IE61850B1 - A packaging system - Google Patents

Abstract

A poultry packing system 10 comprises a first series of collector bins 13 for storing unwrapped chickens supported above a first elongate work surface 11 and sloping downwardly towards the first work surface 11, and a second series of collector bins 14 for storing bagged chicken interspersed with the first series of collector bins 13 and sloping downwardly in an opposite direction towards a second elongate work surface 12. A supply means 30 is located above the first series of collector bins 13, for carrying and automatically releasing chickens 20 into selected bins of the first series of collector bins 13 at a controlled rate. An operator removes chickens form bins 13, bags them using device 26 and places them into bins 14 from which the bagged chickens are removed by a second operator and boxed.

Description

The present invention relates to a production line packing system with particular, although not exclusive use, in the packing of poultry for example chickens.

According to the present invention there is provided a packing system comprising a first series of collector bins for storing articles, said first series of collector bins supported above a first elongate work surface and sloping downwardly towards the first work surface, a second series of collector bins interspersed with said first series of collector bins, the second series of collector bins supported above and sloping downwardly towards a second elongate work surface.

In a preferred form of the invention said first and second series of collector bins are arranged alternately.

Preferably there is provided a supply means located above the uppermost region of the first series of collector bins for carrying and automatically releasing articles into selected bins of the first series of collector bins at a controlled rate.

The first and second work surfaces preferably comprise substantially parallel first and second elongate tables arranged under the lowermost regions of said first and second series of collector bins respectively.

Preferably, the first and second series of collector bins are mounted above a conveyor means, which is disposed between the first and second tables.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packing system according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of part of the collector bins of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side view of the collector bins showing their slope angles.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar numerals have been used to indicate like parts, there is shown therein a packing apparatus or system generally indicated at 10 according to the invention. The packing system or apparatus 10 comprises first and second parallel elongate work tables 11, 12 respectively. A first and second series of collector bins 13, 14 respectively are mounted on support legs 9 which are fixed to the tables 11, 12. As shown, the first series of collector bins 13 are arranged to slope downwardly towards the first work table 11 and the second series of collector bins 14 are arranged to slope downwardly towards the second work table 12. The collector .bins 13, 14 are arranged alternately as shown.

In Figure 4 which is a diagrammatic view of two bins 13, 14 when viewed in the direction of arrow A in Figure 1, the relative slope angles of the two bins 13, 14 can be seen. Thus, bin 13 is longer than bin 14, the former having a length of 870mm and the latter a length of 650mm. The lower end 15 of the bin 13 is located approximately 120mm above the plane of table 11 and its upper end 16 is located approximately 470mm above table 11 and is disposed over table 12. The lowermost end 17 of the bin 14 is located approximately 203mm above table 12 and its upper end 18 is at a height of approximately 388mm above the plane of table 12 and is disposed over table 11. The lower end 17 of the bin 14 has an upwardly inclined flange 19 which serves to retain poultry, for example, chickens 20 in the bin 14. Similarily, the bin 13 has an upturned flange 21 also to retain chickens in that bin.

Further, the lower region of each bin 13 has a tapering sidewall 25 so that a sufficient space is allowed to enable the positioning of a conventional bagging apparatus 26, which is fixed on table 11 and projects towards table 12 as shown more clearly in Figure 3. A roller type conveyor 27 is located between the first and second tables 11, 12. A transport system or supply means in the form of a rail 30 having a drive system (not shown) for moving a plurality of shackle members 31 is located directly above the uppermost regions 16 of the bins 13. The shackle members 31 are known in the art for holding chickens 20 and may automatically release chickens 20 by suitable means (not shown) so that they fall onto the uppermost regions 16 of the bins 13. The chickens 20 will thus slide down the bins 13 and stop at the flange 21 and form a stack in the bins 13.

Thus, in use an operator located adjacent table 11 can readily remove chickens 20 from the bins 13, bag them using the apparatus 26 and seal them using a conventional sealing apparatus 50 and then deposit them in an adjacent bin 14 where they slide down to the lowermost end 17. An operator located adjacent the table 12 then removes the bagged chickens 20 from the bins 14 and places them in boxes 40 which can then be pushed onto the roller conveyor 27 and moved along the conveyor from where the boxes are removed and stored.

The invention has the advantages of minimising the space requirement for the production line; the invention conforms with health regulations so that an operator handling the boxes 40 does not also handle the unwrapped chickens; and the invention enables the provision of a productivity bonus scheme for bagging operators as the number of chickens bagged by them can be monitored by the number which are dropped from the rail 30 into respective bins 13.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS:

1. A packing system comprising a first series of collector bins for storing articles, said first series of collector bins supported above a first elongate work surface and sloping downwardly towards the first work surface, a second series of collector bins interspersed with said first series of collector bins, the second series of collector bins supported above and sloping downwardly towards a second elongate work surface.

2. ,,. A packing system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first and second series of collector bins are arranged alternately.

3. A packing system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein there is provided a supply means located above the uppermost region of the first series of collector bins, for carrying and automatically releasing articles into selected bins of the first series of collector bins at a controlled rate.

4. A packing system as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first and second work surfaces comprise substantially parallel first and second elongate tables arranged under the lowermost regions of said first and second series of collector bins respectively. 5. A packing system as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the first and second series of collector bins are mounted above a conveyor means, which is disposed between the first and second elongate tables.

5. A packing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first series of collector bins are tapered towards their lowermost regions. - δ 7. A packing system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a bagging apparatus is located on the first elongate work surface adjacent to each bin of the first series of collector bins. 5 8. A packing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the articles comprise poultry.

6. 9. A packing system substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.