Livestock handling apparatus and method

Apparatus for loading live poultry into open-topped containers (19) comprise a plurality (preferably three) loading units (28) arranged side by side so that each loading unit (28) is aligned with a column of containers (19) accommodated in a standard module (18). Each loading unit has a batching receptacle (33) to receive a batch of poultry (of predetermined weight or number) corresponding to the capacity of one of the open-topped containers (19) which are in turn withdrawn from the module (18), loaded with a batch of poultry and then returned to the module, each loading unit (28) shifting vertically as successive containers are loaded with poultry. A separate catching vehicle (54) may be used to catch the poultry and deliver it to the apparatus.

This invention relates to livestock handling apparatus and in particular to 
apparatus for loading poultry into containers. The invention also relates 
to a method of loading poultry into containers. 
Conventionally, when live poultry in a growing house is ready to be 
slaughtered, the poultry is loaded into open-topped containers in the form 
of drawers a number of which, e.g. twelve, are accommodated in a module. 
The loaded modules are moved by a fork-lift truck onto a lorry which 
transports the modules to a processing factory at which the birds are 
unloaded and slaughtered. The process of catching the birds and loading 
them into the open-topped containers is generally done by operatives and 
is therefore labour intensive. The invention aims to automate the process 
of loading the poultry into the containers. 
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for 
loading poultry into containers, comprising a batching receptacle for 
receiving a batch of poultry corresponding to the capacity of a container, 
the batching receptacle having an input to receive the poultry and an 
output to discharge the poultry, the batching receptacle being operable to 
move the poultry from the input to the output, and shifting means for 
moving a container into the apparatus for loading the container with a 
batch of poultry from the batching receptacle and for discharging a loaded 
container from the apparatus. Preferably, the containers are open-topped 
containers. 
Preferably, the batching receptacle has in its base a conveyor which is 
operative to move the poultry from an input end to an output end thereof, 
at which a movable door or flap may be provided, the door or flap being 
movable between a closed position in which it closes the output end and 
prevents the poultry leaving the batching receptacle and an open position 
in which poultry in the batching receptacle is allowed to pass into an 
open-topped container moved into the apparatus for loading thereof. 
The batching receptacle may have sensing means which sense the weight of 
poultry in the batching receptacle and which, when a predetermined weight 
of poultry is reached, causes the door or flap to move to the open 
position to allow unloading of the batch of poultry from the batching 
receptacle into the appropriate container. Alternatively, the batching 
receptacle may batch by counting the number of birds in the batching 
receptacle and causing the door or flap to move to its open position when 
a predetermined number of birds has been received in the batching 
receptacle. 
The batching receptacle may be vertically movable so as to be capable of 
alignment with a selected container in a stack or tier of containers 
accommodated in a module, in this case a loading conveyor which delivers 
poultry to the batching receptacle being capable of moving in a vertical 
plane to accommodate this vertical movement of the batching receptacle. As 
an alternative to the batching receptacle being shiftable vertically, the 
module may be vertically shiftable and the batching receptacle held 
stationary. 
To increase poultry handling capacity, and to enable the apparatus to 
function with a standard module accommodating an array or matrix of 
containers, the batching receptacle and the shifting means preferably 
forms one loading unit of a plurality of such units arranged side by side 
and in respective alignment with the columns of the containers in the 
module, operation of the apparatus then being synchronised so that the 
loading conveyor is moveable horizontally to load the batching receptacles 
in turn, each hatching receptacle and the associated shifting means 
loading containers from successive levels of the appropriate tier of 
containers in turn, such that the capacity of the apparatus to batch the 
poultry matches the delivery rate of poultry to the apparatus by the 
loading conveyor. 
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of 
loading poultry into containers, comprising delivering the poultry to a 
batching receptacle until the receptacle contains a quantity of poultry 
corresponding to the capacity of a container, at which the supply to the 
receptacle is interrupted and the batch of poultry in the receptacle is 
delivered to a container occupying a loading position beneath the 
receptacle. 
Preferably, the poultry is loaded into a succession of containers, each 
empty container being withdrawn from a module to occupy the loading 
position wherein it is filled with a batch of poultry and then replaced in 
the module as a filled container, a subsequent container then being 
withdrawn and filled in a process which sequentially fills the containers 
in the module. 
