Abstract:
A poultry chiller  100  has a hanger  140  suspended from the upper portion of the tank  102  that supports the bearing block  160  of the auger shaft  112  between the auger blades. A conical bird deflector  175  is mounted on the auger shaft and radially deflects the birds away from the bearing block as the birds are urged across the bearing block.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE  
       [0001]    This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/336,273, filed Jan. 3, 2003. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to poultry chillers for reducing the temperature of whole birds after the birds have been eviscerated on a poultry processing line. More particularly, the invention relates to a hanger bearing assembly configured to support an auger within the poultry chiller.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    It is desirable to reduce the temperature of chickens and other type poultry after the birds have been processed, or de-feathered, eviscerated, and are otherwise oven-ready and before the birds are packaged for delivery to the retail customer. A conventional poultry chiller  10 , as shown in FIG. 1, is the “auger type” poultry chiller  10  which includes a trough-shaped, half-round tank  12  filled with ice water in which the auger  20  provides positive movement of the birds through the tank  12 . The cooling effect for the water and the bird was originally provided by crushed ice added to the water. The later prior art designs included a counter-flow recirculation of the chilled water through the tank  12 , with water being chilled by a refrigerated heat exchanger  40  instead of ice, as shown in FIG. 2. The water is introduced at one end of the tank  12 , the outlet end  16 , and flows progressively to the other end, the inlet end  14 , where it is recirculated. In the meantime, the birds are continually delivered to the tank  12  and moved under the influence of the auger  20  in the counter-flow direction, and are lifted from the outlet end  16  of the tank  12  for further processing. A prior art poultry chiller of this general type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,000, and the heat exchanger for the water refrigeration system suitable for this purpose is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,470.  
           [0004]    As noted, chilled water is added to the tank  12  at the outlet end  16  of the tank  12 , where the birds have been chilled and are being lifted out of the tank  12 . The water flows against the birds in the opposite direction of movement of the birds, thereby assuring that the birds are always flowing into the cleanest water and that there is always a temperature drop between the temperature of each bird and the temperature of the water about each bird. Typical trough-shaped tanks  12  of the chillers  10  can be 5 to 12 feet in diameter and 15 to 150 feet in length. Frequently, one or more hanger bearings  30  are provided to assist in properly supporting the auger  20 . Typically, the maximum space between hanger bearings  30  is approximately 35 feet.  
           [0005]    As best seen in FIG. 3, the auger  20  is formed in segments and the hanger bearings  30  are located between the auger segments. A typical prior art hanger bearing  30  is supported by a horizontally extending upper structural support element  32  that is mounted at its ends to the sides of the trough and includes a downwardly depending central vertical support  33  and at its lower end an upper plate  31 . A lower plate  34  is mounted to the upper plate and together they form an internal bearing surface (not shown). Typically, the segments of the auger  20  are connected by a horizontal shaft (not shown) which is received within the bearing surface, the bearing surface being sandwiched between the upper plate  31  and the lower plate  34 , thereby transferring the weight of the auger  20  to the horizontally extending upper structural support element  32 . Typically, the diameter of the horizontal shaft is smaller than the diameter of the auger shaft  22 , thereby requiring the bearing surface of the lower plate  34  and the upper plate  3  land the vertical segment  33  of the hanger bearing  30  to be at least partially disposed between segments of the auger shaft  22 . Therefore, the distance separating segments of the auger shaft  22  is limited by the dimensions of these elements. In turn, the distance separating segments of the helical flight structure  21  of the auger  20  is also limited by the dimensions of these elements. As well, because the upper structural support elements  32  typically used to provide support to the auger  20  extend across the tank  12  within the periphery of the helical flight structure  21 , the structural elements  32  similarly dictate the separation required between independent segments of the helical flight structure  21 . Separation between segments of the helical flight structure  21  are frequently on the order of 10 inches or greater.  
           [0006]    One of the problems of existing hanger bearings  30  is that the interruption of the helical blade structure at the intermediate bearing location impedes the forward movement of birds through the poultry chiller. Also, it is possible that some birds will move backwards in the chiller due to the counter flow of water once a bird passes by the trailing edge of a segment of the helical flight structure. Those birds that move backwards about a segment of the helical flight structure require more time than is intended to move from the inlet end to the outlet end of the trough because they traverse the same segment of the chiller more than once. The reverse movement of these birds tends to create, or increase, the size of product surges traveling through the poultry chiller. The surges result in uneven unloading of the birds at the outlet end of the chiller, causing personnel handling the birds at the outlet end of the chiller to either speed up or slow down depending upon the output of birds from the chiller. In some cases, surges can require the addition of extra handling personnel. In those instances where personnel are not available, it is not uncommon for the birds to back up in the chiller discharge chute, causing birds to spill over the sides of the chute and handling tables positioned at the outlet end of the chiller. It is possible to collect these birds prior to spill over and place them in suitable vats and storage containers. However, for those plants that do not have additional handling personnel, or that don&#39;t respond quickly enough to the surges, the birds will frequently fall to the plant floor, leading to lost product and unsanitary conditions.  
