GB2332615A

GB2332615A - Method and machine for trussing slaughtered fowl

Info

Publication number: GB2332615A
Application number: GB9906455A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jan Bosmans
Original assignee: Ghent Supply NV
Current assignee: Ghent Supply NV
Priority date: 1996-09-19
Filing date: 1997-09-17
Publication date: 1999-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 2017-09-17
Also published as: AU4372697A; GB2332615B; BE1010633A5; GB9906455D0; FR2753604A1; WO1998011784A1; NL1007087C2

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a machine for automatically trussing slaughtered fowl by means of a rubber band or a tensioner which extends beneath the rear part of the fowl's back, stretches the legs and surrounds the fowl's body passing along the belly and beneath the shoulders.

Description

PCT/BE97/00109 METHOD AND MACHINE FOR TRUSSING.SLAUGHTERED FOWL The

invention relates to a method and to a machine for trussing, tying or binding slaughtered fowl automatically with the aid of an elastic band or tensioner which extend beneath the rear part of the back of the fowl, tensions the feet and subsequently surrounds the body of the fowl, at the same time passing along the belly and along or beneath the shoulders.

At the present time, the trussing of slaughtered fowl is carried out manually by means of elastic bands or tensioners. The number of chickens which can be trussed by one man amounts to 3000 per workstation, but depends on different factors and is highly variable. The greatest disadvantage of manual trussing or the manual action of tying is that, after three or four years of intensive manual trussing, the worker is seen to suffer from work incapacity which is caused by inflammation of the wrist (carpal bone syndrome) and results in the worker having an occupational illness.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the abovementioned factors and propose a machine designed for the automatic trussing of slaughtered birds and other fowl.

The machine according to the invention is a machine with the aid of which:

a compact trussed chicken or fowl is obtained, the feet of which are clamped against its back, the elastic band or tensioner can be guided between the legs and the breast of the chicken or fowl, the chickens or fowl are firmly trussed (this applies both to small and to large slaughtered fowl).

The machine for trussing the slaughtered fowl (3) by means of an elastic band or tensioner which extends beneath the rear part of the back of the f owl, clamps the feet against the inner face of the back and subsequently surrounds the body along the belly and WO 98/11784 - 2 - PCT/BE97/00109 along or beneath the shoulders, comprises the following components:

(a) a frame (32); (b) a f irst longitudinal guide (14) which is attached 5 to the frame (32); (c) a fowl-bearing carriage (11) which is mounted moveably on the f irst longitudinal guide (14) and which is provided with a clamping unit (4) for clamping the slaughtered fowl (3) by the feet; (d) a second carriage (13), on which a pusher plate (9) is mounted and which can be displaced on the fowlbearing carriage (11); (e) a drive or control unit (20) mounted on the fowlbearing carriage and which is connected to the carriage (13), the pusher plate (9) being displaced towards the clamping unit (4) by the control unit (20), in order to push the fowl (3) against the clamping unit (4) and in order to move the pusher plate (9) away f rom the clamping unit (4) so as to prevent the f owl (3) f rom.

being pushed against the clamping unit (4); (f) a drive or control unit (33) which connects the fowl-bearing carriage (11) to the frame (32) and which causes the fowl-bearing carriage (11) to be displaced along the longitudinal guide (14) between an initial position and an end position; (g) a lower stand mounted moveably on the first longitudinal guide (14) and which is equipped with a rotary unit (26) provided with two hooks (30), the lower stand being displaced by pushing the fowl-bearing carriage (11) located on it, the rotary unit (26) rotating the two abovementioned hooks (30) through 1800 relative to the lower stand; (h) a second guide (34) which is attached to the frame (32) and which is arranged perpendicularly to the first guide (14); (i) a third carriage (35) which is connected to the frame (32) by means of a drive and control unit (36) and which is displaced along the second guide (34) by PCT/BE97/00109 means of this control unit (36), the carriage being equipped with two hooks (1), in which machine the hooks (30) of the lower stand and the hooks (1) of the third carriage (35) serve for tensioning, and at the same time opening, the elastic band or tensioner (2) and for producing a crossing in the elastic band or tensioner, in order to form a first orifice, or lower orifice, and a second orifice, or upper orifice, O in which machine the control unit (33) causes the fowl-bearing carriage (11) to be displaced in such a way that the tail, the lower part of the back of the fowl and the free ends of the feet are introduced into the lower orifice of the elastic band or tensioner, and in such a way that the shoulder of the fowl is subsequently in an end position, in such a way that, by the third carriage together with the hooks (1) being displaced along the second longitudinal guide (34), the second orifice of the elastic band or tensioner is displaced downwards, in which machine, by the fowl-bearing carriage (11) being drawn towards its initial position, the shoulder is introduced into the second orifice.