Apparatus according to the invention is preferably rendered mobile by being 
mounted on wheels, for example on a trailer pulled by a prime mover such 
as a tractor, or on the load area of a truck or lorry, such a combination 
then constituting a mobile poultry packing machine. In a preferred 
arrangement, poultry is supplied to the packing machine at a receiving 
location, conveyors being provided to convey the poultry from the 
receiving location to the series of batching receptacles. The receiving 
location may be constituted by a catching unit, mounted on the front end 
of an arm which swings from side to side to gather poultry from a poultry 
house. However, a disadvantage of this arrangement is that the packing 
machine is a fairly bulky vehicle and the catching unit may not be able to 
reach all areas of poultry houses many of which have their internal areas 
interrupted by stanchions or posts supporting low roofs. 
To overcome this possible disadvantage, apparatus according to the 
invention may be supplied with poultry by means of a separate catching 
vehicle capable of moving (independently of the apparatus) to catch live 
poultry, typically in a poultry house, and bring the poultry to a 
receiving point, such as a hopper, from where the poultry are conveyed to 
the series of batching receptacles. 
The catching vehicle is preferably sufficiently compact and maneuverable to 
enable it to reach virtually all parts of the floor area of a typical 
poultry house, being able to pass into aisles defined by internal posts or 
stanchions in the house and being able to pass between such posts or 
stanchions. The catching vehicle may be comparable in size to a garden or 
horticultural tractor, and the latter may form the basic motive power unit 
for the catching vehicle. 
A preferred embodiment of catching vehicle has a pair of conveyor 
arrangements on respective sides of the catching vehicle, the front end of 
each conveyor arrangement being equipped with a poultry catching head and 
the rear end being equipped with a flap controllably movable between a 
closed position closing the rear end of the corresponding conveyor 
arrangement and an open position in which poultry can be delivered from 
the rear end of the conveyor arrangement to the receiving point on the 
packing machine. 
Each conveyor arrangement may itself be liftable between a lowered 
poultry-gathering position and a raised poultry-discharging position, and 
each conveyor arrangement may include a foremost elevating conveyor, 
extending upwardly and rearwardly towards an accumulating conveyor at the 
rear of which is located the controllably movable flap. 
The receiving hopper at the receiving point of the packing machine may 
comprise a transport conveyor for conveying poultry away from the hopper 
and loading means for progressively loading poultry within the hopper into 
the transport conveyor, so that a substantially uniform flow rate of 
poultry from the hopper is achieved. Conveniently, the loading means 
comprise two base panels positioned on respective sides of the transport 
conveyor, the base panels being pivotable about substantially horizontal 
axes to respective raised positions in which each base panel is inclined 
downwardly towards the transport conveyor so that progressive pivotal 
movement of the two base panels from lowered positions thereof causes 
progressive delivery of poultry within the hopper onto the transport 
conveyor.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a complete assembly for gathering live poultry, 
normally chickens, and loading them into containers in the form of 
open-topped drawers. The assembly comprises a tractor 1 drawing a wheeled 
trailer 2 having a chassis 3 supported by a pair of ground-engaging wheels 
4. The tractor 1 and trailer 2 are capable of relative articulating 
movement about a vertical pivot axis 5 passing through the towing point. 
Forwardly of the tractor 1 projects an inclined elevating conveyor 6 the 
extreme lower end of which terminates in a poultry catching unit 7. The 
elevating conveyor 6 is capable of pivotal movement, with respect to the 
tractor 1, about a substantially vertical pivot axis 8 so that the 
catching unit 7 can be swung in an arcuate movement in front of the 
tractor, as indicated by the double-headed arrow 9 in FIG. 1. 
The upper end of the elevating conveyor 6 is aligned with the forward end 
of a transfer conveyor 10 mounted on the tractor 1. The rear end of the 
transfer conveyor 10 communicates with the front end of a loading conveyor 
12 which is capable of pivotal movement with respect to the tractor 1 
about two orthogonal axes, namely a vertical axis coincident with the axis 
5 and a horizontal transverse axis 13. As a result, the loading conveyor 
12 can swing, with respect to the tractor 1, in a generally horizontal 
plane as indicated by the arrow 14 in FIG. 1, and in a generally vertical 
plane as indicated by the arrow 15 in FIG. 2. This enables the rear end 16 
of the loading conveyor 12 to deliver poultry to the hatching apparatus of 
the invention, this apparatus being indicated generally at 17 in FIGS. 1 
and 2. It will be noted that the apparatus 17 occupies a forward portion 
of the chassis 3, the rear portion of which is occupied by means for 
supporting and moving modules 18 holding the drawers 19. 
