Poultry processing line

A poultry processing line with a conveying track and can include at least one carriage movable in the conveying track. Wheels on opposite sides of the carriage are mounted on an axle guided through a shaft or bore of the carriage, and are movable along supports for the respective wheels on opposite sides of the conveying track. The shaft or bore has a convex inner top surface and convex inner bottom surface as seen in the shaft or bore's longitudinal direction.

PRIORITY STATEMENT

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Dutch Application No. 2015494, filed Sep. 23, 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to a poultry processing line provided with a conveying track having at least one carriage or structure movable in the conveying track.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional poultry processing line is known from practice including a poultry processing line provided with a conveying track having a carriage movable in the conveying track. Such may be used for instance in a line wherein the supports for respective wheels of the carriage are mounted on weighing scales. The carriage or structure moving with the wheels rolling over the supports can then be measured and the weight of the poultry or poultry parts suspended or supported by the carriage can be derived from that measurement.

For accurate measuring of the weight of the poultry or poultry parts, it may be important that the carriage or structure is perfectly level. In practice, this can be problematic because a perfectly level carriage or structure requires that the supports for the wheels are perfectly level. To ensure that the supports for the wheels are perfectly level and remain perfectly level, high installation costs followed by intensive maintenance and correspondingly high maintenance costs are incurred.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one exemplary aspect, it is an object of the invention to circumvent the necessity of ensuring that the supports are always perfectly level, while still ensuring that the carriage itself will be level when it moves over the supports of the conveyor line.

In another exemplary aspect, it is another object of the invention to make the processing line less sensitive to maintenance without compromising the accuracy of the orientation and positioning of the carriage moving along the supports of the conveyor line.

In general, the subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to a poultry processing line provided with a conveying track and including at least one carriage or structure movable in the conveying track. Poultry or poultry parts are suspendable or supportable by the carriage or structure. The carriage or structure is provided with wheels on opposite sides of the carriage or structure that are mounted on an axle guided through a shaft or bore of the carriage or structure, and are movable along supports for the respective wheels on opposite sides of the conveying track so as to move the carriage or structure along the conveying track.

In a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, the shaft or bore of the processing line has a convex inner top surface and convex inner bottom surface as seen in the shaft or bore's longitudinal direction. This provides room for the axle guided through the shaft or bore to assume a slightly slanting position in the shaft or bore when it's wheels are resting on the supports on opposite sides of the conveyor line, while at the same time this ensures that the carriage will assume a perfectly level orientation with respect to the horizon under the influence of gravity.

In another exemplary aspect, preferably the bottom and top surfaces of the shaft or bore each have an apex at the shaft or bore's center. This arranges for a construction wherein the axle can enjoy on both sides or on both extremities of the shaft or bore a predefined amount of play exactly meeting the requirements of the case.

In another exemplary embodiment, the shaft or bore has a cross-sectional area in the middle of the shaft or bore that is circular, and a cross-sectional area on opposite extremities of the shaft or bore that is oval so as to provide the axle with the required play at the extremities of the shaft or bore.

The use of identical or similar reference numerals in different figures denotes identical or similar features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For purposes of describing the invention, reference now will be made in detail to embodiments and/or methods of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in or with the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features or steps illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, can be used with another embodiment or steps to yield a still further embodiments or methods. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

FIG. 1relates to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention wherein a carriage21is movable in a poultry processing line and wherein the carriage21follows a conveying track of this processing line. The processing line as such is not shown inFIG. 1because such is not relevant to the understanding of the invention. Regardless, an exemplary processing line is illustrated in connection with another embodiment of the invention to be referred to hereinafter with reference toFIGS. 2-7. In a manner known to the skilled person and therefore also not further shown in thisFIG. 1for not being relevant to the understanding of the invention, poultry or poultry parts are suspendable or supportable by the carriage21.FIGS. 2-7, however, do illustrate an exemplary suspended poultry. Suspended poultry parts could also be shown.

The carriage21is provided with wheels22on opposite sides of the carriage21that are mounted on an axle23(having longitudinal axis LAO guided through a shaft or bore24of the carriage21. The carriage21is movable along supports25for the respective wheels22, which supports25are placed on opposite sides of a conveying track of the processing line so as to enable moving the carriage21along the conveying track.