Preferably, the hooks (30) are mounted on a pivoting arm (29) which can pivot about a vertical axis through at least 1800.

In one embodiment, the hooks (1) of the third carriage (35) are in the shape of the capital letter J or G.

In an advantageous embodiment, the machine comprises a means for displacing the hooks (1) of the tensioning means of the elastic band or tensioner downwards and/or upwards relative to the fowl-bearing carriage (11).

Preferably, the fowl-bearing carriage (11) is provided with vertically raised hooks provided for clamping the feet of the fowl (3) against the inner face of the back, in a movement from the top downwards.

- 4 PCTIBE97/00109 For example, the i-shaped hooks (1) and the pivoting hooks (30), by interacting, can open the elastic band or tensioner (2) in a substantially vertical plane before the trussing of a fowl.

For example, the clamping unit (4) comprises two vertically raised pivoting hooks. When the fowl is pushed by the pusher plate (9), the hooks are displaced downwards by a drive or control unit (31), in such a way that the f eet of the f owl (3) are clamped against the inner face of the back.

For example, the fowl-bearing carriage may comprise two f ingers (5) for receiving the lower part of the elastic band or tensioner, after the tail, the lower part of the back and the f ree ends of the f eet is are introduced into the lower orif ice of the elastic band or tensioner (the orifice located on the same side as the hooks (30H.

In one embodiment, the third carriage (35) bears a third guide (43), on which carriages (39, 40) are displaced by means of a drive mechanism, these carriages bearing an arm (41, 42) provided with a hook (1). This third guide (43) is horizontal and perpendicular to the f irst guide (14), in such a way that the carriages (39, 40) are displaced by means of the drive mechanism in a vertical plane perpendicular to the first guide (14).

For example, each of the hooks (1) of the third carriage (35) is attached to an arm. The hook (1) comprises a substantially horizontal part (101) and a part (102) curved at a free end (103), the free end of the hook (1) extending above the horizontal part (101).

The invention also relates to a method for trussing or tying or binding slaughtered fowl (3) by means of an elastic band or tensioner (2) and using a machine according to the invention. According to this method, an elastic band or tensioner is tensioned and opened between the hooks (30) of the lower stand and the hooks of the third carriage (35), with a crossing, PCT/BE97/00109 with the aid of which a first orifice, or lower orifice, and a second orifice, or upper orifice, are formed; the fowl (3) is pushed towards the clamping unit (4) by the pusher plate (9); the fowl (3) is displaced towards the elaistic band or tensioner (2), in such a way that the tail, the lower part of the back and the free ends of the feet of the f owl (3) are introduced into the first orifice of the crossed elastic band or tensioner (2); the pusher plate (9) is pushed back in such a way that the fowl is no longer pushed towards the clamping unit (4) by this pusher plate; the second orifice of the elastic band or tensioner (2) is drawn downwards, and the fowl is displaced towards the second orifice, in such a way that the shoulder of the fowl is introduced into the second orifice.

Preferably, before the tail, the lower part of the back and the f ree ends of the f eet are introduced into the first orifice of the elastic band or tensioner (2), the feet are clamped against the inner face of the back (by the clamping unit (4)). For example, after the tail, the lower part of the back and the free ends of the feet are introduced into the first orifice of the elastic band or tensioner (2), the elastic band or tensioner (2) jumps from the hooks (30) of the stand onto the fingers (5) of the fowl-bearing carriage (11). 30 Preferably, while the shoulders of the fowl are being introduced into the second orifice, the elastic band or tensioner jumps from the hooks (1) of the third carriage (35) onto the fowl. As a result of a movement of the clamping unit, so as no longer to pull on the feet, the elastic band or tensioner (2) can jump from the hooks (5) onto the fowl (3).

