WO2023010183A1

WO2023010183A1 - Equipment and method for separating fowl and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2023010183A1
Application number: PCT/BR2021/050326
Authority: WO
Inventors: Orlei DA SILVA CHOAI
Original assignee: Da Silva Choai Orlei
Priority date: 2021-08-04
Filing date: 2021-08-04
Publication date: 2023-02-09

Abstract

The present invention pertains to the poultry farming sector, and relates more specifically to equipment and a method for separating fowl that are intended to collect the processed and slaughtered animals, position said animals in compartments, and convey said animals to the top of the separator to be conveyed by a conveyor belt for subsequent processing steps.

Description

EQUIPMENT AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING POULTRY AND SIMILAR Technological sector of the invention

[01] In general, the present invention belongs to the poultry sector, and refers, more specifically, to an equipment, system and method of separation of birds whose purpose is to collect processed and slaughtered animals, accommodate them in compartments , and direct them to the upper part of the separator to be conducted by a conveyor belt to the other processing steps.

state of the art

[02] In 2015, Brazil surpassed China and became the second largest producer of chicken meat in the world, behind only the United States (USA). Figures from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) indicate that Brazilian production reached 13.14 million tons that year, a volume 5.4% higher than in 2014 and the highest ever recorded in the country's history. No less than 5.8 billion chicken heads were slaughtered in the national territory.

[03] Despite producing less chicken than the United States, the country has been the biggest force in the international trade of this product for some time. Of every eleven kilos exported globally, approximately four kilos originate in Brazil. The national product is now found in 150 countries on all continents.

[04] Therefore, the slaughter and industrialization of poultry is notoriously one of the activities that most sickens workers in the country. Hundreds of thousands of employees in the sector often deal with several risk factors: Constant exposure to knives, saws and other sharp instruments; Performing repetitive movements that can lead to serious injuries and illnesses; Psychological pressure to deal with the high pace imposed by the production lines; Journeys often exceeding the daily limit established by law; Closed environment, suffocating and very cold.

[05] In April 2013, new rules were approved to improve working conditions in slaughterhouses and slaughterhouses in the country. Pressure result of several entities to reduce the health risks related to the sector, the Regulatory Norm NR-36 established several new guidelines for the operation of meatpacking industries. The following stand out: The granting of breaks distributed throughout the journey for workers to rest their muscles; Ergonomic and safety adaptations in the mats and other machinery in the factories; Standards to reduce workers' exposure to excessively cold environments, as well as to alleviate thermal discomfort; Adequacy of workstations so that, whenever possible, sitting work is done alternately with standing work.

[06] The production of chickens has gained, in recent decades, more and more relevance in the menu of Brazilian agribusiness products. It is a sector that, in 15 years, has doubled its production volume, quadrupled exports and gained increasing weight in the trade balance - fresh chicken was the fourth most exported product by Brazil in 2015.

[07] However, several links in the poultry production chain still do not guarantee workers sufficiently dignified and safe employment and income conditions. The situation of integrated poultry farmers, chicken catchers and industry workers shows this reality, and exemplifies how the fruits of the sector's growth are distributed in a very heterogeneous way.

[08] To face this scenario of inequality in the chicken production chain, the claims of poultry farmers and workers need to gain the agenda of corporate and government policies for the sector. This opens up a gap for the development of equipment and machines to contribute to workers in the sector and companies in the poultry production sector.

Novelties and objectives of the invention

[09] In view of the problems of the state of the art, the present invention presents an equipment and method of separation of birds with a cylindrical arrangement with at least five rows of compartments arranged longitudinally and equidistant throughout the circumference, which receive the birds for separate them individually. With moving equipment and birds accommodated in the compartments, these are conducted to the upper part of the cylinder, being transferred to a mat in a synchronized and organized way. [010] The method of receipt, separation and transfer is fully automated. The equipment consists of a cylindrical drum with several sequences of compartments to accommodate the birds and provide the necessary distance between them when they are directed to a collection belt. The birds enter unorganized and in bulk at the bottom of the drum and leave at the top at a pace and individually. This equipment proposes to assist in the process of weighing, positioning for packaging and hanging of the birds in the slaughterhouses.

Description of the attached drawings

[01 1] In order for the present invention to be fully understood and put into practice by any technician in this technological sector, it will be described in a clear, concise and sufficient manner, based on the attached drawings, which illustrate and support it listed below:

Figure 1 represents the perspective view of the poultry separator;

Figure 2 represents the perspective view of the cylindrical drum of the poultry separator;

Figure 3 represents the side view of the poultry separator, highlighting the cylindrical drum;

Figure 4 represents the front view of the poultry separator with emphasis on the cylindrical drum;

Figure 5 represents the rear perspective view of the bird separator with emphasis on the fixed barrier, fixed containment and the rotating mechanism;

Figure 6 represents the rear perspective view with emphasis on the power transmission system;

Figure 7 represents the lower perspective view with emphasis on the power transmission system;

Figure 8 represents the top perspective view with emphasis on the power transmission system;

Figure 9 represents the perspective view of the rotary mechanism; Figure 10 represents the perspective view of the rotary mechanism;