           [0007]    Another problem with typical hanger bearings is that the relatively large spacing required between independent segments of the helical flight structure (approximately 10 inches and up) allows birds to remain in the poultry chiller after processing is complete. These birds must be removed by handling personnel prior to cleaning the poultry chiller. Removal of the stranded birds increases the time required to clean the poultry chiller, thereby increasing the down time for cleaning the chiller. As such, fewer birds can be processed through the chiller for each production run. In addition to increased time and expense associated with the clean-up process, expense is incurred due to loss of product at the hanger bearing. Longer chillers require more hanger bearings to support the auger, thereby resulting in more frequent surging and increase product loss.  
           [0008]    From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that it would be desirable to have a hanger bearing assembly for use with a poultry chiller that permits minimum horizontal displacement between segments of the helical flight structure. As well, it would be desirable if the hanger bearing assembly permitted spacing between the segments of the helical flight structure such that birds were prevented from moving through the chiller counter to their intended direction. Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    Briefly described, this invention involves a poultry chiller that includes a hanger bearing assembly for use in supporting a segmented auger of an auger type poultry chiller.  
           [0010]    The novel hanger bearing assembly allows smaller gaps to be formed between the segments of the auger. The smaller gap between the auger segments reduces the tendency of birds moving from the first auger blade to the second auger blade to be deflected rearwardly in a direction counter to that intended.  
           [0011]    Another feature is a bird deflector that is positioned at the end of a first auger blade that radially urges the birds about the hanger bearing assembly so as to avoid the birds encountering the bearing assembly and avoid the birds being hindered by the bearing assembly in their travels along the tank of the chiller.  
           [0012]    An embodiment of the hanger bearing assembly for use in an auger type poultry chiller has an auger with a first flight and a second flight both secured about an auger shaft, the first auger flight having a first flange plate and the second flight having a second flange plate. A bearing disk is secured between the first flange plate and the second flange plate. A bearing block is disposed about the bearing disk, a lower bearing plate is secured to the poultry chiller, and the lower bearing plate has a support segment configured to receive the bearing block. An upper bearing plate is configured to receive the bearing block. The upper bearing plate is secured to the lower bearing plate, thereby maintaining the bearing block adjacent the bearing disk and securing the auger to the lower bearing plate.  
           [0013]    An embodiment of the bird deflector is a conically shaped bird deflector positioned co-axially on the auger shaft with its smaller end portion facing the on-coming birds and the bird entrance end of the tank and its larger end portion positioned closely adjacent the auger bearing assembly to gently guide the girds about the bearing assembly.  
           [0014]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present hanger bearing assembly will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the hanger bearing assembly, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The hanger bearing assembly can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the hanger bearing assembly. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art poultry chiller.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a side elevation cut-away view of a prior art poultry chiller.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a segment of the prior art poultry chiller shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of a poultry chiller including an embodiment of a hanger bearing assembly according to the present invention, as viewed from the inlet end of the poultry chiller.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4B is a partial top view of a segment of the poultry chiller as shown in FIG. 4A.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4C is a partial perspective top view of the poultry chiller as shown in FIG. 4A.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5A is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the poultry chiller as shown in FIG. 4A, taken along line V-V.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5B is a perspective cross sectional view of the circled segment of the poultry chiller shown in FIG. 5A, shown in greater detail.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of a poultry chiller including an embodiment of a hanger bearing assembly according to the present invention, as viewed from the outlet end of the poultry chiller.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6B is a partial top view of a segment of the poultry chiller as shown in FIG. 6A.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 7 is a side view of the bearing assembly and the conical bird deflector.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bearing assembly and the conical bird deflector.  
         [0028]    Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the hanger bearing assembly as illustrated in the drawings. While the hanger bearing assembly will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit the hanger bearing assembly to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the hanger bearing assembly as defined by the appended claims. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0029]    Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 4A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the poultry chiller  100  as viewed from the inlet end. The poultry chiller  100  includes a semi-cylindrical water reservoir, or tank  102 , a support member  104  connected to the tank  102 , and an auger  110  supported at opposing ends by the tank  102 .  