A thoroughly cleaned head of fowl, for example a chicken, a turkey, a partridge or the like, is PCT/BE97/00109 deposited, for example manually, onto the fowl-bearing carriage of the machine, after having been temporarily folded into the required shape. For example, the clamping of the fowl is carried out in two phases. In the accompanying figures which show the clamping and trussing of a chicken:

with the aid of the pusher plate which is mounted moveably on the fowlbearing carriage, the chicken is pushed between the vertically raised hooks of the fowl- bearing carriage; for a very short period of time, after having pushed the chicken, the vertically raised hooks are displaced downwards, in such a way that the feet of the fowl are firmly clamped against the inner face of the back. During the descent of the two vertically raised hooks two fingers project or extend outwards in front of the fowl-bearing carriage, in order (in a subsequent phase of the trussing method) to receive the lower part of the crossed elastic band or tensioner.

With the fowl-bearing carriage being displaced -h the aid of forwards into an intermediate position wit the control unit, the rear part of the fowl is introduced into the lower orifice of the crossed elastic band or tensioner, and the elastic band or tensioner is drawn out of the fingers of the lower hooks in such a way that the elastic band or tensioner jumps onto two small projecting fingers and around the back of the fowl located on the fowl-bearing carriage.

The upper hooks, for example i-shaped or 30 G-shaped hooks (called Ghooks), are mounted on a vertical carriage transverse relative to the fowlbearing carriage and driven by a control unit. This control unit displaces the J- or G-hooks into an intermediate position, in which the Ghooks put the elastic band or tensioner under tension. Consequently, the orifice below the crossing of the elastic band or tensioner contracts and causes the feet to be clamped more firmly against the inner face of the back.

WO 98/11784 - 7 - PCT/BE97/00109 The intermediate position of the fowl-bearing carriage is selected in such a way that, by virtue of the tension effect exerted by the G-hooks on the elastic band, the crossing point of the elastic band or tensioner is located in such a way that it does not exert any pressure on the carina.

When the fowl-bearing carriage is displaced form the intermediate position towards the end position, the tension in the elastic band or tensioner increases further, until the chicken passes completely beyond the upper part of the elastic band or tensioner.

The plate which pushes the chicken between the vertically raised hooks on the fowl-bearing carriage returns to its initial position, in order to make room is at the free end in the crossed elastic band or tensioner.

In an alternative embodiment, the pusher plate may continue to push the chicken or fowl, but, in this case, the pusher plate must be provided with a guide for the elastic band or tensioner so that the latter can slip between the plate and the chicken. This is used when the chickens to be trussed are always of the same size and, at the same time, the fowl-bearing carriage can be positioned exactly. Where a universal machine is concerned, making it possible to truss chickens or fowls of any kind and of various sizes, the guide is too large and would impede the operator.

The upper hooks leave their intermediate position towards their deepest position, in order to bring the free part of the elastic band or tensioner completely onto the fowl-bearing carriage. As a result of this movement, the elastic band or tensioner slips along the breast of the fowl, and the upper part of the crossed elastic band or tensioner is lodged between the breast and the legs and the free part of the elastic band or tensioner passes beyond the shoulders and the neck.

the [sic] fowl-bearing carriage returns to its initial position. Consequently, the free part of the PCT/BE97/00109 elastic band or tensioner passes beneath the shoulders and the elastic band or tensioner emerges from the G-shaped hooks. The elastic band or tensioner is thus firmly around the chicken.

When the fowl-bearing carriage returns to its initial position, the vertically raised hooks on the fowl-bearing carriage rise upwards again and the two small fingers re-enter the fowl-bearing carriage.

Consequently, the chicken is no longer secured to the fowl-bearing carriage, and the elastic band or tensioner jumps firmly around the back of the fowl.

The pivoting hook rotates through 1800 towards the initial position, in such a way that the orifice of the pivoting hooks is directed towards the fowl-bearing carriage and the G-shaped hooks return to their initial position.

When the trussing machine according to the invention is used, the number of trussed or tied fowl depends to a much lesser extent on the operator, whilst the minimum head of fowl trussed per day can be maintained. The number of fowls to be trussed may easily amount to 5000 or 8000 head per workstation, depending on the performance of the machine.

considerable increase in production may be achieved by means of the machine according to the invention. The inflammation of the wrist, caused by trussing, can be avoided, this being a very important factor.

Preferably, the units for driving or controlling the fowl-bearing carriage and the vertical carriage for the G-shaped hooks and all the other movements in this invention are pneumatic jacks, but other types of drive are likewise possible, for example control by a stepping motor, control by servo motor, purely mechanical control and the like.

