Animal husbandry – Animal controlling or handling – Animal relocating – loading or unloading
Patent
1993-06-17
1994-11-08
Swiatek, Robert P.
Animal husbandry
Animal controlling or handling
Animal relocating, loading or unloading
A01K 2900
Patent
active
053617274
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to poultry harvesters.
GB Patent 2205917 (National Research Development Corporation) discloses poultry harvesters in which a conveyor belt transfers birds from a poultry-handling assembly at the front of the harvester to an end location at the back of the harvester.
In harvesters of this type, the poultry-handling assembly comprises two inwardly and outwardly counter-rotating poultry pick-up rotors arranged side-by-side with a continuous array of flexible bird-engaging guide elements on each rotor, abutting and/or intermeshing with the guide elements on the other rotor. The pick-up rotors at the front of the harvester function to pick up birds from the floor and transfer them into the harvester.
Stationary walls flank the sides of the conveyor tn order to prevent the escape of the birds travelling along the conveyor, and it is known to have barrier combs extending from the side walls of the conveyor to interdigitate with the guide elements of the pick-up rotors. These combs ensure that the birds are removed from the poultry-handling assembly onto the conveyor. If these combs were not fitted, there would be a possibility of the birds continuing round the pick-up rotors and being ejected from the sides of the pick-up rotors.
The combs used to date consist of columns of straight rigid teeth which point forwardly into the associated pick-up rotors and are positioned accurately between the rows of flexible guide elements projecting from the cores of the rotors. The distal ends of the teeth end as close as possible to the cores of the rotors. It is a drawback of this design, however, that if the comb teeth become out of position so that they will no longer function correctly, the birds can become trapped between the pick-up rotors and the side walls, resulting tn the blockage of the machine and the likelihood of injury to the birds. Similar problems can occur when pick-up rotors are used at the rear of the harvester to discharge birds from the conveyor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a poultry harvester comprising two counter-rotating poultry pick-up rotors, arranged side-by-side with a continuous array of flexible bird-engaging guide elements supported by core portions on each rotor, abutting and/or intermeshing with similar guide elements on the other rotor, a conveyor for transferring the birds to or from the pick-up rotors, stationary side walls flanking both sides of the conveyor, and barrier means extending away from the side walls to interdigitate with the rotor guide elements and at least in part embrace the cores of the rotors so as to prevent birds from being pulled between the side walls and said cores.
The barrier means completely encircle the rotor cores. The number of barrier means embracing the rotors will depend upon the size of the birds being harvested. Preferably, when the harvester is intended for harvesting broilers, the guide elements are arranged tn rows and there is at least one such barrier means extending at least between every third, preferably every alternate, and more preferably every row of guide elements.
The barrier means are provided by loops of metal, plastics and/or any other suitable material, e.g. rubber loops extending from the side walls around the adjacent rotor cores. The pick-up rotors may be located at the front and/or back ends of the harvester.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will now be shown, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1 and 2 are plan and side views of a broiler harvester according to the present invention;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are more detailed side and perspective views of a preferred form of the harvester front end; and
FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a preferred form of rotor used in the harvester pick-up head and discharge assemblies of FIGS. 1 to 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a mobile bird-harvester 10, in accordance
REFERENCES:
patent: 2928225 (1960-03-01), Spencer
patent: 4508062 (1985-04-01), Berry et al.
patent: 4513689 (1985-04-01), Berry et al.
patent: 4860529 (1989-08-01), Peterson et al.
patent: 4900292 (1990-02-01), Berry et al.
British Technology Group Limited
Swiatek Robert P.
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