The tractor 1 is driven forwardly into an area, such as a growing house, 
containing poultry and the elevating conveyor 6 is swung from side to side 
so that the catching unit 7 sweeps across an area in front of the tractor 
1 and gathers live chickens which pass up the elevating conveyor 6, along 
the transfer conveyor 10 and then into the loading conveyor 12 whence they 
are delivered to the batching apparatus 17 which operates to fill the 
drawers 19 of each module 18 with live poultry. 
It will be appreciated that the conveyors 6, 10 and 12 are provided with 
covers to prevent the poultry escaping. 
Referring to FIG. 1, when the module 18 is in the position 22, the drawers 
in the module 18 are filled successively by the batching apparatus 17 
until all the drawers are filled. The filled module 18 is then moved to 
occupy position 24, (shown unoccupied in FIG. 1) ready to be removed by a 
fork-lift truck as indicated by arrow 23. A module of empty containers in 
position 20 is moved to position 22, a module of empty containers being 
moved into position 20 by the fork-lift truck, as indicated by the arrow 
25. Movement of the modules on the trailer from position 20 to position 22 
and from position 22 to position 24 is effected by a chain drive on the 
trailer 2 which is driven in intermittent fashion in synchronism with the 
operation of the batching assembly 17. 
Instead of using the described poultry catching unit 7 together with the 
elevating conveyor 6 these two items could be omitted and the front of the 
tractor 1 could be fitted with a receiving hopper or reservoir for live 
poultry from which the poultry is fed direct to the batching apparatus 17 
via conveyors 10 and 12. An arrangement utilising a hopper is described 
subsequently. 
The invention is principally concerned with the batching apparatus 17 which 
receives the poultry from the loading conveyor 12 and which then loads the 
drawers 19 in the modules 18, and the following description is mainly 
devoted to the explanation of the structure and operation of the hatching 
apparatus 17. 
Referring to FIG. 3, in which the trailer 2 is omitted, the batching 
apparatus 17 comprises a frame 26 on which is mounted by a scissors lift 
27 an assembly of three loading units 28 arranged side by side. Beside the 
apparatus is illustrated the module 18 (in position 22) consisting of a 
rectangular frame accommodating open-topped containers each in the form of 
an open-topped plastics drawer 19. The module 18 accommodates twelve 
drawers 19, arranged in three tiers or columns each consisting of four 
drawers. 
A representative one of the loading units 28 is shown in FIG. 4. The 
loading unit 28 has a support frame 29 of the upper part of which is 
mounted, by pivot arms 30, 32, a tray-like receptacle 33 consisting of two 
spaced side panels 34, an end panel 35, a movable flap 36 and a conveyor 
37 movable in the direction of the arrow 38 by means of a motor/gearbox 
39. There are two pivot arms 30, 32 on each side of the loading unit, and 
each pivot arm takes the form of a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted in a 
respective bearing 40, 42 on the support frame 29. The horizontal lever 
arm of the lever 30 is pivotally mounted on a corresponding side panel 34 
and the upper ends of the vertical levers are interconnected by a link 43. 
When a weight is placed on the conveyor 37, the tray-like receptacle 33 
tends to move downwards with attendant pivoting of the pivot arms 30, 32, 
this tendency being opposed by a counterweight 44. This arrangement 
provides the receptacle with a weight sensor and renders the receptacle 33 
weight sensitive. 
The support frame 29 also supports a carriage for withdrawing individual 
drawers from the module 18 for loading with poultry and for pushing loaded 
drawers back into the module. The carriage is hidden from view in FIG. 4 
but is shown diagrammatically at 45 in FIGS. 5 to 15. The carriage 45 is 
movable horizontally in the support frame 29 between a fully retracted 
position (FIGS. 7, 8 and 9) and a fully extended position (FIG. 6). The 
carriage 45 is driven by a motor/gearbox shown at 46 in FIG. 4. The 
carriage 45 presents a hook 47 (or hooks) which faces the module 18 and 
which is engageable with an individual drawer 19, so that return movement 
of the carriage 45 pulls the drawer 19 out of the module 18 into a loading 
position in which the drawer 19 is located beneath the conveyor 37, ready 
to be filled with a batch of poultry on the conveyor 37. To facilitate 
sliding movement of the drawers 19, the upper surface of the support frame 
29 carries guide rails 48 (FIG. 4). 