         [0030]    The auger  110  is positioned longitudinally in the tank  102 . An electric motor or other conventional power means (not shown) is provided to rotate the auger  110 . The auger  110  includes an auger shaft  112  and a helical blade structure formed around the shaft  112 . As shown in FIG. 4B, the auger shaft  112  includes at least a first auger shaft segment  114  and a second auger shaft segment  116 . The helical blade structure includes a first flight segment  120  formed around the first auger shaft segment  114  and a second flight segment  122  formed around the second auger shaft segment  116 . Providing independent segments of the auger  110  in this fashion is necessitated by the need to provide support for the auger  110  at various points along its length. Support is provided to the auger  110  at the central locations by hanger bearing assemblies  140  constructed in accordance with the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which is shown in FIGS. 4A-4C. A preferred embodiment of a hanger bearing assembly  140 , according to the present invention, includes a lower bearing plate  142 , an upper bearing plate  144 , a bearing disk  150 , and an O-shaped bearing block  160 .  
         [0031]    Referring now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the first auger shaft segment  114  and the second auger shaft segment  116  are provided with a first flange plate  124  and a second flange plate  126 , respectively, as a means for connecting the first and second auger shaft segments  114 ,  116 . In the preferred embodiment shown, the bearing disk  150  is a circular plate-like structure having a bearing surface  151  formed around its outer periphery. The bearing disk  150  is coupled between the first flange plate  124  and the second flange plate  126  using threaded fasteners, thereby securing the first auger shaft segment  114  to the second auger shaft segment  116 . Preferably, the bearing disk  150  includes a coupling aperture  152  that is arranged and configured to axially align with a first coupling recess  128  and a second coupling recess  130  disposed in the first flange plate  124  and the second flange plate  126 , respectively. Proper axial alignment of the first auger shaft segment  114  and the second auger shaft segment  116  is accomplished by disposing a coupling shaft  154  in the coupling aperture  152  as well as the first and second coupling recesses  128 ,  130 . Note, the coupling aperture  152 , coupling shaft  154 , and the first and second coupling recesses  128  and  130 , merely provide assistance in adequately aligning the first auger shaft segment  114  with the second auger shaft segment  116 , and are therefore not required elements for all embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0032]    Referring back to FIG. 4C, the lower bearing plate  142  extends radially outwardly from the auger shaft  112  toward the support member  104  that is connected to the tank  102 . The lower bearing plate  142  is secured to the support member by any adequate means, such as welding, threaded fasteners, etc. Note, the support member  104  is arranged and configured so as not to be disposed between the first flight segment  120  and second flight segment  122 , as best shown in FIG. 4A. As such, the support member  104  does not factor into the required lateral spacing between the first flight segment  120  and the second flight segment  122 . The lower bearing plate  142  includes a support segment  146  configured to receive a first half  162  of the bearing block  160 . Preferably, the support segment  146  extends beyond a vertical center line of the auger shaft  112  such that the weight of the auger  110  can be supported by the lower bearing plate  142  without the use of the upper bearing plate  144 . As such, the support segment  146  assists personnel during installation of the auger  110  into the poultry chiller  100 . However, embodiments of the hanger bearing assembly  140  are envisioned wherein the support segment  146  does not extend beyond the vertical center line of the auger shaft  112 . The second half  164  of the bearing block  160  is secured in the lower bearing plate  144  adjacent to the bearing surface  151  of the bearing disk  150  with the upper bearing plate  144 . As shown, the bearing block includes a U-shaped channel  166  to assist in positioning the bearing block  160  on the lower and upper bearing plates  142 ,  144 . Preferably, the upper bearing plate  144  is secured to the lower bearing plate  142  with threaded fasteners.  
         [0033]    Preferred embodiments of the present hanger bearing assembly  140  can include bearing disks  150  having widths of approximately two inches and lower bearing plates  142  and upper bearing plates  144  having widths of approximately one inch. Although these dimensions have been determined to provide an adequate area of contact between the bearing disk  150  and the bearing block  160 , embodiments are envisioned wherein these dimensions vary significantly. For example, these dimensions are influenced by the weight of the auger  110  that each bearing assembly  140  is required to support. Also note, as the diameter of the bearing disk  150  increases, a constant amount of contact area can be maintained although the width of the bearing disk  150  is reduced in the longitudinal direction. Reduced bearing disk  150  width translates into reduced longitudinal spacing between the first and second flight segments  120 ,  122 .  