In an exemplary aspect of the invention, the shaft or bore24of the carriage21has a convex inner top surface24′ and a convex inner bottom surface24″ as seen in the longitudinal direction L of the shaft or bore24. This is preferably embodied such that the bottom and top surfaces24′,24″ of the shaft or bore24have an apex26and26′ at the shaft or bore's center, wherein more preferably the shaft or bore24has a cross-sectional area in the middle of the shaft or bore24that is circular, and a cross-sectional area on opposite extremities27′,27″ of the shaft or bore24that is oval so as to provide the axle23with play at the extremities of the shaft or bore24. In still another exemplary aspect, the distance D′ along vertical direction V between bottom and top surfaces24′,24″ at apexes26and26′ is less than the distance D″ along vertical direction V between bottom and top surfaces24′,24″ at extremities27′,27″.

This will be explained further in the following with reference to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention making reference toFIGS. 2-7in which a structure according to exemplary embodiments of the invention is applied that forms part of a carrier for moving poultry or poultry parts along a conveying track of a processing line.

With reference to the second exemplary embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 2, 3 and 4, an exemplary conveyor line1for poultry2suspended by the legs3is shown. The conveyor line1is provided with at least one carrier4for the poultry2. The carrier4includes a carriage5for moving the poultry2or poultry parts along a conveying direction of the conveyor line1, as indicated with arrow A inFIG. 2andFIG. 4. The carrier4is arranged with a vertical rotatable rod6that is pivotably suspended from the carriage5at hinge18. This rotatable rod6is provided with a sideways extending arm7for adjusting an orientation of the poultry2or poultry parts with reference to the carriage5that is movable in the conveyor line1.

The sideways extending arm7can be used for moving the poultry2aside and away from the conveying track of the conveyor line1to bypass processing means positioned in or along the track of the conveyor line1. The arm7is at a position distant from the first rod6, at which is also provided a hinge8. A second rod9pivotably connects to the hinge8by means of an intermediate connection piece or structure10that sideways extends from the second rod9. This can also be seen inFIG. 5andFIG. 6.

FIGS. 5 and 6further provide a clear picture of a feature in which the first rod6is provided with a stop11or stops for the intermediate connection piece or structure10. Such stop11or stops prevent structure10and the second rod9connected thereto from swinging to a position below the stop11. Accordingly,FIG. 5shows that this feature arranges that the structure10comes to rest on the stops11so that when the structure10abuts against the stop11or stops, the second rod9substantially extends in the longitudinal direction of the first rod6or e.g., first and second rods6and9are substantially collinear. The figures further show that the hook or hooks12for suspending the poultry2are provided at a lower end9′ of the second rod9.

When the structure10is lifted from the stop11or stops of the first rod6, this enables an accurate measurement of the weight of the poultry2attached to the hook or hooks12at the lower end9′ of the second rod9. BothFIGS. 4 and 6show that the weight measurement is preferably carried out with weighing scales13placed in or next to the track of the conveyor line1, wherein the intermediate structure10is provided with a supporting wheel or wheels14adjacent to the second rod9that are arranged to cooperate with the supporting surfaces13′ of the weighing scales13. Accordingly, the wheels14transfer the load of the poultry2suspended by the legs3in the hooks12of the carrier4directly on the top surface13′ of the weighing scales13.

It will be clear fromFIGS. 2 through 4but in particular from the detail view ofFIG. 7AandFIG. 7Bthat, for this exemplary embodiment, the carrier4preferably has two wheels14on opposite sides of the second rod9wherein the wheels14are mounted on an axle15passing through a shaft or bore16in the structure10. Axle15has a longitudinal body axis LA2. According to an exemplary aspect of the invention, the shaft or bore16has convex bottom and top surfaces16′,16″. The bottom and top surfaces16′,16″ of the shaft or bore preferably each have an apex17,17′ at the center of the shaft or bore16coinciding with a longitudinal body axis of the second rod9. In an exemplary aspect of the invention, the distance D′ along vertical direction V between bottom and top surfaces16′,16″ at apexes17and17′ is less than the distance D″ along vertical direction V between bottom and top surfaces17,17′ at extremities19′,19″. For example, shaft or bore24may have a cross-sectional area in the middle of the shaft or bore16(near apexes17and17′) that is circular, and a cross-sectional area on opposite extremities19′,19″ of the shaft or bore16that is oval so as to provide the axle15with play at the extremities19′,19″ of the shaft or bore24.

One or more of such features enable that the wheels14on opposite sides of the second rod9have room to move to a slightly different level with respect to each other, to match possibly different levels of the supporting surfaces13′ of the weighing scales13placed on opposite sides of the track of the conveyor line. This promotes the accuracy of the weight measurement.

Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to exemplary embodiments of the invention, the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiments shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiments are merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to the embodiments. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using these exemplary embodiments.