The receptacle 33 is in practice provided with a top cover which prevents 
escape of poultry but which is omitted from the drawings for clarity. The 
cover is arranged to allow poultry to enter the receptacle 33 from the end 
16 of the conveyor 12. 
Considering the apparatus to be in the position shown in FIG. 3, assume 
that the conveyor 12 is about to deliver poultry to the left-hand unit 28 
in FIG. 3, i.e. the upper unit 28 as viewed in the plan of FIG. 1. FIGS. 5 
to 15 are diagrammatic views of the apparatus 17 on looking in the same 
direction as FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 5, the unit 28 is initially empty 
of poultry, the carriage 45 is at its rest position and the module 18 
contains twelve empty drawers 19. The end 16 of the conveyor 12 is 
positioned above the end panel 35 so that chickens 50 are delivered onto 
the conveyor 37. This is driven in an incremental stepwise fashion so that 
the chickens are moved from the inlet end of the conveyor 37 towards the 
outlet end thereof where the flap 36 is in its closed position. In FIGS. 5 
to 15, the flap 36 is shown as two pivoted flaps, one closing the output 
end of the receptacle and the other closing the gap over the drawer 19. 
The two flaps may be separate but linked or may be provided by a single 
component suitably shaped. 
The carriage 45 is then moved towards the module 18, the hook 47 engaging 
the end of the topmost drawer 19 of the stack of drawers with which the 
unit is aligned (FIG. 6). Retraction of the carriage 45 causes the drawer 
19 to be pulled into the apparatus (FIG. 7). The drawer 19 is withdrawn 
from the module 18 sufficiently for the drawer to be loaded with poultry 
from the conveyor 37, but the drawer 19 is not completely withdrawn from 
the module 18, so avoiding the need for re-registration of drawer and 
module compartment when the loaded drawer is pushed back into the module. 
At this point in the cycle (FIG. 8), the conveyor 37 is continuing to move 
incrementally and is therefore filling with poultry from the conveyor 12, 
the flap 36 being closed and preventing poultry escaping from the output 
end of the conveyor 37. When a predetermined weight of poultry has been 
loaded onto the conveyor 37, the weight sensor associated with the 
receptacle 33 trips. This causes the conveyor 12 to stop, the flap 36 to 
open and the conveyor 37 to be driven in a continuous movement to unload 
the batch of poultry into the open topped drawer 19 below (FIG. 9). As 
loading of the drawer proceeds, the carriage 45 pushes the drawer 19 
towards the module 18 (FIG. 10). The speed of movement of the drawer 19 
preferably corresponds to the speed of movement of the conveyor 37 but 
these speeds could differ. 
The drawer 19 stops momentarily with its trailing end under the outlet end 
of the conveyor 37 which continues to be driven to transfer any birds 
remaining on the conveyor 37 into the drawer 19 (FIG. 11). The flap 36 
closes to cover the end of the drawer and also to close the outlet end of 
the conveyor 37 (FIG. 12). Hence, the batch of poultry which had 
previously been in the receptacle 33 and which has a predetermined weight 
corresponding to the capacity of the drawer 19 has now been transferred to 
the drawer 19. 
Continued movement of the carriage 45 pushes the drawer 19 back into its 
compartment in the module 18. The hook 47 is lifted (FIG. 13) to disengage 
the carriage 45 and drawer, and the conveyor 37, together with its weight 
sensor, is reset. The conveyor 12 is restarted, the conveyor 37 resumes 
its incremental movement and the carriage returns to its initial rest 
position with its hook 47 raised. On reaching the initial rest position, 
the hook 47 is lowered (FIG. 14). The loading unit 28 is now shifted 
vertically downwards, by means of the scissor lift 27, so that the 
carriage 45 is at the appropriate position to withdraw the drawer at the 
next lower level. This drawer 19 is then filled with poultry by a 
repetition of the sequence described above. The drawers 19 at the two 
lower levels are sequentially filled in a comparable manner, after which 
the scissor lift raises the unit to the top drawer level ready for the 
process to be repeated on the next module. 
The loading unit 28 shown in FIG. 4 is triplicated in the apparatus shown 
in FIG. 3 to provide the complete apparatus with sufficient 
poultry-handling capacity. In use, the conveyor 12 moves step-wise and 
horizontally above the three loading units 28 so as to load the units in 
sequence. When all the drawers 19 in a module 18 are filled with poultry, 
the module is shifted to position 24 ready to be removed by a fork lift 
truck, as previously described. 