In order to achieve greater automation of the machine, that is to say in order to avoid the elastic band or tensioner having to be tensioned manually at the machine, the machine is provided with a means for PCT/BE97/00109 tensioning the elastic band or tensioner on the machine.

The machine according to the invention may comprise a means for guiding the elastic band or tensioner, more particularly a device in which the elastic bands or tensioners are connected t6 a paper tape, which means is provided with a guide element for leading the paper tape, together with the elastic bands or tensioners, towards a claw element for tearing off the elastic band or tensioner from the paper tape, the said claw element subsequently opening the elastic band or tensioner and tensioning it on the trussing part.

other characteristics of the invention may be gathered from the description referring to the accompanying drawings which show an embodiment of a machine according to the invention.

In these drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a side view of the trussing machine according to the invention; - Figure 2 illustrates an elevation view of the machine illustrated in Figure 1; Figures 3 to 12 illustrate partial sectional view [sic] along the line II-II of the phases of the cycle for trussing slaughtered fowl; Figures 13 and 14 illustrate views of the elastic band or tensioner without and with crossing, and Figure 15 illustrates a view of the carriages provided with hooks which can be moved away from one another.

In these figures, the same numerals refer to the same elements or to similar elements.

As illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the machine for the trussing (or an operation for tying or binding the fowl) of fowl by means of elastic bands or tensioners comprises the following components:

a frame 32; a longitudinal guide 14, on which a fowl-bearing carriage 11 can execute a reciprocating movement WO 98/11784 - 10 - PCT/BE97100109 (arrows Al, A2) with the aid of the drive or control unit 33; a vertical longitudinal guide 34, on which a carriage 35 provided with J- shaped or G-shaped hooks executes a reciprocating movement with the aid of the drive or control unit 36 (arrows B1, B2), a lower stand 100 on the longitudinal guide 14, which is displaced by the fowlbearing carriage 11, on which is arranged a rotary unit 26 which rotates the pivoting hook 30 (rotation R, axis X). The rotator or rotary unit 26 makes it possible for the hook 30 to be displaced through 1800 and to return at the end of the cycle. The pivoting hook 30 serves for opening the elastic band or tensioner and for producing a crossing K in the elastic band or tensioner 2 (a lower orifice 01 and an upper orifice 02 are thus formed); - a piece or wedge 38 for opening and closing the G-shaped hooks 1 when the longitudinal guide 34 is set in a reciprocating movement; a unit for displacing the fowl-bearing carriage 11 into an intermediate position, in order to make it possible to tension the elastic band or tensioner around the back of the fowl 3 and to make it possible to produce a crossing in the elastic band or tensioner 2 beneath the carina of the fowl 3; - a unit for putting the G-shaped hooks into an intermediate position, in order to tension the elastic band or tensioner 2 and to enlarge the upper half at the moment when the fowl-bearing carriage 11 is blocked in its intermediate position.

In this design, the G-shaped hooks 1 are mounted on long arms 41 and 42 which, in turn, are attached to two separate carriages 39 and 40. These carriages 39 and 40 can be displaced (arrow Z) on a third longitudinal guide 43 which is secured to the carriage 35. The carriages 39 and 40 are moved away from one another in a vertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the horizontal guide 14, when - PCT/BE97/00109 they pass along the wedge 38 during the movement of the carriage 35 (arrow W).

The G-shaped hooks 1 and the pivoting hooks 30 open the elastic band or tensioner 2 in a substantially vertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 14 (Figure 3). The two hooks 30 are displaced through 1800 by the rotary unit 26 (Figure 4).

The elastic band or tensioner 2 is composed of a latex cord (one or more) encased in textile fibres, usually cotton fibres, arranged in two layers. One fibre rotates, for example, in the clockwise direction, whilst another rotates, for example, in the anticlockwise direction.

For example, the chicken 3 is placed manually on the chicken plate 7 of the fowl-bearing carriage 11 by the operator, in such a way that the f eet of the chicken 3 are located between the vertically raised pincers 4 on the fowl-bearing carriage 11 and that the shoulders of the chicken 3 are directed towards the pusher plate 9 (Figure 3). The chicken can be put in place before or after the rotation of the hooks 30.

