engageable with the conveyor so that, when so engaged, the tool carrier is moved from said first to said second position by the conveyor, means being provided to disengage the entraining means from the conveyor when the carrier reaches the second position, and return means to return the carrier to the first position.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the tool carrier is movably mounted on a frame, the frame having thereon stop means engageable by the entraining means to move the entraining means out of engagement with the conveyor when the second position is reached, and guide means to guide the entraining means into engagement with the conveyor at the first position.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the extraining means comprises a lever pivotable into engagement with the conveyor.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2,3 or 4 wherein the return means comprises a spring.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the spring comprises an elongate resilient member.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the resilient member consists of a rod or bar, one end of which is secured to the frame, the other end being engaged with a rotatable roller mounted on the tool carrier.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tool carrier is movable linearly by a fluid operable piston and cylinder device.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the piston and cylinder device comprises an elongate piston rod having a piston thereon and a cylinder housing defining two working chambers, one on each side of the piston, the cylinder housing comprising the tool carrier.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the piston and cylinder device comprises an elongate piston rod having apiston thereon, and a cylinder housing defining a working chamber, admission of fluid to which moves the tool carrier from the first to the second position, the return movement of the carrier being made by resilient means.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8,9 or 10 wherein the cylinder housing comprises the tool carrier.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the cylinder housing is pivotable about the axis of the piston rod, by a cam arrangement to tilt the tool into a plane for movement into the operative position for acting on the carcasses, and to tilt the tool away from the carcasses after the tool is returned to inoperative position to enble the tool to be moved linearly back to said first position clear of succeeding carcasses on the conveyor.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein a plurality of said tools are mounted on the tool carrier.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the or each tool has carcass engaging means mounted thereon adapted to engage and support a carcass while the tool is in the operative position.

15. Poultry processing apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4b of the accompanying drawing.

16. Poultry processing apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawing.

17. Poultry processing apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 7 to 1 orb of the accompanying drawing.