The sequence of operations performed by the apparatus is controlled by 
software. The capacity of the apparatus to fill the drawers matches the 
expected delivery rate of poultry to produce an efficient automated 
loading process which avoids handling by operatives and causes minimum 
distress to the poultry. 
The described apparatus and method can be modified in a number of ways, 
including: 
(1) The inch rate of the conveyor 37 when being loaded can be determined by 
either: 
(a) Direct speed ratio adjustment with conveyor 12 
(b) Sensing of birds present on conveyor 12 and operating weight conveyor 
belt drive only when birds present 
(c) A combination of (a) and (b). 
(d) by sensing the volume and/or weight of birds on the conveyor 37. 
(2) The conveyor 37 can be designed to either use a deadweight 
counterbalance mechanism with variable tare weight or alternatively be 
load cell mounted. 
(3) If birds are counted then the conveyor 37 is used purely for transfer 
to the drawer. 
(4) The birds could be counted either on the conveyor 12 or the conveyor 
37. 
(5) The gate flap 36 can be either: 
(a) Free pivoting 
(b) Externally actuated 
(c) Actuates in conjunction with drawer flap. 
(6) The drawer flap can be externally actuated independently or 
alternatively actuated in conjunction with another part of the mechanism. 
(7) The drawer pull carriage 45 has an attachment means which captures the 
drawer. In this example a hook 47 has been used but other methods are 
possible. 
(8) It is possible to load birds into the drawer when it is being moved in 
either direction, therefore, for example, it is possible during the stages 
of FIGS. 10 and 11 to push or pull the drawer during loading, provided 
that the drawer always remains under the drawer flap aperture. Similarly, 
the drawer pull out could be halted during the stage of FIG. 7 so that the 
drawer halts under the end of the conveyor 37 (same position as FIG. 11) 
and waits for the conveyor 37 to trip. Upon tripping, the drawer would 
then be pulled back to the rearmost position as bird transfer commenced 
(FIG. 9) and then pushed forward whilst transfer continued (FIG. 10). 
Operation from FIG. 11 onwards then remains the same. 
The complete assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 constitutes a mobile poultry 
packing machine which has, in addition, a poultry catching unit 7. The 
mobile packing machine and catching unit 7 operate satisfactorily when the 
chickens to be caught are accommodated in a large unobstructed space which 
allows sweeping movement of the catching unit 7. However, many poultry 
houses have internal posts or stanchions making access difficult to a 
large machine like that of FIGS. 1 and 2. Moreover, poultry houses 
commonly have low roofs, giving insufficient internal height for 
satisfactory access and operation of the packing machine of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
The arrangements of FIGS. 16 to 24 are intended to overcome these possible 
problems. 
Referring to FIGS. 16 to 19, the mobile packing machine 52 illustrated 
therein is identical to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, except that at the forward 
end the packing machine 52 has a reception hopper 53 which is supplied 
with poultry by a separate catching vehicle 54 (FIGS. 19 to 22). The 
hopper 53 is mounted at the front of the tractor 1 and comprises a central 
transport conveyor 55 which is driven in the direction of the arrow to 
deliver poultry to the conveyor 10 and thence, via the horizontally and 
vertically pivotable conveyor 12, to the batching apparatus 17. 
On respective sides of the transport conveyor 55, the hopper has two panels 
56 which are pivotable about substantially horizontal axes 57 (FIG. 18) at 
their inboard edges, so as to be movable between lowered positions (full 
lines in FIG. 18) and raised positions (broken lines in FIG. 18). In their 
raised position, the panels 56 converge downwardly towards the conveyor 
55. Therefore, progressive pivotal movement of the panels 56 from their 
lowered positions to their raised positions causes progressive delivery, 
by a gentle and progressive tipping action, of poultry within the hopper 
onto the conveyor 55. 
Reference will now be made to FIGS. 20, 21 and 22 which show the catching 
vehicle 54. This is a separate motive power unit, for example based on a 
small four-wheeled, diesel-engined horticultural or garden tractor 58 
modified in the manner to be described to render it suitable to catch, 
hold and transfer poultry to the hopper 53. 