The clamping of the chicken 3 on the fowlbearing carriage 11 takes place in three phases:

with the aid of the pusher plate 9 on the fowlbearing carriage 11, the chicken 3 is pushed between the vertically raised hooks 4 on the fowlbearing carriage 11. Consequently, the chicken is firmly compressed, in order to obtain a compact final product (Figure 5, arrow P1); - it is after only a very short period of time that the pincers 4 descend, in such a way that the f eet of the chicken 3 are clamped against the inner face of the back (Figure 6, arrow M1); at the same moment as the pincers 4 descend onto the fowl-bearing carriage 11, two small fingers project towards the front of the fowl-bearing carriage 11 directly beneath the chicken plate 7. In a subsequent phase of the trussing method, these fingers will serve for receiving part of the elastic band or tensioner 2 (Figure 6, arrow N1).

The jack 20, which serves for the control (P1) of the pusher plate 9, is selected in such a way that the force with which the chicken 3 is pushed between the pincers 4 is not too great, so that the chicken 3 is not damaged. The jack 20 exerts a force of 100 N on the pusher plate 9.

The fowl-bearing carriage 11 is equipped with a 10 longitudinal guide 18 parallel to the longitudinal guide 14. The unit 12 is displaced on the longitudinal guide 18 in a reciprocating movement in order to bear the pusher plate 9 (P1, P2).

The fowl-bearing carriage 11 is displaced by the jack 33 by means of bearings 15 which are displaced on the longitudinal guide 14 from an initial position towards an intermediate position (Figure 7, arrow A1). Consequently, the tail and the lower part of the back of the chicken 3 as well as the free ends of the feet are introduced into the orifice 01 of the crossed elastic band or tensioner 2. The elastic band or tensioner 2 (arrow S1) jumps from the hooks 30 onto the fingers 5 (Figure 8). Subsequently, the fowl-bearing carriage is displaced towards its end position.

Subsequently, the G-shaped hooks 1 place the crossing K of the elastic band or tensioner 2 between the carina and the back of the chicken 3, and by means of the elastic band or tensioner 2 they clamp the feet against the back and draw the elastic band or tensioner 2 further along the breast and by way of the shoulders of the chicken 3.

With the aid of the proposed machine, the chicken or fowl can therefore be trussed when it is warm, when it has just been slaughtered and cleaned, or when it is cold, when it comes out of the refrigerator, such as when it is seasoned, or when it emerges from the drum of aromatic herbs.

When the G-shaped hooks 1 are displaced from the upper position (the initial position) towards the WO 98111784 - 13 - PCT/BE97/00109 intermediate position (Figure 10, arrow B1) by the control unit 36, they displace the orifice 02 of the elastic band or tensioner 2 downwards, and, at the same time, they tension the elastic band or tensioner during the trussing of the chicken. The hooks 1 are beneath the chicken 3.

Subsequently, the fowl-bearing carriage 11 is displaced into its initial position (arrow A2, Figure 11), and, consequently, the elastic band or tensioner 2 jumps from the hooks 7. As a result, the pincers 4 are displaced upwards (M2, Figure 12), and, consequently, the elastic band or tensioner 2 jumps from the fingers 5.

The vertically raised hooks on the fowl-bearing carriage 11 form the pincers 4 which cause the ends of the feet of the chicken 3 to be firmly clamped against the inner face of the back. The vertically raised pincers 4 are connected to the chicken plate 7 by means of a lever 44 and a hinge 45. By means of the hinge 46 the control unit 31 is connected to the lever 44 and by means of the hinge 47 the control unit itself is connected to the fowl-bearing carriage 11, in such a way that the vertically raised hooks of the pincers 4 can pivot downwards so as to drive the f eet of the chicken 3 downwards during the clamping (Figures 5 and 6).

Along the lateral faces of the chicken plate 7, the fowlbearing carriage 11 possesses two supporting wings 6. These supporting wings 6 ser-ve for exactly positioning the chicken 3, more particularly the wings, during the trussing procedure. This equipment is important, above all, when the chicken is trussed according to a method which is regularly adopted in French and Swiss slaughterhouses. In this method, the wings are folded next to the body and the ends of the wings are folded between the legs and the breast, instead of being folded behind the shoulders, as is often common in Belgian slaughterhouses.

PCT/BE97/00109 The fowl-bearing carriage possesses two fingers 5 to prevent the elastic band or tensioner 2 from rolling on the back of the chicken 3 in the direction of the tail, during trussing. This would result in poor trussing. At the end of the trussing cycle, the jack 8 will serve for causing the fingers 5 to re-enter the fowl-bearing carriage 11, in order to make it possible for the elastic band or tensioner to be placed around the back of the chicken 3.