Figure 11 represents the front perspective view of the poultry separator with emphasis on the inside of the cylindrical drum;

Figure 12 represents the perspective view of the production line where the equipment is inserted;

Figure 13 represents the rear perspective view of the cylindrical separator with the poultry collection mat;

Figure 14 represents the front perspective view of the cylindrical separator with the poultry collection mat;

Figure 15 represents the front perspective view of the cylindrical separator, highlighting the assembly of the poultry collection mat;

Figure 16 represents the front perspective view of the cylindrical separator with the poultry collection mat inserted in the production line;

Figure 17 represents the first operating stage of feeding the birds slaughtered inside the separator;

Figure 18 represents the second stage of operation with the birds being positioned in the compartments;

Figure 19 represents the third stage of operation with the birds being directed to the upper part of the separator;

Figure 20 represents the front view of the cylindrical drum together with the collecting mat in all operating stages;

Figure 21 represents the top view and in section B-B of the separator with the collecting belt.

Detailed description of the invention

[012] As shown in Figure 1, the equipment consists of a metallic structure (10) that supports a cylindrical drum (20) equipped with compartments (22) positioned longitudinally and around the perimeter. The structure (10) comprises a set of metal bars that form a rectangular base (11) fixed to superimposed vertical bars through fastening elements, such as screws and nuts; it also comprises metal bars positioned transversely in the midpoint, which are attached to vertical bars through processes of joining materials, such as welding; positioned above the transverse bars, on the sides, above the connection points of the vertical bars, there are metallic bars; positioned and mounted similarly to the rectangular base (1 1 ) described, another set of metal bars is arranged that will be interconnected to the support of the cylindrical drum (12) through processes of joining materials and to the support frames (13) through clamping elements; the structure (10) also has at least six distributed shoes that support all the equipment. The structure (10) also has support frames (13) positioned on the sides, which are joined by a process of joining materials to the support bars that supported them. This set of bars (13) assists in fixing the collector mat (30) which, after separating the birds by means of the cylindrical drum (20), leads the animals to the other processing stages.

[013] According to Figure 2, the cylindrical drum (20) is shown, comprising a toothed wheel (21) for transferring circular motion and at least 5 compartments (22) around the perimeter, but more preferably 5 compartments (22) arranged longitudinally in at least two or more rows arranged on the perimeter. The compartments (22) are formed by a sheet of preferably circular shape, and are joined by a process of union of materials on metallic plates fixed in the external region of the cylindrical drum (20) by fastening elements, for example screws and nuts. The compartments (22), in the inner region of the cylindrical drum (20), provide, due to their format, an adequate space for each bird. In the inner part of the cylindrical drum (20) partitioned helical fillets (23) are fixed, which helped the birds to spread in the longitudinal direction of the drum (20).

[014] Supports (12) juxtaposed to the structure (1 1) support fixation bearings (15) fixed to them by fixation elements, more specifically positioned at the collateral points and which are coupled to pulleys (16) attached to the drum (20) by means of wrapped fillets (201), which support them and enable the rotating movement. [015] The cylindrical drum (20) is supported by pulleys (16) that support and guide it in the rotating movement, therefore, it has a power transmission system formed by a geared motor (17) positioned on a bar transverse coupled to a sprocket (14) which is juxtaposed to a mechanical transmission chain (18), preferably a roller chain, interconnected to the sprocket (21) of the cylindrical drum (20) and the pulley (19), located at the side of the geared motor (17) and installed as a chain tensioner (18). However, it should be noted that, alternatively, a flexible material belt can be used instead of a chain (18), such as a timing belt for example; moreover, the pulley (19) can be replaced by a mechanical element composed of toothed wheels, such as a gear. The pulley (19) is coupled to a mechanism that transforms angular movement into linear, that is, with the circular adjustment of the helical element through a suitable tool, the operator can adapt the position of the pulley (19) to the chain (18), as well as performing maintenance on the power transmission system.

[016] The equipment comprises in the cylindrical drum (20) a suspension (24) and barrier (25) fixed by auxiliary metallic elements (28) (29), which are attached to the support frame (13) through a process of union of materials, and allow the suspension (24) and the barrier (25) to be positioned and supported by means of fastening elements. Furthermore, the auxiliary metallic elements (28) together with the auxiliary metallic elements (27) that are positioned above them, fix and support the containment (26) by means of fastening elements, such as screws and nuts. The suspension (24) and the barrier (25) are positioned at both ends of the cylindrical drum (20) due to the fact that the animals are placed in large numbers in the drum, limiting movement and helping to direct them to the compartments (22). The containment (26) in turn, contributes to the birds positioned in the behaviors (22) when being displaced by the circular movement of the drum (20) do not return to the lower region, thus helping the animals to be led to the collection mat (30 ) in an organized and harmonized way. [017] The collector mat (30) is mounted longitudinally in the inner region of the cylindrical drum (20), adjacent to the containment (26), by means of hangers (31) fixed to the frames (13) which also maintain a blocking element ( 32), juxtaposed to the mat (30), which helps the birds that, when passing through the containment (26) with the rotating movement, settle on the mat (30).