On respective sides of the tractor are fitted conveyor assemblies 59. These 
are identical and each is movable between a raised transport position (for 
transport to the hopper and unloading onto the hopper 53) and a lowered 
position (for catching birds from the poultry house floor). Each assembly 
59 comprises, starting at the front thereof and moving rearwardly: a 
poultry catching head 60 which is operative to gather poultry and draw the 
birds onto the front of the conveyor assembly 59, (arrows 62); an 
elevating conveyor 63 onto which the poultry is delivered by the head 60; 
an accumulating conveyor 64 onto which the poultry is delivered by the 
elevating conveyor 63; and a flap 61 pivotally movable about a 
substantially horizontal axis 65 (FIG. 22) along its top edge between a 
closed position (full lines in FIG. 22) and an open position displaced 
from the closed position by about 90.degree., as indicated by the arrow 66 
in FIG. 22. 
FIG. 19 shows the poultry packing machine 52 (with hopper 53) positioned in 
the central aisle of a poultry house 67. The catching vehicle 54 is 
advancing into the flock of chickens 68 confined within the house 67. The 
catching vehicle 54 is sufficiently compact and maneuverable to pass 
between the vertical posts 69 of the poultry house 67 and to enter the 
side aisles of the house, whilst the poultry packing machine 52 remains in 
its illustrated position in the central aisle. As the catching vehicle 54 
moves forwardly into the flock of chickens, the birds are gently gathered 
and transferred from the floor of the poultry house onto both elevating 
conveyors 63 which are driven at a sufficient speed to keep the catching 
heads 60 clear. The birds are carried up the elevating conveyors 63 and 
delivered onto the respective accumulating conveyors 64. The flaps 61 are 
maintained in their closed positions to cause the birds to accumulate on 
the accumulating conveyors 64. 
When the correct number of birds have been lifted onto the accumulating 
conveyors 64, determined either by the operator driving the catching 
vehicle 54 or by an automatic weight or number sensing device, the 
elevating conveyors 63 and accumulating conveyors 64 are stopped and 
raised to their transport positions with the accumulating conveyors 64 
horizontal. The catching vehicle 54 is then driven back to the hopper 53. 
On reaching the hopper 53, the catching vehicle is reversed up to the 
hopper to allow the rear of the accumulating conveyors to overhang the 
hopper. The flaps 61 are then pivoted to the open positions and the drive 
to the conveyors 63 and 64 is applied to cause the birds on the 
accumulating conveyors 64 to be transferred onto the hopper 53 which at 
this stage has its conveyor 55 running and its panels 56 in the lowered 
positions thereof. A sensing device on the hopper 53 detects the presence 
of the catching vehicle 54 and acts to ensure that the conveyor 55 is 
driven and the panels 56 remain in their lowered positions during the 
final approach of the catching vehicle 54, its unloading and its 
departure. During unloading of the birds into the hopper 53, the catching 
vehicle 54 may be reversed with an inching movement to promote even 
distribution of the birds on the area of the hopper 53. 
At the conclusion of the transfer of the birds from the two accumulating 
conveyors 64 to the hopper 53, the flaps 61 are returned to their closed 
positions and the catching vehicle 54 moves away from the hopper 53 
towards the flock of chickens remaining on the floor of the poultry house 
67. On reaching the flock, the catching vehicle operator lowers the 
elevating and accumulating conveyors 63, 64 and catching heads 60 to their 
operative positions (FIG. 22), starts the catching heads 60 and conveyors 
63, 64 and repeats the gathering, accumulating and delivery cycle. 
After the catching vehicle 54 leaves the hopper 53, the hopper panels 56 
are pivoted to their raised positions, either in a continuous movement or 
in a series of indexing movements, by hydraulic cylinders. The raising of 
the panels 56 causes the birds to slide down on the transport conveyor 55. 
After a predetermined time the panels 56 are returned to their lowered 
positions ready for the next approach of the catching vehicle 54. 
FIG. 19 illustrates how a forklift truck 70 transfers filled modules (from 
the position 24 on the trailer 3) to a road transport vehicle 72 drawn up 
outside the access door of the poultry house 67. On the return trip of the 
forklift truck 70, empty modules are transferred from the road transport 
vehicle to the packing machine 52. There may be situations where it is 
more convenient for the packing machine 52 not fully to enter the poultry 
house 67. For example, the packing machine 52 may be positioned so that it 
is partially inside and partially outside the poultry house, it being 
appreciated that the hopper end of the packing machine 52 will face the 
poultry to be gathered so that the catching vehicle 54 can gain access to 
the hopper 53. 