Figure 6 illustrates the pincers 4 in the closed position, in which the chicken 3 is clamped on the fowl-bearing carriage 11. The pusher plate 9 bears against the chicken 3, in such a way that the latter is pushed between the vertically raised pincers 4. The support 10 thereby makes the connection between the horizontal carriage 12 and the control unit 20.

A pivoting-hook carriage 48 bearing the pivoting hook 30 can likewise slide on the longitudinal guide 14. The pivoting-hook carriage 48 is driven by the fowl-bearing carriage 11 when the fowl-bearing carriage touches the carriage 48.

In the initial position, the pivoting-hook carriage 48 is blocked in the clamping unit 21. The latter causes the elastic band or tensioner to remain in a fixed position. As long as the fowl-bearing carriage 11 is still not in the intermediate position, the clamping unit 21 ensures that the hook carriage 48 is not displaced. once the fowl-bearing carriage 11 leaves its intermediate position in order to be displaced towards its end position, the fowl-bearing carriage will bear against the pivoting-hook carriage 48 and will overcome the mechanical resistance in the clamping unit 21. From this moment, the pivoting-hook carriage 48 will be displaced together with the fowl- bearing carriage 11. When the fowl-bearing carriage 11 returns from its end position into its initial position, the pivoting-hook carriage 48 is drawn by means of the return rod 19 until the said carriage arrives in the clamping unit 21. The pivoting-hook WO 98/11784 - 15 - PCT/BE97/00109 carriage can then no longer be displaced. The clamping unit 21 is firmly connected to this frame 32.

The method of trussing the chicken 3 comprises the following phases; An elastic band or tensioner 2 is tensioned between the G-shaped hooks 1 and the pivoting hooks 30. The chicken 3 is then clamped on the fowl- bearing carriage 11 by the pusher plate 9 and the vertically raised pincers 4. The G-shaped hooks 1 are displaced upwards and thereby approach one another, at the same time passing over the wedge 38. The pivoting hooks 30 which are mounted on a pivoting arm which can pivot through 1800 in a horizontal plane, are displaced through 1800, in such a way that a crossing K of the elastic band or tensioner 2 is obtained (if this crossing has not yet been produced during the placing of the elastic band or tensioner on the machine). Consequently, two orifices are defined by the elastic band or tensioner, a lower orifice 01 and an upper orifice 02. As a result of the pivoting of the pivoting hooks 30 through 1800, the orifices of the hooks 30 are no longer directed towards the fowl-bearing carriage (Figure 4, Figure 14).

In Figure 7, the chicken 3 is displaced towards the elastic band or tensioner 2 by means of the control unit 33 of the fowl-bearing carriage 11 (arrow Al). As a result of the clamping unit 21, the pivoting hook 30 will no longer be displaced on the longitudinal guide 14. Since the fowlbearing carriage 11 begins to bear on the elastic band or tensioner 2, the orifices of the pivoting hooks 30 are displaced by this device. The setting is such that the elastic band or tensioner 2 jumps from the pivoting hooks 30 just before the fowlbearing carriage 11 arrives in its intermediate position. Since the elastic band or tensioner 2 jumps from the pivoting hooks 30 (arrow S1, Figure 8), the elastic band or tensioner extends around the fingers 5 and around the back of the fowl 3 (Figure 8). once the fowl-bearing carriage is in its intermediate position, WO 98/11784 - 16 - PCT/BE97/00109 the G-shaped hooks 1 descend and open onaccount of the wedge 38. The G- shaped hooks 1 stop when the vertical carriage 35 has arrived in its intermediate position (Figure 9, position F in Figure 15). Since the G- shaped hooks 1 open increasingly as a function of their descent, the elastic band or tensioner 2 is tensioned. Consequently, the crossing in the elastic band or tensioner 2 descends, in such a way that the latter is placed between the carina and the back of the chicken 3. As a result of the descent of the crossing, the feet of the chicken 3 are firmly clamped against the inner face of the back. After the intermediate position is reached, the fowl-bearing carriage 1 is displaced towards its end position. Consequently, the elastic band or tensioner 2 is well tensioned, in such a way that the feet bear firmly on the inner face of the back. At the same time, the elastic band or tensioner 2 is already partially drawn between the legs and the breast. After the end position of the fowl-bearing carriage 11 has been reached, the carriages 35 are lowered further (position G in Figures 15 and 10). The pusher plate 9 is subsequently retracted (Figure 11). The result of this is that the upper part of the orifice 02 in the elastic band or tensioner 2 can touch the chicken plate 7 when the G-shaped hooks 1 descend. By virtue of the descent of the G- shaped hooks 1, the elastic band or tensioner 2 is accurately guided between the legs and the breast of the chicken 3 (Figure 11). Consequently, the skin of the chicken 3 is firmly tensioned on the breast. When the deepest or lowest position of the G-shaped hooks 1 is reached, the fowl-bearing carriage 11 is actuated by the control unit 33 in order to resume its initial position. Consequently, the elastic band or tensioner 2 is displaced beneath the chicken 3, and the skin is firmly tensioned on the shoulders. The return of the fowlbearing carriage 11 into its initial position causes the elastic band or tensioner 2 to slip onto the G-shaped hooks. When the push becomes too great, the WO 98/11784 - 17 - PCT/BE97/00109 elastic band or tensioner 2 jumps from the G-shaped hooks 1 and is placed around the chicken 3 (Figure 12). The chicken 3 is then trussed by means of the elastic band or tensioner 2. The vertically raised hooks of the foot gripper 4 rise (M2) and the fingers 5 are withdrawn. Consequently, the elastic band or tensioner 2 jumps onto the back of the chicken 3. The operator can remove the chicken 3 and put a new chicken 3 in place, and the cycle can begin again, after a new 10 elastic band or tensioner has been placed in position (Figure 3) and after the hooks 1 and 30 are returned to their initial position.

