Butchering – Support – Carcass or portion suspended
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-27
2001-05-15
Little, Willis (Department: 3643)
Butchering
Support
Carcass or portion suspended
C452S163000, C452S179000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231436
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The invention relates to a method of uniformly positioning disjointed legs of slaughtered poultry, suspended by the ankles from the hooks of an overhead conveyor.
The Dutch patent application 1,002,881 in the name of the present assignee describes among other things a method of boning a leg of slaughtered poultry. In accordance with this known method, the leg is stretched out and the meat is stripped from the proximal end to the distal end of the leg. In order to be able to perform this known method, it is essential that the legs are delivered uniformly positioned. Only if the legs are uniformly positioning, is it possible to perform the method using an apparatus of the kind which is also described in said patent application.
Until now the uniform positioning of the legs has usually been carried out manually. However this requires many work hands, involving high costs while at the same time, this manual positioning is unpleasant and tedious work.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method whereby legs of slaughtered poultry can be uniformly positioned in a simple manner. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
To this end the method according to the invention is characterized by at least the following steps:
a. rotating the legs in relation to the hooks of the overhead conveyor in such a way that their knees point sideways in relation to a vertical plane passing through the overhead conveyor;
b. subsequently rotating the legs in relation to the hooks such that all the knees either point in the direction of transport or in the opposite direction thereto.
Initially, the delivered disjointed legs of slaughtered poultry suspended from the hooks of an overhead conveyor are randomly positioned for rotation. During the first step of the method according to the invention this random rotation position is changed to a position in which the knees are pointed sideways in relation to said vertical plane (generally this is a vertical plane through the suspension point of the ankle). Basically two different positions are possible, namely pointing in the two opposite directions perpendicular to said vertical plane. Departing from these two defined positions, the second step of the method subsequently comprises a rotation of the legs in order to direct the knees in the direction of transport or in the opposite direction, respectively. It will be preferred to choose a second step in which all knees end up pointing in the direction of transport. In this final position the legs can be conveyed to an apparatus known as such, for stripping off the meat. All legs will be fed uniformly into such an apparatus and will assume a uniform position therein.
Legs that are delivered in the hooks of an overhead conveyor, are often lodged firmly in said hooks. Frequently it is not easily possible to rotate the legs in relation to said hooks. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the method, the above-mentioned step (a.) of the method according to the invention is preceded by a step in which the legs are slightly lifted off the hooks of the overhead conveyor. Such lifting will cause the legs to hang on the hooks more loosely, thereby facilitating rotation.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for uniformly positioning disjointed legs of slaughtered poultry suspended from the hooks of an overhead conveyor. Said apparatus is characterized in that
a. first means are provided for rotating the legs in relation to the hooks of the overhead conveyor in such a way that their knees point sideways in relation to a vertical plane passing through the overhead conveyor;
b. second means are provided for subsequently rotating the legs in relation to the hooks such that all the knees either point in the direction of transport or in the opposite direction thereto.
With the aid of the first means, said rotation into one of the two positions pointing sideways is effected. The two subsequent means then ensure that the knees of the legs end up pointing in the direction of transport or in the opposite direction thereto.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, the first means constitute a substantially horizontal plate extending under the overhead conveyor, positioned at a distance below the hooks such that the legs transported by the overhead conveyor touch the plate and are dragged over it in such a manner that their knees are rotated into a sideways position. Legs transported by the overhead conveyor touch said plate and are dragged over said plate in a strongly sloping position. The legs consist of a lower leg and a thigh forming an angle at the knee joint. Due to the leg dragging over the plate and the leg's angled configuration, the influence of its own weight, causes the leg to be rotated in the hook of the overhead conveyor in such a manner that its knee is pointed sideways, i.e. substantially perpendicular to the overhead conveyor's direction of transport. Depending on the original position of the respective leg in the hook, this rotation may take place in one or the other direction, as a result of which the leg after passing said first means, may point into the one or the opposite sideways direction.
In respect of the second means, the possibility exists in a preferred embodiment, that they comprise a first direction check for rotating from the sideways pointing position to a position pointing into the direction of transport only those legs whose knees, after passing the first means, point sideways into a first direction, and a second direction check for the corresponding rotation of only those legs which, after passing the first means, point sideways into a second, opposite direction. The first direction check will only engage those legs which after passing the first means point sideways in a first direction. The second direction check, on the other hand, will only engage those legs which after passing the first means point sideways in the second, opposite direction.
In this connection, it is further preferred that the first and second direction checks are situated next to the course to be followed by the legs, and that at least one of said direction checks can be swivelled counter to a spring force away from said vertical plane. After passing the first means, the knees of the legs are pointed sideways, and as a result they project, as it were, outside of a vertical plane extending through the course followed by the legs. However, the thighs of the legs project even more in the opposite direction. For this reason the first and second direction check may be positioned next to said course to be followed, thereby allowing the legs to pass the direction checks, while said direction checks are nevertheless able to engage the legs.
The reason for opting for at least one of said direction checks being able to swivel counter to the spring force is in the first place to optimally take into account the form of the ankles by which the legs are suspended in the hooks of the overhead conveyor. After all, said ankles have joint knuckles which greatly impede a rotation in the one direction while hardly or not at all impeding a rotation in the other direction. It is therefore to advantage if the very direction checks that are supposed to effect the rotation of the leg in the direction impeded by the ankle, are able to engage the legs with some force. In this respect the spring force is of advantage. The rest of the direction checks may be stationary components because in principle, the gravitational force and the resulting reaction force of said direction checks exerted on the legs suffice to effect the desired rotation of the legs in the hooks. In the second place it is then possible to allow for the different leg sizes (thickness and degree of lateral projections with respect to said vertical plane), without losing the efficacy of said direction check.
Usually the
Dority & Manning
Little Willis
Meyn Food Processing Technology B.V.
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