FIG. 23 illustrates a possible positioning in which the hopper 53 is 
positioned in the access doorway of the poultry house 67, and FIG. 24 
shows the possibility of the poultry packing machine 52 being built on a 
road transport vehicle which is positioned wholly outside the poultry 
house, the catching vehicle 54 transferring the poultry from inside the 
house to the hopper 53 outside the house. In this case modules are loaded 
on and off the trailer 3 from the side thereof. 
In each of the described arrangements using a catching vehicle, two 
operatives only are required, one to drive the catching vehicle 54 and the 
other to drive the forklift truck 70. 
More than one catching vehicle 54 can serve a single packing machine 52. 
Birds may be loaded into the hopper 53 by other means, e.g. manually by a 
conveyor. 
In each loading unit 28 previously described, the receptacle 33 has a 
weight sensor which means that each batch of poultry transferred to a 
drawer 19 corresponds to a predetermined minimum weight, or falls within 
an acceptable weight range. Batching of the poultry may alternatively be 
done by counting the chickens instead of weighing them, and this 
possibility is illustrated in FIGS. 25 and 26. 
One of the conveyors transporting the chickens to the apparatus 17 is 
equipped with a counter. In the example of FIGS. 25 and 26, the conveyor 
12 is shown fitted with a counter 74 in the form of a photoelectric device 
which scans the conveyor 12 adjacent its downstream end, the scan being 
represented diagrammatically by the broken lines 75. Ultrasonic sensors 
may alternatively be used. The width of the conveyor 12 is divided into 
two channels 76 by a dividing roller 77 followed by a vertical partition 
78. The roller 77 is fixed (or alternatively rotatable about a vertical 
axis) and the partition 78 is fixed with respect to side walls 79 and a 
top panel of the conveyor, the movable belt of which is shown at 80. The 
roller 77 and the partition 78 cause the approaching chickens to be 
divided into two streams (in the respective channels 76), as indicated by 
the arrows in FIG. 26. In each channel 76, the chickens are in single file 
to enable accurate counting to be undertaken by the counter 74. The width 
of the conveyor 12 may be divided into more than two channels by the use 
of additional partitions. 
The photoelectric devices of the counter 74 are linked to a microprocessor 
which includes means for counting the chickens passing the counter. A 
predetermined count may be entered into the microprocessor so that when 
this count is reached the conveyor belt 80 is stopped and the counted 
batch of chickens in the receptacle 33 is emptied into a corresponding 
drawer 19. It will be appreciated that if the apparatus includes a 
counter, the receptacle does not need to be fitted with a weight sensor, 
although both may be employed together, e.g. where the batches are to have 
defined weights and defined numbers of chickens. 
FIGS. 27 and 28 illustrate a mobile packing machine in the form of a 
flat-bed lorry the load area of which carries batching apparatus 17 
according to the invention. This hatching apparatus corresponds to the 
batching apparatus previously described except that in FIGS. 27 and 28 the 
loading units 28 do not shift vertically. The conveyor 12 does not 
therefore need to accommodate vertical movement of the loading units 28, 
but the downstream end of the conveyor swings about a vertical axis to 
deliver poultry to the loading units 28 in turn, as previously described. 
The lorry also carries a hopper 53 for receiving poultry from a catching 
vehicle 54 and a conveyor 12, including the counter described with 
reference to FIGS. 25 and 26. In FIGS. 27 and 28, the three loading units 
28 do not shift vertically: instead the lorry supports a scissor lift 
which progressively lifts each module 18 to enable the drawers 19 in the 
module to be filled with poultry (by pulling each empty drawer out of the 
module and pushing each loaded drawer into the module as previously 
described), commencing with the upper level of drawers in the module and 
finishing with the lowest level of drawers in the module. 
A module with empty drawers is delivered (arrows 82) to the infeed position 
adjacent the lorry cab. A conveyor chain 83 moves the module rearwardly 
(arrow 81) to a position above the scissor lift where, initially, the 
three loading units 28 are in horizontal register with the uppermost level 
of drawers 19 in the module. The drawers in this uppermost level are 
loaded with batches of poultry, as previously described. After this, the 
module is indexed upwardly, (arrow 85) to allow the drawers in the 
successive module levels to be loaded with poultry. When all the tiers or 
levels in the module are loaded with poultry, the module is further raised 
by the scissor lift to an offtake position 86, allowing the scissor lift 
to lower to its bottom position ready to accept the next module of empty 
containers 19. The loaded module is removed (arrows 87) from the offtake 
position, e.g. by a fork lift truck. 