As illustrated in Figure 15, as a result of the descent BI of the hooks 1, the hooks 3 0 are moved away 15 from one another and the orifice 02 is widened.

WO 98/11784 - 18 - PCT/BE97/00109

Claims

CLAIMS i 1. Machine for trussing or tying slaughtered fowl (3) by means of

an elastic band or tensioner which extends beneath the rear part of the back of the fowl, which clamps the feet against the inner face of the back and which subsequently surrounds the body along the belly and along or beneath the shoulders, characterized in that the machine comprises the following components:

(a) a frame (32); (b) a first longitudinal guide (14) which is attached to the frame (32); (c) a fowl-bearing carriage (11) which is mounted moveably on the longitudinal guide (14) and which is provided with a clamping unit (4) for clamping the slaughtered fowl (3) by the feet; (d) a second carriage (13), on which a pusher plate (9) is mounted and which can be displaced on the fowl- bearing carriage (11); (e) a control unit (20) mounted on the fowl-bearing carriage and which is connected to the carriage (13), the pusher plate (9) being displaced towards the clamping unit (4) by the control unit (20), in order to push the fowl (3) against the clamping unit (4) or in order to move the pusher plate (9) away f rom the lamping unit (4), so as to prevent the fowl (3) from being pushed against the clamping unit (4); - (f) a control unit (33) which connects the fowl30 bearing carriage (11) to the frame (32) and which displaces the fowl-bearing carriage (11) along the longitudinal guide (14) between an initial position and an end position; (g) a lower stand mounted moveably on the first longitudinal guide (14) and which is equipped with a rotary unit (26) provided with two hooks (30), the lower stand being displaced as a result of the push of the fowl- bearing carriage (11) on the said stand, the WO 98/11784 - 19 - PCT/BE97/00109 rotary unit (26) rotating the two abovementioned hooks (30) through 1800 relative to the lower stand; (h) a second guide (34), which is attached to the frame (32) and which is arranged perpendicularly to the first guide (14); (i) a third carriage (35) which is connected to the frame (32) by means of a control unit (36) and which is displaced along the second guide (34) by means of this control unit (36), the carriage being equipped with two hooks (1), in which machine the hooks (30) of the lower stand and the hooks (1) of the third carriage (35) serve for tensioning the open elastic band or tensioner (2) and for producing a crossing in the elastic band or is tensioner, in order to define a first orifice, or lower orifice, and a second orifice, or upper orifice, in which machine the control unit (33) causes the fowl-bearing carriage (11) to be displaced in such a way that the tail, the lower part of the back of the fowl and the free ends of the feet are introduced into the lower orifice of the elastic band or tensioner, and in such a way that the shoulder of the fowl is subsequently in an end position, in such a way that, by the third carriage, together with the hooks (1), being displaced along the second longitudinal guide (34), the second orifice of the elastic band or tensioner is displaced downwards, in which machine, by the fowl-bearing carriage (11) being drawn towards its initial position, the shoulder is introduced into the second orifice.
2. Machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that the hooks (30) are mounted on a pivoting arm (29) which can pivot about a vertical axis through at least 18011.
3. Machine according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hooks (1) of the third carriage (35) are in the shape of the capital letter J or G.
WO 98/11784 - 20 - PCT/BE97/00109 Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a means for displacing the hooks (1) of the tension means of the elastic band or tensioner downwards and/or upwards relative to the fowl-bearing carriage (11).
5. Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fowl-bearing carriage (11) is provided with vertically raised hooks provided for clamping the feet of the fowl (3) against the inner face of the back during a movement from the top downwards.
6. Machine according to Claim 3, characterized in that the i-shaped hooks (1) and the pivoting hooks (30), by interacting, open the elastic band or tensioner (2) in a substantially vertical plane.
7. Machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that the clamping unit (4) comprises two vertically raised pivoting hooks, in which machine, when the fowl is pushed by the pusher plate (9) the hooks are displaced downwards by a control unit (31), in such a way that the feet of the fowl (3) are clamped against the inner face of the back.
8. machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fowl-bearing carriage comprises two fingers (5) for receiving the lower part of the elastic band or tensioner, after the tail, the lower part of the back and the f ree ends of the f eet are introduced into the lower orifice of the elastic band or tensioner.
9. Machine according to Claim 1, characterized in 30 that the first longitudinal guide (14) is horizontal, whilst the second longitudinal guide (31) is vertical.
10. Machine according to Claim 8, characterized in that the third carriage (35) bears a third guide (43), on which carriages (39, 40) are displaced by means of a drive mechanism, these carriages bearing an arm (41, 42) provided with a hook (1), and in that the third guide (43) is horizontal and perpendicular to the first guide (14), in such a way that the carriages. (39, 40) WO 98/11784 - 21 - PCT/BE97/00109 are displaced by means of the drive mechanism ina vertical plane perpendicular to the first guide (14).
11. Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the hooks (1) of the third carriage (35) is attached to an arm, and in that the hook (1) comprises a substantially -horizontal part (101) and a part (102) curved at a free end (103), the free end of the hook (1) extending above the horizontal part (1).
12. Method for trussing a slaughtered fowl (3) by means of an elastic band or tensioner (2)and using a machine according to one of the preceding claims, in which method:

an elastic band or tensioner is tensioned and opened between the hooks (30) of the lower stand and the hooks (1) of the third carriage (35), with a crossing (K) in order to define a first orifice, or lower orifice, and a second orifice, or upper orifice; the fowl (3) is pushed towards the clamping unit (4) by the pusher plate (9); the fowl (3) is displaced towards the elastic band or tensioner (2), in such a way that the tail, the lower part of the back and the free ends of the feet of the fowl (3) are introduced into the first orifice of the crossed elastic band or tensioner (2); the pusher plate (9) is displaced in such a way that the fowl is no longer pushed towards the clamping unit (4) by this pusher plate; the second orifice of the elastic band or tensioner (2) is drawn downwards, and the fowl is displaced towards the second orifice, in such a way that the shoulder of the fowl is introduced into the second orifice.
13. Method according to Claim 12, characterized in that, before the tail, the lower part of the back and the free ends of the feet are introduced into the first orifice of the elastic band or tensioner (2), the feet are clamped against the inner f ace of the back by the clamping unit (4).

WO 98/11784 - 22 - PCT/BE97/00109
14. Method according to Claim 13, characterized in that, after the tail, the lower part of the back and the free ends of the feet are introduced into the first orifice of the elastic band or tensioner (2), the elastic band or tensioner (2) jumps from the hooks (30) of the stand onto the fingers (5) of the fowl-bearing carriage (11).
15. Method according to one of Claims 12 to 14, characterized in that, while the shoulders of the fowl are being introduced into the second orifice, the elastic band or tensioner jumps from the hooks (1) of the third carriage (35) onto the fowl.
16. Method according to Claim 14, characterized in that, by means of the clamping unit, so as no longer to pull on the feet, the elastic band or tensioner (2) can jump from the hooks (5) onto the fowl (3).
17. Method according to one of Claims 12 to 16, characterized in that, during the downward movement of the second orifice of the elastic band or tensioner, the hooks (1) of the third carriage are displaced in order to contract the first orifice, so as to clamp the feet against the inner face of the back of the fowl.