Patent ID: 6830508
Filing Date: 2004-12-14
Classification: A22C

Abstract:
A shackle assembly for transporting poultry carcasses along a poultry processing line, comprising:a shackle having a support rod with a first end for upright suspension from a suspended conveyor line and a second end for suspension below said first end, said second end including stirrups mounted thereto and configured for supporting the legs of a poultry carcass, a turning block non-rotatably mounted to said support rod, a lock gear having lock gear teeth non-rotatably mounted to said support rod, a lock collar having lock collar teeth rotatably mounted to said support rod, said lock gear teeth and said lock collar teeth being of complementary shape that lock together in response to said lock gear and said lock collar moving with respect to each other along said support rod, said lock collar including a guide for engagement by a track extending along the conveyor line for maintaining said lock collar teeth in a non-rotatable condition with respect to the processing line as the shackle moves along the processing line, and for moving said lock gear teeth and said lock collar teeth with respect to each other along the length of said support rod, so that said shackle is locked in a non-rotatable condition with respect to the processing line by the engagement of the lock gear teeth and the lock collar teeth and is released from the non-rotatable condition when the lock gear teeth and lock collar teeth are separated.