Reference is now made to FIGS. 29 to 33, which show a modified construction 
of batching apparatus suitable for use in loading with poultry a module 
having a stack of containers which, instead of being withdrawable from the 
module, are fixed in position but are provided with front opening flaps. 
The modified apparatus comprises a batching receptacle 100 to which poultry 
is delivered in one of the ways heretofore described. Thus, reference 102 
denotes the end of the loading conveyor, whereat a sensor 104 is provided 
for counting poultry as they are delivered into the batching receptacle. 
As before, the batching receptacle has an openable flap 106 at its output. 
The cage-type module 108 comprising the stack of fixed containers 110 is 
delivered by a conveyor or other suitable means on to a lifting unit 112, 
so that the containers 110 can be elevated in steps past the output of the 
batching receptacle 100, whereby the containers can be filled with poultry 
in turn. The front openable flaps 114 of the containers can be opened and 
closed, in sequence, by a flap opening unit 116, which as illustrated is 
hydraulically operated, although other forms of drive could be employed 
instead. 
Associated with and carried by the batching receptacle 110 is a delivery 
means 188. In practice, the batching receptacle includes a conveyor 120 
for feeding poultry from the input to the output of the batching 
receptacle, whilst the delivery means comprises a delivery conveyor 118. 
This delivery conveyor 118 is extendable from beneath the batching 
receptacle to enter into a selected container when the front flap 114 of 
the container is open. 
FIG. 29 shows the module 108 in process of being elevated. A hook 122 on 
the end of the piston of the flap opening unit 116 has engaged the top of 
the flap 114 of the uppermost container 110 and is ready to pull it open. 
Meanwhile, delivery of poultry into the batching receptacle is commencing, 
the output flap 106 of the receptacle being closed. The delivery conveyor 
118 is retracted. 
FIG. 30 shows the container flap 114 opened as the elevation of the module 
has progressed. This elevating movement has now ceased with the bottom of 
the uppermost container 110 just below the level of the delivery conveyor 
118, which remains fully retracted. The piston of the flap opening unit 
has withdrawn. Delivery of the poultry into the batching receptacle 100 is 
continuing, but the output flap 106 remains closed. 
In FIG. 31, poultry are continuing to be delivered and counted into the 
batching receptacle 100, with the output flap 106 still closed. However, 
the delivery conveyor 118 has been extended to cooperate with and enter 
the uppermost container 110. 
FIG. 32 shows the position after the batching receptacle 100 has been 
filled with a predetermined number of poultry counted by the sensor 104 
and, optionally under the control of this sensor, loading of poultry into 
the receptacle has ceased and the output flap 106 of the hatching 
receptacle 100 has been opened, whereby poultry are being delivered from 
the receptacle conveyor 120 on to the delivery conveyor 118 and thence 
into the uppermost container 110. Optionally, as the container 110 is 
progressively filled, the delivery conveyor 118 may progressively retract. 
Finally, FIG. 33 shows the uppermost container 110 filled with a 
predetermined number of poultry, its front openable flap 114 now closed 
with a simple pushing action by the flap opening unit 116. The delivery 
container 118 is again fully retracted, and loading of poultry into the 
batching receptacle 100 is recommencing. The lifting unit 112 is now 
prepared to lift the module by an mount corresponding to the depth of one 
container, so that the next to uppermost container 110 of the module 108 
will be filled with a predetermined number of poultry, in analogous manner 
to the above-described procedure by which the uppermost container has been 
filled. 
In practice, the cage-type module 108 will usually comprise several 
side-by-side stacks of fixed containers 110 each with a front opening flap 
114. 
Thus, as heretofore described, a number of units each comprising a batching 
receptacle 100 and a delivery means 118 may be arranged side by side and 
operate in synchronism as the module 108 is elevated in steps. 
Additionally or alternatively, however, the hatching receptacle, with its 
associated delivery means, may be mounted for movement in a horizontal 
plane so as to deliver poultry to one stack after the other. Moreover, it 
is also possible to mount the batching receptacle and its associated 
delivery means for vertical movement, possibly to dispense with 
requirement for the lifting unit 112. The flap opening unit 116 can also 
be dispensed with if manual opening and closing of the from flaps 114 of 
the containers is acceptable. The poultry counting sensor 104 may be 
replaced by a weight sensor if preferred and as hereinbefore referred to.