[018] The first stage of operation is the feeding of slaughtered birds inside the cylindrical drum (20). These birds are distributed in bulk, from a previous process, being all disorganized. The deposit of animals can be carried out with the cylindrical drum (20) in motion or at rest.

[019] In the second stage, with the activation of the geared motor (17), if at rest, the rotating movement of the cylindrical drum (20) begins at a nominal speed of around 8 rpm, the birds are directed to the compartments (22) closest. These compartments (22) are sized so that only one bird can enter their internal space at a time.

[020] In the third stage of the process, so that the birds that are already accommodated in the compartments (22) do not fall back into the inner region of the cylindrical drum (20), there is containment (26), in semicircular profile that works as a "breast", so the bird rests on the surface of this component.

[021] The containment (26) starts near the lowest part of the drum (20) and ends near its top forming an angle between 90° and 180° degrees. At the end of containment (26) the bird is free to fall again, and this fall is mitigated because a mat (30) is installed near the end of containment (26), which will lead the birds to the subsequent process. Figure 20 demonstrates the unloading of birds in stages.

[022] Finally, the collection mat (30) driven by a gearmotor at a nominal speed of 40 m/min leads the birds to the subsequent process, unitary and paced as shown in Figure 21. It should be noted that this equipment will help in the process of weighing, positioning for packaging and hanging of the birds in the slaughterhouses. The collector conveyor (30) by means of of the equipment will receive the slaughtered birds and already paced in an orderly way in spaces around 400 mm from center to center with the use of the present invention.

[023] It is important to note that the figures and description made do not have the ability to limit the ways of implementing the proposed inventive concept, but to illustrate and make the conceptual innovations revealed in this solution understandable. In this way, the descriptions and images must be interpreted in an illustrative and non-limiting way, and there may be other equivalent or analogous ways of implementing the inventive concept now revealed and that do not deviate from the spectrum of protection outlined in the proposed solution.

Claims

9

1- POULTRY AND SIMILAR SEPARATION EQUIPMENT characterized in that it comprises a structure (10) equipped with supports (12) and support frames (13), which supports a cylindrical drum (20) equipped with a toothed wheel (21), wrapped fillets ( 201) and compartments (22) positioned around the perimeter; said supports (12) being juxtaposed to the structure (11), and which support fastening bearings (15) positioned at the collateral points and which are coupled to pulleys (16) attached to the drum (20); power transmission system formed by a gearmotor (17) coupled to a toothed wheel (14) juxtaposed to a mechanical transmission chain (18), interconnected to the toothed wheel (21) and the pulley (19); cylindrical drum (20) of suspension (24) and barrier (25) are fixed by auxiliary metallic elements (28)(29), attached to the support frame (13), and are positioned and supported by means of fastening elements; and said auxiliary metallic elements (28) together with the auxiliary metallic elements (27) fix and support the containment (26) by means of fastening elements.

2- POULTRY AND SIMILAR SEPARATION EQUIPMENT according to claim 1, and characterized in that the cylindrical drum (20) comprises at least 5 compartments (22) arranged longitudinally in at least two or more rows arranged around the perimeter.

3- EQUIPMENT FOR SEPARATING POULTRY AND SIMILAR according to claim 1, and characterized in that it comprises in the internal region of the cylindrical drum (20) partitioned helical fillets (23).

4- POULTRY AND SIMILAR SEPARATION EQUIPMENT according to claim 1, and characterized by the containment (26) starting close to the lowest part of the drum (20) and ending close to its top forming an angle between 90° and 180° degrees .

5- EQUIPMENT FOR SEPARATING POULTRY AND SIMILAR according to claim 1, and characterized by the collector mat (30) being mounted longitudinally in the inner region of the cylindrical drum (20), adjacent to the containment (26), by means of hangers (31 ) fixed to the frames (13). 6- POULTRY AND SIMILAR SEPARATION EQUIPMENT according to claims 1 and 5, and characterized by having a blocking element (32), juxtaposed to the mat (30), and mounted by means of hangers (31) fixed to the frames (13).

7- POULTRY AND SIMILAR SEPARATION EQUIPMENT according to claim 1, and characterized by the mechanical transmission chain (18) being preferably rollers.

8- POULTRY AND SIMILAR SEPARATION EQUIPMENT according to claim 1, and characterized in that the mechanical transmission chain (18) is replaced by a flexible material belt.

9- EQUIPMENT FOR SEPARATING POULTRY AND SIMILAR according to claims 1 and 8, and characterized in that the belt of flexible material is preferably a timing belt.

10- POULTRY AND SIMILAR SEPARATION EQUIPMENT according to claim 1, and characterized in that the pulley (19) is replaced by a mechanical element composed of toothed wheels.

11 - POULTRY AND SIMILAR SEPARATION METHOD characterized by comprising the steps of: a) feeding the cylindrical drum (20) with slaughtered birds; b) the birds are directed and positioned to the compartments (22) individually by means of the rotating movement; c) the birds accommodated in the compartments (22) pass through the containment (26); d) the birds are distributed on the collection belt (30) and taken to the next subsequent processes.