Butchering – Support
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-16
2002-09-17
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Butchering
Support
Reexamination Certificate
active
06450873
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and device for processing a slaughtered bird which is hung by its legs from a hook of a moving conveyor. Methods and devices of this nature are generally known.
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
A special processing operation carried out on a slaughtered and eviscerated bird is a partial processing operation in which an automatic or semi-automatic processing device is used to obtain bird parts which are each of substantially identical weight or contain an equal amount of meat, irrespective of the body part (such as breast, wing, thigh, drumstick) which the bird part comprises. Since the amount of meat per bird part is relatively limited, the division must be carried out as accurately and reproducibly as possible, in order to keep differences in weight or amount of meat between the different bird parts within predetermined limits. A division which satisfies this requirement can only be carried out if the bird is accurately positioned in the processing device. The known methods and devices are not entirely satisfactory with regard to this point.
EP-B-0,033,177 describes a device for dividing a bird into nine parts, each of substantially the same weight. To this end, the bird has to be manually arranged on a positioning support which acts on the bird at the location of the ankle joints and the wings, and also supports the bird at the sides of the body, the top of the thighs, behind the spinal column and on the back. Then, various blades are used to automatically cut through the carcass, the breast and a first wing being cut off successively, and then a body longitudinal-halving cut being made, the other wing and the complete legs being cut off, and the drumsticks being cut free from the thighs.
A drawback of the device described in EP-B-0,033,177 is that it is not suitable for picking up and processing birds which have been supplied in a conveyor, such as an overhead suspension conveyor, without human intervention; the birds have to be arranged manually on the positioning supports. Furthermore, the bird is not optimally positioned on the positioning support.
EP-A-0,545,040 describes a device for cutting off a breast part of a bird, the wings already having been removed from the bird. The bird is hung by its legs from a hook and is internally supported by means of a mandrel which substantially fills the body cavity and causes the breast of the bird to project outwardly by exerting pressure on the ribs of the chest. On the outside of the carcass, there is a pivotable retention plate which interacts with an opposite surface of the mandrel and, on the side which is to face the mandrel, comprises a projection which clamps the clavicle of the bird against the mandrel. The retention plate also supports the shoulders of the bird. After the bird has been fixed in position in this way, firstly a stationary blade is used to make a transverse guide cut, at an angle to the carcass surface, in the abdomen of the bird, between the pelvis and the breastbone. Then, a rotating blade is used to make a transverse cut, at an angle to the carcass surface, in the breast of the bird, in order to separate the breast from the neck, shoulders and upper back of the bird. Finally, in the path of the transverse guide cut, a second cut is made with a rotating blade, in order to separate the breast from the pelvis and the lower back of the bird.
A drawback of the device according to EP-A-0,545,040 is that it is necessary for a voluminous mandrel to be introduced into the body cavity of the bird in order to make the desired cuts, but the positioning of the breast of the bird is not optimum for a cut/cuts to be made, as a result of the breast being supported by the mandrel in the area of the ribs. Also, since the positioning of the breast is not optimum, asymmetric breast parts are often cut off, which are increasingly unacceptable for purchasers of the breast pieces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to improve the positioning of the bird, in particular of its breast, in order for breast-related processing operations to be carried out. It is also an object to optimize the breast cut(s).
A further object of the invention is to optimize the way in which the wings and the legs of the bird are cut off.
Another object of the invention is to provide the option for the division of the bird to take place completely automatically.
In order for one or more of the above-mentioned objects to be achieved, the method according to the invention for carrying out at least one processing operation on a slaughtered bird which is hung by its legs comprises the steps: providing a conveyor with at least one hook for hanging and conveying the bird; providing a processing device with a processing area for carrying out the at least one processing operation on the bird; using the conveyor to convey the bird towards and into the processing area of the processing device; positioning the bird in the processing area of the processing device by externally supporting the bird at at least two locations, selected from the group of locations which comprises the back, the sternum, the area of the clavicle, the wings and the sides of the bird; and carrying out the at least one processing operation in the processing device in the area of the breast of the bird.
Alternatively, the step of positioning the bird in the method according to the invention comprises the step of internally supporting the bird on that side of the sternum which faces towards the abdominal cavity of the bird.
In the two ways mentioned above, it is possible to obtain a very accurate, stable and reproducible positioning of the bird for a wide variety of breast-related processing operations, such as: cutting off part of the breast; removing the skin from the breast; deboning the breast; dividing the carcass into a front half and a rear half; separating the wings from the carcass; and injecting a substance into the breast.
An additional processing operation for a breast-related processing operation is, for example, making a transverse incision in the abdomen below the sternum. In this case, use is preferably made of a sternum support element which acts on that side of the sternum which is directed towards the abdominal cavity of the bird, in the area of the free end of the trabecula mediana. Since this part of the sternum is accessible to the sternum support element from the outside of the bird, this is regarded as external support of the bird. The sternum support element, which may, for example, comprise a guide rail which extends in the path of the sternum, ensures that during the transverse incision the sternum is kept out of the path of the cutting means used, such as a rotating knife.
A similar external sternum support element in the form of a guide which extends in the path of the sternum can be used for cutting off part of the breast, comprising part of the trabecula mediana and each trabecula intermedia. This sternum support element also preferably acts on the sternum in the area of the free end of the trabecula mediana.
Preferably, another sternum support element is introduced into the abdominal cavity of the bird from a neck opening or drawing opening of the bird which has been made in an earlier processing stage, in order to reach the desired location in the area of the sternum, in particular the area of the rostrum sterni or the area of the ventricle.
In a preferred embodiment, the latter sternum support element comprises an arm which can move in a controllable manner, a free end of the arm being adapted to engage the side of the sternum facing the abdominal cavity. In order to make it easier to introduce the sternum support element into the body of the slaughtered animal, a first part of the arm may be pivotably connected to a second part of the arm, in which case the first part can be oriented, in a controllable manner, both substantially in line with the second part and at an angle with respect thereto, for example an angle of substantially 90°.
In an expedient embodiment, the means for positio
van den Nieuwelaar Adrianus J.
van der Steen Franciscus T. H. J.
van Happen Francis W. J.
Johnson Kristin L.
Kilpatrick & Stockton
Pratt John S.
Price Thomas
Stork PMT B.V.
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