         [0034]    A preferred embodiment is shown in FIGS. 4B, 5B, and  6 B and includes a bird deflector  175  for urging the birds radially about the auger bearing assembly  140 . As shown best in FIG. 4B, the bird deflector can be conical, is mounted on the auger shaft  114  with its axis co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the auger shaft, with its smaller end portion facing the bird entrance end of the tank and the on-coming birds, and its larger end portion placed adjacent the auger shaft bearing. The larger end portion of the conical bird deflector is substantially the same diameter or breadth as the diameter or breadth of the auger shaft bearing assembly. The bird deflector rotates in unison with the auger shaft and urges any birds moving near the auger shaft about the auger shaft bearing, avoiding any interruption of movement of the birds by the bearing. While this embodiment of the bird deflector is conical, other shapes may be used as long as they function to guide or “deflect” birds about the shaft bearing as described hereinafter.  
       OPERATION  
       [0035]    As previously noted, FIG. 4A is a cross section of a poultry chiller  100  as viewed from the inlet end. As shown, the poultry chiller  100  is referred to as a right hand chiller in that the majority of birds will travel the length of the chiller down the right hand side as viewed from the inlet end. For the auger  110  configuration shown, this is achieved by rotating the auger  110  in a counter clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4A. Preferably, the hanger bearing assembly  140  is therefore disposed on the left hand side of the poultry chiller  100  to avoid impeding movement of the birds within the poultry chiller  100 .  
         [0036]    Referring now to FIG. 6A, a cross-sectional view of a poultry chiller  100 , as viewed from the outlet end, is shown. In contrast to the poultry chiller  100  shown in FIG. 4A, the poultry chiller shown in FIG. 6A is a left handed poultry chiller, meaning the majority of birds will travel the length of the poultry chiller  100  on the left hand side, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 6B. This is achieved by imparting a clockwise rotation on the auger  110 , the direction of rotation being determined as viewed from the inlet end. As FIG. 6A depicts a view of the poultry chiller  100  from the outlet end, the arrow appears to indicate a counter clockwise rotation. Dashed line  170  indicates a typical water level maintained within the poultry chiller  100  during operation. During operation, the surfaces of the first flight segment  120  and second flight segment  122  disposed toward the outlet end of the poultry chiller  100  make contact with the birds, thereby urging the birds toward the outlet end of the poultry chiller  100 . As shown in FIG. 6A, ideally the birds  172  remain below the surface of the water  170  during their entire transit of the poultry chiller  100 . However, it is possible that a bird  174  may be raised out of the water  170  due to frictional forces between the bird  174  and the surface of the auger  110 . In such cases, it is desirable that the bird  174  drop back below the surface of the water  170  without damage. Therefore, to prevent potentially shearing the bird between the leading edge  125  of the second flight segment  122  and the front edge  143  of the lower bearing plate  142 , the front edge  143  is both disposed to the non-poultry side of the chiller, or right hand side in the case of a left hand chiller, and angled so as not to form a scissor-like cutting surface with the leading edge  125  of the second flight segment  122 .  
         [0037]    As shown in FIG. 6B, preferred embodiments of the present hanger bearing assembly  140  reduce the distance  127  between the trailing edge  123  of the first flight segment  120  and the leading edge  125  of the second flight segment  122 . The reduced distance  127  between adjacent flight segments  120 ,  122  associated with preferred embodiments of the present hanger bearing assembly  140  ensure that the birds traveling through the poultry chiller  100 , whether above or below the water surface  170 , will not be able to travel counter to their intended direction through the chiller  100 . Therefore, preferred embodiments of the hanger bearing assembly  140  prevent both surging of the birds as well as lost product due to birds remaining in the poultry chiller  100  after operations have ceased.  
         [0038]    The bird deflector  175  assists the smooth transition of the birds across the auger shaft bearing assembly  140 , so that the hazard of the movement of the birds travelling adjacent the auger shaft being interrupted by the bearing is reduced. The cone-shaped bird deflector is built on the upstream side of the auger shaft bearing and causes the birds to be moved outwardly from the hanger bearing mounting plates, thereby eliminating the likelihood of the birds riding the side of the auger shaft and running into the hanger bearing plate and being picked up by the end of the auger flight and flipped over the auger shaft instead of passing through the bearing area normally. The bird deflector cone is integral to the auger. The auger flight extends through the cone area and expands outwardly to substantially the same breadth as the breadth of the auger shaft bearing to guide the birds about the hanger bearing without interruption in the movement of the birds.  
         [0039]    It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present hanger bearing assembly  140 , particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the hanger bearing assembly  140 . Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the hanger bearing assembly  140  without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the hanger bearing assembly  140 . All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure of the hanger bearing assembly  140  and protected by the following claims.