Patent ID: 9717256
Date: 2017-08-01
CPC Classifications: A22B,A22C,A23B,B65G,F25D,F28F

Claim:
1. A poultry chiller comprising: an elongated tank; an auger rotatably held lengthwise in the tank and defining a longitudinal axis, the auger comprising: a coupling shaft coupling a first coupling end of the first auger shaft and an adjacent second coupling end of the second auger shaft; and a hanger bearing assembly comprising a bearing assembly supporting the coupling shaft, a support member coupled to an upper portion of the tank, and a hanger extending between the bearing assembly and the support member; wherein the first auger flight overhangs the first coupling end of the first auger shaft and the second auger flight overhangs the second coupling end of the second auger shaft; wherein a pitch or axial length between the first and second auger flights across the hanger bearing assembly is greater than a pitch of each of the first and second helical portions of the first and second auger flights.